119 lines
6.2 KiB
Plaintext
119 lines
6.2 KiB
Plaintext
===========[ The Christian BBS - 604-478-2789 - 24 Hrs - 8,N,1 ]===========
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The following file has been put up, though not necessarily done by Dave
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Geauvreau who is the Sysop of "The Christian BBS," and can be contacted for
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more information by phoning the bulletin board at (604)-478-2789, or the
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voice line at (604)-478-0254, or by writing to 3053 Metchosin Rd.,
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Victoria, B.C., Canada - V9B 4Y9! All donations if by check are to be to
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"The Christian BBS," and please note that finances do not allow me to
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accept long distance charges and return mail must be pre-postaged paid.
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===========================================================================
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WHO SAID A CHRISTIAN CAN'T BE A MASON?
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The Hebrew word "Messiah" and the Greek word "Christ" both mean annointed;
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usually a consecrated person. When applied to Jesus, it means "God's
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annointed one." The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus is the Christ in many
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places but the most definitive statements are found in Mark 14:61,62;
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Matthew 16:15-17; and John 4:25,26.
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To deny that Jesus is the Christ is to condemn oneself to eternal
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damnation. 1 John 2:22,23 says, "who is the liar but the one who denies
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that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the
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Father and the Son. whoever denies the Son does not have the Father, the
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one who confesses the Son has the Father also." Revelation 21:8 says that
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the unbelieving and liars will all be in the lake that burns with fire and
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brimstone.
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Masonic tradition teaches the worship of the supreme God, the Great
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Architect of the Universe. Who is this God? Investigate the words of
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Albert Pike, 33rd degree Mason and author of Morals and Dogma, p.226:
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Masonry, around whose altars the Christian, the Hebrew, the Moslem, the
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Brahmin, the followers of Confucius and Zoroaster, can assemble as
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brethren and unite in prayer to the one God who is above all the
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Ballim, must needs leave it to each of its Initiates to look for the
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foundation of his faith and hope to the written scriptures of his own
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religion.
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God teaches in Exodus 20:3-5, that "You shall have no other gods before Me,
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you shall not make for yourself an idol...you shall not worship them or
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serve them..."
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In Judges 1 and 2, the Israelites did not drive out the followers of false
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gods and God's verdict was, "They shall become as thorns in your sides, and
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their gods shall be a snare to you." (Judges 2:3) God's commandment to us
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as Christians is not only should we not be bound together with unbelievers,
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(2 Corinthians 6:14-17) but we should seek to make disciples of all nations
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(Matthew 28:19-20) by preaching the saving gospel of Jesus Christ.
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Freemasonry is in direct conflict with the Bible in that Masonry condones
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communal worship of a generic deity:
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To respect all forms of worship, to tolerate all political and
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religious opinions; not to blame, and still less to condemn the
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religion of others; not to seek to make converts; but to be content if
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they have the religion of Socrates; a veneration for the Creator, the
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religion of good works, and grateful acknowledgment of God's blessings.
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(Morals and Dogma, p.333)
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In order for Masonry to be acceptable to all faiths, it is necessary to
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relegate the Bible to a position of equality among all religious books:
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The Book of the Law shall be an indispensable article of the lodge
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furniture. This book, however, need not necessarily be the Holy Bible;
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but according to the religious faith of the members of the lodge. It
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may be the Koran, the Zen Avesta, or the Vedas or Shasters. (The
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Freemasons Pocket Companion, p.44-45)
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This statement, by implication, makes Jehovah God one god equal to many; an
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interesting situation for the Masonic Christian whose all-knowing God knows
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of no others (Isaiah 44:8).
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The final straw is laid on the proverbial camel's back when the deity of
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Jesus is denied by Albert Pike. On page 524 of Morals and Dogma, he
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states,
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We do not undervalue the importance of any Truth. We utter no word
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that can be deemed irreverent by anyone of any faith.
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(Jesus, in John 14:6, declares Himself to be the Truth, exclusively.) In
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the same paragraph, Pike make the blasphemous statement,
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And as little do we tell the sincere Christian that Jesus of Nazareth
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was but a man like us, or His history but the unreal revival of an
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older legend.
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In one paragraph, he destroys the very foundation of Christian beliefs and
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then, as if he was totally oblivious to his own writings, states on the
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facing page,
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Thus Masonry disbelieves no truth, and teaches unbelief in no creed,
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except so far as such creed may lower its lofty estimate of the Deity,
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degrade Him to the level of the passions of humanity. (Morals and
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Dogma, p.525)
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The Gospel of the Bible is a gift to us from God and available to all who
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simply believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Redeemer, the one who died for
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sins and is resurrected. Christianity does not require a special meeting
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place to conduct secret rituals that are sealed with blood oaths. (Matthew
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5:34-37; Luke 12:1-3) At your next lodge meeting, ask yourself if you are
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worshipping the Great Architect of the Universe, the God of all religions,
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or are you truly worshipping Jehovah God, the one true God of the Bible.
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If your answer is the latter, then you must ask yourself if your presence
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in the lodge is truly honoring and glorifying your God.
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In answer to the question, "Who said a Christian can't be a Mason?", a
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modern paraphrase could be made from the words of God's prophet Elijah:
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How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord
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is God, follow Him; but if the "Great Architect of the Universe" is
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God, follow him." (1 Kings 18:21)
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And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name
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(besides Jesus) under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
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He who has ears to hear, let him hear. (Acts 4:12; Mark 4:9)
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