Not only is Freemasonry a religion, its highest authorities claim that it is superior to Christianity. Freemasonry is considered to be the highest and purest form of religion:
"Freemasonry is not Christianity, nor a substitute for it. It does not meddle with sectarian creeds or doctrines, but teaches fundamental religious truth." (Albert G. Mackey, "Encyclopedia of Freemasonry," page 162)
Christianity is even considered to be Freemasonry which has become encrusted with inflexible Biblical doctrines or "theological barnacles".
"Drop the theological barnacles from the religion of Jesus, as taught by Him, and by the Essenes and Gnostics of the first centuries, and it becomes Masonry, Masonry in its purity, derived as it is from the old Hebrew Kaballa as a part of the great universal religion of the remotest antiquity." (J. D. Buck, "Mystic Masonry," page 119)
To better understand Mr. Buck's statement, it is necessary to understand what the Kaballa is. (Kaballa can also be spelled Kaballah, Kabala or Cabala.) Webster's dictionary defines it as:
"1. A kind or system of occult theosophy or mystial interpretation of the Scriptures among Jewish rabbis and certain medieval Christians. 2. Secret or esoteric doctrine or science, in general; occultism; mystic art; mystery." ("Webster's Collegiate Dictionary," Fifth Edition, 1947)
The following definitions give clarity to the above definition of the Kaballa:
"Occult. Of, pertaining to, concerned with, or designating alchemy, magic, astrology and other arts and practices involving use of divination, incantation, magical formulae, etc." ("Webster's Collegiate Dictionary," Fifth Edition, 1947)
"Occultism. Occult theory or practice; belief in hidden or mysterious powers and the possibility of human control of them." ("Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Fifth Edition, 1947)
Albert Pike also stresses the fundamental importance of the Kaballa to Freemasonry:
"All truly dogmatic religions have issued from the Kaballah and return to it; everything scientific and grand in the religious dreams of all the Illuminati, Jacob Boeheme, Swedenborg, Saint Martin, and others, is borrowed from the Kabalah; all Masonic associations owe to it their Secrets and their Symbols." (Albert Pike, "Morals and Dogma," page 744)
>totally not satanists