Before going any Masonry in Nashville  farther with this article, let's be very clear about something: Masonry does have secrets. What are they? First, every one of the 54,581 Master Masons who are members of the California Grand Lodge, as well as Master Masons anywhere situated throughout the world can quickly recognize each other by means of certain signs and words that are not made known to people who are not Master Masons.

 Masonry refers to those signs and words as Nashville Masonry Services  modes of recognition. Secondly, Masonry employs a ritual to teach lessons about virtue and morality, as well as to impart knowledge that is not intentionally made known to non-Masons. Therefore, the relevant question to be asked is not whether or not Masonry has secrets, or what they are, but why those secrets raise suspicions that Masonry is a dangerous organization that should be avoided.

Be Afraid - Be Very Afraid

Fear is a human emotion as well as a tool used by some to perpetuate a special agenda. Psychologists and psychiatrists around the world have dealt with fear among their patients for centuries. Politicians, diplomats, military leaders and even people with a social agenda have recognized the power of fear. By instilling fear among their citizens, politicians can acquire power; diplomats can persuade others to act as they desire them to act; military leaders can discipline their own troops and attain an advantage over their enemies; and people with a social agenda can scare others into accepting what they have to offer, or rejecting anything that is in conflict with what the agenda offers.

Psychologists and psychiatrists have written for years about the causes of fear, which today are generally well known. Xenophobia, or the fear of strangers is one. Perceived threats to social identity is another. Biases and prejudices can also play a significant role. But perhaps the one cause that surmounts all others is being confronted by the "unknown."

While the causes of fear are better known today than ever before, the cures remain elusive. The best cure known requires the exercise of tremendous self discipline. It entails facing that about which one is fearful and challenging yourself to no longer permit it to control of your emotions. There are no pills to swallow, or injections to receive that will eliminate your fears. You must be the one to take of that matter and take charge of your own emotions.

When it comes to fearing the unknown, it does help to understand why whatever it is that is unknown to you is unknown in the first instance. There is no reason why anyone should fear Masonry's secret modes of recognition, or its ritual. Both have been around for centuries and neither has resulted in harm to anyone. Moreover, no harm will ever come to you if you never learn anything more about those secrets than what you learn from this article.

Secrets vs. Secret Societies

A universally recognized definition of the word secret is: "something kept hidden from others." Another that is equally well accepted is: "something that remains beyond understanding or explanation." And yet another definition that is actually more relevant to Masonry is: "something that is shared only among the initiated."

Even though we now know that Masonry has secrets and even understand the nature of those secrets some may persist in either fearing the institution, or rejecting it as an organization that can be trusted. For the matter of whether or not Masonry has secrets is most often really as a question about whether or not Masonry poses a threat to something or someone. In truth, there are reasons for some to fear Masonry. But if you are not involved in tyranny, the promotion of intolerance, the undermining of faith, hope and charity, or are intent upon inculcating hate and ignorance, there is nothing for you to fear.

A more serious question to consider is whether or not Masonry constitutes something known as a secret society. It is not, but making that simple statement is not likely sufficient to satisfy the more skeptical readers. In fact, if you consult an encyclopedic definition of the term, you could easily conclude that Masonry is a secret society. Does it matter one way or the other? That depends upon several things, perhaps the most important being whether or not something illegal or subversive is actually at work.

One definition indicates that fraternal organizations with secret ceremonies and means of secretly recognizing the members are secret societies. That definition would clearly include Masonry. Requiring members to take oaths to keep secret matters pertaining to the organization also applies to Masonry and is another attribute of a secret society. Those attributes alone are enough for some people to feel threatened.

In an address he made to ANPA in 1961, President John F. Kennedy said that the very word "secrecy" is repugnant to a free and open society, such as the United States of America. He must not have been including the CIA, FBI, or United States Military among his concerns, for each requires secrecy, extracts oaths from its employees to maintain secrecy and even goes so far as to file lawsuits against those breaching their vows. But, President Kennedy's selectivity can be understood when viewed in a different context.

Some secret societies maintain secrecy ostensibly for the purpose of benefiting mankind, or enhancing the chances for survival. Others seek to uproot governments, enslave people, or assist in perpetrating wars and crimes. For us the question then is not whether something is a secret society, but whether or not is a threat to do evil.