Who Are You Making Famous?
TikTok People
I opened a TikTok account recently under the same name as this newsletter. I have been building a new mentoring program for Masons in my state, and somewhere in that work the reality of how modern men consume information kept forcing its way into the conversation: on their phones, one minute at a time. So I figured I would meet them where they are and start putting these square thoughts out into the world one minute at a time.
It took about two days for the crazies to show up. In the comments I am a member of a satanic cult and I need to repent and give my heart to Jesus. Meanwhile, in my DMs, a brother wrote to tell me he feels excluded from his own lodge because he is not an evangelical Christian, and that his lodge told him if they had known, they would have blackballed him. His words, not mine: they are basically an evangelical Christian cult. Same fraternity, same week, accused of being two opposite cults at once.
One exchange ran long enough to be worth sharing, so I figured, why keep all the fun to myself. The gentleman’s screen name is redacted because he is not the point. I hope I represented myself and the Craft with compassion and curiosity, and without falling victim to my own zeal for the institution. Judge for yourself.
Commenter:
Who are you making famous?
Square Thoughts:
me? nobody? I dont understand your question, though you seem to have an agenda.
Commenter:
If you were talking to a Christian, what would you say Freemasonry has to offer over following Jesus?
Square Thoughts:
You know this is a false choice. Freemasonry has never claimed to offer anything “over following Jesus.” It is a fraternity, not a religion, and makes no claim to salvation.
You have built a following by calling yourself a former Mason, so I have to assume you understand that. If so, this is not an honest question. You are deliberately comparing two things that serve entirely different purposes because the caricature makes better content.
Freemasonry concerns itself with a man’s character, conduct, fellowship, and service. It leaves salvation and theology to his faith. Either your experience was too limited to understand that, or you understand it perfectly well and choose to misrepresent it. Neither lends much credibility to the “former Mason exposes Freemasonry” brand.
Commenter:
You said you’re a Christian. The great commission says make disciples. Seems like you’re too busy making Mason’s and making Freemason famous.
Square Thoughts:
I understand why the Great Commission matters to you. It matters to me too. But you know only what I discuss on this particular page, not the full measure of my faith, service, or witness.
A Christian can speak about his family, profession, community, or fraternity without placing any of them above Christ. I do not recruit men into Masonry. My purpose here is to speak honestly about a fraternity I love and hope to improve.
I would gently point out that your own platform also centers heavily on Freemasonry, only from the opposing perspective. Perhaps neither of us should presume to judge the other’s entire Christian walk through the narrow window of TikTok. I wish you well.
Commenter:
So you’re telling me that fellowship, friendship is exclusive to secret societies. You have to go through some crazy ritual, but you never answered the question. What moral lesson does Freemasonry provide tha Jesus can’t. You are the one who’s doing a false equivalent. You can’t separate the king of the universe from his creation. It’s useless no nonsense.
Square Thoughts:
No, I did not say fellowship or friendship is exclusive to Freemasonry, nor did I claim Masonry teaches some moral truth unavailable through Jesus. That is precisely the false choice I have been pointing out.
Christianity also teaches charity, discipline, service, and brotherly love. That does not make churches, schools, recovery groups, civic organizations, or fraternities useless. They provide different communities in which people can practice those virtues.
Freemasonry does not complete Jesus, improve upon Jesus, or compete with Jesus. It is simply one setting in which men encourage one another to live morally and serve others. You are free to believe it is unnecessary, but please respond to what I actually said rather than assigning claims to me that I never made.
Commenter:
As a Christian and someone who says they follow Jesus, how can you put your hands in the Bible and swear to cut my throat out because I told a secret password of a useless rebellious club. Do you think Jesus would want you to do that? tell the world what you did to become a Mason and let them judge. Oh, you can’t because you took an oath on the Bible to keep their secrets.
Square Thoughts:
I can tell the world what happened without betraying any confidence. I petitioned freely, was investigated and elected, then participated in ceremonies using allegory to teach integrity, charity, mortality, and service.
I never swore to cut your throat or harm anyone for revealing a password. No Mason is instructed or authorized to punish another Mason. The historical penalty language is symbolic, expressing the seriousness of one’s promise. It is not a threat or command, and many jurisdictions have removed it entirely.
What I keep private are certain modes of recognition and portions of the ceremonies, not theology, criminal behavior, or some hidden plan. I honor that promise for the same reason I would protect a friend’s confidence: because keeping my word matters.
You may sincerely reject our ceremonies. But portraying symbolic language as a vow to commit violence is a serious misrepresentation, and someone claiming firsthand experience should know the difference.
Commenter:
The local church was Jesus’s plan a. He has no Plan B. What free masonry does is make a separate body that basically does the same thing as the church. Once again, why do you need a secret society to have friends? Jesus didn’t have any secret rituals for his apostles or his church?
Square Thoughts:
You are welcome in my comments, and I genuinely enjoy a good tête-à-tête. But this exchange also illustrates the point of my video.
The overzealous certainty and repeated misrepresentation of things anyone can verify using the supercomputer in his pocket are exactly why many people are leaving communities that speak and reason this way. Zeal without curiosity too easily becomes condemnation.
More and more young men are searching for genuine meaning, brotherhood, accountability, and purpose. They are not necessarily rejecting God or morality. Often, they are rejecting environments where questions are answered with accusations and disagreement becomes a judgment of their faith.
Freemasonry does not replace Christ or the church. But when Christian voices approach young men as you have approached me here, we should not be surprised when they seek community and meaning somewhere else.
Commenter:
Pearls to pigs. One day you’re gonna stand in front of Jesus and he’s gonna tell you that he was not the grand architect and it’s gonna be a very bad day for you. I’m telling you the truth as a follower of Jesus.
Square Thoughts:
My brother, I would encourage you to place more faith in Christ than in your fear of Freemasonry.
If Jesus is truly King of the universe, then He is not threatened by a fraternity of imperfect men encouraging one another toward integrity, charity, and service. Christ does not need us to distort other people, question their salvation, or frighten them into agreement in order to defend Him.
Fear requires enemies and caricatures. Faith can listen, ask honest questions, and speak truth without anxiety. I do not doubt that you love Jesus. I simply hope you come to trust Him enough that you no longer feel compelled to misrepresent others on His behalf.
Shared with love,
Brother Rob
