What is there in Freemasons, that catholic church ex-communicated members of this group in their Faith,?

Question

What is there in Freemasons, that catholic church ex-communicated members of this group in their Faith,

Answer 1

Heresy.

Freemasonry promotes indifferentism, the heretical (to Christians) belief that all religions are equally legitimate attempts to explain the truth about God but that this truth will never be explained. This is incompatible with Christian faith because Christians believe that God has definitively revealed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ, and desires that all men come to the knowledge of this truth.

Freemasonry's teachings and practices also result in syncretism which is the blending of different religious beliefs into a unified whole. This shown in Masonry's religious rituals, which gather men of all faiths around a common altar, and place all religious writings along side the Bible on the Masonic altar.

The Lodge's practice of requiring its members to swear immoral oaths is also incompatible with Christianity. These oaths require a Christian to swear on the Holy Bible that he will uphold a code of moral conduct that prefers Masons to non-Masons, and to preserve secret passwords and handshakes. Such oaths are immoral because they are trivial and not necessary. These oaths are sworn under penalties of physical torture and death (e.g., having my throat cut across, and my tongue torn out by its roots). These penalties show a lack of respect for God.

For more information, see:
http://www.scripturecatholic.com/freemasonfaq.html
http://www.archdiocese.la/about/faq/index.html

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

There in the past was conflict between Masons and the Catholic church which for the large part no longer exist. What the Catholic Church was initially afraid of was not Masonry per-say but what is called irregular masonry which is not really masonry at all but something parades as it and does much damage to the fraternity and its reputation.

Freemasonry requires no one faith just that the individual have faith. Be it Christianity, Judaism, Islam, some other. In the past this was also an issue for the church but in the modern world where the Pope meets and discuss world issues with Islamic leaders this has changed.

My lodge is located across the street from a Catholic Cathedral and I am a member of both the Catholic Church and Masonry. I know many other Catholics, including several Priest, who are Freemasons.

I would also like to add that since I have join my lodge I have began to feel a closer bond with the Church, in a way my involvement with freemasonry brought me back into the church, so much so that I have considered joining the Preisthood in the future.

Answer 3

Freemasons have always championed the causes of free thinking, science and knowledge. These same issues were at odds with the way the Catholic Church wanted to operate for many years.

Freemasons also entered into various oaths and obligations for mutual protection (in the days where simply BEING a mason was a crime in many areas of the world). The Catholic Church took the position that NO Catholic could ever take an oath that could not be revealed IN FULL to the priest. Hmm. So, in retaliation to the Masons that honored their oaths and obligations, the Pope decided to excommuniate Masons and to forbid Catholics from becoming Masons. The Catholic Church also created the "Knights of Columbus" as their answer to Freemasonry.

It should be noted that MOST of the hostility exists in the direction from the Catholic Church to Freemasonry and not the other way.


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Answer 4

I think you have two very clear views of the question:

The Catholic Church says that you must believe that there is only one way to God and that is through the Holy Roman Catholic Church. They also believe that the Freemasons have some sort of religion which is a universal one.

The Freemasons say that it is everyone's right to choose the path to God in whatever way they want. To become a Freemason you must believe in God, but they leave how you worship God up to you. They also defend the right of a person to not worship or believe in God. They just will not admit such a person into their ranks as a Freemason.

Freemasons say and can defend that they are not a religion. They have no sacrament, they offer no salvation, they have no religious dogma or head of church. The leaders of the various Orders of Freemasonry are elected for very limited terms by all the members. There are Christians, Moslems, Buddhists, Jews, Jains, Taoists, Sikhs, Latter Day Saints, Deists, Wiccans, Hindus, and Theosophists who range under the banner of Freemasonry. None are asked to give up their faith. All are urged to become stronger in theirs.

So, there it is. One side says believe how we tell you or else. The other side says you may believe however you wish.

The choice is yours.

BTW, yes, I am a proud to be a Freemason.

A Master Mason
American Co-Masonry (Freemasonry for women and men)

Hiram Lodge (Santa Cruz, CA)
Amon Ra Lodge (Los Angeles, CA)
Sapientia Lodge of Research (Larkspur, CO)
Adamant Mark Lodge (Santa Cruz, CA)

Answer 5

The issue is Freemasonry as an organisation does not state Catholicism/Christianity is the one and only true faith and all others are false.

The fact than any Freemason who is Catholic or Christian believes this and is only tolerant, not accepting, of other peoples faith (i.e. doesn't go to war, fight, argue or debate about other peoples FREEDOM of choice) seems to be lost on many.

In Catholicism’s eyes, Catholicism is the only true faith, any other faith should be degraded, slandered, and placed on the lower pedestal of "false religion". Same as most other religions feel about other offerings, hence the holy wars, and crusades of our past and present.

Freemasonry believes that each person has the right to choose their faith, not be forced into one, that each person who uses that right should not be punished, segregated, or in anyway treated less. And as such Freemasonry does NOTHING to try and steer any person to a particular faith, which is why you need to already have a faith before you can join.

If Freemasonry promoted Christianity only then there would be NO PROBLEM, hence the creation of the Knights of Columbus who do nothing different to Freemasonry, teach nothing different, and their practice is not different, except it is solely a Christian Order, and yet men of the Church are free to join it without reprimand, punishment or ill feeling.

So the only thing in Freemasonry that is non-Catholic is that is lets men choose their own faith

Answer 6

Hi,

It had been that way for a long time. Now you are not excommunicated but are considered to be in a state of serious sin and cannot recieve communion.
The American Catholic church seems more tolerant than European churches. In 1974 the Church after Vtican II almost came to terms and tried relaxing things but Cardinal Ratinger quashed this and got approval from John Paul 11. Anyway here is the history updated to the present:


http://www.njfreemason.net/roman_catholic_church_law_regard.htm

Mike

Answer 7

the Catholic Church does not ex-communicate you if you become a Freemason, the position is that you "are in grave sin and cannot receive Holy Communion"...

the "ban" came because the Vatican was afraid there were secret societies in Italy that were plotting for control of the people (which is the 'sole', no pun intended, province of the Vatican)... so they put a blanket ban on everything. It has nothing to do with religion, salvation or god and everything to do with fear and greed.

Answer 8

i'm a Catholic Freemason. there is not something in masonry it somewhat is against something it somewhat is taught with the help of the church. i think of it has to do with who gets the peoples donations. The church needs them yet freemasonry urges you to furnish to many charitable agencies.