Is Freemasonry a religion?

I do not believe so; you should check google to make sure.

ANSWER:

Freemasonry is a fraternity or brotherhood rather than a religion. They have their roots in the mediaeval guilds who guarded the secrets of their trade much like other fraternities eg. 'the cloth makers' guild' and 'the dyers' guild'. The Freemasons guild dates back to the seventeenth century and was comprised of builders of churches, cathedrals and temples. Whilst Freemasons may believe in a supreme being or God whom they refer to as 'The Great Architect of the Universe', they do not teach any particular dogma, nor do they offer any sacraments or method of salvation as religions do. Freemasons have various degrees of initiation and do use a 'holy book' which is always the book held dear by those seeking initiation because those involved in Freemasonry are of many religious denominations. Many religions condemn Freemasonry as a 'secret organization' because they socialize and network only with other Freemasons. However, this is not necessarily true because the Christian faith also has beliefs which are referred to as 'mysteries' eg. the mystery of the Holy Trinity. The one thing that Freemasonry may have in common with religion is that they work for the 'betterment of mankind'.