Are these wizards or Mormon adjacent? Or?
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The freemasons began as literally a guild or organization of masons, stoneworkers, who either worked freestone, or were free people (not slaves or serfs). Masonry is a skilled craft and members tended to be relatively well educated, wealthier, and had reasons to keep their practices and techniques secret. They would also be connected to members of other cities and distant lands.
The origins of these Masonic organizations go back to the middle ages, so members have been part of European society at all levels for a very, very, very long time. Modern Freemasons kept the name, but aren’t entirely centered around stoneworking anymore. They are more of a very big, very old, very international social club. As with any organization there are multiple different expressions and subdivisions under Freemasonry, which do everything from actual masonry to social clubs, from business to politicians, from entertainers to educators.
free masonry is more like a club with secret handshakes and stuff. not wizards or mormons just guys hangin out and doin good deeds
>Are these wizards or Mormon adjacent? Or?
Neither. It is merely a fraternity where good men go to become better men. They use ritual and allegory to teach morality lessons while supporting each other. All the “secrets” of Freemasonry are available online and they are probably the least important part. If I visit another lodge, they will be more concerned with whether my dues card is in order than whether I can remember all the “secrets”.
Why do people think freemasons are wizards or related to Mormonism? Because various groups have co-opted Masonic style ritual and garb. The Order of the Golden Dawn, probably the most famous magical society in 200 years, was influenced by Freemasonry. Joseph Smith was a Mason, and he used Masonic themes when creating Mormon ritual.
It’s not black magic, it’s not a cult, it isn’t devil worship, it isn’t even anti-Catholic despite the Catholic Church hating Masonry.
No, they have been around a lot longer than Mormons and aren’t a religion either. They started as a guild for literal stone masons and workers, builders, etc. It developed into a fraternal organization more recently. They have rituals, levels of rank, etc. These days they do charity and public service like other groups such as the Elks, Moose, etc.
The thing about them is, from talking to some members, membership is dying as younger folks aren’t joining up and you have to be offered membership by a Mason. It requires a lot of free time.
My Grandfather was a member. He worked for the Army Corps of Engineers and I didn’t even know about it until after he passed and we were going through his things and found a lot of Mason trinkets and other things.
Sir Terry Pratchett alluded to it in his book Guards Guards and called it “Mysticism for tradespeople” – an attempt to take the traditions and secrets of a trade (Stone masonry in this case), and assign some level of mysticism to it.
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