Reverend Taylor a former Mason whose testimony is given on this website (index: exit 3) is quite correct when he states that Freemasonry is a religion, and he quite accurately quotes notable Masonic authors which state unequivocally that it is a religion. We have had many Freemasons email us to tell us, in no uncertain terms, that Freemasonry is NOT a religion. Before we go any further, let us consult the Webster's Dictionary to see how religion is defined. Webster's says that religion is "the expression of man's belief in, and reverence for, a superhuman power or powers regarded as creating or governing the universe."
One of the inevitable consequences of this type of belief is the belief in eternal life, and teachings as to how one is to obtain this eternal life. Indeed, Judeo-Christianity is filled with teachings as to the basis upon which God will allow people to enter His Eternal Heaven. Since eternity is endless, and since each person has only one chance to enter Heaven, the Bible teaches that the Number One objective of every person on Earth is to ensure that they are in right standing before God, so they can be assured of entering Heaven, and not Hell, when they pass away. Therefore, religious institutions emphasize the path to eternal life, and detailed teachings on how to get to Heaven.
With this background, let us examine the ceremonies used in opening and conducting a Lodge of Entered Apprentice Masons so that we can realize conclusively that Freemasonry is a religion.
We join the Initiation Ceremony for Entered Apprentice Masons in progress:
1) "The candidate is then conducted to the centre of the lodge, where he and the Senior Deacon kneel, and the Deacon says the following prayer ..." A person does not pray to a supernatural Being unless he is practicing a religion. The very act of prayer presupposes a religion. Or, to put it another way, the very act of praying proves that a religion is being performed!
2) "The Master then asks the candidate, 'In whom do you put your trust?' Ans. 'In God'. The Master then takes him by the right hand and says, 'Since in God you put your trust, arise, follow your leader and fear no danger'." In this exchange, we see that both the Initiate and the Master Mason express belief in, and trust of, God. This is a religion.
3) "Should interest, honor, prejudice, or human depravity ever induce you to violate any part of the sacred trust we now repose in you, let these two important words, at the earliest insinuation, teach you to pull on the check-line of truth, which will infallibly direct you to pursue that straight and narrow path which ends in the full enjoyment of the Grand Lodge above [Heaven] where we shall all meet as Masons and members of the same family ..." The chief purpose of Religion is to answer the longing in every person's heart for Eternal Life in Heaven and how to get there. This is the essence of Religion! Therefore, since Freemasonry undertakes to show its adherents how to obtain eternal life in Heaven, it is identifying itself as a Religion!
Reverend Taylor stated correctly that one of the ways in which you can identify a religion as being false is their doctrine concerning the Bible. What does God have to say about His Bible versus the holy book of any other religion?
God declares that He wrote Scripture, and that we can consider the Word [Holy Bible] as being synonymous with Him. In John 1:1, we read, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Verse 14 then makes this point very clear. "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." The Word [Holy Bible] became Flesh and dwelt amongst men. Therefore, everything you believe about God must also be true of His Holy Bible. How does God view other religions? Very, very dimly. In John 14:6, Jesus dogmatically declared that He was the only path to the Father, which means that He is the only path to Eternal Life in Heaven with the Father. Listen: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
God has also revealed that, since He is the only One, True God, He will not tolerate the worship and veneration of any other gods, who are false according to definition. Listen to how angry God gets over the worship or veneration of any other god. "For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:" [Exodus 34:14]
What does Freemasonry teach? As Reverend Taylor quotes, above, Freemasonry teaches that all religions are valid, are equally valid. Quoting Joseph Ford Newton, we see that Freemasonry "teaches us to revere every book of faith in which men find help for today and hope for tomorrow, joining hands with the man of Islam as he takes his oath on the Koran, with the Hindu as he makes covenant with God upon the book that he loves best." Therefore, Freemasonry stimulates God to His Jealous Anger by revering every religion! Freemasons are taught to accept the worship every god by every religion!
Just so you understand that this is the clear teaching of Freemasonry, let us quote one more passage from the Introduction to a Masonic Bible. ""Nonetheless, much as we honor every book of faith in which any man has found courage to lift his hand above the night that covers him and lay hold of the mighty hand of God, with us the Bible is supreme. What Homer was to the Greeks, what the Koran is to the Arabs, that and much more, the grand old Bible is to us." ["Masonic Edition, The Holy Bible: The Great Light In Masonry", A.J. Holman Company, Philadelphia, 1924, Introduction] Freemasonry clearly teaches that, while American Freemasons follow the Holy Bible, other holy books from other religions who worship other gods, is perfectly fine. This teaching, my friends, brands Freemasonry as a FALSE RELIGION.
Secondly, Reverend Taylor states that a false religion may be identified by their teaching of Jesus Christ and of His atoning blood sacrifice. Freemasonry teaches that Jesus Christ was a created being, having been created by an inferior god named Ialdabaoath, who was later identified as the creator also of the "Serpent-Spirit, Satan". In other words, Freemasonry teaches that Jesus Christ and Satan are cousins, equal but opposite! [Albert Pike, Morals & Dogma, in Chapter 26, or the 26th Degree, "Prince Of Mercy, or Scottish Trinitarian". On page 562-3]. This is tremendous blasphemy, quite contradictory to the Bible!!
When you recover from this abominable blasphemy, consider that further Freemasonry revelations show that they believe that Jesus Christ was not God in human flesh, but that He was an illusion, who lived, died, and was resurrected as an illusion! [Pages 564-565, Morals & Dogma]. Masonic teaching separates the physical, bodily Jesus from His Office of Messiah -- which they call the Christ Consciousness -- making Jesus less than God. Where does it say that people will arise who will try to separate Jesus' fleshly body from His God Nature? 1 John 4:3, states that those who try to deny that Jesus, the Messiah God, has come in the flesh, is of the Antichrist. The original language literally means those people who would seek to separate Jesus God from the Jesus Man are of the Antichrist. This is exactly what this Masonry does.)
Finally, Freemasonry does not ever teach that Jesus' blood sacrifice is the Foundation Stone for forgiveness of sin with God. In fact, the name of Jesus Christ is never mentioned in Masonic literature! They vaguely refer to Him as "Redeemer" and as "Son of God", but never by name, Jesus Christ. Freemasonry is constantly trying to separate Jesus Christ from God the Father. Never, ever does Masonry teach that Jesus is co-equal with God the Father in all respects, nor do they ever teach that men can come to God the Father only through Jesus!
These teachings of the Person of Jesus Christ, and His blood, identify Freemasonry as a False Religion, the Religion of Antichrist!
When Freemasons state that they believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, they are not referring to the Omipotent God as revealed in the Holy Bible; rather, they are referring to the god, Ialdabaoath, whom Albert Pike states created Jesus Christ! Beware of semantics and word redefinitions.
Also, do not accept the premise that a belief in God alone is sufficient for eternal salvation. The Bible makes it quite clear that God has delivered all power of Judgment into the hands of Jesus Christ, and that no man can come to the Father in Heaven for eternity, except they go through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Do not be satisfied by anyone's statement that they believe in God, thinking that this statement labels them as Christian, or that they are saved and going to Heaven by this belief. [Read NEWS1104, "Belief In God Not Enough For Salvation" for a full treatment of this Biblical Truth].
Finally, Reverend Taylor correctly states that Freemasonry teaches that Salvation from Hell is to be obtained through good works, not through the Free Grace of God through Jesus Christ!
This false teaching, so common amongst Pagan worshippers, is the reason we see Masonry so involved in public good works, such as hospitals and burn centers! While these activities are good, in and of themselves, they cannot deliver a man's soul to Heaven; yet, this is the exact teaching of Freemasonry.
The evidence is clear for any to see. Freemasonry is not only a religion, but a false religion. Freemasonry is not only a false religion, but the religion of the coming Antichrist. New Age literature makes this quite plain, as the New Age authors think very highly of the work Freemasonry has done to prepare the peoples of the world for the coming New Age Christ [Antichrist].
The time is coming quickly when Antichrist will arise. Are you spiritually ready? Is your family? Are you adequately protecting your loved ones? This is the reason for this ministry, to enable you to first understand the peril facing you, and then help you develop strategies to warn and protect your loved ones. Once you have been thoroughly trained, you can also use your knowledge as a means to open the door of discussion with an unsaved person. I have been able to use it many times, and have seen people come to Jesus Christ as a result. These perilous times are also a time when we can reach many souls for Jesus Christ, making an eternal difference.
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, but have been very lukewarm in your spiritual walk with Him, you need to immediately ask Him for forgiveness and for renewal. He will instantly forgive you, and fill your heart with the joy of the Holy Spirit. Then, you need to begin a daily walk of prayer and personal Bible Study.
If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, but have come to realize His reality and the approaching End of the Age, and want to accept His FREE Gift of Eternal Life, you can also do so now, in the privacy of your home. Once you accept Him as Savior, you are spiritually Born Again, and are as assured of Heaven as if you were already there. Then, you can rest assured that the Kingdom of Antichrist will not touch you spiritually. If you would like to become Born Again, turn to our Salvation Page now.
We hope you have been blessed by this ministry, which seeks to educate and warn people, so that they can see the coming New World Order -- Kingdom of Antichrist -- in their daily news.
(Cutting Edge Ministries, 35 Elizabeth Street, Attleboro, MA 02703-2031 - http://www.cuttingedge.org/ -You can also E-Mail us.)