Talk:Catholicism and Freemasonry/position

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Freemasonry is seen by the Catholic Church as being incompatible with Catholicism for a number of reasons. Freemasonry's acceptance of people of any faith in a religious atmosphere is seen as minimizing the importance of Catholic religious dogma. Freemasonry is also alleged to advocate a Deist view of religion. In the past some Masonic lodges have advocated a radical separation of church and state[1] and this is perceived to be true of all Freemasonry. Avowedly anti-clerical groups such as the carbonari in the Papal States are alleged to have followed a Masonic agenda as well as having based their organisation on Masonic forms. Freemasonry has some characteristics of a secret society and its very secrecy created distrust. It is alleged that Masonic initiation rituals for the Scottish Rite degrees (commonly thought of as being "higher" or "advanced" degrees[2], although this is strongly denied by the Scottish Rite[3]) are anti-Catholic.

  1. ^ "Then came 2000 Freemasons, mainly from the Grand Orient de France, all draped in their well known French colours." Report on a demonstration accompanying the Sixteenth World Humanist Congress. From Defending the 1905 French Law of Separation of Religion and State published by the International Humanist and Ethical Union
  2. ^ "One of my reasons for writing this book is to encourage Brethren to take these "Advanced Degrees." The Higher Degrees Handbook by J S M Ward hosted by the Pietre-Stones Review of Freemasonry
  3. ^ Supreme Council Northern Masonic Jurisdiction "Scottish Rite shares the same belief of all Masonic organizations that there is no higher degree than that of Master Mason. The Supreme Councils and their subordinate bodies acknowledge the Masonic supremacy of the Symbolic Grand Lodges and Grand Masters within their jurisdictions. Scottish Rite degrees are in no way higher than the degrees of the Symbolic lodges. The work of the Scottish Rite serves to elaborate on and amplify that of the Symbolic lodge."
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