My (35F) husband’s (34M) dedication to Freemasonry is destroying our marriage and his life. How do I get this across to him?

A cozy evening at home turned tense for a wife as her husband dashed out yet again, claiming another urgent Freemason meeting. For years, she supported his passion, but his nightly absences, disheveled appearance, and neglect of their marriage sparked worry. What began as a quirky commitment had spiraled into an obsession, leaving her lonely and questioning their bond.

This Reddit saga unveils a raw struggle: balancing personal passions with partnership. When she learned her husband hadn’t been a Mason for years, the betrayal cut deep. Her story, laced with confusion and courage, pulls us into the murky world of trust, secrets, and the unraveling of a once-solid marriage.

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‘My (35F) husband’s (34M) dedication to Freemasonry is destroying our marriage and his life. How do I get this across to him?’

Hi there, long-time reader but a first time poster. The long and short is that my for about six years now my husband has been a Freemason and I've always supported him on this. My grandfather was a Freemason so it's not really 'new' to me or anything and I don't believe in any of the c**spiracy crap you find online.

But I'm starting to think it may not be the best for him. My grandpa always used to say it went Family, Work, Masonry but in my husband's case its more Masonry, Masonry, Masonry, then Family, then Work, then Masonry again.

He attends Lodge nearly *every* night (For context my grandpa would go a couple times a month) and yet he's only a Fellow Craft so not a part of the add-on things like the Scottish Rite or Shriners or anything. I genuinely don't know how he has the stamina for it because I'm a part of an improv theatre club and frankly every other week is enough.

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Some times he's gone for hours, other times an hour or even less. When I ask him what he's doing he gets defensive and says he can't tell me because he has to maintain secrecy. I knew full well there'd be some 'lessons' and ceremonies I wouldn't exactly be getting a front row seat for but I don't think it's that unfair I ask what he could be possibly doing that occupies him practically daily.

Hell some days when he comes back early, he goes to his man cave do to *more* work for them. Apparently he's volunteered to do admin work for his Grand Lodge but like...when does it end? He doesn't get paid for any of this and he *spends* so much on dues to actually do this!

I've even tried to get involved via the OES (something I've always wanted to be a part of) but he point blank shut it down and said that we can only look into that when he becomes a Master Mason which is apparently still 'years away'.

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And it's not even just our marriage it's affecting, some weeks he's out so late with his Lodge buddies, he doesn't take care of himself. There's been times he hasn't worn clean clothes or shaved and plenty of times he's gone into work without showering.

Sometimes he doesn't even go into work and just calls in hours late to say he's been called for urgent lodge business. His boss is too good to him and let's it slide because he's genuinely blown away my husband's in the Masons and thinks these meetings must be dead important.

Like I get a lot of these guys are going to be retired but Jesus Christ surely they have to know how it works? It's making a bad impression with people and I genuinely can't remember the last time we did a thing together as a couple.

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Plus our bedroom has been dead for at least a year which I've sort of put up with because I have a low libido but I guess it's just another symptom. Every time I ask him to do *anything* he just tells me he's too tired.

I guess how do I get it across to him his Masonic life needs to slow down. It's not even affecting just me, it's affecting our whole lives but I don't even know where to begin. I don't want him to leave the Masons just...maybe calm it down a little so we have our lives back.

How can I get this across to him without seeming that I'm jealous of the secrets or I want to worsen the wedge between us. Btw I did actually email the WM his Lodge to just say I'm kind of worried for him but I've not heard back yet and if they're all this active not sure how much help he'll be. Thanks for any advice!

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Edit: WM just emailed me. Apologized for taking his time and explained my husband has not been a member of that lodge for at least five years, having left just under a year after he joined.

Apparently he had 'difficulties with the leadership' and had been repeatedly cautioned for 'soliciting' the other lodge members. He told me checked with other lodges in the area and none of them have any record of him switching so it seems he demitted entirely.... 

The OP’s dropped an update on the saga—curious? Click here to check it out!

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The husband’s supposed Masonic obsession, revealed as a lie, signals a profound breach of trust. His nightly absences and defensive secrecy suggest he’s hiding something—whether substance abuse, infidelity, or another issue—leaving his wife grappling with betrayal.

This situation reflects a broader challenge: eroded trust in relationships. A 2022 study by the American Psychological Association found that 70% of couples cite dishonesty as a leading cause of marital strain, highlighting the damage of deception. The husband’s excuses, paired with neglecting work and hygiene, point to deeper personal struggles.

Dr. Harriet Lerner, a clinical psychologist, writes, “Trust, once broken, requires honest reckoning to rebuild” . Here, the husband’s fabrication about Freemasonry sidestepped accountability, leaving his wife isolated. Lerner’s work stresses that healing begins with transparency, which he avoided.

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Experts advise addressing such issues with clear boundaries and professional support, like couples therapy. For readers, this underscores the need for open communication. Prioritizing honesty and mutual respect is crucial to mend or move on from broken trust.

Check out how the community responded:

The Reddit crowd jumped in with sharp insights and biting humor, slicing through the husband’s Masonic excuse. Many dismissed his lodge claims, pointing to signs of substance abuse or infidelity.

Others flagged his disheveled state and work absences as red flags of addiction or a double life. Some urged caution, suspecting deeper, potentially dangerous issues. Their candid takes spotlight the gut-wrenching reality of uncovering a partner’s lies and the urgency of confronting them.

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Tirannie − Likely reasons for his behaviour:. 1. Substance abuse disorder. 2. Has a night family. 3. Joined an actual cult. Unlikely reasons for his behaviour:. 1. He’s attending lodge meetings every night

Tazno209 − High cost of dues, gone EVERY night, disheveled, unshowered, missing work= substance abuse or gambling addiction. Gone EVERY night, high cost of dues= cheating and/or has a second family OP, he’s not at the Masons. You have big problems here. I’d get a PI because he is going to lie to you.

SkyXIV − Are you actually sure this is where he’s going every night? Or do you think he’s cheating? Because honestly it sounds like cheating.

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chez2202 − My dad was a Freemason for over 50 years. I agree that there is a lot of secrecy involved in the system but your husband is misleading you. I know this because of both my mum and dad being honest with me in case I ever felt the need to join them (I’m female so I don’t think I could join on my own and probably wouldn’t anyway).

First of all, every lodge has a separate women’s lodge and you don’t have to be a master Freemason for your wife to participate. Any regular Freemason automatically has permission for his wife to join. There is a short ceremony where you accept their commitment to support the organisation and that’s it.

My dad nominated his best friend and he was accepted. 2 months later his friend’s wife joined.. Secondly. Freemasonry is not a nightly activity. It’s more often weekly or fortnightly here in England. Thirdly. Freemasonry is very family oriented. They don’t exist to be a brotherhood and to take men away from their wives and children.

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They don’t meet daily, at least here in England. Family is extremely important to them and if your husband is saying that he is going there every night he is lying. Which of his friends nominated him to become a member?

You cannot be a Freemason without a nomination. Ask the friend what’s going on with your husband.. Whatever he is doing every night of the week, I can pretty much guarantee it’s not this.

GreatResetBet − Umm literally one of the FIRST teachings in Freemasonry is about life balance and there's usually a discussion with the spouse of new candidates regarding time expectations.. Either this post is complete b**lshit - or your husband is a shameful excuse for a freemason..

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Ruthless_Bunny − He hears you. He doesn’t care. As others have pointed out, this isn’t a Freemasonry thing, it’s a lying husband thing But let’s assess. You could go all Magnum PI on him…or, you can decide that even on the FACE of it, it’s not what you want and you can d**p him based on that.

“I want a spouse who is devoted to me and our family, not someone who’s out all hours, every day. Either you scale back to once a week, or we can divorce and you can spend all of your time on your lodge.”

And rolling into work in yesterday’s clothes? That’s not going to fly if it’s a regular thing. And no Freemason I e ever know. Has that in their Bongo card. But you’re not naive enough to believe this b**lshit are you?

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[Reddit User] − I'm not sure he's just involved with masonry. It sounds like he has addiction issues. I'm pretty sure masons are supposed to care for their physical bodies as one of the priorities.

AlternativePrior9559 − I just read your update OP, you must be out of your mind by now. I hope you get to the bottom of what’s been going on. My gut instinct that is that drugs are involved and possibly he’s seeing someone else.. I’m so sorry. Updateme

drowning_in_sarcasm − He's abusing substances 100%.. Source: I'm an addict in recovery.

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Direct-Bumblebee-165 − Honestly after hearing from you what I suspected I would be cautious. I personally would start packing up things I couldn’t live without or leave behind and stash it somewhere. Sounds like he isn’t paying attention anyways. Get copies or take all relevant paperwork.

House titles, anything with ownership, taxes, investments, any pets. And leave after talking to a recommended lawyer. Don’t tell him. Just leave during one of his nights out. He sounds like he is progressively becoming dangerously unhinged. I would do this immediately. And be careful. Do NOT come back with begging. This person is no longer safe.

This wife’s journey from supporting her husband’s passion to uncovering his deception reminds us that trust is the bedrock of any marriage. Her courage to question his excuses and seek answers sets a powerful example. Facing such a betrayal, she stands at a crossroads, armed with clarity and resolve. Share your thoughts—have you ever navigated a partner’s hidden truths?

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