Who are the Illuminati, and what do they believe in?  Is it a cult?

Sincerely,
Not An Illuminati

Dear Not An Illuminati,

The Illuminati was a Bavarian secret society formed in 1776 in Ingolstadt, Germany.  Similar to the Freemason society, the Illuminati was a secret society with religious, as well as secular, elements to it.  The truth is that the Illuminati and societies that diverged from the Illuminati died out years ago.  It is the pop-fiction industry that has revived the term ‘Illuminati’ by creating conspiracy-theory books that portray the Illuminati as a surviving secret society bent on ushering in a new world order.  These books make for exciting fireside reading, but they are still fiction.  The Illuminati was a cult that existed in Europe several centuries ago, but it no longer is a factor in today’s society.

Can you explain exactly why a christian becoming a Mason is forbidden because I know some men serve both as christian pastors in churches and Freemasons wearing their medals in lodges?

Sincerely,
Double Duty

Dear Double Duty,

Freemasonry is an organization that arose in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries.  The rules of this society are many and exceptionally complex – far too much to be addressed in this particular post.  However, they are definitely a religious organization (regardless of what they might tell you to the contrary).  Their beliefs center around the Bible’s teachings on the building of Solomon’s temple and the role of the masons in that construction.  They use the building of the temple as an allegory for how to live.  This is a perversion of the Scriptures – exactly like what Paul warned us against (Gal 1:6-8).  The Freemasons veil religious beliefs under the guise of an innocent society.  They take a portion of God’s Word and throw out the rest.  This is in contradiction to the Scriptures (Ps 119:160).  A christian should never be a Freemason.

There are those who believe that the two are compatible, but this is typically because they haven’t reached a level of the Masonry organization that reveals the occult and anti-Scripture practices involved in the organization.  Ignorance is the reason for most involvement with Freemasonry, but it isn’t an excuse.  Everyone is responsible for seeking the truth for themselves (Php 2:12) and testing all teaching against Scripture (1 Jn 4:1).

What is Freemasonry?  Is it a false religion?  Is it possible to be a christian and Freemason at the same time??

Sincerely,
Free Bird

Dear Free Bird,

Freemasonry is an organization that arose in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries.  The rules of this society are many and exceptionally complex – far too much to be addressed in this particular post.  However, they are definitely a religious organization (regardless of what they might tell you to the contrary).  Their beliefs center around the Bible’s teachings on the building of Solomon’s temple and the role of the masons in that construction.  They use the building of the temple as an allegory for how to live.  This is a perversion of the Scriptures – exactly like what Paul warned us against (Gal 1:6-8).  The Freemasons veil religious beliefs under the guise of an innocent society.  They take a portion of God’s Word and throw out the rest.  This is in contradiction to the Scriptures (Ps 119:160).  A christian should never be a Freemason.