Page 164 - Global Freemasonry

GLOBAL FREEMASONRY

teenth centuries. Masonry began to spread to other countries outside Eu-
rope, in second half of the nineteenth century, and, everywhere it went, it
became the center for anti-religious philosophies and activities.
An article entitled "Politics and Freemasonry," that appeared in
Mimar Sinan, maintains the following about the struggle against religion:
Along with not being a political party, Freemasonry became organized
in the beginning of the eighteenth century into a social institution of in-
ternational scope in tune with political and social currents. In order to
help sects in their attempt to exercise religious freedom, Freemasonry

engaged in a struggle against the power and influence of the clergy in
the attempt to achieve their sole aim of toppling the Church's power
and influence over the people. For this reason, in 1738 and 1751 it was
declared godless by the Pope… In those countries that adopted the prin-
ciples of religious freedom, Freemasonry was a mysterious and secret
society only in name; in these countries it was both ignored and encour-
aged, found members among the middle class and high officials who
had time and means, and installed leading state officials in positions of
leadership in its own organizations. In southern countries where every-
one had to be a Catholic, they maintained their character as a secret,
forbidden, revolutionary organization subject to legal surveillance. In
these countries free-thinking young people, and officers discontent with
government administration, began to enter Masonic lodges and so revo-
lutionary plans were initiated and directed against those regimes of
Spain, Portugal and Italy that were under the domination of the Vati-
can. 120
There is no doubt that here the Masonic writer is using language fa-
voring his own organization when he states that Masonry is fighting a
war against church domination. But, when we examine the matter more
closely, we see that in many countries, that same "domination" was con-
venient for regimes founded or supported by Masons. Therefore, we may

easily recognize that Masonry's claim to be fighting against "domination"
is pretense. Despite the fact that the Church—because Christianity had

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