The Disadvantages of Being a Freemason
If you’re considering becoming a Freemason, there are several things to consider. For starters, you’ll have to follow a particular religion, which may be problematic for some people. Furthermore, you may face discrimination. Finally, you’ll be forced to adhere to a set of values. Freemasonry has a long history, and many have accused it of evil. Although some Freemasons have clung to these myths for centuries, many people who have become members of the fraternity are upstanding citizens.
They are a social network
Freemasonry has been around for over three hundred years, but for the past eighty years, it has been largely hidden from the public eye. For most of this time, most Masons only discussed their Masonic affiliation with trusted friends. Now, the Masonic fraternity is one of the largest contributors to charity in the UK.
Although Freemasonry has had a controversial history, more young men and women in Australia are joining. Traditionally, the initiation process was a highly secretive one. It required that a person be approached by a member of the order and meet certain criteria. There were even guards outside the lodge meetings to make sure that only men were allowed inside. Alec Ayling attended his first meeting and said that it was a bit intimidating.
It is important to remember that Masons are a social network and should conduct themselves in a manner consistent with their Masonic morals. This includes posting comments that do not bring discredit to Freemasonry and those that do not fit the definition of “unmasonic conduct”. You should also avoid posting information about the business of your lodge or balloting on applicants. Regardless of how tempting it may be, consider the implications of your actions.
They may face discrimination
The Supreme Court of Freemasonry has not been able to stop the Grand Lodge of Georgia from banning gay members, but it has blocked their attempts to limit the media’s access to their meetings. As a result, there is a process for media to apply for media access to these meetings. Requests have to be proactive and go through an investigative process before approval. In the meantime, the Grand Lodges of California and Washington, D.C. have suspended their relations with the Grand Lodges of Georgia and Tennessee.
The United Grand Lodge of England has responded to these allegations by running full-page ads in three newspapers with the headline ‘Enough is Enough’ and a letter from Dr David Staples, Chief Executive Officer, outlining the values of Freemasonry and highlighting the ways in which discrimination against members of other races has been tolerated in the past. The executives of the United Grand Lodge of England have also written to the Equality and Human Rights Commission, highlighting their concerns.
They are a source of social cachet
The Freemasons are a source of great social cachet. Since the late eighteenth century, becoming a Mason has meant becoming a part of an elite group of people. Becoming a Mason also signified that one was a leader in training.
The Masonic vision of American society was influential during the nineteenth century. It signaled a person’s status as an intellectual and person at the forefront of knowledge. However, not everyone embraced Freemasonry. During the late 1830s, the Anti-Masonic Party emerged to combat Freemasonry’s political influence. William Seward, for example, began his political career as an Anti-Masonic candidate.
They have enemies
One of Freemasonry’s biggest enemies is religious fanaticism. While Freemasons are free to pray to God according to their religious beliefs, fanaticism is not tolerated. Masons viewed fanaticism as the antithesis of truth. In fact, Robert Macoy quoted Johann Christian Gadicke in his Freimaurer Lexicon (1818) as saying that “religious fanaticism cannot belong in a Freemasons lodge.”
While some Freemasons hold religious beliefs, most of them are not Christian. In fact, the Freemasons claim that God deliberately leads us away from truth. In addition, they assert that Christ and Satan are not God and are not evil.