Yeah I actually posted that from inside a masonic Lodge ironically (dinner party that was basically a throw back to 1970). I'm not a mason but one of my relatives is. Have escaped now, thank fuck.

Masons still tend to be well connected in traditional professions if they admit it or not and they do leverage their connection regularly. The appearance I get is that they are downplaying themselves as a "happy little drinking club" rather than a formal organisation.

The basic promise of the masons is that they will always put another mason first. That first means before the law and before ethics.

I've witnessed this (with respect to the law). They can make your life very difficult if they want to so I'm keeping out of their business past the formality.