by Mel Bergen

Created on: February 16, 2007   Last Updated: May 14, 2007

Freemasons, or the Masons, are no more a cult than any other fraternal organization. The Lions Club, the Elks Club, and the Moose Lodge all have their secret rituals and oddly-named hierarchies. Yet all of these groups exist for very similar reasons.

You don't join a fraternal order ("friendly society") because you want to get in on the plot for world domination or to survive the apocalypse, at least not unless you are mentally unbalanced. You start working with the folks because you wish to join them in doing good works for the community. Some orders, like the Shriners, which you must be a master mason to join, are just more visible in their public works.

The silly hats and rituals may be fun, and with the Masons you get some significant Christian overtones, but they are not the reason for these groups and the overtones aren't even heretical. Their sacred book is a Bible. I've been to many a ceremony for various Masonic organizations and never once have I seen a sacrifice, blood or otherwise, and I've never heard a hint of a plot to overthrow anything but homelessness, hunger, and a terminally ill child's medical bills.

Masons have long been accused of being a cult that controls the world from behind the scenes. That many powerful men in history have belonged to the order is taken as proof that the group as a whole has a secret agenda. If you have ever been to a meeting, you will know that this is ridiculous. The reasons for the meetings are prayer, fellowship, and planning for the next fundraiser or volunteer opportunity. There are similar organizations for women and young people.

These points hold true to some degree for all fraternal societies. Not one of them, regardless of their name, has yet given rise to a world dictator. There is not a shadowed council in a bunker beneath Wyoming or Cambridge plotting the next government takeover. The Masons are a bunch of men who get together to enjoy each other's company without being forced to participate in sports, and to find ways to help their surrounding communities. Don't be afraid, they won't hurt you!

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