Although the exact date the Freemasons originated is disputed, evidence of Masonic activity dates back to the 13th century. Since the dawn of their existence, the activities of the Freemasons have been the subject of controversy caused by paranoia and fear of secret societies. Groups of people opposed to Freemasonry have existed since the presidency of Andrew Jackson and have continued ever since, the most recent form being conspiracy theorists. Numerous conspiracy theorists would have you believe that Freemasonry is made up of secret meetings, ritual sacrifices and plots for world domination, but how much of this is actually true? While Freemasons have always been shrouded in curiosity and mystery, Freemasons have always worked with the best intentions for their communities. According to a Masonic lodge located in Illinois, "Freemasonry is defined as […] the application of the principles of operational and architectural Freemasonry to the science and art of character building," meaning that Masons, instead of working for selfish goals, they instead work on building their character and making themselves better men. Most conspiracy theories about Freemasons were formulated in fear of the unknown. Dan Brown, author of The Lost Symbol, best expressed how fear of the unknown leads to prejudice when he wrote: "Tell no one, but on the pagan day of the sun god Ra, I kneel at the foot of an ancient instrument of torture and consume ritual symbols of blood and flesh. […] And if any of you want to join me, come to the Harvard chapel on Sunday, kneel under the crucifix and take Holy Communion […] Open your minds, my friends. We all fear what we do not understand” (Brown). Often, the intentions of the… medium of paper… are organizations that promote benevolence, kindness and brotherly love vilify the Freemasons and the films have tried to portray them as an ancient order of secrecy. The Freemasons remain as they have always been respectful citizens working to improve the human condition and spread their message of brotherly love in judging what we do not understand. Eradicate any prejudice. Realize that Freemasons are nothing to fear or condemn and instead rejoice in the fact that Freemasons have helped shape the United States and create a democratic system of government never seen before. the world. The Freemasons are not the Illuminati nor do they want to control governments or create anarchy, rather they want to improve the communities they live in and make the world a better place.