![]() ![]() ![]() Related: Why does Christianity have so many denominations? Its members are encouraged to believe in a supreme being, which in the parlance of Masonry, is known as the "Grand Architect of the Universe," Jacob added. This is not to say that Freemasonry is wholly secular and devoid of religious aspects. Bound together by secret rites of initiation and ritual, its members ostensibly promote the "brotherhood of man," and in the past, have often been associated with 18th century Enlightenment principles such as anti-monarchism, republicanism, meritocracy and constitutional government, said Margaret Jacob, professor emeritus of European history at the University of California, Los Angeles and author of the book " The Origins of Freemasonry: Facts and Fictions" (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2005). However, nowadays women can be Freemasons, too (more on this later).īut Freemasons, or Masons as they are sometimes called, are dedicated to loftier goals as well. As the name implies, a fraternal organization is one that's composed almost solely of men who gather together for mutual benefit, frequently for professional or business reasons. In addition to being the world's oldest fraternal organization, Freemasonry is also the world's largest such organization, boasting an estimated worldwide membership of some 6 million people, according to a report by the BBC. ![]()
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