What People Believe: Freemasons
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Their famous members have included George Washington, but the Freemasons have often been associated with conspiracy and the Illuminati. As part of our "what people believe" series, we look at their beliefs...
Who?
Members of the Freemasons have allegedly included historic figures such as George Washington, Winston Churchill and various kings of England, yet this has not prevented the public from viewing the organisation with suspicion.
Since its official founding with the Grand Lodge of England in 1717, the Freemasons have often been the scapegoat for revolutions and terrorism, including claims that they are masterminding a New World Order.
Yet contrary to popular opinion, many of these rumours and allegations stem from Albert Pike's Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottic Rite of Freemasonry, a book denounced as nonsense by the order.
Constituencies within the Freemasons meet regularly in groups named ‘lodges’ and membership now amounts to around six million worldwide, mostly living in the USA or UK.
Since the 18th Century, they have inhabited and created landmark architecture often marked by their trademark symbol of a square and compasses.
What do they believe? Being speculative as opposed to operative stone masons, modern Freemasonry take the metaphor of building to underline the progression of knowledge and experience within and outside the organisation.

What do they believe? Being speculative as opposed to operative stone masons, modern Freemasonry take the metaphor of building to underline the progression of knowledge and experience within and outside the organisation.
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- Their initiation ritual does include the placing of a rope, a symbolic umbilical cord, around the neck of the initiate and then cutting it to symbolise new life.
- The Covent Garden Freemasons Hall is the set for the MI5 base of BBC Drama Spooks.
- The initiation ceremony, as admitted by the Grand Secretary, does actually involve the initiate rolling up a trouser leg.
- The Flintstone’s Fred Flintstone was a member of the Loyal Order of Water Buffaloes Lodge – a men’s only club with Masonic parallels.
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