As regular readers of my blog will be aware, I have been unwell all summer. I am in the unenviable position of slowly rebuilding my life. As part of this rebuilding and rediscovery, I have been considering going back into voluntary work.
I spent ten years in an unpaid but official position with a national charity. I was an unofficial voluntary helper for ten years prior to that. I stepped down from my charity work less than ten years ago, it had become another job. I would come home after a day at work, open my emails and start another day’s work. I had after those twenty years, decided I wanted to devote more time to private pursuits. I spent the last two years of that twenty year period, sitting on the local Interfaith Council.
Today I am looking at stepping back into voluntary work but without the responsibility of the managerial position. I am fortunate that I have contacts who can offer advice and guidance in this. These contacts are still active in the charity and fundraising environment, some are members of the Royal British Legion, some are Freemasons and some are members of the Rotary Club.
I am familiar with the public work of all these organisations, I have attended functions and noted their gifts to the hospital where I work. On one notable occasion I attended a dinner and received a cheque of £500 from the Rotary Club, for hospital equipment. All three of these organisations are well thought of locally, their members are well respected and their fund raising efforts much admired.
Readers may also be aware that over the past couple of years, I have in an attempt to satisfy my personal and intellectual curiosity; engaged in a private study of the world’s leading faith. I have read widely and researched Christianity via a variety of Internet sources. The educational gain has been worthwhile, if at times confusing. What I did not expect is that my study of Christianity as a comparative religion, would overlap with my approach to voluntary work.
What I have stumbled upon is a peculiar anti-Freemasonry attitude within some Christian churches, which is both unexpected and incongruous. Here in England, Freemasonry is part of the social structure. Although members do not advertise their membership, it is common for doctors, police officers and even Anglican Vicars, to be members of a lodge. There is no apparent incompatibility or conflict of interest.
It has come as something of a surprise therefore, to discover this antagonism and I have decided to research the phenomenon on line. Unfortunately, I have failed to discover any satisfactory explanation for the avowed wariness of some Christian denominations. I have found some making the claim that Freemasonry is a secret society, so secret that we all know about it. People claim that Freemasonry is a front for the ‘Illuminati’ and is linked to all manner of conspiracy theories. It is claimed that Freemasons run the world, which if true is not a good selling point. They are doing a bloody awful job as the world is in chaos.
I have stumbled across a gentleman by the name of Walter Veith of the Amazing Discoveries channel. This gentlemen draws all manner of links between the Freemasons, the Illumanti, the New World Order, the Roman Catholic Church and Islam. He does so without producing any convincing evidence but he is an excellent performer. Since he is a Young Earth Creationist, a homophobe and I suspect Islamaphobic, I am inclined to question his impartiality.
Indeed all the objections I have been able to identify are either lacking in substance, fanciful or based on questionable observations. One criticism of Freemasonry made by the Roman Catholic Church and some fringe churches, is that Freemasons deny the Christ by admitting all faiths. I am unclear how this is a denial of the Christ, anymore than any other organisation that may serve, employ or have contact with those outside of the Christian Faith. I work in a hospital that employs people from all faiths, does that mean the NHS denies Christ? Am I missing something?
I am informed that during the meeting of a Masonic Lodge, a book that is considered sacred to the majority of members is placed on view. This may be the Torah, the Christian Bible or the Quran. By tradition if it is a Bible, then it is the Authorised King James Version and it is laid open at Psalm 133. The opening line of this Psalm reads; ‘Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! The numbering of the Psalm may or may not be significant, as some claim it is a link to the 33rd degree of Freemasonry. The official policy statement however, is that the opening line represents the ‘Universal Brotherhood’ promoted by the organisation.
To my mind an organisation that was known to admit all faiths, even before we became a pluralistic society; is something to be admired and not criticised. How a predominantly Christian lodge displaying the Authorised King James Version of the Holy Bible, can be claimed to deny the Christ is beyond my comprehension. I am also of the opinion that Universal Brotherhood as a principle, is something that deserves to be promoted.
I have great respect and more than a passing interest for Christianity, although my approach is allegorical, philosophical, esoteric but not literal. I like to think that I have a very open, accepting and tolerant disposition. I am I hope, accepting of cultural and spiritual differences, recognising the fabric of diversity across the English social structure. This may be due in part to my education as a nurse. It could be that I am naturally predisposed, towards an acceptance of such diversity and tolerance. I hope so. Whatever the source of this philosophical mentality, it has served me well during my nursing career and during my time as a charity worker within the sphere of Interfaith. I recognise the intrinsic ‘Truth’ that is within all spiritualties and I choose to celebrate them all.
I have found two films on YouTube that are worth a viewing, if only for the wrong reasons. Both films are made by people seeking to criticise Freemasonry and warn of the (unspecified) dangers. The two films are below and at the end of this post, links to some of my other blog posts are provided.
In the first film a Catholic priest attempts to present the church argument against Freemasonry. In watching the film myself, I noted that the main concern, appeared to be that Freemasonry may actually have more influence than the Catholic Church. There is an undercurrent that suggests a power struggle and that the Catholic Church fears losing status.
#1 Freemasonry – Fr Mitch Pacwa SJ
In the second film what is meant to be presented as an argument against Freemasonry, turns into a sales pitch for Universal Brotherhood. That isn’t the intention obviously but this film left me with a more positive impression of Freemasonry than it did the church.
#2 Is Freemasonry a Cult: Seven Minute Seminary
SUGGESTED LINKS
From the archive 2013 – Thoughts on my retirement.
FROM THE ARCHIVE – THE ELVASTON CASTLE PAGAN PICNIC IN THE PARK – Looking Back Over Ten Years of a Free Community Event
From the Archive 2012 – Pagan Pride a Community Asserts its Identity
IN DEFENCE OF INTERFAITH
From the Archive ~ Thoughts on Being Called a Heretic (2013).
American Christianity & Politics
Young Earth Creationism and the Televangelist Movement
Psalm 133 – King James Bible.
Spooky Rituals of The Freemasons The Freemasons Explained
Free Speech
https://chatteringmagpie-summonerofthehearth.blogspot.com/2021/11/free-speech.html
Daniel Bran Griffith - The Chattering Magpie 
8 thoughts on “Freemasonry and Christianity”