I consider the Freemasons mostly harmless. They are not much more than a wisdom club for men. To at all have female members is still controversial. One can only become a member if at least two previous recommend one as member. I don’t think the Freemasons have ever been that numerous. The power they are ascribed does not exist still.
The Freemasons have always been open about which are members and which are not. Conspiracy talkers don’t seem to know such statements exist. Instead they speculate about certain individuals being members. It can be enough to be depicted with a certain object or a certain symbol. That such could refer to something else does not seem to occur to them. Moreover, objects can be practically useful. This they don’t think about either. A claimed sign of Freemasonry would be certain gestures. Members don’t use their gestures to communicate in public. They use them only in private and preferably in their club houses. There are loads of different reasons to use such gestures.
Worst is when claimed Freemasonry is subject to circular reasoning. A person would have to be part of an imagined conspiracy. Those imagining it believe the Freemasons to be behind it. That leads to the faulty conclusion the person is a Freemason. The person’s supposed membership is then used as argument for being part of the conspiracy. A conspiracy which probably does not exist.
This is associated with the belief that the Freemasons are much older than there is evidence for. Sure, they use symbols having with masonry to do. But this does not necessarily mean they have any connection to real masons. Much less stonemasons would historically have had the power ascribed to the Freemasons. There is as such a difference between masons and Freemasons. The later have never worked with any literal masonry.
In the Middle Ages there were craftsmen building with stone and mortar. Unlike other craftsmen they rarely had any hometown. They moved as needed between different construction sites. To protect their own economic interests they formed a guild. Master builders constructing stone houses were part of it too. Their only secrets were pure trade secrets.
In the 17th century architects started turning up as competitors. Such constructed buildings independently of master builders. Consequentially master builders started to see their status threatened. To counteract this masons started to invite the rich to their guild meetings. They were called “theoretical mason” since they did not make masonry. This may have continued well into the 18th century. I think the Freemasons were formed in
For sure the Freemasons are secretive. But this is not to secretly control different things. It is to avoid being controlled by others. Primarily by governments which has viewed them with suspicion. Humans are not capable of keeping 100% quite. Parts of their secrets have for this reason leaked out over the course of generations. Some of the things they have been accused of we now know are false. Like them practicing a religion based on Medieval misunderstandings of Islam.
In the 19th century the suspicion governments have had against non-profit organisations decreased. At the same time rising standards of living meant more could participate. Modern non-governmental organisations formed and could do everything openly. This applies to such organisations as the Red Cross and the Salvation Army. The role the Freemasons had played as a such gradually disappeared. I don’t think it is that important as a non-profit organisation anymore. Sure, it has members being wealthy men. However, this does not give it the power to create everything oneself dislikes.
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