Is this a good thing for our craft? I think the answer is sometimes yes and sometimes no. I speak for most Freemasons I know when I say that I wish our "secrets" were not available in so public a forum, and that those with an anti-masonic agenda often can promote their unsubstantiated information to an unknowing public without censure.
That said the availability of masonic information to the Freemason wanting to learn more about the craft is unprecedented. Should you want to find Masonic clipart or simply look up information on the history of square and compass - the internet world can bring the information right into your living room.
The discussions groups open up a new world of sharing of thoughts and ideas from one state to another, and from one country to another. If you want to know if there is a lodge in Zurich that meets in May, it can be a simple matter to inquire on one of these discussion groups to locate a local Freemason that knows the answer to your questions. While I am a member of a number of masonic discussion groups the one I find that covers all area of masonry is the Masonic Light grooup on Yahoo Groups.
Podcasts allow for us to share short essays about the craft that can be uploaded and then listened to at a later time. While many lodges have ventured into this forum - Bro. Scott Blaskin of King George Lodge in Calgary Alberta Canada has offered the most successful podcast I know of and it is called the Digital Freemason.
The more recent popularity of Facebook and other social networking sites offers a new dimension in getting to know fellow masons via the internet, typically you get top see a picture and and see a brief biography.
Will we someday be able to "virtually" attend lodge? I sure hope not, but there seems to be no limits to the ways people can interact via the internet.
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