Knights Templar (Freemasonry)
The Knights Templar, full name The United Religious, Military and Masonic Orders of the Temple and of St John of Jerusalem, Palestine, Rhodes and Malta, is a fraternal order affiliated with Freemasonry. Unlike the initial degrees conferred in a regular Masonic Lodge, which (in all Regular Masonic jurisdictions) only require a belief in a Supreme Being regardless of religious affiliation, the Knights Templar is one of several additional Masonic Orders in which membership is open only to Freemasons who profess a belief in Christianity. One of the obligations entrants to the order are required to declare is to protect and defend the Christian faith. The word "United" in its full title indicates that more than one historical tradition and more than one actual order are jointly controlled within this system. The individual orders 'united' within this system are principally the Knights of the Temple (Knights Templar), the Knights of Malta, the Knights of St Paul, and only within the York Rite, the Knights of the Red Cross.
Knights Templar Cartel
As of September 2017 it is believed the cartel has ceased to exist after their leader Pablo “El 500” Toscano Padilla is believed to have been killed by members of La Nueva Familia Michoacana as he and Ezequiel “El Cheques” Castañeda, who was also killed were on their way to a regional meeting with members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, who El 500 was working for and were in the process of forming an alliance with them. The cartel has seen their cartel split in two with either sides siding with CJNG or La Nueva Familia Michoacana cartel.