Paramasonry

Paramasonry (also known as Pseudomasonry) is a term used to refer to fraternal organisations which mimic the structure of Freemasonry and some of its esoteric ritualism, but which official freemasonry itself publically claims to have no connection to. These organisations themselves may have completely different initiatives and "causes" to each other. Because of the secretive nature of freemasonry, it is hotly disputed whether a hidden elite within official freemasonry has encourged some para-masonic organisations such as the Order of the Illuminati and the Carbonari or whether these radical groups simply infiltrated and took over some of the lodges of Continental Freemasonry.

List of movements

Name	Founded	Ended	Area	Tendancy
Carbonari	1812	1848	Italy	Founded in 1812, by emissaries of philomasonic Maria Carolina of Austria, to undermine Joachim Murat. Initially heterogeneous, after Leipzig the conservative tendancy was expelled (the Calderari) the remainder persued an Illuminist Italian unionism, republicanism and anti-clericalism.
Independent Order of B'nai B'rith	1843	Active	International, especially in United States, France & Canada	Jewish supremacism. Founded by Jews from Germany in New York City, to "develop a strong awareness of group solidarity, without being defined in a religious way." Spawned self-styled ADL hate group.

External links

• Freemasonry and Fraternal Organizations
• Manifestations of the Martinist Order
• Esoteric and Occult Religion and Spirituality