What Are The Benefits Of Becoming A Mason?

Freemasonry is like everything in life. You will get out of it what you put into it. It all depends on your perception, attitude, time and interests. Freemasonry is not about “What can I get?”. We are an organization that values and supports charity, compassion, extending a hand to the fallen, mending the broken, healing the sick, defending the defenseless, lifting the weak, personal spiritual growth and every man’s individual quest for a greater understanding and his relationship with “God”. But everyone wants to know “What’s in it for me?” That being said, there many, many benefits to becoming a Mason. To list them all would be difficult as each person gets many different things in many different ways from being a part of the brotherhood. There are so many aspects, clubs, social orders and facets to our organization that the benefits can cover everything from socializing, learning new skills, finding a new job to spiritual growth. Below is a general list of some basic “benefits”:

Fellowship & Brotherhood: We are not a bunch of boring guys! We take road trips, go hiking, camping, fishing, play golf, see live music, go out to dinner, rent cabins and a number of other activities. We help one another “get through life”, even if that is just a simple helping hand or someone to talk to.
A Place Where Every Man Is Treated As Equal: Freemasonry is a brotherhood that treats all men as equal, regardless of social status, race, religion, political views or financial status. Being a member of the fraternity, you can walk into any lodge in the world and regardless of your social status, economic status, or religious path and be treated with the same respect and equality as everyone else in the lodge.
Be A Part Of The Worlds Largest Charitable Organization: By simply being a member here in the United States, you are automatically part of a charity organization that gives 2 Million Dollars Per Day to charity.
Contribute To Charities Just By Being A Member: By joining a lodge and simply paying your yearly dues, even if you rarely come to a meeting, you are contributing part of your membership dues to charities that all Masonic Lodges support.
Find Some Local Charity Outlets: Want to put something back into your community and help others but don’t know where to go or how? Masonic Lodges are located in all areas of each city. Each one has local charities that it supports to help build stronger communities through volunteer work, donating food, clothing and other items to those in need. A great outlet to help change the lives of others if you do not know where to start. Find a place in your community that needs help? You can start your OWN charity work or fundraiser through your lodge and instantly have the help and support of your brothers.
Networking: The Masonic Fraternity has a diverse membership from every walk of life…. from doctors & lawyers to chefs and parking lot attendants. Not only can you network with the brothers in your lodge, but through any lodge anywhere in the world. It’s a great place to start to meet local business owners and people in your community as well as contacts in other cities and countries.
Political Free Zone: It seems like everywhere we go and look today we are bombarded with politics. Political views are not allowed to be discussed at a Masonic lodge. This provides a beautiful sanctuary where you can relax with your fellow man and not even know or care what someone else’s political view might be, nor be judged for yours.
Religious Free Zone: As stated in other parts of this website, Freemasonry is not a religion nor is it based on any one religion. It’s morals and ‘teachings’ are compatible with any religion upholding strong moral values. Religion and religious beliefs are not discussed at lodge meetings or in a lodge. This provides a place where every man is accepted as an equal and is not judged on his personal relationship with “God”.
Be A Part Of History: There is so much rich, interesting and detailed history behind the oldest and largest fraternity in the world! By becoming a brother, YOU are a part of that history and it becomes a part of who you are!
Go To Any Lodge In The World: Pretty much stated several times above. Moving to another city/state or even country? Be being a member you can instantly have a social/community network & brotherhood by simply finding a lodge.
Spirituality: Even though we are not a religious organization, the ancient system of Freemasonry is compatible with any religion and contains esoteric knowledge and spiritual/moral teachings that bring about positive change and encourage every man to develop himself spiritually and morally so that he can have a deeper relationship with himself, his family, his community, his friends and “God” (whatever religious path he follows).
Cool Buildings & Architecture: We have built some of the most impressive and beautiful buildings on the planet! Check some out HERE. Take some tours and be able to go to meetings and ceremonies that only Masons can attend!
Be A Part Of The Worlds Oldest And Largest Fraternity: See who is and was part of the brotherhood HERE.
Help Build A Stronger Community: Want to have a golf tournament for charity? A fundraiser for the local Girls and Boys club? Maybe a dinner or breakfast to raise money for the local soup kitchen? Organize volunteers to help start a community garden? Having a lodge is a great place to work from and get people together for community causes!
Add Some Hobbies And Interests: Once you become a Master Mason, there are many other worlds that open up to you in the Masonic structure. There are social groups and outlets for almost every interest through affiliate bodies and social clubs. You could play in the band for the Shriners, join a motorcycle club, chess club, dining club, theology discussion group…. the possibilities are endless. The Scottish Rite Branch even has a ‘University’ so you can continue your studies as well as a Scottish Rite Research Society. We have the need for historians, people that restore old pictures, do research, create costumes, operate sound boards and lighting boards, build stage sets, etc. There IS a place for you! No telling what other interesting things you can discover about yourself and develop through the Masonic structure!

What Freemasonry is NOT:

A “Cult”.
A “Cult that you can never leave because you might reveal a secret”.
A religion.
A “Secret Society”.
Part of the “Mafia”.
Only a club for the “Powerful And Elite”.
Part of a “Shadow Government”.
A church.
The “Illuminati”.
Anti-Government.
Anti-Christian.
A racist group.
A group or organization that “Controls The Media”.
A group or organization that “Controls The World Governments”.
A group or organization that “Controls The Financial Markets”.
A political party.
A membership by “Invite Only”
A boring social club.

Some of these things may sound absurd, but Freemasonry is misconstrued in many ways. (See Also:Quick Q&A )

Freemasonry IS:

The world’s largest charitable organization.
The world’s oldest fraternity.
The world’s largest fraternity.
A brotherhood that treats all men as equal, regardless of social status, race, religion, political views or financial status.
Patriotic.
An organization supporting “Life, Liberty And The Pursuit Of Happiness” for all people of the world.
An organization with complete religious freedom, spiritual growth and every man’s individual quest for a greater understanding and relationship with “God”.
An organization with high moral standards.
An organization that encourages every man to be the best he can be in every aspect of his life.
Does not try to make “Evil” men “Good”, but to make “Good” men “Great”.
An organization that values and supports charity, compassion, extending a hand to the fallen, mending the broken, healing the sick, defending the defenseless, and lifting the weak.
A fraternity that encourages every Lodge to be involved in and help their local communities for the benefit of everyone.
A support group.
A social outlet.
Freemasonry IS a venue for truth seeking, a vehicle for self-improvement and philosophical development; the discovery of one’s inner potential.