Letter of the month: December 2003

From: "Ashley Allen" <palenavytigress@hotmail.com>
To: masonry-ask@mit.edu
Subject: Freemasonry-Satanic?
Date: Sat, 20 Dec 2003 22:30:18 -0500

I have heard many people say that Freemasonry is a Satanic cult and everyone is being decieved. I read a book by Jack Harris who says he is a former Worshipful Master. In it he explains things about Freemasonry and how they can be related to Santanic rituals. I didn't really see his point on some things. He would provide his evidence on certain points but I didn't see how it proved Freemasonry had anything to do with worshiping Satan. I also do not want to believe Freemasonry is a Satanic cult since my Grandfather, Uncle, preacher, and youth leader are all Freemasons.

On your website, I read an article about the letter G. The article said the letter G stood for God. Jack Harris says it stands for Geometry and Diety. It also says the "pagan god of Freemasonry represented by the letter "G" is not the God of the Bible, and so Masonry has desecrated the name of God by its pagan rituals."

Now it would be up to me to decide for myself which story is truth, and which was false. I'm sure either side would come up with good arguments. So I'm not sure which one to believe. Of course, my initial inclination would be to believe that Freemasonry is not a Satanic cult. When I first heard mention that Freemasonry was a Satanic cult two years ago when I was fifteen I got angry because, as I have mentioned before, my Grandfather was a Freemason. I say "was" a Freemason because he died last January. He was given a Masonic funeral.

Some of the things I have read in this book by Jack Harris have worried me a little, to the point where I am determined to discover the truth.

My research thus far have indicated to me that Freemasonry is not a Satanic cult.

My research has also begun to indicate an interest in joining the Order of the Eastern Star or some group of Freemasonry for women.

Now for my questions: Where can I find more information to help me determine without a doubt whether or not Freemasonry is a Satanic Cult? Can you tell me some qualifications I must meet to join the Order of the Eastern Star, such as age, because I'm only seventeen?

Thank you for any answer you can give me.

Merry Christmas!
Ashley Allen

Dear Ms Allen,

Thanks for writing. I'm thinking about your question, what can I tell you to prove that Masonry is not "Satanic" (whatever that's supposed to be anyway).

It puts me in a funny position, because if Masonry were some kind of evil thing, then whatever I told you could be a lie -- and then you'd still have to decide whether to believe whatever I told you.

So instead of me arguing one way or the other, here's something you can do for yourself. Go and talk to as many Masons as you can find in your area. Since you know several Masons already, relatives and community leaders, you should be able to start with them, then ask each one you meet with to refer you further.

You don't have to start off asking them about "satanism". You can ask them about beinug a Mason:

• What does being a Mason mean to them? Why did they decide to join in the first place? How long have they been a member? Why have they kept active?
• How does it affect their lives, their families, their communities?
• What is the religious affiliation of each Mason you talk with? Are they all the same, or are they spread out among the various religious bodies in your community? What do they do to support their religious community? How many of them are involved in charitable or volunteer work with their church, temple, mosque, chapel, etc?
• Do the ceremonies and activities within the Masonic lodge have any conflict with their religion?
• You will probably think of other questions as you go along.

They may not have an understanding of why other people say Masonry is "satanic" but that's not the point of your questions. You're trying to get to know what kind of person each one is.

They won't all be "experts" in the Masonic symbols, philosophy, or history, but they'll know how Masonry has affected them personally, what part it has played in their lives. You can judge these men for yourself: what kind of people do they seem to be?

You can ask yourself: are all these men really hiding some kind of "satanic cult secret"? Would men like this stay in Masonry if they found out it was actually "satanic"?

You don't need any argument or persuasion from me. Just take the time to sit and talk with all the Masons you can find, and then use your own good sense and judgement about people.

(You know, if you take good notes or record the interviews, you could end up with a terrific feature article for your local paper, too.)

Meanwhile, if you want to read more about what Masonry is, you can get a little book called "The Craft and Its Symbols" by Allen Roberts. (Just go to Google.com and put in "the craft and its symbols" -- including the quotation marks -- and you'll get links to places that sell it.) The book describes the symbols that Masonry uses to teach its fraternal and spiritual lessons. You can see for yourself what we're about.

And for information about anti-Masons and their accusations, go to MasonicInfo.com -- it's a terrific web-site with plenty of good material well laid-out. You can look up all kinds of things, and find out the truth behind whatever fearful claims the anti-Masons make, along with some discussion about why people might say things like that.

Finally, I don't know if 17 is old enough for Order of Eastern Star. If not, there are two youth groups with a Masonic basis for young women: Job's Daughters and Rainbow Girls. You should be able to find out from the local Masons if there is a chapter of either near you, and they can also put you in touch with someone from the local Eastern Star chapter.

Well, that's about it. I'd be interested to know what you find, and what you decide.

best wishes for a great holiday season,

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