There was a reason he won all his cases.
Posted on 05/24/2009 10:20:53 AM PDT by Logic n' Reason
I have become very curious about the Freemasons and freemasonry in general.
How does it "fit in" with the group of Christian religions...how about islam? What are the views and opinions of those at this site?
The only distinction I see is that one is more catholic-friendly than the other. I tend to side with the catholics on many social and religious issues. I’ve heard the sentiment “ a true christian can’t be a mason” before, and I attribute the saying to the catholics. It’s even on this thread now. I tend to somewhat agree with it. That’s why the existence of the KofC seems to me to be extremely hypocritical.
Take a hike buddy. If you think I’m going to buy your crap about masons being trabants and knights being lexuses, you are a moron.
>>BTW, if you’re a good standing free man in society who believes in a higher power of some kind you should just hit up to local Masonic Temple<<
My point.
Higher power of some kind.
Just go on down to the temple.
tem·ple 1 (tmpl)
n.
1.
a. A building dedicated to religious ceremonies or worship.
b. Temple Either of two successive buildings in ancient Jerusalem serving as the primary center for Jewish worship.
c. Judaism A synagogue, especially of a Reform congregation.
d. Mormon Church A building in which the sacred ordinances are administered.
2. Something regarded as having within it a divine presence.
There was a reason he won all his cases.
Freemasonry teaches a fundamentally syncretistic view of the Divinity, misidentifying the gods of various and sundry pagan cults with the One Existing God. As such it is fundamentally incompatible with Christianity. It is also militantly humanistic.
In its Continental European manifestations it is virulently anti-Christian (hence both the Latin and Orthodox Churches’ strong condemnations of it). The English and Scottish variants retain this character to a lesser extent (the Church of England finally got up the backbone to condemn Freemasonry not that many years ago). The American social-club variant seems to have lost its actively anti-Christian character so that all sorts of ‘nice’ protestants are also Freemasons while still quite active in their respective churches.
Taken seriously, Masonic oaths are destructive of both piety and good social order, as they require the Freemason to put his fellow-Mason and the Order ahead of Christian (or other) faith, civil law, and fair-dealing with non-Masons. (cf. the incidents that lead to the formation of the American Anti-Masonic Party in the 19th century.)
Needless to say, Masonic syncretism is also incompatible with Islam’s conception of absolute monotheism.
Why?
You have not given a rational, logical view for your belief that the Catholic Church is “hypocritical” to have BOTH its OWN Fraternal organization, the K of C, and also to resist, somewhat, the Masons!
WHY? Why can not the Catholic Church do BOTH? There is nothing at all “hypocritical” about warning Catholics against error, by telling them not to be indoctrinated by non-Catholic Masons on matters of Faith, yet allowing membership, by Catholics, in the Masons. (As is the case today, in most areas of the world, it is up to the Bishops).
WHY can’t the Catholics have THEIR OWN Fraternal organization, which will NOT have as much risk of theological error?
You simply come off like a loner, or what we called, in college, a “GDI” -— fine, you MADE your choice, don’t look down on other “joiners” simply because you do not fit in.
“The official stance of the Catholic church is repent or excommunication for delving into Freemasonry”
You are wrong, the prohibition and punishment were removed long ago.
"That's what she said."
The Knights have been very good to others, not just Catholics. Whenever they are selling their coupon books I am happy to buy one from them.
You are simply wrong.
You are not current in your teachings.
The Catholic Church reversed itself, concerning Masonic membership, years ago.
Can you be an AMERICAN and be a CHRISTIAN?
Sorry, your logic on this matter is weak.
We do well to acknowledge failings, otherwise we do not correct them or understand where opposition arises. But your statement that the church only opposes freemasonry out of embarrassment of its own history is asserting a sinister motivation to the church’s actions.
I further wonder whether you are confusing the Knights Templar with Freemasons when you imply that the church has done things she’d rather no-one remember.
Try to stay on topic here. We're discussing Freemasonry and KFC. And to ask what the connection is between KFC and chicken is would be ludicrous.
The Insurance Company also gives $1,000,000 a year to the Pope, to spend as he sees fit!
bookmark
Are you sure?
In the February 1981 letter Clarification concerning status of Catholics becoming Freemasons from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to the United States Bishops, the matter was clarified, and the prohibition against Catholics joining Masonic orders remains.
This was followed by the 1983 document Quaesitum est, issued by then Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, who had become the Congregation’s prefect in November 1981. To quote:
“The faithful, who enroll in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion...”
This is the authoritative interpretation of the Vatican’s position on this subject.
Report of the American Bishops Conference
Main article: Letter to U.S. Bishops Concerning Masonry
In the 1980s, the Bishops’ Committee on Pastoral Research and Practices concluded that “the principles and basic rituals of Masonry embody a naturalistic religion, active participation in which is incompatible with Christian faith and practice.” This report, together with two others, was sent in a public letter by Cardinal Bernard Law.
But he damn sure didn’t work for free.
The Roman Catholic Church ...argues that Masonic philosophy discourages Christian dogmatism, and that it is anti-clerical in intent. The Catholic Church's most recent statement on Freemasonry was released in the 1983 document Quaesitum est, written by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith [Me: Pope Benedict?] and approved by Pope John Paul II. This document remains the most current standing reference on the Church's policy on Freemasonry. Quaesitum est states:"The faithful who enroll in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion...."...A number of Catholics became Freemasons assuming that the Church had softened its stance. Quaesitum est addressed this misinterpretation of the Code of Canon Law, clarifying that:...the Church’s negative judgment in regard to Masonic association remains unchanged since their principles have always been considered irreconcilable with the doctrine of the Church and therefore membership in them remains forbidden."These "irreconcilable principles" include a "deistic God", naturalism and religious indifferentism.
The very existence of the Masons reminded Rome of a big black mark on our history.
The Templars were treated horribly, and a full apology, by the Vatican, will probably happen some day.
Since I posted a link to the online Catholic Encyclopedia it might be nice if you would post a link to your point, as a courtesy.
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