Christian_dove
Esteemed Member
- Messages
- 132
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From Wikipedia:
Freemasonry is a worldwide Fraternal organization. Members are joined together by shared ideals of both a moral and metaphysical nature, and, in most of its branches, by a constitutional declaration of belief in a Supreme Being. However, there is no individual or organization that speaks for the whole of Freemasonry. [1]
Freemasonry is an esoteric society, in that certain aspects of its internal work are not generally disclosed to the public, but it is not an occult system. In recent years, it has become less and less a "secret society" and more of a "society with secrets." Among the reasons given for the amount of secrecy that remains, is that Freemasonry uses an initiatory system of degrees to progressively explore ethical and philosophical issues, and that the system is less effective if the observer knows beforehand what will happen. Therefore, the secret aspects of modern Freemasonry mainly deal with modes of recognition among members and parts of the ritual found in these degrees. Most other key components of the fraternity, including leadership, organizational structure, meeting places and membership requirements, have been public knowledge for centuries.
Freemasonry is a worldwide Fraternal organization. Members are joined together by shared ideals of both a moral and metaphysical nature, and, in most of its branches, by a constitutional declaration of belief in a Supreme Being. However, there is no individual or organization that speaks for the whole of Freemasonry. [1]
Freemasonry is an esoteric society, in that certain aspects of its internal work are not generally disclosed to the public, but it is not an occult system. In recent years, it has become less and less a "secret society" and more of a "society with secrets." Among the reasons given for the amount of secrecy that remains, is that Freemasonry uses an initiatory system of degrees to progressively explore ethical and philosophical issues, and that the system is less effective if the observer knows beforehand what will happen. Therefore, the secret aspects of modern Freemasonry mainly deal with modes of recognition among members and parts of the ritual found in these degrees. Most other key components of the fraternity, including leadership, organizational structure, meeting places and membership requirements, have been public knowledge for centuries.