I agree, I think a lot of organisations start off good and then become corrupted.

The lies about templars worshipping baphomet imo were just so the pope and king phillip don't have to pay the money they owe and to seize their wealth and lands.

I think the templars got so big and powerful they were no longer under the pope and started telling the pope to pay his debts.

I think freemasonry could possibly of been good at the start but was also later bastardised.

It started off as craftsmen, stonemason carpenters etc. As they moved about for work and they had no papers/qualifications.

When you studied under someone they will teach you a secret handshake to show the man who's hiring you, to let him know you can do the job.

The first three degrees of freemasonry were the original qualifications, depending on how good you were at your craft.

Though it somehow became this grand organisation plotting revolutions and controlling politicians. I'd love to know the steps it took and when did the big money get involved.