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FAQ: What are the requirements to become a Freemason
May 8th, 2008 by RyanThe Freemasonry FAQ
Version 1.0
August 2006
This Frequently Asked Question comes from the weekly USENET MASONRY FAQ, posted to alt.freemasonry every Friday at 08:00 Pacific. Please refer to the weekly FAQ for other resource and contact information.
What are the requirements for becoming a Mason?
There are several requirements, the details of which vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. In tone, however, they are pretty consistent and worth posting for anyone who is actually interested in learning something about the fraternity of Freemasonry.
- You have to make application for membership willingly and not because of coersion or mercenary motives.
- You have to be of lawful age in your jurisdiction, of sound mind, and legally entitled to apply.
- You have to believe in a Supreme Being as Creator of the Universe.
- You have to be of good moral character.
- You have to be willing to respect and protect the privacies of the fraternity (our handshakes and passwords), of the Lodge (who is ill or late with their dues), and of your Brethren (the fact that he HATES spinnich, but eats it anyway when his wife cooks it because he loves HER must remain between the two of you), so long as none of these involve a crime such as Murder or Treason.
- You have to be willing to respect the ceremonies of the fraternity and not go changing them without permission of the governing body in your jurisdiction.
- You have to be willing to reguard the whole human species as one family, Created by One Almighty Parent, and to treat others accordingly.
- You have to be willing to place your duty to G-d first and formost, your duty to yourself and family next, your duty to your neighbor and your country next and that to the fraternity last among these.
- You have to be willing to help others in distress, so far as you can without incurring harm to yourself or your family who depends on you.
- You have to be willing to comport yourself with honor and dignity, behaving as an honorable individual should. A part of this is that you have to be willing to recognise that someone else’s beliefs and opinions in matters apertaining to religion, politics and economics are as true for, and as precious to, them as yours are to you. As you want them to respect yours, you must be willing and able to respect theirs.
- Finally, you have to be willing to obey the rules and regualtions of the fraternity in matters apertaining to the fraternity.
(Thanks to W.Bro. Gene Goldman)
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