I have to ask this, why are the Masons so secret?
Do they have something to fear, or are they embarassed about certain things they do or do they have an agenda going on that possibly isnt condusive to the well being of others or do they have enemies that want to get information on them or from them?
Why the secrecy in 2005? I may be being hard on you but I dont feel I can trust a society of some importance who keeps secrets and that includes our governments as well. I can understand the reasons for government organisations but not for a body that is just really a group of such wide and varied people, includingthose with power and authority with the same belief.
BTW my father and all my uncles and many of my cousins on my mothers side were/are masons and I grew up going to parties at the local lodge. Still i will never trust them. What I do believe is that many join just like sheep to be part of something and dont really bother about the stuff going on they are privvy too. Im interested in the bigger picture.
If Im being paranoid then surely all can be explained clearly to alleviate that. Could it really be just people wanting to think they are a part of something important or a big family looking out for itself and thats it. I dont think so, its to big for that. I do believe though that not all the members have the big picture, just those at the top. Remembering the Nazi regieme and so many cults and political and religious organisations in the past its just like sheep to let wolves make them do terrible things in the belief they are dong the right thing. Im not saying thats going to be the case but this does concern me.
I may sound like Mr Conpiracy Theory but there is one thing worse than not telling the truth when it comes to creating fear, mistrust and anxiety, and that thing is not telling what needs to be told.
Good question. Many ways to answer this exists, there are many explanations, but the ultimate one concerning f-m is always the most esoteric and occult. Dabbling in the occult gives those who practice it a sense of power, joy, freedom, energy, youth, etc, they enjoy it and they believe it makes them better people, more balanced, closer to nature, more "in tune" with the cosmos, etc. This is true with witchcraft, demonology, masonry and all of the occult sciences.
However, breaking this secrecy, bringing things into the light of day, makes these powers obsolete, or at least reduces their vigour.
This is the true (and ultimately esoteric) reason why freemasonry is secret, not because they do anything wrong per se, not because they're embarassed as you suspect, but because the beneficial energy they gain from occult ritual work does not permit openess to the general public.