WHO ARE WE?
Freemasons are “free men of good standing”. We make up the largest fraternal organisation in the World and there are currently around five million Freemasons Worldwide. We count among our members representatives of all different religions, all racial backgrounds and all various world-views, all united by a common idea based on tolerance, humanity and ethics. Freemasonry differs from other similar organisations by the expressive power of its symbols, which form a key component of Freemasonry.
WHO WE ARE NOT?
Freemasonry is not a religious organisation, nor does it present an alternative to any religion, but rather it counts among its members representatives of all faiths, fully respecting all their various differences. Freemasons are also not a group with any political goals, but rather we gather people of various different political views, as long as they do not conflict with the principles of tolerance and humanity.
WHAT IS OUR GOAL?
The goal of every Freemason is to “work on his rough ashlar”, that is, on his imperfect self, in order to improve himself in a spiritual and moral sense, all with the aim of serving others: his family, his community and his country. This is precisely why Freemasonry is always current, relevant and contemporary, as it is able to always adapt its goals to the current needs of the community and society. At the same time, it nurtures a centuries-old tradition that is best reflected in the symbols of Freemasonry.
The main goal of every Freemason is to improve himself in order to try to improve those around him, and in this manner he contributes to the “building of the temple of universal love towards man”. Therefore, Freemasonry is not a secret fraternity, rather it is a society with secrets because only members of the fraternity have the right to participate in the meetings of Freemasons. The fraternity is however open to all “free men of good standing”.
PARTICULAR GOAL
Within the next seven years we will improve the reputation of our successful organisation to make it desirable to join and to spread our fraternity in all areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
VALUES OF THE BROTHERHOOD OF FREEMASONS IN BIH
Moral values and ethics: We are particularly dedicated to nurturing and acting in accordance with the most important civilizational values and norms, which regulate human behavior and interpersonal relationships, based on sacred duties to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Love towards man and tolerance: Tolerance is very important for every peaceful, healthy and open society. We are dedicated to respecting and accepting the other and the different, whether it be opinions, ideas, customs, religion or any other trait.
Humanity and charity: Humanity is the quality of people who are compassionate and want to help others. It is demonstrated through empathy, care and actively performing good deeds. Compassion and the desire to help others is shown through concrete charitable work.
Growth and development: We firmly believe that the development of new skills, knowledge and experience help us achieve our goals in life and live a better and more meaningful life, to benefit ourselves, our family and society as a whole, in order to make the world a better place.
Values: At the core of Freemasonry stands Man and his ennoblement, spiritual refinement and moral development. In these modern times in which everything and everyone tend to diverge and move farther away from one another, Freemasonry seeks to unite people, overcoming all external boundaries imposed on humans, be they political, racial, religious or any other sort. Love towards Man, tolerance, humanity and charitable work are some of the key tenets of Freemasonry. This is why all Freemasons represent links in one large chain of fraternity. This is precisely why the lodge represents for every Freemason a kind of educational space where he constantly learns how to “help build the temple of universal love towards Man” as best as he can.