That Freemasonry is a Secret Society

• During the 1930s and 1940s, the Nazis persecuted Gypsies, homosexuals, Jews, Freemasons and the mentally and physically handicapped, throwing them into concentration camps and executing many of them. This was just one of the occasions in the past when Freemasonry had to go underground to avoid persecution. Most Masons today are proud of the fact that they belong to an organization that openly donates to many charitable causes. Many of the rituals and so-called secrets are available on the Internet for all to see.
  
  

That Freemasonry is an anti-Christian Cult or Religion

• The Catholic Church has been a persistent critic of Freemasonry since the early 18th century, issuing a number of Papal Bulls threatening excommunication to Catholics who became Masons. As of 2011, Catholics who become Masons are considered have committed a grave sin and may not participate in Holy Communion. In fact, the only requirement for becoming a Freemason is that an individual believes in God. Anyone of any faith can become a Freemason, and depending on the individual lodge, Masonic ceremonies refer to the "Volume of Sacred Law," which can be the King James Bible, the Koran, the Tanach or the Veda. Freemasonry is neither a religion in its own right nor an anti-Christian cult.
  
  

That Freemasonry Descended from the Knights Templar

• No direct evidence shows that modern Freemasonry evolved from the Knights Templar. The last Grand Master of the Templars was burnt at the stake in France in 1314. Some Templars may have escaped to Scotland, and it is true that several of the carvings in Rosslyn Chapel, Edinburgh, which dates back to the mid 15th century, relate symbolically to Freemasonry. The Grand Lodge of England was founded on June 24, 1717, and some evidence shows that lodges operated in Scotland in the late 16th century. The oldest known Masonic document is the Regius Poem, which is said to date back to the late 14th century.
  
  

That the Back of a Dollar Bill has Masonic Meanings

• The back of the $1 bill is based on the Great Seal of the United States. The eye within a triangle that appears above the unfinished pyramid was used well before the official creation of Freemasonry, and the triangle represented the Holy Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The 13 levels of the unfinished pyramid and the 13 stars represent the original 13 colonies that united to form the new nation. The five-pointed star represents man, with his head uppermost. Only when the star is inverted does it have satanic connotations. None of the designers of the Great Seal were Freemasons, and Benjamin Franklin was the only Mason on the original design committee of the dollar.