With regards to 5 eyes - the UK has been a part of the EU for some years now yet still maintained enough separation on intelligence activities.
I mean, gchq spied on the US citizens and NSA spied on UK citizens, then they just swapped info - breaching the spirit of the law, but not the word.
The one good thing about Charles becoming King is that it will definitely mark the end of these German overlords.
He's on record as wanting to be Camilla's tampon ffs, and that was when he was still with Diana. Fucking lizard people.
There is, but it isn't handed to you on a plate. I have a slight advantage because before I joined fm I studied alchemy on and off for over 20 years, so some things are really obvious to me - but there are still things I puzzle over.
For example, the underlying principle, other than honouring God, is to better oneself. Personally speaking I never learnt to play an instrument, and music is one of the realms of study we are advised to pursue (it certainly isn't compulsory).
I'm 50 ish and have recently started playing the guitar and the violin :)
During the initiations, you are given what are called 'working tools'. These are allegorical tools that you can apply to improve yourself, if you understand and can be bothered.
So yes, there are some principles, but they are around personal development.
Occasionally there are lectures someone might give on certain subjects, such as history of fm etc., but you would get just as much information from a decent book on the subject - there are plenty.
You're always hearing about fm being a secret society, but it's more like a private society, since pretty much everthing that goes on is already online if you care to look for it.
Having said that, there are also things online that I have seen that don't resemble anything I've experienced in lodge, so it's more a case of too much information, not all of which I recognise.
I think there may be some regional differences, but I can speak to the UK side of things.
When you join a lodge, you are interviewed beforehand, so they can get a judge of your character and how you will fit in, they also perform background checks - no criminals allowed. You must also believe in a God. I believe the language has been generalised so as to welcome people of all faiths, as long as they believe in God.
I'm not 100% sure if Buddhism counts, I've never actually checked.
Once you are initiated, you are an 'Entered Apprentice' and are only allowed to be in the Lodge when it is opened in the first degree. The subsequent initiations are 'Fellow Craft' (meetings in the second degree) and 'Master Mason' (meetings in the third degree).
Pretty much all lodge business is conducted in the 1st degree, the other two usually being used for 2nd and 3rd degree initiations and the lodge of installation, where all the officers of the lodge are chosen for the that year. There are seven main offices in the lodge, from Tyler/'Inner Guard to the Worshipful Master, who runs the lodge for that year.
If you are an officer of the lodge, you spend most of your time learning the words etc. you have to use in the ceremonies - some more than others.
For example, the Junior Deacon (the next office up from inner guard) is responsible for conducting the new initiates around the lodge, so it's important to get it right because it can influence how a new person will feel welcomed into the lodge.
After each meeting there is a festive board, where people eat, drink, and toast to various people's health etc. There's usually a raffle where the fm's have donated the prizes, then you buy tickets to win the prizes - all the money goes to charity.
Mostly it's like a play and everyone plays a part. Each lodge has it's little quirks, so we often visit other lodges to meet new people and experience their version of the play.
There's a good deal of comradery, you're all supposed to be brothers..but not everyone really gets it. Quite a few fm's are considered 'knife and fork' fm's because they're really only interested in the festive board.
All the other stuff you hear about, 33rd degrees and all that, seems to be part of something else. To join those 'groups' such as Knights of Malta/Templars etc. you have to be a freemason, but as far as I'm aware they are not freemasonry.
There are only three levels in freemasonry itself - all that other stuff is a complete mystery to me, and I'm a Master Mason.
I've only ever found one true way of verifying what I hear in my head as being real or not - and that is a combination of instinct, and results.
If you're gut isn't warning you it's a trick and the results are positive - who else can determine whether or not it's real above you?
It rather begs the question why they are being used at all.