Oaths and Masonry

There are some that object to Masonry on the grounds that we take oaths before g-d. Well, a quick search of the bible (which these objectors worship rather than g-d) shows a remarkable consistency of APPROVAL of oaths and promises, many be g-d to man.

Oaths:

Genesis 14:22
But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD , God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath

Genesis 21:31
So that place was called Beersheba, [ 21:31 [Beersheba] can mean [ well of seven or well of the oath ] . ] because the two men swore an oath there.

Genesis 24:7
"The LORD , the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father's household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, 'To your offspring [ 24:7 Or [ seed ] ] I will give this land'-he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there.

Genesis 24:8
If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there."

Genesis 24:9
So the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.

Genesis 24:37
And my master made me swear an oath, and said, 'You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,

Genesis 24:41
Then, when you go to my clan, you will be released from my oath even if they refuse to give her to you-you will be released from my oath.'

Genesis 25:33
But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.

Genesis 26:3
Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.

Genesis 26:31
Early the next morning the men swore an oath to each other. Then Isaac sent them on their way, and they left him in peace.

Genesis 26:33
He called it Shibah, [ 26:33 [ Shibah ] can mean [ oath ] or seven . ] and to this day the name of the town has been Beersheba. [ 26:33 [ Beersheba ] can mean [ well of the oath or well of seven ] . ]

Genesis 31:53
May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us." So Jacob took an oath in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac.

Genesis 50:5
'My father made me swear an oath and said, "I am about to die; bury me in the tomb I dug for myself in the land of Canaan." Now let me go up and bury my father; then I will return.' "

Genesis 50:24
Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."

Genesis 50:25
And Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath and said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place."

Exodus 13:11
"After the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as he promised on oath to you and your forefathers,

Exodus 13:19
Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear an oath. He had said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place." [ 13:19 See Gen. 50:25. ]

Exodus 22:11
the issue between them will be settled by the taking of an oath before the LORD that the neighbor did not lay hands on the other person's property. The owner is to accept this, and no restitution is required.

Exodus 33:1
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants.'

Leviticus 5:4
" 'Or if a person thoughtlessly takes an oath to do anything, whether good or evil-in any matter one might carelessly swear about-even though he is unaware of it, in any case when he learns of it he will be guilty.

Numbers 5:19
Then the priest shall put the woman under oath and say to her, "If no other man has slept with you and you have not gone astray and become impure while married to your husband, may this bitter water that brings a curse not harm you.

Numbers 5:21
here the priest is to put the woman under this curse of the oath-"may the LORD cause your people to curse and denounce you when he causes your thigh to waste away and your abdomen to swell. [ 5:21 Or [ causes you to have a miscarrying womb and barrenness ] ]

Numbers 11:12
Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their forefathers?

Numbers 11:20
but for a whole month-until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it-because you have rejected the LORD , who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?" ' "

Numbers 14:16
'The LORD was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath; so he slaughtered them in the desert.'

Promise

Genesis 9:1
So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.[9:1 Compare Genesis 1:28]

Genesis 12:1
Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you.

Genesis 15:1
After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."

Genesis 17:1
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.

Genesis 18:1
Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre,[18:1 Hebrew [Alon Mamre] ] as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day.

Exodus 6:1
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh. For with a strong hand he will let them go, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land."

Exodus 12:25
It will come to pass when you come to the land which the LORD will give you, just as He promised, that you shall keep this service.

Exodus 23:20
"Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.

Exodus 33:12
Then Moses said to the LORD, "See, You say to me, "Bring up this people.' But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, "I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.'

Leviticus 26:1
"You shall not make idols for yourselves; neither a carved image nor a sacred pillar shall you rear up for yourselves; nor shall you set up an engraved stone in your land, to bow down to it; for I am the LORD your God.
(Whole Chapter: Leviticus 26 In context: Leviticus 26:1-2)

Numbers 10:29
Now Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel[10:29 Septuagint reads [Raguel ] (compare Exodus 2:18) .] the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, "We are setting out for the place of which the LORD said, "I will give it to you.' Come with us, and we will treat you well; for the LORD has promised good things to Israel."

Numbers 14:40
And they rose early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain, saying, "Here we are, and we will go up to the place which the LORD has promised, for we have sinned!"

Deuteronomy 1:11
May the LORD God of your fathers make you a thousand times more numerous than you are, and bless you as He has promised you!

Deuteronomy 6:3
Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly as the LORD God of your fathers has promised you--"a land flowing with milk and honey.'[6:3 Exodus 3:8]

Deuteronomy 9:28
lest the land from which You brought us should say, "Because the LORD was not able to bring them to the land which He promised them, and because He hated them, He has brought them out to kill them in the wilderness."

Deuteronomy 10:9
Therefore Levi has no portion nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, just as the LORD your God promised him.)

Deuteronomy 11:1
"Therefore you shall love the LORD your God, and keep His charge, His statutes, His judgments, and His commandments always.

Deuteronomy 12:20
"When the LORD your God enlarges your border as He has promised you, and you say, "Let me eat meat,' because you long to eat meat, you may eat as much meat as your heart desires.

Deuteronomy 15:6
For the LORD your God will bless you just as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you.

Deuteronomy 19:8
"Now if the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as He swore to your fathers, and gives you the land which He promised to give to your fathers,

Deuteronomy 23:23
That which has gone from your lips you shall keep and perform, for you voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God what you have promised with your mouth.

Deuteronomy 26:18
Also today the LORD has proclaimed you to be His special people, just as He promised you, that you should keep all His commandments,

Deuteronomy 27:3
You shall write on them all the words of this law, when you have crossed over, that you may enter the land which the LORD your God is giving you, "a land flowing with milk and honey,'[27:3 Exodus 3:8] just as the LORD God of your fathers promised you.

Deuteronomy 29:1
These are the words of the covenant which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which He made with them in Horeb.

Joshua 9:21
And the rulers said to them, "Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for all the congregation, as the rulers had promised them."

Joshua 21:43
So the LORD gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it.

Joshua 22:4
And now the LORD your God has given rest to your brethren, as He promised them; now therefore, return and go to your tents and to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side of the Jordan.

Joshua 23:5
And the LORD your God will expel them from before you and drive them out of your sight. So you shall possess their land, as the LORD your God promised you.

Joshua 23:10
One man of you shall chase a thousand, for the LORD your God is He who fights for you, as He promised you.

Joshua 23:15
Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all the good things have come upon you which the LORD your God promised you, so the LORD will bring upon you all harmful things, until He has destroyed you from this good land which the LORD your God has given you.

2 Samuel 7:1
Now it came to pass when the king was dwelling in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies all around,

2 Samuel 7:28
"And now, O Lord GOD, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant.

1 Kings 2:24
Now therefore, as the LORD lives, who has confirmed me and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has established a house[2:24 That is, a royal dynasty] for me, as He promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today!"

1 Kings 5:12
So the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as He had promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty together.

1 Kings 8:20
So the LORD has fulfilled His word which He spoke; and I have filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised; and I have built a temple for the name of the LORD God of Israel.

1 Kings 8:24
You have kept what You promised Your servant David my father; You have both spoken with Your mouth and fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day.

1 Kings 8:25
Therefore, LORD God of Israel, now keep what You promised Your servant David my father, saying, "You shall not fail to have a man sit before Me on the throne of Israel, only if your sons take heed to their way, that they walk before Me as you have walked before Me.'

1 Kings 8:56
"Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses.

1 Kings 9:1
And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished building the house of the LORD and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he wanted to do,

1 Kings 9:5
then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, "You shall not fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.'

2 Kings 8:19
Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah, for the sake of His servant David, as He promised him to give a lamp to him and his sons forever.

1 Chronicles 17:1
Now it came to pass, when David was dwelling in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under tent curtains."

1 Chronicles 17:26
And now, LORD, You are God, and have promised this goodness to Your servant.

2 Chronicles 1:9
Now, O LORD God, let Your promise to David my father be established, for You have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.

2 Chronicles 6:10
So the LORD has fulfilled His word which He spoke, and I have filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised; and I have built the temple for the name of the LORD God of Israel.

2 Chronicles 6:15
You have kept what You promised Your servant David my father; You have both spoken with Your mouth and fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day.

2 Chronicles 6:16
Therefore, LORD God of Israel, now keep what You promised Your servant David my father, saying, "You shall not fail to have a man sit before Me on the throne of Israel, only if your sons take heed to their way, that they walk in My law as you have walked before Me.'

2 Chronicles 7:1
When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.[7:1 Literally [house] ]

2 Chronicles 20:1
It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites,[20:1 Following Masoretic Text and Vulgate; Septuagint reads [Meunites ] (compare 26:7).] came to battle against Jehoshaphat.

2 Chronicles 21:7
Yet the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that He had made with David, and since He had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever.

Ezra 10:19
And they gave their promise that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they presented a ram of the flock as their trespass offering.

Nehemiah 5:12
So they said, "We will restore it, and will require nothing from them; we will do as you say." Then I called the priests, and required an oath from them that they would do according to this promise.

Nehemiah 5:13
Then I shook out the fold of my garment[5:13 Literally [my lap] ] and said, "So may God shake out each man from his house, and from his property, who does not perform this promise. Even thus may he be shaken out and emptied." And all the assembly said, "Amen!" and praised the LORD. Then the people did according to this promise.

Esther 4:7
And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king's treasuries to destroy the Jews.

Psalm 77:8
Has His mercy ceased forever? Has His promise failed forevermore?

Psalm 101:1
I will sing of mercy and justice; To You, O LORD, I will sing praises.

Psalm 105:42
For He remembered His holy promise, And Abraham His servant.

Proverbs 6:1
My son, if you become surety for your friend, If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,

Isaiah 9:1
Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, As when at first He lightly esteemed The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more heavily oppressed her, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles.

Isaiah 42:14
"I have held My peace a long time, I have been still and restrained Myself. Now I will cry like a woman in labor, I will pant and gasp at once.

Isaiah 54:1
"Sing, O barren, You who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, You who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate Than the children of the married woman," says the LORD.

Jeremiah 30:1
The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
(Whole Chapter: Jeremiah 30 In context: Jeremiah 30:1-2)

Jeremiah 32:42
"For thus says the LORD: "Just as I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will bring on them all the good that I have promised them.

Jeremiah 33:1
Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the prison, saying,

Jeremiah 33:14
"Behold, the days are coming,' says the LORD, "that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah:

Haggai 2:15
"And now, carefully consider from this day forward: from before stone was laid upon stone in the temple of the LORD--

Matthew 14:7
Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.

Mark 14:11
And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.

Luke 1:72
To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant,

Luke 22:6
So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.

Luke 24:49
Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem[24:49 NU-Text omits [of Jerusalem.] ] until you are endued with power from on high."

John 7:37
On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.

John 14:15
"If you love Me, keep[14:15 NU-Text reads [you will keep.] ] My commandments.

Acts 1:4
And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me;

Acts 2:33
Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

Acts 2:39
For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."

Acts 7:5
And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him.

Acts 7:17
"But when the time of the promise drew near which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt

Acts 13:23
From this man's seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior--Jesus--[13:23 M-Text reads [for Israel salvation.] ]

Acts 13:32
And we declare to you glad tidings--that promise which was made to the fathers.

Acts 23:21
But do not yield to them, for more than forty of them lie in wait for him, men who have bound themselves by an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you."

Acts 26:6
And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers.

Acts 26:7
To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.

Romans 1:2
which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures,

Romans 4:13
For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Romans 4:14
For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect,

Romans 4:16
Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all

Romans 4:20
He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,

Romans 4:21
and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

Romans 9:4
who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises;

Romans 9:8
That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

Romans 9:9
For this is the word of promise: "At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son."[9:9 Genesis 18:10, 14]

Romans 15:8
Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers,

2 Corinthians 1:20
For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

2 Corinthians 7:1
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2 Corinthians 9:5
Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation.

Galatians 3:14
that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Galatians 3:15
Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man's covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it.

Galatians 3:16
Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, "And to seeds," as of many, but as of one, "And to your Seed,"[3:16 Genesis 12:7; 13:15; 24:7] who is Christ.

Galatians 3:17
And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ,[3:17 NU-Text omits [in Christ.] ] that it should make the promise of no effect.

Galatians 3:18
For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

Galatians 3:19
What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.

Galatians 3:21
Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.

Galatians 3:22
But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

Galatians 3:29
And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Galatians 4:23
But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise,

Galatians 4:28
Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.

Ephesians 1:13
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

Ephesians 2:12
that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

Ephesians 3:6
that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,

Ephesians 6:2
"Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise:

1 Timothy 4:8
For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

2 Timothy 1:1
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ[1:1 NU-Text and M-Text read [Christ Jesus.] ] by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

Titus 1:2
in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,

Hebrews 4:1
Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.

Hebrews 6:12
that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Hebrews 6:13
For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself,

Hebrews 6:15
And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

Hebrews 6:17
Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath,

Hebrews 7:6
but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.

Hebrews 8:6
But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

Hebrews 9:15
And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Hebrews 10:36
For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:

Hebrews 11:9
By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;

Hebrews 11:11
By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child[11:11 NU-Text omits [she bore a child.] ] when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.

Hebrews 11:13
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them,[11:13 NU-Text and M-Text omit [were assured of them.] ] embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Hebrews 11:17
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

Hebrews 11:33
who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

Hebrews 11:39
And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise,

Hebrews 12:26
whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake[12:26 NU-Text reads [will shake.] ] not only the earth, but also heaven."[ Haggai 2:6]

James 1:12
Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

James 2:5
Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

2 Peter 1:4
by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

2 Peter 2:19
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.

2 Peter 3:1
Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder),

2 Peter 3:4
and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation."

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us,[3:9 NU-Text reads [you.] ] not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:13
Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

1 John 2:25
And this is the promise that He has promised us--eternal life.

Swear

Genesis 21:23
Now therefore, swear to me by God that you will not deal falsely with me, with my offspring, or with my posterity; but that according to the kindness that I have done to you, you will do to me and to the land in which you have dwelt."

Genesis 21:24
And Abraham said, "I will swear."

Genesis 24:3
and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell;

Genesis 24:37
Now my master made me swear, saying, "You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell;

Genesis 25:33
Then Jacob said, "Swear to me as of this day." So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.

Genesis 47:31
Then he said, "Swear to me." And he swore to him. So Israel bowed himself on the head of the bed.

Genesis 50:5
"My father made me swear, saying, "Behold, I am dying; in my grave which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me." Now therefore, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will come back."'

Genesis 50:6
And Pharaoh said, "Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear."

Leviticus 5:4
"Or if a person swears, speaking thoughtlessly with his lips to do evil or to do good, whatever it is that a man may pronounce by an oath, and he is unaware of it--when he realizes it, then he shall be guilty in any of these matters.

Leviticus 6:3
or if he has found what was lost and lies concerning it, and swears falsely--in any one of these things that a man may do in which he sins:

Leviticus 19:12
And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.

Numbers 30:2
If a man makes a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

Joshua 2:12
Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the LORD, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father's house, and give me a true token,

Joshua 2:17
So the men said to her: "We will be blameless of this oath of yours which you have made us swear,

Joshua 2:20
And if you tell this business of ours, then we will be free from your oath which you made us swear."

Joshua 23:7
and lest you go among these nations, these who remain among you. You shall not make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause anyone to swear by them; you shall not serve them nor bow down to them,

Judges 15:12
But they said to him, "We have come down to arrest you, that we may deliver you into the hand of the Philistines." Then Samson said to them, "Swear to me that you will not kill me yourselves."

1 Samuel 24:21
Therefore swear now to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name from my father's house."

1 Samuel 30:15
And David said to him, "Can you take me down to this troop?" So he said, "Swear to me by God that you will neither kill me nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to this troop."

2 Samuel 19:7
Now therefore, arise, go out and speak comfort to your servants. For I swear by the LORD, if you do not go out, not one will stay with you this night. And that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now."

1 Kings 1:13
Go immediately to King David and say to him, "Did you not, my lord, O king, swear to your maidservant, saying, "Assuredly your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne"? Why then has Adonijah become king?'

1 Kings 1:51
And it was told Solomon, saying, "Indeed Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon; for look, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, "Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword."'

1 Kings 2:42
Then the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, "Did I not make you swear by the LORD, and warn you, saying, "Know for certain that on the day you go out and travel anywhere, you shall surely die'? And you said to me, "The word I have heard is good.'

1 Kings 22:16
So the king said to him, "How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?"

2 Chronicles 18:15
So the king said to him, "How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?"

Why do you type "G-d" instead of "God"?


just curious

JHVH

Research the Hebrew language Axeman, your answer lies there.

[edit on 7/29/04 by Khonsu]

I cannot speak for the poster, but there are people that believe that the name of the Lord should not be said, thus the notation of "G-d" is used. There was a comedy movie made about a crime fighting Jewish rabbi, and part of the title was "G-d"...

Others say that His name is Jehovah, and some say Yahweh

...I like to call Him "Father"

It is disrespectful to speak of him except with that awe and reverence due from the creature to his creator, and when addressing him as g-d, it is his name.

Originally posted by theron dunnThere are some that object to Masonry on the grounds that we take oaths before g-d. Well, a quick search of the bible (which these objectors worship rather than g-d) shows a remarkable consistency of APPROVAL of oaths and promises, many be g-d to man.

Great post, but I think we have different meanings for..... a quick search :wink:

Well done TD, a very honorable, and intelligent arguement, not much of an arguement mind you, because you left very little/no way for anyone to rebut you LOL.

Well, when you use a digital bible, everything is a quick search...

Thanks for your kind words. Its so easy to refute the hatemongers with facts.

I don't get it.
Some people claim that mason-members do what exactly?
And why is listing every single oath and promise that God or people in the bible ever made a good way to show these people that they are wrong?
The bible is partly historical/objective, it's not one big set of rules or examples...

I think you're missing the point here. What those "anti masonry" people probably ment, is that in masonry your priorities are supposed to shift. You have to become loyal to your new club. I think Christians just don't approve of being unconditionally loyal to anyone but God.
And yes I am a Christian as well, but I don't think I know enough about masonry to start a huge discussion about it.
From what I heard, true Christians are usually not part of that club, and the other way around. But maybe I heard wrong.

Edit: murdered the typo-ape untill it was dead

[edit on 31-7-2004 by Jakko]

Originally posted by Jakko
I don't get it.
Some people claim that mason-members do what exactly?

Well, there are a whole host of lies about masonry. One is that Masons worship the devil, which is funny in a sad way, since 99% of the masons in the United States are Christians.

Another is that the oaths we take are sacriligious, hence the over 200 examples of oaths in the bible. Some folks are so blinded by hate and paranoia that even facts don't convince them.

Some claim that Masons are behind some kind of world government. Well, most masons I have met can barely organize a lunch box, no less the whole world.

Some claim that since our meetings are not open to the general public that we are plotting or doing some manner of evil in the meetings. Plain fact is, most meetings are business of the lodge, and boring as heck. We actually argue about the color of the new furniture, what kind of lightbulbs to buy, what to have for dinner... you know, really mundane stuff.

And why is listing every single oath and promise that God or people in the bible ever made a good way to show these people that they are wrong?

Well, that is an interesting question. The etiology of this post was the hatemongers that claim to be christians that post "let your yes be yes and your no no..." from the bible as if it refuted or condemned a man for taking an obligation. This is, of course, foolish, since marriage is an oath before god, and one of the more... common promises that is commonly broken.

The bible is partly historical/objective, it's not one big set of rules or examples...

Well, actually, it IS one big set of rules and examples of how to live your life.

II think you're missing the point here. What those "anti masonry" people probably ment, is that in masonry your priorities are supposed to shift.

If that is what they (you) think, then you have no idea what masonry is about. As a mason I promise to aid and assist a brother, to answer summonses and recognize a brother, to keep his secrets as my own, murder and treason excepted, to obey the rules of my grand lodge and to keep certain masonic secrets... secret. Nothing nefarious, nothing evil, nothing that superceeds any other obligation or duty I may have. In fact, one principle guarantee in masonry and in my obligation is that masonry will not interfere with the duty I own to god, my country, my neighbor, my family or myself. It appertains to freemasonry alone.

Therefore, the argument that freemasonry replaces, superceeds or obviates my other duties is based on a lack of information.

You have to become loyal to your new club. I think Christians just don't approve of being unconditionally loyal to anyone but God.

Well, then, they are being deliberately ignorant, since all masons will tell you GOD comes before masonry, as does your country, your community, your family and yourself.

And yes I am a Christian as well, but I don't think I know enough about masonry to start a huge discussion about it. From what I heard, true Christians are usually not part of that club, and the other way around. But maybe I heard wrong.

Yes, and you see, that is why I post here, and posted this thread in particular. 99% of the masons in the United States ARE Christians.

I hope this helps. And if you have any questions about Masonry, please, feel free to add them to this or another thread. Fighting ignorance is what this site is about!

Okay well thanks for clearing everything up then.
I think you're wrong about "the bible is one set of rules/examples" thing, but maybe that's not something to discuss in this thread.

I was wondering, where do all these "anti-masonry" people get their flawed info?
Could it be that where you go to, things are a little bit different then the masonry club somewhere else?
Just like with any religion/cult/club there are bright and fair people, and there are ignorant retards. Just like the ignorant Christians give my religion in general a bad name, could it be that some ignorant/evil persons gave masonry a bad name?
It happens very rarely that people just start hate mongering against a group without any reason for it. I am not saying a few ignorants are a good reason for us to start hate-mongering, I am just saying maybe what people say is not based on lies, but based on individuals that give masonry a bad name?

Originally posted by theron dunn
Another is that the oaths we take are sacriligious, hence the over 200 examples of oaths in the bible. Some folks are so blinded by hate and paranoia that even facts don't convince them.

theron - What's your point? Are you defending oaths in general or criticizing the notion of oaths in the Bilbe? As for me, yes I will swear an oath to God and Jesus. I noticed in some of your posts that you sidestep the idea of Jesus as Lord and Saviour by answering about belief in God, yet you promptly respond that 99% of masons are Christians. Any oath that undermines ones belief in God is bad and that can be found in scripture. Theron, I'm curious, do you consider yourself to be a Chrsitian and if so, what role does Jesus play in your life?

Commonsense, you wrote:

theron - What's your point? Are you defending oaths in general or criticizing the notion of oaths in the Bilbe?

Hmmm, perhaps you should go back and read what I wrote. I am defending taking oaths, and doing so in one way, by offering as proof that there is nothing wrong with taking an oath, over 200 examples from the bible, with citations, that show there is nothing wrong with taking an oath. Even g-d has offered His word as an oath to carry out certain acts.

As for me, yes I will swear an oath to God and Jesus. I noticed in some of your posts that you sidestep the idea of Jesus as Lord and Saviour by answering about belief in God, yet you promptly respond that 99% of masons are Christians.

Only in response to someone that posted that Christians chan't be masons. On point reply, not a diverstion.

Any oath that undermines ones belief in God is bad and that can be found in scripture.

if you can find where I wrote differently, I would be very interested in seeing a citation. Since Masonry does not do this, I can't understand why you would post this except to derail the point of this thread.

Theron, I'm curious, do you consider yourself to be a Chrsitian and if so, what role does Jesus play in your life?

As to my faith, that is not germaine to this discussion, so my relationship with g-d, the church I attend, and how I worship him is not a subject for discussion. Some folks like to wear their christianity on their sleeve, I do not believe in doing so.

Jakko, you wrote:

I was wondering, where do all these "anti-masonry" people get their flawed info?

From each other. Ignorance is bliss, and rumors abound where there is no true information. A man named Leo Taxil wrote a number of highly imaginative articles about masonry in the 1700's, in an effort to make a fool out of the Catholic Hierarchy, which he successfully did. He eventually confessed to the hoax, but masonic critics have used his lies as ammunition against us, lacking any real substantive materials.

Why do they do this? Heck, I don't know. Lack of a real life, extreme paranoia, a desire to create a disturbance... why do people light fires and then sit back and watch? Why do some commit rape? Why do little minded folks hate jews? Who knows... more to the point, who cares? My point in posting on boards like this is to show that the truth is other than these mean spirited hatemonger and trolls would have you believe.

Could it be that where you go to, things are a little bit different then the masonry club somewhere else?

There are MINOR differences, but I know masons all over the world, and MASONRY, that tie which binds us all together, is the same everywhere.

Just like with any religion/cult/club there are bright and fair people, and there are ignorant retards.

Sure, but freemasonry, unlike the Rotary, Elks, Moose, Odd Fellows, interviews potential members and investigates them BEFORE admitting them, and has a justice system within itself that will summarily eject a brother for acting in a manner that is beneath the dignity and teachings of masonry. I have yet to meet a man in masonry that is an ignorant lunk or a retard...

Just like the ignorant Christians give my religion in general a bad name, could it be that some ignorant/evil persons gave masonry a bad name?

That is an interesting question. The answer is, of course, no (I think). You see, when you really examine the three or four arguments that masonic critics always use, it comes down to a lack of facts, or a deliberate misrepresenation of the existing and true facts. The being the case, how can you take these folks seriously? They are a danger to masonry only in their own minds, and now that we, Masons, are stepping up to the plate, so to speak, and showing the truth, they are being recognized for the ignorant hateful lumps they really are...

Three years ago if you have put Freemason into any search engine, you would have come up with 10,000 hate sites. today, if you do the same, you will come up with 100,000 pro masonic sites and a handfull of crackpot aliens are with us, secret world government religious nut sites, all mirroring each others's lies. And some are even worse than that... FW to name just one.

The truth shall set you free, and a part of what I am doing as a Mason is posting the truth about Masonry, not to convert anyone, for that is not possible, but to show those that are looking for the truth that the truth is NOT in the masonic critics mouths. They will generally lie, cheat, defaud, defame, attack, in a word, do ANYTHING evil in the name of the g-d they claim to worship to injure masonry.

But the truth is like a shinning beacon, and they cannot hide now that we are rising and shining that beacon on them. Some have even gone so far as to threaten to take our lives, our livelihoods, to stalk us, to file false police reports in our names, and to harrass us for simply speaking the truth. Now, if they had truth on their side, why would they need to resort to all manner of evil?

No, masonry is composed of the best and most honorable men I have ever known. Now, have we had a few bad ones in masonry? Yes, of course. Have we acted when we found them? YES. Do we try to keep them out? YES!

It happens very rarely that people just start hate mongering against a group without any reason for it. I am not saying a few ignorants are a good reason for us to start hate-mongering, I am just saying maybe what people say is not based on lies, but based on individuals that give masonry a bad name?

No, not really. If you take a look at their arguments, and I sincerely suggest that you do... for looking at their methods and words will surely convict them. Do some of them have sincerely held beliefs? Sure. Some folks sincerely believe the world is flat... that doesn't make them right.

quote: Just like the ignorant Christians give my religion in general a bad name, could it be that some ignorant/evil persons gave masonry a bad name?

during the roughly 300 year public history of the Masonic order i am fairly
sure that there have been acts by individuals that have been laid to the order,
a couple come to my mind that have been dreged up over and over again. neither of them are of recent history.

that being said The Masonic Order is one of the most Honorable organizations i know of.


as for a source of misinformation there are people like Steven Knight, the author
of the most horrible Holmes novel blaming the masons for the Jack the Ripper
murders, and his other equally horrible writings.

there is Jack Chick,Mike Warnke,Bill Schnoebelen, David Brown ,Eric Pryor,
and many others of their ilk.

[edit on 1-8-2004 by stalkingwolf]

Theron . . .

Still wondering, you say that %99 of masons are christian. What is Christ to the masons? You say that this is not part of the discussion, but it most certainly seems valid in my view . . .

. . . Peace

Just great!
So you quote 100+ examples of these 'oaths' that are supposed to mean something?
Is this an attempt at justifying Masonry's secret and twisted doctrine and distracting those who may have the common sense to question the entire concept of this organization to the highest levels?

This post would only apply and serve to deceive those who take the bible to be anything more than a compilation of fireside stories and general manipulations put together over the centuries for the sole purpose of world domination population control. Otherwise, it is meaningless and your post is nothing more than smoke and mirrors.

The bible is not about GOD who created this world or JESUS who died and will save all of you from eternal hell but a cleverly devised set of stories and intricate secrets that reveal the very truths behind the existence of the earth and its inhabitants. It's all about the Nephilim and the eventual attempts at regaining control over the planet and its people. These I believe are components of the real secrets behind Masonry and other societies dating back over the centuries (Knights Templar, Rosicrucians, Priory of Zion, etc., etc.). All secrets to be closely guarded or risk the unthinkable - loss of control.

Knowledge is power.

Look at it - more people are governed, manipulated, coersced, controlled and killed due to this concept called 'religion' than anything else we experience. Nothing else even comes close! How clever it is and yet we dare not question it.

Oh sure, there are doctors and lawyers and police officers and teachers and ministers and others who possess membership within the Mason fraternity and I am sure they are all really good people. But that is where it stops with them. They are not privy to the real truths and secret agendas behind masonry, and perhaps you yourself have been deceived?

You will dispute this to no end as you have unfortunately taken an 'oath' to do so. You dare not break your oath to this effect or should something terrible happen to you. I am curious as to what would happen to a Mason who has taken an oath of secrecy and then breaks that promise?

And come on, tell the WHOLE truth....no secrets now!

GOD and JESUS are creations of a society of folk that had clever and misguided intentions on devising a means at maintaining absolute control over the word and its people.
Nothing more.

Let the fireworks begin

Originally posted by The Merovingian
GOD and JESUS are creations of a society of folk that had clever and misguided intentions on devising a means at maintaining absolute control over the word and its people.
Nothing more.

Wether or not Jesus was the son of God, historical evidence allready takes down your ignorant comments about Jesus being a creation of any human being. Sadly a lot of people think Christianity is a conspiracy, when the truth is all other religions are conspiracies against Christianity.

I do not think this thread was ment to take this direction, but I can't let you say such things without interfearing.

Originally posted by petey_pongo23
I cannot speak for the poster, but there are people that believe that the name of the Lord should not be said, thus the notation of "G-d" is used. There was a comedy movie made about a crime fighting Jewish rabbi, and part of the title was "G-d"...

Others say that His name is Jehovah, and some say Yahweh

...I like to call Him "Father"

At seminary we learned that the Abramic priesthood fostered the idea that not only was it bad to say the name of the lord (which no one knew so his modicum was just as bad: GOD) but that it was bad to even write it out.

So far as "Yahweh, that comes from the Tanakh, where the secret name of giod is known to a few, and as early Aramiac as well as Hebrew and malheb did not use vowel pints, it was spelled YHWH. The idea that the missing vowels would spell "YaHWeH" is not known, but when the Septuagint Scholars translated the Hebrew word YHWH to the Greek equivalent, JVHV, and the Greek teachers filled in the missing vowels and came up with "JeHoVa." The "Father" comes from both the Aramaic, the common language of 1st century Palestine, which was the language spoken by the Diciples (along with Greek of course), Jesus in Mark and the Synoptics calls god "Abba" which means actually "Daddy" as "Father" in this role would be a somewhat different word. (Of course Jesus also referd to god as "Eloi" which as we all know if the ancient Judaic word for "god of the mountains." In the 5th century, when Jerome translated the new testament from the Greek Septugint, he transcribed Abba to be "Pater", the Vulgar word for "Father." Hence "Pater Knoster" etc.

The Merovingian wrote:
You will dispute this to no end as you have unfortunately taken an 'oath' to do so. You dare not break your oath to this effect or should something terrible happen to you. I am curious as to what would happen to a Mason who has taken an oath of secrecy and then breaks that promise?

And come on, tell the WHOLE truth....no secrets now!

Nothing. Period. Oh,you might be kicked out of the fraternity. The oath is about honor, integrity, truth... something that seems to be a foreign concept to some. Masonry demands these things from her members... we promised to aid and assist each other, to keep the secrets of a brother, murder and treason excepted, to answer all signs and summonses, to obey the rules and regulations of Masonry...

The penalites are symbolic,and no one has ever been subjected to them except in their own minds...

Originally posted by theron dunn
It is disrespectful to speak of him except with that awe and reverence due from the creature to his creator, and when addressing him as g-d, it is his name.

Theron, I don't disagree with you, but I think there is a deeper truth here. All of the names we use for the Deity are cover words. A human being cannot name God, because God is inherently ineffable. The fallacy lies in thinking that when one says "God" one has somehow encompassed the nature of the Deity... we cannot so do. For this reason, I think it's appropriate and points the way to write "G-d," but the writer should also understand that assuming that we can ever have knowledge of the nature of the Deity per se is idolatry.

we can never even begin to grasp the nature of g-d...