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WHAT IS FREEMASONRY
Freemasonry is the oldest and largest world wide fraternity
dedicated to the Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of a Supreme Being.
Although Freemasonry is not a religion, it urges its members, however, to
be faithful and devoted to their own religious beliefs.
Masons, when asked such a question, will give different
answers, in their own words, based on their own perceptions, experience and
education. The most common answer
is "a peculiar system of morality, based on allegory and illustrated with
symbols".
The lessons Freemasonry teaches through its ceremonies are
to do with moral values (governing relations between people) and its
acknowledgement, without in any way crossing the boundaries of religion.
All Freemasons are taught that any duties which they have
as a Freemason come only after their duties to family, work, and faith.
In no circumstances should their membership interfere with these aspects
of their lives. Freemasons feel
that these lessons apply just as much today as they did when it took its modern
form at the turn of the 17th century.
Another way of explaining, “What Freemasonry is”, is to
detail what it is not.
Freemasonry and
Religion
Freemasonry is not a religion, nor is it a
substitute for religion, and it does not allow religion to be discussed at its
meetings.
Its essential qualification opens it to men of many
religions, and it expects them to continue to follow their own faith.
All Freemasons are required to profess and continue in a belief in a
Supreme Being.
It has no theology, nor sacraments, and it does not claim
to lead to or offers no answers on matters of salvation, as these are the
preserve of churches. All
Freemasons are encouraged to find answers to such questions through their own
faith, religion and church. Members
are urged to respect the teaching of their own faith and not to allow
Freemasonry to infringe, in any way, on the member's duty to their mosque,
church, synagogue, etc. For this
reason Lodges in Christian countries do not meet on Sundays.
Lodges within Jewish communities do not meet on Saturdays and Lodges with
a predominately Muslin membership will respect the Holy Days of that faith.
THE THREE
GREAT PRINCIPLES
The Great Three Principals of Freemasonry are Brotherly
Love, Relief and Truth.
Brotherly Love: Every true Freemason
will show tolerance and respect for the opinions of others and behave with
kindness and understanding to his fellow creatures.
How a
man chooses to practice his personal religious beliefs is left entirely up to
him, but Freemasonry recognizes the strong bond which unites all people under
One Creator. Our members include men from a wide range of religious backgrounds,
but each of them shares a commitment to this important principle.
The seven great world religions listed below each tells us of the importance
of "Brotherly Love."
| Christianity: |
All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to
you,
do ye even so unto them.
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| Hinduism: |
Men gifted with intelligence . . . should always treat
others
as they themselves wish to be treated.
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| Buddhism: |
In five ways should a clansman minister to his friends
and families;
by generosity, courtesy, and benevolence, by treating them as
he treats himself, and by being as good as his word.
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| Taoism: |
Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain, and
regard
your neighbor's loss as your own loss.
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| Confucianism: |
What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to
others.
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| Judaism: |
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
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| Islam: |
No one of you is a believer until he loves for his
brother what
he loves for himself.
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While we may each practice how we name, address, or serve The Great Architect
Of The Universe somewhat differently, we universally subscribe to and practice
"man's humanity to man" as commanded by our creator.
This "Golden Rule" is commanded of all men and knows no boundaries
of religion, denomination or nation. It is the very foundation of Freemasonry
throughout the world and throughout the ages.
To conclude, two true stories to what Masonic Brotherly
Love is all about: Gettysburg and
The Day The War Stopped
Relief: Because of our
strong bond of Brotherly Love, Masons provide Relief to help those who are in
need. This includes the notion of charity, and Masons provide much assistance to
worthy charities, but it also means offering a helping hand, in other ways, to
people that need assistance.
Freemasons are taught to practice charity, and
to care, not only for their own, but also for the community as a whole, both
by charitable giving, and by voluntary efforts and works as individuals.
Truth: Freemasons strive for truth, requiring high
moral standards and aiming to achieve them in their own lives.
As Masons, we
are committed to being honest and truthful with other people. The Masonic
Fraternity teaches a man to be faithful to his responsibilities to God, his
Country, his fellow man, his family and himself. The Masonic principle of Truth
also teaches a man to search for wisdom and understanding. For only in this way
can he grow and become a better person. The pursuit of knowledge is at the very
heart of our purpose.
CHARITY
From its earliest days, Freemasonry has been concerned with
the care of orphans, the sick, and the aged. This work continues today. In
addition, large sums are given to national and local charities.
Today in North America, the Masonic Fraternity continues
this tradition by giving almost $1.5 million each day to causes that
range from operating children’s hospitals, providing treatment for childhood
language disorders, treating eye diseases, funding medical research,
contributing to local community service, and providing care to Masons and their
families at Masonic Homes.
Freemasonry and
Society
Freemasonry demands from its members a respect for the law
of the country in which a man works and lives.
Its principles do not in any way conflict with its members'
duties as citizens, but should strengthen them in fulfilling their private and
public responsibilities. The use by
a Freemason of his membership to promote his own or anyone else's business,
professional or personal interests is condemned, and is contrary to the
conditions on which he sought admission to Freemasonry.
His duty as a citizen must always prevail over any obligation to other
Freemasons, and any attempt to shield a Freemason who has acted dishonorably or
unlawfully is contrary to this prime duty.
Secrecy
Freemasonry is not in any way a secret
society despite what many people claim. Freemasonry's
so-called secrets are solely used as a ceremonial way of demonstrating that one
is a Freemason when in Lodge meetings; that is, its traditional modes of
recognition. Like many other
societies, it regards some of its internal affairs as private matters for its
members.
Other reasons why Freemasonry cannot be called a secret
society are that Freemasons do not promise to keep their membership secret.
All members are free to acknowledge their membership, where and when
Freemasons meet are matters of public record (you can look up Masonic centers in
telephone directories) and our Constitutions, rules, principles and our aims are
readily available to the public.
It is ironic that because Freemasons used to be reticent
about their membership, as they were and still are taught never to use it to
advance their own interests, critics have taken this the wrong way and think
that there is something secretive going on.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Freemasonry and
Politics
Freemasonry is not a political organization,
and it will not comment on, nor offer, opinions as to competing forms of
Government. Freemasonry is
non-political, and the discussion of politics at Masonic meetings is forbidden.
The reason for religion and the discussion of politics at
Masonic meetings are expressly forbidden stem from Freemasonry's aims to
encourage its members to discover what people from all different backgrounds
have in common.
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