Freemasons meet as a Lodge, not in a Lodge, the word “Lodge” referring more to the people assembled than the place of assembly. However, in common usage, Masonic premises are often referred to as “Lodges.” A Lodge (often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge in Masonic constitutions) is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry.
Every new Lodge must have a Warrant or Charter issued by a Grand Lodge, authorising it to meet and work. A Lodge (often termed a Private Lodge orConstituent Lodge in Masonic constitutions) is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry. Every new Lodge must have a Warrant or Charter issued by a Grand Lodge, authorizing it to meet and work. Freemasonry is a fraternal organization that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century.
A man can only be initiated, or made a Mason, in a Lodge, of which he may often remain a subscribing member for life. A Master Mason can generally visit any Lodge meeting under any jurisdiction in amity with his own, and as well as the formal meeting, a Lodge may well offer hospitality. A visitor should first check the regularity of that Lodge, and must be able to satisfy that Lodge of his own regularity; and he may be refused admission if adjudged likely to disrupt the harmony of the Lodge. If he wishes to visit the same Lodge repeatedly, he may be expected to join it and pay a subscription.
Most Lodges consist of Freemasons living or working within a given town or neighborhood. Other Lodges are composed of Masons with a particular shared interest, profession or background. Shared schools, universities, military units, Masonic appointments or degrees, arts, professions and hobbies have all been the qualifications for such Lodges. In some Lodges, the foundation and name may now be only of historic interest, as over time the membership evolves beyond that envisaged by its “founding brethren;” in others, the membership remains exclusive.
Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the grand Lodge of Scotland and grand Lodge of Ireland, over a quarter of a million under the jurisdiction of the United Grand Lodge of England, and just under two million in the United States. [1]
Masons are generally portrayed as giant social club but it has dark religious undertones that should make every Christian stand up and call them out for what they are: Anti-biblical and anti-Christ. Masonry teaches that a Mason will inherit eternal life by his conduct and his personal merit. Masonry therefore teaches a system of salvation by personal merit and good works completely contrary to what the Bible teaches.
This is the same thread that runs through so many cults and false religions; that through various deeds and rituals God will find favor with us. This is totally opposite of what the Bible teaches. Good works are imporatnt for Christians as a result of salvation, wanting to do things to please God, but no number of good deeds can ever count as a way to realize salvation.
Masonry is an insidious group as it proclaims the betterment of mankind and strives to do so through their many rituals, symbols and “good actions.” From the outside looking in the Masons look like a bunch of good old boys working for the good of society but beneath the stoic buildings (temples) and chivalrous social doctrines, Masons for the most part totally and completely deny the truth about who Jesus Christ is and demote Him to just one of many “exemplary” historical figures. A very dark side can be found within this group disguised with verbal and sleight of hand when it comes what rally goes on within these Lodges.
John Ankenberg has done a lot of research on Masons and reports many of the disturbing trends of the Masonic Lodge:
“Holiness to the Lord.” –Motto on the official seal of the Grand Lodge of New York
Masonry claims that it does not offend a Christian’s belief about Jesus Christ. Get ready for a huge contradiction, they say for example: “We do not say to Christians that Christ was a mere man, whose life’s story is only a revival of similar older [pagan] stories. To do any of these things would be irreverent. We utter no such words.”
But Masonry does teach that Jesus Christ was merely a man. Concerning the denial of Christ’s deity we may note the observations of Masonic leader Jim Shaw. Shaw was a 33rd degree Mason, a Past Worshipful Master of the Blue Lodge, Past Master of all Scottish Ritebodies, and a Knight Commander of the Court of Honor. He acknowledges that official Masonic doctrine maintains that, “Jesus was just a man. He was one of the “exemplars,” one of the great men of the past, but not divine and certainly not the only means of redemption of lost mankind.”
“We meet this day to commemorate the death [of Jesus], not as inspired or divine.” Mason’s have been quoted saying, “Jesus and Krishna are the same!” In his spiritual darkness or ignorance, the Christian Mason may choose Masonic truth. Those who consider themselves enlightened Masons hope that their unenlightened Christian brethren will realize that all specific dogmas about Christ are in error! Masons strive to remove from all religions their orthodox tenets, legends, allegories and dogmas. This is why the Masonic scholar Albert Pike asserts that Jesus was “a great teacher of morality”—but no more.
Masonry excludes all biblical teachings about Christ, such as His Incarnation, redemptive mission, death and resurrection. In fact, there is no biblical truth about Jesus Christ affirmed anywhere in Masonry. Mason Edmond Ronayne confesses: Freemasonry “carefully excludes” the Lord Jesus Christ from the Lodge and chapter, repudiates his mediatorship, rejects his atonement, denies and disowns his gospel, frowns upon His religion and His church, ignores the Holy Spirit, and sets up for itself a spiritual empire, a religious theocracy, at the head of which it places the G.A.O.T.U.—the god of nature—and from which the one only living and true God is expelled by resolution….
Although there are many possible beliefs that Masons hold about Jesus, one of the more prevalent beliefs can be traced to Masonry’s ties to the ancient mystery religions. Many Masons believe that the biblical teaching of Christ as God and Savior is merely a corruption of “similar,” more “pure” stories in some of the earlier pagan religions.
These Masons teach that the New Testament is a corrupted version of such stories and that Christianity as normally interpreted by the Church is false. In fact, many of these Masons are offended that Christianity teaches that only Jesus is God. They prefer a more mystical Christ, a Christ who recognizes that all men are divine.
For example, Dr. R. Swineburne Clymer, M.D., recognized as a high Mason, teaches in The Mysticism of Masonry (1900, p. 47: In deifying Jesus, the whole humanity is bereft of Christos as an eternal potency within every human soul, a latent (embryonic) Christ in every man. In thus deifying one man, they have orphaned the whole of humanity [of its divinity].
But none of the Masonic teachings about Christ agree with what Jesus taught about Himself and with what the Church has maintained for 2,000 years. If Masonry does not even respect the teachings of Jesus, how can it claim to be a tolerant religion? [2]
One must wonder what “Lord” the Mason’s worship when looking at the motto of their official seal. It has been reported that some of the hierarchy in this group are strongly entrenched in the occult and more specifically satanic worship. Much mystery surrounds this huge organization. Some have termed this group an “occult society.” Once we see some of those involved with the group there is no doubt that evil is a driving force within the group and it is no surprise that Jesus and Christianity are tremendously belittled.
Anton LaVey
The late High Priest of the Church of Satan stated: “Masonic orders have contained the most influential men in many governments, and virtually every occult order has many Masonic roots.”
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky
A leader of the New Age Movement has been strongly affiliated with Masonic orders. In the last two centuries Freemasonry and the New Age Movement have been intricately entwined. Her most famous book, The Secret Doctrine, is one of the foundational occult works of all time. Her preeminently wicked book made no distinction between the serpent and the God of the Bible and taught that Satan was the one that made man into a god.
Aleister Crowley
Father of Modern Satanism is the most disturbing example of someone being recruited out of Freemasonry into more bizarre occult orders is that of 33rd degree Mason, Aleister Crowley. During his lifetime Crowley, was proclaimed by the press as the most evil man alive.
Witchcraft and Freemasonry
Many researchers of the occult have pointed out the similarities between the initiation ritual in Witchcraft and the Masonic initiation ritual. There are many other similarities between the two crafts that could be documented and compared. One reason for these similarities is the fact that both evolved from an obvious common source, the Ancient Mystery Religions. Another reason is the fact that some of the most powerful and influential witches of Modern times have been Freemasons.
The Illuminati
According to careful research, the first group that used the Masonic lodge for their evil designs was the infamous Bavarian Illuminati. This secret society was officially formed by, Adam Weishaupt, professor of Canon Law at Ingolstadt University, on May 1, 1776. As the evil plans of the Illuminati began to leak out, brave men took a stand and raised their voices in protest.
One such man was John Robinson, a professor of Natural Philosophy at Edinburgh University, and General Secretary of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. In his book, Proofs of a Conspiracy, which was originally published in 1798, Robinson documented how Masonry served as the nursery school for the Illuminati. It was then discovered that this group and several associated Lodges were the preparation-school for another Order of Masons, who called themselves THE ILLUMINATED, and that the express aim of this Order was to abolish Christianity and overturn all civil government. [3]
As you have read here, this organization is loaded with frightening undercurrents although outwardly the appearance is that of nobility and respect. Many fine men who are affiliated with the Masonic Lodge for all the right reasons are not told the truth about all that goes in the dark side of this massive cult. It is difficult to believe those fine men who are involved with the organization are that naïve.
Endnotes
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasonry
[2] http://www.ankerberg.com/Articles/_PDFArchives/apologetics/AP2W0904.pdf
[3] http://www.freemasonrywatch.org/occultrevival.html