Does the Grand Orient of the United States have any religious practices?
No. Many outsiders have claimed that Freemasonry is a religion, probably because most mainstream lodges in the U.S. place a Bible on their alter, conduct prayers to the “Grand Architect of the Universe”, and use religiously oriented terms and concepts in their rituals. The GOUSA has no intention to substitute, replace, or overlap with any member’s private religious practices and beliefs. The GOUSA is therefore a secular Masonic order, promotes tolerance of all worldviews, but abstains from any religious or quasi-religious practices. Its main goal is to bring member together and focus on commonalities, wherever possible.
