The Christ in Prophecy Journal

The Cultic Characteristics of Masonry

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What are the cultic characteristics of Masonry? Two which cannot be denied by any Mason are the requirement of secrecy and the taking of oaths.

Masonry is a secret organization. Ask any Mason what goes on at his meetings, and he will start evading your questions. He is sworn to secrecy. This is a classic characteristic of cultic groups, and it is an attitude that stands in opposition to Scripture. The Bible says: “Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God” (John 3:20-21).

The irony in all this is that, in actuality, the Masonic Order really does not have any secrets because thousands of men have come out of Masonry and have exposed all its “secrets” in many publications. These revelations have shed light on a second cultic feature.

Blood Oaths

Every Mason is required to take three blood oaths.1 For example, in the first degree of Masonry, as an Entered Apprentice, the person is required to place a curse on himself by swearing an oath that he will bind himself “under no less penalty than to have my throat cut across and my tongue torn out by the roots… so help me God.”

It is incredible that the name of God would be invoked in such a demonic oath, particularly when the Bible commands us not to take any oaths at all: “Do not swear at all… simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (Matthew 5:34-37).

At the second degree, the Fellow Craft level, the Mason swears “to have my left breast torn open and my heart and vitals taken from thence and thrown over my left shoulder… if ever I should prove willfully guilty of violating any part of this my solemn oath or obligation… so help me God.”

The third degree Master Mason swears “to have my body severed in two in the midst, and divided to the north and south, and my bowels burnt to ashes in the center, and the ashes scattered before the four winds of heaven… were I ever to prove willfully guilty of violating any part of this solemn oath… so help me God.”

No Christian has any business putting himself under such oaths, even if they are not taken seriously. God takes them seriously, and so does Satan.

Further, in the case of married men, these oaths create a barrier to the marriage relationship because they put the Mason under an obligation to refrain from revealing his Masonic activities to his wife.

Also, in these oaths, absolute allegiance is pledged to all fellow Masons, many of whom do not even confess Jesus as Christ. This violates Scripture, for we are commanded not to yoke ourselves with unbelievers, “for what fellowship does darkness have with light?” (2 Corinthians 6:14).

The Different Levels of Masonry

In addition to the three oaths above that are required of all Masons, there are many other demonic oaths that are required should a person desire to go further in Masonry.

Most Masons are content to remain a third degree, Master Mason. Few venture beyond that point because each degree thereafter is expensive to obtain. But those who desire to go further have two choices. They can either pursue the Scottish Rite which advances by numerical degrees, beginning with the fourth and ending with the 32nd (the 33rd degree is honorary). Or they can seek to achieve the degree of Knights Templar by following the York Rite and its named degrees.

Both a 32nd degree Mason and a Knights Templar are eligible to become a Shriner. The Shriners are the most conspicuous part of Masonry. They wear red fez hats and ride motorcycles in parades. They are commonly referred to by other Masons as “the party animals of Freemasonry.” Tom McKenney, who became one of the top leaders of Masonry before he found the Lord, states that the initiation ceremonies for Shriners are particularly childish, rowdy, and often vulgar and degrading.2

Most people are not aware of the fact that the Shrine is the Islamic expression of Freemasonry, making it clearly anti-Christian. The full name is “Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine,” and everything about the Shrine is based on the Muslim faith and Arabic symbolism.

Other Demonic Oaths

All Shriners are required to take an oath in which they make several promises. They conclude the oath by saying that if they should ever break any of their promises, “may I incur the fearful penalty of having my eyeballs pierced to the center with a three-edged blade, my feet flayed, and… may Allah, the god of Arab Moslem and Mohammedan, the god of our fathers, support me to the entire fulfillment of the same, Amen.” This is said by the candidate while he is kneeling before a Muslim altar with his hand on the Koran!3

The Scottish Rite tenth degree oath is also particularly demonic in nature. Notice how it commits the oath taker to commit murder, if necessary:4

“I do promise and swear upon the Holy Bible never to reveal where I have received this degree… and in failure of this I consent to have my body opened perpendicularly and to be exposed for eight hours in the open air, so that the venomous flies may eat my entrails, my head to be cut off and put on the highest pinnacle of the world, and I will always be ready to inflict the same punishment on those who shall disclose this degree and break this obligation. So may God help and maintain me. Amen.”

When Tom McKenney was awarded the honorary 33rd degree at a special ceremony at the Masonic headquarters in Washington, D.C., he was required to drink wine from a skull and say, “May this wine I now drink become a deadly poison to me, as the hemlock juice drunk by Socrates, should I ever knowingly or willfully violate the same [his oath].”5

One Christian writer expressed it well when he referred to Masonry’s “horrid oaths” and observed that they contain penalties which would “shame a common cannibal.”6

Notes

1) The blood oaths of Masonry can be found in many publications and in articles on the Internet. One good source is The Guide for Ministry to Masons by David L. and Donna M. Carrico (Evansville, IL: Followers of Jesus Christ Ministries, 1997), pages 14-19.

2) McKenney, pages 37-44.

3) Carrico, pages 17-19. See also: McKenney, page 40.

4) Zenith Harris Merrill, “Freemasonry: The Devil’s Playground,” accessed on February 10, 2007.

5) Jim Shaw & Tom McKenney, The Deadly Deception: Freemasonry Exposed by One of Its Top Leaders (Lafayette, LA: Huntington House, 1988), page 104.

6) Martin Wagner, Freemasonry: An Interpretation (Grosse Pointe, MI: Seminar Tapes and Books, 1912), page 556.

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Dr. David Reagan

Dr. David Reagan is the Founder and Evangelist Emeritus of Lamb & Lion Ministries. He is a life-long Bible student, teacher, and preacher and he led over 45 pilgrimages to Israel. Dr. Reagan was the host of the radio then television program Christ in Prophecy for nearly 40 years.

11 CommentsLeave a Comment

  • To take some simple examples are you also saying that the following oaths emanate from (as you describe) “the evil one”?

    Oath of allegiance for the British Army:
    “I ….. swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Her Heirs and Successors, and that I will, as in duty bound, honestly and faithfully defend Her Majesty, Her Heirs and Successors, in Person, Crown and Dignity against all enemies, and will observe and obey all orders of Her Majesty, Her Heirs and Successors, and of the generals and officers set over me. So help me God.”

    Oath of allegiance for UK Parliament:
    “I, NAME, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, her heirs and successors, according to law. So help me God.”

    Oath of the Boy Scouts of America
    “On my honor I will do my best
    To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
    To help other people at all times;
    To keep myself physically strong,
    mentally awake, and morally straight.”

    The Hippocratic Oath begins
    “I swear by Apollo, the healer, Asclepius, Hygieia, and Panacea, and I take to witness all the gods, all the goddesses, to keep according to my ability and my judgment, the following Oath and agreement…”

    I could go on.

    Your assertions about the nature of the Shriners is inaccurate. It is certainly not anti-Christian. Eligibility for membership is also no longer limited to Knights Templar (York Rite) or 32 Degree (Scottish Rite). Any Master Mason may join the Shriners. To add some counterpoint to your piece I would also highlight the work of the 22 Shriner Hospitals in US, Canada and Mexico and the vast amount of money and time given to the organisation by its very genuine membership.

  • Nimmons, the Hippocratic Oath comes straight out of the pit of hell. All those “gods and goddesses” people swear by are false gods and quite possibly actual names of demons.
    Masonry IS a cult.

  • Great point Dr. Reagan. You hit the nail right on the head when you said that secrecy is a classic characteristic of cultic groups, and it is an attitude that stands in opposition to Scripture.

    Preach on and keep up the great work L&L Ministries! Maranatha!

  • OK, Mr. Nimmons, if the Masons are on the up-and-up, why so secretive? We know (as much as we are able) what the British army is doing: it’s not a secret society.

    We know what the BSA is doing. Again: not a secret society. When I was a Scout as a kid, when my mom and dad asked what we did at our weekly den-meetings I was allowed to tell them.

    Not so, with the Masons. They are swearing to have their guts torn out and burned if they talk about a spaghetti dinner!

    Granted they do a lot of honorable things for people, but if there is nothing, let’s say, Satanic, about it, then they need to open their doors and let everyone in on the secret.

  • I beleive the “good” works that the Shriners do with hospitals and other groups like these are a fulfillment of God’s promise to always bring good out of evil.

  • While the Shriners do have children’s hospitals and other venues for works of good, they use those venues to raise exorbitant amounts of money which only a small percentage goes to the charities.

    The BBB reports the Shriners hold 11 times more assets than they use in operating expenses. – Better Business Bureau“A series of investigative articles published by the Orlando Sentinel in 1986 reported that in 1985 the Shriners kept 71 percent of the $21.7 million raised to pay for clubhouse expenses, including the upkeep of private bars, restaurants, golf courses, conventions, travel, entertainment and fund raising. Less than 2 percent, or $346,251, went to the medical care of the children.” – The Burning TaperLamb & Lion's finances

  • I beleive the “good” works that the Shriners do with hospitals and other groups like these are a fulfillment of God’s promise to always bring good out of evil.

    It’s great to do good works but there are Secular, Hindu and Muslim charities that do that as well. The point is that at the core level, Freemasons aren’t a Christian organization. The truth that Christ is the only way to salvation is discouraged at higher degrees and I don’t see anything about salvation in their Mission Statements. Matt 28:19-20

  • In response to my good works comment earlier, yes, I whole-heartedly agree, Christ is the only way to salvation. I wasn’t trying to argue otherwise and should have pointed that out. I just know that Christ is in control and he can bring good out of the evil to evil’s frustration.

  • O.K. I am a 32nd degree scottish rite mason,and a pastor. I have never seen anyhting that pertains to the devil. You can take a peice of paper on your desk right now , rearrange the letters and make it something demonic out of it. It's all in what you want to see. The reason mason's have secerts,is because this is an organization for men who want to be better,not for all the world to see. As far as this being demonic that is insane.This is not a religion at all, so that means we are not worshiping.We are lead to do right things for all people not just our brothers but all people. Do you have any idea what the big "G" means in the masonic square and compass? We are taught to believe in something greater than all of us, which is the grand archutect of the universe the creator not the devil. If you want to see something bad or evil your mind will make it happen. How do you know that the devil is not putting this in your head so you wont become a better man? Just because somebody tells you something does not make it true.Masonary is a wonderful thing. I think all men should be a part of it. That would make the world a better place.

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