Thanks, Dan Brown

OK, I know that it's fiction (albeit 'historical' - read somewhat factual), and that Dan Brown is not, apparently according to a lot of people, a literary genius, blah blah blah, but on pages 31-32 of The Lost Symbol Robert Langdon describes rather aptly what I have been trying to explain to people ever since the idea of Freemasonry became important to me (my Dad is very important to me; my Dad is a Freemason; ergo the commonly voiced misconceptions of Freemasonry as a wacky cult are a nibble into my side each time):

"Masons make no promises of salvation; they have no specific theology; and they do not seek to convert you. In fact, within Masonic lodges, discussions of religion are prohibited... One of the prerequisites for becoming a Mason is that you must believe in a higher power. The difference between Masonic spirituality and organized religion is that the Masons do not impose a specific definition or name on a higher power. Rather than definitive theological identities like God, Allah, Buddha or Jesus, the Masons use more general terms like Supreme Being or Great Architect of the Universe. This enables Masons of different faiths to gather together."

... and on the exclusion of women:

"Freemasonry had its roots, traditionally, in the stone masons' guilds of Europe and was therefore a man's organization. Sever hundred years ago, some say as early as 1703, a  women's branch called Eastern Star was founded."

... and a final definition which Langdon says a Mason would give:

"Masonry is a system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols."

So - although as I have confessed, this is fiction and contemporary fiction no less - it seems to me that this is a decent overview of Freemasonry as it is in today's society.

Another thing I must mention, is that to a certain extent I possibly have no right to comment, since I am obviously not a Freemason myself. I just feel like it's part of me to try to understand this, and to help others to.

I would ask Dad to reply, but I'm well aware he can hardly use a mouse ;)

Also, is there a distinction between 'Mason' and 'Freemason' in the above context, I wonder?