[DieHard the Hunter]

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[SeaHawkFan]

Freemasonry is not a religious practice.

There was significant involvement in my grandfathers funeral. The minister got into a bit of a disagreement during the graveside service with the Free Masons and made the coment "God has the last word." The leader of the Free Masons shot back with, "No, the Masons have the last word."

There is no doubt that Freemasonry is a religion (cult), even if some of the members don't realize it. Sort of like Mormonism.

[Secret Agent Man]

Cool. One cult ends discrimination against another cult.

[uglybiker]

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[MeanWestTexan]

I am somewhat suprised.

The founders of Mormonism were members of the masonic fraternity and basically lifted the entire “ritual” practice of their relgion (right down to secret handshakes)from the fraternal rituals.

This made Smith, et al, oath breakers of the worst kind.

Moreover, twisting the fraternity into a gnostic religion is abhorent to the principles of freemasonry.

That said, it’s not the current mormon members’ fault what their founders did, I suppose, and mormons are generally good men of sound character (Romney and Dingy Harry Reid excepted).

[GVnana]

"I think sometimes we spend too much time worrying about issues that don't really matter to our salvation."

Ain't that the truth.

[GOP_Raider]

Jeez, imagine if he had been made the head of the Stonecutters...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKojBvMNc_M

[narses]

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[dfwgator]

Now if he became a Scientologist, he’d hit the Trifecta.

[murphE]

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[Rameumptom]

As a mormon who openly admits I am pretty ignorant about FreeMasonry. I'll chime in with my opinion. (Besides what would FR be w/o people giving opinions on things they don't know much about?)

Any one who labels Freemasonry a cult for it's "secret or esoteric" teachings is probably not aware of the extensive use of esoteric teaching in their own faith by the early Apostolic and Post apostolic Christians.

As I understand it the esoteric teachings of FreeMasonsry were passed down within the organization from the builders of Solomon's temple.

In the OT the understanding of the meaning of temple worship was lost for a hundred years when the book of the law was lost. God could have re-revealed the law to his prophet but he just let them find what was already in place hidden in the temple.

2 Chronicles 34:14 ¶ And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the Lord given by Moses. 15 And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.

As Mormons claim to restore Biblical temple worship it is congruent that they would take what is already accurate within the Freemason organization about Temple worship. Sure God could have re-revealed the esoteric teaching to Jospeh Smith if he wanted to but it was easier to just tell him to go look next door. Just as it was easier for Hilkiah the preist to find what was already there.

If Freemasonry is actually passed down from Biblical tempe worship, as they claim, then the fact that mormons practice a form of it in their temples leads strengtrh to their position that proper Temple worship has been restored in the last days. For those who are still apt to call adherents of esoteric temple related teaching "cultist" The Bible itself in Ezekiel 40-44 discusses Temple worship and and a restoration of earlier esoteric rites being practiced in the last days.

____________________________________________

From FAIRLDS "Restoring the Ancient Church" CH. 6.

Esotericism in Early Christianity Esoteric Doctrines Secrecy in the New Testament Secrecy in the Post-Apostolic Church The Content of the Secret Tradition Secret Rites Baptism and Eucharist as "Mysteries" Were There Other "Mysteries"? "Orthodox" Christian Rites: The Mysteries of Clement The Secret Tradition Transmitted in a "Mystery" The "Drama of Truth" The "Ring-Dance" or "Prayer Circle" The Linen Garment The Secret Teaching "Orthodox" Christian Rites: The Later Rituals of Baptism and the Eucharist The Renunciation of Satan Initial Anointing and Baptism Second Anointing The White Garment The Prayer Circle Passwords and Signs Third Anointing The Sacraments Become Exoteric... etc.

[Magnatron]

Whew!

You anti-Masons are exhausting.

My family has records of our Freemasonry that extends back to the early 1600s. It is a custom within my family that all oldest male children become Masons. I have just passed my Fellowcraft degree and I am proud to be part of this great and ancient organization. I feel no less a Christian now, and neither have my ancestors. I know I will meet them all in Heaven.

I don’t go to Lodge for religion - and I don’t receive it there either. I go to church for that. As a matter of fact, our temple was built by the man who built the Protestant church next door. It is given to us by the congregation and many of them are members. A temple in a nearby community hosts worshipers whose church burned down last year.

Although only a Fellowcraft, having been brought up in a historically Masonic family, I have more insight into the Craft than most at my level. I can only say that I’ve not seen more people with less knowledge of a subject espouse their “expertise” so loudly than I have here.

And as for the Catholics - they have always had trouble with the Masons from the beginning. At least one set of legends state that the Catholics are responsible for the existence of the Craft - through it’s roots in the Knights Templar, the order’s betrayal by the Catholic pope, and it’s subsequent movement to the underground, where it arose as Freemasonry in more tolerant times. It might be true, it might not, but the Catholics felt so threatened by Freemasonry that they started their own organization to counter it - the Knights of Columbus. They must see some benefit it fraternal fellowship. Incidentally, the master of my lodge is Catholic - and he sees no conflict with his ability to worship God and Jesus.

We don’t question a man’s religion and only require that he answer to a higher authority because it is from faith that men are guided to better themselves.

...and THAT, anti-Masons, is what the entire fraternity is all about.