<< If you define religion as who God is and what is man's relationship to God, then Masonry is a religion. Very obviously so. >>
Rubbish. A man's relationship to his God and/or his religious beliefs are never discussed among Masons. Nor are his politics.
Masonry, whose principles and tenets (It has no "theology") were included by the Masons who drafted them in this nation's founding Declaration, Constitution and Bill of Rights is an anonymous fraternity.
There are Masons are of every religion on Earth and most Christian churches, including your own, are very well represented by cardinals and bishops and priests and by other members of their clergy and congregations in lodges throughout the land and throughout the world:.
Personally, when I started my conversion process, RCIA, I asked if there was anything that I should disclose that would prevent my confirmation. The only question asked in reply was "Are you a Mason?"
From an official source, here's the most recent Vatican decree on the matter:
Issued by the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on November 26, 1983.Time permitting, I address your other point tomorrow.It has been asked whether there has been any change in the Church's decision in regard to Masonic associations since the new Code of Canon Law does not mention them expressly, unlike the previous Code.
This Sacred Congregation is in a position to reply that this circumstance is due to an editorial criterion which was followed also in the case of other associations likewise unmentioned inasmuch as they are contained in wider categories.
Therefore the Church's negative judgment in regard to Masonic associations remains unchanged since their principles have always been considered irreconcilable with the doctrine of the Church and therefore membership in them remains forbidden. The faithful who enroll in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion.
It is not within the competence of local ecclesiastical authorities to give a judgment on the nature of Masonic associations which would imply a derogation from what has been decided above, and this in line with the Declaration of this Sacred Congregation issued on 17 February 1981 (cf. AAS 73 [1981] pp. 240-241).
In an audience granted to the undersigned Cardinal Prefect, the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II approved and ordered the publication of this Declaration which had been decided in an ordinary meeting of this Sacred Congregation.
Rome, from the Office of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 26 November 1983.
JOSEPH Card. RATZINGER
Prefect+ Fr. JEROME HAMER, O.P.
Titular Archbishop of Lorium Secretary
thanks for your reply.