As a Freemason your duties include prayers to God to reaffirm your dependence on God and seek divine guidance from God, but you call Scheer's Catholic faith a belief in an imaginary sky-fairy.
I don't think that's fair.
Heh...not even sure where to begin with this since this is Federal Election thread not a debate about masonic principles. Suffice to say you are a little off....
First FM is not a religion - as the fraternity has taken great pains for 300 years to explain. We absolutely do not "pray" to any "god". Be it God, Allah, Yahweh, Jehovah etc. Like.....ever.
Second FM is in an intensely personal experience that varies from mason to mason: ask ten masons from FM means to them and you will get ten different answers, guaranteed. The "G" on the ring most assuredly does not stand exclusively for "God" - for some (older) masons it can and does, but equally it stands in the modern usage for the science of Geometry: we generally don't acknowledge God per se as it implies an exclusively Christian deity. Some older members will certainly state that "G" stands for God - or more appropriately in the FM context, the Grand Architect.
However the most common interpretation is that the "G" stands equally for Geometry, and is to remind Masons that Geometry and Freemasonry are synonymous terms described as being the apex of the sciences, and "the basis upon which the superstructure of Freemasonry, and everything in existence in the entire universe is erected." Geometry is considered the most noble of the Seven Liberal Arts, and is a concept held in the highest regard within the fraternity. It can also stand for God, but not exclusively so and in any event we prefer the Grand Architect of the Universe as that makes it uniformly non-denominational.
The Square and Compasses (or, more correctly, a square and a set of compasses joined together) is the single most identifiable symbol of Freemasonry. Both the square and compasses are architect's tools and are used in Masonic ritual as emblems to teach symbolic lessons. Most Lodges in Canada and rituals explain these symbols as lessons in conduct: for example, Duncan's Masonic Monitor of 1866 explains them as: "The square, to square our actions; the compasses, to circumscribe and keep us within bounds with all mankind". However, as Freemasonry is non-dogmatic, there is no general interpretation for these symbols (or any Masonic symbol, including "G") that is used by Freemasonry as a whole.
Rule Number One on the list of "Thou shalt not...." in any lodge is that it is absolutely verboten to discuss Religion, of or in any form. Rule Number Two is "Thou shalt not...." discuss politics in lodge. Both subjects are considered prime examples of precisely what it is that Divides Men. FM considers itself a organization for improving the human condition, not dividing it. Talk about either topic and you'll be compelled to ride the goat blindfolded and naked for a month and your access key to the alien mother-ship will be revoked.
Most critically, regardless of how you interpret masonic teaching the key difference between me and Andrew Scheer et al., is that I am not running for public office.
I will not have influence over key cabinet votes on policies ranging from abortion to LGBT rights. My beliefs, regardless whether they encompass the relationship between geometric principles and human development and evolution, or whether I think that the Flying Spaghetti Monster really exists, will have zero impact on you, your family and friends. So yes IMO my judgement of Scheer and other political leaders is more than fair. As a citizen, as a voter and as a taxpayer. They can and should be scrutinized, and from top to bottom.....
I'm not gay nor am I a woman. But leaders who allow their personal religious or other beliefs to guide their thinking on key public policy issues like those and other similar subjects, certainly can and do have potentially dire consequences on average persons. I direct your attention to the recent moves in the US South where Wade vs Roe is under real threat by courts in Alabama and several other states because key lawmakers and judicial officials are personally anti-abortion because their church and/or religious beliefs do not condone abortion. Its a damn slippery slope and as I said earlier there is a very good reason why we have separation of Church and State in this country.
For those and other reasons I will probably toss in my lot with the Greens; they have no chance of forming government but given how the Libs and Tories are literally neck and neck, and the NDP is sliding into oblivion, the Greens stand an excellent chance of being the power brokers in any minority situation.
Last I looked polls were shading toward a Tory minority; more than ever then with the 'proclivities' and personal beliefs of an Andrew Scheer I would be quite happy to have another mechanism in the form of the Greens acting as a brake on that gentleman. Besides with the world clearly heading towards a tipping point ecologically I have no issue whatsoever if a Green party environmental platform or plank or two is incorporated into a Tory policy (or two), as the price they must pay for Green support. Ditto if the result happens to come down in favor of Trudeau.
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