“Paganism”

3. Certain critics claim the recommended readings for the Degrees of Freemasonry are "pagan" in origin. "Pagan", as they are using the term, simply means "pre-Christian." The major purpose of Freemasonry is the study of man’s intellectual and moral history for the purpose of developing ourselves morally and intellectually. Such a study has to start with the concepts of man and God as held by early cultures and evidenced in their mythologies. The Greeks and Romans, as well as earlier peoples, had much of importance to say, on many topics. including religion. The idea that a physician must act in the best interests of his patient comes from the pagan Hippocrates, and the concept that the government cannot break into your house and take what it wants on a whim comes from the pagan Aristotle. None of us would want to live in a world without these ideas.

In almost every field—law, government, music, philosophy, mathematics, etc.—it is necessary to review the work of early writers and thinkers. Freemasonry is no exception. But to study the work of ancient cultures is not the same thing as to do what they did or believe what they believed. And no Mason is ever told what he should believe in matters of faith. That is not the task of a fraternity. nor a public library. nor the government. That is the duty of a person’s revealed religion and is appropriately expressed through his or her church.

The Bible as “Furniture”

4. Ironically. some people complain about the Bible used in lodge being referred to as the "furniture" of the lodge. No disrespect is intended. Indeed, just the opposite is true. Freemasons use the word "furniture" in its original meaning of essential equipment. Since no lodge can meet without an open Volume of Sacred Law, (Which in North America is almost always the Bible) the Bible is essential and given a special place of honour as the "furniture" for every regular lodge.

“The Meaning of ‘Light𔄩”

5. The masonic use of the term "light' is often misunderstood by non-Masons. This confusion may lead some to think Masons are speaking of salvation rather than knowledge or truth. Nowhere in masonic ritual is "light" implied to mean anything other than knowledge. Light was a symbol of knowledge long before it was a symbol of salvation. The lamp of learning appears on almost every graduation card and college diploma. Fremasonry uses light as a symbol of the search for truth and knowledge. It’s very unlikely that any Freemason would think that light represents salvation.

“Salvation by Works”

6. Freemasonry does not imply salvation may be attained by one’s good works. Freemasonry does not teach any path to salvation. That is the duty of a Church, not a Fraternity. The closest Freemasonry comes to this issue is to point to the open Bible, and tell the freemason to search there for the path to eternal life. Freemasonry does believe in the importance of good works. but as a matter of gratitude to God for His many great gifts and as a matter of individual moral and social responsibility. The path to salvation is found in each Mason’s house of worship, not in his Lodge.

“Universalism”

7. Various critics accuse masonic writers of teaching the "heresy of universalism." Universalism is the doctrine that all men and women are ultimately saved. Freemasonry does not teach universalism or any other doctrine of salvation. Again, that’s the province of the church, not a fraternity. You have to look rather hard to find masonic writers who "teach universalism." Even if you could find one, it’s important to remember that any masonic author writes for himself alone, not as an official of the fraternity. Freemasonry simply does not have a position, official or otherwise on salvation. Since men of all faiths are welcome in the Fraternity, Freemasons are careful not to offend the faith of any. Possibly this in itself may seem to be universalism to some critics. Freemasons call it common courtesy.

Racial Exclusion

8. Some critics, less eager to put their own houses in order than to find fault with others, contend most lodges refuse to admit African Americans as members. Freemasonry today is not a whites only organization as the hundreds of thousands of Black, Native American. Hispanic and Oriental Freemasons can testify. Petitions for membership do not ask the race of the petitioner, and it would be considered completely wrong to do so. At the same time it must be said that Freemasonry, like American society and churches in general, has not lived up entirely to its high ideal of brotherhood in dealing with African-American and other minorities. This is a situation which most Freemasons. like most Americans. are trying to overcome. There is a schism in Freemasonry dating back over 200 years to when "Prince Hall" Masons, who are African-Americans, declared themselves independent. This schism is similar to the division of the United Methodist Church from the A.M.E. C.M.E. and United Methodist Church from the A.M.E., S.M.E. and A.M.E. Zion churches or the National Baptists from the American and Southern Baptists.

In each of these three examples. the organizations are working to repair the damages of centuries of segregation. For each, complete reunification remains an elusive goal hindered by social resistance on both sides, but not by organizational ideals. In the case of Freemasonry mutual recognition between "black" and "white" Grand Lodges has proceeded at a steady pace for nearly ten years, while African-American members are increasingly common in formerly "white" Lodges.

For instance, at the international celebration of the 275th anniversary of the United Grand Lodge of England in 1992 (the most recent masonic gathering of about the same size as the Southern Baptist Convention), there were far more Blacks present than there were at the Southern Baptist Convention in Houston in 1993. Freemasonry’s movement regarding racial matters affirms Freemasonry’s genuine evolution with the rest of American society and churches toward genuine brotherhood among all races.

In summary, looking over the concerns raised in the report, none are tenets and teachings as the report claims. Four of the concerns are merely misunderstandings of masonic vocabulary by non-masons. The complaint that some of the writers whose work Freemasonry studies are pre-Christian could be raised against any study of man, government or philosophy. Almost all areas of study start with the ancient (pagan) Greeks. All members of the Fraternity know that Freemasonry does not invade the area of the church to teach any doctrine of salvation, neither universalism, salvation by works, nor any other. And the objection that Freemasonry is some sort of whites-only club is refuted by the myriad of men of colour wearing the square and compasses.

Freemasonry is simply a Fraternity—an organization of men, banded together to further develop themselves ethically and morally, and to benefit the community at large!