We've all heard about the Freemasons and their alleged goal of global domination through the New World Order, but how many of us know anything significant about this subject? Freemasonry is one of the oldest and largest fraternities in the world. And in fact, this society is not so secret.
Freemasons claim that their only goal is to make people better, and his ideals of friendship, mercy and brotherly love have survived through the centuries even in the most powerful political, military and religious conflicts. Freemasonry is not a gathering or a place of worship. It is not a religion, as many people think, it does not teach religious philosophy. But there are still many questions for this brotherhood.
The number of Freemasons around the world is approximately 5 million (of which about 480 thousand in the UK and 2 million in the United States).
Many people believe that Freemasonry is a secret society, but it is not. Freemasons are free to disclose their affiliation, although they cannot reveal the secrets of the order.
The generally accepted date for the emergence of Freemasonry is June 24, 1717, when the Grand Lodge of London was created. After this date, the Grand Lodges began to rule over other lodges.
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The Society of Freemasons uses the methods and tools of bricklayers to educate their members on the principles of morality, friendship and brotherly love. Therefore, the compasses and the square became the main emblem of society.
It is generally believed that Freemasons use symbols to keep their activities secret. However, symbols appeared in the very early stages of the formation of the brotherhood, when many of its members could not read. Abundant symbolism served as a reminder of the lessons of the brotherhood.
The oldest Masonic symbol is the compass and square. It is also the most universally recognized mark, although the exact meaning varies from country to country.
The Masonic "lodge" is not just the name of a building, but a group of people holding meetings in that building. Each lodge receives letters from the "Grand Lodge", but the principle of self-government is mainly in effect. There is no single ceremony for holding meetings, the rituals vary from group to group.
You cannot become a Freemason by being an atheist. The primary requirement for potential members is belief in some higher power.
There are two well-known branches of Freemasonry. Regular, governed by the United Grand Lodge of England and Liberal, represented by the Grand Orient of France.
Masons usually recognize each other by various "secret" signs, for example, rings with the Masonic emblem, stripes on clothes, and sometimes the famous Masonic handshake (during the shaking, the thumb touches the other person's hand in a special way), although the latter mainly refers to Freemasons from San Francisco and Washington.
Anders Breivik, who committed the 2011 massacre in Norway, was a practicing Freemason.
Masons have a rule not to testify against other Masons. They admit that this can cause perjury, but for them not protecting their own is a much greater sin.
There is no one person who expresses the opinion of all Freemasons. The Brotherhood is made up of large numbers of people in many organizations that are subordinate to their territorial Grand Lodge. No member can speak on behalf of all Freemasonry. It is the responsibility of the Grand Lodge that unites the territory.
There is a connection between the Freemasons and the Statue of Liberty. The author of the statue, Frederic Bartholdi, was a Freemason.
The masons used secret handshakes and passwords to distinguish theirs from strangers and keep the guild secrets. Now these rituals are associated with Freemasonry.
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin was a member of Clear Lake Lodge No. 1417 in Texas. He piloted a lunar module on Apollo 11 during the first ever manned lunar landing. Stepping on the moon, he had a special assignment from his Grand Master - to declare the Moon the territorial jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Texas. John Glenn was also a Freemason.
Catherine Babington was so eager to find out what kind of Freemasonry it was that she hid inside the pulpit for more than a year during meetings. When she was discovered, she was held captive for almost a month.
Some of the most famous Masons include Charles Darwin, Mark Twain, Winston Churchill, John Edgar Hoover, Benjamin Franklin, and the first president and founding father of the United States, George Washington.
Conspiracy theorists associate Freemasons with the Illuminati. But this does not seem to be too true, since the Illuminati society is so secret that some still do not believe in its existence, while Masons are free to report their affiliation.
Hitler believed that Freemasons were ruled by Jews, and between 80,000 and 200,000 Freemasons were killed during the Nazi rule.
In the United States, women cannot become Freemasons, whereas in Europe they are usually allowed to be initiated.
At the heart of Freemasonry, and possibly other communities, lies the worship of the Sun.
In the form of Freemasonry practiced in the United States, members must have some form of faith in God.
The Masonic Temple in Chicago, Illinois was built in 1892. At one time, it was the tallest building in the world, with a height of 22 floors.
During the American Civil War, the soldiers of the fighting sides, recognizing each other as Masons, helped each other and saved each other's lives. Even during the war, Masonic loyalty to the fraternity did not diminish.
EVGENIYA YAKOVLEVA