What is Freemasonry?

By the oldest definition Free-Masonry is a peculiar (unique) system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated with symbols. It is built upon the principles of Natural Philosophy and promotes progressive scientific inquiry as the rational approach to advancing human understanding.

By the end of the seventeenth century reason had replaced superstition as the framework of human knowledge and understanding. The result was a new age of human enlightenment and freedom that would witness the end of theocracy and monarchy throughout most of the western world. Masonic lodges were at the core of this new cosmopolitan movement and provided safe havens for free thinkers such as Benjamin Franklin and Voltaire.

The Grand Orient of the United States of America is an active agent in preserving the rights and freedoms of all people. Through the promotion of freedom of conscience and the principles of the Grand Orient of the United States of America, we carry the spirit of the Age of Enlightenment forward for future generations.

 

 

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What were the "Ancient Landmarks" of Freemasonry? Discover a unique perspective on this question from "The Ancient Landmarks Revisited" by Bro. Jeff Peace Read more

 

Other Definitions

 

Grand Orient of France

Freemasonry, which is essentially a philanthropic, philosophical and progressive institution, aims to search for the truth, study ethics and practise mutual support.
It works for the material and moral improvement of humanity, towards intellectual and social perfection.

First Article of the Constitution of the Grand Orient de France

The Grand Orient de France as an institution, is a society which practises Absolute Freedom of Conscience that is to say it leaves its members free to believe in a revealed truth whatever it may be or to be totally agnostic. Thus in the Masonic Lodges we find believers of all faiths together with atheists, agnostics and freethinkers. This is the meaning of the freedom of conscience which the Grand Orient de France defends when it defends secularism in all the activities of the state and not only in education which it wants to see remain free, nondenominational and compulsory for all . This new concept of Freemasonry - of Absolute Freedom of Conscience which was born on the " Convent " (Annual General Meeting) of 1877 and whose gave birth to a new form of practise in Freemasonry which is called Liberal Freemasonry. This form is fast developping in all the countries of the world where men aspire no longer to be the slaves of dogmas and enforced beliefs and want to change the societies in which they live, preparing a better and more enlightened future for to morrow.

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