Are Freemasons a sinister organisation or a force for good?

Answer 1

If it was a force for good why all the secrecy? They are an organisation, membership of which is by invite only. Members have an obligation to assist fellow members in any way they can to the best of their ability. This is why there is an argument against members of the police force and the judiciary being involved.

Answer 2

I can only speak as I find. Here in Scotland the Freemasons have a large following and if say you are in a pub you can tell the Freemasons, they always shake hands with fellow masons and they all keep together and exclude others. I have found that the general intelligence of these people to be average or below.
My view is that they are like a big boys club with the "I'll scratch your back if you'll scratch mine".
Personally I have always thought that there was more dignity in life by achieving goals through your own merits, rather than being on the back of another person.

Answer 3

I was actually in the masons and before I became a mason a "demolay" that is like the junior masons. To say that the masons are a "sinister" organization and a force of good is both true to one degree or another. How about combining both of those statement together and you have the masons. They practice cult like initiations and meetings with good social causes of various kinds to the homeless, kids schools, to the elderly. I guess the dark rituals keeps the organsization together yet the good deads makes you feel like your doing something right. kind of a ying yang, good bad, balance. Stick away from the free masons a sinister organization more powerful then most poeple realize. A lot of water is draw from politics to high end officals in the freemasons. You ge ton there bad side and you are in a world of hurt. Kind of like communism.

Answer 4

If you are a member of the Freemasons then you understand its values, principles, and purposes.

If you are not a member, you are excluded and simply see the organization as secretive and ritualistic. Secrets and rituals scare the heck out of people. Therefore, ignorance of the Freemasons causes people to be hostile towards them. Ignorance is the source of most fear and hostility which leads to other social dysfunctions.

The Freemasons are good. Their bonding and banding together minimally evidences that it is a worthy organization because it has survived for so long.

Answer 5

Freemasonry is a very good organazation, It is NOT a religon, They donate over $1,000000.00 a day to charities around the world. You also have to be a Freemason if you would like to join the Shriners. Who also do good work.( Burn hospitals, Childrens Hospitals). So Freemasons are not sinister in any way.

Answer 6

Masonic organizations donate more than $1.5 million a day to charitable causes. They are NOT a religion or a political organization. It is not a "drunken orgy", indeed, in the United States, most lodges don't even allow alcohol in the building. It is a fraternal organization dedicated to making good men better.

EDIT: To correct a misperception in the following answer. Membership is NOT by invite only. Masons do not ask ANYONE to join. A man must ASK to join. There are no membership drives, a man must seek us out to join. And if a man meets the basic requirements--belief in a Supreme Being and of good character--he is never turned down when he asks to join.

Answer 7

I have spent a VERY long time studying the history and practice of freemasonry. Like many, I hoped to find some sinister inner sanctum that was hell bent on using the other, respectable, members to forward their own aims.
Apart from a few VERY serious PR gaffes (Scotland Yard to NEW Scotland Yard being one) I suspect they are an organisation of like minded (if a bit sad) gentlemen that haven't grown out of "Boys Club". I also know quite a few Masons. This also bears out my hypothesis.
HOWEVER ... I could be a ringer sent to screw the pooch as a Masonic counter intelligence agent...;-)

Answer 8

Well my father in law was a mason and everything about it was shrouded in secrecy. Another disturbing fact was that women were not allowed into this boys club. Secrets have always alarmed me because if there is nothing to hide why withhold information. Withholding information is about power and control. Not all masons are evil, but I would bet there are some very strange events that take place with these organizations.

Answer 9

If Freemasons actually practised what they signed up to when they joined it would be a a force for good. Sadly however over the years as in the rest of society greed and avarice have become predominant.

Answer 10

My father was a freemason. He used to have a ring that he wore. It had a symbol on it. He was also what they call a shriner in the USA but I never knew what that was. Anyone here know?