Freemasonry: A Religion or Not

"Concerning the oft-heard statement by some that Freemasonry is a religion, the Supreme Court of Nebraska, in a 1921 decision, used the following illuminating language:

"The guiding thought is not religion but religious toleration. The Masonic fraternity refrains from intruding into the field of religion and confines itself to the teaching of morality and duty to one's fellow men, which makes better men and better citizens.

"The distinction is clear between such ethical teachings and the doctrines of religion. One cannot espouse a religion without belief and faith in its peculiar doctrines. A fraternity broad enought to take in and cover with its mantle Christian, Muslim and Jew, without requiring him to renounce his religion, is not a religious organization, although its members may join in prayer which, in that case of each, is a petition addressed to his own Deity.

"Neither can the belief in the immortality of the soul be denominated religious in the sense that it is typical of any religion, of any race, or any age. It constitutes one of the most beautiful and consoling freatures of our own religion, but it is equally found in almost every other. It is so unusual and spontaneous that it is not so much belief or dogma as it is an instinct of the human soul. Neither does it imply or require adherence to any system of religious worship.

"The fact that belief in the doctrines or deity of no particular religion is required, of itself refutes the theory that the Masonic ritual embodies a religion, or that its teachings are religious." 1

In an article by the Christian Research Journal, entitled: "Masonry and Pagan Religion", the author said:

"Dr. Shildes Johnson is only one of many scholars of comparative religion who have concluded:

"A comparison of the moral, allegorical, and symbolic teachings of Freemasonry with these definitions of a religion reveals that the lodge is a theistic, non-Christian, man-centered, and universal religion."[44]

"All this is why numerous leading Masonic authorities have publicly confessed that Masonry is, in fact, a religion. For example:

Albert G. Mackey: "The religion of Masonry is cosmopolitan, universal...."[45]

Henry Wilson Coil: "Religion is espoused by the Masonic Ritual and required of the candidate"; and, "Freemasonry is undoubtedly religion"; and, "Many Freemasons make this flight [to heaven] with no other guarantee of a safe landing than their belief in the religion of Freemasonry" (emphasis added).[46]

Albert Pike: "Masonry...is the universal, eternal, immutable religion...."[47]

Joseph Fort Newton: "Everything in Masonry has reference to God, implies God, speaks of God, points and leads to God. Not a degree, not a symbol, not an obligation, not a lecture, not a charge but finds its meaning and derives its beauty from God the Great Architect, in whose temple all Masons are workmen."[48] "

Whether we as a fraternity is a religion or not does not change the good we are doing in moulding good men into better ones. I'd rather be a Mason than an Irish Catholic waging a war against an Irish Protestant, both professing as Christians. Muslims killing and maiming either Christians, Hindus or their fellow Mohammedans.

As to the "true" teaching of Jesus Christ, even the various Christian sects can not even agree among each other on how to or not to interpret the Bible. Even before the King James Version (KJV), we know that numerous books have been excluded in the KJV version. It still continues today with several versions of the Bible.

Mohammedans have the same problem of interpreting and the teaching of the Koran. Hence we have different Muslim sects. At least Masonry professess tolerance for one's belief, how much more can we follow fully the Golden Rule?

For further reading, please see Bro Olano's blog: Like Religion.

1 (Source via email by Bro Kenneth Go Tieng, Jose Rizal Lodge No. 22, District NCR-C< MW GLP, F & AM).

45-48 (Sources per author, see original article).