Posted on 04/22/2003 1:54:17 AM PDT by nickcarraway
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has been forced to apologise to Britain's 330,000 Freemasons after he said that their beliefs were incompatible with Christianity and that he had rejected them from senior posts in his diocese.
Dr Williams has written to Robert Morrow, the Grand Secretary of the United Grand Lodge of England, in an attempt to defuse the row prompted by comments he made last year. In his letter, the Archbishop apologises for the "distress" he caused and discloses that his own father was a member of the Craft.
Freemasons, many of whom are active members of the Church of England, reacted angrily to his disclosure that he "had real misgivings about the compatibility of Masonry and Christian profession" and by his admission that, as Bishop of Monmouth, he had blocked the appointment of Freemasons to senior appointments.
His comments about Freemasons were in a private letter leaked to the media shortly after Downing Street confirmed his appointment as head of the Church of England.
Subsequent attempts by his advisers to defuse the row only caused further offence. A spokesman said the Archbishop was worried about the ritual element of Freemasonry, which has been seen as "satanically inspired".
In his letter of apology, Dr Williams tries to distance himself from his own reported comments. He claims that his views were never meant to be public and were distorted by the media.
He wrote: "I have been sorry to learn of the distress of a considerable number of Freemasons . . . In replying to private correspondence, I had no intention of starting a public debate nor of questioning the good faith and generosity of individual Freemasons and I regret the tone and content of the media coverage."
He added: "The quoted statements about the 'satanic' character of the Masonic ceremonies and other matters did not come from me and do not represent my judgment. Since my late father was a member of the Craft for many years, I have had every opportunity of observing the probity of individual members."
Dr Williams does not, in his letter, deny that he has misgivings about the role of Freemasons within the Church.
He wrote: "Where anxieties exist, however, they are in relation not to Freemasonry but to Christian ministers subscribing to what could be and often is understood [or misunderstood] as a private system of profession and initiation, involving the taking of oaths of loyalty."
He ends his letter by stating that Freemasons' commitment to charity and the community is beyond question.
Yes, I'm well aware of that. But, of course, that doesn't necessarily mean the God of Holy Scripture.
To me it's no wonder that the UN and Freemasonry are so intertwined, the UN is full of Masonic principles, especially Naturalism, which Pope Leo XIII speaks of so well.
All that chatter and yet you don’t address the issue. If we want to read the rituals of the Masonic lodges, where do we find them? If you want to know what a Catholic believes, you read the Bible and the catechism. If you want to know what is said in the Rite of the Mass, I can give you an online link that has it word for word. Or you could just go to a Church and sit in the back, anytime you want. We won't kick you out. The same doesn't seem to be true for Masons, they only let you into a couple watered down things, from what I can tell. Where can we find the Rites for a 33rd degree Mason? As you said:I assume the local Masonic lodge won't just let me, a non Mason, saunter in and start reading through their bookshelves...LOL, I guess we must be a poor Masonic lodge cause we don't have any bookshelves. But to get serious, or as they say around the FR, "series" I am always amazed how a thread like this which is actually a positive story for Masonry, will prompt the anti-Masonic posts. Anti-Masonic posts usually run from, the "I have a relative who is a Mason", or I read some book on Masonry which says that this about Masonry....." We live in a free and open society with our right to say or print anything guaranteed by the first amendment. To cut to the chase. Only one thing is required of a candidate wishing to join the Masonic Lodge. That is, that he profess a belief in God. The rituals of the order are beautiful and symbolic. Masons and their affiliate bodies, i.e, the Shriners maintain many philanthropic and charitable organizations. I am most proud of our "free treatment" centers for children who have been burned in a fire, or born with orthopaedic disorders. The only other thread which will prompt more "anti" comments is for someone to post a thread pertaining to the United Methodist Church, of which I am also a member. So maybe, LOL, you should take my comments with a "grain of salt" as it were.
The rituals of the order are beautiful and symbolic.That’s nice of you to say, but meaningless. Where does the poster who asked about them above find them? People all over the place have misperceptions about what Catholics believe. When we respond to those misperceptions we don't just say Catholicism is beautiful. We provide them the actual faith, give them the source material.
I've never seen a Mason do that. Perhaps you could be the first. What is the ritual for becoming a 33rd degree Mason, for example?
patent +AMDG
What does EWTN say about child molesting priests?That its wrong. You hurl insults, yet you completely fail to address any of the issues. You fail to support all your claims.
Try to change the subject all you like, the fact is that Masonry is incompatible with the First and Second Commandments.
patent +AMDG
Therefore, all are welcome, though all do not serve the same God.
Are they a sect of freemasonry? Just wondering.
Broooooooooooooo-ther. Reincarnate me as a cow, I'm outta here. [/humor]
Did you know there stands in Washington D.C., at the corner of 4th & C St.'s a monument to a Confederate Civil War General?
I would think maybe Robert E. Lee, or Stonewall Jackson.
The statue of the Confederate General is that of Albert Pike, author of the Masonic "Morals and Dogma."
I understand the statue stands on public property. I wonder why those who want the "Stars and Bars" torn down all over the country haven't demanded that this statue be torn down.
Bet your gonna get a 'I don't "Know-Nothing" about the 33rd degree Mason ritual...But, I thought the Masons were open now, with no secrets? I don’t find it all that likely that they don’t have a ritual for when a man enterers a new level of Masonry. You mark each passage to a new degree with some sort of ceremony. So, the rituals must be open, and must be available right?
That or something isn’t right with this picture.
patent +AMDG
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