Jester4kicks
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Who ever said christians became freemasons because they felt christianity was "lacking"?
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I only have one question: What is lacking in Christianity that would compel someone to be a Freemason?
I only have one question: What is lacking in Christianity that would compel someone to be a Freemason?
Who ever said christians became freemasons because they felt christianity was "lacking"?
The question itself denotes a perceived possible conflict between the two; if there is a perceived possible conflict, what desire which Christianity does not fulfill drives the question to be asked in the first place? Perhaps it's merely an academic inquiry in this particular instance, but I'm not pointing any fingers--I'm questioning the practical value of the question in general.
I used to say things like "I am a Christian, and a Buddhist", but then I realized, as Justin Martyr said, "All truth, wherever it is found, belongs to us as Christians." The point being that we, as Christians, should never feel a need to identify ourselves with anything other than Christ because, in Christ, "there is no lack"; that is, if there are any truths to be found in that particular set of events and beliefs we have dubbed 'Freemasonry', they are, of course, rooted in Christ, who is the totality of all truth; and if any differences are found, they are, for the Christian, merely falsehoods found intrinsic the practice of 'Freemasonry'.
Therefore, I ask again (perhaps in clearer wording), what does Christianity lack that would have a Christian wanting to also call themselves a Freemason?
Maybe I'm catching on.... allow me to attempt a response...
Do you read books other than the bible?
My favorite books are Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis (and also his works about human reasoning and Naturalism in Miracles), The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence, Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster, The Third Jesus: The Christ We Cannot Ignore by Deepak Chopra, and Going Home: Jesus and Buddha as Brothers by Thich Naht Hahn. I also have an interest in Ken Wilber's works, but I disagree with the motivations I perceive him to have.
It's not that I agree with everything they all have to say either, only that they are my own personal 'classics' at this point. If I were to sum up my Christian faith in a phrase, I would have to call it "Christian Mysticism". I try to focus on the practical and internal values of discovered Truth, while avoiding the spiritual crisis of 'fundamentalism'.
Therefore, I ask again (perhaps in clearer wording), what does Christianity lack that would have a Christian wanting to also call themselves a Freemason?
I see... ok, so you clearly read books other than the bible... may I ask why?
Your question assumes that people join Freemasonry because Christianity lacks something.
I guess it's a bit like Christians joining the local Progress Association, or the Environmental Movement, or Rotary, or the local football club. You are looking for something that is not there.
Then again, it may be like the reflection of the moon on the water - what you see in others is but a reflection of what you see in yourself.
The argument you're presenting assumes that the question is silly from the outset
... the only reason I would ask in the first place is because I personally perceived a conflict between the two, leading to the question, "how does this concept which presents a perceived conflict bring me something I value apart from Christianity which causes me to ask the question in the first place".
Again, if there is a perceived conflict, there must also be a perceived benefit which causes the question to arise; but what is the benefit, and how can a Christian say that they benefit from something apart from their Christian faith?
I read other books because I am determined to know what I believe and why; or, more clearly stated, why I believe and what.
In short: nothing.what does Christianity lack that would have a Christian wanting to also call themselves a Freemason?
Then we share a little bit of common interest. The first three would be on my list of favorites, especially the first. I had a quote from Mere Christianity that used to hang on my wall or sit on my desktop on a regular basis. It had to do with the choices we make and the result of them, in either one direction, or in the other, and that we are all, at each moment, progressing toward the one or the other. And I loved his analogy of the house in the intro.My favorite books are Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis (and also his works about human reasoning and Naturalism in Miracles), The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence, Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster, The Third Jesus: The Christ We Cannot Ignore by Deepak Chopra, and Going Home: Jesus and Buddha as Brothers by Thich Naht Hahn. I also have an interest in Ken Wilber's works, but I disagree with the motivations I perceive him to have.
I see! So reading books inspires you to think about what you believe, and provides different stories for you to consider your values and how they would apply.
Certainly, the bible contains stories that would inspire these kinds of considerations... but I assume you're not saying that christianity is lacking, just because you enjoy reading other books. You seem to just enjoy additional means of exploring your values and beliefs.
Freemasonry is no different.
I understand that completely, but it avoids my point about the perceived conflict. If I went around saying "I'm a Freemason because I want to explore my beliefs", or "...because I'm Christian and believe it to be the right thing for me", etc, that would be a totally different story and what I'm saying would irrelevant.
My question and argument follows directly from a person asking "Can one be a Christian and a Freemason", which, as I said, introduces the perceived conflict which in turn begs my original question--the conflict itself makes my question relevant.
I hope I'm making sense. Until this week, I haven't written in quite some time.
Let me see if I can paraphrase...
You think that if one thinks there might be a conflict, why wouldn't one just not be a mason?
If that's correct, than that is certainly one way to approach it. However, I believe the question what not designed to provoke the assumption of a possible conflict, but rather to determine if there actually was a conflict.
Does that make sense?
Essentially, that is my point, yes. I just like to extrapolate and make things much more complex than they need to be. haha
As I said though, if there wasn't a perceived possible conflict the question would never be asked to begin with, and it's just this perceived possibility that had me asking, essentially, "in light of a possible conflict, what benefit, what need or desire, do you perceive Freemasonry fulfills which has you asking to begin with".
If the question is purely academic, however, and not an actual individual search for justification, my question is irrelevant. Perhaps it was asked to create a discussion about Christian doctrine, I really don't know. I'm just trying to think of how and where it would realistically apply to an individual's life, and address it as such.
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