That is why Freemasonry has a tradition of secrecy.
That originally became necessary after the Roman Emperor Constantine "converted" to Christianity and adopted it as the official religion of his military empire during the fourth century. His original Roman Catholic Church labeled many things as "pagan" or "heretical," or worse, and oppression and persecution of everyone who did not swear obedience to the church's authority began.
"The Church" back then was not like today's Catholic Church. Back then it even went so far as to forbid Greek art and mythology, and all other religions and spiritual teachings were forbidden and condemned. It was a tyrannical theocracy, based on a man-made doctrine of preeminence and superiority reflected in the Nicene Creed and established as canon law.
It established the "Divine Right" of Popes, and then of "Christian Kings." It led to a long series of official church actions against "heretics" generally known as the "Inquisition." Furthermore, it did not stop with the Protestant Reformation. Many Christian groups did bring about needed reforms, and most Christians were good then, just as most are now. But, some groups were still theocratic, and their controling efforts continued, sporadically, and that was even blatantly demonstrated in America or "New England" during the notorious "witch-hunts." And it persisted, sometimes openly, and sometimes behind the scenes.
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