The Holy Bible and Freemasonry

What's the difference (if any) of The Holy Bible of Masonry (if any) from the common The Holy Bible?

Is It possible to grasp the teachings of freemasonry just by reading and interpreting and applying The Holy Bible?

How Freemasonry views the New Testament in comparison with the Old Testament?

I am told the lodges in my area that give bibles, give the King James version. The aligorical stories come from that version. Is there another version that you were refering to?

[edit on 5-10-2009 by network dude]

The Holy Bible that is used as the volume of the sacred law for the initiation of christian Freemasons is the King James Version with footnotes pertaining to Masonic lectures.

Mine has some detailed color prints in it, and a few pages where lodge members signed it, and a few pages of Masonic ritual stuff. Other than that the text is exactly the same. It also has a square and compass on the front.

Oh, the color prints are of biblical storiess, nothing masonic.

Wow so other people realize that Freemasonry is very much like Christianity. Accept that in christianity, people are not aware they are partaking in masonic rituals.

Not at all. Simple fact is the majority of Freemasons in the last 2 or 3 hundred years have been Christian. In a past where not every house had a lot of books, but just about any Christian house would have a bible, it makes since that some Masons would try to make it easier for members to remember their teachings by adding a few pages to the beginning of the King James Bible offering certain definitions or indexing specific passages. There are three passages of scripture from the old testament that are read in the 3 degrees. There is no Masonic "ritual" in the bible that Christians partake of outside of Masonry.

reply to post by JoshNorton

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What about baptism and communion?
Or was that taken from christianity?

Maybe I'm not following what you're trying to ask, but there is no Masonic baptism and no reenactment of the last supper in lodges.

reply to post by M74

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There isn't?

www.thesanctumsanctorum.com...

There is no rite of Baptism in Craft Lodges that exist in English-speaking countries. There are, however, various rites of so-called "Masonic baptism" that have been used in continental Europe, most of them having originated in France.

reply to post by 12.21.12

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This does not happen in any American lodge I am aware of.

This 'painting with a broad brush' is getting a little old. Choosing a tiny aspect of something possibly sinister and applying it to the whole of Freemasonry is a simple failure of logic, a fallacy.

It's like saying that since our 'Declaration of Independence' refers to 'Indian Savages' that the whole of America hates red people.

And before you guys start down the racism track - I refer to 'red people' in the most respectful of terms. I am Cherokee-descent so I think it's OK.

I mean, seriously, what is the agenda here?

Year after year, thread after thread, post after post... there is a small core group of hardcore anti-masons that post this ridiculous nonsense to get ATS riled up.

What is your agenda?

Are you trying to destroy Freemasonry? Christianity?

Why not post your beliefs of what the 'Truth' is and we can explore them thoughtfully and logically?

reply to post by emsed1

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I argue not that Freemasonry is un-christian.

On the contrary, it is the traditions of freemasonry are abundant and practiced in Christianity (as well as other societies and religions) . I argue that Christianity is not the predominate influence behind Freemasonry, but rather Christianity adopts masonic teachings and rituals. Therefor, Christianity is directly lifted from the teachings of masonry, yet revealed in a much different context, which overall is very similar to masonic tradition.

So which came first the chicken or the egg?

www.esotericarchives.com...

I couldn't disagree more. Freemasonry is actually a product of the Enlightenment, which was often critical of organizaed religion. This is why so many churches, especially conservative ones, are opposed to Freemasonry.

Christianity was long established before Masonry came on the scene, the latter being a path to enlightenment that by-passes traditional religion (and thus the criticism from the so-called "religious right").

reply to post by Masonic Light

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Like I said.

reply to post by 12.21.12

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Well... I'm not sure but since Freemasonry originated 1700 years AFTER the death of Christ it would be hard for it to come first.

However there were plenty of esoteric groups present around Jesus time, and some people will even argue that Jesus himself was a member of one.

Again though you are using false logic. Christianity began with Paul in the first century AD. Freemasonry didn't begin until 1717 AD.

reply to post by emsed1

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Yes but Solomon and Hiram Abiff go way back.

Cool, one more ATS thread that went offtopic. Moderator, you may want to close the topic.

I have left 3 questions to be answered and only 1 of them was, by few members. Thanks for the inteligent ones that followed the theme.

My intent was not to argue belief systems. Nor to provoke discordia or invent another conspiracy theory.

I just wanted to know more about Freemasonry. I just wanted to know about personal development.

"Father, forgive them..."

Guess I'll have to personaly contact the lodge next door... in the "real" life.

As the famous meme said: Internet... serious business.

Steering back on-topic:

1. The Volume of the Sacred Law is the Old and New Testament. If a candidate is not Christian or Jewish, then his holy book sits atop the Volume for him to make his obligation on.

2. It should be but for some odd reason doesn't generally happen. Some of the worst transgressions against Biblical teaching have been undertaken by men very well-versed in its teachings.

3. At least in Craft Lodge (the first 3 degrees) [and I would assume the side rites (excepting those particular degrees that insist on the candidate being a Christian], the Old Testament is the only holy book referred to.

HTH
Fitz

Well, just to make sure I took a good long look at the Bible laying on the altar of my lodge tonight before our meeting.

Turns out it is a King James Version Holy Bible with a square and compass imprint on the cover.

So essentially it is the same bible that all other King James Bibles are.

Is that what you were asking?

What's your point?