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Here are some interesting links. I do not necessarily
agree with everything on a particular web site, or especially as
they link to other pages. There are many web sites available on
this topic, and these are just a few that I find helpful.
Websites that Inform Christians About Masonry
Reachout Trust
The purpose of Reachout Trust is to examine in the light of the
Christian gospel the beliefs and spirituality of people within the
cults, occults, new age and all not upholding to biblical truth.
They also equip Christians,
offer help, present the Gospel and work with others who share their
purpose.
http://www.reachouttrust.org/
This is a page on Masonic symbolism:
http://www.reachouttrust.org/articlePDFView.php?id=295
For
prayer of release see instead
http://www.ctmin.org/prayer-of-release.php
Jubilee Resources, based in Australia, offers books, DVD's, articles,
training seminar internationally. They publish
and distribute a wide range of Christian books and other resources
on a range of topics, including spiritual deceptions. These topics
include Freemasonry and other secret societies. Search
on articles and you will find some on Freemasonry. Books
have to be ordered from New Zealand.
http://www.jubilee.org.nz/
They have an article on denominational positions, particularly
in the United Kingdom.
http://www.jubilee.org.nz/articles/freemasonry-what-christian-churches-really-think/
This link includes this list of Christian denominations which have recorded publicly their opposition to Freemasonry:
- The world bodies of The Salvation Army
- Greek Orthodox
- Lutheran
- Methodist
- Presbyterian
- Mennonite
- Nazarene
- Churches of Christ
- Most Pentecostal churches
- Brethren Assemblies
- The Church of England
- The Free Church of Scotland
- British Methodists
The Baptist Union of Scotland, whose report has been endorsed and published by New Zealand, British and Irish Baptist Unions.
They also have other articles dealing with Freemasonry.
http://www.jubilee.org.nz/articles/
Ex-Masons for Jesus is an organization
of Christian men and women who were once members of a Masonic Lodge
or one of the affiliated Masonic organizations such as Eastern
Star, DeMolay, Job's Daughters or Rainbow Girls.
This site has a Masonic discussion board, open to Masons/non-Masons,
and you can participate without registration. Also has links
to others ministering to Masons.
http://www.emfj.org/vision.htm
Ephesians 5:11 “Have
nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather
expose them.”
Ephesians 5:11, is a ministry which specializes in subversive
religious organizations which deny being religions. Subversive
religious organizations are religious organizations which promote
false plans of salvation while claiming to teach truth. Other
subversive groups admit that their organization is a religion.
http://www.ephesians5-11.org/
Some have experienced ritual abuse in Freemasonry. This is a web
site on healing from that, also a page on how to protect your children
from ritual abuse.
http://www.ritualabusefree.org/
Saints Alive is a ministry primarily to Masons and Mormons,
but also deals with other issues. Ed Decker has books, tapes,
tracts and has been in this ministry for many years. Ed’s
years of research on the subject of Freemasonry have led him
to become one of the leading Christian experts on the subject.
His books, booklets, and other materials on the subject are widely
distributed. His taped teaching to the church on this subject,
Freemasonry and The Christian Church, is a compelling instruction
to the whole body of Christ.
http://www.saintsalive.com/
Freedom Ministries International (from England) is
a Christian ministry bringing release from the effects of our forebears'
and/or personal involvement in Freemasonry, Buffaloes, Mormonism,
the Orange Order and many other Lodges and Orders. They
tell that the results of their curse reversal seminars
are electrifying with many healings and miracles.
This site lists many resources that they sell, some on Freemasonry.
An interesting aspect of their ministry is repentance for the
British Empire. This is a quote from their site:
"Through the British Empire this nation has exported Freemasonry
to virtually every corner the world. It is our heart to travel
to church groups in other nations and repent for the Freemasonry
our forefathers planted in those nations as well as bring the release
that others have experienced through these seminars. We are available
to churches in the UK, Europe and worldwide.”
http://www.freedom-ministries.com/
Interesting web site with biographies of famous Masons
http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/biography/index.html
This is supposedly a humorous look at the celestial lodge
(where masons believe they go when they die) and who is
there. In it you will find listed famous freemasons.
http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/biography/celestial_lodge.html
This web site has an excellent article on the relationship of
Freemasonry and Scouting
http://www.ctmin.org/
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Freemasonry and the New World Order
Gary Kah's ministry "Hope for the World" One of his purposes
is to expose those activities and organizations which are working
to undermine American freedoms, are threatening traditional Christian
values, or are advancing an occult New Age/One World agenda.
http://www.garykah.org/
There are many theories about how Freemasonry is related to the
new world order. These are considered conspiracy theories. This
web site has a variety of articles.
http://www.conspiracyarchive.com/NWO/
John Daniel has published an extensive three volume set on the
war between English and French Freemasonry. He examines 1500 years
of "Political, financial, and spiritual intrigue between two
conspiratorial powers."
http://www.scarletandthebeast.com/
A Masonic site listing prominent Christian Masons who defend Freemasonry
Includes several influential leaders, including Norman Vincent Peale
http://www.srmason-sj.org/council/fmrel.htm
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Some Denominational Positions Regarding Freemasonry
Anglicans
It is very difficult to ascertain where Anglicans or Episcopalians
stand on Freemasonry. The archbishop of Canterbury has
stated that he believes Freemasonry and Christianity are incompatible. Later,
he apologized to Freemasons. I would suggest you google Archbishop
of Canterbury and Freemasonry
to read more. Any denomination that questions the authority
of the word of God will probably welcome Freemasons.
This web site has a number of denominational positions,
including the Church of England. However, many of these positions
are not recent.
http://www.jubilee.org.nz/articles/freemasonry-what-christian-churches-really-think/
Assembly of God
http://www.ag.org/top/Beliefs/charctr_16_secret_societie.cfm
Southern Baptists
http://watch.pair.com/sbc.html
Under facts about us, you can find the official position, which apparently has
not changed since 1993
http://www.sbc.net/aboutus/faqs.asp#19
Other resources on Freemasonry can be found by doing a
search at their official web site
http://www.sbc.net/
Saints Alive has best explanation of 1993 position
http://www.saintsalive.com/freemasonry/fmyandsbc.2.html
Orthodox Church (Russian and Greek)
http://www.stlukeorthodox.com/html/thefaith/borichevsky/masonry.cfm
Lutheran Church/Missouri Synod
http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=2187
United Methodists
A statement by a Methodist bishop... "why I am a freemason."
http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/texts/why_a_freemason.htm
I asked a Methodist friend to investigate. She located this information.
Greetings from InfoServ, the United Methodist information service!
Your message reached our offices at United Methodist Communications
in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. Hello and thank you for writing. The
United Methodist Church has no official statement or position regarding
freemasonry. InfoServ is provided by the World Service Fund through
United Methodist Communications.
Presbyterian Church in America
2001 position
http://auburnavenue.org/officialpositionstatements/Freemasonry.htm
http://www.pcahistory.org/search.html
Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.
http://www.pcusa.org/constitutionalservices/musings/note07.htm
August 16, 2007
Constitutional Musings: Note 7
Secret Societies, Masons
(REPLACES POLITY REFLECTION #26)
From time to time the Office of the General Assembly is asked
if the Assembly has stated a position on secret societies: whether
they are cults or heretical; whether a person is permitted to be
minister or an elder while being a member of a secret society.
There is no reference to General Assembly actions relating to
Secret Societies or to the Masons in more than seventy years. It
took some digging to find but the most recent action is from the
United Presbyterian Church in North America, Article XXXV of The
Confessional Statement, adopted in 1925:
Of Church Fellowship
We believe that all who have accepted Christ as their Redeemer should
unite themselves with some branch of the visible Church, in order to share
in the privileges and responsibilities of its members and confess Christ before
men; that under Christ they should yield the Church their supreme loyalty,
honoring its ordinances and seeking its welfare in season and out of season;
and that with this they should forsake all associations, whether secret or
open, that they find prejudicial to their Church allegiance and a hindrance
to the fulfillment of Christian duties. (Digest, 1942 page 16)
This is a web site that gives information about Freemasonry
and Protestant Churches
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_and_Freemasonry#Protestant_churches
Roman Catholicism
http://users.crocker.com/~acacia/text_mcbm.html
Following is a very complete web site on Roman Catholicism and
Freemasonry. Apparently from 1974-1981 there was some confusion,
for various reasons (mentioned on the site). Catholics who
joined during these years are not excommunicated, but are not allowed
to take communion, as I understand it. . A more liberal position
is taken regarding Eastern Star and Masonic groups (Jobs Daughters,
DeMolay, etc.) as they do not swear Masonic oaths. The web
site also mentions that Catholicism is not alone in its opposition
to Freemasonry and names other denominations.
"Like opposition to abortion, opposition to Freemasonry
is often seen as solely a Roman Catholic position. But the Catholic
Church is hardly the only Christian body to recognize the essential
difference between the Masonic and Christian religions. In fact
most Christians around the world belong to churches which forbid
or discourage Masonic affiliation.
The Inter-Orthodox commission which met on Mount Athos (1933)
and represented all the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches
characterized Freemasonry as a 'false and antiChristian system.'
This remains the position of Orthodoxy.
Other groups hostile to lodge membership include many branches
of Lutheranism, the Christian Reformed Church, most Pentecostals,
the Church of the Nazarene, the Seventh-day Adventists, the Holiness
churches, the Quakers, the United Brethren in Christ, the Mennonites,
the Free Methodists, the Church of the Brethren, the Assemblies
of God, the Wesleyans, the Regular Baptists, the Salvation Army
and significant minorities in such mainline churches as the Episcopal."
For more information on Freemasonry and Catholism
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/5229/religion/masonry.htm
This is a good site, explaining historical positions, with links
to many other topics of interest.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholicism_and_Freemasonry#Post_Vatican_II
Other Religions
There are those who have linked many world religions with Freemasonry,
especially Hinduism, Judaism. As the Shriners take a vow to Allah,
a link is also seen to Islam.
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Masonry in U.S. History and Mexican History
What are America's true roots? American Masonic history. Good
site from Bible Discernment Ministries.
http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Psychology/mashist.htm
British Freemasonry's plan for America
http://watch.pair.com/MasonicPlan.html
Watch pair has many interesting articles, probably some quite controversial. See
their home site: http://watch.pair.com/default.html
Dr. Paul Rich is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (London) and the Hoover Institution (Stanford University), and a member of the Scottish and York Masonic Rites. He has lived in Mexico, written about Mexican Freemasonry, as well as many other aspects of Freemasonry. At the following site you can find some papers dealing specifically with Mexico.
http://www.paulrich.net/home/papers.php
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