Talk:Papal ban of Freemasonry/position

Freemasonry is seen by the Catholic Church as being incompatible with Catholicism for a number of reasons. Freemasonry's acceptance of people of any faith in a religious atmosphere is seen as minimizing the importance of Catholic religious dogma. Freemasonry is also alleged to advocate a Deist view of religion. In the past some Masonic lodges have advocated a radical separation of church and state and this is perceived to be true of all Freemasonry. Avowedly anti-clerical groups such as the carbonari in the Papal States are alleged to have followed a Masonic agenda as well as having based their organisation on Masonic forms. Freemasonry has some characteristics of a secret society and its very secrecy created distrust. It is alleged that Masonic initiation rituals for the Scottish Rite degrees (commonly thought of as being "higher" or "advanced" degrees, although this is strongly denied by the Scottish Rite ) are anti-Catholic.