what are the free masons all about??

Question

i have herd many many things, and i am currently waiting to hear back from my grndfather abou tthe freemasons. i have heard that they are nothing but a "helping hand" so to speak that they just help others in need, and help eachother. i heard things about cults and the higher up worshiping the devil. i have also heard that they do not follow any religion, as well as they are a religion. i have been told that they are based on a "secret" whatever that may be. i have heard that they have a part in major religions and other cults, such as catholics and the LDS (mormons). i also heard that their teachings are by mouth only so things can change and that they teach things condradicting to the bible. i am not bashing and not condoning. i am simply asking cause im not real sure what to believe. i do believe there are cults that claim to be religious to save their name, and there are some organizations that are not cults but everyone seems to think they are... so help me out a bit here?

Answer 1

Would you mind if a Freemason chimes in here?

I am of an esoteric Order of the Craft called the American Order of Co-Masonry. We admit women as well as men to all rights and privileges of our Order. Our Grand Lodge is in Larkspur, Colorado.

Freemasonry has been and hopefully always will be a system of teaching morality; it uses as symbols the tools of the ancient craft of stone masonry because changing people's hearts and habits is as difficult as changing the shape of stone. We make no claim as to what happens in the afterlife, only try to figure out how best to live the present one. You must believe in a Supreme Being (God, if you will) in order to join, but what you call God is a matter of your own conscience. We admit Moslems, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Taoists, etc.

Yes, we help each other, but we help the world, as well. The purely masculine rite Masonry has the Shriners. No child has ever been turned away from their burn and disabled hospitals because they were unabled to pay. We Co-Masons help with women's shelters and other relief organizations, too.

If you want to believe evil of Freemasonry, I suppose you can. Fourteen of the presidents of the US were Master Masons. Many inventors and statesmen have been, too. Hitler and the Catholic church have thrown Freemasons in prison because we teach the equality of mankind and the sacredness of keeping your Brother's trust.

I am proud to be a Freemason. It is no secret in most countries who is one. Look for our emblems, rings, and even our Lodges. They are pretty plainly marked. If you wish to be one, just ask. We do not recruit.

A Master Mason
American Co-Masonry

Hiram Lodge (Santa Cruz, CA)
Amon Ra Lodge (Los Angeles, CA)
Sapientia Lodge of Research (Larkspur, CO)
Adamant Mark Lodge (Santa Cruz, CA)

Answer 2

The Freemasons date back to the 16th century in Scotland. They are an organization that uses the working tools of stonemasons to teach their members moral truths. They are NOT a religion, there is NO Masonic Bible, they do not carry on devil worship. In order to join, you must be a man of legal age with a good reputation and believe in a Supreme Being. You must ask to join, no one will ask you. Their stated goal is to make good men better. Masonic organizations in the United States give more than $1.5 million a day to charities. Masonic Lodges are dedicated to improving their communities and the men who are their members.

Two excellent books are:

Freemasons for Dummies
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Freemasonry

Here is an outstanding web site:

http://www.grandlodge-england.org/...

Answer 3

what ive read about, is that good, well meaning people get into this freemasonry stuff, not realizing exactly what they are getting into. That they are tested to see if they are open to going to higher levels. There symbols can be traced back to the illuminati, (look up the "all seeing eye" on dollar bill") and so can some rituals. They claim not to adhere to anyone religion, and respect them all equally (but this is a contradiction in itself, and even points to a prophecy in Christianity about all religions being unified-(one world religion). They say that freemasonry was born out of the illuminati and is just another name to keep secret the roots, and intentions of those in the higher ranks. Just like liberalism is a name in disquise for sociolism. The ultimate goal being to form a one world religion and one world government (A prophecy of end times in the Bible)

Answer 4

Masons equipped each and all of the total homes and churches that we see to-day some have been indentured or apprenticed and a few have been unfastened to do what ever artwork develop into obtainable. The catholic church did no longer like that as they needed them in ordinary terms to artwork for the church so as that they began to form unfastened motels of unfastened Masons like a union of to-day. in recent times any guy over 21yrs can connect those unfastened motels as unfastened Masons. And because it develop into oftentimes in ordinary terms adult adult males who have been builders that they shop the custom of in ordinary terms having adult adult males of their craft (ought to i as a guy bypass to a nicely female health facility or a female's help shelter i do no longer think of so) as you will discover there is not any secret at the back of what they do (i ought to SAY the comparable approximately female'S help SHELTERS) and somebody could have self assurance that they to are a secret society. To any individual who Say's all unfastened masons are prosperous attempt living on £80 3-50 a week and say you're prosperous, in happiness and relatives sure i'm prosperous, yet as for wealth take a stroke and stay to tell the story on advantages in Britain. To muktar replace Freedom with Anarchy, and regulation and order with terrorism, has never been portion of Freemasonry different than on your terrorist thinking ideas. Your way of thinking creates suicide bombers and others to think of the alternative of the fact.

Answer 5

The Catholic Church teaches it is wrong and a sin to belong to the Masons (some people rebel and do it anyway) because they do not teach that there is any definite truth in the world--they are big champions of the law of relativity which the Catholic Church stands against. There is alot of truth to the wickedness of the higher up degrees that are not told to the lower people who remain ignorant of the plots. They are sincere with what they feel the Masons stand for and on the surface they do do alot of good works but, in the higher up meetings they even have an empty chair for Lucifer to sit in---very strange stuff.

Answer 6

ALL BAD STUFF!

If ALL of the Masons in the World put One Dollar in the Hat-- they could build many many Hospitals without begging others to pay for their ideas.

It cost a pile of money to find out that their really are NO SECRETS.

EVERYTHING about Masons is in print - in public book stores. Save $$$$$$$$$$$ and for get it.

Ask a Mason - get lies! They can hardly tell you the truth - they are SWORN TO SECRECY!

Study>>
http://mormonscripturestudies.com/tem/blm/fpof.asp

for an EYE FULL!

Answer 7

Stripped of all the extraneous mystery, the secret handshakes, funny hats, and elaborate rituals, the Freemasons are really about helping one's fellow human beings in need. I have a great admiration for the work they do, often very quietly and without self-serving fanfare.

Answer 8

Money baby, Money.

Answer 9

This might help http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasonry