How to become a Freemason?

I decided to make a post this evening based on an analysis of blog track-backs to this site. Over the past month or so I get a significant amount of traffic every day from people who type in any one of the following search phrases:

• "How to become a Freemason"
• "Why become a Freemason"
• "Why not to become a Freemason"
  

I suppose this blog has been around long enough that it is slowly moving up the search rankings on Google. I have written on this topic in the past but I want to start fresh here. I decided I would provide some simple basic answers without resorting to lame attempts at sarcasm or humor.

"How to become a Freemason?"

Well, the standard answer is 'ask one'. Of course, that can be hard to do if you don't know one. Seriously, the best way to 'become' a Freemason is to ask someone who is a Freemason. You will generally be amazed at their positive response.

If you don't know any Freemasons, well it is about time you did. There are several ways to do so. Is there a lodge in your area? Perhaps you have seen it with the square and compass on the front?

Most lodges have their meeting times posted. Just show up at the building about 45 minutes before the meeting is supposed to start. When you walk in, introduce yourself and tell them you are interested in becoming a Freemason. In almost all cases you will be greeted warmly and someone will arrange a follow up meeting. You will be asked to leave that meeting of course, but at least now you 'know' some Freemasons.

If you are unsure of lodges in your area, use Google Earth and then do a local search on 'Freemason Lodge'. This will give you an area perspective.

Another way is to just search for websites and send an email to an area lodge. Someone will contact you and arrange a meeting to discuss things with you.

All that said, the best way is to ask someone you know personally who is a Freemason. Ask around, bring up the topic for discussion, hopefully one of your friends will know someone who is a Freemason and introduce you.

An important decision when joining is which lodge you join. This can make a big difference in your experience.

You may not necessarily just want to join the lodge that is closest to where you live. Look for a lodge that is healthy and growing (you can ask these kinds of questions, like total membership and how many new members they get each year). If you know of a prestigious lodge; one that has been in existence for over 150 years and meets in a grand building, I would certainly recommend that experience. A big part of the appeal of Freemasonry is connecting with its history, tradition, and heritage. A lodge that meets downtown in a grand facility can make the experience unique. Or, if you just want to hang out with guys close by in your community that can work out as well.

I belong to two lodges, one out where I live and one lodge downtown that meets in a magnificent facility.

“Why become a Freemason?”

The best and simplest answer to this question is that you want to become a better person. The theme of Freemasonry is that it makes good men better. It is a requirement to join that you be a man of good character and have references that can vouch to that effect. Whoever recommends you to the lodge must be of a high opinion regarding your character.

Within the framework of the lodge you will receive educational instruction and encouragement which will, if followed, make you a better person. It speaks to issues of duty, moral conduct, honor, and charity.

There are other good reasons to join as well. You join because you want to be more involved in your community. You join because you want to be a part of an ancient tradition that has a rich history and stands for ideas that you believe strongly in. You join because you want to make new friends who are likewise of good character to form a bond of shared friendship.

Finally, one of the most pleasurable aspects of the Fraternity (and it is, in the end, simply a Fraternity) is that you can visit Freemason lodges all over the country and even the world. At each lodge you will be greated as a long lost brother and treated with the utmost hospitality. This is a truly gratifying experience. Of course, you would return the same favor to any brother visiting your lodge in turn.

“Why not to become a Freemason?”

A few months ago I made a satirical post on this topic. It was a bit heavy handed and I was trying to be funny. This time I will get more to the point.

Don’t join if you are not interested in making yourself a ‘better person’.

Don’t join if you are not interested in tradition, history, and ceremony.

Don’t join if you are not interested in charity or service.

Don’t join if you cannot state a belief in God.

Don’t join if you cannot be tolerant of other people’s religious beliefs.

Don’t join if you like to get into political debates and raucous arguments and are generally a disruptive person.

Don’t join if you care so much about what other people think about you that you won’t do something even if you know it is right. In other words, there is a lot of nonsense on the Internet about Freemasonry. Just because a relative or friend has a negative and uniformed opinion about the institution and you react so strongly that you would let it affect your own choices; you might as well not even bother to join. You do need to be a man who is capable of making up his own mind and standing for your own beliefs.

Even though Freemasonry is not a religious institution, and is open to men of all religious faiths, don’t join if you subscribe to a fundamentalist religion that doesn’t allow it. For example, the Roman Catholic church is officially ‘against’ Freemasonry and does not want its members to join. If you believe that is a problem for you, then don’t petition a lodge. However, the Roman Catholic Church tells people to do a whole lot of things that not every individual member follows as dogma. Just remember that Freemasonry itself doesn’t care. Men who subscribe to all religious faiths may join.

Don’t join if you are a rabid atheist. There really wouldn’t be any point to it. If you are a material reductionist and believe the Universe is composed of tiny billiard ball atoms ping-ponging around, and that all of life and consciousness is composed of nothing more than irreducible parts then, well, to be honest you aren’t going to get much out of it.

However, if you believe the Universe is a grand creation, if you believe in the quantum uncertainty principle, super-string theory, the zero point field, or any of a wide variety of modern concepts in physics that demonstrates that reality is not so much composed of ‘things’ but rather patterns of energy in hyperspace, then I think you will find Freemasonry fits the bill. Education in Freemasonry makes frequent references to the logic, reason, science, and rational thought. Freemasonry brought the Enlightenment afterall. No one will ask you to define your belief in God but merely that you proclaim a belief in a higher power.

Don’t join if you cannot keep a confidence or honor a trust.

Don’t join if you are dishonest.


That’s pretty much it. If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email at any time and I will be happy to give you some guidance.

If you want to know some more, I strongly recommend you purchase a copy of the book ‘Freemasons for Dummies’ as it is an excellent introduction to the Fraternity.

Finally, I would like to make note of a new Masonic Weblog called Small Town Texas Masons. This is a wonderful blog that I highly recommend.