User:Blueboar/drafts - Grand Lodges and Notability

What’s in a name?
A Grand Lodge (sometimes called a Grand Orient) is the organizational unit that supervises and governs the Masons and Lodges (chapters) within its "Masonic Jurisdiction". A Masonic jurisdiction is a geographic area, usually contiguous with state or national boarders. This is why most Grand Lodges are styled "The Grand Lodge of  ".

Each Grand Lodge is a completely independent entity unto itself. The rituals, decisions and rules that are adopted by one Grand Lodge have no impact on those of another Grand Lodge. There is no world wide super Grand Lodge that governs all the individual Grand Lodges. And there are literally hundreds and hundreds of Grand Lodges throughout the world. (see List of Masonic Grand Lodges for an idea of what we mean)

This multiplicity is important. Freemasonry is not a single unified organization. It is many separate organizations that (mostly) share common ideals and traditions. However, these independent organizations do not always agree. And the Masons within these independent organizations do not always agree. Throughout its history the fraternity of Freemasonry has been prone to schism and fracturing. It is not at all uncommon for a group of Masons, who disagree with a decision made by their Grand Lodge, to break off and form their own, rival, Grand Lodge... one that will support their view of the contentious issue. In many cases the break-away Grand Lodges have had their own subsequent squabbles, resulting in even further fracturing and the formation of yet another Grand Lodge.

Sometimes, when a Grand Lodge fractures, both sides will claim to be the real or legitimate Grand Lodge. You thus can get two, rival, bodies, each claiming to be the "Grand Lodge of… wherever". Sometimes, break-away groups will add modifiers to the name… claiming to be the "Legal Grand Lodge of..." or the "Regular Grand Lodge of..." in an effort to distinguish themselves from their rival (and also to imply that their rival is in some way illegal or irregular.)

To confuse matters further, there have been many scam artists, who have taken advantage of the confusion caused by this multiplicity of "Grand" bodies, and have created a phony "Grand Lodge"... with the sole purpose of making money selling degrees to gullible people who wish to join the Masons.