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What defense? No questions were answered by any self proclaimed mason, insults were directed at those who asked polite questions and grievous and scandalous insults against the Catholic Church levelled in a pathetic effort to avoid answering those self same, simple questions. What about those questions scare Masons so much? Why deny Albert Pike and his book? Why pretend that the "craft" is compatible with Christianity when so many organized bodies of Christians claerly outline why the "craft" is incompatible with Christ and His Church? Why tell self-evident lies like the claim that the Christian Bible is the foundation of the "craft"?

FYI the Vatican has spoken clearly on sex abuse. It is a crime and a sin. It is opposed to Christ and His Church. The FACT is that out of over 50,000 priests in the US, only a few hundred have even been accused of sexual misconduct with minors and less than 100 convicted. Your attempts to use the scandal as a diversion to avoid answering the questions is noted as prima facia evidence that you are trying to conceal the truth about your beloved "craft". Why?

Dear narses,

I assume you have called me here so that I might comment upon the subject matter. Okay.

I have no direct knowledge whatsoever of masonry, per se. It is enough for me to know that as a devout Catholic, I may not be a mason. The penalty for masonic membership by a Catholic layman is interdict. In other words, one is forbidden the sacraments until one expunges one's membership from masonic organizations. The penalty for a cleric is a little more, but I've forgotten it offhand.

I know that in the past, especially in the late 19th century, some American masonic organizations in the western part of the United States exhibited anti-Catholicism, and were key in passing laws restricting the abilities of Catholics to educate our children. In fact, much of the "separation of church and state" crap used to deny Catholics the ability to use public funds to educate our children in our own schools derived from movements backed, at times, by some masonic organizations.

I know that masonry in Europe traditionally was more anti-Catholic than in the US.

What I don't know is anything about the rituals, oaths, proceedings, etc. of masonic organizations. I don't know if in the US there are masonic organizations which are inherently antithetical to Catholicism. Certainly, one might think so from the comments made herein by AxelPaulsenJr, but I would prefer not to condemn masonry in general because of one FR poster spouting anti-Catholic bigotry. After all, he may be an anti-Catholic bigot in reaction to his perception of Catholic hostility toward his masonic membership.

As you probably know, the Catholic Church objects to masonic membership for Catholics in part because she believes that masonry teaches a natural theology that is opposed to the theology of the Church, which finds its basis in Divine Revelation. Masonry certainly does present a system of natural theology, but it is beyond my knowledge to say whether this is taught merely as a "lowest common denominator" between theists of all types, or whether, as the Church believes, it at least tends to denigrate the special Divine Revelation of Christian Truth.

I have conversed on-line, in other fora, with masons, before. My experience suggests that at least some of them have at least imbibed the natural theology of their masonic association to a degree sufficient to bring them to denigrate the unique Christian Revelation. But I wonder whether that is because it is inherent in masonry, or whether it comes about because masons get tired of being called "anti-Christian", and strike out as a result. I just don't really know.

I have noted, in other places, that masons become quite strident in insisting that they aren't anti-Catholic, and often, in the course of that denial, often begin to betray virulently anti-Catholic attitudes. I have noted in other on-line fora that "Catholic masons", when push comes to shove, usually choose their masonic membership over their Catholicism (sadly enough), and I have found this telling. As well, I have often found that these individuals, if pushed, start posting things as virulently anti-Catholic as, say, the postings of AxelPaulsenJr on this thread.

Thus, though I know nothing of their rituals, I have seen enough of the reactions of masons towards Catholicism that it is easy enough for me to avoid membership in their organization. You know that I love the Catholic Church, the Bride of Jesus Christ, and I can't imagine seeking out the company of those who would calumniate her.

As to the secrecy of masonic rituals, and the failure of masons to reveal them generally, I don't have any problem with that. I am a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus, and though I will attest that there is nothing wayward in our rituals, you really couldn't beat them out of me. I am a gentleman, and do my best to keep my word.

I have heard that some of the oaths in masonic rituals get a bit... over the top. The Church has pronounced that these are either evil oaths, if taken seriously, or stupid and vain oaths, if taken as hyperbole. Personally, I'm not offended by a little stupidity and vanity if it is in the cause of poking fun at ourselves, so I don't find this offensive, if true.

Nonetheless, I remain agnostic as to whether US masonry is inherently anti-Catholic, and am even less willing to offer any opinion as to whether it is inherently anti-Christian. I just don't know.

I do believe that historically, much, probably most of masonry was at least functionally anti-Catholic, if not intrinsically so, and I have no desire to belong to an organization that historically worked to limit my rights as a Catholic American to educate my children in my faith.

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