Freemasonry and American Culture

Make sure to READ INSTRUCTIONS VERY CAREFULLY!! WRITING MUST BE DOUBLE SPACED WITH THE FONT SIZE 12 AND FONT IN TIMES NEW ROMAN!!
Students will select a specific culture and discuss their use of magic, witchcraft, and/or religion in a minimum 5 page paper (double spaced, 12pt., Times New Roman).
You really have a chance to be creative here so go for it! Students in the past have chosen a wide range of topics including the Church of Satan, playing Pokemon as religious practice, magical rituals associated with sports, peyote rites of the Native American Church, Freemasons, secret societies, wearing makeup as religious practice, Yoga, Voodoo, technology as religion, zombies, vampires, religious dance, cosplay as religion, Hinduism, Islam, Kabbalah and even My Little Pony as religion.
Emphasis should be placed on utilizing and applying the course theories and perspectives and a minimum of three scholarly sources should be used. Be very careful to cite your work properly.
If students have access to the culture, they are welcome to include an ethnographic component to their paper as long as conducting the research does not pose a risk to you or anyone else (see below).
Do not just tell us about the culture; try to analyze their religious practice utilizing the course theories and perspectives.
What are the origins of their religious practice and why is it appealing to them?
What functions or meanings do these practices have?
Are there any rituals or rites that are practiced and how do they operate?
You are required to utilize a minimum of 3 outside scholarly anthropological sources in the paper, but be sure to cite everything properly using MLA format and include a works cited page. Do not use Wikipedia or Everyculture.com and if you do, be sure to place all direct quotes in quotation marks or significant points will be deducted.
You may not conduct ethnographic research with drug dealers, drug users, anyone who is breaking the law, pimps, prostitutes, children, the mentally ill, people with eating disorders, the homeless, axe murderers, gangs, addicts, recovering addicts, or anyone else who is going to get you killed or me fired.
As a general rule, if you use three or more words from another source, put this material in “quotation marks” and follow the sentence with an in-text citation.
If you paraphrase from a text, include an in-text citation at the end of the sentence.
If you fail to properly cite your work, you will receive a zero for the assignment.

ANSWER

Freemasonry

Many cultures across the world have beliefs that supernatural powers can be manipulated by magic or rituals to act in a particular way, which could be good or evil. Through the performance of these magical rituals, they can achieve what they desire.  In these communities, witchcraft and magic explain situations or illnesses that cannot be explained in any other way. Magic manifest in rituals, spells, and objects seeks to manipulate supernatural or spiritual powers for evil or good. Rituals help the members of the religion physicalize their beliefs and commitments.  They also help the members of such communities to connect among themselves and with the Supreme Being, whom they believe in.

Freemasonry is one such organization that uses rituals and magic.  Freemason is the world’s largest secret society with over 3 million members worldwide. The origins of Freemasonry are not clear, but it began in 1717 in England. It emerged from the stonemasonry guilds in the middle Ages. While Freemasonry does not subscribe to any orthodoxy, it is a religious society (Waite 18).  Freemasons believe in the existence of a supreme being and are against atheism. Its teachings combine obedience, morality, and charity, in addition to the law of the land.

For one to become a member of the Freemason, they have to be a male that believes in the immortality of the soul and the existence of a Supreme Being.  Additionally, a prospective candidate should have good morals and should be of sound body and mind. Other requirements include the ability to pass interviews and other inquiries by the committees and come with their own free will. Masonic lodges are the basic organizational unit of the Freemasonry, where Masons are entitled to visit when they wish to ( Dumenil 9).   These lodges are governed by Grand Lodges, whose constitutions define the Freemasonry structure. However, there are lodges restricted to women in Britain and other countries, mostly the relatives of the master masons.  The membership is divided into three main degrees: entered apprentice, a fellow of the craft, and the master mason. However, the degrees vary from one country to another.

There are two types of Masons; the operative masons and the speculative masons (Stavish 4). The operative masons are those involved in the actual laying of bricks, and they understand the trade, while the speculative masons are the symbolic members who are not involved in the actual laying of bricks.

Symbols, Rituals, and Secrets

There have a variety of symbols and rituals, all of which have meaning to the members. Freemason has several rites, which one undergoes to become a member. In this society, a rite is a set of degrees conferred.

Freemason Rituals

Freemasonry is described as a “Beautiful or Peculiar System of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated in symbols” (Jacob 13).  The symbolism of the Freemasons can be found in the Masonic Lodge. All the entrants and initiates are integrated into the system through Masonic rituals, which entail allegorical plays and lectures. Within Freemason, there are ancient customs, practices, and peculiarities unique to the society, referred to as landmarks (Stavish 13). These landmarks are easily identifiable by freemasons regardless of their origins. The majority of the rituals performed by Freemasons are composed of Biblical references to the Temple of Solomon’s building.

Some of the teachings and traditions practiced are derived from Jewish traditions and other religions. While it is not a religious organization, Freemasonry has members from various religions. Their way of doing things, such as dressing is similar to major religious organizations such as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The dressing, including robes, aprons, hand gestures, vocabulary, and other symbols used in the church, share a commonality with Freemasonry. However, the meanings are different in the two organizations. Since they derive the temple worship from Solomon’s Temple, the similarity is likely just a coincidence.

Initiation Rituals and Symbols

The initiation ceremony is the most important rite of Freemasonry.  During the initiation, some several symbols and rituals are followed, all of which have meaning. The initiate enters the lodge using the western door towards the Worshipful master, standing on the eastern side. The Masons believe that light, which is a symbol of wisdom, originates from the east; hence one has to travel from the west to the east in search of wisdom (Dumenil 10). Moreover, the candidate is blindfolded to symbolize his ignorance. His breasts are often exposed to prove that he is a man, while his left pant leg is rolled up to prove that he is healthy and not disabled.

During the initiation ceremony, the symbols used include a gavel, apron, and a square.

Funeral Rituals

In a Masonic funeral, some rituals are followed. First, their funerals are mostly open to members only. One of the most significant rites during these funerals is a lambskin apron, which replaces other societies’ casket flag. The lambskin apron is dapped over the casket and is treated with respect as a sign of the deceased’s Masonic membership. The funeral service is often presided over by The Worshipful Master, who begins with the introduction of the customs for memorializing a Brother. After that, the Sacred Roll is Read, where the Worshipful Master recites the deceased’s information, including his name, rank, date of death, and age (Waite 18). The Freemason’s record ages by years, months, and days. Lastly, he announces the ascension of the deceased. This aspect supports their belief in the immortality of the soul. Another symbol displayed in Masonic funerals is acacia, which is evergreen, and stands for eternal faith.  Hebrews use the acacia tree to mark graves, which implies that their practice is borrowed from the Hebrews.

Secrets

Freemason considers themselves a society with secrets and not a secret society.  There are many secrets of the Freemasons, which include passwords, handshakes and gestures, and other signs. To identify if one is a member of the Freemason, they used certain signs and symbols. However, these symbols have been exposed several times, but Freemasons continue to act in secrecy. There are other secret symbols of the Freemason which have been surrounded by conspiracy theories.

Symbols

The Freemasons use several symbols and signs, but the common ones include the letter G, the compasses and Square, and the eye of Providence. One of the major symbols of the Freemasons is the letter G, which stands for Geometry. It is one of the most identifiable signs of the Freemason and originates from their craft. The letter G comprises the Square and the compasses. Geometry is considered the basis of Freemasonry. The Square and compasses are one of the major tools used by architects and are used in Masonic rituals when teaching symbolic lessons (Stavish 14).  For example, Duncan’s Masonic Monitor explains the Square and compasses as “The square, to square our actions; the compasses, to circumscribe and keep us within bounds with all mankind” Jacob 17).  Nevertheless, Freemason is non-dogmatic, and hence, no single interpretation of the compasses and Square and other symbols used by the society.

Another symbol in Freemasonry is the Eye of Providence. It is a triangular-shaped symbol, a pyramid, which has an all-seeing eye. The pyramid symbolizes strength and duration, while the all-seeing eye inside the pyramid is a message for the Masons that they are being watched; hence they need to live righteously ad keep their strict moral standards (Stavish 15). It represents the omniscient God and reminds the Masons that they are always under watch.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the various religions and cultures worldwide have their customs, rituals, and practices. While not all religions and cultures practice magic, some beliefs and rituals surround witchcraft and magic. The Freemasons society is a secret society, whose customs, beliefs, and rituals resemble witchcraft. They have many secrets, whose meaning is mostly understood by the members. There are many variants of the Freemasonry society, and the customs, teachings, and rituals may vary from one country to another. However, most practices, teachings, and symbols are derived from the Jewish traditions and the Old Testament. Most of their rituals are believed to have been transported from Jerusalem during the construction of the Temple of Solomon. The secret society has several rituals, including funeral and rituals, during which various rites are conducted.

Works Cited

Dumenil, Lynn. Freemasonry and American Culture, 1880-1930. Princeton University Press, 2014. https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691612263/freemasonry-and-american-culture-1880-1930

Jacob, Margaret C. The Origins of Freemasonry: Facts and Fictions. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2007. https://www.amazon.com/Origins-Freemasonry-Facts-Fictions/dp/0812219880

Stavish, Mark. Freemasonry: Rituals, Symbols & History of the Secret Society. Llewellyn Worldwide, 2007.

Waite, Arthur Edward. A new encyclopedia of freemasonry. Cosimo, Inc., 2013.

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