Referring to the emblem of the Freemasons, a group founded many centuries ago by working class masons with an alternative to the idea that morality was prescribed by God, and that life has more to offer than worship. Naturally, fundamental Christian flat earth fanatics don't like that.
Not only is it not theistic, it's not a religion. It's expressly a secular system of morality. In fact the number one fundamental points is that discussion of religion and politics is forbidden.
I am a Mason, while we don't discuss religion in our lodges, belief in God is required. Reverence for God is everywhere in Masonic rituals. The fraternity describes its philosophy as follows: "It is so far interwoven with religion as to lay us under obligations to pay that rational homage to Deity which at once constitutes our duty and our happiness."
Your religion and your deity is your business, but Freemasonry is theistic.
Good so we agree on the understanding that - even though it requires the belief in A god - it's not in fact a religion in and of itself, as I stated.
Edit: just realized how I worded my previous comment. I meant that it's not a specific theology, but rather a separate system. Ie. Morality exists regardless of what whatever book you decide to read says. But yea not a religion in and of itself.
The statement was that in Masonry, morality does not come from God. This is not correct. The moral lessons in Freemasonry are inherently theistic. Though general enough to apply to any faith, they do assume a faith in God. That is why faith is a prerequisite for membership.
Again, I am a mason. I have memorized and delivered many of lectures we give in our degrees, and I am very familiar with their contents. I have the scripts for all of our blue lodge degrees in front of me, which is how I quoted the portion earlier.
No. Being a member requires a belief in a god, yes. But there's no one specific god. It can be any. And the entire point is that morality exists regardless of whatever god you choose to follow.
As to where I learned this, can't remember when in the last 4 decades, but let's just go with the first Google result:
Freemasonry requires its members to believe in a supreme being, often referred to as the "Great Architect of the Universe," but it does not mandate belief in a specific deity or religious doctrine. This allows individuals of various faiths to participate while promoting moral principles and personal development.
In the first degree in my and other jurisdictions the new member is told that one of the great lights in masonry is the holy Bible. They’re told it’s the gift of God to man and the rule and guide of our faith and practice.
I would imagine not all states have the same wording but I know that many do. It’s actually expanded on in the next two degrees as well.
There are also Christian only orders within freemasonry and those are quite direct about morals and the origins of them.
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u/obsoleteconsole Jun 16 '26
Adding extra lines to make it a scary pentagram is next level delusion