If you ask us, “What is the most frustrating thing Freemasons have to deal with?” many of us will reply, “All the myths and misinformation out there about Freemasonry.” The fact is, ever since Freemasonry was formally founded at the Grand Lodge of England in 1717, Masons have had to deal with a host of falsehoods—sometimes even slanders—told about us. To set the record straight, here are 5 common myths about Freemasons, and the truth about each:
Myth #1: When Freemasons meet, they discuss religion and/or politics
False. In fact, most lodges let it be known that certain subjects of conversation are not welcome within the lodge, and “politics” and “religion” pretty much top the list. One of the world’s leading experts on Freemasonry, UCLA history professor Margaret Jacob, confirmed this to CBS News when she said that Freemasons may occasionally—and informally—discuss current events at the lodge. “But they don’t say, ‘Well, I’m a Democrat and therefore I think …’ Or, ‘I’m a Republican and therefore I think’? … They just don’t.”
Myth #2: Freemasonry is a religion
False. In Freemasonry, Professor Jacob says, “Everybody’s their own thinker.” And while Freemasons must believe in a Supreme Being (sometimes called the “Grand Architect of the Universe”) in order to join, Freemasonry has no priests, no ministers, no rabbis, no systematic theology of any kind.
Myth # 3: Therefore atheists and agnostics are welcome
False. As Brent Morris, Masonic historian and former editor of the Scottish Rite Journal pointed out, even though Freemasonry is not a religion, per se, agnostics or atheists cannot belong. “When Freemasonry started on a formal basis in 1717, many historians believe that it was trying to bridge the gap between the religious civil wars that had been going on in England at the time …. So when the Freemasons were formed, they said, ‘Here’s a group of men who agree that God is central in their lives; they can even agree that God compels them to do good in the community. Then they can shut up after that.”
Myth #4: Freemasonry is somehow wacky and out of the mainstream
False: If this claim were true, would 14 U.S. presidents—including George Washington—have been Freemasons? Would NFL Hall of Famer John Elway be one? How about music greats Louis Armstrong and Brad Paisley?
Myth # 5: There are secret Masonic symbols on the U.S. dollar bill
False. Because the back of the dollar bill features an incomplete pyramid with an eye on top of it, many people—including some Freemasons—have said it’s a Masonic symbol. But as Professor Jacob points out, these symbols have been used by many different groups, including Masons, throughout history. Or as Brent Morris said, “The ‘Eye of God’ is a common icon for God looking over the affairs of man.” In fact, “it’s an icon that appears in cultures across the centuries.”
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