MORALS AND DOGMA masonic mason rites 1925 FReemasonry book the bible

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MORALS AND DOGMA masonic mason rites 1925 FReemasonry book the bible:
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MORALS AND DOGMA Ancient and Accepted rite Freemasonry, Albert Pike. 1925 edition.Will ship MEDIA for $6. Ignore the calculator.WIKIPEDIA:

Freemasonryis afraternal organisationthat traces its origins to the local fraternities ofstonemasons, which from the end of the fourteenth century regulated the qualifications of masons and their interaction with authorities and clients. The degrees of freemasonry, its gradal system, retain the three grades of medieval craftguilds, those of Apprentice, journeyman or fellow (now called Fellowcraft), and Master Mason. These are the degrees offered by craft, or blue lodge Freemasonry. There are additional degrees, which vary with locality and jurisdiction, and are now administered by different bodies than the craft degrees.

The basic, local organisational unit of Freemasonry is thelodge. The lodges are usually supervised and governed at the regional level (usually coterminous with either a state, province, or national border) by aGrand Lodgeor Grand Orient. There is no international, world-wide Grand Lodge that supervises all of Freemasonry. Each Grand Lodge is independent, and they do not necessarily recognise each other as being legitimate.

Contents[hide]

1Organisation, structure and beliefs
- 1.1Masonic Lodge
- 1.2Ritual and symbolism
- 1.3Organisations of lodges
  - 1.3.1Recognition, amity and regularity
- 1.4Other degrees, orders and bodies
- 1.5Joining a lodge
2History
- 2.1Origins
- 2.2North America
  - 2.2.1Prince Hall Freemasonry
- 2.3Emergence of Continental Freemasonry
  - 2.3.1Schism
- 2.4Freemasonry and women
3Anti-Masonry
- 3.1Religious opposition
  - 3.1.1Christianity and Freemasonry
  - 3.1.2Islam and Freemasonry
- 3.2Political opposition
  - 3.2.1The Holocaust
4See also
5Footnotes
6External links

Organisation, structure and beliefsMasonic LodgeLodge in Palazzo Roffia,Florenceset out for French (Moderns) ritualMain article:Masonic Lodge

TheMasonic Lodgeis the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry. The lodge meets regularly to conduct the usual formal business of any small organisation (pay bills, organise social and charitable events, elect new members, etc.). In addition to business, the meeting may perform a ceremony to confer aMasonic degree[1]or receive a lecture, which is usually on some aspect of Masonic history or ritual.[2]At the conclusion of the meeting, the lodge might adjourn for a formal dinner, orfestive board, sometimes involving toasting and song.[3]

The bulk ofMasonic ritualconsists of degree ceremonies. Candidates for Freemasonry are progressivelyinitiatedinto Freemasonry, first in the degree of Entered Apprentice. Some time later, in a separate ceremony, they will bepassedto the degree of Fellowcraft, and finally they will beraisedto the degree of Master Mason. In all of these ceremonies, the candidate is entrusted with passwords, signs and grips peculiar to his new rank.[4]Another ceremony is the annual installation of the Master and officers of the lodge.[1]In some jurisdictionsInstalled Masteris valued as a separate rank, with its own secrets to distinguish its members.[5]In other jurisdictions, the grade is not recognised, and no inner ceremony conveys new secrets during the installation of a new Master of the lodge.[6]

Most lodges have some sort of social calendar, allowing Masons and their partners to meet in a less ritualised Environment.[7]Often coupled with these events is the obligation placed on every Mason to contribute to charity. This occurs at both lodge and Grand Lodge level. Masonic charities contribute to many fields from education to disaster relief.[8][9]

These private local lodges form the backbone of Freemasonry, and a Freemason will necessarily have been initiated into one of these. There also exist specialist lodges where Masons meet to celebrate anything from sport to Masonic research. The rank of Master Mason also entitles a Freemason to explore Masonry further through other degrees, administered separately from the craft, or \"blue lodge\" degrees described here, but having a similar format to their meetings.[10]

There is very little consistency in Freemasonry. Because each Masonic Jurisdiction is independent, each sets its own procedures. The wording of the ritual, the number of officers present, the layout of the meeting room, etc. varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.[10][11]

Theofficers of the lodgeare elected or appointed annually. Every Masonic Lodge has a Master, two Wardens, a secretary and a treasurer. There is also aTyler, or outer guard, who is always present outside the door of a working lodge. Other offices vary between jurisdictions.[10]

Each Masonic lodge exists and operates according to a set of ancient principles known as theLandmarks of Freemasonry. These principles have thus far eluded any universally accepted definition.[12]

Ritual and symbolismMain article:Masonic ritual and symbolism

Freemasonry describes itself as abeautiful system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.[13]The symbolism is mainly, but not exclusively, drawn from the manual tools of stonemasons - thesquare and compasses, the level and plumb rule, the trowel, among others. A moral lesson is attached to each of these tools, although the assignment is by no means consistent. The meaning of the symbolism is taught and explored through ritual.[10]

All Freemasons begin their journey in the \"craft\" by being progressivelyinitiated, passedandraisedinto the three degrees of craft, or blue lodge Masonry. During these three rituals, the candidate is progressively taught the meanings of the lodge symbols, and entrusted with grips, signs and words to signify to other Masons that he has been so initiated. The initiations are part allegory and part lecture, and revolve around the construction of theTemple of Solomon, and the artistry and death of his chief architect,Hiram Abiff. The degrees are those ofEntered apprentice, FellowcraftandMaster Mason. While many different versions of these rituals exist, with two different lodge layouts and versions of the Hiram myth, each version is recognisable to any Freemason from any jurisdiction.[10]

In some jurisdictions the main themes of each degree are illustrated bytracing boards. These painted depictions of Masonic themes are exhibited in the lodge according to which degree is being worked, and are explained to the candidate to illustrate the legend and symbolism of each degree.[14]

The idea of Masonic brotherhood probably descends from a 16th-century legal definition of abrotheras one who has taken an oath of mutual support to another. Accordingly, Masons swear at each degree to keep the contents of that degree secret, and to support and protect their brethren unless they have broken the law.[15]In most lodges the oath or obligation is taken on aVolume of Sacred Law, whichever book of divine revelation is appropriate to the religious beliefs of the individual brother (usually the Bible in the Anglo-American tradition). InProgressivecontinental Freemasonry, books other than scripture are permissible, a cause of rupture between Grand lodges.[16]

Organisations of lodgesFreemasons Hall, London, home of theUnited Grand Lodge of EnglandMain article:Grand Lodge

Grand LodgesandGrand Orientsare independent and sovereign bodies that govern Masonry in a given country, state, or geographical area (termed ajurisdiction). There is no single overarching governing body that presides over worldwide Freemasonry; connections between different jurisdictions depend solely on mutual recognition.[17][18]

Freemasonry, as it exists in various forms all over the world, has a membership estimated by theUnited Grand Lodge of Englandat around six million worldwide.[1]The fraternity is administratively organised into independentGrand Lodges(or sometimes Grand Orients), each of which governs its own Masonic jurisdiction, which consists of subordinate (orconstituent) Lodges. The largest single jurisdiction, in terms of membership, is theUnited Grand Lodge of England(with a membership estimated at around a quarter million). TheGrand Lodge of ScotlandandGrand Lodge of Ireland(taken together) have approximately 150,000 members.[1]In the United States total membership is just under two million.[19]

Recognition, amity and regularity

Relations between Grand Lodges are determined by the concept ofRecognition. Each Grand Lodge maintains a list of other Grand Lodges that it recognises.[20]When two Grand Lodges recognise and are in Masonic communication with each other, they are said to bein amity, and the brethren of each may visit each other\'s lodges and interact Masonically. When two Grand Lodges are not in amity, inter-visitation is not allowed. There are many reasons why one Grand Lodge will withhold or withdraw recognition from another, but the two most common areExclusive JurisdictionandRegularity.[21]

Exclusive Jurisdictionis a concept whereby only one Grand Lodge will be recognised in any geographical area. If two Grand Lodges claim jurisdiction over the same area, the other Grand Lodges will have to choose between them, and they may not all decide to recognise the same one. (In 1849, for example, the Grand Lodge of New York split into two rival factions, each claiming to be the legitimate Grand Lodge. Other Grand Lodges had to choose between them until the schism was healed.[22]) Exclusive Jurisdiction can be waived when the two over-lapping Grand Lodges are themselves in Amity and agree to share jurisdiction (for example, since the Grand Lodge of Connecticut is in Amity with the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Connecticut, the principle of Exclusive Jurisdiction does not apply, and other Grand Lodges may recognise both).[23]

Regularityis a concept based on adherence toMasonic Landmarks, the basic membership requirements, tenets and rituals of the craft. Each Grand Lodge sets its own definition of what these landmarks are, and thus what is Regular and what is Irregular (and the definitions do not necessarily agree between Grand Lodges). Essentially, every Grand Lodge will hold thatitslandmarks (its requirements, tenets and rituals) are Regular, and judge other Grand Lodges based on those. If the differences are significant, one Grand Lodge may declare the other \"Irregular\" and withdraw or withhold recognition.[24][25]

Freemasons\' Hall, London, c. 1809

The most commonly shared rules for Recognition (based on Regularity) are those given by the United Grand Lodge of England in 1929:

The Grand Lodge should be established by an existing regular Grand Lodge, or by at least three regular lodges.
A belief in a supreme being and scripture is a condition of membership.
Initiates should take their vows on that scripture.
Only men can be admitted, and no relationship exists with mixed lodges.
The Grand Lodge has complete control over the first three degrees, and is not subject to another body.
All lodges shall display a volume of scripture with the square and compasses while in session.
There is no discussion of politics or religion.
\"Antient landmarks, customs and usages\" observed.[26]

Other degrees, orders and bodiesMain article:Masonic appendant bodies

Blue lodge Freemasonry offers only three traditional degrees, and in most jurisdictions, the rank of past or installed master. Master Masons are also able to extend their Masonic experience by taking further degrees, in appendant bodies approved by their own Grand Lodge.[27]

The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite is a system of 33 degrees (including the three blue lodge degrees) administered by a local or national Supreme Council. This system is popular in North America and in Continental Europe. The York Rite, with a similar range, administers three orders of Masonry, namely the Royal Arch, Cryptic Masonry and Knights Templar.[28]

In Britain, separate bodies administer each order. Freemasons are encouraged to join the Holy Royal Arch, which is linked to Mark Masonry in Scotland and Ireland, but separate in England. Templar and Cryptic Masonry also exist.[29]

In theNordic countriestheSwedish Riteis dominant; a variation of it is also used in parts ofGermany.

Joining a lodgePrint from 1870 portrayingGeorge Washingtonas Master of his lodge

Candidates for Freemasonry will have met most active members of the lodge they are joining before they are initiated. The process varies between jurisdictions, but the candidate will typically have been introduced by a friend at a lodge social function, or at some form of open evening in the lodge. In modern times, interested people often track down a local lodge through the Internet. The onus is on candidates to ask to join; while candidates may be encouraged to ask, they are never invited. Once the initial inquiry is made, an interview usually follows to determine the candidate\'s suitability. If the candidate decides to proceed from here, the lodge is balloted before he can be accepted.[30]

The absolute minimum requirement of any body of Freemasons is that the candidate must be free, and considered to be of good character.[31]There is usually an age requirement, varying greatly between Grand Lodges, and (in some jurisdictions) capable of being overridden by a dispensation from the Grand Lodge. The underlying assumption is that the candidate should be a mature adult.[30]

In addition, most Grand Lodges require the candidate to declare a belief in aSupreme Being. In a few cases, the candidate may be required to be of a specific religion. The form of Freemasonry most common in Scandinavia (known as theSwedish Rite), for example, accepts only Christians.[32]At the other end of the spectrum, \"Liberal\" orContinental Freemasonry, exemplified by theGrand Orient de France, does not require a declaration of belief in any deity, and accepts atheists (a cause of discord with the rest of Freemasonry).[33][34]

During the ceremony of initiation, the candidate is expected to swear (usually on a volume of sacred text appropriate to his personal religious faith) to fulfil certain obligations as a Mason. In the course of three degrees, new masons will promise to keep the secrets of their degree from lower degrees and outsiders, and to support a fellow Mason in distress (as far as practicality and the law permit).[10]There is instruction as to the duties of a Freemason, but on the whole, Freemasons are left to explore the craft in the manner they find most satisfying. Some will further explore the ritual and symbolism of the craft, others will focus their involvement on the social side of the lodge, while still others will concentrate on the charitable functions of the lodge.[35][36]

HistoryMain article:History of FreemasonryOriginsGoose and Gridiron, where theGrand Lodge of Englandwas founded

Since the middle of the 19th century, Masonic historians have sought the origins of the movement in a series of similar documents known as theOld Charges, dating from theRegius Poemin about 1425[37]to the beginning of the 18th century. Alluding to the membership of a lodge of operative masons, they relate a mythologised history of the craft, the duties of its grades, and the manner in which oaths of fidelity are to be taken on joining.[38]The fifteenth century also sees the first evidence of ceremonial regalia.[39]

There is no clear mechanism by which these local trade organisations became today\'s Masonic lodges, but the earliest rituals and passwords known, from operative lodges around the turn of the 17th-18th centuries, show continuity with the rituals developed in the later 18th century by accepted or speculative Masons, as those members who did not practice the physical craft came to be known.[40]The minutes of theLodge of Edinburgh (Mary\'s Chapel) No. 1in Scotland show a continuity from an operative lodge in 1598 to a modern speculative lodge.[41]It is reputed to be the oldest Masonic lodge in the world.[42]

View of room at the Masonic Hall,Bury St Edmunds,Suffolk, England, early 20th century, set up for a Holy Royal Arch convocation

The first Grand Lodge, the Grand Lodge of London and Westminster (later called theGrand Lodge of England(GLE)), was founded on 24 June 1717, when four existing London lodges met for a joint dinner. Many English Lodges joined the new regulatory body, which itself entered a period of self-publicity and expansion. However, many lodges could not endorse changes which some lodges of the GLE made to the ritual (they came to be known as the Moderns), and a few of these formed a rival Grand Lodge on 17 July 1751, which is now known as the \"Antient Grand Lodge of England.\" These two Grand Lodges vied for supremacy until the Moderns promised to return to the ancient ritual. They united on 25 November 1813 to form theUnited Grand Lodge of England(UGLE).[43][44]

TheGrand Lodge of Irelandand theGrand Lodge of Scotlandwere formed in 1725 and 1736 respectively, although neither persuaded all of the existing lodges in their countries to join for many years.[45][46]

North America

The earliest known American lodges were in Pennsylvania. The Collector for the port of Pennsylvania, John Moore, wrote of attending lodges there in 1715, two years before the formation of the first Grand Lodge in London. ThePremier Grand Lodge of Englandappointed a Provincial Grand Master for North America in 1731, based in Pennsylvania.[47]Other lodges in the colony obtained authorisations from the laterAntient Grand Lodge of England, theGrand Lodge of Scotland, and theGrand Lodge of Ireland, which was particularly well represented in the travelling lodges of the British Army.[48][49]Many lodges came into existence with no warrant from any Grand Lodge, applying and paying for their authorisation only after they were confident of their own survival.[50]

After theAmerican Revolution, independent U.S. Grand Lodges formed themselves within each state. Some thought was briefly given to organising an overarching \"Grand Lodge of the United States,\" withGeorge Washington(who was a member of a Virginian lodge) as the first Grand Master, but the idea was short-lived. The various state Grand Lodges did not wish to diminish their own authority by agreeing to such a body.[51]

Prince Hall FreemasonryMain article:Prince Hall Freemasonry

Prince Hall Freemasonry exists because of the refusal of early American lodges to admitAfrican-Americans. In 1775, an African-American namedPrince Hall,[52]along with fourteen other African-Americans, was initiated into a British military lodge with a warrant from theGrand Lodge of Ireland, having failed to obtain admission from the other lodges inBoston. When the military Lodge left North America, those fifteen men were given the authority to meet as a Lodge, but not to initiate Masons. In 1784, these individuals obtained a Warrant from the Premier Grand Lodge of England (GLE) and formed African Lodge, Number 459. When the UGLE was formed in 1813, all U.S.-based Lodges were stricken from their rolls– due largely to theWar of 1812. Thus, separated from both UGLE and any concordantly recognised U.S. Grand Lodge, African Lodge re-titled itself as the African Lodge, Number 1– and became ade facto\"Grand Lodge\" (this Lodge is not to be confused with the various Grand Lodges on the Continent ofAfrica). As with the rest of U.S. Freemasonry, Prince Hall Freemasonry soon grew and organised on a Grand Lodge system for each state.[53]

Widespreadsegregationin 19th- and early 20th-century North America made it difficult for African-Americans to join Lodges outside of Prince Hall jurisdictions– and impossible for inter-jurisdiction recognition between the parallel U.S. Masonic authorities. By the 1980s such discrimination was a thing of the past, and today most U.S. Grand Lodges recognise their Prince Hall counterparts, and the authorities of both traditions are working towards full recognition.[54]The United Grand Lodge of England has no problem with recognising Prince Hall Grand Lodges.[55]While celebrating their heritage as lodges of black Americans, Prince Hall is open to all men regardless of race or religion.[56]

Emergence of Continental FreemasonryMasonic initiation, Paris, 1745

English Freemasonry spread to France in the 1720s, first as lodges of expatriates and exiled Jacobites, and then as distinctively French lodges which still follow the ritual of theModerns. From France and England, Freemasonry spread to most of Continental Europe during the course of the 18th century. The Grand Loge de France formed under the Grand Mastership of the Duke of Clermont, who exercised only nominal authority. His successor, theDuke of Orléans, reconstituted the central body as the Grand Orient de France in 1773. Briefly eclipsed during theFrench Revolution, French Freemasonry continued to grow in the next century.[57]

Schism

The ritual form on which the Grand Orient of France was based was abolished in England in the events leading to the formation of theUnited Grand Lodge of Englandin 1813. However the two jurisdictions continued in amity (mutual recognition) until events of the 1860s and 1870s drove a seemingly permanent wedge between them. In 1868 theSupreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of the State of Louisianaappeared in the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana, recognised by the Grand Orient de France, but regarded by the older body as an invasion of their jurisdiction. The new Scottish rite body admitted blacks, and the resolution of the Grand Orient the following year that neither colour, race, nor religion could disqualify a man from Masonry prompted the Grand Lodge to withdraw recognition, and it persuaded other American Grand Lodges to do the same.[58]

A dispute during theLausanne Congress of Supreme Councils of 1875prompted the Grand Orient de France to commission a report by a Protestant pastor which concluded that, as Freemasonry was not a religion, it should not require a religious belief. The new constitutions read, \"Its principles are absolute liberty of conscience and human solidarity\", the existence of God and the immortality of the soul being struck out. It is possible that the immediate objections of the United Grand Lodge of England were at least partly motivated by the political tension between France and Britain at the time. The result was the withdrawal of recognition of the Grand Orient of France by the United Grand Lodge of England, a situation that continues today.[34]

Not all French lodges agreed with the new wording. In 1894, lodges favouring the compulsory recognition of the Great Architect of the Universe formed theGrande Loge de France.[59]In 1913, the United Grand Lodge of England recognised a new Grand Lodge of Regular Freemasons, a Grand Lodge that follows a similar rite to Anglo-American Freemasonry with a mandatory belief in a deity.[60]

There are now three strands of Freemasonry in France, which extend into the rest of Continental Europe:-

Liberal (also adogmatic or progressive) - Principles of liberty of conscience, and laicity, particularly the separation of the Church and State.[61]
Traditional - Old French ritual with a requirement for a belief in a supreme being.[62](This strand is typified by theGrande Loge de France).
Regular - Standard Anglo-American ritual, mandatory belief in Supreme being.[63]

The termContinental Freemasonrywas used in Mackey\'s 1873 Encyclopedia of Freemasonry to \"designate the Lodges on the Continent of Europe which retain many usages which have either been abandoned by, or never were observed in, the Lodges of England, Ireland, and Scotland, as well as the United States of America\".[64]Today, it is frequently used to refer to only the Liberal jurisdictions typified by the Grand Orient de France.[65]

The majority of Freemasonry considers the Liberal (Continental) strand to be Irregular, and thus withhold recognition. For the Continental lodges, however, having a different approach to Freemasonry was not a reason for severing masonic ties. In 1961, an umbrella organisation,Centre de Liaison et d\'Information des Puissances maçonniques Signataires de l\'Appel de Strasbourg(CLIPSAS) was set up, which today provides a forum for most of these Grand Lodges and Grand Orients worldwide. Included in the list of over 70 Grand Lodges and Grand Orients are representatives of all three of the above categories, including mixed and women\'s organisations. The United Grand Lodge of England does not communicate with any of these jurisdictions, and expects its allies to follow suit. This creates the distinction between Anglo-American and Continental Freemasonry.[66][67]

Freemasonry and womenMain articles:Freemasonry and womenandCo-Freemasonry

The status of women in the old guilds and corporations of mediaeval masons remains uncertain. The principle of \"femme sole\" allowed a widow to continue the trade of her husband, but its application had wide local variations, ranging from full membership of a trade body to limited trade by deputation to approved members of that body.[68]In masonry, the small available evidence points to the less empowered end of the scale.[69]

At the dawn of theGrand Lodge era, during the 1720s,James Andersoncomposed thefirst printed constitutions for Freemasons, the basis for most subsequent constitutions, which specifically excluded women from Freemasonry.[70]As Freemasonry spread, continental masons began to include their ladies inLodges of Adoption, which worked three degrees with the same names as the men\'s but different content. The French officially abandoned the experiment in the early 19th century.[71][72]Later organisations with a similar aim emerged in the United States, but distinguished the names of the degrees from those of male masonry.[73]

Maria Deraismeswas initiated into Freemasonry in 1882, then resigned to allow her lodge to rejoin their Grand Lodge. Having failed to achieve acceptance from any masonic governing body, she andGeorges Martinstarted a mixed masonic lodge that actually worked masonic ritual.[74]Annie Besantspread the phenomenon to the English speaking world.[75]Disagreements over ritual led to the formation of exclusively female bodies of Freemasons in England, which spread to other countries. Meanwhile, the French had re-invented Adoption as an all-female lodge in 1901, only to cast it aside again in 1935. The lodges, however, continued to meet, which gave rise, in 1959, to a body of women practising continental Freemasonry.[72]

In general, Continental Freemasonry is sympathetic to Freemasonry amongst women, dating from the 1890s when French lodges assisted the emergent co-masonic movement by promoting enough of their members to the 33rd degree of theAncient and Accepted Scottish Riteto allow them, in 1899, to form their own grand council, recognised by the other Continental Grand Councils of that Rite.[76]The United Grand Lodge of England issued a statement in 1999 recognising the two women\'s grand lodges there to be regular in all but the participants. While they were not, therefore, recognised as regular, they were part of Freemasonry \"in general\".[1][77]The attitude of most regular Anglo-American grand lodges remains that women Freemasons are not legitimate Masons.[78]

Anti-MasonryMain article:Anti-MasonrySee also:Masonic conspiracy theories

Anti-Masonry(alternatively calledAnti-Freemasonry) has been defined as \"opposition to Freemasonry\",[79][80]but there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement. Anti-Masonry consists of widely differing criticisms from diverse (and often incompatible) groups who are hostile to Freemasonry in some form. Critics have included religious groups, political groups, andconspiracy theorists.

There have been many disclosures and exposés dating as far back as the 18th century. These often lack context,[81]may be outdated for various reasons,[82]or could be outrighthoaxeson the part of the author, as in the case of theTaxil hoax.[83]

These hoaxes and exposés have often become the basis for criticism of Masonry, often religious or political in nature (usually by totalitarian dictatorial regimes,[84]but also arising in the historicalAnti-Masonic Partyin the United States), or are based on suspicion of corrupt conspiracy of some form. The political opposition that arose after the \"Morgan Affair\" in 1826 gave rise to the term \"Anti-Masonry,\" which is still in use today, both by Masons in referring to their critics and as a self-descriptor by the critics themselves.[85]

Religious opposition

Freemasonry has attracted criticism fromtheocraticstates and organised religions for supposed competition with religion, or supposedheterodoxywithin the fraternity itself, and has long been the target ofconspiracytheories, which assert Freemasonry to be anoccultand evil power.[86]

Christianity and FreemasonryMain article:Opposition to Freemasonry within Christianity

Although members of various faiths cite objections, certainChristiandenominationshave had high profile negative attitudes to Masonry, banning or discouraging their members from being Freemasons.

The denomination with the longest history of objection to Freemasonry is theRoman Catholic Church. The objections raised by the Roman Catholic Church are based on the allegation that Masonry teaches a naturalisticdeisticreligion which is in conflict with Churchdoctrine.[87]A number of Papal pronouncements have been issued against Freemasonry. The first wasPope Clement XII\'sIn eminenti apostolatus,28 April 1738; the most recent wasPope Leo XIII\'sAb apostolici,15 October 1890. The 1917Code of Canon Lawexplicitly declared that joining Freemasonry entailed automaticexcommunication, and banned books favouring Freemasonry.[88]

In 1983, the Church issued a new Code ofCanon Law. Unlike its predecessor, it did not explicitly name Masonic orders among thesecret societiesit condemns. It states: \"A person who joins an association which plots against the Church is to be punished with a just penalty; one who promotes or takes office in such an association is to be punished with aninterdict.\" This named omission of Masonic orders caused both Catholics and Freemasons to believe that the ban on Catholics becoming Freemasons may have been lifted, especially after the perceived liberalisation ofVatican II.[89]However, the matter was clarified when Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (laterPope Benedict XVI), as the Prefect of theCongregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, issued aDeclaration on Masonic Associations, which states: \"...the Church’s negative judgment in regard to Masonic association remains unchanged since their principles have always been considered irreconcilable with the doctrine of the Church and therefore membership in them remains forofferden. The faithful who enroll in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receiveHoly Communion.\" Thus, from a Catholic perspective, there is still a ban on Catholics joining Masonic Lodges. For its part, Freemasonry has never objected to Catholics joining their fraternity. Those Grand Lodges in amity with UGLE deny the Church\'s claims. The UGLE now states that \"Freemasonry does not seek to replace a Mason’s religion or provide a substitute for it.\"[1]

In contrast to Catholic allegations of rationalism and naturalism, Protestant objections are more likely to be based on allegations ofmysticism,occultism, and evenSatanism.[90]Masonic scholarAlbert Pikeis often quoted (in some cases misquoted) by Protestant anti-Masons as an authority for the position of Masonry on these issues.[91]However, Pike, although undoubtedly learned, was not a spokesman for Freemasonry and was also controversial among Freemasons in general. His writings represented his personal opinion only, and furthermore an opinion grounded in the attitudes and understandings of late 19th century Southern Freemasonry of the USA. Notably, his book carries in the preface a form of disclaimer from his own Grand Lodge. No one voice has ever spoken for the whole of Freemasonry.[92]

Free Methodist ChurchfounderB.T. Robertswas a vocal opponent of Freemasonry in the mid 19th century. Roberts opposed the society on moral grounds and stated, \"The god of the lodge is not the God of the Bible.\" Roberts believed Freemasonry was a \"mystery\" or \"alternate\" religion and encouraged his church not to support ministers who were Freemasons. Freedom from secret societies is one of the \"frees\" upon which the Free Methodist Church was founded.[93]

Since the founding of Freemasonry, many Bishops of theChurch of Englandhave been Freemasons, such asArchbishopGeoffrey Fisher.[94]In the past, few members of the Church of England would have seen any incongruity in concurrently adhering to Anglican Christianity and practicing Freemasonry. In recent decades, however, reservations about Freemasonry have increased within Anglicanism, perhaps due to the increasing prominence of the evangelical wing of the church. The formerArchbishop of Canterbury,Dr Rowan Williams, appeared to harbour some reservations about Masonic ritual, whilst being anxious to avoid causing offence to Freemasons inside and outside the Church of England. In 2003 he felt it necessary to apologise to British Freemasons after he said that their beliefs were incompatible with Christianity and that he had barred the appointment of Freemasons to senior posts in his diocese when he was Bishop of Monmouth.[95]

In 1933, theOrthodoxChurch of Greeceofficially declared that being a Freemason constitutes an act ofapostasyand thus, until he repents, the person involved with Freemasonry cannot partake of theEucharist. This has been generally affirmed throughout the whole Orthodox Church. The Orthodox critique of Freemasonry agrees with both the Roman Catholic and Protestant versions: \"Freemasonry cannot be at all compatible with Christianity as far as it is a secret organisation, acting and teaching in mystery and secret and deifying rationalism.\"[96]

Regular Freemasonry has traditionally not responded to these claims, beyond the often repeated statement that those Grand Lodges in amity with UGLE explicitly adhere to the principle that \"Freemasonry is not a religion, nor a substitute for religion. There is no separate \'Masonic deity,\' and there is no separate proper name for a deity in Freemasonry.\"[97]

Islam and Freemasonry

ManyIslamicanti-Masonic arguments are closely tied to bothantisemitismandAnti-Zionism, though other criticisms are made such as linking Freemasonry to al-Masih ad-Dajjal(the false Messiah).[98][99]Some Muslim anti-Masons argue that Freemasonry promotes the interests of theJewsaround the world and that one of its aims is to destroy theAl-Aqsa Mosquein order to rebuild theTemple of SolomoninJerusalem.[100]In article 28 of its Covenant,Hamasstates that Freemasonry,Rotary, and other similar groups \"work in the interest of Zionism and according to its instructions ...\"[101]

Many countries with a significant Muslim population do not allow Masonic establishments within their jurisdictions. However, countries such asTurkeyandMoroccohave established Grand Lodges,[102]while in countries such are District Grand Lodges operating under a warrant from an established Grand Lodge.

In Pakistan in 1972Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, thenPrime Minister of Pakistan, placed a ban on Freemasonry. Lodge buildings were confiscated by the government.[106]

Masonic lodges existed inIraqas early as 1917, when the first lodge under theUnited Grand Lodge of England(UGLE) was opened. Nine lodges under UGLE existed by the 1950s, and a Scottish lodge was formed in 1923. However the position changed following the revolution, and all lodges were forced to close in 1965.[107]This position was later reinforced underSaddam Hussein; the death penalty was \"prescribed\" for those who \"promote or acclaim Zionist principles, including freemasonry, or who associate [themselves] with Zionist organisations.\"[98]

Political oppositionSee also:Anti-MasonryandSuppression of Freemasonry

In 1799 English Freemasonry almost came to a halt due to Parliamentary proclamation. In the wake of theFrench Revolution, theUnlawful Societies Act, 1799banned any meetings of groups that required their members to take anoathor obligation.[108]The Grand Masters of both the Moderns and the Antients Grand Lodges called on Prime Minister William Pitt (who was not a Freemason) and explained to him that Freemasonry was a supporter of the law and lawfully constituted authority and was much involved in charitable work. As a result Freemasonry was specifically exempted from the terms of the Act, provided that each private lodge\'s Secretary placed with the local \"Clerk of the Peace\" a list of the members of his lodge once a year. This continued until 1967 when the obligation of the provision was rescinded byParliament.[108]

Freemasonry in the United States faced political pressure following the 1826 kidnapping ofWilliam Morganby Freemasons and subsequent disappearance. Reports of the \"Morgan Affair\", together with opposition toJacksonian democracy(Andrew Jackson was a prominent Mason) helped fuel an Anti-Masonic movement, culminating in the formation of a short livedAnti-Masonic Partywhich fielded candidates for the Presidential elections of 1828 and 1832.[109]

Lodge in Erlangen, Germany. First meeting after World War II with guests from USA, France and Czechoslovakia, 1948.

In Italy, Freemasonry has become linked to a scandal concerning thePropaganda Duelodge (aka P2). This lodge was chartered by theGrande Oriente d\'Italiain 1877, as a lodge for visiting Masons unable to attend their own lodges. UnderLicio Gelli’s leadership, in the late 1970s, P2 became involved in the financial scandals that nearly bankrupted theVatican Bank. However, by this time the lodge was operating independently and irregularly, as the Grand Orient had revoked its charter and expelled Gelli in 1976.[110]

Conspiracy theoristshave long associated Freemasonry with theNew World Orderand theIlluminati, and state that Freemasonry as an organisation is either bent on world domination or already secretly in control of world politics. Historically, Freemasonry has attracted criticism—and suppression—from both the politicallyextreme right(e.g.,Nazi Germany)[111][112]and theextreme left(e.g. the formerCommuniststates inEastern Europe).[113]

Even in modern democracies, Freemasonry is sometimes viewed with distrust.[114]In the UK, Masons working in the justice system, such as judges and police officers, were from 1999 to 2009 required to disclose their membership.[115]While a parliamentary inquiry found that there has been no evidence of wrongdoing, it was felt that any potential loyalties Masons might have, based on their vows to support fellow Masons, should be transparent to the public.[114][115][116]The policy of requiring a declaration of masonic membership of applicants for judicial office (judges and magistrates) was ended in 2009 byJustice SecretaryJack Straw(who had initiated the requirement in the 1990s). Straw stated that the rule was considered disproportionate, since no impropriety or malpractice had been shown as a result of judges being Freemasons.[117]

Freemasonry is both successful and controversial in France; membership is rising, but reporting in the popular media is often negative.[114]

In some countries anti-Masonry is often related toantisemitismand anti-Zionism. For example, In 1980, theIraqilegalandpenal codewas changed bySaddam Hussein\'s rulingBa\'ath Party, making it a felony to \"promote or acclaim Zionist principles, including Freemasonry, or who associate [themselves] with Zionist organisations\".[98]Professor Andrew Prescott of theUniversity of Sheffieldwrites: \"Since at least the time of theProtocols of the Elders of Zion, antisemitism has gone hand in hand with anti-masonry, so it is not surprising that allegations that11 Septemberwas a Zionist plot have been accompanied by suggestions that the attacks were inspired by a masonic world order\".[118]

The HolocaustMain article:The HolocaustSee also:Liberté chérie (Freemasonry)Forget-me-not

The preserved records of theReichssicherheitshauptamt(the Reich Security Main Office) show the persecution of Freemasons.[119]RSHA Amt VII (Written Records) was overseen by ProfessorFranz Sixand was responsible for \"ideological\" tasks, by which was meant the creation of antisemitic and anti-Masonic propaganda. While the number is not accurately known, it is estimated that between 80,000 and 200,000 Freemasons were killed under theNazi regime.[120]Masonic concentration camp inmates were graded as political prisoners and wore an invertedred triangle.[121]

The small blueforget-me-notflower was first used by the Grand LodgeZur Sonne, in 1926, as a Masonic emblem at the annual convention inBremen, Germany. In 1938 a forget-me-not badge—made by the same factory as the Masonic badge—was chosen for the annual Nazi PartyWinterhilfswerk, the annual charity drive of theNational Socialist People\'s Welfare, the welfare branch of the Nazi party. This coincidence enabled Freemasons to wear the forget-me-not badge as a secret sign of membership.[122][123][124]

AfterWorld WarII, the forget-me-not flower was again used as a Masonic emblem at the first Annual Convention of theUnited Grand Lodges of Germanyin 1948.[125]The badge is now worn in the coat lapel by Freemasons around the world to remember all who suffered in the name of Freemasonry, especially those during the Nazi era.[125]