Can confirm. You're more or less bang on here.

Can also confirm that never in all my years has anyone in my lodge done anything satanic, nor do we "worship Lucifer". Albert Pike does not speak on behalf of all Masons, nor are his writings considered any sort of authority or doctrine of Masonic teachings. They're interesting, sure, but he was a power hungry maniac.

The Mason's I know use the teachings to organize our thoughts and our lives. And yes, we enjoy delving into some esoteric knowledge and teachings. Who doesn't? But no one I have ever met was a "luciferin or satanist". Mostly we drink whiskey, talk about women, and share interesting information with one a other. We don't answer to a shadowy hand, and we do frequent charity work to better our community. Do we have secret signs and rituals? Absolutely.

The other one I often see is "well you just don't understand the true depth of Freemasonry and you're secretly worshipping Satan."

Nope. Let's say you start a sandwich shop and treat your employees well. Now let's say someone else copies your business model and treats their employees poorly. Does that mean that you now too treat your employees poorly? Of course not. Albert Pike isn't an authority on the Masonic practice any more than the crook Joel Osteen is an authority on the Christian religion.