Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd like to join, but is it true that they do not accept Catholics?

My FIL was born and raised Catholic and he is a mason. I think having become a mason and seeing God and spirituality in a different light, made his Catholic beliefs fall by the wayside a bit. Though, I am not sure where the whole thing about them not accepting Catholics came from. If that was the case, there would be no masons at all in South America...and there are a lot of masons in South America. There are masonic lodges all over the world.

I'm the poster who told the story about the Demolay friend and his dad. They converted to a Protestant church and left the Masons. I'm from SA.

Most of the masons are not Christian at all. It's very common to hear testimonies of former Masons who abandoned the order after converting to Christianity and if a Christian joins the order he keeps it a secret. And not everybody in SA is Catholic. The numbers are inflated by the Carholic church and most of the people follow anoter religion (most santeria related or spiritualist related) but still say they're CAtholics just because of the tradition.

Second I do not think that sex within marriage must be both unitive and procreative. I think it's fine to have sex within a marriage where contracepion is used. I think it is ok to seperate the two

You are free to believe what you will. You are free to be offended. You are free to refrain from Catholic worship. You are not free to tell Catholics what they can or should believe.

Gay Masons?
http://www.kentucky.com/2011/03/24/1682559/membership-of-openly-gay-mason.html

Membership of openly gay Mason being challenged
By Valarie Honeycutt Spears — vhoneycutt@herald-leader.com
Posted: 12:00am on Mar 24, 2011; Modified: 2:39pm on Mar 24, 2011

There is a poster, or group of posters, on DCUM who label anyone who objects to the Catholic church a bigot. I found this excerpt from the catechism interesting and telling re; homosexuality:

Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained.

It's "psychological genesis?" What if it doesn't have a "psychological" genesis. What if it has a genesis in the DNA that makes up a person?

Second I do not think that sex within marriage must be both unitive and procreative. I think it's fine to have sex within a marriage where contracepion is used. I think it is ok to seperate the two, and I don't think the fact that you aren't "giving yourself" over to your spouse in that way (your fertility) every time you have sex means you are withholding anything that is necessary to have in order to make the bond. In other words I do think procreation can be reserved for when a couple is trying to have a baby and at other times withholding their fertility from one another does not violate the bond of their marriage and does not have larger ramifications for their marriage.

Because I feel it is ok to seperate the two, I do not think it is necessary for a couple to be able to procreate to have sex. I do not see homosexual sex as violating any natural law. I am not bothered at all by the fact that homosexual sex would obviously not have a procreative element. I do not believe that makes a homosexual relationship disordered or wrong.

I understand that the church says homosexuals should be treated with respect as individuals. I believe that they believe they do that. But I don't believe the church actually does do that. First of all they want all homosexuals, whether Catholic or not, to live lives of chastity, where they do not fall in love, become a couple recognized by larger society, or raise a family. Second of all, here in Washington DC the church decided that rather than appear to acknowledge or validate same sex marriages they would no longer offer health insurance to any employee. They are so offended by the make up of families that may not even share their religious beliefs that they would rather risk employees being uninsured than insure a gay spouse.

I am offended by these policies. I do understand the church teaching on contraception, sexuality, and homosexuality. I don't agree with it, and am offended by the repercussions of their beliefs.

Rock on Masons.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd like to join, but is it true that they do not accept Catholics?

My FIL was born and raised Catholic and he is a mason. I think having become a mason and seeing God and spirituality in a different light, made his Catholic beliefs fall by the wayside a bit. Though, I am not sure where the whole thing about them not accepting Catholics came from. If that was the case, there would be no masons at all in South America...and there are a lot of masons in South America. There are masonic lodges all over the world.

Why doesn't the Catholic church want people to become Mason?

Why does the Catholic church ban books? Why does the Catholic church look down upon homosexuality? Why doesn't the Catholic church believe in contraception? It's along the same lines. From what I know, Masons believe in God and they don't need a Church to believe in God. When you don't need a Church, the Church can't control you anymore. I could be totally wrong, but this is what I gather from what I have been told. The Catholic church does not like anyone or anything that challenges what they say.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd like to join, but is it true that they do not accept Catholics?

My FIL was born and raised Catholic and he is a mason. I think having become a mason and seeing God and spirituality in a different light, made his Catholic beliefs fall by the wayside a bit. Though, I am not sure where the whole thing about them not accepting Catholics came from. If that was the case, there would be no masons at all in South America...and there are a lot of masons in South America. There are masonic lodges all over the world.

Why doesn't the Catholic church want people to become Mason?

Anonymous wrote:I'd like to join, but is it true that they do not accept Catholics?

My FIL was born and raised Catholic and he is a mason. I think having become a mason and seeing God and spirituality in a different light, made his Catholic beliefs fall by the wayside a bit. Though, I am not sure where the whole thing about them not accepting Catholics came from. If that was the case, there would be no masons at all in South America...and there are a lot of masons in South America. There are masonic lodges all over the world.

I'd like to join, but is it true that they do not accept Catholics?

15:59, where's the "hysterical hatred"? 15:30's comment that "you really have no idea what you're talking about then" seemed a pretty mild response to the hater she quoted.

On the other hand, posters like you creep me out a bit, because you're so quick to condemn anybody who believes something different from you, to the point where you need to distort their posts to do so. Oh, and the catholic hater creeps me out too, because she has to twist posts around to get to the point where she can spill her bile. So you're in great company there!

Anonymous wrote:You know, whenever people express fairly reasonable doubts about something: "it's a secret club and I'm not sure about it" and the response is hysterical hatred from the group involved... you make yourselves look crazy. Seriously. I didn't even know masons still existed but based on the Masons on this thread deeming the OP a "jealous bitch" for even daring to question the mighty Masons, I'd never go near them.

Also, see scientologists for this kind of overreaction. I'm sorry people don't want to be part of your weird, secret mens only whites only cult. Clearly, we're in the wrong!

Well, considering three of the masons I know are hispanic and another is black, I would say you have a bit more research to do about the masons before calling it a "weird, secret, men only, whites only, cult". It is only as weird as organized religion (though I would say it's much more "normal" than religion), it's not totally a secret, all religions, ethnicities and cultures are welcome...but you do have me on the mens only. Though, I would much rather my husband be a mason than an Orthodox Jew. At least he would be allowed to touch me all the time rather than two weeks out of the month.

You know, whenever people express fairly reasonable doubts about something: "it's a secret club and I'm not sure about it" and the response is hysterical hatred from the group involved... you make yourselves look crazy. Seriously. I didn't even know masons still existed but based on the Masons on this thread deeming the OP a "jealous bitch" for even daring to question the mighty Masons, I'd never go near them.

Also, see scientologists for this kind of overreaction. I'm sorry people don't want to be part of your weird, secret mens only whites only cult. Clearly, we're in the wrong!

Anonymous wrote:NP here. The masons sound SO creepy to me. I'd be shocked and completely distressed if my husband expressed interest in them. But he wouldn't, thankfully. OP, I think you should really express your misgivings. It definitely is a cult. Yuck.

You really have no idea what you are talking about then.

NP here. The masons sound SO creepy to me. I'd be shocked and completely distressed if my husband expressed interest in them. But he wouldn't, thankfully. OP, I think you should really express your misgivings. It definitely is a cult. Yuck.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can we impose a 20 line limit on postings? Are you the same poster who's always posting novels about the beauty of Catholicism? Please, stop. We know how to use Google if we want to read that much about it.

Aren't you breaking copyright laws?

Love that you go after catholic 9:41 with the relatively short post, but not after evangelical christian 9:33 with the humungous post.

I assumed they were from the same poster, the same one who frequently posts half-page responses about religion. I didn't read either. If I needed or wanted a 5,000 word explanation, I'd look it up.

I don't hate Catholicism, but think their teachings on sex are pretty stupid and archiac.

I'm neither of those PPs. There is a large, vibrant Catholic diocese here, so it should not be strange that some faithful Catholics are on DCUM.

I respect everyone's right to believe what they wish, but as an adult "revert," I don't like to see misinformation go uncorrected.

PP, have you read Theology of the Body? Do you know the entirety of Church teaching? Another favorite Chesterton quote goes something like this: Christianity is not tried and found wanting; it is found difficult and so is not tried. Living human sexuality as God intended, with our fallen human natures and our sneering world, is not easy, but it is rewarding, and makes sense and sounds beautiful as a whole.

I understand their teachings on homosexuality, ART and the purpose of sex. You see beauty and something that makes sense, while I see something completely different.

Anonymous wrote:OP, Google "Masons Catholic Church" if you would like to learn more about their beliefs, rituals, history, and intent.

It is true that Catholics cannot join, because it is an anti-Catholic institution.

Maybe they'll change their mind. Ya know, like how the Mormons did about blacks.