I stated my opinion about this thread and yes I did get offended. I know what I typed. Doesn't mean that I was getting bent out of shape. It is evident that you and I view this statement differently and will continue to view it differently.

No one's tearing apart Masons. Those of us who are members of a Church that discourages or prohibits membership mentioned that. My other responses were to further questions about the matter by... a Mason. Shocking.

Put your big girl panties on and welcome to the internet.

I have heard this before. I really think it is just a strong misunderstanding. I have heard everything from us being the mob to us being satan worshipers with strong disbeliefs in God. It is, in fact, the total opposite. In all actuality, the theology propagated by Masonry is very much compatible with that of the church. I know this based upon my travel and the fact that I work for my church full-time.

But who's church? There are a LOT of churches. The ideology of quite a few Christian churches is incompatible with my own Christian church, and ours is incompatible with others. Not every church is going to embrace the Masons. Misunderstanding or not, that's just how it is. So what? FWIW, I don't think the Mason's are evil devil worshippers, and nor does my Synod.

It's quite clear you have a strong attachment to your organization. That's wonderful. Nobody is discounting your organization. Those of us who belong to churchs that discourage membership in Masonic organizations are simply relaying the church's official position. Again, if you have issue with that, take it up with them.

Perhaps, but it doesn't change the fact that if you're a Catholic and a Mason, you are out of communion with the Church.

There are multiple things that the Chuch finds inappropriate about Masonry and it has nothing to do with my personal opinions. However it also has nothing to do with Satan worship :rolleyes: or atheism, in fact it is that the theology does not agree with what the Catholic Church teaches and they feel swearing yourself to an organzation with such theology is a conflict of interest.

Your beliefs on the matter don't change the Pope's or the Church's.

Maybe it is my misunderstanding, I thought the post I quoted was talking about The Church in general. That is what I was responding to. I thought it was saying that The Church, in general, was incompatible with the Mason theology. I didn't think the post was talking about individual churches.

The teachings are the same, but we can go back and forth about this all day long. No one said that I was trying to change anything. My beliefs are just what they are, my beliefs.

My great-uncle was a mason, and when he died I remember they had some sort of ceremony at the funeral home. All I really remember of it was lots of older men wearing aprons. My Dad was a junior mason when he was in high school, but dropped out because the lodge in his town wouldn't accept his best friend.
I'm Catholic and a female, so joining the lodge is definitely out for me, but my husband did consider becoming a Knights of Columbus (mainly for the life insurance).

When Catholics talk about the Catholic Church as an institution or whole they often just shorten it to The Church. This is true for others as well. Are you refering to Christianity in general?

You can seriously tell me that Mason theology, as it were, is identical to Catholic theology? Or do you just mean "Christian" theology?

I am talking about the Christian theology in general. Not the Catholic theology in general. Maybe this is where my confusion is coming in.

You are definitely bent out of shape. Furthermore, you have no idea whether our organizations sent someone in to find out your ritual and see if it's compatible. I'm guessing that somewhere along the line maybe some Catholic priest or LCMS pastor managed to be initiated into the Freemasons and discovered their doctrine was not compatible. It's not that far-fetched.

Also, hearsay doesn't have a hyphen. Just so you know.

Also, the Catholic church is Christian. So is the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.

Ok, and you understand that the Catholic Church believes in different things than other Christian churches (who believe in different things than each other as well of course) and thus you can understand that the Catholic Church doesn't agree with what the Mason's teach/do as far as theology is concerned.

Good :)

No one's ripping on Masons, some Church's just don't allow membership.

Oh yes, definitely. I understand what you are saying clearly now. Now it makes a lot of sense to me.

#1....All of this doesn't matter because the understanding is clear now,

#2....Who cares???

#3...I know this... we were trying to (now that I understand) discuss the differences between the Roman Catholic's and what they accept compared to other Christians.

It's all understood now, and I appreciate Drolefille pointing out the part that was confusing me the most because I just learned something.

Hun, she posted that before you got all understanding-like. And you were getting all bent out of shape about it. Welcome to GC. We respond to snippy with snippy. Hence my comment about the big girl panties earlier. Wear them.

I'm glad you learned something.