I was invited to join the masons once, by a 32nd degree mason. I asked him a million questions and he did tell me the 33rd degree existed. He also admitted to me that they use Christianity as a sort of 'veil'... this was after a very long conversation where I revealed to him I was atheist at the time, and he recommended I don't mention that to any other masons if I joined. I didn't get it then, but I do now.