| Some thoughts on the Illuminati... | | | | mortals to discover... |
| Well as far as a secret society goes the Illuminati | | | | This then is the real Illuminati! |
| haven't done a very good job at remaining secret in | | | | Seems like they're not doing a very good job at |
| recent years have they? | | | | keeping their manipulative presence hidden! |
| As far as history is concerned I think it is true to say | | | | I mean stop for a moment to consider some simple |
| that the Illuminati were a secret society, said to have | | | | ideas. |
| formed in the late 18th Century in Bavaria - well if we | | | | The bloodlines of monarchy and aristocracy are very |
| are trying to be correct a date of 1776 has been | | | | likely to be linked in any case, what with marriage being |
| proposed. It is difficult to piece together any meaningful | | | | the vehicle by which alliances were made. Such links |
| history of this 'society' as the whole subject has | | | | do not require the organising agents of 'secret' human |
| become tainted with poorly referenced conspiracy | | | | societies let alone the interference from some passing |
| paranoia, pseudo-historical analyses and the odd fraud | | | | aliens - or am I missing the point? |
| (hoax) or two. | | | | Of course there are 'symbols' which seem to survive |
| Starting with the choice of name - Illuminati - it seems | | | | and be repeated from time to time and place to place. |
| that the society professed to be in line with some kind | | | | As a species we are very good at creating symbolic |
| of information or approach that made its members 'the | | | | language and meaningful patterns (you're reading |
| enlightened'. It is likely that they had a republican political | | | | some right now)... AND of course some 'magical |
| agenda which included the abolition of monarchies. It is | | | | symbols' will form part of our everyday society as |
| further suggested that they tried to bring about change | | | | they have been a part of our psyche for a very long |
| by means of subterfuge, secrecy, and conspiracy, | | | | time. Assuming these symbols need to have any other |
| including the infiltration of other organizations. They | | | | significance is a bit of a stretch. The 'Great Seal' on |
| were not very successful and were destroyed, or at | | | | US currency is often quoted as being Masonic or |
| least outlawed, within fifteen years of their origin (Pipes | | | | Illuminati in origin having been designed by Illuminati, or at |
| 1997). | | | | least High Degree Freemasons. If you really check this |
| The founder is reputed to be Adam Weishaupt from | | | | story out (see Skeptoid) there are more than enough |
| the University of Ingolstadt and it appears that the | | | | questions raised which serve to question the key |
| society's aims were closely linked to ideas from the | | | | assumptions in the conspiracy theorists rhetoric. |
| Enlightenment i.e. to combat religious thinking and | | | | What do Governments do? |
| promote and encourage rationalism. Wieshaupt was | | | | They rule, they plan, they organise, they fight, they |
| an anti-monarchist and secularist which, obviously, | | | | assert sovereignty! |
| informed the nature of the society he created. In 1777, | | | | There's no need to imagine a global conspiracy to |
| Karl Theodor became ruler of Bavaria and, in 1784, his | | | | explain the actions of Governments. |
| government banned all secret societies including the | | | | Now here's where there is, perhaps, an element of |
| Illuminati and they disbanded (or perhaps were | | | | truth in all of the Conspiracy Theories you have ever |
| imprisoned, 'destroyed' or otherwise dispatched!) | | | | heard. It seems obvious to me that Governments |
| There is no empirical evidence that this society | | | | cannot tell us the truth all of the time, truth after all is a |
| survived the 18th Century. | | | | relative concept, and there are things that must be on |
| What we hear of today is a melange of conspiracy | | | | a need to know basis. More importantly some major |
| theories from which have at their core the notion of | | | | Governments have been shown to be involved with |
| some kind of elite, powerful and probably wealthy | | | | somewhat dodgy dealings and certainly individuals |
| 'secret society' behind veils of other 'secret' or at least | | | | within Governments are not above corruption, error |
| 'clandestine' groups. | | | | and simply being wrong. |
| Like an onion skin, although conspiracy theorists would | | | | The simple fact the 'the truth outs' from some of |
| prefer the image of a pyramid, the outer layers are the | | | | these accidental, and not so accidental, cover-ups |
| lowest levels of the New World Order movers and | | | | seems to belie the existence of ability to 'keep' secrets |
| shakers and at the core can be found the Illuminati. | | | | of any real magnitude. |
| Sometimes we are told that this inner core of is run by | | | | Perhaps there is a rule of thumb that is worth exploring |
| a number of key families (13 is often quoted for effect | | | | - the more people who need to be involved in any |
| more than genealogy) whose 'bloodlines' are linked and | | | | form of cover-up or covert action the LESS likely it is |
| perhaps manipulated by visitors from another world. | | | | to be possible. |
| This inner core of people is so secret that the families | | | | Envoi |
| are actually named on several websites...Their | | | | Google returns over 34,000,000 results for a search |
| existence is so shadowy that they insist on leaving | | | | on Illuminati and a mere 1,000,000 for a search on |
| symbols of their very existence behind for us mere | | | | Illuminati + Sceptic. Surely that suggests something! |