Illuminati
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{{cquote|So... If the Illuminati was [an] organization dedicated to oppose superstition, prejudice, religious influence in public life, authoritarian abuses of power, and misogyny, what does that make [[RW]]?|||[[User:Peasant86|Peasant86]]<ref>http://rationalwiki.org/w/index.php?title=RationalWiki%3ASaloon_bar&diff=1238074&oldid=1238065</ref>}} | {{cquote|So... If the Illuminati was [an] organization dedicated to oppose superstition, prejudice, religious influence in public life, authoritarian abuses of power, and misogyny, what does that make [[RW]]?|||[[User:Peasant86|Peasant86]]<ref>http://rationalwiki.org/w/index.php?title=RationalWiki%3ASaloon_bar&diff=1238074&oldid=1238065</ref>}} | ||
[[File:Minerval insignia.png|thumb|left|250px|The most boring logo for an evil organization ever.<ref>...maybe that's what they ''want'' you to think!</ref>]] | [[File:Minerval insignia.png|thumb|left|250px|The most boring logo for an evil organization ever.<ref>...maybe that's what they ''want'' you to think!</ref>]] | ||
| − | The '''Illuminati''' was a small [[freethought|freethinker]] society founded in 1776 in [[Germany|Bavaria]]. In the [[universe]] that rational people agree to recognize as [[reality]], the Illuminati ceased to exist by 1789. | + | The '''Illuminati''' was a small [[freethought|freethinker]] society founded in 1776 in [[Germany|Bavaria]]. In the [[universe]] that rational people agree to recognize as [[reality]], the Illuminati ceased to exist by 1789 when many "secret" organizations were outlawed in Bavaria. |
In the parallel universe where the likes of [[Henry Makow]] and [[David Icke]] hang their [[Tin foil hat|hats]] (and the [[snake]]s living therein), they not only have continued to exist, but have developed such enormous capacity for secrecy, power, and control that the complete [[absence of evidence]] for their existence, power, and control ...[[Not even wrong|proves their existence, power, and control]]. | In the parallel universe where the likes of [[Henry Makow]] and [[David Icke]] hang their [[Tin foil hat|hats]] (and the [[snake]]s living therein), they not only have continued to exist, but have developed such enormous capacity for secrecy, power, and control that the complete [[absence of evidence]] for their existence, power, and control ...[[Not even wrong|proves their existence, power, and control]]. | ||
Revision as of 05:00, 29 November 2013
| Some dare call it |
| Secrets revealed! |
| The revealers |
“”So... If the Illuminati was [an] organization dedicated to oppose superstition, prejudice, religious influence in public life, authoritarian abuses of power, and misogyny, what does that make RW?
|
| —Peasant86[1] |
The Illuminati was a small freethinker society founded in 1776 in Bavaria. In the universe that rational people agree to recognize as reality, the Illuminati ceased to exist by 1789 when many "secret" organizations were outlawed in Bavaria.
In the parallel universe where the likes of Henry Makow and David Icke hang their hats (and the snakes living therein), they not only have continued to exist, but have developed such enormous capacity for secrecy, power, and control that the complete absence of evidence for their existence, power, and control ...proves their existence, power, and control.
Contents |
The legend
The spread of the Illuminati legend and continued belief in them today can be traced back to the book Proofs of a Conspiracy by John Robinson, a 1798 anti-Freemasonry book (the Freemasons and Illuminati are often regarded as one and the same by conspiracy theorists). Proofs of a Conspiracy has become a source of inspiration to many conspiracy theorists since its initial publication and has been reprinted by, among others, the John Birch Society. Many modern variations of the Illuminati conspiracy have them being a controlling influence in the New World Order.
Keeping the fire alive
The alleged continued existence of the "Illuminati" looms large in many conspiracy theories, tall tales by evangelical Satanic Panic-fakers like Mike Warnke and John Todd, crank anti-Semitic and anti-Masonic writings, pseudolaw theories, etc. Depending on which version of the "Illuminati" story one believes, they are either a Satanic, Masonic, Zionist, atheist, reptilian,[3] or secular financial conspiracy. Despite the many different versions of the conspiracy, each version claims to have evidence that they are correct. They secretly control world events and their symbol, the all-seeing eye, is on the back of the U.S. $1 bill. This belief, in whatever version, is patently ridiculous but it persists. When the Founding Fathers designed the Great Seal, the all-seeing eye was proposed by members of design committees who were not Freemasons (since conspiracy theorists regard Freemasons and the Illuminati to be practically the same). It was also not named the "all-seeing eye," as the cranks believe, but rather the "eye of providence,"[4][5] a symbol of God.
Several 20th century conspiracy theory books such as those by William Guy Carr and Des Griffin combined John Robinson's allegations about the Illuminati and Freemasonry with those of the hoax book, The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, to come up with an explicitly anti-Semitic version of the Illuminati theory. Jack Chick and Alberto Rivera on the other hand promoted an anti-Roman Catholic variant of the theory, alleging the Illuminati was a creation of the Vatican.
Pat Robertson's version, on the other hand, is just plain weird since it somehow touches on both the French Revolution and gay marriage.[6]
Robertson, it seems, has company among other theocratic media weirdos personalities. Rick Wiles is under the impression that the Illuminati is not only linked to the 9/11 attacks but that the new One World Trade Center is actually a tribute to what he terms the "Free Mason/Illuminati New World Order."[7]
The liars get on board
Mike Warnke and John Todd, mentioned above, are two fake "ex-Satanist" Protestant evangelists. They have both described the Illuminati as the highest level of Satanism. Warnke claimed he learned of the Illuminati when attending a high-level conference of Satanists and Witches, shortly before he dropped out of Satanism to join the Navy and convert to Christianity. Todd claimed to have been a member of the Illuminati himself, which he said was a high council of druids secretly working to destroy Christianity and make witchcraft the official religion of the United States. Belief in the Illuminati as a Satanic conspiracy continues to be held by many evangelical Christians, despite both Warnke and Todd being exposed as frauds.
To the true believer, exposing them as frauds only goes to show how far the Illuminati are willing to go to malign opponents.
Horizontal transfer of memetic material
More modern conspiracy theories about the New World Order often keep the essential structure and nature of the Illuminati theory but shy away from direct mention of the Illuminati in favor of other groups, such as the Trilateral Commission. Also see our article on memes.
Illuminati in culture
On another level, the Illuminati plays a role in books like Robert Anton Wilson's Illuminatus! trilogy, Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, and the joke religion of Discordianism.
It is also a kick-ass card game put out by Steve Jackson Games.[8]
Easter eggs in the media
They also have a "tendency" to put hidden symbols and clues to their existence around the world, and on money, for no apparent reason.[9] Nearly every popular culture icon, including television shows, politicians, musicians and any/every celebrity, are said to be somehow connected to the Illuminati in some way from something as normal as a triangle.
Probably the best example of this would be Tupac Shakur, whose last album, entitled The Don Killuminati: The Seven Day Theory, lead to many theories.[10] The word "killuminati" (a portmanteau of the words "kill" and "Illuminati") is interpreted as Pac saying that he is speaking out against them and killing Illuminati. The truth being that he heard about them in prison and used logic the majority of these conspiracy nuts lack, that is: "If this organisation is so secret, how the fuck does everyone know about it?"[11] There is also the claim that Tupac faked his death and will be coming back (since 2003[12]). This is mainly because a while before he died, Tupac was planning on permanently changing his rap name to Makaveli after the 15/16th century writer Niccolò Machiavelli.
An equally good example would be rapper Jay-Z, who is supposedly very high in the Illuminati's hierarchy of celebrities. The hand gesture that he flashes has been cited as "proof" (in a very, very loose sense of the word) even though it's meant to represent the diamond of Roc-a-fella Records and is thrown up as frequently as the "East" or "West" hand signs. He is also accused of selling his soul, amongst other things.[13] As with Tupac, theorists just turn to bullshit to prove their points, interpreting that the name of his newborn daughter, Blue Ivy, backwards (Yvi Eulb) is Latin for "Lucifer's daughter," even though there is nothing to imply this. Jay Z has denied all these claims; his response to the conspiracy theorists can be heard in Rick Ross's song "Free Mason."[14]
It can be very difficult to find anyone who isn't actually connected with the Illuminati. All of the claimed affiliations involve an occult symbol in a music video or photo (usually the "all-seeing eye," the Star of David, or a Pentagram). This is most likely to get people talking and get publicity. For example, if Rihanna has a newspaper cutout that says "Princess of the Illuminati" in a music video, millions of people will go watch the video.
Michael Jackson is a very interesting case. One faction of the conspiracy community considers him a member of the Illuminati, employed to brainwash the public. Another faction, however, says that Jackson was not a member, but actually was fighting to expose their control of the music industry and media. Jackson was supposedly killed for this very reason. Either way the theorists have all the bases covered.
Spelling Illuminati in reverse and entering it as an URL[15] leads to the NSA website. This is merely someone purchasing that domain and redirecting it to a government website as "inconclusive proof" even though anyone can do so.[16]
And finally, there is the trend of blaming the Illuminati for the death of apparently anybody with any degree of fame. This is usually explained as the assassination of those who were just about to expose the conspiracy, or as one of the Illuminati's ritualistic, demonic "sacrifice."
See also
- Joseph "Doc" Marquis
- Mark Dice - claims to have written the "ultimate book" exposing the Illuminati, The Illuminati Facts And Fiction. And you MUST buy this, or else you're a brain dead zombie.
External links
- Sinfest: Join the Illuminati!
- Illumination: the Secret Religion, a bunch of
nutjobs"people dissatisfied with the Old World Order" who apparently are trying to start a new religious and/or ideological movement claiming the title of the Illuminati.
Footnotes
- ↑ http://rationalwiki.org/w/index.php?title=RationalWiki%3ASaloon_bar&diff=1238074&oldid=1238065
- ↑ ...maybe that's what they want you to think!
- ↑ http://www.davidicke.com/index.php/
- ↑ http://www.msana.com/eyeinpyramid.asp
- ↑ http://www.greatseal.com/symbols/eye.html
- ↑ Robertson: Gay Marriage Advocates, Following In Steps of Illuminati, Out to Destroy God and Family, Right Wing Watch
- ↑ Wiles Links 9/11 to the Illuminati, Dispatches from the Culture Wars
- ↑ See the Wikipedia article on Fnord.
- ↑ Well, no reasons that actually make sense, anyway. Cranks claim that the symbols are put there to somehow brainwash people into accepting the coming Illuminati reign.
- ↑ The album's title have led to claims that Tupac chose the title as a way of saying that he would die in seven days even though the time between him getting shot and dying was 6 days (the night of September 7th - afternoon of September 13th). Tupac actually chose the title to reference that the album was recorded and mixed in a relatively short period of 7 days.
- ↑ Those aren't his words, but it's what he meant; Tupac never believed in the Illuminati. [1]
- ↑ Every once in a while people push back the guess a few years.
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0637GjJDvk
- ↑ http://www.killerhiphop.com/rick-ross-free-mason-lyrics-jay-z/
- ↑ http://www.itanimulli.com
- ↑ A simple "WHOIS" search reveals the owner of "itanimulli.com" to be John Fenley of Provo, Utah. [2]