Freemasonry isn’t anti-Christ; we profess Christ — Afenyo-Markin

Alexander Afenyo-Markin, Member of Parliament for Effutu and Minority Leader in Parliament, has set the record straight on whether Freemasonry is anti-Christ or not.

According to the NPP MP, Freemasonry is not anti-Christ, and members of the organization are required to profess Christ.

Speaking in an interview on Accra-based Channel One TV’s 'The Point of View' on Wednesday, January 29, Afenyo-Markin emphasized that he remains a staunch Catholic.

“Freemasonry is not anti-Christ. If nothing at all, at the highest level of Masonry, you must profess Christ. People don’t know, and people say things. But I’m ready for that debate,” he said.

The debate about Freemasonry was reignited following an encounter between Youth Development Minister George Opare Addo, who is both a Presbyterian and a Freemason, and Afenyo-Markin, a Catholic.

Following this, the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, in a letter signed by Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Bishop of Sunyani and President of the Conference, stated that Catholicism and Freemasonry are incompatible.

However, Afenyo-Markin indicated that he would be willing to engage the church in a discussion if they addressed him directly.

“My church comes first. The church doesn’t force people; the church shows compassion, listens, and shows love. My Archbishop, Most Rev. Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, has not written any letter to me. I have seen letters flying around, but nobody has written to me personally.”

“I’m a committed Catholic. I’m ready to discuss the fraternities I belong to. If I was afraid, I wouldn’t have brought it up. There are many Catholics who are Freemasons and are afraid to talk about it.”

What ModernGhana’s search found about Freemasonry:

Freemasonry is one of the oldest fraternal organizations in the world. According to Freemasons.com, it unites men of good character who, despite coming from different religious, ethnic, or social backgrounds, share a belief in the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of mankind.

The website adds that Freemasonry provides a system for self-improvement through its degrees, symbols, and fellowship opportunities.

The United Grand Lodge of England estimates that there are over six million Freemasons worldwide, with 1.1 million members in North America. In Ohio alone, there are over 60,000 Masons and 430 local lodges, making it one of the largest Masonic jurisdictions in the United States.