Anyone who was a DeMolay (a sort of Jr Masons) like me knows the Masonic linkage to Templars. I never became a Mason, but my father and many ancestors were (a proud heritage since Ben Franklin, G Washington, about half the Presidents also). I'm sometimes in the position of explaining it all, yet it is somewhat a mystery even to me. First, there was a roughtly 300 yr gap between Templars and Masons (1300s-1600s). Next, all the Masons I ever knew also went to church. Much like scouts, it only "requires" a general belief in God. There are many patriotic and family loving themes. There are sort of two layers, one rank and file, the other approaching "Scottish RIte" which gets a bit mystical (Rescrucianism etc) as apparently the Templars/Masons believe in ancient secrets of building things going back to Egypt, etc (fair enough, the people that built pyramids were pretty smart and held secrets). Masons/Templars and Jews have always been treated w the same general suspicion. early Templars/Jews were free to form "banks" and lend money etc. Hitler etc also hated Freemasons (they helped launch American and French Revolutions, to this day they have influence in European statesmanship, largely in a good way). Though there is some cliquishness and quasi-conspiratorial elements (like Jews), I've always figured "Just because you can't generally match the achievements of Freemasons and Jews, doesn't mean you should criticize or fear them". Freemasons usually of British and French ethnic background, even inclusive of African Americans. Some KKK overlap in 20s but Freemasons purged. Honestly any big tent organization (Catholics, Scouts, Protestants) can evolve to have "good and bad", but Freemasonry generally good, always aspiring to be better in a broadly ethical sense. My article https://scottvern.medium.com/freemasons-should-gain-our-trust-2e2aeecd14e4