MYSTERY has always surrounded Freemasonry, and understandably so. The arcane rituals, the guarded secrecy, and the accusations of power-mongering have all played their part in creating an aura of danger and otherworldliness. Here we look at the function of the secrecy, and some of the popular puzzles and myths that have grown up around the Order -- the result, more often than not, of incomplete knowledge and active misinformation by those antagonistic towards Freemasonry.

We must begin with a fundamental truth: very few people who are not Masons understand Freemasonry as it really is. Since it is well known that Masons are obligated not to reveal certain things, many think of Freemasonry as a 'secret society', and for some the idea of a 'secret society' whose members are prominent in the social and business communities presents a real threat. Clearly, these conspiracy theorists reason, if influential people are involved in activities which must be kept secret, those people must be up to no good. From this frame of mind many conspiracy theories arise, and the nature of those theories depends on the political or philosophical orientation of the theorist. Freemasonry, as we have already seen, can be, and has been, attacked by all sides.

One of the most popular, and long-lasting, conspiracy theories is the idea that Freemasonry's objective is to establish a 'New World Order' -- a worldwide government which controls every aspect of human life everywhere. This is an unattractive idea to almost anyone, and goes against one of the principal tenets of Freemasonry: liberty. Nonetheless, with some imagination the facts have been made to serve the paranoia. For example, the simple facts that George Washington was a Freemason and the first President of the United States 'prove' that the purpose of the United States is to start such an order. Now a conspiracy industry has grown up around Washington, with any number of the Founding Fathers 'outed' as Masons, when clearly the majority were not. The fact that American citizens have always experienced the least governmental control of any population in the world is ignored.

In fact, specific conspiracy theories involving Freemasons are hard to come by. Two of the most prevalent stories - relating to the Dollar Bill (or, more correctly, the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States), which contains the 'All-Seeing Eye', and the planning of Washington, D.C. -- are dissected here. The 'Masonic' All-Seeing Eye on the Dollar Bill has become something of a commonplace among conspiracy theorists, but it is worth running over the argument here. Washington is inconclusive to the point of insignificance.

Secrecy, itself, is another of the aspects of Freemasonry that causes some people concern. The Order categorically denies being a 'secret society'. Throughout this book there

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The 'All-Seeing Eye' opposite is from an 18th-century Masonic Apron. The All-Seeing Eye is not a Masonic symbol, although it is a symbol frequently used by Freemasons to represent the Deity who observes all our motives and actions.

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are several very prominent Masonic buildings; and if one walks down the streets of any sizable town one will find local Masonic buildings, less spectacular in their architecture, but all clearly identified as Masonic Halls. Is it possible that such an organization is a 'secret society'? 'Ah!', critics will say: 'Within the Order there is a small group of select members who pursue their conspiracies while keeping the others in ignorance'. As evidence of this they misrepresent quotations from prominent Masons who speak of the small group of Brethren who see the philosophical dimension of the Order, and use those quotations as evidence of the 'hidden group'. This is a difficult problem, since Freemasonry is forced to prove the absence of something -- a contradiction of most Western legal systems.

Others still worry about the Masons' blood oaths, and supposed promises to always help Brothers, even, as some suggest, to the point of perjuring themselves. It is well known, through years of exposes, that there have been certain punishments associated with revealing secrets. However, the punishments were always intended be figurative, and must be seen in the context of 18th-century societies, and the medieval stonemasons' guilds to which early Freemasonry looked when formulating its legislature. Recently some jurisdictions have dropped the threat of specific punishment as out of place in the 21st century, and, besides, there is no evidence of any such punishment having been carried out.

Another piece of evidence that is often cited to 'prove' that Masons have something to hide is their use of ciphers. In fact, Masonic ciphers, and everything that a Mason obligates himself to hold close, are available in any good library and certainly on anti-Masonic web sites. Freemasonry continues to practise this controversial idea because secrecy is a symbol that teaches a valuable principle: 'Do not tell things you know about yourself to those who cannot understand what you mean.' It is a principle that has been taught by respected teachers, especially spiritual teachers, throughout the ages.

And that brings us to another common misunderstanding about Freemasonry: isn't it a religion? The answer, in brief, is no. It has no sacraments, no dogma, and does not claim to offer salvation by any means.

Its teaching of moral behaviour is not a means of achieving salvation by good works. This is discussed on pp. 272-7.

And so we have to conclude that the mystery that surrounds Freemasonry is in part a Masonic tool, and to an even larger part the product of misinformation and wild speculation.