Masonry and Acceptance of All Religions

Masonry will admit you if you are religious, despite your religion. That is pretty cool. There is some literature that talks about how the same story is told throughout various religions, i.e. the Reborn God. This is pretty much the Savior God in each religion who is slain for His cause and then brought back to life.

What is Masonry's opinion about the similarity of this theme among the different religions? Does it label it as a superstitious belief common to all people? Or does Masonry believe that it is a widespread reinterpretation of an ancient story?

My opinion is that at the time of Adam and Eve (who knew and walked with God) there was knowledge of the truth. This truth was taken and modified by other peoples. When you compare the religions of the world thousands (millions?) of years later, they all seem so different except for that central story of the Savior God. Christianity has Jesus Christ, and there are other recapitulations of the same story - Osiris, Hercules, etc. (I can't remember any others).

Any knowledgable Masons out there - feel free to comment any way you see fit (particularly Masonic Light).

[edit on 19-1-2006 by Ralph_The_Wonder_Llama]

R_T_W_L

Masonry requires that members acknowledge a belief in a supreme being, period. Anything beyond that is never to be discussed. The individual religious beliefs of the members are strictly theirs and never the proviance of masonry. Nor is the depth of their relationship with their God anyone elses business. It is the "Belief " that is the requirement, not the degree of "Religious " ferver.

The reason we require a belief in a God is that the oath of an athiest is considered nonbinding.

Historicly, we have welcomed men of ALL faiths, equaly and without any prejudice. To my knowledge the has never been any sanctioned case of attempted conversiton within the lodge. All faiths are equally welcome and equallly respected. Under my Grand Lodge, any Mason who tries to convert another brother in lodge will be expelled.

The friends who invited him to join suggested he just lie. Simple enough, except that he found that comical, and refused to say he believed when he takes a rather dim view on believers. I don't particularly like the idea that atheists' oaths would be any less sincere. They have to put their hand on the Bible in court, for whatever thats worth. And I feel that a true Christian, shouldn't need to swear on a bible to ensure they are truthful. Shouldn't that be a given? If atheists swear on the bible and feel like lying, is the exercise of swearing on the bible going to matter to them? so I see no logic in the whole exercise.
I feel atheism is a form of faith, and that atheists like Isaac Asimov, for example, are no less likely to be sincere and honest than theists. In some cases, I find them to be more sincere. but in others I find theists to make more sense. I do like the broad spiritual inclusiveness that the Lodge accepts to be very refreshing though. More so than most institutions.

Please:

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