Freemasonry and the Law of God
Which moral code should we use? The following is copied from a
post on another website.
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Freemasonry and the "Law of God"
One often hears Brethren say that a Mason must conform to the “Law of God.” Indeed, the Digest of Laws of at least one U.S. Grand Lodge states, “Any transgression of, or want of conformity unto, the law of God or the law of the land is a Masonic offense.” The Institution of Freemasonry has from its earliest history taught a system of morality based on the Law of God.
However, Freemasonry is distinctly non-sectarian. No regular Grand Lodge in existence requires a candidate to profess any certain religious faith or creed, so long as he believes in a Supreme Being as no atheist can be made a mason. It is therefore possible to have masons of every faith.
The first charge in Anderson’s Constitutions of 1723 states:
“A Mason is obliged by his Tenure, to obey the moral Law ; and if he rightly understands the Art, he will never be a stupid Atheist, nor an irreligious Libertine. But though in ancient Times Masons were charged in every Country to be of the Religion of that Country or Nation, whatever it was, yet ’tis now thought more expedient only to oblige them to that Religion in which all Men agree, leaving their particular Opinions to themselves ; that is, to be good Men and true, or Men of Honour and Honesty, by whatever Denominations or Persuasions they may be distinguished ; whereby Masonry becomes the Center of Union, and the Means of conciliating true Friendship among Persons that must else have remained at a perpetual Distance.”
Each religion or sect has its own views on what exactly the Law of God is. To some Jews eating pork or shrimp is a serious sin. To some Muslims drinking any alcohol is a sin. To some Christians working on Sunday is a serious offense, while others believe it is a sin to ingest caffeine.
If even different sects within the same religion can not agree on what constitutes a violation of the Law of God how can an institution that accepts men of all faiths and purports itself to be the “Center of Union”? What did Anderson mean by “that religion in which all men agree”? To better answer that question one needs only look at the second edition of that same charge.
In the 1738 edition of Anderson’s Constitutions the charge is expanded slightly:
“A Mason is obliged by his tenure to observe the moral law as a true Noachide; and if he rightly understands the Craft, he will never be a stupid Atheist nor an irreligious Libertine, nor act against conscience. In ancient Times, the Christian Masons were charged to comply with the Christian usages of each country where they traveled or worked; being found in all nations, even of divers religions. They are generally charged to adhere to that religion in which all men agree (leaving each brother to his own particular opinions); that is, to be good men and true, men of honor and honesty, by whatever names, religions, or persuasions they may be distinguished; for they all agree in the three great articles of Noah, enough to preserve the cement of the lodge. Thus Masonry is the Center of Union, and the happy means of conciliating persons that otherwise must have remained at a perpetual distance.”
The “three great articles of Noah” are prohibitions against idolatry, murder, and blasphemy. Any other so called “transgressions of the Law of God” are, by definition, ecclesiastical offenses and have nothing to do with the Craft. Charges of “unmasonic conduct” based on religious beliefs have no place in a fraternity that preaches tolerance of all beliefs.