Are Alot Of Baptists Masons?

[Monica02]

I was chatting with a former Baptist this morning and she said that alot of Baptists were also Masons. Do you all know alot of Masons? Are they fellow churchgoers? I only know of one family who are affiliated with the Masons and I am not sure if they are religious or not.

 

[SumTinWong]

I only know of one mason in our church. Could be more I guess, but I don't know for sure.

 

[eldermike]

I just took inventory, I have 3 friends who are masons, they are all Methodists.

 

[SumTinWong]

Got all your friends cataloged there Mike ? just kidding.

 

[eldermike]

Got all your friends cataloged there Mike ? just kidding.

It helps me, I intruduce myself to people I already know all the time.

 

[Matthan]

Masons do not discriminate. All adult men who believe in God are welcome, regardless of their religious affiliation.

Oh, and by the way, Masons are a fraternal order, just like you find on almost every college campus. They may be the oldest fraternity in the world, but their dedication to service to their fellow man never falters. They are responsible for funding more medical research and children's hospital care than any other organization existing today, bar none.

Matthan <J><

 

[12volt_man]

My grandfather was a Mason (ironically, his name was Mason, too...hmmm) and, evidently, a pretty high up one.

About six months before he died, my mother got a call from a man who said that he was representing the local Masonic lodge and that they would like to give him an award for being the oldest living Mason in Delaware.

We were shocked, to say the least, because as far as we knew, he hadn't been active in many years, and that was in Alabama.

My mom asked the guy how they found him (and her, for that matter), and how they knew about him.

The man just smiled and walked away, without saying a word.

I never believed all of the Masonic conspiracy stories until that day.

Anyway, they did come and they had a ceremony right there in the nursing home.

When he died, they told us that everything was taken care of and that they would like to do the funeral for us.

Even though my grandfather hadn't been active for many years, he always believed very strongly in them in his own way, so we thought he would appreciate having them do it, since he wasn't a member of a church.

It was a little strange, but they were very kind to him.

Anyway, back to the point of the thread, I've only ever known one baptist who was a Mason. He was a good guy and the father of a close friend of mine.

 

[aReformedPatriot]

Isnt the Masonic Order a pagan institution?

_________

The church I goto now wants to buy the Masonic Lodge next door but they keep refusing to sell.

 

[Fat]

Masons do not discriminate. All adult men who believe in God are welcome, regardless of their religious affiliation.

Oh, and by the way, Masons are a fraternal order, just like you find on almost every college campus. They may be the oldest fraternity in the world, but their dedication to service to their fellow man never falters. They are responsible for funding more medical research and children's hospital care than any other organization existing today, bar none.

Matthan <J><

I don't know anything about Masons so I thought it was worth it for me to educate myself. "Google"

Ex-Masons for Jesus
Read the Testimonies of Ex-Masons quite interesting
http://www.ephesians5-11.org/ex_masons_for_jesus/

Also ran across this:

The name of Christ is seldom referred to in Masonic literature, apparently due to Masons not wanting to offend their non-Christian members. Some Masonic leaders even teach that the Messiah will not be an individual, but "the perfection of the human race." One such leader thinks that the stories about various Messiahs have their origin in the most ancient of religious beliefs -- Solar Worship. Masons, therefore, consider the discussion about the deity of Christ to be an endless, futile argument. When quoting from the Bible, references to Christ are omitted, and prayer is never allowed to be offered (in a "well-ordered" lodge) in the name of Jesus Christ. Masons do not care whether a person privately petitions God or Jehovah, Allah or Buddha, Mohammed or Jesus, the God of Israel or the "Great First Cause," but in the Lodge, the only petition allowed is to the "Great Architect of the Universe." [HJB] Clearly then, Freemasonry does not believe that Jesus Christ is God, nor that salvation is available only through Him (cf. 1 Jn. 4:3). Freemasonry is a religion without a Savior.

http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Cults/masons.htm

 

[Ave Maria]

I seriously doubt that many Baptists are Masons. Aren't most Baptists against FreeMasonry?

 

[Simon_Templar]

There are lots of rumors and conspiracies about the masons... hard to say whats true and whats not. Most of the people who are members never get beyond the fraternal aspects (if there are indeed deeper levels).

There are many masons who are christians, my understanding is that this is especially common in the south (thus I can believe that many baptists are masons or visa versa).

Even if the rumors and conspiracies about masonry are mostly overblown and untrue, there are still problems between masonry and christianity, mainly involved in the rites and oaths taken. Some of these things are inconsistent with christian teaching. The taking of blood oaths, loyalty to fellow masons and the lodge above all else (technicaly including christianity) rituals which speak of the initiate being brought out of darkness and into light, speaking of a kind of rebirth (which may seem small but in truth is falsehood and nearly blasphemous for a christian who is already saved and in the light through the blood of Jesus Christ.)

There are many who aledge that masonry is pagan, but most probably would not say so much pagan as luciferian, and they also suggest that it has strong links to the occult/new age movement. Much of this is taken from a masonic work of literature called "morals and dogma" written in the 1800's by a southern US mason named Albert Pike. There are many quotes from the book which seem damming to masonry, but masons (and albert pike) claimed that the book was not meant to reflect what mason's actually believed or taught, but rather was meant to be educational to masons about the mystic beliefs of other mystical and occult traditions.

Its hard to say exactly where the truth lies.

 

[rural_preacher]

The Masonic Lodge is a secret society. My church's constitution specifically forbides members of the church from being members of any secret society.


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[Gold Dragon]

I don't know any Masons. I don't think freemasonry is very common in Canada, let alone among Canadian Baptists of which there aren't that many.

The Masonic Lodge is a secret society. My church's constitution specifically forbides members of the church from being members of any secret society.

just an fyi

Wikipedia - Freemasonry
...
Freemasonry is often called a secret society, and in fact is considered by many to be the very prototype for such societies. Many Masons say that it is more accurately described as a "society with secrets". The degree of secrecy varies widely around the world. In English-speaking countries, most Masons are completely public with their affiliation, Masonic buildings are clearly marked, and meeting times are generally a matter of public record. In other countries, where Freemasonry has been more recently, or is even currently, suppressed by the government, secrecy may be practised more in earnest. Even in the English-speaking world, the precise details of the rituals are not made public, and Freemasons have a system of secret modes of recognition, such as the Masonic secret grip (by which Masons can recognize each other "in the dark as well as in the light"); however, Masons acknowledge that these "secrets" have been widely available in printed exposés and anti-Masonic literature for, literally, centuries.

 

[Matthan]

The Masonic Lodge is a secret society. My church's constitution specifically forbides members of the church from being members of any secret society.--

The Masonic Lodge is NOT any kind of secret society. It is a fraternity with a few secrets, almost identical with any fraternity found on any college campus.

Why is Christ not mentioned a lot in Lodge? Because most of the ritual surrounds the building of King Solomon's Temple, that why. Get it? Masons building a temple? That's it, folks. That's the sum total of the "conspiracy."

There is nothing "evil" or unchristian about Masons. Nothing at all!

But there are many, many questions that we Christians should be asking about Masonic activities. The next time somebody we love needs a blood transfusion, we should definitely ask if that blood came from a donor lying on a table in some Masonic Lodge somewhere, which are always open to all donors, regardless of race, religion, or non-masonic affiliation. It might still be tainted or "cursed" in some manner.

And when a child in the neighborhood "disappears" and photos are distributed, we should definitely ask if those photos were taken in some dastardly Masonic Lodge during one of their "Child ID programs, available for everyone to participate in.

And if we should get cancer, did Masonic research lead to the treatment. Can we trust it? Will it work? Or, will it taint us and make us secret Masons?

Boy and Girl Scouts? Heaven forbid the Masons should donate hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to those subversive groups.

School donations? We surely have to stop the masons from donating hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to help out our children. Just think of that subversive value!

And children's burn hospitals. Masons support them, so we should shut all of them down because they are obviously nothing more that recruiting centers for Masonic Lodges.

I could go on. The Masons do a whole lot more than just hold secret meetings and conspire against God and country.

But if Christ, or Paul, or Peter, or John, should walk up to a Masonic Lodge in human form and ask for help, He or they would not go away without it.

Can you say the same?

Matthan <J><

 

[Gold Dragon]

Hey Matthan, I guess it is pretty safe to say that you are a Mason, eh?

I think it is great that masons use their fraternity to do good for the community, and many of those things you mentioned should be things that Christian churches are involved in as well.

I'm curious if your group has many non-Christians or Christians from different denominations in it, since freemasonry is technically open to all who believe in a "Supreme being". If so, the relationships built in Freemasonry would be great way for Christians to interact and learn from folks of other traditions and beliefs.

 

[aReformedPatriot]

No one would dispute those activities. What are the core workings of the group, what are their beliefs and practices.? What is kept "secret"?

 

[Gold Dragon]

No one would dispute those activities. What are the core workings of the group, what are their beliefs and practices.? What is kept "secret"?

I don't want to steal Matthan's thunder, but here are a few things from Wikipedia.

Wikipedia - Freemasonry

Freemasonry is a worldwide fraternal organization. Its members are joined together by shared ideals of both a moral and metaphysical nature, and, in most of its branches, by a common belief in a Supreme Being. Freemasonry is an esoteric art, in that certain aspects of its internal work are not generally revealed to the public. Masons give numerous reasons for this, one of which is that Freemasonry uses an initiatory system of degrees to explore ethical and philosophical issues, and this system is less effective if the observer knows beforehand what will happen. It often calls itself "a peculiar system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols."

...

Landmarks are the ancient and unchangeable precepts of Masonry, the standards by which regularity of Lodges and Grand Lodges is judged. However, since each Grand Lodge is self-governing and no single authority exists over Craft Masonry, even these supposedly-inviolable principles can and do vary, leading to controversies and inconsistency of recognition. Some examples of common landmarks include:

• A belief in a Supreme Being is required of all candidates for the degrees. However, many Grand Lodges (identified as Grand Orients) now admit atheists to membership.

• The modes of recognition are to be kept inviolate. They consist of covert gestures made with the hands, called signs; distinctive ways of shaking hands, called grips and tokens; and special identifying passwords, most often based on Hebrew words of the Old Testament. Variations have crept in over time and often the modes of recognition will mark a Mason as coming from a specific jurisdiction.

• The legend of the 3rd degree, involving the building of King Solomon's Temple, is an integral part of Craft Masonry.

• The government of Lodges in an area, usually geographic, is in the hands of a Grand Lodge, specifically the Grand Master or Provincial Grand Master. A Grand Master rules autocratically, but is elected democratically. He may attend any meeting, anywhere within his jurisdiction, at any time and may conduct the Lodge at his pleasure.

• Each Lodge is governed by a Master, variously styled Worshipful or Right Worshipful Master, and two other officers, called the Senior and Junior Wardens.

• A Senior and Junior Deacon assist the Master and his Wardens by passing messages and guiding candidates around the lodge.

• The Inner Guard is situated by the door of the lodge to lock and unlock it as the need arises, to admit latecomers and candidates.

• All lodges when at work must be tyled, that is, the door is guarded so that non-Masons may not enter or overhear the proceedings. The Tyler or outer guard, as his name implies, is situated outside the door of the lodge "being armed with a drawn sword to keep off all intruders and cowans to Masonry".

 

[Matthan]

That last post is fairly accurate. However, no athiest can ever be a Mason. It is impossible, but I cannot explain why. The reason is in our ritual, it relates to God (only), and it is specifically used to weed out all who do not believe in God.

In my lodge we have Methodists, Community Congregationalists, Catholics, one Orthodox and one Baptist.

Many of our brothers are elderly, and are in remote locations (some are in Masonic homes for the elderly, which any person, regardless of race, creed or religion [including athiests] can reside without any expense to themselves, by the way). Does your church operate a home for the elderly where anyone can come and live for free, including an apartment, food, and full medical care whatever it might be? Masons have dozens of them, including one in Utica NY that houses and cares for many hundreds of elderly folk.

There are so many evil rumors about Masons. I can see that most misinformation is born of ignorance. But some is downright hateful. It is also bearing false witness. If there was one single asspect of Freemasonry that I found counter to Scripture, I would leave in an instant, kicking the dust from my feet. I have been a Mason for more than 20 years, and have yet to find so much as a single anti-Christian utterance in any aspect of the craft.

TLE, you wrote, "No one would dispute those activities. What are the core workings of the group, what are their beliefs and practices.? What is kept "secret"?" What are the "core" workings? I have already covered every single one of them. They all boil down to "public service" and service to our brother Masons. There is nothing else. What are their beliefs and practices. I have already covered ALL of those as well. What is kept "secret"? Only our ritual and the way one Mason can know another in the dark as in the light.

Now, are you guys ready for a revelation of secrets about Masons that is so serious that, should I be found out to have revealed it, I might disappear and they will never find my body! So, you cannot pass this on to anyone, for any reason. Now, here is the secret. How can one Mason walking down a street, or in a courtroom, or EVEN IN CHURCH recognize another Mason from among the throng? I look for the super-secret symbol most of us wear. It is rarely noticed by non-Masons, mainly because it is SOOOOOO secret. It is....... a tiny replica of a carpenter's Square overlaying the two points of a Compass. It is most often worn on a jacket lapel or on a ring. Yes, it may be in plain view for anyone to see, but only us Masons recognize it for what it truly represents -- another caring person who goes out of his way to help others in need.

So, I would suggest that, the next time you meet a person you think is a Mason, give him a hug and tell him thanks. there is a good chance that someone you know has been helped by him and his brothers in some substantial way.

Matthan <J><

 

[mmreed]

I don't know anything about Masons so I thought it was worth it for me to educate myself. "Google"

Ex-Masons for Jesus
Read the Testimonies of Ex-Masons quite interesting
http://www.ephesians5-11.org/ex_masons_for_jesus/

Also ran across this:

http://www.ephesians5-11.org/ex_masons_for_jesus/johnny.htm

wow, that is a thought provoking article.

 

[rural_preacher]

http://www.ephesians5-11.org/ex_masons_for_jesus/johnny.htm

wow, that is a thought provoking article.

That is a powerful story! Good website.

II Corinthians 6:14-18


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