The Political and Ideological Significance of Freemasonry

The establishment (government, law, education and its apparatus) rarely mentions the significance of Freemasonry in the decision making of individual politicians, governments or political parties and the mainstream media also seldom mentions any connection to the status quo or national and international events in relation to freemasonry. Even influences, organisations and topics clearly less influential and smaller than masonry have much more coverage. This can only lead the objective analyst with a conclusion that for some reason or reasons masonry is a deliberately excluded topic by the establishment and mainstream media.

Another conclusion could be that in fact masonry is even much more significant and powerful than even its own history and membership size would suggest.

Freemasons themselves whether individuals or the official representative councils, lodges and literature have made a large effort to broadcast their innocence of any political weight in society. Recently, we have also seen a range of supposedly ‘neutral’ publications by non-Masons, which also make an effort to persuade the public that freemasonry is not revolutionary, nor carrying any political weight and especially and most emphatically, no conspiratorial dealings or agenda.

It is amazing that such a large, ancient and secretive society is portrayed as being so far removed from political events while every other sphere of society and almost every other organisation, has not been accused and regularly connected with hidden agendas, conspiracies and undue political influence. We see that media, multi-national corporations, political parties, parliamentarians, religious groups and even charities have all been accused at one time or another by the main stream academics, analysts and media of pursuing covert interests or at least showing partisanship in their activities. This strange absence should be contrasted with some of the factors which do connect freemasonry to  political and ideological agenda, so that the objective and honest mind can make a judgement on this situation as to whether such a suggestion is a paranoia or firmly founded in ration and observation.

What is it that makes Freemasonry significant politically:-

1 The size of its membership. Masonic sources claim a membership in the UK of 600,000 whereas world membership is estimated at between 4,000,000 – 6,000.000. Such a large membership both nationally and internationally is highly relevant for the affairs of society. This means at least:-

• Such a large size means masonry will have a presence in many spheres of society

• A large amount of people will have a gathering of manpower greater than the establishment forces itself. E.g. The UK membership exceeds the armed forces and police combined.

• A large membership means that almost all geographic locations will have a Masonic presence, even if unknown to the region.

• A large membership allows the leadership of the organisation to raise large funds even with small individual contributions. Large funds enable large projects.

2         The Aims and Objectives of Freemasonry. When we study the aims and objectives of any organization we must consider two things. Firstly, the impact of what they claim to be their aims and objectives and secondly, whether their activities, teachings  and programs are showing those aims and objectives to be true or not. For example, we could have an organization which is ten million strong, if its aims and actions both were consistent in assisting their neighbourhood in welfare activities then it would not be expected to cause much harm. However, if it claimed a welfare aim but then we saw in its teachings and programs that this welfare was highly selective, then we might start to wonder about the wider effects for society. Also if we saw in many cases, that the programs of an organisation in many ways contradicted some of its own statements of policy and came into conflict with other established organisations then we may predict a conflict. Also if we were to look to the aims of an organisation and discover that in fact they oppose many religions, then we would again see the organisation in a new light.

When looking to the aims of masonry we see some inherent problems:-

i)                     The alternating description by masonry itself of what it is and what its aims are.

ii)                    The religious stance of masonry in its declarations and what that means for society and mainstream religion.

iii)                  The contradiction between the declrations of masonry of religion and its own rituals and teachings.

iv)                  The political stance of masonry in society and what that means for society.

3         The scope of the membership of freemasonry. A membership that extends to almost every sphere of society means its expertise and influence can extend to all spheres.

4         The membership ratio of masonry in the ‘elite establishment’ i.e. Royalty, Judiciary, Law enforcement, government

5         The membership of masonry in areas of public need e.g. Medicine

6         The Masonic history in connection with political revolution e.g. France and Italy

7         The relationship of Masonry with Colonial expansion

8         The relationship of freemasonry in the history and symbolism of the world main superpower, the United States of America.

9         The exclusive conditions of membership

10      The secrecy of Freemasonry concerning its hierarchy, its teachings, rituals, membership, symbolism and programs.

11      Its relation with religion:-

i)                     Its replacement of religious beliefs

ii)                    Its replacement of religious rituals

iii)                  Its replacement of religious authority

iv)                  Its replacement of the religious bond

v)                    Its use of religion to motivate its members.

One key issue here is that masonry as a whole has a primary condition of membership of the belief in God, it does not specify a god though. This raises several significant points:-

i)                     It uses the trustworthiness of religious people to achieve its aims. This contradicts Masonry’s claim to divorce religion from its affairs, in fact it proves by its own action that atheism can not be trusted.

ii)                    Masonry usurps the time and manpower from main religion whereas in normal time these people might well be utilised by religious authorities and groups to work for objectives contradicting a Masonic agenda.

iii)                  Masonry shows it possesses a religious viewpoint in accordance with some of the idolatrous religions and occult societies, namely, that god can be worshipped in any form, through any religion and can be called any thing and possess any attributes that the worshipper considers and it will be valid and legitimate. This contradicts the belief in objective and revealed truth taught by Islam, Christianity and Judaism, the worlds main monotheistic religions.

12      The bond of membership. This is highly significant for the cohesiveness of society in general or the cohesiveness of other groups and organisations. The obligations towards fellow members could come into conflict with demands placed by non-Masonic bonds. Rather than enter into the intellectually bankrupt and rationally invalid defence of mentioning Masons who fought each other in wars or masons who co-operated with government etc. We can simply refer to the writings of Masons themselves and the official publications of masonry. Also, with regards to producing examples of Masonic compliance with government against individual masons or specific lodges, we raise the simple point that for the most part, an organisation will have no need to be in conflict with an establishment that the organisation itself controls!

13      The wide geographical location of its lodges and membership.

14      The relation of Masonry with the occult societies, beliefs and teachings.

15      The relation of masonry with democracy. This takes on many dimensions:-

i)                     The unrepresentative membership of masonry (e.g. exclusively men, white, believing in God)

ii)                    The unelected nature of Masonic leadership

iii)                  The support of modern ‘democratic’ political systems by freemasonry in opposition to past religious establishments.

iv)                  The support of freemasonry for non-democratic regimes

v)                    The opposition of the establishment and masonry to have its membership publicly declared. E.g. in UK

16      The relations of masonry with the largest Christian denomination, the Roman Catholic Church. E.g. The several Papal Bulls against masonry.

17       The degrees of Masonry and the opposition in its names to Islam and Muslim history.

All of the above factors when rationally studied and observed demonstrate that Masonry is without doubt politically and ideologically significant.

What should a Muslim do with regards to Masonry in the light of it political and ideological significance?

1 Know it is haram or even kufr to become a freemason

2 To recognise the history of Masonry in the European colonial invasion of the Muslim world

3 To warn others of Masonic conspiracies that appear against Islam and Muslims

4 To recognise that Masonry’s aims are the opposite of Islamic aims

5 To recognise the contradictions within freemasonry which prove that it is not Divine

6 To avoid adopting the Masonic symbolism, concepts, slogans, rituals and terminology which contradict the Islamic belief and laws

7 Not to attribute to Masonry or Masonic Conspiracies a power and threat beyond its reality. That is, although Islam recognises that there are conspiracies and plots, the scope of these plots are limited by their own human weaknesses and by the Plan and Will of Allah (swt).