Ritual within Masonry is an elaborate and cleverly concealed and crafted teaching system which consists primarily of allegorical drama steeped in mystery, symbolism and mythology, involving secret grips, passwords and oaths. Those being initiated into each degree are required to learn their lines so as to be able to take part in the ritual ceremony. Key to the power that ritual plays in Freemasonry is the hidden truths that are sought to be communicated through the rituals to the initiate. In this teaching we examine the ritual of the first degree - the Entered Apprentice Degree. We dig beneath the surface of this ritual in order to reveal its true interpretation!
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One of the more controversial areas surrounding Masonry is the oaths of secrecy that Masons are required to swear upon initiation into the various degrees and more specifically, the ritual penalties attached to the breaking of these oaths. This teaching explores these oaths as they to pertain to the first three degrees and beyond! Should any professing Christian swear such oaths?
Whenever it is put to Freemasons that Masonry is a religion, the overwhelming majority take strong objection and insist that Freemasonry is not a religion. If it follows that Freemasonry is a religion, how can a Christian be a member of both the body of Christ and the body of Freemasonry? Indeed as we shall see, Freemasonry is the religion of universalism.
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When one thinks of Freemasonry, what thoughts immediately spring to mind? Are they positive thoughts or are they negative thoughts? For some they think of charitable works, good citizens of society, morally upstanding individuals. For others they think of a good old boys club - you scratch my back I’ll scratch yours. For others still, they think of conspiracy, corruption and perjury, a secret society, worshippers of Lucifer! I want from the very start to be clear about the aims of this teaching. It is not my aim to delve into the many fruitless conspiracy theories that abound on the matter via the internet. It is rather my aim to answer one most important question relevant to this teaching on the cults, namely, is Freemasonry compatible with Christianity?
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