Four Interesting Facts About The World Of Freemasonry

For centuries, Freemasonry has been shrouded in mystery because of its secretive ways and close relationships with other members. Once you get caught up in the romance of it all, it's difficult to decipher between what is real and what is myth. Taking a more in-depth look at Freemasonry offers a better perspective on what they believe and how they came to be so mysterious. Below is a list of the top four interesting facts that surround this group of people.

It's Not A Secret

Many people believe that Freemasons are a secret society since they are not able to talk about their order. This, however, is not the case. Freemasons are allowed to tell whomever they please what they are and what they believe. Because their order is sacred to them, however, they are cautioned against telling non-Freemasons what happens behind closed doors.

Trailblazers For The Enlightenment

The Enlightenment was a very important era in history and chances are, it would not have happened if it weren't for the help of Freemasonry. One of the core masonic values is their sense of reason and human consciousness. These values are why Freemasons helped in the fight for religious freedoms and speech and democracy as early as the 1700s.

Say No To The "Doe"

There are a variety of different sects in Freemasonry. They each teach the same lessons and generally hold the same standards; however, there are a few glaring differences. For example, the one that is commonly practiced here in the United States bars women from ever being initiated. In Europe, however, it is not uncommon for there to be female Freemasons.

Famous Freemasons

There have actually been quite a few figureheads in history who were Freemasons. One of our founding fathers and our first president, George Washington, was a Freemason. In fact, Freemasonry was so popular during the beginning history of the United States that eight people who signed the Declaration of Independence were Freemasons. Among other prominent members are Charles Darwin, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Oscar Wilde and John Wayne. With an estimate six million Freemasons in the world, the list of famous members is long.

Society has a funny way of sensationalizing things that they don't necessarily understand. Taking a deeper look into the Freemason culture will help make heads or tails of the things you have heard throughout the years. With these interesting facts, you are on your way to a better understanding.