This Current Freemason Member Paints an Innocent Picture
“Anyone can join the masons, providing you meet their requirements (usually just an adult male in good mental health who believes in a higher power, but that’s all variant depending on the lodge). You seriously just need to google your local Freemason temple and send them an email. They’re happy to have new people join because in general membership has been dropping. There are definitely ‘rituals’, but they don’t claim to be spiritual and are really more of a tool to build a sense of brotherhood between generations.
“Technically the rituals have punishments for breaking the secrets, but that is not something anyone does and is just a matter of tradition at this point. It’s just another allegory, which the rituals are all heavy in. At the end of the day, it’s just an excuse to hang out with the guys one night a week. It can definitely be great networking since you do feel a sense of camaraderie and the environment fosters maturity, charity, responsibility, and all-around virtue. There’s nothing sinister or particularly amazing about it though, so don’t get your hopes up. It’s just a social club, albeit a widespread one with strong roots.”