-III-HUMANISM REVISITED
Humanism" is considered a positive idea by the majority of people. It brings to mind notions such as love of humanity, peace and brotherhood. But, the philosophical meaning of humanism is much more significant: humanism is a way of thinking that posits the concept of humanity as its focus and only goal. In other words, it calls human beings to turn away from Allah our Creator, and concern themselves with their own existence and identity. A common dictionary defines humanism as: "a system of thought that is based on the values, characteristics, and behavior that are believed to be best in human beings, rather than on any supernatural authority."
The clearest definition of humanism, however, has been put forward by those who espoused it. One of the most prominent modern spokesmen for humanism is Corliss Lamont. In his bookThe Philosophy of Humanism,
the author writes:6p[In sum] humanism believes that nature constitutes the sum total of reality, that matter-energy and not mind is the foundation stuff of the universe and that supernatural entities simply do not exist. This nonreality of the supernatural means, on the human level, that men do not possess supernatural and immortal souls; and, on the level of the universe as a whole, that our cosmos does not possess a supernatural and eternal God.
As we can see, humanism is almost identical to atheism. These atheist claims consist of errors and deception contradicted by science too.
There were two important manifestos published by humanists in the last century. The first was published in 1933, and was signed by some important individuals of that time. Forty years later, in 1973, a second humanist manifesto was published which confirmed the first, but contained some additions relative to some developments that had occurred in the meantime. Many thinkers, scientists, writers and members of the media signed the second manifesto, which is supported by the American Humanist Association.
When we examine the manifestos, we find one basic foundation in each of them: the atheist dogma and erroneous ideas such as that the universe and human beings were not created but exist independently, that human beings are not responsible to any other authority besides themselves, and that belief in Allah has retarded the development of individuals and societies. For example, the first six articles of the first Humanist Manifesto are as follows:
First: Religious humanists regard the universe as self-existing and not created.6pSecond: Humanism believes that man is a part of nature and that he has emerged as the result of a continuous process.6pThird: Holding an organic view of life, humanists find that the traditional dualism of mind and body must be rejected.6pFourth: Humanism recognizes that man's religious culture and civilization, as clearly depicted by anthropology and history, are the product of a gradual development due to his interaction with his natural environment and with his social heritage. The individual born into a particular culture is largely molded by that culture.6pFifth: Humanism asserts that the nature of the universe depicted by modern science makes unacceptable any supernatural or cosmic guarantees of human values...6pSixth: We are convinced that the time has passed for theism, deism, modernism, and the several varieties of "new thought."
6pIn the above articles, we see the expression of a common false philosophy that manifests itself under such names as materialism, Darwinism, atheism and agnosticism. In the first article, the materialist dogma of the eternal existence of the universe is put forward. The second article states, as the theory of evolution does, that human beings were not created. The third article denies the existence of the human soul claiming that human beings are composed of matter. The fourth article proposes a "cultural evolution" and denies the existence of a Divinely ordained human nature (a special human nature given in creation). The fifth article rejects Allah's sovereignty over the universe and humanity, and the sixth states that it is time to reject "theism," that is belief in Allah.
It will be noticed that these claims are stereotypical deceptions, typical of those circles that are hostile to true religious morality. The reason for this is that humanism is the main foundation of anti-religious sentiment. This is because humanism is an expression of "man's reckoning that he will be left to go on unchecked," which has been one of the primary bases, throughout history, for the denial of Allah. In one verse of the Qur'an, Allah says:
Does man reckon he will be left to go on unchecked?
Was he not a drop of ejaculated sperm,
then a blood-clot which He created and shaped,
making from it both sexes, male and female?
Is He Who does this not able to bring the dead to life? (Surat al-Qiyama: 36-40)
Allah says that people are not to be "left to go on unchecked," and reminds them immediately afterwards that they are His creation. This is because, when a person realizes that he is a creation of Allah, he understands that he is not "unchecked" but responsible before Allah. For this reason, the mistaken idea that human beings are not created has become the basic doctrine of humanist philosophy. The first two articles of the first Humanist Manifesto give an expression to this doctrine. Moreover, humanists maintain that science supports these claims.
However, they are wrong. Since the first Humanist Manifesto was published, the two premises that humanists have presented as supposedly scientific have collapsed:
1.
The erroneous idea that the universe is eternal was invalidated by a series of astronomical discoveries made when the first Humanist Manifesto was being written. Discoveries such as the fact that the universe is expanding, of cosmic background radiation and the calculation of the ratio of hydrogen to helium, have shown that the universe had a beginning, and that it came to be from nothing some 15-17 billion years ago in a giant explosion called the "Big Bang." Although those who espouse the humanist and materialist philosophy were unwilling to accept the Big Bang theory, they were eventually won over. As a result of the scientific evidence that has come to light, the scientific community has finally accepted the Big Bang theory, that is, that the universe had a beginning, and therefore humanists have no argument. Thus, in the words of the British philosopher Antony Flew:
… the Stratonician atheist has to be embarrassed by the contemporary cosmological consensus. For it seems that the cosmologists are providing a scientific proof of what St. Thomas contended could not be proved philosophically; namely, that the universe had a beginning…
2.
The theory of evolution, the so-called scientific justification behind the first Humanist Manifesto, started to lose ground in the decades after it was written. It is known today that the scenario proposed for the origin of life by atheist (and no doubt humanist) evolutionists, such as A. I. Oparin and J. B. S. Haldane in the 1930's, has no scientific validity; living things cannot be generated spontaneously from non-living matter as proposed by this scenario. The fossil record demonstrates that living things did not develop through a process of small cumulative changes, but appeared abruptly with their distinct characteristics, and this fact has been accepted by evolutionist paleontologists themselves since the 1970's. Modern biology has demonstrated that living things are not the result of chance and natural laws, but that there are in each organism complex systems that are evidence for Creation. (For details refer to Harun Yahya,Darwinism Refuted: How the Theory of Evolution Breaks Down in the Light of Modern Science
)
Moreover, the erroneous claim that religious belief was the factor that prevented humanity from progressing and drew it into conflict has been disproved by historical experience. Humanists have claimed that the removal of religious belief would make people happy and at ease, however, the opposite has proved to be the case. Six years after the first Humanist Manifesto was published, the Second World War broke out, a record of the calamity brought upon the world by the secular fascist ideology. The humanist ideology of communism wreaked, first on the people of the Soviet Union, then on the citizens of China, Cambodia, Vietnam, North Korea, Cuba and various African and Latin American countries, unparalleled savagery. A total of 120 million people were killed by communist regimes or organizations. It is also evident that the Western brand of humanism (capitalist systems) has not succeeded in bringing peace and happiness to their own societies or to other areas of the world.
The collapse of humanism's argument on religion has also been manifested in the field of psychology. The Freudian myth, a corner-stone of the atheist dogma since early twentieth century, has been invalidated by empirical data. Patrick Glynn, of the George Washington University, explains this fact in his book titledGod: The Evidence, The Reconciliation of Faith and Reason in a Postsecular World :
The last quarter of the twentieth century has not been kind to the psychoanalytic vision. Most significant has been the exposure of Freud's views of religion (not to mention a host of other matters) as entirely fallacious. Ironically enough, scientific research in psychology over the past twenty-five years has demonstrated that, far from being a neurosis or source of neuroses as Freud and his disciples claimed, religious belief is one of the most consistent correlates of overall mental health and happiness. Study after study has shown a powerful relationship between religious belief and practice, on the one hand, and healthy behaviors with regard to such problems as suicide, alcohol and drug abuse, divorce, depression, even, perhaps surprisingly, levels of sexual satisfaction in marriage, on the other hand.
In short, the supposed scientific justification behind humanism has been proven invalid and its promises vain. Nevertheless, humanists have not abandoned their philosophy, but rather, in fact, have tried to spread it throughout the world through methods of mass propaganda. Especially in the post-war period there has been intense humanist propaganda in the fields of science, philosophy, music, literature, art and cinema. The attractive but hollow messages created by humanist ideologues have been insistently imposed upon the masses. The song "Imagine," by John Lennon, soloist of one of the most popular music group of all times,the Beatles
, is an example of this (Surely Allah is beyond that):6pImagine there's no heavenIt's easy if you tryNo hell below usAbove us only skyImagine all the peopleLiving for today... Imagine there's no countriesIt isn't hard to doNothing to kill or die forAnd no religion too... You may say I'm a dreamerBut I'm not the only oneI hope someday you'll join usAnd the world will be as one6pThis song is a good indication of the sentimentality with which humanism, lacking any scientific or rational foundation, is imposed on the masses. Humanism produces, and can produce, no rational objection to religion or the truths it teaches, but attempts to employ suggestive methods such as these, which it regards as efficacious.
When the promises of the 1933 I. Humanist Manifesto proved vain, forty years passed after which humanists presented a second draft. At the beginning of the text was an attempt to explain why the first promises had come to nothing. Despite the fact that this explanation was extremely weak, it demonstrated the enduring attachment of humanists to their atheist philosophy.
The most obvious characteristic of the manifesto was its preservation of the anti-religious line of the 1933 manifesto: (Surely Allah is beyond the expressions in the extract below.)
As in 1933, humanists still believe that traditional theism, especially faith in the prayer-hearing God, assumed to live and care for persons, to hear and understand their prayers, and to be able to do something about them, is an unproved and outmoded faith… We believe ...that traditional dogmatic or authoritarian religions that place revelation, God, ritual, or creed above human needs and experience do a disservice to the human species... As nontheists, we begin with humans not God, nature not deity.
6pThese statements consist of humanist nonsense and represent a very superficial explanation. In order to understand religion, one first needs the intelligence and understanding to be able to grasp profound ideas. The predisposition must be sincerity and the avoidance of prejudice. Instead, humanism is nothing more than the attempt of some individuals, who are passionately atheistic and antireligious from the outset, to portray this prejudice as being, in their own eyes, rational. And these endeavors are doomed never to bear fruit.
However, humanists’ irrational and illogical claims regarding faith in Allah and monotheistic religions are nothing new; they are a restatement of a mistaken claim that has been made for thousands of years by those who reject Allah. In the Qur'an, Allah explains this age-old argument propounded by the unbelievers:6pYour God is One God. As for those who do not believe in the hereafter, their hearts are in denial and they are puffed up with pride.
There is no doubt that Allah knows what they keep secret and what they make public. He does not love people puffed up with pride.
When they are asked, "What has your Lord sent down?" they say, "Myths and legends of previous peoples." (Surat an-Nahl: 22-24)
As revealed in these verses, the real reason for the unbelievers' rejection of religion is the arrogance hidden in their hearts. The philosophy called humanism is merely the outward manner by which this age rejects Allah. In other words, humanism is not a new way of thinking, as those who espouse it claim; it is an age-old, antiquated world-view common to those who reject Allah out of arrogance.
When we look at the progress of humanism in European history, we will discover many solid proofs for this assertion.
THE ROOTS OF HUMANISM IN THE KABBALAH
We have seen that certain terms in the Kabbalah contain a false doctrine that dates back to Ancient Egypt, and that was later included into the true religion Allah revealed to the Israelites. We have also seen that its foundation rests upon a perverse way of understanding that regards human beings as uncreated though divine creatures that have existed for eternity.
Humanism entered Europe from this source. Christian belief was based on the existence of Allah, and the belief that human beings were His dependent servants created by Him. But, with the spread of the Templar tradition throughout Europe, the Kabbalah began to attract a number of philosophers. So, in the fifteenth century, a current of humanism began that left an indelible mark on the European world of ideas.
This connection between humanism and the Kabbalah has been emphasized in several sources. One of these sources is the book of the famous author Malachi Martin entitledThe Keys of This Blood.
Martin is professor of history at the Vatican's Pontifical Bible Institute. He says that the influence of the Kabbalah can be clearly observed among the humanists:6pIn this unaccustomed climate of uncertainty and challenge that came to mark early-Renaissance Italy, there arose a network of Humanist associations with aspirations to escape the overall control of that established order. Given aspirations like that, these associations had to exist in the protection of secrecy, at least at their beginnings. But aside from secrecy, these humanist groups were marked by two other main characteristics.6pThe first was that they were in revolt against the traditional interpretation of the Bible as maintained by the ecclesiastical and civil authorities, and against the philosophical and theological underpinnings provided by the Church for civil and political life…
Not surprisingly given such an animus, these associations had their own conception of the original message of the Bible and of God's revelation. They latched onto what they considered to be an ultrasecret body of knowledge, agnosis
, which they based in part on cultic and occultist strains deriving from North Africa - notably, Egypt - and, in part, on the classical JewishKabbala….
Italian humanists bowdlerized the idea ofKabbala
almost beyond recognition. They reconstructed the concept ofgnosis
, and transferred it to a thoroughly this-wordly plane. The specialgnosis
they sought was a secret knowledge of how to master the blind forces of nature for a sociopolitical purpose
6pIn short, the humanist societies formed in that period wanted to replace the Catholic culture of Europe with a new culture that had its roots in the Kabbalah. They aimed to create a sociopolitical change to bring this about. It is interesting that, besides the Kabbalah, at the source of this new culture were the doctrines of Ancient Egypt. Prof. Martin writes:
Initiates of those early humanist associations were devotees of the Great Force - the Great Architect of the Cosmos - which they represented under the form of the Sacred Tetragrammaton, YHWH ….[humanists] borrowed other symbols - the Pyramid and the All Seeing Eye - mainly from Egyptian sources.
It is quite interesting that humanists make use of the concept of "the Great Architect of the Universe," a term still used by Masons today. This indicates that there must be a relationship between humanists and Masons. Prof. Martin writes:6pIn other northern climes, meanwhile, a far more important union took place, with the humanists. A union that no one could have expected.6pIn the 1300s, during the time that the cabalist-humanist associations were beginning to find their bearings, there already existed - particularly in England, Scotland and France - medieval guilds of men …
No one alive in the 1300s could have predicted a merger of minds between freemason guilds and the Italian humanists….
The new Masonry shifted away from all allegiance to Roman ecclesiastical Christianity. And again, as for the Italian occultist humanists, the secrecy guaranteed by the tradition of the Lodge was essential in the circumstances.
The two groups had more in common than secrecy, however. From the writings and records of speculative Masonry, it is clear that the central religious tenet became a belief in the Great Architect of the Universe - a figure familiar by now from the influence of Italian humanists…The Great Architect was immanent to and essentially a part of the material cosmos, a product of the "enlightened" mind.
There was no conceptual basis by which such a belief could be reconciled with Christianity. For precluded were all such ideas as sin, Hell for punishment and Heaven for reward, and eternally perpetual Sacrifice of the Mass, saints and angels, priest and pope.
6pIn short, in Europe, in the fourteenth century, a humanist and Masonic organization was born that had its roots in the Kabbalah. And, this organization did not regard Allah as the Jews, Christians and Muslims did: the Creator and Ruler of the whole universe and the only Lord and God of humanity. Instead, they used a different concept, such as the "Great Architect of the Universe," which they perceived as being "part of the material universe."
In other words, this secret organization, that appeared in Europe in the fourteenth century, rejected Allah, but, under the concept of "the Great Architect of the Universe," accepted the material universe as a supposed divinity (Surely Allah is beyond that).
For a clearer definition of this corrupt belief, we can jump forward to the twentieth century and look at Masonic literature. For example, one of Turkey's most senior Masons, Selami Isindag, has a book entitledMasonluktan Esinlenmeler
(Inspirations from Freemasonry). The purpose of this book is to train young Masons. Concerning the Masons' belief in the "Great Architect of the Universe," he has this to say:6pMasonry is not godless. But the concept of God they have adopted is different from that of religion. The god of Masonry is an exalted principle. It is at the apex of the evolution. By criticizing our inner being, knowing ourselves and deliberately walking in the path of science, intelligence and virtue, we can lessen the angle between him and us. Then, this god does not possess the good and bad characteristics of human beings. It is not personified. It is not thought of as the guide of nature or humanity. It is the architect of the great working of the universe, of its unity and harmony. It is the totality of all the creatures in the universe, a total power encompassing everything, an energy. Despite all this, it cannot be accepted that it is a beginning… this is a great mystery.
6pIn the same book, it is clear that when Freemasons speak of the "Great Architect of the Universe," they mean nature, or, that they worship nature:
Apart from nature there can be no power responsible for our thought or our activities…The principles and doctrines of Masonry are scientific facts based on science and intelligence. God is the evolution. An element of it is the power of nature. So the absolute reality is the evolution itself and the energy that encompasses it.
The magazineMimar Sinan
, a publishing organization especially for Turkish Freemasons also gives expression to the same Masonic philosophy:
The Great Architect of the Universe is a leaning toward eternity. It is an entering into eternity. For us, it is an approach. It entails the on-going search for absolute perfection in eternity. It forms a distance between the current moment and the Thinking Freemason, or, consciousness.
6pThis is the belief the Masons mean when they say, "we believe in Allah, we absolutely do not accept atheists among us." According to Masonry’s perverted beliefs, it is not Allah, but naturalist and humanist concepts such as nature, evolution and humanity regarded as supposedly divine.6pWhen we look briefly at Masonic literature, we may begin to see that this organization is nothing more than organized humanism, as well as recognize that its aim is to create throughout the whole world a secular, humanist order. These ideas were born among the humanists of fourteenth century Europe; present-day Masons still propose and defend them.
MASONIC HUMANISM:THE WORSHIP OF HUMANITY
The internal publications of the Masons describe in detail the humanist philosophy of the organization and their hostility to monotheism. There are countless explanations, interpretations, quotations and allegories offered on this subject in Masonic publications.
As we said at the beginning, humanism has turned its face from the Creator of humanity and makes the mistake of regarding man as "the highest form of being in the universe." In fact, this implies the worship of humanity. This belief, that began with the Kabbalist humanists in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, continues so irrationally today in modern Masonry.
One of the fourteenth century's most famous humanists was Pico della Mirandola. His work entitledConclusiones philosophicae, cabalisticae, et theologicae
was condemned by Pope Innocent VIII in 1489 as containing heretical ideas. Mirandola wrote that there is nothing in the world higher than the glory of mankind. The Church saw this as a heretical idea that was nothing less than the worship of humanity. Indeed, this was a heretical idea because there is no other being to be glorified except Allah. Humanity is merely His creation.
Today, Masons proclaim Mirandola's heretical idea of the worship of humanity much more openly. For example, in a local Masonic booklet, it says:
Primitive societies were weak and, because of this weakness, they divinized the power and phenomena around them. But Masonry divinizes only humanity.
InThe Lost Keys of Freemasonry,
Manly P. Hall explains that this Masonic humanist doctrine goes back to Ancient Egypt:6pMan is a god in the making, and as in the mystic myths of Egypt, on the potter's wheel, he is being molded. When his light shines out to lift and preserve all things, he receives the triple crown of godhood, and joins that throng of Master Masons, who in their robe of Blue and Gold, are seeking to dispel the darkness of night with the triple light of the Masonic Lodge.
According to the false belief of Masonry, human beings are gods, but only a grand master reaches the fullness of this divinity (Surely Allah is beyond that). The way to become a grand master is to fully reject the belief in Allah and the fact that human beings are His servants. Another writer, J.D. Buck, touches on this in his bookMystic Masonry
:
The only personal God Freemasonry accepts is humanity in toto . Humanity therefore is the only personal god that there is.
6pEvidently, Masonry is a kind of religion. But, it is not a monotheistic religion; it is a humanist religion and, therefore, a false religion. It is a perversion that enjoins the worship of humanity, not of Allah. Masonic writings insist on this point. In an article in the magazineTurk Mason
(The Turkish Mason), it says, "We always acknowledge that the high ideal of Masonry lies in 'Humanism' doctrine."
6pAnother Turkish publication explains that humanism is a religion:
Far from dry sermons on religious dogmas, but a genuine religion. And our humanism in which the meaning of life takes root, will satisfy the longings that youth are not aware of.
How do the Masons serve this false religion they believe in? To see this, we must look a little more closely at the messages that they disseminate to society.
HUMANIST MORAL THEORY
Today, Masons in many countries are engaged in an effort to introduce themselves to the rest of society. Using press conferences, Internet sites, newspaper advertisements and statements, they describe themselves as an organization solely dedicated to the good of society. In some countries there are even charitable organizations supported by Masons.
The same thing is said by the Rotary and Lion's Club organizations, which are "light" versions of Masonry. All of these organizations insist that they are working for the good of society.
Certainly, to work for the good of society is not an undertaking to be discouraged, and we have no objection to it. But, behind their claim there is a deceptive message. Masons claim that there can be morality without religion, and that a moral world can be established without religion. And, the intention behind all their charitable work is to spread this message in society.
We will see shortly why this claim is so deceitful. But, before that, it will be useful to consider the views of Masons on this subject. On the Masons' Internet site, the possibility of "morality without religion" is described in this way:6pWhat is human? Where does he come from and where is he going?... How does a person live? How does he have to live? Religions try to answer these questions with the help of moral principles that they have set. However they relate their principles with metaphysical concepts like God, heaven, hell, worship. And people have to find their principles of life without being involved in metaphysical problems, which they need to believe in without comprehending. Freemasonry has been declaring these principles for centuries as freedom, equality, brotherhood, the love of working and peace, democracy, etc. These release a person totally from the religious creeds but still give a principle of life. They search their bases not in metaphysical concepts but inside a mature person living on this earth.
Masons who think in this way are totally opposed to a person believing in Allah and performing acts of charity to gain His approval. For them, everything must be done only for the sake of humanity. We can clearly discern this way of thinking in a book published by the Turkish lodges:6pMasonic morality is based on love for humanity. It totally rejects being good through hope for the future, a benefit, a reward, and paradise, out of fear of another person, a religious or political institution, unknown supernatural powers… It only espouses and exalts being good in relation to the love for family, country, human beings and humanity. This is one of the most significant aims of Freemasonic evolution. To love people and to be good without expecting something in return and to reach this level are the great evolution.
The claims in the above quotation are highly misleading. Without the moral discipline of religion there can be no sense of self-sacrifice for the rest of society. And, where this would appear to be accomplished, relationships are merely superficial. Those who have no sense of religious morality have no fear of Allah or respect for Him, and in those places where there is no fear of Allah, human beings are concerned only for their own gain. When people think that their personal interests are at stake, they cannot express true love, loyalty or affection. They show love and respect only to those who may be of benefit to them. This is because, according to this misconception of theirs, they are in this world only once and, therefore, will take as much from it as they can. Moreover, according to this false belief, there is no retribution for any dishonesty or evil they commit in the world.
Masonic literature is full of moral sermons which try to obfuscate this fact. But, actually, this morality without religion is nothing but sham rhetoric. History is full of examples to show that, without the self-discipline that religion confers upon the human spirit, and without Divine law, true morality cannot in any way be established.
A striking example of this was the great French Revolution of 1789. The Masons, who fomented the revolution, came forth with slogans shouting the moral ideals of "liberty, equality and fraternity." Yet, tens of thousands of innocent people were sent to the guillotine, and the country soaked in blood. Even the leaders of the revolution themselves could not escape this savagery, but were sent to the guillotine, one after the other.
In the nineteenth century, communism was born from the error of the possibility of morality without religion, and with even more disastrous results. Communism supposedly demanded a just, equal society in which there was no exploitation and, to this end, proposed the abolition of religion. However, in the twentieth century, in places such as the Soviet Union, the Eastern Bloc, China, Indo-China, several countries in Africa and Central America, it subjected people to dreadful misery. Communist regimes murdered an incredible number of people; the total number nears about 120 million.52 Moreover, contrary to what has been claimed, justice and equality have never been established in any communist regime; the communist leaders in charge of the state comprised a class of elites. (In his classic book entitledThe New Class,
the Yugoslavian thinker Milovan Djilas, explains that the communist leaders, known as "nomenklatura," formed a "privileged class" contrary to the claims of communism.)
Also today, when we look within Masonry itself, which is constantly pronouncing its ideas of "service to society" and "sacrifice for humanity," we do not find a very clean record. In many countries, Masonry has been the focus of relationships for ill-gotten material gain. In the P2 Masonic Lodge scandal of Italy in the 1980's, it came to light that the Masons maintained a close relationship with the mafia, and that the directors of the lodge were engaged in activities such as arms-smuggling, the drug trade or money laundering. It was also revealed that they arranged assaults on their rivals and on those who had betrayed them. In the "Great Eastern Lodge Scandal" of France in 1992, and in the "Clean Hands" operation in England, reported in the English press in 1995, the activities of Masonic lodges in the interests of illegal profit became clear. The Masons' idea of "humanist morality" is only a sham.
That such a thing should happen is inevitable, because, as we said at the beginning, morality is only established in society by the moral discipline of religion. At the basis of morality lies the absence of arrogance and selfishness, and the only ones who can achieve this state are those who realize their responsibility to Allah. In the Qur'an, after Allah tells of believers' self-sacrifice, He commands "…It is the people who are safe-guarded from the avarice of their own selves who are successful." (Surat al-Hashr: 9). This is the true basis of morality.
In the Sura Furqan of the Qur'an, the nature of the morality of true believers is described in this way:6pThe servants of the All-Merciful are those who walk lightly on the earth and, who, when the ignorant speak to them, say, "Peace";
those who pass the night prostrating and standing before their Lord...
those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor mean, but take a stance mid way between the two;
those who do not call on any other god together with Allah and do not kill anyone Allah has made inviolate, except with the right to do so, and do not fornicate...
those who do not bear false witness and who, when they pass by worthless talk, pass by with dignity;
those who, when they are reminded of the Signs of their Lord, do not turn their backs, deaf and blind to them. (Surat al-Furqan: 63-73)
That is, the basic duty of believers is to submit to Allah in humility, "not to turn their backs, as if they were deaf and blind when they are reminded of His signs." Because of this duty, a person is saved from the selfishness of the ego, worldly passions, ambitions, and the concern to make himself liked by others. The kind of morality mentioned in the verses above is attained by these means alone. For this reason, in a society lacking in love and fear of Allah and faith in Him, there is no morality. Since nothing can be determined absolutely, each determines what is right and wrong according to his own desires.
Actually, the primary aim of Masonry's secular-humanist moral philosophy is, not to establish a moral world, but to establish a secular world. In other words, Masons do not espouse the philosophy of humanism because they grant a high importance to morality, but only to transmit to society their notion that religion is not necessary.
THE MASONIC GOAL: TO ESTABLISH A HUMANIST WORLD
As we have already seen, Masons are tied to humanist philosophy. That is why they reject faith in Allah, and the worship of human beings, or the veneration of "humanity" in His place (Surely Allah is beyond that). But, this raises an important question: do Masons reserve this belief for themselves only, or do they wish it to be adopted by others as well?
When we look at Masonic writings, we can clearly see the answer to this question: the goal of this organization is to spread the humanist philosophy throughout the world, and to eradicate the monotheistic religions (Islam, Christianity and Judaism).
For example, in an article published in the Masonic magazineMimar Sinan,
it says, "Masons do not search for the origin of the ideas of evil, justice and honesty beyond the physical world, they believe that these things arise from a person's social conditions, social relationships and what he strives for in his life." and adds, "Masonry is trying to spread this idea throughout the whole world."
Selami Isindag, a senior Turkish Mason, writes:6pAccording to Masonry, in order to rescue humanity from a morality of the supernatural based on religious sources, it is necessary to establish a morality that is based on love for humanity which is not relative. In its traditional moral principles, Masonry has taken into account the tendencies of the human organism, its needs and their satisfaction, the rules of social life and their organization, conscience, freedom of thought and speech and, finally, all the things that go into the formation of natural life. Because of this, its goal is to establish and foster human morality in all societies.
6pWhat Master Mason Isindag means by "rescuing human beings from a morality based on religious sources" is the alienation of all people from religion. In the same book, Isindag explains this goal and its supposed "principles for the establishment of an advanced civilization":
Masonry's positive principles are necessary and sufficient for the establishment of an advanced civilization. They are:
-The acceptance that the impersonal God (the Great Architect of the Universe) is evolution itself.
-The rejection of the belief in revelation, mysticism and empty beliefs.
-The superiority of rational humanism and labor.
The first of the three articles above entails the rejection of the existence of Allah. (Masons do not believe in Allah, but in the Great Architect of the Universe, and the above quotation shows that with this term, they mean evolution.) The second article rejects revelation from Allah and religious knowledge based on it. (Isindag himself defines this as "empty beliefs.") And the third article ignorantly exalts humanism and the humanist concept of "labor" (as in Communism).
If we consider how entrenched these perverted ideas have become in the world today, we can appreciate the influence of Masonry in it.
There is another important thing to take note of here: how has Masonry put into motion its mission against religion? When we look at Masonic writings, we see that they imagine they can destroy religion, especially on the societal level, by means of mass "propaganda." Master Mason Selami Isindag throws a lot of light on this matter in this passage from his book:
…Even overly repressive regimes have not been successful in their attempts to destroy the institution of religion. Indeed, the harsh excesses of political methods, in their attempt to enlighten society by rescuing people from empty religious faith and dogmas produced an adverse reaction: the places of worship they wanted close are today fuller than ever, and the faith and dogmas that that they outlawed have even more adherents. In another lecture we pointed out that in such a matter that touches heart and emotion, prohibition and force have no effect. The only way to bring people from darkness to enlightenment is positive science and the principles of logic and wisdom. If people are educated according to this way, they will respect the humanist and positive sides of religion but save themselves from its vain beliefs and dogmas.
In order to understand what is meant here, we have to analyze it carefully. Isindag says that repression of religion will make religious people more highly motivated and will strengthen religion. Therefore, in order to prevent religion from being strengthened, Isindag thinks Masons should destroy religion on the intellectual level. What he means by "positive science and principles of logic and wisdom" is not really science, logic or wisdom. What he means is merely a humanist, materialist philosophy that uses these catch-phrases as camouflage, as in the case of Darwinism. Isindag asserts that, when these ideas are disseminated in society, "only the humanist elements in religion will gain respect," that is, what will be left of religion will be only those elements approved by the humanist philosophy. In other words, they want to reject the basic truths that lie at the foundation of monotheistic religion (Isindag calls them vain beliefs and dogmas). These truths are the ultimate realities such as that man is created by Allah and is responsible to Him.
It is clear that Isindag and the Masons who share his ideas are in a state of serious error.
In short, Masons aim at destroying the elements of faith that constitute the essence of religion. They want to reduce the role of religion as merely a cultural element that in their view should express its ideas on a number of general moral questions. The way to accomplish this, according to the Masons, is to impose atheism on the society in the guise of supposed positive science and reason. Ultimately though, their goal is to remove religion from its position as even a cultural element, and establish a totally atheist world.
In an article by Isindag, in the magazineMason,
entitled "Positive Science–The Obstacles of Mind and Masonry," he says:
As a result of all this, I want to say that the most important humanistic and Masonic duty of us all is not to turn away from science and reason, to acknowledge that this is the best and only way according to evolution, to spread this faith of ours among people and to educate the people in positive science. The words of Ernest Renan are very important: "If the people are educated and enlightened by positive science and reason, the vain beliefs of religion will collapse by themselves." Lessing's words support this view: "If human beings are educated and enlightened by positive science and reason, one day there will be no need for religion."
This is Masonry's ultimate goal. They want to destroy religion completely, and establish a humanist world based on the "sacredness" of humanity. That is, they want to establish a new order of ignorance, in which people reject Allah Who created them, and consider themselves Divine… This goal is the purpose for the existence of Masonry. In the Masonic magazine calledAyna
(Mirror), this is called a "Temple of Ideas":
Modern Masons have changed the goal of the old Masons to build a physical temple into the idea of building a "Temple of Ideas." The construction of a Temple of Ideas will be possible when Masonic principles and virtues are established and such wise people increase on the earth.
To further this goal, Masons work tirelessly in many countries of the world. The Masonic organization is influential in universities, other educational institutions, in the media, in the world of art and ideas. It never ceases in its efforts to disseminate its humanist philosophy in society and to discredit the truths of the faith that is the basis of religion. We will see later that the theory of evolution is one of Masons' principal means of propaganda. Moreover, they aim to build a society that does not mention even the name of Allah or religion, but caters only to human pleasure, desires and worldly ambition. This will be a society formed by people who have "made (Allah) into something to cast disdainfully behind their backs" (Surah Hud: 92), similar to the people of Madyan mentioned in the Qur'an. In this culture of ignorance there is no room for the fear or love of Allah, doing His will, performing acts of worship, nor is there any thought for the hereafter. In fact, these ideas are thought to be old-fashioned and characteristic of uneducated people. This deceptive message is being constantly used for indoctrination in films, comic strips and novels.
In this great enterprise of deception, the Masons continually play a leadership role. But, there are also many other groups and individuals engaged in the same work. Masons accept them as "honorary Masons," and count them as their allies because they are all one in their shared humanist philosophy. Selami Isindag writes:
Masonry also accepts this fact: In the outside world there are wise people who, although they are not Masons, espouse Masonic ideology. This is because this ideology is wholly an ideology of human beings and of humanity.
This persistent battle against religion relies on two basic arguments or justifications: the materialist philosophy and Darwin's theory of evolution.
In the following chapters we will examine these two justifications, their origin and their relationship to Masonry. Then, we will be able to understand more clearly the behind-the-scenes of these lies that have influenced the world since the nineteenth century
-IV- MATERIALISM REVISITED
In the first chapter of this book, we looked at the regime of Pharaoh in Ancient Egypt and came to some important conclusions about its philosophical underpinnings. The most interesting feature of Ancient Egyptian thought, as we said, is that it was materialist, that is, posited the belief that matter is eternal and uncreated. In their bookThe Hiram Key,
Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas have some important things to say on this matter that are worth repeating:6pThe Egyptians believed that matter had always existed; to them it was illogical to think of a god making something out of absolutely nothing. Their view was that the world began when order came out of chaos, and that ever since there has been a battle between the forces of organization and disorder…This chaotic state was called Nun, and like the Sumerian …descriptions …, all was a dark, sunless watery abyss with a power, a creative force within it that commanded order to begin. This latent power which was within the substance of the chaos did not know it existed; it was a probability, a potential that was intertwined within the randomness of disorder.
There is a striking similarity between the myths of Ancient Egypt and modern materialist thinking. A hidden reason for this interesting fact is that, there is a modern organization that has adopted these Ancient Egyptian beliefs, and aims to establish them throughout the world. This organization is Masonry…
MASONS AND ANCIENT EGYPT
The Ancient Egyptian materialist philosophy continued to exist after this civilization disappeared. It was adopted by certain Jews and kept alive within Kabbalist doctrine. On the other hand, a number of Greek thinkers adopted the same philosophy, and reinterpreted it and perpetuated it as the school of thought known as "Hermeticism."
The word Hermeticism comes from the name of Hermes, the Greek counterpart for the Ancient Egyptian god "Thoth." In other words, Hermeticism is the Ancient Greek version of Ancient Egyptian philosophy.
Master Mason Selami Isindag explains the origins of this philosophy and its place in modern Masonry:
In Ancient Egypt there was a religious society that bequeathed a system of thought and belief to Hermeticism. Masonry held something similar to this. For example, those who had come to a certain level attended ceremonies of the society, revealed their spiritual thoughts and feelings and trained those who were at a lower level. Pythagoras was a Hermeticist trained among them. Again, the organization and the philosophical systems of the Alexandrian school and of Neoplatonism had their origins in Ancient Egypt and there are some significant similarities between them and Masonic rites.
Isindag is much more overt about the influence of Ancient Egypt on the origins of Masonry when he declares, "Freemasonry is a social and ritual organization whose beginnings go back to Ancient Egypt."
6pMany other Masonic authorities maintain that the origins of Masonry go back to secret societies of ancient pagan cultures, such as those of Ancient Egypt and Greece. A senior Turkish Mason, Celil Layiktez, stated in an article inMimar Sinan
magazine entitled, "The Masonic Secret: What is Secrecy and What is Not?":
In Ancient Greek, Egyptian and Roman civilizations there were mystery schools (écoles de mystères) which met in the context of a particular science, gnosis or secret knowledge. Members of these mystery schools were accepted only after a long period of study and initiation ceremonies. Among these schools, the first is thought to have been the school of "Osiris" based on the events of this god's birth, youth, struggle against darkness, death and resurrection. These themes were ritually dramatized in ceremonies performed by clergy and in this way the rituals and symbols being presented were much more effective because of the actual participation…
Years later, these rites formed the first circles of a series of initiated brotherhoods that would continue under the name of Masonry. Such brotherhoods always established the same ideals and, when under oppression, were able to lead their lives secretly. They were able to survive to the present-day because they continually changed their names and their forms. But they remained faithful to ancient symbolism and their particular character and passed their ideas on to each other as a legacy. In order to mitigate against the possibility that their established ideas may threaten the establishment, they established secret laws among themselves. In order to protect themselves from the wrath of ignorant people, they took refuge in Operative Masonry which contained the discreet rules of their own trade. They inseminated this with their ideas which later influenced the formation of the modern Speculative Masonry we know today.
6pIn the above quotation, Layiktez praises the societies that were the origin of Masonry, and claims they kept themselves hidden to protect themselves from "ignorant people." If we can leave aside this subjective claim for a moment, we can understand from the quotation above that Masonry is a present-day representation of societies that were founded in the ancient pagan civilizations of Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece and Rome. Of these three civilizations, the oldest is Egypt; it is possible, therefore, to say that the main source of Masonry is Ancient Egypt. (We saw earlier that basic connection between this pagan tradition and modern Masons is the Templars.)
It is necessary to recall at this point that Ancient Egypt was one of the most referred to examples of a godless system as revealed by Allah in the Qur'an. It is the true archetype of an evil system. Many verses relate to us of the pharaohs that governed Egypt and their inner-circles, their cruelty, injustice, wickedness and excesses. Moreover, the Egyptians were a perverse people, that acquiesced to the system of their pharaohs, and believed in their false gods.
Despite this, Masons maintain that their origins lie in Ancient Egypt, and regard that civilization as praiseworthy. An article published inMimar Sinan
praises the temples of Ancient Egypt as the "source of Masonic craft":
…The Egyptians founded Heliopolis (the Sun City) and Memphis and according to Masonic legend, these two cities were the source of knowledge and science, that is, as the Masons would say "Great Light." Pythagoras, who visited Heliopolis, had much to say about the temple. The Memphis temple where he had been trained has historical significance. In the city of Thebes there were advanced schools. Pythagoras, Plato and Cicero were initiated into Masonry in these cities.
Masonic writings do not laud Ancient Egypt merely in broad terms; they express praise and sympathy for the pharaohs who governed that cruel system. In another article fromMimar Sinan
magazine it is stated:6pThe basic duty of the pharaoh was to find Light. To exalt Hidden Light in a much more vivid and powerful way….As we Masons are trying to construct the Temple of Solomon, so did the Ancient Egyptians try to build Ehram, or the House of Light. The ceremonies performed in the temples of Ancient Egypt were divided into several degrees. These degrees had two sections, small and great. The small degree was divided into one, two and three; after these the Great degrees began.
It can be seen from this that the "light" which the pharaohs of ancient Egypt and Masons search for is the same This can also be interpreted as suggesting that Masonry is a modern representative of the philosophy of the Egyptian pharaohs. The nature of this philosophy is revealed by Allah in the Qur'an in the judgment He passed over Pharaoh and his people: "They are a people of deviators." (Surat an-Naml: 12)
In other verses, the godless system of Egypt is described in this way:6pPharaoh called to his people, saying, "My people, does the kingdom of Egypt not belong to me? Do not all these rivers flow under my control? Do you not then see?" (Surat az-Zukhruf: 51)
In that way he swayed his people and they succumbed to him. They were a people of deviators. (Surat az-Zukhruf: 54)
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN SYMBOLS IN MASONIC LODGES
One of the most important things that establishes the relation between Ancient Egypt and the Masons is their symbols.
Symbols are very important in Masonry. Masons reveal the true meaning of their philosophy to their members through allegory. A Mason, who advances stage by stage through the 33 degrees of the Masonic hierarchy, learns new meanings for each symbol at every stage. In this way, members descend step by step into the depths of Masonic philosophy.
An article inMimar Sinan
magazine describes this function of their symbols:6pWe all know that Masonry expresses its ideas and ideals by means of symbols and stories, that is, allegories. These stories go back to the first ages of history. We can even say that they stretch back to legends of prehistory. In this way, Masonry has shown the antiquity of its ideals and has gained a rich source of symbols.
The conceptions of the Ancient Egyptians are the most prominent of these symbols and legends, that stretch back to the first ages of history. Everywhere in Masonic lodges, and frequently in Masonic publications, drawings of pyramids and sphinxes and hieroglyphs can be found. In an article inMimar Sinan
magazine, about the ancient sources of Masonry, it states:
If we choose Ancient Egypt as the "most ancient" I don't think we will be mistaken. Moreover, the fact that the ceremonies, degrees and philosophy found in Ancient Egypt are most similar to those in Masonry draws our attention there first.
Again, an article inMimar Sinan
entitled "The Social Origins and Aims of Freemasonry" says:
In ancient times in Egypt, the initiation ceremonies in the temple of Memphis lasted a long time, were performed with the greatest attention and splendor, and showed many similarities to Masonic ceremonies.
Let us examine a few examples of the relationship between Ancient Egypt and Masonry:
THE PYRAMID UNDER THE EYE
The most well known Masonic symbol is found on the seal of the United States of America, also found on the one-dollar bill. On this seal there is a half pyramid above which sits an eye within a triangle. This eye within the triangle is a symbol constantly found in Masonic lodges and all Masonic publications. A great number of the writings that deal with the subject of Masonry stress this fact.
The pyramid below the eye in the triangle attracts relatively little notice. However, this pyramid is extremely meaningful and enlightening for the understanding of the philosophy of Masonry. An American author, Robert Hieronimus, wrote a doctoral thesis on the United States' seal in which he provided some very important information. The title of Hieronimus' thesis was "An Historic Analysis of the Reverse of the American Great Seal and Its Relationship to the Ideology of Humanist Psychology." His thesis shows that the founders of America, who originally adopted the seal, had been Masons, and that they, therefore, espoused the humanist philosophy. The connection of this philosophy with Ancient Egypt is symbolized by the pyramid placed in the center of the seal. This pyramid is a representation of the Pyramid of Cheops, the largest of the Pharaoh's tombs.
THE MASONIC MEANING OF THE SIX POINTED STAR
Another well-known symbol of Masonry is the six pointed star, formed by the imposition of one triangle over another. This is also a traditional symbol of the Jews, and today appears on the flag of Israel. It is known that the Prophet Solomon (pbuh) used it as a seal for the first time. Therefore the six-pointed star is a seal of a prophet, a Divine symbol.
But, Masons have a different conception. They do not accept the six-pointed star as a symbol of the Prophet Solomon (pbuh), but as a symbol of Ancient Egyptian paganism. An article inMimar Sinan
entitled "Allegory and Symbols in our Rituals" relates a number of interesting facts about this matter:
An equilateral triangle with three points equidistant from one another show that these values are equivalent. This symbol adopted by the Masons is known as the Star of David; it is a hexagram formed by the imposition of one equilateral triangle on another. Today it is known as the symbol of Judaism and appears on the flag of Israel. But actually, the origin of this symbol is in Ancient Egypt….This emblem was first created by the Templar Knights which they began to use as symbolism in wall decoration in their churches. This is because they were the first ones to discover in Jerusalem some important facts about Christianity. After the Templars were disposed of, this emblem began to be used in synagogues. But in Masonry, we no doubt use this symbol in the universal sense that it had in Ancient Egypt. In this sense, we have combined two important forces together. If you erase the upper and lower bases of the two equilateral triangles, you will find this rare symbol that you know very well.
Actually, we must interpret all Masonic symbols in relation to Solomon's Temple in this way. As revealed in the Qur'an, like other prophets, the Prophet Solomon (pbuh) was a blessed prophet who some wished to slander. In a verse of the Qur'an, Allah says, "They follow what the satans recited in the reign of Solomon. Solomon did not become unbeliever, but the satans did…" (Surat al-Baqara: 102)
Masons have adopted this corrupt idea mistakenly attributed to the Prophet Solomon (pbuh). For this reason, they afford him an important place in their doctrines. In his bookThe Occult Conspiracy
, the American historian Michael Howard says that, since the Middle Ages, the Prophet Solomon (pbuh) (Allah forbid) has been regarded by various ignorant people as a magician and as one who introduced some pagan ideas into Judaism.
Howard explains that the Masons regard the Temple of Solomon as being in their eyes a "pagan temple," and as important for this reason.
6pThis false image fabricated against the Prophet Solomon (pbuh), who was a devout and obedient servant of Allah, shows the true origins of Masonry.
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Author: Harun Yahya
