An Interfaith Homily

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Ken JP Stuczynski

{I was on deck a couple of years ago to fill in as the speaker at a Masonic Interfaith breakfast, and although the speaker didn’t show, they called off the sermon and invocation altogether. This unused passage is compiled from the notes intended for use that day.}

I’d like to share with you a puzzle. This is not the kind you hope all the pieces came with the box and have to protect from the cats, but something much larger — something that encompasses all of human experience throughout the ages. This puzzle is the question of the Holy versus the Profane.

All cultures have some notion of sacredness, or that which is “holy”, meaning, in its most basic form, “set apart.” Ritual of all sorts are used to create sacred space. We use ceremony to sanctify a building, or a room, or a vessel, for a particular meaningful purpose, or use ritual to make special a place for a gathering to set it apart not only from the outside, in space, but from the rest of the day, in time.

The mezuzah on my home’s door frame contains the passage of Exodus 25:8. “[H]ave them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.” I bring this up because even if there were not religion, we would still have the first sacred space of a human being, Home. It becomes a place separate from the rest of the world, and as such it becomes a special act of trust and generosity to invite someone into it.

But there’s another side to the coin. By making our space special, it must be shielded from the outside world, other people. We build walls between us physically and risk building them spiritually as well. This is the puzzle: How do we find holiness in our own lives and hearts without marking everything — and everyone else — profane?

There is another conflict at work here. Wisdom is the ability to make meaningful distinctions, to not become confused with similitude or resemblances. But Love is the choice to NOT make distinctions, to be unconditional, to not compare or contrast others as more or less deserving of life and dignity. Distinctions can detract from our ability to Love, and the most dangerous distinction of all is THEM versus US.

But tribalism is natural. It is how we create the “sacred” in human societies. It gives an identity to a people as opposed to others we may not trust. We find it wise to distinguish between those binding themselves to certain values, rules, and traditions, and those who don’t, at least by our own estimations and assumptions. Those others go by many names: Foreigners, Gentiles, Heathens, Outsiders, Profanes.

The part of the puzzle Freemasons work at is to have the benefits of Sacred Fraternity without its pitfalls, as “Every human being has a claim upon our kind offices.” From one angle, we are always drawing a line between what is good and true and what is not. But is it to pretend we are different or better than others? Do we puff out chests, claiming the higher moral ground, being more civilized than others?

Or is it made in principle? Perhaps the line we draw is only supposed to be the “due bounds” of basic ethics, showing us that which we ought not do. Will we give in to fear and hate and say we must stoop to be evil to fight evil? Will we say our noble ends can justify any means? Or do we draw that line?

I ask a further question, more to the point: Can we protect the sacred by keeping others out? Any Temple we make can be knocked down, and someone eventually always does. But we, as Masons, are taught to construct a Temple that can’t be touched or even made by human hands — something worthy of the Eternity of the Soul, a Sacred space that transcends the need for “Us” and “Them”. We seek a circle without limits.

“He drew a circle that shut me out-
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle and took him In!”
(Edwin Markham)

Poetry is not unknown among Masons — Goethe, Kipling, Bobby Burns, Rob Morris, even George Washington has written a verse or two. But are flowery words forceful arguments? Or are they among other ridiculous sentiments, such as “Love your enemies” or “Pray for those who hate you.” In real life such notions are ridiculous — not because they are ridiculous in principle, but that they are ridiculously difficult to live by.

Consider a recent event — a school shooting where the killer was a child himself. We can’t help but see our own children when we look at the victims’ faces. But we refuse to even look at the face of the disturbed or tormented child who pulled the trigger as anything more than an animal. We cannot accept them as one of us; they may as well be an alien or demon.

On a larger scale, humanity has always used ethnic and ideological pretexts to wage so-called “Holy Wars”. Even atheistic Stalinism played upon this social psychology, and the death toll was mind-boggling. Perceived differences that break down trust and empathy become the very basis for identifying others as something less than human, consciously or subconsciously. After all, that is the only way to make calls to war seem palatable, and the atrocities that stem from them excusable.

Freemasonry was borne in part as a response to this continuing tragedy. The Reformation and Counter-reformation gave us hundreds of years of massacres, both politically executed and by unorganized mobs, based on denominational allegiances. In our Lodge rooms we forbade sectarian discussion and created a sacred space in which we could all sit, and pray together without fear. And we went a step further, borrowing the attitude of Rosicrucianism — a philosophy that prioritized those things of faith on which all men agree, rather than continue to denounce each other over theological details.

The puzzle is how to make the whole world sacred without losing the sacred. Perhaps the answer can be found within another question, another plight of human existence. Why are we missing so many pieces in our world, and in each of our own hearts?

Maybe we are supposed to have something missing, so we have to be dependent upon one another, not just physically, but spiritually and at every other level of our being. Maybe we need the answers to questions only others can ask, coming from places we cannot be, with knowledge we do not have, and understanding we cannot find alone. I believe God has entrusted each of us, however noble or broken a vessel we may be, with a unique spark necessary to light some part of the path for the rest of us.

And maybe it will take all the languages of the world to fill in our crossword. Maybe we must reunite the myriad tribes who split at the fall of the Tower of Babel, and finally hear each other again. And if will finally share those letters and syllables in our hearts, we might just form the Lost Word, recovering the true Law of Love and discovering it anew.

There’s only one time this can ever begin, for ourselves and the World.
The kingdom of Heaven is at hand. It is among us.
We can choose our fate together by choosing it within ourselves.
Never cruel or cowardly, never give up, never give in.
Embrace and enfold others without limit or prejudice, and all will be Sacred.

Grand Architect of the Universe, we ask for the strength to do what is right, rather than what is easy. Subdue our passions against one another, and may we always strive to Love one another as you have Loved us. Amen.

~JP

Bro. Ken JP Stuczynski is a member of West Seneca Lodge No.1111 and recently served as Master of Ken-Ton Lodge No.1186. As webmaster for NYMasons.Org he is on the Communications and Technology Committees for the Grand Lodge of the State of New York. He is also a Royal Arch Mason and 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason, serving his second term as Sovereign Prince of Palmoni Council in the Valley of Buffalo, NMJ. He also coordinates a Downtown Square Club monthly lunch in Buffalo, NY. He and his wife served as Patron and Matron of Pond Chapter No.853 Order of the Eastern Star and considered himself a “Masonic Feminist”.

Is Lodge My Church?

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Robert H. Johnson

Recently our good friend and Brother, Alex Powers, posted something interesting on the Kansas Masonry Facebook Page. For some background, Alex posts a question for contemplation almost daily. Sometimes they're deep philosophical questions, and other times they're more straightforward. If I'm scrolling through Facebook and I see the question, I stop to read it. Sometime's I answer them, and sometimes I stop and think about it--maybe I reply, perhaps I don't. 

I almost always answer straightforward questions about my Lodge experience or procedures and customs that we might use in Lodge. The reason being, it's hoped others might also read the replies and see where their own experiences and traditions are similar or different from the others that they are reading about. This is a great way to see the universality of the Craft and create more informed and confident Master Masons. 

The philosophical questions are a bit different. In fact, earlier this week, Alex posted a question that began with a little admonition:

"Let's start off with this week's theme being one typically avoided in Masonic circles: Religion. Obviously, we will approach this in due bounds and remind all to do the same. And, of course, our team of moderators will keep an eye on as well. 

Today's topic: 

In your personal experience, do you utilize Freemasonry as a supplementary factor (to add to or enhance) to your religious practice? Or do you view and treat Freemasonry entirely separate?"

In case you skipped the quote, I bolded it. This is what I am going to address here in this short article. And let me go one step further. I want to say that this blog's description is: 

"A group of Master Masons talk about topics of Masonic interest--each from their own unique perspective. You'll find a wide range of subjects including history, trivia, travel, book reviews, great quotes, and hopefully a little humor as well on topics of interest for Freemasons and those interested in the subject of Freemasonry."

My own perspective is precisely what I want to lay out. I began to answer Alex's prompt, and while doing so, I thought I would keep it simple, but that I would also lay this out for the blog because this is a question that is always out there, looming like some kind of storm cloud. I wish it was easier to talk about things like this without having tons of disclaimers, but alas--it's a hotly debated topic; in fact, what's more hotly debated about, is that the question itself shouldn't even be asked! But it was-- and here is my answer. 

I grew up Roman Catholic. I attended Church in Naples, Italy, with my mom and dad weekly. My dad was in the service (Navy) and had been stationed there. It was a wonderful experience. Later, when we came home to the United States, we settled in Illinois after my dad had passed away. I was young, and I attended a Lutheran grammar school for a year. My mom wasn't a fan and pulled me out. I went to public school after that. My religious beliefs until my early twenties could best be represented by the poster that hung in Fox Mulder's basement office in The X-Files. And in reality, that poster is laminated and hangs on my own office wall right now.

"I Want To Believe" was my motto with religion and just about anything else. And let's be honest, there would be a certain comfort or contentment in knowing or believing for those out there who don't believe. To be sure, some atheists will say that they are already content and comfortable--I believe you. This speaks for the rest of us. I wasn't an atheist--I was agnostic in those formative years. I found it audacious in a sense to declare it one way or the other. Who am I to say whether something like God exists or doesn't?

After reading much literature on philosophy with varied authors and really focussing on my collegiate studies, which were themselves centered on philosophy in religion, I had arrived. I did not have faith that there was more. I KNEW there was more. I did believe--because the evidence was surrounding me. The readings and authors that did the most to sway my mind were Giordano Bruno, Cayetano Ripoll, Thomas Paine, Spinoza, and even Albert Einstein. They convinced me that intelligent design was written as we say in this Fraternity, "...in the book of Nature."

I cannot be classified wholly as a Deist, although it sometimes fits. To answer the question placed above, where does someone like myself stand? In an age where fewer people are going to church each year, finding an organized religion as fulfilling or are willing to have faith--we ask why? And I think the answer is because they want to KNOW. And while I had the confidence to say that I knew absolutely that there was something else--that there was intelligent design, I also understand that having this mindset could be considered a gift. To others, it may be too rigid. For me, it's right. Whatever your path is, whatever lens you see the world through, or your particular religion,  as long as it hurts no one--follow it. 

So, where do I stand on Alex's question? I suppose I see Freemasonry as the living practice of Deism, maybe even Stoicism. While we have the Abrahamic faiths as a foundation for the allegory, or rather, it's the mode of transmission we've chosen to use--the tenets of our institution are universal in application. Not one part of it is specifically applicable to only one religion. Hence Freemasonry's secular stance--at least in words. Often times many members belong to Lodges that do have a specific religious "flavor." I don't mean to be derogatory. I just don't have a better way to describe it. Other Lodges stay as objective and "vanilla" as possible--multiple VoSLs on the altar, specially written prayers that remove themes of one kind or another, and more.

It really does span the gamut. At this time, Regular Freemasonry requires a belief in a Supreme Being or God. It does so for some precise reasons, which I'm not going to get into here. Deism is a philosophy that has changed over the years very dramatically. So much so that in some jurisdictions, Deists aren't allowed to join Freemasonry. Would this have barred members like Benjamin Franklin? Perhaps. But that is not the question asked above. Deism has no church or divinely inspired text or VoSL. It would be nice to have something, I suppose, but what would it be? A VoSL for a Deist is probably considered--"The Book of Nature." This isn't an actual book, of course, it's analogous to saying--"Look around you. This is my book. This is my divinely inspired text." 

Deism also has no church. There again, the Deist might say, "The world is my church." I'm wondering, though-- if Deism DID have a church, perhaps a Craft Lodge is it. Again, I'm not so sure I'm a Deist, and I don't go to religious services often. My opinion here might mean nothing to you based on that alone. I've said it in a room full of people to whom I was lecturing, "Freemasonry is my religion." Yikes! I just said that. 

You might say to yourself, "Freemasonry isn't a religion. It has no God." You're right. There is no God in Freemasonry--its members believe that whatever their individual God is, we can call it, "The Great Architect of the Universe" or hey, for me, "God"-- works. So I know there's something out there, something bigger, grander, incomprehensible. While I might not have a specific dogma, at times, I guess Deism is a good banner that fits me. The Craft offers me a place to meet others who can agree on a shared belief in an intelligent creator and interact with others who share the same universal beliefs regardless of their personal backgrounds. Maybe Lodge, for me, it's its own religion--even though folks might vehemently disagree. 

Lodge definitely adds to my dogma--it might just be my church. 

To quote an interview with Ernest Borgnine for "The Scotsman" in 2009:

"His religion now, he says, is Freemasonry. "I am very happy to say that I'm a 33rd degree Grand Cross Master Mason in the Scottish Rite. We believe in one thing, God. We believe in another thing: to help your fellow man. Be as kind as you can be to everybody."

~RHJ

More on Ernest Borgnine

The Scotsman Interview

Pew Research on Decline of Church

Fewer Adults Belong to a Religious Congregation

RWB Johnson is a Co-Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the 2nd N.E. District of Illinois. He currently serves as the Secretary of Spes Novum Lodge No. 1183. He is a Past Master of Waukegan Lodge 78 and a Past District Deputy Grand Master for the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. He is the current V:. Sovereign Grand Inspector for AMD in IL. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts weekly Podcasts (internet radio programs) Whence Came You? & Masonic Radio Theatre which focuses on topics relating to Freemasonry. He is also a co-host of The Masonic Roundtable, a Masonic talk show. He is a husband and father of four, works full time in the executive medical industry. He is the co-author of "It's Business Time - Adapting a Corporate Path for Freemasonry", “The Master’s Word: A Short Treatise on the Word, the Light, and the Self – Annotated Edition” and author of "How to Charter a Lodge: A No-Nonsense, Unsanctioned Guide. More books are on the way.

Men of Faith

by Midnight Freemason Regular Contributor

WB Christopher Hathaway

Freemasons are men of faith. Men who believe in something greater than themselves. We do not quarrel about dogmatic differences as we believe it is up to the individual's own journey to make peace with the Creator as they see fit. We are not a religion. In fact, religion cannot even be discussed in a Masonic lodge as it may cause disharmony amongst the brethren. Why has there been opposition by many denominations throughout history? There are many reasons that can be stated but, in my opinion, the church sees Freemasonry as competition. The leaders think they are competing for time, energy, and money, of the same men that would belong to churches, men of faith. Freemasons ought to be so involved in their faith communities that the religious leaders see the craft as a benefit to their congregation. In my home church, four out of the five Deacons were Freemasons. There was no question in that church that Freemasonry was a friend, not a foe.  

In a Gallup study from 2018, church membership has dropped 20 percentage points since 1998, down to 50%. This is sourced from membership in the three major religions, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The decline in Freemasonic membership and church membership is correlated for sure. This is not to say that one group is causing the decline of the other, but we are sourcing the same type of people. How do you grow the number of people that believe in a higher power? You get involved with your church. Where do you find qualified men who would be good Freemasons? More than likely in the church. It has been discussed in other articles that we must get out of the lodge and into the community. I will take a more specific stance to say get out of your lodge and into your church. I am not saying go there and recruit Freemasons. I am saying to have conversations with men of your faith, grow your church, and be a shining example of Freemasonry. As stated in the 23rd Degree of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, NMJ, Christians should truly be Christians and Jews should truly be Jewish…realizing common ideals for the good of humanity. I paraphrased that a bit, but you get the idea. We need to be involved in our respective religious circles.

If organized religion is not your thing, find other outlets in your community that puts you in a space with like-minded gentlemen. The percentage of agnostics in America is on the rise and I do not see this trend slowing down. These men may find our principles of toleration and truth appealing. 

The sense of mystery surrounding Freemasons is both a blessing and a curse. We must use this to our advantage as we tap into the curiosity of prospective members, but we cannot be so obscure that we alienate our friends in the church. We must be knowledgeable to dispute falsehoods and rumors spread about the fraternity. We must build personal relationships and be trustworthy to gain the respect of those with questions. I know I have a lot of work to transition myself from a passive member in my church to one that is active and engaged.  Our motto of making good men better should be evident by the way we carry ourselves in all we do, including the church. 

“Bowling Alone” by Robert D. Putnam goes into detail about the decline in membership for both civic and religious organizations. Many factors are outside the control of a single church or lodge. But we can control the partnerships we form locally and the relationships we build with each other to ensure sustainability for generations to come. If this pandemic has taught us anything, it's that people are social creatures and need to interact with each other. Let us be the place that good men seek when we can come together again safely. A warm, strong handshake as we exit a building sure beats exiting out of a zoom meeting every day of the week.

~CJH

WB Christopher J. Hathaway was raised in Catlin Masonic Lodge #285 and is the current Worshipful Master of Bloomington Masonic Lodge #43. He belongs to the Valley of Danville, AASR where he is the Most Wise Master of the George E. Burow Chapter of Rose Croix and Membership Chairman. Other appendant bodies include the Gao Grotto, Mohammed Shriners, and the Illinois Lodge of Research. Outside of the lodge, he enjoys spending time with his wife Taylor and cheering on the Fighting Illini and Chicago Cubs.    

Can You Be A Christian And A Freemason?

by Midnight Freemasons Founder

Todd E. Creason, 33°

There’s a couple reasons I wanted to address this topic—primarily it’s due to the number of comments and questions I get on this subject. More often than not they aren’t questions, I get told “you can’t be a Christian and a Freemason.”

That’s not true. I’m a Christian and a Freemason. And I have things in my life aligned in the right order, too. God first, then family, then my job, and Freemasonry taking up the rear. I’ve been a Christian for over thirty years now. I’m a regular Bible reader, and I attend church. Nothing is more important to me than my relationship with God. I’ve worked hard in my life to apply those values I find in the Bible to my life, and like all Christians I fall short. However, I’ve never found anything in Freemasonry that conflicts in any way with what I’ve read in the Bible. And I’ve never been involved with a church that had a prohibition against Freemasonry—in fact one of the Deacons in a church I belonged to for more than a decade was a 33rd Degree (long before I knew exactly what that meant).

Some denominations and some individual churches however prohibit their members from joining the Fraternity, for a variety of reasons. I won’t go into all of those reasons, but the most common complaint I hear in my area is the fact that our Fraternity is open to all men who believe in the existence of God—so it’s open to all the major religions. Our opening and closing prayers are nonsectarian so they can be applied to any of the major monotheistic religions. Because  Freemasonry welcomes men from all religions, we don't close our prayers with "in Jesus' name we pray."  Some Christian denominations and churches have an issue with that. And that’s their right, and I can even respect their position.

This position on admitting members from all religious beliefs isn't new to Freemasonry.  In fact, Freemasonry has served a very important role in our nation's history on this very topic of religious toleration and religious freedom in America.  In America, we have the freedom of religion. It’s in our Constitution—it’s there BECAUSE of the Freemasons. That concept of freedom of religion came from the Masonic Lodges.  In fact, there were a few concepts in addition to religious freedom that were borrowed from Freemasonry by our Founding Fathers when they were drafting the United States Constitution. Because Freemasonry yesterday and today respects ALL religions, ALL Americans have the right to worship as they wish.  And because of those rights secured in part because of the traditions of Freemasonry, those churches today have every right to prohibit their members from joining our Lodges if they feel it conflicts with their religious beliefs.

How do you like that, huh?  This was our idea!

So I’m not going to argue whether or not denominations or churches have the right to make rules like that—they clearly can. And I’m not even going to argue whether those prohibitions are right or wrong. If those are their beliefs then we need to respect that.  And one thing we should never do as Freemasons is to discuss religious beliefs in our lodges, or pass judgements on these policies or these beliefs--I see this a lot on social media.  Questioning someone's religious views or their church's policies is the surest way to start a fight--it's something that's deeply personal.  One of the surest ways to divide your Lodge and alienate one Brother from another is to discuss religion among yourselves--the second way is discussing politics.  We all know we shouldn't discuss religion or politics in Lodge and the reasons why.  Another reason I wanted to touch on this topic is because of some of the ugly things I've read on social media lately aimed at churches and denominations that have a prohibition against joining a Masonic Lodge.  As a member of the Fraternity that helped found the concept of religious freedom in America, we should practice what we've been preaching for so long.

Not all churches feel negatively about Freemasonry--far from it! Many respect the organization, and many even join with the Freemasons in raising funds to support local causes. I recently joined a church I’d been attending for some time, and before I joined, one of the things I asked the Pastor of that church was how that church felt about Freemasonry. That church respected the good work that our Fraternity does, and there are a few Freemasons that attend my church—I noticed Masonic license plates in the parking lot the first morning I attended so I was pretty sure I knew how he was going to answer that question when I asked it.

I’m a believer. I’m also a Freemason. In my experience I don’t see the two conflict with one another. In fact, I think they complement each other. Many of the morals and tenets taught in the Bible are mirrored by the teachings of the Fraternity as well. Concepts we strive towards as Freemasons like truth, brotherly love, charity, toleration, etc., are the same concepts the Pastors of Christian churches are preaching on every Sunday. The Fraternity gives me opportunities to apply those principles. It gives me instruction on how to incorporate those concepts into my life each day. It encourages me, like my church does, to continue to work at improving myself and my moral character. I don’t see any conflict at all . . . for me.

But getting back to my original question. Can you be a Freemason and a Christian? I clearly can and am!  But whether you can be a Freemason and a Christian is between you, God, and your church. But any Freemason will tell you that you should never put the Lodge before your relationship with God. And if that means you don’t join a Masonic Lodge because of a prohibition against membership, then you should respect that.

I can only answer this question for myself, and you must do the same.

~TEC

Todd E. Creason, 33° is an award winning author of several books and novels, including the Famous American Freemasons series.  He is the author of the the From Labor To Refreshment blog.  He is a Past Master of Homer Lodge No. 199 and Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL) where he currently serves as Secretary.  He is a a Past Sovereign Master of the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees.  He is a Fellow at the Missouri Lodge of Research (FMLR).  He is a charter member of the a new Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter No. 282 and currently serves as EHP.  He is also a member of Tuscola Odd Fellows Lodge No. 316.  You can contact him at: webmaster@toddcreason.org

Was Jesus an Operative Mason?

by Midnight Freemason Contributor 

Steven L. Harrison, 33°, FMLR

Coming to Nazareth during his ministry, Jesus preached just as he had been doing throughout the countryside. In other places he had drawn enthusiastic crowds. In this his hometown, however, people in the crowd became derisive. They recognized him to be one of their own, a "common" tradesman, and therefore not someone who should be taken seriously as a teacher or prophet. "Is not this," they asked, "the carpenter?"

This passage is where we learn Jesus, like his earthly father Joseph, was a carpenter, according to contemporary Bible translations. Both Mark 6:3 and Matthew 13:55 give an account of the incident using the Greek word "tektōn" to refer to Jesus' profession.

"Is not this the carpenter ["ho tektōn"], the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" ~Mark 6:3 (KJV)

"Is not this the carpenter's son ["ho tou tektōnos huios"]? Is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?" ~Matthew 13:55 (KJV)

The word "tekton," however, does not directly translate as "carpenter." It more accurately means "builder" or "craftsman," a designation which, in fact, leaves Jesus' true profession in doubt.

A carpenter would fit in the category of builder or craftsman, and that may well have been what Jesus did. He would not have built homes in an area where trees were scarce, but would have made furniture, doors and tools, such as plows.

However, the most dominant profession around Nazareth, where Jesus grew up and would have practiced his trade, was stone masonry. The area was rich in stone with several quarries, including one in the heart of Nazareth. Virtually all buildings were made of stone, and the demand for stone masons would have been high.

During the time Jesus would have worked as a craftsman, the Romans expanded the small town of Sepphoris into a city for Jewish aristocrats who supported Rome. True, the venture would have required carpenters, but the greatest demand would have been for masons. Sepphoris (today Zippori) was less than four miles from Jesus' home and, regardless of his craft, it is likely he worked on the project.

We’ll never know for sure since the broad definition of "tekton" could refer to a number of professions. But taken in context and in light of the more likely profession of the tradesmen in Nazareth in that era, it could be that Jesus was not a carpenter, but an operative mason.

~SLH

A Fine Paradox: Christianity and Freemasonry - Revisit

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Steven L. Harrison, 33˚, FMLR

Editors Note: This one came out way before Illustrious Bro. Harrison was a regular contributor here at the Midnight Freemasons. It was published back in April of 2012. In fact, you may have even heard this on the "Whence Came You?" Podcast. I think this piece will still speak to many. I think Bro Harrison hits on some very poignant ideas. Read on, you won't be sorry. 

Masonic altar with three books of faith

I am a Christian. It's none of your business, mind you, but it probably is pertinent to any slant I might put on what I'm about to say.  And apparently, the jury is still out on my belief system anyway. Why? Well, I've been personally told, "You're not really a Christian because you're a __________ (insert any Christian denomination which is not your own)." And we've all heard this one: "You can't be a Christian because you're a Freemason." 

I'd just like to take this opportunity to thank anyone who has ever told me those things for clarifying to me what I think and believe.  There was a time in my life when I thought that was between God and me, but I'm so grateful you have set me straight.  Sarcasm aside, some Christians, it seems, want me to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ but get really upset when I keep it personal.

Having said all that, let me drop the bombshell: Freemasonry is not a Christian organization. When the cries of "heathen" die down in response to that I'll continue to say there are many reading this who would think, "Well, that's so obvious I don't even know why he would say it." The rest of you are probably the ones shouting "heathen."

What a fine paradox. Some think we can't be Christians if we are Freemasons and some think Freemasonry should promote Christianity.

Without dropping some dry statistics, let me just acknowledge I live in an area which is predominately Christian. Many even include it in the so-called "Bible Belt." So being a part of an organization that requires a belief in God and living where I do, it's not much of a surprise to see many of my Brothers emphasize the Christian influences in our fraternity; not just in our ritual, but also in our activities. How many times have you been to a Lodge dinner when someone wraps up a prayer "in the name of Christ?" This happens so often in my area that a couple of years ago two former Grand Masters (one a minister in a Christian denomination, one Jewish) along with an eminent RWB asked me to reprint a Masonic Service Association "Short Talk" article about its inappropriateness. The gist of the article was, "Stop praying Christian prayers in our Lodges... it embarrasses and perhaps even humiliates our Brethren of other faiths."

Another  piece from the Masonic Service Association of North America puts it concisely: "Freemasonry is not a religion, nor is it a substitute for religion. It requires of its members a belief in God as part of the obligation of every responsible adult, but advocates no sectarian faith or practice. Masonic ceremonies include prayers, both traditional and extempore, to reaffirm each individual's dependence on God and to seek divine guidance. Freemasonry is open to men of any faith, but religion may not be discussed at Masonic meetings."

The same, I might add, is true for the publications I edit: No discussion or promotion of religion.  And if you're sitting there thinking, "He just said we shouldn't talk about religion but wrote a whole column about it," respectfully, you missed the point... that point being Freemasonry certainly includes Christianity, but it is an ecumenical group.  Those among us who have a hard time with that should heed this observation from one of our most famous Brothers, especially when sitting in Lodge:

 "So much blood has been shed by the Church because of an omission from the Gospel: 'Ye shall be indifferent as to what your neighbor's religion is.'  Not merely tolerant of it, but indifferent to it. Divinity is claimed for many religions; but no religion is great enough or divine enough to add that new law to its code." 

 ~Samuel Clemens 

 ~S.H.

Bro. Steve Harrison, 33° is Past Master of Liberty Lodge #31, Liberty, Missouri. He is the editor of the Missouri Freemason magazine, author of the book Freemasonry Crosses the Mississippi, a Fellow of the Missouri Lodge of Research and also its Worshipful Master. He is a dual member of Kearney Lodge #311, St. Joseph Missouri Valley of the Scottish Rite, Liberty York Rite, Moila Shrine and a member and Past Dean of the DeMolay Legion of Honor. Brother Harrison is a regular contributor to the Midnight Freemasons blog as well as several other Masonic publications. His latest book, Freemasons: Tales From the Craft & Freemasons at Oak Island. Both are available on amazon.com.

Freemasonry, Filling the Gap of Spirituality for the Modern Man

by Midnight Freemason Guest Contributor

Bro. Jack Aquilina

One of the greatest myths conveyed about Freemasonry is its apparent propensity to resemble that of a religious organization.

In fact, amongst the many myths and dispersions cast against our fraternity, the most difficult to coherently dispel has been those rumors that seek to depict the craft as a religious body. Many a Grand Lodge have sought to dispel this myth by outright denial of this accusation, pointing towards the crafts intolerance for religious discussion and the niche discrepancies between our practices and the dictionary definition of organized religion. Whilst it is true that every freemason must trust his faith in a belief of a supreme being, the instant ambiguity of that requirement in conjunction with its lack of prescriptive dogma, should indicate to an attentive reader, that freemasonry is inherently outside the scope and purpose of organized religion.

In his work The Lost Keys of Freemasonry, Manly P. Hall eloquently contended that “The true mason realizes… it is life which he considers when measuring the worth of a brother, It is to this life that he appeals for a recognition of spiritual unity”. This contention is even more plainly put in Mark E. Koltko-Rivera’s work entitled Freemasonry: An Introduction, where he argues that “whilst freemasonry focuses on moral behavior and spirituality, it itself is not a religion. Freemasonry uses many spiritual symbols, however Freemasonry offers no savior or plan for salvation, there is no priesthood or ministry, although it is not opposed to such things, but it does not have any of its own to offer”.

The distinction between spirituality and religion is understandably a difficult concept to differentiate and in many cases can become conflated in discussion. For what is spiritual to one person, may be insignificant to another and is very much embroiled in the individual character and perspective of the prospective participant.

Nonetheless it is the contention of this author, that the subjective spirituality of Freemasonry and its capacity to engage the moral and intrinsic questions about a mans individual character, is its greatest asset in a period where cultural skepticism is imbedded in the minds of our modern society. It is not unreasonable to observe, that a majority of modern men are less religious, more skeptical and far less tolerant of dogmatic interventions, that some have justly become to perceive as contrary to a modern instinct to question the status quo and to approach questions of life and existence from the perspective of individual reason. Individual morality, for many young men, is found more at home in a class of ethics rather than faith and less certainty is had about the role of ones spiritual dispositions in fostering a meaningful understanding of the world around us.

The late Christopher Hitchens literary work God is Not Great is arguably one of the 21st centuries most compelling personifications of this growing cultural skepticism. Hitchens, unafraid to tackle the biggest questions of faith and reason, ironically provides a fascinating insight about the ethos of modern society with his view of there being a “Need of a New Enlightenment”. This enlightenment he contends “will base itself on the proposition that the proper study of mankind is man and woman”. Hitchens continues that enlightenment “is within the compass of the average person… [through the] study of literature and poetry… the unfettered pursuit of scientific inquiry… [with the aim] to ‘know yourself’ as the Greeks, gently suggested in the consolations of philosophy”.

Whilst Hitchens himself was a profound antagonist of religion and a self professed servant to his own sense of infallible reason and logic, one cant help but to observe that perhaps the “enlightenment” he professes is in fact more at home with spirituality than one would first think to perceive. In fact, as many a Freemason may have identified, the Hitchens “enlightenment” resembles a great deal to that of the allegorical contemplations of the three degrees in craft Masonry. In the first degree of Freemasonry a brother is invited to consider the useful lessons of natural equality and mutual dependence. The allegory that as mortal beings we are but brought into this world in darkness for which we may only avail ourselves through an understanding of and respect of our fellow man, bears great similarity to Hitchens enlightenment. Further, the concept that true enlightenment is achieved through a strong pursuit in an education of nature, the liberal arts and science is a key lesson of the second degree. This degree gives encouragement for man to avail himself of the secrets of nature and science is presented as an important path to attaining intellectual truth. However, it is the third degree in freemasonry, with its focus on our inevitable mortality and a contemplation of our finite time on earth, that truly rounds off our capacity to truly “know yourself”.

However, unlike Hitchens, Freemasonry through its avid contemplation of these lessons, imbeds itself in its ultimate understanding, that whilst these lessons are founded in rationality, that it is through the spiritual contemplation of their greater meaning that they bear true attachment to our lives and characters. As eloquently put by Brother Owen Shieh in his publication Journey on the Level, “Regardless of the names assigned to truth (emblematical of the supreme being) the key point is that the candidate must believe that there is something more, something unknown and something beyond our limited understanding of the material world – something that relates to the underlying order or the universe and to the true nature of our consciousness”.

Freemasonry, unequivocally, has the capacity to provide for the modern man an opportunity to expand their understanding of their own intellectual, philosophical and ultimately spiritual perception of the world and their humanity. As has been demonstrated when deconstructing Hitchens “Enlightenment”, the quest for a rational understanding of the world has been grounded in the traditions of the craft for hundreds of years and underpinned in its significance by spirituality. Modern societies propensity towards cultural skepticism has been a true challenge to religion and its role in the lives of younger generations. However, as already indicated, Freemasonry is not a religion. Through freemasonry a modern man has the opportunity to confront and contemplate life’s most important questions and through the spirituality of allegorical contemplation can bridge the divides of diversity to better develop their subjective intellect and morality.

For the modern man, Freemasonry is free of dogmatic instruction, subject to individual reason and veiled in spirituality.

Freemasonry is truly most capable of filling the gap of spirituality felt and longed for by the modern man, who may find himself accustomed to a society of cultural skepticism.

~JA

Brother Jack Aquilina, is a Master Mason under the United Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Victoria where he serves as Junior Deacon of Brunswick United Lodge No 924 and he is also Chaplain for Western Street United Lodge No 94. He is very active in the Blue Lounge Social Club which you can "like on Facebook by clicking over this text!