Freemasonry is a semi-secret Society in which its overt outward appearance is known and recognized in communities, while its inner workings are kept secret from outsiders. Hence, it is still considered a Secret Society. The outward appearance is that it is a gentlemen’s gathering club, in which men exchange business tips and make connections in networks, while fellowshipping as a brotherhood and conducting charity and humanitarian deeds. That is the facade that people are to see in the public.
Free Masons started as a Stone Mason Guild in which those practicing the craft of stone masonry guarded the secrets of their skill, their ability of calculations and formulas, and their hermetic and alchemy practices. The Guild kept the secrets of the Craft highly secluded from the masses. Only those initiated would gain their knowledge. While this Operative Craft was the fundamental purpose, it soon became Speculative in which other esoteric secrets were brought into the Order, rituals and allegorical practices adopted from ancient mystery religions.
When the Knights Templar were banned in 1307 and seemingly vanished, its members fled to other countries to hide within other societies. Henry Sinclair, Earl of Orkney, fled to Scotland where he was protected by Robert The Bruce. He organized the Stone Masons and influenced them into the Speculative aspects of their Craft, especially after the Rosicrucian belief intertwined and influenced its beliefs. This became Freemasonry. The Knights Templar remains a degree within the Lodge, and some say it continues through the York Rite. While others deny that the Knights Templar exist. Other Secret Societies of the Illuminates, such as the Jesuits of Vatican, also infiltrated and intermingled.
Freemasonry claims that it has no bias to any religion, nor any one god. However, a god needs to be believed in for an individual to be initiated. Christianity has a great influence on Masons. Therefore many Christian allegories are used for the code of ethics and morality. Some Masons claim it is a Christian organization, or at least that Christians are initiated. Yet their view of Christianity is merely allegorical and inactive with the Creator as an ecumenical Supreme Being rather than relational with any one god of the belief of any member. Therefore it claims to not be a fraternity of religion, just one that those involved have a belief in God, and striving to be better in humanity.
Those claiming it as a Christian organization will admit a belief in Jesus. But Jesus as a good moral example is less than what the Bible claims for the one who is a believer in Him. He is the light, the true light, and is the light of men. He is the way, the truth, and the life. However, Freemasonry regards Him as a means to principles and ethics, and a good teacher of them. But also revealing a light with a Gnostic understanding that isn’t apparent upon first reading the scriptures, unless one is guided by the secrets of Freemasonry. God is thus regarded as Deistic, in that he is not active personally in the lives of men, but that man is required to bring about the principles of God through allegorical living, and to share the light through its Gnosticism of the Order.
Many inside Freemasonry will defend the Craft questioning how those of us outside would know more than they who are members inside. Often they charge that we are misrepresenting their innocent fraternity of men who are only interested in community service, moral standards, and decent business deals. And they claim that the fraternity merely desired to make good men better.
Though many of us have a perception of them while outside their fraternity, those outside are not biased by the flattery of being invited inside, thus have no blinders dulling our senses as to the overall picture of Masonry. We have a tendency to dig deeper deeper into the intent and hearing previous members of their own testimony after they had come out. And expose what we know from past members who have defected, who had been led into further recruitment, and also report what is in the Masonic Organization’s very own books and writings, both from accepted authors and from Lodge letters. Sadly few Masons actually read their own material, thus deny what we say it says when we recite it to them. Their perception of their own fraternity is primarily on the word of their fellow brothers whom they take for granted.
Much more goes on in the Lodge than many Masons even witness themselves. In most cases, they just do not realize what it is they do witness. And it is told to them what it means, and that it is merely for symbolic purpose. So their guard is down, their intrigue is heightened, but their senses are dulled. The deviations from the faith they claim they follow in their personal lives are not realized as they become dulled by the Deistic perspective of the Order. There are members who deny any occultism happening. They merely see the simplistic moral upholding. Many are not privy to the inner secrets within their own Craft that has taken on occult ritual of ancient rites. Not realizing an inner core experiences a much deeper intent and purpose than those who practice it from innocence on the surface.
The fundamental basis of Freemasonry has a superficial facade of merely involving “beefsteak dinners and charity,” as one member described. They see the innocent brotherhood of fellows that get together to discuss business networking and moral standard. They live by the rule that Freemasonry “makes good men better.” And in many cases it may. As well as it may have men who are upstanding citizens. This is the example that the public is directed to see.
Freemasonry is thought of as simply a brotherhood of men who have many things in common, and a belief in a god. Many deny anything suspicious about their group. However, a Mason who denies anything about the Craft as being dark and mysterious must recall their own experience. They must remember the rituals and death oaths they are required and instructed to recite. While the initiation rituals and rites are explained away as mere allegory and symbolism, they have meaning. But the initiate Apprentice is not given the full explanation.
If one truly listened to and understands what they recited, they may be shocked if they actually processed what is going on. In the first three degrees of initiation known as the Blue Lodge, many rituals like the blindfold ritual, the Cable Tow, the death oaths recited, and the simulation of the resurrection of Hiram Abif, would give enough for one to question where it is going, and for what purpose it provides. And to find that he had been doing these before the Lodge Worshipful Master should give a Christian suspicion that he has been bowing before this revered leader of the Lodge as divine recipient. However, the participation is far too intimidating for some to process while being the subject of initiation.
To take one example, in requesting “the light,” one does not realize he is requesting secret knowledge. And he is seeking the presence of the source of that light in the ultimate Supreme Being considered the Great Architect of the Universe. Their quest is sold as mere routine in an allegory of one’s preferred god. However, as one goes deeper, the initiate is indoctrinated to surrender what he knows as god, to accept the Masonic Personification of god. There is a reason one requests to seek “the light.” And a reason why one must admit that before their enlightenment, they are in darkness. That means if one is a Christian, he must admit the light of Christ is inferior. In the Adept levels of enlightenment, the true nature of the GAOTU is revealed as a Luciferic personification. Though in their teaching, Lucifer is not the allegory of evil as it is in the Christian faith. This is why it is not to be considered a Christian organization.
Be that aside, the quest doesn’t end when one has achieved Master Mason. Further advancements are available. One can acquire higher degrees to learn more of the Craft. They may have meaning of symbols more defined, they learn some esoteric language, and some even hermetic mystic practices. though this is reserved for those who desire it. Many symbols are shared, though not the truth of their meaning. It is a language. And in Freemasonry, handshakes, eye winks, position of the feet and hands, finger pointing, and other gestures are used for communication to other Masons, especially if in distress.
But here is the confusion as to why some Masons will defend that Freemasonry is an innocent gentleman’s club of “beefsteak dinners and charity.” Freemasonry invites initiates who have promise of fellowship. However, Freemasonry has been a recruitment for seeking potential candidates for deeper levels or groups of mysteries. Some never experience this and laugh at such suggestions because they have not been privy to this side, therefore are biased to the innocence of the Craft, and defend it as such. For the ones who show promise, they may be invited to further purpose, if they are quality candidates or prestigious members in strategic positions in society who would benefit the agenda. However, to the Adept, those who are lower degree are considered not worthy. Therefore will not admit to anything more than “beefsteak dinners.”
Several other groups are recruited within Freemasonry. Some dark and devious. The innocent are not going to experience this, which is why to them it is innocent, and is where they stop. But to others, deeper secrets are received. Some of these further members are put into prestigious roles in society to advance the “agenda.” Some are placed on heads of Protestant Boards. Others in political office. Or administration in municipalities. And some proceed to Priesthood status of the Craft, often in Druid or witchcraft sectors. There are Temple degrees, like that of the Knights Templar (within the Scottish Rite). And there are Temple of the Orient, the branch reworked by Aleister Crowley called the O.T.O. Though this has been disassociated over the years and may be a separate group from Freemasonry, while it was once coinciding with it. And then there are Adept level 33rd Degree who experience a Luciferic initiation and may be recruited to Minerval degrees, which get into Illuminati branches and Rosicrucian. These are narrowed to a small reserve. Others who choose the alternative are made to believe the journey ends there.
So you see, as a Freemason, you may THINK you have seen it all at your lower level initiation. But depending on how you perceive it, or if you are privy to further information, you may not realize there are several paths that could be taken within the Freemasonic Organization. And you may be inadvertently part of something much more devious and entangled than you realize. Which makes it secretive even more so than you realized. Truth is many members never read their own material, some even discrediting their own authors. even though these authors and former Masons are revered by their leaders and headquarter Lodges.
Authors such as Albert Pike, Albert Mackey, and Manly P. Hall, who have contributed to the degrees and writings of them, in the beliefs and philosophies of Masonry, and in the influence of shaping a Mason and indoctrinating him, have been denied by some as to their significance. They claim their Lodge is not a product of their influence. However, despite their claim, they cannot deny the influence, as their leaders and mentors have likely been indoctrinated to share their principles, even if not recognized by the lower initiate.
Albert Pike’s book “Morals and Dogma” is a staple for Freemasons, especially above the 14th degree. It seems to take a Mason through stages of the initiations, first relating the Masonic moral life with allegory of Jesus and the Bible. But as one progresses through its massive pages, he finds that Pike’s allegory turns to contempt. A challenge begins that brings a Deistic approach to the Bible and God. Jesus as an allegory is related to the opposition Lucifer. Lucifer considered darkness by Christians is questioned, as scripture also calls him and angel of Light, and he is compared to Adonai. Then Pike makes the bold declaration that Lucifer is God. And states that unfortunately AaAdonai is also God (to some). And attempts to downplay God and raise up Lucifer. But most Masons deny this represents them, therefore even reject the prolific writer who has been a most influential leader to the Craft. They deny their own writers.
Freemasonry boats to make good men better. Perhaps secular members of the Brotherhood would need some creed to make good men better, but if one is true to the Bible and claimed a believer in Jesus Christ, he has to ask how it is he can surrender the light of Jesus Christ to admit before entering the lodge, he was “in darkness, but now seek light.” Isn’t Christ light enough? Also the scriptures tell that men are not good. And if one needs a Lodge of Brotherhood of men and their influence to make them better, is not the Holy Spirit capable to shape a person to the image of Christ and further to mature in the fruit of the Spirit? Masonic Lodges cannot teach that because they claim not to be a religious entity, therefore teach a different doctrine. However, upon reading the author of Freemasonry, they claim that in fact EVERY Lodge is a Lodge of religion. Just that the religion of Freemasonry is allegory and Enlightened. Salvation of Jesus Christ is not what the Lodge teaches. It teaches Gnosticism as salvation. Therefore teaches another gospel.
If a Lodge is not a religion, nor endorses any one god, how can a Christian, who is believer in Jesus Christ, justify close fellowship with those who are not faithful in Jesus Christ? The scriptures also warns not to have close bonding fellowship with those in darkness. Do not be of unequal yoke. And it asks how can light fellowship with darkness? Scripture also tells that what is said in darkness will be revealed in the light and exposed. However, the secrets of Freemasonry is forbidden to be exposed in the light outside its Craft Lodge. So shall a Christian be associated with such darkness? I say not. And urge you Christian to come out of her, lest you be contaminated and disqualified for the Kingdom of the True and faithful God. And the Lord Jesus Christ.