13 Secret Societies We Probably Shouldn't Tell You About-Illuminati
Illuminati
These days, secret societies aren't all that secret. We all can probably name a few. Yet we probably still don't know much about the inner workings of these enigmatic organizations.One of the most infamous of the secret societies is the Illuminati, which first came into the public eye with the Dan Brown book The Da Vinci Code. Most of what you probably have heard about the Illuminati is fiction. The real group was originally called the Bavarian Illuminati and was founded on May 1, 1776. Their goal was to fight prejudice, religious and state control over people's lives and to support gender equality. They were disbanded in 1785. Any use of the name thereafter is not referring to the official original group.
Freemasons
The Freemasons are known for practicing many mysterious rituals. They were originally founded in 1717. Little is known about them but it is known that there are three degrees of Masonry and at the third degree one is called a Master Mason. You have to be at least 18 years old to become a member and you have to be referred by a current member and in some cases by three current members before you can be considered for membership. Women are not allowed to become members.
Ordo Templis Orientis
Ordo Templis Orientis means Order of the Temples of the East. It was founded in the early 20th century and was originally based on Freemasonry but took a different direction under leader Aleister Crowley. He put out a book called The Book of the Law which taught two main principles: "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law" and "Love is the law, love under will". He also created rituals that include things such as naked virgin priestesses.
Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones is one of the oldest student secret societies in the US. It was founded in 1832 at Yale University. It's rituals are heavily guarded but are thought to be masonic in origin. They are known to meet each Thursday and Sunday in a building called The Tomb. Known famous members are both George Bush Jr. and Sr. and John Kerry.
Rosicrucianism
The symbol of Rosicrucianism is the rosy cross. It was founded in late medieval Germany and is based on a series of annonymous documents that mainly concerned alchemy. The society was also closely tied to Lutheranism and is thought to have been very influential to the Freemasons.
The Knights Templar
The secret society known as The Knights Templar is not the same as the military religious group from the 12th century. They simply share a name. The modern group is an elite group of Freemasons. In order to become one of the Knights Templar you have to be a Master Mason who is specifically Christian in their beliefs. Though the group claims no direct connection to the original Knights Templar, some of their rituals appear to be patterned after the older organization.
Hermetic Order of The Golden Dawn
Hermetic Order of The Golden Dawn, or Golden Dawn for short, was founded by three men in the late 19th century. The men were originally Masons. Golden Dawn was a magical order that is known for being the forerunner of many of the occult groups of today. It practiced such things as astrology, tarot, divination, scrying, alchemy and astral travel.
The Bilderberg Group
The Bilderberg Group is a more recently formed secret society. They held their first meeting in 1954. It is simply a regular meeting of highly influential people, usually at 5 star hotels worldwide, during which they discuss secret matters of importance. There are about 150 members which include politicians and people in other varying industries such as finance and education. Many conspiracy theories abound about the subject matter of these meetings, but no details are ever given. It is thought that they concern matters of international cooperation, particularly with America.
The Priory of Sion
The Priory of Sion gained a lot of interest following The Da Vinci Code. Unfortunately the truth is, the group is fictional and this isn't the first time it has been brought up. It was originally fabricated in the 1960s by a man named Pierre Plantard who invented a history for a fake group who claimed lineage to Jesus and Mary Magdalene's child and that their child was the real holy grail.
Opus Dei
Unlike the Opus Dei of Dan Brown's books who was sworn to take down the Priory of Sion, the real Opus Dei is simply a order of the Catholic church that was formed in 1928 that believes that "everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity". The order has been criticised by some as being too secretive, strict and misogynistic. They have been known to flog themselves in the name of Jesus.
Sons of Liberty
Sons of Liberty was a secret society that was founded in the North American British Colonies before they gained their Independence from Great Britain. They fought against the abuses by the British government on the colonies. They are most famous for pulling off the Boston Tea Party.
Thule Society
The Thule Society was formed in Munich, Germany after the fall of Germany following World War I. Its purpose was to return Germany to its former glory and power. There is some speculation that the Thule Society was reorganized into the Nazi party by Hitler, but there is no definite proof of this.
Comments