Freemasons... Just a fraternity?

Hi I've always wondered about the Freemasons, They claim not to be a religious, and somehow they accept all religions as part of their fraternity.

However one of the first things you must be in order to join is a belief in a god or grand architect of the universe!

Second they build Masonic Lodges as temples and have religious iniciations and make you swear on the Bible or any religious book.

But another thing is they mix ancient egyptian sybolism and gods into some lodges and kabbalistic beliefs in others.

So just what isn't religious about the Masons?

why can't an athiest be a mason?

must fear god?

Anyone know anything about this?

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Permalink Reply by Cathleen Sessions on March 22, 2011 at 1:13am

You have to believe in a Supreme Power of some sort. You just have to believe in some higher power. It could be physics as no one will ever ask you. However most of the rituals in the US have distinctly Christian flavor.

The Masons may have been big and powerful at one time. But mostly now they raise a great deal of money for many causes: diabetes, cancer, parkinsons, ect. The guys in funny hats, the Shrinners have hospitals where children can get free or low cost care for orthopeadic problems and the burn centers are top of the line. All that silliness does more real good than most religions and you don't have to be a member or be related to one to get those benefits.

There are worse people in the world. Not a Mason because I am a woman and I don't feel excluded but I know a lot of Masons.