What does the church have against Shriners and Masons?

[Autumnleaf]

I went to a guest dinner friday with my friend who wants me to join the Shriners/Masons. From what I gather they require members to believe in a creator/God and be at least financially solvent. They don't water down the drinks. They don't carry much if any debt in their organization. They fund hospitals which help children who have been burned or have bone problems. They seem like nice guys who have families and know how to have a good time. I realize they may have given me a dog and pony show which is why I'm here for the real scoop.

 

[HappyMomof4]

Hm, I don't know much about it. Are shriners and masons the same thing? I've heard that masons are anti catholic, that's about all I know about them. The shriners seem nice, they do a lot for the community.

 

[Woodsy]

As a former Mason and later occultist, I can tell you that there is much below the surface that is not so innocuous. In addition, look deeply into their political activities throughout that couple of hundred years, as well as their activities regarding their active opposition to the Catholic Church, its policies, and its organs.
Also, read some Church papers on the matter (without assuming what the Masons would have you assume about the Church.)

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09771a.htm

candidates for the Shrine are initiated with a solemn religious ceremony at the local Mosque (the Islamic gathering place of the Shrine). All candidates, including Christians, must swear an oath to Allah on the Koran declaring that they would be worthy of having their eyeballs pierced to the center with a three-inch blade, their feet flayed, and forced to walk the hot sands of the sterile shores of the Red Sea, where the flaming sun shall strike them with a livid plague, rather than to violate their Shriner Masonic oath.

bottom quote from http://www.scripturecatholic.com/freemasonfaq.html

 

[Aaron-Aggie]

Look into the KOFC instead

 

[princess_ballet]

We've learned WAAAY to much about Masons (or at least their members) for me to even tell you...

but, they are anti-Catholic and, actually, anti-immigrants.

The reason there was so much public hatred of them at one point was because a man was murdered. He was a former member and wanted to share all the secrets of the group. So, they had to kill him. The problem was, the Masons were in the gov't and covered the whole thing up. People were pretty upset about it...

So, thats what I know

 

[Autumnleaf]

Hm, I don't know much about it. Are shriners and masons the same thing? I've heard that masons are anti catholic, that's about all I know about them. The shriners seem nice, they do a lot for the community.

From what I've heard the Shriners are a prestige group Masons can join if they want to and are voted in by existing Shriners.

 

[Autumnleaf]

As a former Mason and later occultist, I can tell you that there is much below the surface that is not so innocuous. In addition, look deeply into their political activities throughout that couple of hundred years, as well as their activities regarding their active opposition to the Catholic Church, its policies, and its organs.
Also, read some Church papers on the matter (without assuming what the Masons would have you assume about the Church.)

Thanks for the links. They seemed to suggest the Masons are into salvation through works and being a Mason is a very sinful thing from the Churchs' perspective, and Masons have weird secret rituals. What do Masons do to actively oppose the Catholic Church, its policies, and its organs? What political activities over the past 100 years do you refer to?

 

[Adammi]

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09771a.htm

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09771a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09771a.htm

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09771a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09771a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09771a.htm
You beat me to it. LOL

 

[TexasCatholic]

A great fraternal order to join would be the Knights of Columbus. I won't disparage the masons, as my dad (in his misguided quest to gain political and social acceptance in a small town) has joined them, but I feel they are mostly people who want to be in a fraternal order of men. I think a good number of them are ignorant or in denial of what the masons really stand for. I would avoid it like the plague, though. Quite literally.

How about joining the Knights of Columbus and inviting your shiner/mason friends to go through RCIA then join, too

-Michael

 

[Autumnleaf]

Look into the KOFC instead

I did. They seem like Masons with a similar system of degrees, only they are decidedly not Masons. Sort of like RC cola isn't really Coke but looks and tastes like it.

My friend is not in KOC, he is a Mason inviting me to sign up so I'm not really interested in KOC.

 

[Adammi]

There are different degrees of Freemasonry, the lower levels (as far as I know) really have nothing to do with propogation of anti-Catholicism, but in the higher up levels they have a lot to do with the Illuminati etc. which is never in league with the Church.

 

[Filia Mariae]

If you join the Masons, you will excommunicate yourself, so I strongly recommend you not do that. It is an extremely anti-Catholic organization that promotes blasphemy of our Lady nad the Church and forces you to swear your first allegiance to the Masons above all else. That is idolatry.

 

[Autumnleaf]

We've learned WAAAY to much about Masons (or at least their members) for me to even tell you...

but, they are anti-Catholic and, actually, anti-immigrants.

The reason there was so much public hatred of them at one point was because a man was murdered. He was a former member and wanted to share all the secrets of the group. So, they had to kill him. The problem was, the Masons were in the gov't and covered the whole thing up. People were pretty upset about it...

So, thats what I know

They really killed the guy and got away with it? Lots of the guys at the dinner are in the local PD. How do you know they are anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant? My friend-the Mason and I are both Catholic and my wife is half Mexican.

 

[Autumnleaf]

If you join the Masons, you will excommunicate yourself, so I strongly recommend you not do that. It is an extremely anti-Catholic organization that promotes blasphemy of our Lady nad the Church and forces you to swear your first allegiance to the Masons above all else. That is idolatry.

Thanks for replying Filia Mariae.

What do they do to be anti-Catholic and promote blasphemy of our Lady and the Church? I'm seriously wondering about this as it could be a deal breaker to me joining if there is substance to this accusation.

 

[Autumnleaf]

There are different degrees of Freemasonry, the lower levels (as far as I know) really have nothing to do with propogation of anti-Catholicism, but in the higher up levels they have a lot to do with the Illuminati etc. which is never in league with the Church.

This is some of the stuff my Google search came up with Illuminati and Masons running banks which control the world. It sounds like conspiracy theory of the Art Bell variety. Interesting stuff but highly unlikely.

 

[princess_ballet]

They really killed the guy and got away with it? Lots of the guys at the dinner are in the local PD. How do you know they are anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant? My friend-the Mason and I are both Catholic and my wife is half Mexican.

Yep, hence the rise of the anti-Mason Party in the 1800s.

I don't know about their recruiting.

 

[Filia Mariae]

Thanks for replying Filia Mariae.

What do they do to be anti-Catholic and promote blasphemy of our Lady and the Church? I'm seriously wondering about this as it could be a deal breaker to me joining if there is substance to this accusation.

A few examples are the worship of reason, the "gnosis Mass" that exists at the 32nd degree, the vow one must take to put the lodge first in loyalties (before God, the Church, and one's family), etc. I suggest you read the Nov. 26th 1983 CDF document "Declaration on Masonic Associations."

 

[Autumnleaf]

A few examples are the worship of reason, the "gnosis Mass" that exists at the 32nd degree, the vow one must take to put the lodge first in loyalties (before God, the Church, and one's family), etc. I suggest you read the Nov. 26th 1983 CDF document "Declaration on Masonic Associations."

Vows do seem a bit odd. I do not know much about them.

What is/is bad about the Gnosis Mass, never heard of it, and how do they worship reason?

I've read the Declaration which doesn't appear to offer any reasoning. Its more of a 'Just say no.' memo.

 

[MommasaursRex]

Gabriel Garcia Moreno, a great model of a Christian statesman

^ Fulfilled prophecy of Our Lady of Good Success

 

[MommasaursRex]

Our Lady of Good Success, in Quito, Ecuador