What is Freemasonry? It is a fraternity of men with many different backgrounds who are brought together as brothers to develop and strengthen the bonds of friendship.

What is Freemasonry’s purpose? Masonry tries to build a better world by making “better men out of good men,”  by strengthening their character, and improving their mental horizons.  It teaches men 1) principles of personal responsibility and righteousness, 2)  an understanding of Freemasonry’s character, and 3) how to put these lessons into practice in daily life.  In short, Freemasons believe in universal peace made possible by teaching its doctrine through the Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of God.

Is Masonry a religion? No!  Masonry is not a religion, nor is it designed or intended to replace religion in its members lives.  We do not require that members belong to a church, but they may belong to any church they wish.  We do ask, however, that each prospective member states that he believes in a Supreme Being.  Masonry seeks only to unite men for the purpose of brotherhood, not religion.

Is Freemasonry a “secret society”? Not at all.  We make no secret of our existence.  Our Masonic temples are publicly marked.  We often advertise or announce, in advance, the times and locations of our meetings.  Our ritual books are copyrighted, so the Library of Congress holds copies of them, and since they are thus already public, you will find them in book stores and public libraries everywhere.  Masons usually wear Masonic rings and lapel pins in public, and often appear in parades wearing their Masonic regalia.  Here in Illinois, many Masons now drive vehicles bearing license plates with the Masonic emblem on them and the proceeds from the extra cost of these license plates helps to support the fraternity’s efforts to prevent drug and alcohol  abuse by children.  To summarize, what we teach is not a secret but how we teach it is.  In addition, we try to keep secret our modes of recognition and our obligation for the sake of tradition.

Can political beliefs prevent a man from becoming a Mason? Masonry takes no account of a man’s political beliefs.  In fact, only two subjects are banned from discussion in a lodge: religion and politics.  Masonry only requires that each member support his country’s government and obey its laws.  In other words, members should be good citizens and perform their civic duties.  In fact, honorable civic service is one of our teachings, although a Mason running for public office should not take advantage of his Masonic affiliation by mentioning it in his campaign speeches or advertising.

Are Shriners Masons? All Shriners are Masons.  However, in order to become a Shriner an individual must earn his first three degrees in his home lodge.

Does Mason and Freemason mean the same thing? Yes, in fact the words represent the exact same thing.

Can Freemasonry actually make me a better person? No organizations can actually guarantee to make someone a better person but the values and morals that you learn through masonry can help develop you as a person.