The Shriners; Can They Be Christians?

How could those fun-loving, charitable people wearing a fez and driving small cars in a parade be anything but real honest, altruistic people you may ask? Can a Shriner be a Christian? No says Dr. Tom Hudson an ex-Master Mason and Shriner: “A candidate does not take his oath on a Bible, only on the Koran. In fact, the entire Shrine ritual is Islamic, and a man cannot be a Christian and a Shriner”. He goes on and writes: “The fact remains, based on my personal story, that a Mason cannot be a Christian. It is impossible. The Master Mason (I was one) attains eternal life when he completes his Third Degree and becomes “A Christ” when he completes his Holy Arch Degree. The Shriner-without any doubt or hesitation – converts to Islam when he takes his Mystic Shrine oath. Not kidding.”

So what is the “Shriners Oath”? ETERNAL LIFE!?

”Candidates for induction into the Shriners are greeted by a High Priest, who says:

“By the existence of Allah and the creed of Mohammed; by the legendary sanctity of our Tabernacle at Mecca, we greet you.”

The inductees then swear on the Bible and the Koran, in the name of Mohammed, and invoke Masonry’s usual gruesome penalties upon themselves:

“I do hereby, upon this Bible, and on the mysterious legend of the Koran, and its dedication to the Mohammedan faith, promise and swear and vow … that I will never reveal any secret part or portion whatsoever of the ceremonies … and now upon this sacred book, by the sincerity of a Moslem’s oath I here register this irrevocable vow … in willful violation whereof may I incur the fearful penalty of having my eyeballs pierced to the center with a three-edged blade, my feet flayed and I be forced to walk the hot sands upon the sterile shores of the Red Sea until the flaming sun shall strike me with livid plague, and may Allah, the god of Arab, Moslem and Mohammedan, the god of our fathers, support me to the entire fulfillment of the same. Amen. Amen. Amen.” *

With this oath, Christians swear on the Koran, and declare Allah to be “the god of our fathers.” From the perspective of Christianity and Islam alike, Shriners take the name of God in vain, and mock both faiths.”

Here is a testimony of a past member of the Shriners, that explain the bizarre and anti-Christian rituals that they perform written by William J. Schnoebelen:

Click to access Shriner-1.pdf

Does this all sound Christian to you?

Video – On this 2-minute interview with a Shriner at the Southeastern Shriner’s Convention in Chattanooga, TN the summer of 2007, this Shriner not only confesses that He is Lucifer, but he also adds that Lucifer is “Pure, Virtuous, Wholesome and Innocent!” Google Video Although they still confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and claim to be “born again,” these men declare that Lucifer is “good!”

Matthew 7: 21-23 (NASB)
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

God Bless

Brian Mason

*Excerpt from The Origins and Influence of Masonry
by Lee Penn, SCP Journal Vol. 25:2-25:3 2001
P0 Box 4308, Berkeley, CA 94704
Jesus People http://www.mission.org/jesuspeople

Is Freemasonry A Religion?

I was sitting across the restaurant from someone that claimed to be a Freemason with a voice that carried, and he was explaining to people with him about how the “Mason’s” were not a religion, but then in the same breath he started talking down other beliefs and religions. At that point. I thanked the Holy Spirit for letting me in on his position and do some research on this subject. I can now see why he was talking down Christianity! I now wonder why he was so brash about the “secret society” called Freemasonry?

As for him stating the Freemasonry is NOT a religion I would have liked to ask him now about the rituals that the Freemason’s perform? I would have especially liked to ask him about the “Black Communion” of Maundy Thursday: chant wordsThis ceremony allows the Masons to blaspheme the Lord. They make a hideous evil, black mockery of His pure and redemptive death, and the Lord’s will that we take communion “in remembrance ofchant words calling Jesus is merely an “apostle of mankind” and who was neither inspired nor divine!

Hmm, this is sounding very much like Satanism isn’t it?

More views of Jesus in Freemasonry: Jesus was just a man. He was one of the “exemplars,” one of the greatest men of the past, but was not divine! He was simply a Philosopher His life was no different than that of Krishna, the Hindu, sun god. He was not the Son of God.

They (the Mason’s) have their plan of redemption!

Redemption is only a matter of self-improvement, and good works, which includes obedience to the Mason’s obligation and following the higher Masonic authorities. This is only a “matter of enlightenment”! Come on now!

Check out some of their writing’s on “good works”…

V “…salvation by faith and the vicarious atonement were not taught as now interpreted, by Jesus, nor are these doctrines taught in the esoteric scriptures. They are later and ignorant perversions of the original doctrines.” (J.D.Buck, “Mystic Masonry,” p.57)

v “By the lambskin the Mason is reminded of that purity of life and rectitude of conduct which are so essentially necessary to his gaining admission into the Celestial Lodge above, where the Supreme Architect of the Universe presides.” (Albert Mackey, “Encyclopedia of Freemasonry,” “Apron”)

V “…and in Thy favor, may we be received into Thine everlasting kingdom, to enjoy, in union with the souls of our departed friends, the just reward of a pious and virtuous life. Amen. So mote it be.” (“Texas Monitor,” Masonic Burial Service, p.10)

v “If we with suitable true devotion maintain our Masonic profession, our faith will become a beam of light and bring us to those blessed mansions where we shall be eternally happy with God, the Great Architect of the Universe.” (Daniel Sickles, “Ahimon Rezon or Freemason’s Guide,” p.79)

The Masonic apron, which is worn at ceremonies, funerals, etc., measures approximately 14 inches wide, by 12 inches deep. It is white (emblematic of innocence and purity) and is made of lamb’s skin, which also represents innocence (Mackey, p. 302). Upon receiving the apron, Masons are told:
“If you wear it without soil or blemish, you will be received at the pearly gates of heaven, and there be presented with the pure white robe of righteousness, which will glisten in brightness, increasing in glory even unto the perfect day” (Tennessee Craftsman, p. 60).

Make up your mind about Freemasonry. I implore you to do your research on this secret society. In the words of Albert Pike: v “The literal meaning (of the Bible) is for the vulgar only.” (Albert Pike, “Digest of Morals and Dogma,” p.166)

We must follow the Word of God. The Word of God is neither vulgar nor in error. Satan believes in God, and he trembles at His Word!

Romans 16: 20:
20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.
The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

God Bless

Brian Mason

Buddhists Repent!

This following came from the website: http://www.english.fgs2.ca/?q=why-buddhists-bow-pray-or-worship-buddha-statue-if-buddhism-does-not-believe-creationism

And the statement is:

“Why Buddhists bow, pray or worship the Buddha statue if Buddhism does not believe in creationism?”

“Buddhists do not bow nor pray to a statue but to the Dharma that the figure represents. Dharma is the law of nature, and Buddhism is a way of life. What the Buddha taught is not just the law of nature but how we live by it. As a matter of fact, one of the principles in a discourse by the Buddha called the Three Reliances states that a Buddhist practitioner should rely on the Dharma and not on a person. The term “worship” is seldom used if not at all in Buddhism because it may cause confusion with its general meaning by other faiths such as Christianity. Worship is a total submission to a master, or a creator and Buddha is not our master nor a creator. He just our supreme and most respectable teacher, one who is fully enlightened. When we pray, we are praying to the Dharma, represented and taught by the Buddha.

Interesting huh?

Buddhists according to this website do NOT BOW OR PRAY to a statue….well google “Buddhists praying/worshiping and you will see many images of the Buddhist bowing to statues!The above article reads; “Buddhists do not bow nor pray to a statue but to the Dharma that the figure represents. However, they are still worshipping what it “represents”! What a spin! Of course, they will not USE the word worship…but be honest, if you bow to a statue you are worshiping it? Just like the Roman Catholics do with the statues of Mary and the Saints!

Please pray for the Buddhist to see the light of Jesus and not a dead Buddha! Jesus is still alive and will judge us all!

Please help the Buddhist graciously and present them with the Gospel of a live Jesus. Not a dead Buddha!

1 Corinthian 12: 2

2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.

Jesus is The Way the TRUTH and the Life!

God Bless

Brian Mason

Do Buddhist’s Worship Buddha?

Many times in my conversations with Buddhist’s they will make statements such as “I don’t worship Buddha”. Or just recently I received this response from a Buddhist: “In buddhism there is no worship, the Dalai Lama kicked out a lot of monk that were worshiping a protector of the dharma, in Asia having a statue or picture of someone and bowing to it or even talking to it is a mean of respect not worshipping, worshipping would be offering yoursefl to someone else.”

Despite many Buddhist websites that actually state they DO worship Buddha, aka also known as Siddhārtha Gautama Shakyamuni, I still get the fringe element or in most cases the Buddhist follower simply does not understand the Buddhist teachings or want to.

To get to the crux of the matter, what is worship?

A dictionary.com definition is as such:

Wor•ship
noun
1. reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage,or to any object regarded as sacred.
2.formal or ceremonious rendering of such honor and homage:They attended worship this morning.
3.adoring reverence or regard: excessive worship of business success.
4.the object of adoring reverence or regard.
5.( initial capital letter ) British . a title of honor used in addressing or mentioning certain magistrates and others of high rank or station (usually preceded by Your, His, or Her ).

So why all the photos of Buddhist’s bowing down to their statues and icons of Buddha? They are worshiping a statue, plainly idol worship! How is bowing down to a statue anything less that idolatry? Buddha is dead. Talking to a statue if not worship would be a sign of severe dysfunction of the brain a real disconnect with reality.

The Apostle Paul said in Romans 1: 24-25:

“Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”

Please pray that the Holy Spirit brings the knowledge of this false teaching and idolatry.

1 Corinthians 10: 4

“Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”

Jesus = Still Alive, Buddha = Dead!

John 14: 6

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 

God Bless

Brian Mason

Beacon Apologetics Is On Facebook!

Please come and join in on the discussion on Facebook. It is a closed group and the only reason it is, is to weed out the spam and nonsense feeds that come our way. We have some very well known Christian Apologists as well as armchair Apologists such as myself there. We do not discriminate on who joins as a healthy discussion is always welcomed!

Please feel free to come by and visit!

God Bless

Brian Mason

https://www.facebook.com/groups/beaconapologetics/

Terminology Tuesday: Pentecost

Pentecost is a term that means fiftieth. This application is the fiftieth day after the Passover. It was the completion of the “feast of weeks” , which started on the third day after the Passover with the offering of the first harvest sheaves to God, and ended with the offering of two loaves of unleavened bread, exhibiting the first fruits of the harvest.

Leviticus 23: 17 (NASB)
17 You shall bring in from your dwelling places two loaves of bread for a wave offering, made of two-tenths of an ephah; they shall be of fine flour, baked with leaven as first fruits to the Lord.

We celebrate Pentecost today as the anniversary of the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Act 2: 40-42 (NASB)
40 And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” 41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. 42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

God Bless
Brian Mason

What Should We Make Of The “Gospel Of Thomas”

The so-called Gospel of Thomas was discovered in 1945 near Nag Hammadi, Egypt. This writing is known as an alternative Gospel. But what validity does it have as being an “alternative” or warrant consideration to be included in the Canon?

Dr. Craig Evans among other intellectuals and Bible Scholars have dated the writing between 175 to 200 AD. This would be around 150 years after the crucifixion of Christ. So the writings regarding Jesus would have no real relevance as the four canonical Gospels were written in the 1st century. In fact, many of the passages of the “Gospel of Thomas” are directly taken from the writings of the New Testament! Since the writing is 150 or so years after Christs’ crucifixion, the Apostle Thomas would have been long dead!

There is a (not good) reason as to why certain people say we should include this writing as a valid Gospel, and that is that it falls into Gnosticism, the teaching of Salvation through self-knowledge. The canon refers to Jesus as our redeemer, the Gnostic idea takes Jesus out of the equation and says that you can achieve salvation through self-knowledge! Sounds very new age doesn’t it?

If you want to read the Gospel of Thomas it is readily available on the internet, and frankly having preposterous verses, you will see all the “borrowings” from the true Gospel and frankly it is boring to read. Look how anti-woman this verse is from the Gospel, not to mention that Jesus would never have made such a statement;

114 Simon Peter said to them: Let Mary go forth from among us, for women are not worthy of the life. Jesus said: Behold, I shall lead her, that I may make her male so that she also may become a living spirit like you males. For every woman who makes herself, male shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.

This so-called gospel is not worthy of consideration for the Canon. Please keep Jesus in your sights, believe in Him for your Salvation!

Revelation 1: 17
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said:“Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

God Bless

Brian Mason