text: what are masons? is it a religion? a fraternal organization? what do they do or stand for or believe in? freemasonry is a large and diverse group of human beings. i cannot not speak for all or even most of them. i will speak only for what i have experienced.  freemasonry is not a religion. in our order, we say it is a kind of morality, veiled in allegory, and illustrated by symbols.   we stress the golden rule (do unto others as you would have them do unto you). there are many other rules of conduct that we find work in the betterment of oneself and the world. some of those expressions have come into wide use in english: someone who "levels" with you, treats you "square," etc.  we speak about moral lessons in story form. i am sure you know things like "the little boy who cried wolf" (that is an example of allegory, a story with a moral).   we use the tools of operative masons (those who build real buildings) as symbols, as objects for contemplation and study. when we teach by symbols, we learn much about the inside of the person asking about them as well as those hearing the response.   for some freemasons, the organization is strictly fraternal and devoted to good works. that in itself is a wonderful thing. the shriners (an offshoot of the freemasons) have hospitals that treat children with burns and disabilities free of charge.  for some freemasons, freemasonry is the heir to the ancient mystery schools. it is a way of achieving what some have termed enlightenment. as far as i know, freemasonry works to make good people better.   we do, at least in my order of freemasonry (american co-masonry) insist that the candidate for admission must believe in a supreme being. we do not press them further about that belief. we thus admit christians, hindus, buddhists, etc. we insist also that the person is of good character already, not an anarchist, and is of age (usually 21).     where american co-masonry differs from those others calling themselves freemasons (or "real" freemasons) is that we admit women to full membership, rights, and privileges. we admit all races, also.  if you wish more information, feel free to write to me and click on the link below to read more on our history.