Is Freemasonry a Secret Society?

If Freemasonry is trying to be a Secret Society it has failed.  Almost everyone on the planet, if they have even a small part of a normal sized brain, knows that Freemasonry exists.  They may not know much about it, but they know it exists, therefore Freemasonry is not a secret society or nobody would know about it.

It is unreasonable for people to consider the Freemasons to be part of a Secret Society.

Just about every city, and many small towns, have a Masonic Lodge which usually bears the name of the Lodge and the seemingly universal symbol of Freemasonry, the Square and Compasses.

Most, if not all, phone books have a listing of many Masonic Lodges that give both the address of the Lodge as well as its phone number.

Most people on the third rock from the Sun even know a Mason or two, even if they do not know that that person is a Mason.  The people they consider to be good men are quite likely Freemasons.

If you ask a man if he is a Mason, he will probably tell you that he is a Mason.  Masons do not deny the fact that they are members of the Craft.  Most are justly proud to have been found worthy of joining the Fraternity.

In most communities the Masons are well known and respected.

Masons advertise their fundraisers and often other events.

Masons send millions of letters through the mail each month.  The USPS certainly knows about Freemasonry.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of Lodges have their own websites.  Most Grand Lodges also have a website.

The Anti-Masons have also published much about the Freemasons, so the Masons are well known and not very secret.  All of the so-called secrets of Freemasonry have been published in books, documents and websites.  

Those who consider Freemasonry to be a Secret Society probably should not be considered the sharpest knife in the drawer, and their elevator probably does not go all the way to the top, and some of the cards are missing from their deck.  In other words they are not very smart!  No intelligent human being should trust any information that comes from those who are ignorant.

The so-called Secrets of Freemasonry have been available to everyone for a couple hundred years.  In my research on the Internet, and in various mass produced books and publications, I have found all of the so-called secrets of Freemasonry.  I have also found a lot of information that is just not true.  Have fun sorting it out.

Also see Science and Freemasonry.