Originally posted by SeekerLou
Came across this site. It is aimed at the ''Christian'' Masons . It has some thought provoking questions imo. I would like to know what you
(the Christian Masons) think regarding this ex 32nd degree mason's post.
Before we begin, I'd like to point out that the Bill Schnoebelen
arouses some questions of his
own.
1.If Masonry is not a religion, why does it have all the trappings
of a religion?
Though Masons are told it is not a religion, that claim does not bear close scrutiny. By
any dictionary definition, Freemasonry has all the unique characteristics of a religion. It
demands a belief in a Supreme Being as a requirement for membership. It also has
chaplain, rituals of initiations, prayers and funeral services and teaches a plan of
salvation. It also has an organized body of philosophical and ethical teachings. Look in
any dictionary. These are the criteria for the definition of a religion. Thus, Masonry is
needed a religion.
The bold is patently false. Even without it, Schnoebelen's convenient definition excludes philosophies that are obviously religions (i.e. Buddhism)
while including those that are equally obviously not (i.e. Theophilanthropism or Deism).
2.If it is a religion, which one is it?
First in concern, it is not the Christian religion. Masonic authorities openly deny it is
Christianity 1, and this is further evidenced by the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ is
accorded no special worship in the Lodge. He is presented as just one of many great
sages and no Mason is allowed to present Jesus to fellow lodge members as Almighty
God in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:15, John 1:14) or to witness Jesus to unsaved fellow
Masons.
This is false. Masonry simply asks that its members refrain from religious contention
inside the lodge. There is no such proscription beyond
that.
Beyond that, masonry is alternately depicted2 as kind of universalistic religion
“upon which all men can agree.” This categorically means it cannot be Christian, for
Jesus taught that no one could be saved except through Him (John 14:6).
If this were true, it's curious that Freemasonry restricts its membership rather than opening it wider.
The other
face of Masonry, seen in the writings of its greatest teachers (Pike, Mackey, Hall, etc.) is
that it is a modern revival of “ancient mystery religions” (the worship of Baal – see
Judges 2:13, 1 Kings 18:21) and that its core philosophy is occult Kabbalism3.
Other brethren on this site have a far greater grasp of Hall and Pike. I will leave that to them.
Stripped of all the verbiage, this means that the philosophical core and pedigree of
modern Freemasonry is basically akin to that of witchcraft.
I know of no self-defining body of witchcraft that considers itself a blend of religions. This exists only in Schnoebelen's self-serving fantasy.
(Both are called “the Craft”).
So is operative stonework. So is my profession. So are a number of things it's also not relevant to bring into the discussion.
3.Can a professed Christian be a part of non-Christian religion?
Hopefully, this answer is self-evident. Jesus Himself warned that no one can serve two
masters (Matt. 6:24).
This, far beyond any other, is the most odious of Schnoebelen's lies: the perversion of Scripture to meet his ends. Here, he takes a quote of Jesus
referencing a very specific topic ("Ye cannot serve God and mammon" is its end) and lops off the end of it so that only the quote regarding
"masters" remains, thus making the verse
appear to serve his ends.
Yet the Christian mason is attempting to serve his true master,
Jesus: and also the “Worshipful master” of the Lodge (Matt. 23:10).
I wonder in what way Schnoebelen believes the Master of a lodge is "served". Then again, I wonder
if he believes that, or anything else he
proclaims so loudly (and lucratively).
Jesus of Nazarath, when the supreme being is invoked in the lodge. 
