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freemasonry
what is it? and what is a freemason? i dont know much about them, but would prefer an answer which isn't dumbed down too much. peace and love.
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Freemasonry is an international fraternal and charitable organization, dedicated to good citizenship, personal improvement, and good works in the community. Some freemasons trace the origins of Freemasonry back to Hiram, the architect of the Temple of Solomon. Others trace it to the medieval stonemason's guild organizations. The first real records we have of Masonic lodges go back to the 1600s.
Freemasons must be men over the age of 21 who profess a personal belief in a deity. Which deity, they don't care. Non-Christians of every stripe are welcome in Masonic lodges. Discussion of politics or of business is prohibited, at least in American lodges. There is some mysticism and ritual involved, but it's mostly to shake people up and get them to think about what it means to try to make things right. They do a lot of fundraising and community activities, their youth groups (DeMolay for boys, Job's Daughters and Rainbow for girls) get the younger generations involved, they run retirement homes and charitable hospitals; in short, they're not as scary or suspicious as they might sound.
The Freemasons used to be much more extensive in American society. It used to be a social requirement for more affluent men to join a local lodge, so they could establish connections and improve the community. As exclusive, men-only organizations have fallen out of vogue, Masonic membership and influence have declined. They're basically a bunch of older guys who are trying to create some positive change in their communities. (They don't secretly run the US government.)
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