Featured Any FORMER Masons here? Current ones?

Yes Gina There is an organization for women, The Easterrn Star and an organization for boys under the age of 18, The Order of Demolay. Also Masonry is an international organization. There are many accounts of acts during both WW I & WWII wher masons on different sides came to the aid of another.
Masonry pretty much does not let the left hand know what the right is doing when it comes to philanthropy.You will not see news conferences or TV cameras. The was a movis some 50 years ago starring Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson based on this principal.

 

This was posted, regarding Free Masonry

Absolutly

How any Christian...((ANY))...christian...can join that organisation is beyond me.

It is simply unimaginable.

 

Not sure if this counts or not, but I was a brick layer for ten years, which is a mason. However, I got paid, so I was not a free mason.

 

http://www.formermasons.org/

 

When I was a boy living in New Orleans Louisiana my step father went to prison leaving our family destitute.
He had a job of priviledge in the prison as a trustee.
The Masons took care of finding us housing, getting funds for my mother, food, clothing, medicine. We received numerous baskets of gifts during the holidays.

My step father was of an old aristocratic southern family well know in the masonic world and the Episcopal Church.
He told me stories of how during the Civil war the masonic families of both sides would not violate the property and lives of fellow masons.

I guess that makes me a "Lewis" (son of a Mason) even though he was my step father, he gave me his last name (although I've changed it back to my biological father's name).

So, I am ambivalent, we had what we needed and more.

They do take care of their own but also others as well.

HankD

 

My limited perspective.

My great-grandfather, who died decades before I was born, was an active mason. My dad still has his ring, pen, and other paraphernalia. My dad also warned me never to get involved with them (at least with their organization). Strangely, I have had a mason make at least a slant attempt to recruit me. He "strongly encouraged" me to seek out the masonic lodge in my area. I don't know how this compares with other peoples' experiences or the Masonic rules.

I met one young man in his twenties a few years ago who told me he was eager to become a mason. His reasons were for the connections and prestige he believed would be available-- he'd be "in like Flynn" and have a smooth-flowing life in the big club of helpful brotherhood. This was in Texas. I have not spent much time in Texas (ten weeks) but in my time there in the greater Houston area, I saw a lot of Masonic activity. They are very proud of their many historical members, including most of the famous founders of the state of Texas-- Austin, Crocket, Lamar, Bowie, and others.

For that matter, I am led to believe that many of the founders of the United States govt, including George Washington, Ben Franklin, Sam Adams, and others, were masons. (no, i didn't get my information from the movie "National Treasure"). All this I am saying without showing the documentation, so I could be a little rusty on the particulars. I have looked up a website once before that showed that most of the presidents were either masons, or members of other secret societies such as the "Rosecrutians" "Skull and Bones" or etc.

 

Silence From The Pulpits....

When was the last time ANYONE here heard ANY Pastor, Teacher, Preacher, Evangelist or anyone else in full-time Christian ministry preach or teach anything about the Masons, Shriners, or any of the other fraternal orders or "secret societies"? The last thing I even saw in print on the subject was a pamphlet or two that Dr.John R.Rice published at the Sword of the Lord back in his day. Most of the time these days the only times you really see them mentioned is in connection with some of the prevailing conspiracy theories of the day. I attended (by invitation) a few DeMolay(the youth "arm" of the Masons) meetings with a friend in the early 70's in Virginia when I was in High School but did not pursue it. I remember feeling strangely uncomfortable with the proceedings even then. I know reading Dr. Rices material on the subject pretty much sealed my opinion on the subject but I'm sure any active Mason would reject it out of hand unless they were actually saved and brought under conviction by the Holy Spirit. I do know that active Masons tend to be very offended and capable of considerable belligerence when one of their number departs and then proceeds to start revealing the "secrets" of the Lodge and their oaths amd ceremonies. They do take seriously the oaths of secrecy that they take. All the more reason for a true believer in Christ to avoid any involvement within their organizations.

Bro.Greg:saint:

 

My dad's not a former mason, but he's a former Mason shoe magazine subscriber. After years of not ordering any, he's a former "Mason shoe magazine subscriber".... :laugh: :laugh:

 

Bro. Greg

One does not have to "preach or teach anything about the Masons"

All you have to do is stand behind the pulpit and preach the truth of God's word. It doesn't matter where you start preaching the truth--you can start in Genesis 1:1 and preach forward from there---or you can start in Revelation 22:21 and preach backward from there--it doesn't matter---just preach the truth book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse---don't leave nothing out--preach the whole councel of God----and I promise you---you will "pinch a Mason nerve" somewhere in there---and they'll "cloud up and rain" all over your charactor as a preacher---I promise you!! You don't have to preach AGAINST the Masons---but simply preach the truth of the word---and you'll find out who they are!!

:saint::type:

 

Masons would not be very comfortable in my church. With all I know about the masonic order, I just can not picture an active mason who is also a broken, humble, obedient, vibrant Christian.

 

Exactly: Most are in the masons not as a religion but as a fraternal organization. For those who are really in deep the truth of the gospel may very well pierce their heart.

 

Have to also remember they are Gnostics, in that they hold that God gave secret revealtions to Solomon and his line, so that masons have the 'true' name of God, and its not Yahweh, but a mix of demonic and God!

So they see themselves as having special knowledge in and thru their rites, and by practicing them, one becomes purified and acceptable to go to the celestial Lodge of the "great Architect" after death!

occultic...

 

I don't know if I qualify as a Mason or not?

I used to do some brick and mortar work, but that's as close to being a mason that I have ever come :smilewinkgrin:

 

My Father in law was one.

I wanted nothing at all to do with them.

 

The basic mission of F&AM: "To make good men better."

Big problem: There are no good men. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God; there are none righteous, not one."

End of discussion.

Tried to be one--got blackballed. Providential grace.

An insidious encroachment of church autonomy: a deacon board made up of free and accepted masons. Some pastors, so called, are also F& AM.

What fellowship does righteousness have with unrighteousness?

Even so, come Lord Jesus.

Bro. James

 

I am a mason

I am a mason. I was raised Sept 28, 1982, to the sublime degree of Master Mason. My father officiated at the ceremony. My late father was a Mason, and both of my Grandfathers. I am now a 32d degree Mason. There is nothing in Masonry (a secular, man-made organization) that is in any way conflicting with the religion of Jesus. Please see my blog www.cemab4y.blogspot.com

 

When the Church is under full-scale persecution, Christians will have secret signals and coded language to recognize each other and to communicate in public. Richard Wurmbrand described such things when writing about the Church in Communist Romania. His experience led him to interpret the event in Mark 11:2-3 that way.

 

Except that, if what you say is true, you are unequally yoking yourself with unbelievers.