What is Freemasonry?

Question

What exactly is freemasonry, and is it a good thing or a bad thing?
(Some of the leaders of the Glorious French and American REvolution were masons)?

Answer 1

Freemasonry is a fraternal organization, similar in nature and origin to modern day college fraternities. Like other fraternal organizations, the Masons were created to fill a void in society. The basic principles of Masonry are mutual aid, cultivation of the intellect, development of democratic ideals, and a commitment to spirituality.

Whether Freemasonry is good or bad depends much upon an individuals perspective, the time period in question, and the actions of lodges and individual Masons.

In my opinion, Masonry is overall a good thing. The organization has done much to promote good ideals in the men who would one day influence the direction of society. Fraternal organizations fill in the gaps left by the officail ruling apparatus and provide much needed suport for the individual.
Man by nature forms association while virulently expressing his individuality. The fraternity helps channel this duality that stresses society.

Like any organization, the Masons have done, are doing, and will do in the future some dumb things. I don't like the exclusivity of the organization. At the same time I highly doubt much of the public 'knowledge' of Masonry and its detractors.

Answer 2

in the early 1600's a group of stonemasons got together and developed a little society, like a union today, but a lot less public. very few outside the club knew about it. when the time to revolt against Britain came, the freemasons included some of the great leaders like George Washington and Thomas jefferson. As a result, the formation of the country was greatly influenced by the Freemasons. for example, the masons revered the number 13. On the seal of the united states, there are NUMEROUS appearences in the seal's imagery. feathers, stripes, arrows leaves, letters, the list goes on. today, the freemasons function like the Elks or Serbian Club, but membership is a lot more complicated. You cant just walk into a lodge and ask for an application. THe initiation is a reenactment of a murder from the pages of the Bible. The Catholic Church condemns freemasonry, so yes, if you are a catholic, freemasonry is a bad thing.

For the record.... i am NOT a freemason

Answer 3

Freemasonry is a social fraternity that studies morality through ritual, symbol and allegory; its main tenets are faith, hope and charity. It is the oldest and largest fraternity in the world.

to some other responses:

* the whole, they do free masonry work is getting old....let's come up with some new jokes

* Jefferson was not a freemason; symbols on the US Seal are not masonic, that is just fodder from the conspiracy theorists and anti-masons; many catholics are freemasons - go to any cemetery and look for symbols on the gravestones; the History channel show was full of errors

* what "exclusivity" are you referring to??? the only exclusiveness is that you have to be male and believe in a supreme being.

Answer 4

Freemasonry is a natural or instinctive fellowship between people of similar interests

Answer 5

"Free" means "without cost" and "masonry" is what bricklayers do.

Freemasonry is therefore a group of charitable bricklayers that go around building fireplaces and walls for people that need them, without charge.

Answer 6

Shhh, not here.