Is Masonry a religion?  Why is Masonry so secretive?  Why all of the symbols?

 Masonry is a fraternity, not a religion.  Masonry acknowledges the existence of God, but does not tell a person which religion to practice or how to practice it.  That is a function of his house of worship, not his fraternity.

 It really isn't secretive although it sometimes has that reputation.  Masons do not make it a secret that they are members of the fraternity.  We wear rings, lapel pins, have car emblems, license plates with the Square and Compass.  Masonic buildings are clearly marked and usually are listed in the phone book.  Lodge activities are not secret.  Events are often listed in newspapers.  But there are two traditional categories of secrets.  First by the way a man can identify himself as a Mason by certain grips or passwords.  This is no different than any other fraternity.  Second are the Masonic ceremonies which are private, for members only, but are not secret.

 With regard to symbols, everyone uses symbols everyday because it allows us to communicate quickly.  When you see a red light, you know what that means.  When you see a cigarette with a line through it you know that means no smoking.  Masons use symbols for the same reasons.  The Square and Compass is the most widely known symbol of Masonry.