The Wrong Reasons to Become a Freemason

By:William RegalLast Updated:April 17, 2023

Our fraternity unfairly suffers from many misguided assumptions about what happens within lodges
and about the intentions of Masons. Although the values of Masons of Freemasonry are abundantly
clear to all within the fraternity, some people outside the fraternity are convinced of ulterior motives.

That being said, Freemasonry welcomes me from all backgrounds and encourages diversity and
inclusivity. Our fraternity seeks to recruit men who wish to live a moral and ethical life, to further the
Masonic objectives, and act as custodians of the craft.

Any man with good moral intentions is welcome to join the craft. But what are some of the wrong
reasons to become a Freemason? Let’s dive in and take a look at five of the wrong reasons to
become a Freemason.

You are motivated to expose the secrets of the craft

With the advent of the Internet, you’re able to find a great deal of information about Freemasonry
online. There are countless websites and even social media channels dedicated to sharing
information about the fraternity.

However, most people who disseminate information about Freemasonry (myself included) are careful
not to betray any of the craft’s secrets. These secrets are reserved for brothers progressing through
the three degrees of Freemasonry, and their sanctity should be preserved for future generations.

It would be best if you did not aspire to become a Mason to expose the craft’s secrets. It’s not that
there is anything to hide; rather, the Masonic rituals and traditions are reserved for brothers within the
craft and remained that way for centuries.

It would be a crying shame if someone were to join a lodge with the sole intention of exposing many of
the great mysteries and secrets of Freemasonry.

You wish to promote a religious agenda

As all brothers know, Freemasonry is not a religion. Neither is it a substitute for religion. Sometimes,
people may be confused because, to become a Mason, you must profess belief in a ‘Supreme Being.’

Other than that, you are not required to divulge any of your faith’s details to anyone within the craft. A
great deal of the allegories and teachings within Freemasonry are based upon passages from the
Holy Scriptures. Still, it doesn’t mean you must believe in a particular religion to take value from the
Masonic teachings.

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Equally, you should not seek to join Freemasonry to promote a particular religious agenda or convert
brothers into a specific faith or belief system. Each man is entitled to his own religious beliefs, and
there is no place within Freemasonry for divisions created by religious doctrine.

You want to use Freemasonry for political gain

Political discourse is actually prohibited within Masonic lodges, given how divisive it often is. There
are many opportunities for you to discuss politics in everyday life, and you should respect the fact that
politics is off-limits within the confines of a lodge.

Many people assume that because many prominent politicians have been Masons (George
Washington, for instance), Freemasonry has some type of political agenda and is an opportunity for
aspiring politicians to gain popularity.

Moreover, many conspiracy theories with Freemasonry at the center accuse the fraternity of
influencing global politics, which further plays into the misconception that Freemasonry is a political
force to be reckoned with.

Brothers are required to respect their fellow Masons’ contrasting political beliefs and should not seek
to join the fraternity for any type of political reasons.

You are seeking self-advancement only

Although it’s important to be proud of your Masonic ties, you should not seek to join the fraternity for
self-advancement only. Joining a lodge to simply say that you are a Mason neglects your
responsibility to progress on your Masonic journey.

Freemasonry is about much more than the self, and to fully benefit from the craft, you need to
immerse yourself in its teachings and rituals and ensure you live by the values of brotherly love and
charity.

If you’re only in it for yourself, you are detracting away from the very principles upon which the craft
was built, and you will find it difficult to interact with your fellow brothers. While self-development is
important, it should not be your only motivation.

You want to solicit friends for personal gain

There’s no denying that membership of a Masonic lodge puts you in contact with an incredible variety
of people. Men from all walks of life and varying professions make up Masonic lodges, and their
experiences are vast.

Becoming a Mason welcomes you into this incredible network of people and provides you with the
opportunity to meet new people and develop lifelong friendships and professional relationships.

That being said, you should not seek membership of a lodge merely to solicit friends for personal
gain. All relationships developed within a lodge should be reciprocal and based upon shared interests
and values. It is amiss to use Freemasonry to further your own agenda, disregarding the needs of
others.

While connection and networking is a huge draw of joining a Masonic lodge, it should not be your sole
motivation. It is exploitative to utilize your position to solicit friends and connections for personal gain.

Conclusion
Men seek to become Masons for a variety of reasons. Whether it’s to learn the ancient secrets of the
craft or perhaps the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and contribute to community
projects, a brother’s intentions and motivations should be pure and ethical.

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If you’re seeking to become a Mason, make sure you do it for the right reasons. This way, you will
gain significant value from the fraternity and will be able to add value to your fellow Masons in a
variety of ways.