1. Religion and Freemasonry How do they relate to each other? Is Freemasonry in opposition with religion?

2. The Bible is present on every occasion Masons refer to it as the Volume of the Sacred Law

3. God God gets mentioned regularly in the ceremonies but names like the following are used:- Great Architect Grand Geometrician The Most High God as the ultimate mathematician is an interesting thought!

4. God is also referred to in symbol “Let us remember that wherever we go He is with us, and his all- seeing eye observes us……… These words are spoken by the Chaplain in the second degree.

5. Prayers are said…. “Let us invoke the assistance of the Great Architect of the Universe in all our undertakings. May our labours thus begun in order, be conducted in peace and closed in harmony. Prayer at the opening of the Lodge.

6. A Biblical story The principal ceremonies of Freemasonry are based around the story of the building of King Solomon’s temple. This is a story from the Jewish tradition found in the Old Testament. However, Freemasonry is not especially linked to Judaism as the message of the story is interpreted in a way acceptable to all Masons.

7. Any religion welcome…. God is referred to in terms acceptable to Masons of all religions. It is not allied to any one religion. However to become a Mason you must have a belief in a supreme being. Freemasonry is not itself a religion but encourages members to practice the faith to which they belong.

8. Unity Freemasonry therefore unites people of all faiths from all around the world. It is not a religion itself but supports all faiths. So what exactly is Freemasonry? “A peculiar system of morality, veiled in allegory, and illustrated by symbol.”