The Masonic lodge & Choices

Just recently I was queried by a close personal friend about what I thought about Freemasonry and the masonic lodge. After a few moments of consideration I replied with, "I hadn't really thought anything about it other than from what I've heard and seen on TV like, The History Channel." And really most of that is tied into shows about conspiracy theories and the like. after doing some research, (primarily from the internet since there seems to be very little about them other than what you see such as the Shriners. Most publications I found came from less than reputable sources who see only what they want and discard the rest. These are usually the conspiracy theorists who find evil under every little rock and shadow including the Bible sometimes. Of course, the WEB is no great source of intellectual knowledge but with a trained eye one can usually find it easy to disregard a lot of the garbage that floats out there. but, yet this conversation was not meant to be one of casual or even theocratic course. This person who is a minister and whom I have considered to be as close to me as a father had a motive behind the question. That being was if I had ever considered joining the local lodge here.
Now I had until now always considered the lodge to be a exclusive club who's only members were the rich, powerful, and political elite in town. I had never even considered the fact they were also Freemasons. So at this point I was assuming that I was about to get some insight on the evils of this fraternity until he pulled out a necklace that had a pendant with the symbol of the mason's on it.
The next part of the conversation is of course obvious or should be by now. I was being asked without being asked if I had considered joining the masonic lodge. I was told about all the good work they do and how the fraternity serves to make a good man a better man and the brotherhood of having a place and person's to go to in time of trouble or distress. I told him I would consider it but, would defer my answer until I had time to pray about it and learn more about the Freemasons.
Since that time I've been approached by a few of the more prominent men of our community with a handshake and friendliness. Men who until a month ago wouldn't of given me the time of day. And now only these men but, those within the Christian community as well. Prominent men of the both the pulpit, laity, and many local church leaders, all of who thought of me as nothing more than another poor old Southern Baptist who wasn't very blessed of God because, I am poor.
And though I did sense the humanity and what felt like real friendship from some of these men, I have to wonder if had this particular conversation not taken place, would they have came to my aid and comfort in my current time of crisis. This friend had never mentioned this before had suddenly ask if I would like to join the lodge? We've have been close friends for over 30 years and he was even one of my teachers in high school. And these men some I went to school with and others who I had known but, had never even spoke to me before are suddenly smiling and asking me how I'm doing.
I was given a petition to join and several of these men from both political, law enforcement, business, and the clergy have said they would carry this petition before the lodge. These men begin to come around to talk with me. Without really being in a position to think clearly for some time, I turned it in and was informed today it had been voted on and I was to be at the lodge this Friday to began the rites and rituals that would make me a mason. Yesterday I really begin to dig into this whole masonic thing and read up on a lot of their rituals and what they stand for. I can clearly see all the good they do with the charities and the like, and I've actually got to watch some actual films on some of the various rites, rituals, and degrees of freemasonry. Yet, I'm beginning to wonder if I'm making the right choice? Have I really prayed enough over this. Their basic requirement for what they call the Blue Lodge (local level) and for entrance at the basic level or 1st degree is that you must belief in a supreme being. However, it is not required that that being be the God of heaven, Even thought
the rites are based on the ideals of the building of Solomon's temple.
Basically, there are 32 degrees that can be obtained in masonry with the first 3 through the local lodge. After which if one choses they can either stop or acquire more degrees thorough either the Scottish Rite or York Rite of free masonry. If one choses they can even stop at the 1st degree and go no further. But to hold a set or position within the local lodge one must go through the first 3 degrees.
Now one thing I did find was there seems to be a definitive difference between the two rites with the Scottish Rite being considered the more intellectual and social. It is from this rite that Shriner's are (but you can be a Shriner in the York Rite as well). The York Rite stems from the ideals of the Knights Templars of the medieval age. The one difference with this particular group that struck me as odd was though the masons do not require this supreme being to be the Christian God, the Knights Templars do require that one must be a Christian to take on the rites and degrees of York Rite. Another thing I seem to notice is that the York Rite seems to be based a lot on the gnostic beliefs of early Christianity and seems to have a lot of mysticism in it as well.
I guess what I'm trying to figure out, is this something I would want to do and will it really interfere with my personal beliefs? I am a Christian, though not a perfect one by no means. I have and continue to make idiotic mistakes every day. Some that have cost me greatly, including dear friends. But, as I stand at yet another crossroads can I ill afford to make yet, another mistake? Will that mistake be to turn down a golden opportunity if that is what this is, or will it be to accept this invitation and enter into a area I know little about that might cost me maybe even my soul.
Is this fraternity nothing more than a brotherhood of men honestly seeking to make themselves better men and for the betterment of all mankind or is it really a pact with the devil seeking to bring about corruption, destruction, and the end of days as the conspiracy mongers would have me to believe.
Has my own friend been deceived all these years? Although, I know that by turning down his invite, our friendship would remain, am I willing to be alienated by my few dear friends I've left, who might see me as going over to the dark side? Why is it I even feel this need to belong to this organization? I have known the friendship me and my friend have know, more than once I've cried on his shoulder and he mine. And he tells me that I haven't even begun to know friendship until I've experienced it through the brotherhood of freemasonry. I honestly don't know if any one or even my friends I've left read my blogs anymore but, I need your HELP if your reading this. I need advice, opinions, or anything that might help me in my currently confused and vulnerable state to make this decision. I've only till Friday evening 6pm to decide on this. And as I said given my current state of mentality I really don't know if I can make the right decision without your help. I feel trapped in a way. It seems I've lost the path and am now deep in the dark wooded forest with no light. If you think I'm losing it, you're probably right.