Freemasonry and the Masonic Lodge
by Ed Decker
I lay on the floor of the bathroom, retching. I was sure I was going to die.
I had a TV show to do in just a few hours and I was certain that I wouldn’t live to see it. I pulled myself up, leaning against the wall next to the toilet, trying to pull away from the pain I was in and sort out what was happening.I supposed that I had contracted food poisoning during the Pastors’ lunch earlier, but then, my table companions, sharing the same pizza, were not in here fighting for space at this receptacle. I remembered the two out-of-town visitors, whose attendance our host expressed concern over. “This is a dangerous business, and I don’t know these fellows,” he warned.
“Don’t give it another thought,” I answered. “God is our protector.”
Then I recalled that one of them had offered to refresh my drink and I had consented. A half-hour later, I was convulsing in pain.
Reflecting back, years later now, I guess I ought to have questioned the wisdom of going to Inverness, Scotland to do a TV program on “The Occult Origins of Scottish Rite Masonry.” My host was correct in his concern, yet God truly was my protector.I rose up that evening by His strength and did that program,
standing up. Yet, by the morning I was too ill to continue my tour and the next day began a terrible journey back to Seattle, to my own doctors and my own family. I arrived home barely able to walk.
The poison had effected my involuntary muscle system and it was difficult to use my hands and feet and hold my head steady. I arrived in Seattle more than 25 pounds lighter than when I left. Tests showed that I had sustained a high, lethal dose of arsenic, enough to kill me a few times over. It took months to
recover from the incident. Not only had the poison done serious damage to my digestive system, but also I would lie in bed, sleeping fitfully while my body twitched continually.
Later, the heavy metal began to work its way out through vicious sores in the tops of my hands and my head, making a terrible odor that smelled like dog urine. Even just recently, years later, while I was undergoing lung surgery caused by a bus accident, several blood vessels in my lower back broke
spontaneously for apparently no reason. The doctors puzzled over the phenomenon for the better part of the day until a nurse asked my wife if I had been exposed to metallic poison in a work environment. When Carol told them about the Scotland incident, they had their answer. Tests showed that pockets of arsenic still in my system [lower back area] had been the cause and the vessels broke while I was in severe trauma.
I suppose we could have pointed out the man who poisoned me. He would have gone to prison, but as one Scottish friend warned, our host would have paid the price at the hands of the Masons in response. It wasn’t worth it. I am still alive and I am still speaking out the awful truth of the lodge. I am sure there are more than a few Masons in Scotland that can’t understand why I am still alive. I do. It was because God intended me to live.
When I began to study the Lodge with a critical eye, it meant that I had to look back at my own father, grandfather and their fathers before them for almost two hundred years. They were honest men, churchmen who took our faith, our family and our country seriously, fighting in its many wars. Generation after
generation, each son followed after his father and entered into membership in the Lodge.
That line ended when I stepped out of the DeMoLay to join the Mormon Church. Well, in this article I will be revealing some things about Freemasonry, the lodges, et al…that you will never hear from those involved and we need to rejoice that this data is available if for no other reason than to know how to pray with wisdom for those you love who are involved…and for those here who are involved, to test my words against the Bible and your lodge and make a decision based on knowledge.
I know that this is a subject that comes close to home for many of you. Many of you have loved ones who are in the Masonic Lodge.
A lot of men get involved with Freemasonry, not fully understanding what they are getting entangled with.
I spent 20 years in the Mormon Church where the temple rituals had been directly “lifted” from the Blue Lodge degrees. Other portions of the Scottish rites, such as the ordination of the “Holy Melchizedek” priesthood were also common. The more I have studied Masonry, the more I realized the depth of its satanic hold over those within its “strong Grip”. Within the pages of the hundreds of Masonic books and secret ritual manuals I have gathered and read in our research is a tragic story of Godly men who have succumbed to the snare of the enemy and have been snatched from the very arms of Christ. They have brought the darkest side of Baal worship into their homes and congregations, opening the door to every demon in that Masonic corner of Hell.
Most Masons get involved with the Lodge out of peer pressure, their friends are in it, their grandfather was in it, and some go into it for business reasons. They see it as a way to progress in their business and social lives. Others are attracted by the secret, mystic rituals and symbolism of Freemasonry. Others
see people like the Shriner’s parading around in the red fezzes riding their funny cars in parades when the Shrine circus comes to town.
People wonder, “Well, what about the Shriners? We hear about the Shriners Hospital, about Masonic homes for Masons, about all the good works they do. Everyone knows about the Shrine Circus and the many people who are helped by them. Why are you criticizing them? Are you saying that they have something to hide from the world”
Yes, I am saying just that. This is clearly the case with the Shriners. Their public image is that of a fun time group pouring out millions of dollars into charity, all the while dressed up in a party spirit, wearing their Red Fezzes with great aplomb.
The Fez itself, is an example of this double meaning behind most of Freemasonry’s facade. Worn by ever Shriner and even carried to the grave with pompous dignity, the history of the Fez is barbaric and anti-Christian. In the early 8th century, Muslim hordes overran the Moroccan city of Fez, shouting, “There is
no god but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet.” There, they butchered many Christians.
These men, women and children were slain because of their faith in Christ, all in the name of Allah, the same demon god to whom every Shriner must bow, with hands tied behind his back, in worship, proclaiming him the god of his fathers in the Shrine initiation, at the Altar of Obligation.
We are going to discover that all those good works are simply an outer shell of an inner darkness. I am going to peel away all the outer wrapping. I will expose, very clearly, what Freemasonry is, and why no Christian has any business being any part of the Masonic Lodge.
The Blue Lodge
The journey into Freemasonry begins at what is known as “The Blue Lodge.” The Blue Lodge is the foundation of all Freemasonry. These are the many local lodge groups, scattered across the country in almost every little town and city. When a man goes into it, he is initiated into The Blue Lodge through three degrees. The first, or “Entered Apprentice” degree, the second, or “Fellowcraft Degree”, and the third, or “Master Mason” degree.
After going through the three degrees of The Blue Lodge, the Mason has the choice to stay in the Blue Lodge or to seek the advanced degrees through either the Scottish Rite or the York Rite. Many Masons will go through both.
Within the Scottish Rite, there are the 4th through the 32nd degrees, and the 33rd being an honorary degree. The York Rite has thirteen degrees. Once the Mason has attained the 32nd degree, through either higher arm of the craft, he has the option to petition to leading to join the Shriners.
Many people think that Masons and Shriners are one-and-the same, but actually, the Shrine is a separate body of the craft. Shriners are Masons who have achieved the highest degrees of the Blue Lodge, and Scottish or York Rites Masonry, who enter into what is known as “The Ancient and Arabic Order of the
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.”
Every step of Masonry has its ritual initiation, the mildest, of course being at the Blue Lodge level. Even this is bizarre, to say the least. In order to join the Lodge, each Mason must first be initiated through an initiation ceremony, similar throughout the world.
The Cable Tow
The typical ceremony begins with the initiate being first divested of his jacket and his tie and any money or metal articles he has. His left trouser leg is then rolled up over the knee, his shirt is opened to expose his left breast and his right shoe is removed and replaced by a slipper. Then the person who is
to be initiated will have a blindfold put on him and then a noose will be put around his neck. This is called a “Cable Tow”. The blindfolded initiate (they call this being “hoodwinked.”) is brought, with the noose around his neck, to the outer door of the Lodge.
The candidate, thus attired, is said to be in darkness, an allegory of Masonry that signifies that everyone outside of Masonry is in darkness and only Masons have the true light of the world. Only they have the true knowledge that will bring light to the world.
And so, the new Mason is brought to the outer door, seeking the light of the lodge, and there the Doorkeeper, or Tiler, will put a sword or a sharp point to his breast and lead him into the lodge room where an altar sits in its center. The lodge members await the candidate in the darkness that surrounds the altar, which is lit from a single light above. Behind the altar stands a man called “The Worshipful Master.” He is the master of the lodge and presides over the initiation.
When the initiate is brought before him, he bows before “The Worshipful Master” and he says something like this, “I am lost in darkness, and I need the light of Freemasonry, I am seeking the light of Freemasonry.” He is then told he is entering into a secret organization and that he must keep the secrets he is going to be taught.
At this time, he is required to take a blood initiation oath; every Mason who joins the Lodge takes his thumb or his hand to his throat and he then repeats an oath that has been repeated by every Mason who has joined the Lodge.
The Entered Apprentice (First level of the Blue Lodge)
The rites of initiation into this level include the following words:
“Binding myself under no less a penalty than having my throat cut across, my tongue torn out by its roots, and buried in the rough sands of the sea…”
The Fellowcraft Degree of Masonry (Second level of the Blue Lodge)
The oath for this level includes the following words:
“Binding myself under no less a penalty than that of having my left breast torn open, my heart plucked out and given as prey to the wild beasts of the fields and the fowls of the air…”
The Master Mason’s Degree (Third level of the Blue Lodge)
Every Mason must swear an oath including the following:
“Binding myself under no less a penalty than that of having my body severed in twain, my bowels taken from thence, and burned in ashes…”
Can a Freemason Be a Genuine Christian?
Masons will tell you that there is nothing wrong in being a Christian as well as being a Mason. And, when they are confronted with some of the anti-Christian secrets of Masonry, they say, “Well, those are in the high degrees. We don’t know about those things. I’m just in The Blue Lodge.” I’m sorry, but that is just not true.
The Blue Lodge Mason, who also claims to be a follower of Jesus Christ, has to ask himself some basic questions. First of all, “How can I put a blindfold on, come before a man I call, ‘The Worshipful Master,’ say I am lost in darkness and need the light of Freemasonry?”
The Bible brings us a very different message about light and darkness; one that brings with it the hope of joy:
“We write this to make our joy complete. This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:4-7)
How can a purported “Christian Mason” say he is lost in darkness and seek to join the Lodge, because he needs the light of Freemasonry?
The Bible says if you are a Christian and say you are in darkness, you are living a lie, and the truth is not in you. Because, if Christ lives in your life, you have “The Light.”
The second thing the Christian Mason must ask himself is this: “If you are going to join the Lodge, how can you come before a man called, ‘The Worshipful Master,’ and bow before him in a religious ceremony (remember the altar in the center, with the single light from above shining down on it), and say you are
lost in darkness?”
Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Mammon.” (Mat. 6:24) Jesus said that we cannot serve two masters. You can’t claim to be a follower of Christ and then bow before a man you accept as your Worshipful Master any more than you can bow before a Buddha.
The mammon that Christ warned us about fits right into the lodge. What is it if it isn’t the prestige, wealth, power, and position among men promised by lodge membership?
The third thing we must ask is how can a Christian take a pagan blood oath? How can a man, who says he is a follower of Jesus Christ, swear to have his throat cut from ear to ear, his bowels ripped open, given to the beasts in the field as a penalty for breaking such an ungodly oath?
Most Masons respond by saying that these oaths are just some kind of fraternity type stuff that means little or nothing. What foolishness! The Mason would do well to take strong heed.
This isn’t something silly that accidentally found its way in with real scripture. In the fifth chapter of the book of James, we are warned: “Above all, my brothers, do not swear — not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned” (Jas. 5:12). The NKJV says you will fall into judgment.
God’s Word says that the penalty for taking Masonic oaths is condemnation. God isn’t amused by this. He absolutely forbids taking these pagan blood oaths of Masonry.###
[Editor’s note: This is the first installment in this series of articles regarding Freemasonry. Be sure to look for the next article that examines the secret oaths taken by Freemason initiates.]
[Original source: http://saintsalive.com/resourcelibrary/freemasonry/freemasonry-and-the-masonic-lodhe; accessed 5-14-15]
Ed Decker is a former Freemason, as well as a Mormon for 20 years of his adult life. He was a member of the Melchizedek priesthood, a Temple Mormon, and active in many church positions. Through a crisis in his life, Ed met the real Jesus and his life was changed forever. His decades of research on the subject of Freemasonry has made him one of the leading recognized experts on the topic. His books, booklets, audios and other materials on the subject are widely distributed. The website for the ministry he founded, Saints Alive Ministries, has become a repository of some of the most extensive information on anti-Christian religions and secret societies available on the worldwide web: http://saintsalive.com.
You may want to help Ed with converting all of his books and reports he wrote over more than four decades, an entire library of invaluable and priceless publications, into ebooks. It costs money.
http://www.gofundme.com/mkcllw
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