I only to aim to post once on this as some people are so deep-rooted in their blind hatred of Masonry that sensible discourse on the subject is unlikely.
Religion - Freemasonry is not anti-Catholic (or anti-Christian or anti-Islam or anything else). Freemasonry welcomes anyone (men into some orders, women into others) who believes in a supreme being - any one will do, we're not fussy, it can be God, Jehovah, Yahweh, Buddha, Vishnu, Allah, etc etc - and this is something that the Catholic Church can't stand. Catholics are banned from being Freemasons by Papal edict - several of them in fact - on pain of excommunication. I've sat in Lodge with other Christians, Hindus, Muslims, and Jews, all in the same room, and we were all friends and brothers. A lesson for some of the world's governments if ever i saw one.
Rituals - there are three degrees (I did smile slightly when the OP said she was going to give her DH the third degree :) ) in 'Craft' Masonry, and they broadly relate to birth, life, and death. The first degree, or initiation, teaches us to remember when we came into the world we had nothing, and thus when we encounter other people who have less than us we should exercise charity (one of the three central pillars of Masonry, the other two being truth and brotherly love). The second degree, or passing, is about working hard through life; and the third degree, or raising, tells the story of the death of the first Master Mason, Hiram Abiff, who was assassinated during the building of King Solomon's Temple. During the ceremony the mason being raised plays the part of Hiram Abiff, and is lowered into, and raised out of, a symbolic grave, which is where some of the occultist bullshit stems from, but there's nothing occultist about it I can promise you. Each degree has it's own apron, and yes, in the three degree ceremonies the trouser leg is rolled up, so that there is nothing to separate us from Mother Earth when we kneel to make the obligations. After completing the three degrees of Craft masonry one becomes a Master Mason and then, if he wishes, can go on to join Mark Master, Royal Ark Mariner, Holy Royal Arch, Rose Croix, Knights Templar, Royal & Select, Allied Masonic Degrees, and other orders.
Corruption - during the 60's and 70's it was rife, and it's true that a lot of masonic judges and coppers were bent beyond all recognition. To be clear, once and for all, Masons are NOT required to help other Masons at all costs. We promise to help 'a friend, or Brother, in need, that not being detrimental to our selves or our connections'. The language is old-fashioned but the meaning is clear: if you can help, do, but not to the detriment of family, friend, of career. Some people chose (and I daresay some still do) to interpret this differently but there are bad apples in every barrel and Freemasonry is no different.
Charity - the Masonic charities give hundreds of thousands of pounds a year to charity. Every air ambulance in the country is supported by their local Masonic province, and at least two lifeboats have been purchased outright with Masonic funds; the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution owns and maintains 13 care homes for the elderly and are becoming leaders in dementia care, and London Masons recently raised enough money to buy a CyberKnife for Barts Hospital. Google it.
rgds
Saul