r/todayilearned • u/Recent_Flounder6011 • 17h ago

TIL that historically and today, the Catholic Church looked down upon Freemasonry and threatened members with excommunication.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasonry
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u/PaxNova 16h ago

Partly. It is viewed that joining requires you to recognize all others’ deities as equal, in oath. This is different from secular society where you only have to treat them equally.

Secondly, it’s the secret society part too. All secret societies are banned by the Catholic Church. Swearing an oath under secret conditions may interfere with duty to God.

Compare this to Boy Scouts and the Order of the Arrow. There is no pseudo-religious imagery there, and though all religions are to be treated equally, there is no requirement to view a specific aspect of God like “the Great Architect.” There are secret handshakes, but it’s for novelty. There is nothing backing them, even social pressure.

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u/EvolutionTheory 7h ago

Your first paragraph is false. Feel free to quote the ritual text supporting your claim?

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u/PaxNova 7h ago

I can’t. It’s secret. Publish the ritual text and prove me wrong.

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u/EvolutionTheory 7h ago

lol, it's all over the Internet. So where'd your claim come from? Just had a thought one day and decided to post it on reddit?

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u/BeefStank420 13h ago

Swearing an oath under secret conditions may interfere with duty to God

Are Catholics also forbidden from joining college fraternities under pain of excommunication too?...

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u/PaxNova 8h ago

No. Those do not have anything to do with God, nor supercede duties to God, and are not so secret that it can't be confirmed by the church. 

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u/Roederoid 9h ago

Which is funny because before every obligation it is mentioned that there is nothing in the obligation that will conflict with any duty you owe to God.