How many Masons are there?

It's a simple question: how many Freemasons are there in the world/US/wherever. The statistics can be hard to gather. You'll hear numbers like 6 million or 5 million, but these numbers don't give a clear picture. I can clear this up a bit...

As you can see, the graph looks rather stark. The decline in the US that we hear about and are often told began in the 1970s or 1980s actually began in either 1960 (total number) or 1955 ("per capita" or fraction of the total population of the US). Why are these different? As with most questions regarding the US population in the 20th century, the answer involves the Baby Boomers, WWII vets and the changing landscape of our culture in the 1960s.

But starting in the 1960s, even the WWII vets couldn't prop up the numbers any longer and the fact that the Baby Boomers were not joining in the same numbers as their parents became clear. Over the next 40 years, the decline was as steady as a heartbeat. It was only in the 2000s that the number began to show signs of leveling out, but of course, by this point the numbers were radically declined, and it's possible that there are just dynamics of a smaller population that take over.

But there are some interesting hints in the data. The existence of an existential threat that both unifies the population and encourages it to view its history with pride seems to have a significant effect on membership. Notice the drastic change in trajectory between 1940 and 1942. The numbers hadn't changed much, but the trajectory went from a major slide down to a sharp spike up!

But is membership all we care about? It's nice to have the money that comes from 4 million dues-paying members, but is it necessary? I don't think that it is. We're a link in the chain of the Western initiatic tradition. Ultimately we will contribute to the next link in that chain and they to the next and so on. What is critical is that we maintain a sense of why that chain is indissoluble for long enough to connect to whatever comes next; to pass that wisdom on to the Academy that will teach the next generation of seekers. Will that be in 5 years or 50 or 500? There's no way to know.

Honest Trailer: Freemasonry

Symbols often obscure the
discussion of Freemasonry
with non-Freemasons.

Continuing the trend from my previous article, Everything Wrong With... Freemasonry, the title of this article also refers to a popular YouTube movie review channel, but this article is equally as serious as the first. Previously, we discussed the anti-Masonic claims, but I suggested that I would also write about what Freemasonry really is and give a positive perspective, rather than just disclaiming the negative. That is the goal of this article.

So let's begin at the beginning. Most attempts to summarize the benefits of Freemasonry fail to be coherent or are overly simplistic. Typically they are in the form of vague language such as "Freemasonry is a system of morality," or, "Freemasonry teaches a set of moral lessons using an abstract and symbolic language." To the uninitiated, this sounds not only strange, but arguably like the doublespeak of a cult, and I think tends to alienate more prospective members than it attracts. Instead, I'm going to try to break down what kind of people would be interested in Freemasonry, what kind of people would not and what the former would get from it in simple language without using vague terms like "system" or arm-waving at what we do by calling it "lessons."

First, some basics so that we're all on the same page: Freemasonry is a fraternity. You've probably heard this, but it's probably a less useful term than we might hope. The term has come, primarily, to refer to the Greek system of fraternities on college campuses. These organizations are, to some extent, modeled on Freemasonry but they are not Masonic bodies and their goals can vary widely. Instead, Freemasonry is a fraternity in the sense that it is a social organization of men with a common set of interests.

Freemasonry is also an initiatory body. That is, we have an initiation ceremony that must be undergone before one can become a member of the organization. This initiation is broken up into three parts: the Entered Apprentice degree, the Fellowcraft degree and the Master Mason degree.

Each degree teaches a set of philosophical ideas that are deeply entwined with the notions of deity, charity and self-discipline.

To return to the goal of this posting, now that we've established the basics, let's get to the questions:

Question: Who would be interested in Freemasonry?

Any man with a belief in a Supreme Being who has a desire to answer larger questions in his life than those of his own benefit. More specifically, Freemasonry provides a man with a massive and highly concentrated set of teachings through these degrees and Freemasons have literally spent their lives unraveling those degrees and determining what they mean to them. Men who find that philosophy is fascinating but daunting because of its extreme breadth and thousands of years of history will often find that Freemasonry gives them a way to "find their depth" and learn at their own pace. One can comprehend the degrees merely as initiation formalities and otherwise enjoy the company of their new Brothers or one can dive deeply into the symbolism and tradition of those degrees in order to become a true scholar of the Fraternity. Both types of men are welcome in our Fraternity.

Question: Who would not be interested in Freemasonry?

If you read the above paragraph and concluded that this sounds like a bunch of intellectual self-satisfaction, then you're probably not going to get much from the Fraternity. You could still join and could still derive enjoyment from being a member, but it would be a bit like going for a "swim" in the ocean and never doing more than getting your toes wet.

Also, those who are either atheists or are offended by abstract discussions of religion or the presence of those of religions other than their own are going to find that the discussion of deity in the Fraternity is either too ubiquitous in the former case or not specific enough to avoid offense in the latter case. Freemasonry teaches its lessons about a set of moral truths through allegories and metaphors that deeply involve deity and abstract references to Abrahamic faiths. While there are many non-Abrahamic faiths represented in Freemasonry, we all use that lens to understand the ideas being taught by these degrees, to some extent.

Question: What is the role of esotericism in Freemasonry?

This is a question that's come up more than once, and I think Freemasons try to dodge it more than they should. Freemasonry is fundamentally esoteric. Our degrees are "hidden" in the sense that we do not discuss their content publicly and the literal meaning of the word "esoteric" is "hidden knowledge." In that sense, Freemasonry is esoteric. However the term has come to mean something more specific. It often refers to the idea that there are specific sorts of mystical beliefs and practices which are not part of mainstream theology or philosophy and which claim a deeper understanding of both of those areas. Esotericism is, in this sense, a broad label for several specific sets of practices and bodies of knowledge ranging from Kabbalah to Theosophy to Sufism to many forms of quasi-religious practices.

My answer to this question, then goes in two different directions. First, Freemasonry provides a philosophical context which is cognizant of these traditions and within which it is possible to discuss them rationally, but it is not a part of them, nor is it simply a gateway to them. In the same way that Freemasonry embraces members from most religions it also embraces those who are or wish to become students of each these esoteric ideas. There is a rich history of Freemasons who have, in fact, done just that, but Freemasonry stands on its own and is not simply some esoteric tradition's front door.

My second answer is that there are elements of Masonic lessons which can be interpreted as nods to dozens of esoteric practices throughout the world. But the key word, there, is "interpreted." The degrees have no "correct interpretation." There are people like Albert Pike and Manly P. Hall (who I'll point out do not entirely agree with each other's views) whose interpretations are deeply esoteric while there are others like Thomas Smith Webb whose interpretations are much less so.

Each man must determine what the degrees mean to him, and no Freemason can definitively tell any other that his interpretation is "wrong" unless it clearly runs counter to the text of the degrees. So the role of esotericism in Freemasonry is as one of many possible interpretations of the meaning of our system of degrees, as is the role of specific dogmas from religions. These are the tools of the individual, however, not of the Fraternity as a whole.

Question: If Freemasonry has been around for hundreds of years, is there anything left for me to contribute?

Yes! Right now is a particularly excellent time to contribute to the Fraternity in terms of your time, thoughts and leadership. Over the past 30 years or so, membership has declined in all fraternal organizations and many religions as the general public's interest in many related topics has waned. However, the millennials are beginning to show an interest in those elements of society once again. The numbers of young applicants to the Fraternity is growing rapidly, and we need people who can take on a leadership role in order to guide them and reinvigorate the Fraternity around their unique perspective.

The unfortunate stereotype of the Fraternity as a social club for retirees is primarily a result of that decline in membership, so the next generation really does need to carve out their own Freemasonry to some extent. As the Fraternity grows once more, we will need capable members to re-discover lost institutions and re-contextualize them without losing their essence. There is, in short, no better time to be a Freemason with the possible exception of the early 18th century when the Fraternity was first extending itself beyond its comparatively small origins.

Homosexuality and the Craft of Freemasonry

Well, I was trying to keep a low profile and not make waves, but the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Georgia just decided to make homosexuality a front-and-center issue in our Fraternity, so I think it's time that we had a frank and open conversation. First off, I want to stress that this is not a political topic. This is a Masonic topic. I won't get into the politics of how homosexuality is integrated into our society (or not) because this isn't the place for that.

But we have a problem in Freemasonry, and it's right here in the edict that the Grand Master issued:

Grand Lodge of Georgia edict
on Freemasonry via reddit.

Okay, so what's wrong with it? Here's the relevant bit: "... the Grand Architect of the Universe, the Father of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ..." This is incorrect and any Freemason who believes this to be true must be corrected. The Grand Architect is not the God of Abraham. The Grand Architect is not the deistic invention or syncretism that anti-Masons would have you believe it is, either. The Grand Architect is a symbol and that symbol must be evaluated in the context of an individual Brother's faith.

To the Jew, the Grand Architect is the G-d of the Torah. To the Trinitarian Christian the Grand Architect is the Trinity. To the Muslim Allah. To the Hindu, the Trimurti. To the theistic Buddhist, the ultimate reality of the universe as deity. To the deist, it is simply the creative source of our existence.[1]

But it is not within the power of any Mason to draw that conclusion for any other Mason. It is precisely this which enables our great Fraternity to be universal. Now, that might sometimes put us in a position of having Brothers who believe things that we find uncomfortable, but we exhibit the Masonic virtues of tolerance, and brotherly love in order to come to terms with our discomfort and see our Brothers for the equals that they are.

There is nothing in the Masonic initiation that compels a man not to have sex with another man and there is no requirement that a Mason apply the Law of a specific faith outside of those elements referenced in the initiation. Nothing. And, as it is not in the power of any man or body of men to make innovations in the body of Masonry, [2] we can immediately determine that this edict was made in error, by exercising powers not afforded to any Mason, even the Grand Master of a sovereign jurisdiction.

Omnis innovatio plus nontate perturbat quam utilitate prodest...

[1] The individual interpretation of the identity of the Grand Architect is attributed in so many Masonic sources as to be undeniable, but one particularly significant example to me is the discussion of Eastern religions within Freemasonry in the Proceedings of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1915 (pp. 379-388): "It seems clear that monotheists may follow the ethical teachings of Confucius even if sceptics may do so likewise and the former only will be elected to receive the mysteries of Freemasonry."

[2] Mackey, Albert G. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FREEMASONRY AND ITS KINDRED SCIENCES, 1917

Why do we have to believe in a Supreme Being?

[What follows is my own personal opinion, and may not be shared by my Lodge, Chapter or Valley, much less any of the broader jurisdictions in which they reside.]

There have been many answers to this question over the years, and you may have already heard some of them: that the obligation would be meaningless and non-binding for an atheist; that our ceremonies are in deference to deity and this would be uncomfortable for an atheist; etc.

But these all ring a bit hollow to me. We swear in judges and politicians who are atheists and Unitarian churches often have atheists in their congregations, attending services that are very deferential to deity. So, is the whole thing nonsense? Should we drop that requirement? Well, no.

There are two reasons that I consider most important that we require men to believe:

1. It's one of the Landmarks, and our system of regularity depends on universally supporting those Landmarks. We can't change them in one nation without losing recognition from all of the others, and belief in a Supreme Being is a pretty major item on that list.
2. The degrees are, as I've only realized in the past 6 months or so, far more condensed than most freshly minted Master Masons realize. They depend for the conveyance of key points on the exact conditions under which they are conveyed. If you read the degrees in a book, they would not convey the same information because you are a part of their presentation. They also depend on certain ideas being already present: a willingness to seek your own better self; a belief in a Supreme Being; the entire baggage of the male psyche; etc.

So, why don't we just rewrite the degrees and agree on the new version with all of the other Grand Lodges? Who do you know who's capable of such a thing? Is it even possible to convey the same ideas and subtle context in another way? Is there any way to get every Grand Lodge in the world to agree to such changes even if they were possible? My inclination is to say, "no" on all of those points.

And that is why one must believe in a Supreme Being in order to become a Freemason. We aren't just a social club. We perform a specific task and in order to perform it, we need our candidates to be ready to perform it with us. In other words, we are not a religion, but our ceremonies are religious, and that's not just a matter of paying lip-service, it is integral to the process of initiation.

What do you guys even do?

One of the most common questions I'm asked on reddit and other places where I discuss Freemasonry is some variant of, "that sounds cool, but what do you do?" This is a fair question, but I think it's a bit too broad. We're a Fraternity that has existed for over 300 years, and so answering that question could take a very long time.

Let's get specific: I'm going to answer the question of what happens in a typical meeting of Blue Lodge Freemasonry. The Blue Lodge or Craft Freemasonry is the core of what we do. It's the initiatory body for new Masons and it holds the basis of our philosophical and moral teachings. It's also very often the social focus of the Fraternity.

So, let me take you through a typical meeting. Many Lodges have dinner first, but we don't in my Lodge. We'll gather on the second floor of our Hall and mill around chatting and shaking hands (no really, just shaking hands, the idea that Masons getting together have to execute some arcane set of recognition techniques is really quite overstated).

Then we go into the main Lodge room. This is a beautiful room built in 1910 that can seat upwards of 400 people. My Lodge usually has about 20-40 people depending on weather, time of year, what we're doing that night, etc.

The meeting is opened with a formal "opening" ceremony. Ever wonder why the start of a sports game is called an "opening ceremony"? Yep, that's why. Freemasonry isn't the only or first organization to have had such a ceremony, but I suspect that it's most of the reason that we use the term in sports.

After the opening, we do one of a few things. The heart of the Blue Lodge is initiation, and if there is a candidate, then they are there to be initiated and that's what we get to ASAP. The initiation is a formal ceremony that has parts to play for many of the officers of the Lodge. There will be officers whose job is to lead the candidate into the room and officers whose job it is to deliver the philosophical and allegorical lectures to them. It's a fascinating process and by the end of the initiation, the candidate has enough information at their disposal to spend a lifetime digesting!

After the initiation (if any) there is usually a business meeting. Finances, new member voting, voting for officers (Freemasonry is intensely democratic!) and upcoming events are discussed. The discussion follows a formal system that's similar to Robert's Rules of Order. The "Master" of the Lodge (the senior most officer) runs the meeting and all comments from the floor are made after being acknowledged by the Master.

It's also possible, if time permits, that a lecture will be given by one of the members. These lectures are approved by the Master, and usually touch on the history of the Lodge, the history of Freemasonry, the content of the degrees  or the philosophical teachings of Freemasonry.

That's what happens in a meeting. It might sound routine and dull, but I can assure you that it's anything but! Seeing a new Brother go through the degrees for the first time is a thrilling experience, and I wouldn't give it up for the world! Being able to take part in that initiation as an officer is even more profound!

Speaking of being an officer, this is one of the hidden elements of Freemasonry. It's hidden in plain sight, but often not explained: the initiation process doesn't end when you go through the degrees. Being an officer and moving up through the "line" of officers to eventually be Master of your Lodge is as much a part of the initiation as going through the three degrees as a candidate. The officer line is a form of management training, and unlike most other forms of management training, it's both practical and low-risk. For that reason alone, I highly recommend it to every man who has the chance. After all, if you can become a better manager, it will improve all aspects of your life, so why not?!

After our meetings there are sometimes social events. In my Lodge, we retire to a rec room area in the building and hang out, drink a beverage or two, raise a glass to the Fraternity and discuss whatever we want. Topics have ranged from the best ways to attract new members to the finer points of classic heavy metal to the mathematical discipline of category theory. Everyone has their own interests and when we meet in a spirit of Brotherly Love and mutual acceptance, those interests can blend into a rich tapestry of conversation that can wind into the wee hours of the morning...

Finally, there are the externalities. Officers attend degree rehearsals once a month in my Lodge, which is common; there are picnics and other social events outside of meetings for the whole family; the Grand Lodge holds quarterly meetings that any Mason can attend and so on. These are all optional events (though becoming an officer means signing up for rehearsals at the least), but many Brothers feel as if they are part of what really makes a Lodge into a social unit.

So, what do we do? We meet, we initiate and we run the Lodge.

Hope this has helped to clear up details for some of you, but if you have any questions, please ask!

What it means to be a Brother

I've been very sick recently. It came in waves and often confused me by making me feel well enough to work, only to hit again with renewed awfulness. The Master of my Lodge is a tattoo artist who works nearby. One day, I was walking home at 3PM, trying not to collapse in the snowbank when a car honked at me. It was our Worshipful Master, and I said hello.

He asked if I needed a ride. I said that I was going home sick, and he told me to get in and we drove home. On the way, I found out why he was on the road. His motorcycle had been towed, and he was taking time out of his day to go get it from impound. This is a man whose financial well-being comes from seeing customers. He doesn't want to rush, but at the same time, the more he sees, the more money comes into the shop. Yet, he stopped, picked me up and drove me in the wrong direction for a mile while exposing himself to my illness.

A non-Freemason might think, "oh, that's really nice of him." Here's what a Freemason thinks: "that's exactly how I should be behaving." The difference is subtle but vast. It's what makes a "good man better," and its at the heart of Freemasonry.

Worshipful Brother Norton has proven himself a Mason, and that's exactly how I should be behaving.