Freemasonry is the world's oldest and largest Fraternity. While its traditions look back earlier, Masonry in its current form appeared when its public events were noticed by the residents of London, England in 1717. Although Masonry, particularly in its earliest days, had elements of secrecy, the first 'exposure' of the supposedly highly-secret Masonic ritual actually appeared in 1696 - twenty one years BEFORE the founding of the first Grand Lodge nearly three hundred years ago.
That exposure marked the beginning of (now) more than 300 years of objections to the organization. Why? There are, surely, many causes: jealousy, fear of the unknown, superstition, bigotry, or a dozen more. The objections can be generally grouped into three categories and clicking on the hyperlinks below will bring you to additional pages which amplify what charges are being (or have been) made:
| Religious | Social | Other |
 | Religious |
A number of people object to Freemasonry (often quite vocally) on a religious basis, claiming that Masonry is a religion, supplants their religion or is not 'the way to {their idea of} Heaven'. In addition, many religious leaders with 'marginal' credentials (a degree received by mail from a non-accredited religious school, for example) need to create other 'areas of interest' to provide their congregations with fodder for inquiry thereby never giving them time to critically consider the shaky theological background of their leader. The major causes of the world's hurts (famine, war, etc.) are simply too amorphous and could cause dissent. Focusing on what they define as a 'false religion' allows them to bring their flock together against a common and easily identifiable enemy. Finally, Freemasonry encourages toleration - something that dictators of nations and of local church groups particularly fear.
| Social |
Some object to Freemasonry on social grounds arguing that it is creating or part of a 'New World Order' - even if they can't provide a single scintilla of proof. The 'boogey-man' is always a convenient enemy. They'll argue too that Freemasonry is related to the Ku Klux Klan, that it protects its own members, or that it demands secrecy even to the point of murdering violators - again without tangible proof. These broad and often ambiguous claims shift and turn, never providing a single specific target against which responses can be mustered.
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Other |
There are miscellaneous other objections, including objections to the supposed foolishness of Masonic rituals and secrecy. When the larger issues are insufficient to prove a point - or when someone is desperate for attention, they use 'proof by verbosity', tossing in all sorts of snarky comments about "rolled-up trouser legs" etc. Anything at all to 'divert the discourse'....
On our site, you'll find information, articles, essays and more which will explain these objections and their underlying foundation (quite often, a castle built in sand!). You'll also find information about the individuals who make charges against Freemasonry - their complaints, often with their descriptions of their motivations, methods, and other concerns. We hope you'll find this information helpful.
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