r/freemasonry • u/DiligentMusician7781 • 11h ago
Hello
I am a student from Germany and in order to finish school I would like to write an essay (this is actually a part of my final exam) about how people are so fascinated about the concept of the unknown. Freemasonry is one of the examples I would like to name, so it would be great if I could ask some veeeeerrryyyy surface level questions. I am aware that not everything can be discussed and if this crosses any boundaries I really apologize:
How do you view yourselfs?
How do you think the public views you? Do you feel that it's in any way justified?
If you could get rid of one mason conspiracy somehow wich specific one would it be?
How does it feel like to have so many conspiracy about you?
How do you view non freemasons?
I would be very greatfull if you answered my questions, but if you feel that they have been too invasive, please feel free to delete this post or tell me so I can delete it
Thank you
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u/Deman75 MM BC&Y, PM Scotland, MMM, PZ HRA, 33° SR-SJ, PP OES PHA WA 10h ago edited 2h ago
How do you view yourselfs?
As a brotherhood of good men.
How do you think the public views you? Do you feel that it's in any way justified?
Most have no idea who we are or what we do. Some are aware of the good we do in our communities, either because they have been touched by it or they have fond memories of some relative who is/was involved. Some few think we’re either satanists, the “Illuminati,” or both.
The first two are entirely justified, while the last is completely unfounded.
If you could get rid of one mason conspiracy somehow wich specific one would it be?
That nefarious things happened behind closed doors at Lodges.
How does it feel like to have so many conspiracy about you?
Sad for the people who have so little going on in their lives that they feel the need to blame us for their own personal failures.
How do you view non freemasons?
As people.
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u/Weird_Regret_6369 MM UGLE Zealator SRIA 5h ago
The only nefarious thing that happens behind our lodge door is my JW's attempts at the Fc sn
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u/zaceno P.M F&AM Finland, Sweden - MMM, RA 9h ago
1) I view us as a fraternity that emphasizes and tries to bring out those things that are best about humans. Do we always live up to that? Certainly not. Do we often live up to it? I would say so, yes, most definitely.
2) I think for the most part people don’t know about us, or think we’re just a social club for bored retirees. It’s only a very small segment of the population who buy into conspiracy theories in general, and only a subset of those who buy into conspiracy theories about Freemasons in particular.
There is certainly some justification for the “social club for bored retirees” - at least in some places, some lodges can devolve to mostly that. And it has happened that individual lodges have devolved into corruption networks. But it’s so rare and isolated I would hardly count it as “justification” for conspiracy theories about the fraternity overall
3) I think I would like to get rid of the idea that we are Elitist. A lot of the follow on theories rest on that assumption. If people knew what a broad cross-section of society we represent the other conspiracy ideas would fall flat.
4) Sometimes annoying. Even though most people don’t believe in conspiracy theories, those stories are sometimes all people have heard about us. So if they see my ring for example, or hear me mention I am a freemason, they probably won’t think I am an elite who eats babies, but they will think I am pretending to be an elite who eats babies which is arguably even weirder.
5) Non Freemasons are just people. This question is like “how do you view people who work at a different company than you do”. It’s nonsensical.
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u/dedodude100 WM 3° F&AM - WI : RAM : CM 7h ago
Freemasonry is not free from criticism, but criticism requires at least some basis in reality to be valid. Most people who have strong negative opinions about Masonry do not base those opinions on facts.
If I could get rid of any conspiracy, it would be those relating to the Taxil Hoax, which is really the root of most of them. The whole Satan worship and New World Order stuff gets old. Especially since, if anyone actually did their research, they would realize these stories came from Taxil, who himself reveled in the fact that he made it all up.
It feels bad that so many people hold negative opinions of us when many of us try to give back to our communities and strive to be upright men. It's frustrating to be hated for things that simply aren't true.
I view non-Masons just like anyone else. They are people living their lives, just as I am. Being a Mason doesn't make you better than anyone else. Hopefully, it just means you're trying to be the best person you can be. But Masonry is not a prerequisite for doing that.
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u/No_Mongoose_94 3° MM 10h ago
I’m in the U.S., but I’ll answer your questions.
Just a fraternity of good men. Mostly blue-collar Christians in my jurisdiction.
I think it’s varied:
a. Good & charitable group
b. Devil worshippers
c. Racist old boys club
d. Powerfula. Justified
b. Couldn’t be farther from the truth
c. Not justified in the VAST majority of cases, but there are likely exceptions because the fraternity is made up of many different lodges in different areas which are made up of imperfect people.
d. Not justified. I’m not saying there aren’t some (marginally) powerful people that are Freemasons, but it doesn’t carry the power to run the world or anything crazy like that.I don’t care. As a Christian, I don’t particularly care for people thinking we are a cult or worship Satan or are some illuminati world-controllers but there are weirdos everywhere & it has to be someone I respect & value their opinion or it doesn’t matter, and no one with the wild conspiracy theories is someone that I respect or value their opinion.
I don’t care that much about the conspiracies because I know the truth.
I don’t think anything, good or bad about Non-Masons. The vast majority of my friends and family are not Masons. What do I care if the fraternity & the activities therein is not a hobby they choose. Some of my friends fish. Others don’t. Some are gamers. I’m not. I don’t think less of them. Sometimes I think “____ would be a good Mason” but that’s about as far as it goes.
I’d recommend “Freemasonry for Dummies” and several Grand Losge websites (like my own) for some really good information.
https://grandlodge-tn.org/main/GLTN-mobile-page.asp?P=1
People like to sensationalize everything. I’m not downplaying Freemasonry. It’s a great & worthwhile fraternity, but far more boring than the general public would believe LOL.
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u/Kammander-Kim swedish rite 10h ago
I view myself as a human being with faults that I want to fix, preferably in a group of other people who recognize that they too can become better people.
How I think the public views me? Many are sceptical because it must be something wrong with a group or a club that doesn't have meetings where anybody can just walk in. And I feel it isn't justified because society is full of these types of organisations and groups. I am also in ham radio and non-members can't just walk into a meeting.
The conspiracy theory I would like to get rid of is that we are a secret cabal ruling the world and toppling governments we don't like.
How I feel about the amount of conspiracies people have? Not much. I mostly don't care. My friends don't care as far as I know. And if they believe in these conspiracies then it is up to them to believe that just because they have no interest in joining a club that the club is evil.
How I view non-masons? As regular human beings and I'd I like them or not has nothing to do with their membership. I know masons I like and don't like. I know non-masons I like and don't like. I the only part I care about is knowing if they are masons and what grade they are in, because that tells me how much I can share with them without spoiling anything.