"We lie the loudest when we lie to ourselves."
Eric Hoffer, philosopher and author (1902 - 1983)

Fake Masons? What's THAT all about? People don't really just 'pretend' to be Masons, do they?

Well, yes - in some cases they do! Even at the formation of the very first Grand Lodge there were rival groups, imitators, dissenters, and merely idle 'troublemakers'. Why? Heaven's knows - but it seems clear that today it's more for the element of spite than it is for the greed or the ribald humor.

Of course, greed is a strong motivator and there are those who use the internet to create paper-organizations so the unsuspecting who want to actually become Masons will wind up giving them money instead. Long before telemarketing, degree peddling was a VERY lucrative business - and with the internet, it grows and flourishes today! Particularly with the spurious groups, there's LOTS of dancing around trying to claim "We are legitimate!" while regular, 'recognized' Grand Lodges merely go about their business.

The moniker 'fake' may be harsh but what else can one call a group that solicits membership using the symbols of an organization they have no formal connection with? They make claims to being the legacy heir of some fanciful legend or their websites show the leadership in the trappings (sometimes looking like parodies of a jewelry store mannequin). They want you to believe that you'll be "a Mason" in all respects when, in fact, you're only a member of their own small group and certainly NOT accepted as a Freemason by the millions of Freemasons throughout the world.

But wait: isn't all Masonry the same thing?

No, not really.... There are many organizations/groups and individuals who try to present themselves as 'Masonic' (or pretend that they're 'Masonry') when they are only so in their own minds. While they may consider themselves to be Masons, no one else in the world does - and therein lies the rub. Because the words 'Mason', 'Masonry', 'Freemasonry', and the like are in no way protected by copyright or trademark, their free use is found everywhere in the world. You yourself could start "Joe's Masonic Lodge" tomorrow if you wished. Would any Mason recognize you as being a legitimate Mason or Masonic entity? No - although you yourself might feel to your very core that you and your organization were, indeed, 'Masonic'. 

But who decides - and how does one know what's real and what's 'fake'? 

One of the hardest things for non-Masons to understand about Freemasonry is that it is not a single, monolithic organization with one head and a single 'identity'. Freemasonry has grown in various ways in various parts of the world and although the signs and modes of recognition in 'regular' Masonic bodies are recognizable to other Masons, they are rarely identical in every respect. Further, each Grand Lodge decides for itself and its members what other bodies are 'regular'. Thus, the Grand Lodge of A might recognize Grand Lodges B and C while the Grand Lodge of B might not recognize Grand Lodge C as being a Masonic body. Confusing? You bet - although the instances of this type of thing are VERY small and usually involve very small Grand Lodges in very small countries! It's a complicated set of mutual recognitions that decide who is 'recognized and regular' and who is not.

Added to this are a number of appendant bodies which are 'Masonically related' and thus trying to figure out who's who can seem bewildering at times - though it really doesn't need to be. As just one example of confusion, the Order of the Eastern Star is recognized and accepted as a part of the 'Masonic family' by every Grand Lodge in the United States. They're very much a part of various events throughout the jurisdiction and although not allowed into closed lodge meetings of Masons, they use that very same Masonic hall for THEIR meetings! Curiously, however, the United Grand Lodge of England - the oldest Grand Lodge in the world and from whom most recognized Grand Lodges in the world derive their heritage - considers the OES to be 'clandestine' and forbids the Members of the UGLE to attend meetings of the group. Is the Order of the Eastern Star 'clandestine'? Guess it depends....

And if you look at their claims, you'll find that in many cases they have, in effect, STOLEN a heritage that is not theirs. Lists of Famous Freemasons are a clue. Are you looking at a lodge where every member appears to be Black but they've got a listing of nearly all famous WHITE Masons? It's internet thievery and nothing more.

So - how did we get here? And how can one tell if an organization they might consider joining is - in fact - some kind of 'fake Masonry'?  We believe that taking a quick look at how these 'wannabe' groups arose will generally provide valuable clues. 

DIFFERENT TYPES

There are a couple of different types of what we have termed 'fake Masonry'. Obviously, this phraseology reflects our individual opinion and is not binding on anyone. Should a particular organization that we've identified as "fake" feel that they aren't, they are certainly entitled to their opinion - just as we are to ours! Of course, there are several million Masons who'll agree with our take on things and perhaps one or two people (even, maybe, a couple of dozen) for their argument.

We believe one type of 'fake Masonry' involves simple fraud: a desire to separate someone from their money in order to pad the bank account of the instigator. It's a simple scam and may be perpetrated by either a non-Mason, an anti-Mason or - sadly - someone who has actually passed through the degrees of Freemasonry. The Alharam Lodge is an excellent example of this in our opinion.

A second involves groups started by a disgruntled Mason or Masons, ostensibly in competition. It is done primarily out of spite (not exactly a "Masonic" virtue!) and in order to 'prove' that they were right and everyone else was wrong. Although this isn't always why things like this occur, it is a predominant theme and, with the help of the internet, they can present a VERY persuasive appeal that they're legitimate while the centuries-old organization from which they split is not. You'll note that these groups make grandiose claims but they're quite short on facts. You'll see an lofty address by a supposed 'Grand Master' yet there will be no place and time at which meetings are held. Why? Because they don't want anyone to realize that it's less than a dozen people making up their organization! These folks take great exception to our characterization of them as "fake" since they're convinced that they are indeed 'the real deal' despite the fact that their organization was formed illegitimately (in Masonic terms) and their behavior is often well below that which would be tolerated in a regular and recognized Masonic body.

They also rave that they're 'true Masons' even if a particular Grand Lodge (read: anyone else in the entire Masonic universe) recognizes them or not. If this were the case, then, you or ANYONE could simply go to your local book store, grab a copy of Duncan's Masonic Ritual, read it, and declare yourself to be a Freemason. It simply doesn't work that way!

There's also the 'variation on a theme' whereby a Mason in good standing decides that he can offer Freemasonry something they don't now have: some special wisdom or following some particular 'path' (be it esoteric, occult, political, religious, or whatever) and starts another group from his own imagination. We elaborate on this below.

All of these can cause great difficulties for those who've gotten involved thinking they'd found 'the real deal'. It can also cause someone to lose a considerable amount of money before they realize that they've gone down the wrong path.

Because there's no restriction on use of the word "Mason", anyone can start a group claiming that it's "Masonic". Some of the groups profiled here will argue at length that they're "regular" but the simple fact is that unless OTHER GRAND LODGES say that you're 'regular', YOU'RE NOT!

Should you become a member of one of these spurious groups, you'll probably call yourself a Mason but you'll never gain admission to a regular Masonic lodge and no Mason - outside of the handful of others in your 'lodge' - will recognize you as such.

We're better than they are....

Sometimes, for whatever reason, a Mason will choose to leave Freemasonry. Usually their departure is uneventful but in some cases, these individuals decide that they can 'do it better' and set out to prove it by setting up their own organization or organizations in direct violation of Masonic custom and tradition (and, in modern times, Masonic law). With the internet, they can create grandiose websites, complete with graphics recognizable as 'Masonic' and with links to legitimate organizations. They always seem to use titles and wording that, to a neophyte or someone unfamiliar with Masonic 'jargon' seems quite convincing.

Sometimes, the person who perceives themselves to have been aggrieved will be content with a few letters and intemperate online postings. In Maine in the United States, for example, a former regular Mason suspended for misconduct tried for some time to proclaim what HE determined was 'correct' about Freemasonry and kept alive an internet mailing list that was once tacitly supported by his (now former) Grand Lodge. He would write soliloquies about what he saw as proper Masonic conduct, forgetting that he had pledged himself to a behavior far differently from the manner of behavior he was exhibiting. His acts, though, were visible to only a few in Maine Masonry so one must ask: to what end?

In another, more visible situation, a Past Master of a lodge in Illinois who was once a somewhat widely-recognized moderator on the America Online (AOL) Masonic Forum, was suspended for un-Masonic behavior in his lodge. Despite this, he continued to post on various public newsgroups asking questions about Masonic jurisprudence as if somehow the 'court of public opinion' would undo the issues that had separated him from Freemasonry. In his postings, he sometimes used "U.D." in his signature line which, only after close questioning he admitted, meant - according to him - "Under Disability", some sort of contrived description of his non-status as a Mason. He maintained that U.D. showed he was still a Mason in good standing although suspended! (If a child is suspended from school, is s/he really "in good standing"? We always thought that, as in 'real life', suspended meant suspended - as in 'You aren't part of this!' Does someone suspended from school get to play in sports? Do they get to graduate? Errrr....NO!)

In neither of these cases, however, did the individual seek to create a 'competing' group. In some cases, though, an individual will  decide they should start an organization of their own and will create (almost entirely on the web where probing questions can be ignored) quasi-Masonic bodies calling them 'Grand Lodges' and 'Rites' - or a 'High Council' or 'Grand Orient' or some other phraseology designed to confuse everyone. He'll use the symbols and nomenclature of 'regular' Freemasonry alongside personalized rules and requirements. Such groups are usually referred to in Masonic parlance as 'clandestine' although we should quickly note that there's no standard agreement amongst 'regular' Masons as to how to use that word so that no confusion as to definition exists.

And why do they form "Lodges" (or "Grand Lodges")?

In some cases, it's to 'get even' while in other cases the motivation seems to be personal grandeur and recognition for the originator. They regularly claim that they're doing 'the right thing' and sometimes they try to present themselves as more Catholic than the Pope.

And for some, it's a scam - plain and simple! Sometimes it's a combination of all three....

But what is the problem with this multitude of "Masonic Grand" groups?

While imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, in cases where it comes from spite or anger and serves to confuse those not involved, one can hardly acknowledge it as being "Masonic".... Further, it is now a well-established rule of Masonry that no new lodge can be started except by permission of a previously-established RECOGNIZED Grand Lodge and that no new Grand Lodge may be instituted except by the agreement of several already established RECOGNIZED lodges.

It's not, then, possible for Joe Blow to go start his own group - but that's what can and does sometimes happens! Such 'clubs' (for they cannot by any stretch of imagination be called 'lodges') will NEVER be recognized by other 'mainstream' Masonic lodges and membership in them makes acknowledgement of Masonic status by others virtually impossible.  Such bodies are subject to the capricious rule by (normally) one person who likely will serve for the life of the organization or his own so unlike 'regular' Freemasonry where - except in those locations where a crowned head of state is the titular head of Masonry - terms of office are limited and are subject to vote of the membership. In the spuriously-formed groups, there's no centuries-old history to consider when making decisions and there's always the need for them to 'justify' their own existence.

Lots of heat - often little light

There is always considerable Masonic discussion which occurs surrounding the issues of  "regularity" and "recognition".  There is no single document to which all agree that sets forth either the pieces by which a Grand Lodge would be deemed 'regular' nor is there a document that explains the 'basic principles of recognition'.  As a result, a small number of Grand Lodges throughout the world which have existed for a century or more might meet the qualifications for 'regularity' are not 'recognized'. Even then, though, one must ask themselves if it is truly only (Masonic) politics that has kept recognition from occurring or if it's really deeper than the ostensibly aggrieved party says. Bottom line: if it is your intent to join with the ancient and world-wide fraternal organization which most people know as "Freemasonry", then your Grand Lodge must be both 'regular' and also 'recognized' by the hundreds of other Grand Lodges throughout the world.

Parenthetically we'd add that some of the recently formed 'creations of the internet' have addressed this matter by recognizing each other. So four guys in England decide to 'recognize' seven guys in Georgia USA or some fellow in England creates a whole panoply of so-called "Grand Lodges" under a "High Council" and then has them all recognize each other even if there are no physical members in any of them!

It also happens that, for whatever reason, regular/recognized Masons won't realize the potential harm in acknowledging others as 'Masonic brothers' outside of the rules of their own Grand Lodge which they've sworn to uphold. They may not know of the person's prior 'bad acts' and often, these can be easily dismissed as there's no 'clearinghouse' for such things (except, perhaps, right here!). Ultimately, when the bogus group does something untoward or worse (and it's bound to happen because, having walked away from rules and obligations once, there's nothing to prevent them from doing it multiple times), we wonder what those Masons will say. "Oooppsss. Sorry!" won't quite make it.

Bottom line: there are LOTS of 'bogus' groups out there. Don't be misled.

Real Masonry - but just not fully recognized everywhere: 

There are some organizations which function in a way that consistently reflects worthily on Freemasonry, following its tenets to the letter. They are not, for whatever reason, acknowledged by all Grand Lodges. The National Sojourners is an excellent example. Founded in 1921 by former World War I US military officer veterans who sought to combine their patriotism with their love of Freemasonry, the group regularly provides patriotic programs to both lodges and the community. This group, though, does not exist everywhere and in many jurisdictions it's entirely unknown. That's not because their activities are seen as being inappropriate for Masons but rather because the Grand Lodge there has simply chosen to not acknowledge their existence formally. While the organization has representatives at such functions as the meeting of the Grand Masters of North America, some Grand jurisdictions in the United States feel they have 'enough' appendant organizations in their jurisdiction and that one more might further dilute the membership participation in their craft lodges. The same is true for organizations like the Grotto, High Twelve International, Tall Cedars of Lebanon and others... These groups, proudly acknowledging the membership of many current and past Grand Masters, are not universally recognized as part of the 'Masonic Family' despite their strict adherence to Masonic protocols. They are, however, legitimate in their own right - and FAR different from the spurious groups set up by somebody on a whim (or for a scam)!

And every now and then, an organization will appear which may have been started with worthy motives but whose implementation leaves LOTS to be desired. Membership in such groups could wind up costing one dearly, both in terms of actual cash and later Masonic involvement.

The "Pennsylvania Gazette," No. 444, June 9 to 16, 1737 published by Mason Benjamin Franklin tells how a Dr. Evan Jones, a prominent apothecary of Philadelphia, duped his apprentice Daniel Reese, who had expressed a desire to become a Freemason. Seeing an opportunity for ribald amusement, Dr. Jones and several associates put the young man through some absurd ceremonies, telling him he was an Entered Apprentice, and directed him to return on June 13, 1737, for another degree. Further horse-play, coupled with indecencies and indignities, were then ensued. These were followed by a final ceremony in which "his Satanic Majesty" appeared, but who, to the disappointment of the conspirators, did not serve to frighten the candidate; whereupon Dr. Jones, the impersonator of the devil, threw a pan of flaming spirits upon the apprentice, with such frightful effect that he died three days later.

The publication of the story in local papers, and the blame attached to the regular Masons, innocent of any wrong doing and equally strong in their censure and condemnation of the act, brought the fraternity into bad repute in certain quarters, and enemies of the local Craft did not hesitate to seize upon the occasion to further their own ends. The various accounts were reprinted in the colonial papers, and thus the occurrence achieved a place in the annals of American Masonry as the first anti-Masonic expression in the colonies.

 And caused by "Fake" Masonry....

The above story is very lightly edited from Bro. J. Hugo Tatsch's article in "The Builder" magazine's August, 1926 edition.

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