Masonry is a fraternity, not a religion. Masonry acknowledges
the existence of God, but Masonry does not tell a person which
religion he should practice or how he should practice it. That
is a function of his house of worship, not his fraternity.
Sometimes
people confuse Masonry with a religion because we call some
Masonic buildings "temples." But we use the word in the same sense that Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes called the Supreme
Court a "Temple
of Justice."
Neither Masonry nor the Supreme
Court is a religion just because its
members meet in a "temple." Most California lodges now refer to their
buildings as Masonic centers.
2. Why is Masonry so secretive?
It really isn't secretive, although it sometimes has that reputation. Masons certainly don't make
a secret of the fact that we are members
of the fraternity. We wear rings, lapel pins, and tie clasps
with Masonic emblems like the "Square and Compass." Masonic
buildings are clearly marked, and are usually listed in the
phone book. Lodge activities are not secret as events are often
listed in the newspapers, especially in smaller towns. But there
are two traditional categories of secrets. First are the ways in
which a man can identify himself as a Mason: grips and passwords
that are unique for any fraternity. Second are Masonic
ceremonies, which are private (for members
only) but are not secret.
3. Why does Masonry use symbols?
Symbols allow people to communicate quickly. When you see a
red light, you know what it means.
When you see a circle with a line through it, you know it
means "no." In fact, using symbols is probably
the oldest method of communication and teaching.
Masons use symbols for the same
reasons. Certain symbols, mostly selected from the art of
architecture, stand for certain ethics and principles of the
organization. The "Square and Compass" is the most widely known
symbol of Masonry. In one way, this symbol is the trademark for
the fraternity. When you see it on a building, you know that
Masons meet there.
*From
Grand Lodge of California Website: www.Freemason.org
