What are the criteria for joining with free mason?

Answer 1

A person who wants to become a Freemason must present a petition to a Lodge, which will examine whether the person meets the criteria. They differ slightly from place to place, but they usually boil down to:

1. Being an adult. This is defined as different ages in different places.

2. Having a particular kind of religious belief. For most Lodges, this means the belief in a Supreme Being and a Holy Book of some kind. In some places they are more specific (Sweden, for example, requires its members to be Christians) and in some they have no religious requirement at all (The Grand Orient of France, for example)

3. Being a male. Masonic Lodges which admit females exist, but they are rare, and not usually recognized by the mainstream.

4. Lacking any physical disability. This is a traditional requirement which has been removed by some Grand Lodges who admit candidates who are blind or confined to wheelchairs.

5. Being of good character and a stable lifestyle. This has to be examined on a case-by-case basis.

6. Having the consent of 100% of the members of the Lodge which receives the petition. In some cases, slightly less than 100% is allowed.