Who are the Freemasons? Is Freemasonry a religion or an order?
542934
As an avid Freemason I continue to get this question. (my credantials include Past Master "President" of my local Masonic Lodge, 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Valley of Harrisburg, Tall Cedars of Lebanon, Royal Arch Chapter, Commandery Knights Templar, Pennsylvania Shield and Square Club, and the Order of the Amaranth.)\n\nFreemasonry is not a religion, our membership does not seek salvation through the lodge, and many members of Freemasonry take on active roles in thier respective churches or places of worship. Membershop however does require that you belive in a god or "supreme being". \n\nAs a result of not endorsing any one religion, there are Freemasons from nearly every religion and walk of life. There are Grand Lodges in India, Japan, to Spain and France. We leave the question of religion to the individual member, and we do not discuss religious theology inside the lodge.\nOur degrees however come from the bible, hence can be religious in nature. Members are reminded that it is a duty not necessarily for religions sake but for us as human beings to be good citizens and live by the golden rule regardless of religion.\n\nWe are an order, a way to live. to do to others that we would have done to ourselves, and seek no reward for our benefit religious or otherwise.
626587
Hi, I am a Master Freemason in American Co-Masonry. I speak only for myself, not for other other Freemasons and not for other Orders of Freemasons. That out of the way, let me try to answer. \n\nWhat confuses people, I think, is that Freemasonry is about morality. That is means how you should treat each other in THIS life. It is about acting toward each other with Justice and Equality. It is about the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It is about giving to people who need your help (whether they are Freemasons or not.) \n\nWe make no claim on how a person should worship God. We do, at least in American Co-Masonry, require that a candidate must believe in a Supreme Being. We let the naming of that Being be between the person and their God, as it should be. I do not care what a Brother believes God is called. I care how he or she acts toward me. I bet you feel pretty much the same way.\n\nReligions teach something different. They teach about how to get to their afterlife, how to know God or get to heaven or whatever. See how that is different?\n\nTo get to know more about Freemasonry for women and men, you may wish to read things at the link below:
523828
There are 11 known secret societies, The Free Masons are among the top of them dating back to ancient Egyptian times, and many US presidents, senators, and representatives... have been, and some still are members of secret societies. You can learn much more about them by logging on to various websites, just enter secret societies and take your pick.
170365
A Freemason is simply a man who has chosen to strengthen his life by living it according to his own personal Volume of Sacred Law (Holy Bible, Holy Quran, or Torah, et cetera) as your personal beliefs dictate.  It changed my life by giving me constant reminders of the importance of following my moral code as I set it based on my personal beliefs.  It affects each man differently.\n\nTo become a Freemason, find a Local lodge and ask someone there.  You can start with the liost of Grand Lodges below, and search in the proper one for your locality.
535103
The Churches are afraid of the Freemasons.  The Freemasons do not believe it is necessary to belong to a church to enter the kingdom of the Triune God...that your salvation is between you and God alone... and that is opposite of all churches as they want you to believe that the only way into God's kingdom is thru them ... the CHURCH and only the church.  That is why in the past... the churches condemned the joining of the Freemasons... but the Catholic Church does not now... they have removed that penalty of excommunication if you become a Freemason... I don't know about other churches... I don't see any CHURCHES that has hospitals for children where they can get FREE medical and surgical help, while they also pay for the family member to live close by while the child is in the hospital... Have you ever heard of the SHRINER'S HOSPITALS??? Well that is all Freemasons who pay for that!
649961
I have an ebook of their entire history. 550 pages all about them and their practices. There's a lot more on them than people think, far too much to go into here.\n\nI also know a small collection of Freemasons, and wheni identified one he has actually takenme into his confidence, which is how i got the eBook. \n\nLife can be great when you know the right people!!
265113
Freemasons?\nI have known many men, some from my church who were masons. Some from the Gideon organization I belong to, some from my own family, they all are very active in the faith and most are pillars of the church.\nI've since been provided with a great deal of information which as far as I can test, seems to suggest that freemasonry is anything but Christian, if others answer this question I would like to hear comments.
552879
1.  Most of the founding fathers were Masons.  At that time, no nation belived in the concept of freedom of religion, or tolerance.  In fact, at that time, the ONLY place such ideals were found were in Masonry.  From that perspective, America was actually founded on Masonic principles, so that families would have a land where they were free to worship as they saw fit, as opposed to the way the King or the Pope dictated.  \n2.  That definition of Diest is one I have never heard before.  The popular definition of "Diest" today is someone who believes that there is One True and Living God, and that everyone who worships is worshiping the same God regardless of what they believe.  Many people believe this is an unspoken philosophical belief in Masonry because we only require that a man believe in God, but put no qualifications on his religion.  We shun only the "stupid athiest, and the irreligious libertine", and allow each man to have whatever religion he believes.   \n3.  Of course the Masonic symbolism on our currency is a result of our nation's founders being Masons.  The unfinished pyramid and the all-seeing-eye are symbolic of our "One Nation Under God" principle.  Within the capstone is the Eye of God.  Without it the building is unfinished. The symbolism is obvious:  Only under the direction and watchful counsel of God can we hope to fulfill our duties, and complete our labors.  Anti-Masons love to make up any number of ridiculous theories as to Masonic symbolism.  But if you understand that a belief in , and a reliance upon God is at the center of the Masonic philosophy, the symbolism is very obvious, and not sinister in the least.
636800
It was started as sort of a joke by the Rothschilde family shortly after the American revolution, borrowing methods and rituals from other "secret orders" of the time, like the Freemasons.  Where Freemasonry was dedicated to preserving thought and knowledge despite the oppressiveness of Church rule, the Illuminati was originally a coterie of financiers that sought to progress an elitist agenda through our current system of financing loans, essentially creating a society of debt-serfs and wealthy nobles (bankers).  It is thought that the Illuminati spawned an off-shoot, the Skull and Bones, in the 1840's, of which the Bush Family and Kerry family are a part.\n\nThere has always been a conflict between these two beliefs in our society since its inception, with the Illuminates hijacking the "conservative" movement and controlling the media, with the Freemasons continuously finding new ways around them.
12908
You can go to their website (http://www.freemasonry.org/) and check out the local chapters in your area.  Many have their own websites with information on becomng a member of the society.
387669
There are currently 11 known Secret Societies that have been in existence since for many generations. The Free Masons, Illuminate, Skull & Crossbones, and The Knights of the Templers are among the worst of these orginizations, of which are headed by the wealthiest and most powerful members of our world, thus, they control every aspect of our world.
391311
Before the reader commits me to hell (as if they had that power -- remember who the Judge is!) please set aside any closed minds and speak not ill of that with which you have no real knowledge. \nFreemasonry is a very ancient fraternal order and very misunderstood. It's written history goes back hundreds of years and it's origins much farther (thousands) It requires a monotheistic belief, that is, a belief in a single non-plural God (yes, Christianity IS monotheistic even if you believe in the Trinity of the Godhead) but will not allow it's members to require anyone to accept a name for the Supreme Being other than the "Supreme Architect of the Universe. (By the way, the "G" in Masonry refers to geometry but "is also the initial of the Supreme Architect...") It is not a religion as it has no creed (salvation beliefs) It assumes one is right with God to begin with and then goes on to use the tools of buillding as a metaphor for right living on this earth. Each stands for a trait of good character. An open Bible and prayer are part of all meetings as Masons feel that all great undertakings should be with the guidance of God. It often is said that Masonry "takes a GOOD MAN and makes him BETTER." \nI have asked many ministers what the beef is and most have said it is because we will not name Jesus Christ as God alone but will allow each man to call God by the name he chooses. What name a man chooses is between himself and his creator. Then they quote the verse that says "Anyone who is not for me is against me; if he isn't helping me, he is hurting my cause." (Luke 11:23 LVB) This apparently means to them that since Satan is Jesus' main rival then it must stand to reason that Masons are Satanists. There is not one shred of evidence for this. It's main teaching is tolerance to our fellow man and so is in direct contradiction to most religions as they feel that theirs is the only one. How sad that most churches do not actually follow the entire Bible, merely the parts that (usually taken out of context) appear to promote their agenda! Also possibly because we refer to the fraternity as "The Craft" although this is in the sense of craftsmanship not witchcraft. Masons may not ask others to join as they adhere to a strict philosophy that one needs to search for the truth of and by their own free will. One must SEEK for truth -- not be forced or led into it by any. (but God) This also angers many religions, particularly Catholics. (although Catholics have since recently rescinded that bias) By the way, God is known by many names (as tough as this may be to swallow) Yahweh or Jehovah in hebrew, Theos in greek, Allah in arabic, and was called the Great Spirit by early native americans -- you get the picture...\nYes, there are obligations taken. Terrible things like promising to take care of your fellow man's needs when possible, NEVER to violate the chastity of women, promising to love your wife, and promising to NEVER lie, cheat or steal -- you know, all the "bad" stuff... There are some pretty nasty penalties, although they are for emphasis only and pertain to Masonry's allegories. You also say you promise to keep them all "so help me God." Another rub is the title of the master who is refered to as the "Worshipful Master." This does not mean that they are worshipped, but respected. (Interesting that preachers who find this bad are themselves referred to as "reverend!") \nBasically the deal here is two-fold. On the one hand if people don't understand something they have a tendancy to make up something. (Hence the number of religions today) And secondly, millions of dollars are made in the propagation of anti-masonic literature. (And I think this is the real answer!) Just for your information, Masons are not a secret organisation, merely an organisation with secrets. (Such as modes and words of recognition.)
83385
Here's a website outlining the Masonic degree system.\n\nhttp://freemasonry.bcy.ca/texts/masonic_degrees.html
1041325
I enjoy reading information about secret societies.  If you want to learn more about another interesting group read about the Bilderberg group.\nAs far as my opinion for this society, I believe that they exist.  This country was formed by a group of men, most belonging to a secret society-free masons.  Seems like it is tradition maybe even American culture.
365610
Freemasons are members of a Fraternal Organization founded on the principals of The Fatherhood of God (whatever you perceive him to be) the Brotherhood of Man and the Immortality of Man ... we believe in Faith Hope and Charity and are the driving force behind the Shrine and Scottish Rite Childrens Hospitals ... There are a number of appendant bodies (like the Shriners and Scottish Rite and York Rite) that extend from Freemasonry but you must be a Freemason before you may continue in the other bodies.
887611
I am a member of an esoteric Order of Freemasonry, American Co-Masonry. I can tell you from my experience, and mine alone, that not all Masons are anything, especially when it comes to religion or politics. You see, those two subjects we do not bring up inside Lodge. \n\nYes, we do require a candidate for Initiation to affirm that he or she (yes, Co-Masonry does admit women as Brothers) believes in a Supreme Being. What the candidate calls that Being is a personal thing. We do not allow atheists in American Co-Masonry. Deist means a belief in God without the need for a religion. Some are that, I am sure. Some of my Brethren are of other religious belief. \n\nSomething some ardent fundamentalists of different religions say is wrong about Freemasonry is that we sit in Brotherhood with folks of many different religions and still call them Brother. I am reminded of the parable of the Good Samaritan. The Jews hated the Samaritans, I think you might recall. What was Jesus trying to teach there? Hmmm.\n\nAnyway, some in my Lodge are Christian, some are of other faiths. All of us are Brothers. Feels good, actually.\n\nA Master Mason\nAmerican Co-Masonry\n\nHiram Lodge (Santa Cruz, CA)\nAmon Ra Lodge (Los Angeles, CA)\nSapientia Lodge of Research (Larkspur, CO)\nAdamant Mark Lodge (Santa Cruz, CA)
451656
I beg to differ with the first answerer. The masons are not associated with any cults they are simply a group of usually Christian religious men interested in community service.