In every organization, group, or fraternity, all members consider each other friends and exert on each other a certain influence, which usually takes the form of favoritism or mutual help, advice, or open discussion; what one says is taken in good faith: "surely, he means no harm." In Freemasonry this influence acquires a more intimate character, a special bond, epitomized in the slogan: Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth. Freemasonry teaches its members to love each other, despite everything that divides them; to rise above the divisions, to communicate with each other, in mutual tolerance, outside of which there is no Freemasonry. What then to think of these so-called Masons who, believing themselves to be alone in possession of the Masonic truth, hate anyone who does not think like them? As if they proclaimed themselves infallible in their opinions, as pontiffs setting up dogmas, and fulminating excommunications against those opposed to their way of seeing things, and branding them as heretics. … The problem begins when those groups, (Freemasonry is not exception), under the influence of some of their senior members or leaders turns the groups into mobs, and show their evil face.   Protected and fomented by the group, individuals are capable of doing the most atrocious things. This is the Lucifer Effect.
"The Lucifer Effect, says Philip Zimbardo, is the influence of groups on individual behavior. As Lucifer is considered the evil angel, the results of those actions are not good. Much to the contrary.   Evil consists in intentionally behaving in ways that harm, abuse, demean, dehumanize, or destroy innocent others — or using one's authority and systemic power to encourage or permit others to do so on your behalf." In short:

 

"Knowing better — but doing the worse."

To resuscitate stronger and more glorious, Freemasonry must guard itself against this evil, mostly responsible for its steady decline in membership and loss of prestige, especially, but not exclusively, in the English-speaking Jurisdictions. It is a triple plague represented by the Ignorance, Fanaticism and Ambition on the part of some of its senior members and leaders.

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Bro. William Preston's Expulsion from Masonry — By his Grand Lodge in 1777.

Persecution of Bro. Karl Christian Friedrich Krause — By his Brothers Freemasons.

Bro. George Oliver's Alienation from Masonry — Due to the Short-Sightedness and Jealousy of his Grand Lodge.

The Expulsion of Bro. Friedrich Moßdorf from Masonry — For having supported Krause's works.

The Resignation of Bro. Ignaz Aurelius Feßler from Masonry — Due to the opposition and antagonism of his Brethren.

The Expulsion of Bro. Robert Thomas Crucefix from Masonry — Due to the Jealousy of his Grand Master.

Bro. Hunter's Resignations from Masonry — Due to the bigotry and ignorance of his Grand Lodge.

Persecution of a good, charitable, and long-serving Mason — by the Jealousy and Bigotry of a few of his Brethren.

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