Sometimes it's hard to believe that people will follow their "leaders" blindly down paths of hate and animosity, without thinking on their own.

But when over 900 followers of the 'Reverend' Jim Jones commit mass suicide in Guyana in 1978, the disciples of David Koresh are willing to face death because of their 'prophet', or people continue to donate to religious 'missions' despite their having been totally discredited as to motive, it becomes more believable that some people will blindly accept the charges that Masons and Masonry are all part of some huge evil empire or anti-religious cabal.

But let's try to look at this using common sense:
Does it seem reasonable to think that some 3-5 million Masons of today have all misunderstood what Masonry was really all about?
Is it conceivable that thousands of religious leaders and hundreds of thousands of devout religious followers have been 'tricked'?
Can you really believe that national leaders and common people are all sharing a common, secret agenda?
Do you think there is some incredible knowledge held by the small handful of those who protest against Freemasonry, and often argue amongst themselves on various issues such as religion, that transcends the knowledge and intelligence of the millions of Masons during the past three hundred years?
Could tens of millions of people over the past three hundred years - including leaders in all walks of religious, political, educational, and other fields - all have been so totally and completely wrong - while the small handful of those who have opposed Freemasonry during that same period be right?
Can people who don't agree on what the 'proper' version of the Bible is and argue over who are 'legitimate' preachers really be correct in this specific matter?
And finally - IF Masonry was so evil, why haven't more people 'defected'? Why isn't Masonry more secretive? Why aren't there more exposes? Why, oh, why?

Have you examined the 'sources' of information for yourself or are you simply accepting the word of another? If you are listening to someone who is against Masonry, have you checked to see what other things they are against as well?

Admittedly, the concepts of Masonry can be a stretch for one's credibility.

Does it seem possible that men of different (and often strongly-held) religious faiths, political beliefs, social positions, amounts of worldly goods, etc. can set aside all of these differences to meet together in peace and harmony?

Is it possible that a group would build hospitals and support all types of medical research and other charities without some ulterior motive? Does it make sense that a 'secret' organization bent on world domination or following Satan would spend well over a million dollars a day on charity?

Can you really believe that there is a group which has existed for nearly 300 years, founded on the simple principles of brotherly love, relief, truth, temperance, fortitude, prudence and justice?

When confronted with charges against Masonry, compare what you've seen in your daily life against what the anti-Mason says. Do all of those Shriners at their circus look like they're Satanists or bent on world domination? Are local leaders as well as your neighbors all dupes of Lucifer or under the control of some grand cabal?

Confirm your observations with reality!
Don't blindly accept the word of those who are filled with hate
for an organization which does so much good.

In my profane opinion, freemasonry is a good thing and the freemasons I know are good people. I personally believe that modern Satanism is counter freemasonry and therefore must closely mirror freemasonry in some ways but with a completely different intent (satanism is the practice of self gratification as a religion and its laws and commandments are designed to keep a persons true intentions "invisible" to those with a giving heart and mind). Those who believe that freemasonry is satanism or occult practice do so in error but some have the best of intention.

Freemasonry and Satanism differ mainly because Masonry is NOT and will NOT ever be a religion...religion would conflict with our true meaning and reasons of being what we are...IMO.