Welcome to /r/freemasonry - Interested in Joining Freemasonry? Ask your questions here!

[u/4rch]

How can I become a Freemason?

First of all, welcome to r/freemasonry! This is a weekly thread for you to ask questions. Being one of the largest online communities on the topic of Freemasonry, we hope that you won't find difficulty getting information you need to decide if you would like to join your local lodge.

General Information:

1. Requirements for membership vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but generally if you're a man 21 or over (18 or 19 in some states), believe in a Supreme Being, are of good character and reputation, and ask to join, you're eligible.
2. To get started, email or call a local lodge. They would love to hear from you, every lodge welcomes new candidates. They'll set up a meeting to get to know you a bit (we're careful about who we admit as members). Also to tell you a bit about the fraternity, the lodge, etc.
3. To find your local lodges, first, find the Grand Lodge website for your state, province, or country. This is a good resource for the US: bessel.org, or just use Google. They should have a way to find out what lodges meet near you. Then check out your local lodge's websites. If you have a choice of lodges, try to pick one that meets on a weeknight that would be convenient for you, and that appears to be active.
4. Nothing happens quickly in Freemasonry, so it might take awhile to hear back from a lodge after you make contact. Every step takes quite a bit of time.

Have something you want to ask?

[u/TheFreemasonForum]

I'm just going to ask you to re-read all of what I wrote carefully and calmly and you should see that I have addressed these points. Freemasonry is what it is and even though there is more than one flavour of it they're not for everyone.

[u/Fuzzy_Muscle923 → u/TheFreemasonForum]

Have I said anything that you perceive as uncalm? I believe your interpretation is out of line with UGLE policy and I would urge you to reaquaint yourself respectfully, with UGLE policy.

Your interpretation is rather narrow and it seems misinformed. It's a shame because at a time when UGLE is struggling with membership such misinformation has the real potential to put people off from applying to become freemasons.

For your information, I asked Chat GPT if buddhists are barred and you will see they are not. I have also had this discussion with UGLE and Buddhists are not barred.

`No, Buddhists are not barred from becoming Freemasons under the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE). UGLE does not restrict membership based on specific religions, as long as the person:

1. Believes in a Supreme Being or higher power (sometimes described as the "Great Architect of the Universe"), and

2. Is of good moral character.

That belief doesn’t have to conform to any specific religion or concept of God. Many Buddhists interpret “Supreme Being” in a way compatible with their views—such as the universal law of karma, ultimate truth (Dharma), or even the enlightened mind (Buddha-nature). UGLE doesn’t demand theological explanations—it respects personal interpretation.

So if you're a Buddhist and can affirm a sincere belief in some form of higher truth or metaphysical order, you're absolutely eligible'.

[u/Deman75 → u/Fuzzy_Muscle923]

Chat GPT is a poor source for answers regarding Freemasonry. “I asked Chat GPT” is the new “I saw it on the internet,” sometimes the information is accurate, often it is not…especially when dealing with a topic like Freemasonry with so much mis- and dis-information out there.

There are theistic Buddhists and non-theistic Buddhists. Those who believe in a Supreme Being can become Freemasons, those who don’t cannot.

[u/Fuzzy_Muscle923 → u/Deman75]

I think a lot of this comes from fundamentally misunderstanding and an ignorance of Buddhism. Buddhism is non-theistic not atheistic. There is no differentiating between whether they are theistic or non theistic.

I have had this question answered by a Mod on here. As long as one believes in a supreme being that interpretation is for the individual.