The Light: Expectations Vs. Reality

1. The Illuminati Secret Society The Illuminati was a secret society with strange rituals. It was founded in 1776 in what is now Germany. It grew out of the Enlightenment, a time when people believed that social structures like monarchies and religion should be replaced by new forms of government and religion based on reason. HISTORY The Illuminati has become one of the most alluring conspiracy theories, claiming that a secret group of elites control the world and are responsible for events like revolutions, assassinations and other important historical moments. This cult phenomenon has made its way into pop culture and will most likely continue to influence our lives for years to come. Founded by professor Adam Weishaupt in Bavaria, the Illuminati was born out of the 18th century’s enlightenment movement. Chafing at the power of both the Catholic Church and the Bavarian monarchy, Weishaupt began a

2. group that would reject religious and political oppression in favor of reason. The Illuminati drew from ideas expressed by the Jesuits (of which Weishaupt was a member), the Mysteries of Memphis, the Kabbalah and Freemasonry to establish a secret order that promised a new source of “illumination.” A bird known as the Owl of Minerva became the order’s main symbol. In modern times, the Illuminati has moved to the shadows and is now a secret organization of superhumans. The group includes heroes such as Doctor Strange, Black Bolt, Mr. Fantastic, Reed Richards and Namor the Sub- Mariner, who work together to shape the world’s status quo. However, the Illuminati has not been without its controversies. After the Kree-Skrull War, Iron Man convinces the Illuminati to support his proposal that all superheroes register themselves and disclose their true identities to the government. While Black Bolt and Xavier agree with the idea, Namor refuses to sign because he fears it will lead to an all-out war between mutants and non-mutants. Ultimately, the Illuminati agree to back the Registration Act but only after they are provided with information about the Infinity Gems and their locations. GOAL While there were a few Illuminati-like groups before it, the real thing got its start on May 1, 1776 in Bavaria with the founding of The Order of the Illuminati by Adam Weishaupt. A professor at the University of Ingolstadt, Weishaupt was an adherent to the Enlightenment philosophy of freeing society from religion and government control. He wanted to connect with fellow free-thinkers, share ideas and further his own enlightenment goals. Weishaupt’s supreme goal was to The Pyramid create a world in which government and religious interference was obliterated and human beings lived without moral and social constraints. This utopia would be based on atheism, where science and reason could flourish. He also envisioned a world of social fraternity, where people cared about each other and treated each other as equals. In time, the group grew in size and stature and was eventually led by Knigge, who brought to the organization the hierarchical structure and rituals that are synonymous with the Illuminati today. These were intended to provide a sense of achievement and structure for members as they pushed forward their causes. However, as the group grew in power and influence, it was easy to get lost in the details and lose sight of Weishaupt’s original goals. The Illuminati’s current incarnation is supposedly an elite board of interlocking delegates who control the world’s banks and manipulate markets to create crises. They create inflations, recessions and depressions, supporting some leaders and undermining others to further their own economic and political ambitions. The Illuminati

3. allegedly support globalism with its centralized economic control and one-world religious ethic, but they are also known to cause wars for their own gain. ELIGIBILITY There are several organizations today that claim to be a continuation of the original Illuminati secret society. These groups usually charge a lot of money for membership and also offer a book that is called the devil’s bible. They will also give you a blood oath and a seal that is similar to the one used in the game Truth or Dare. Some of these organizations will even go so far as to make you a slave in return for your money. The Illuminati were founded in Bavaria (now Germany) in 1776 by professor Adam Weishaupt, who wanted to create a group that upheld the ideals of the Enlightenment—which included opposing superstition and abuses of state power. He drew heavily on ideas from the Freemasons, which he infiltrated, as well as the Kabbalah and the Mysteries of Egypt. Eventually, his group had Find more information as many as 2,500 members. Its reach dwindled, however, and various government edicts ultimately disbanded the Illuminati in 1787. Weishaupt’s goal was to gather as many Sensei as possible—carriers of the Emperor’s physical DNA—and sacrifice them at the right time, ideally millennia after the The Versatile and Enduring Element warp-fracturing events that occurred during the Horus Heresy. This would birth the Star Child, an entity that fuses the essence of the Sensei with the remnants of the Emperor’s soul cast into the Warp during that climactic conflict. The Illuminati are a powerful and shadowy organization that is able to manipulate the human Rhodium Metal race, and even to control the destiny of the galaxy. They are not without their enemies, though. The Eldar, for instance, are attempting to assert some degree of behind-the-scenes political power in the human-ruled galaxy by positioning themselves as counselors and allies of the Illuminati. They have even been granted access to the fabled Black Library, the repository of the Eldar’s knowledge of Chaos, which is normally off limits to all but the highest levels of their race. ACTIVITIES The Illuminati is often associated with conspiracy theories that claim the secret society manipulates global events for its own ends. The real-life illuminati was a short-lived Enlightenment-era secret group founded in 1776 by professor Adam Weishaupt, who sought to limit religious influence in public life and prevent abuses of state power as well as promote women’s equality and education. It was outlawed by the Bavarian government The Jewel of the Precious Metals Welcome in 1785. Despite this, the name remains in use to this day. The group is alleged to have agents who control movies, music, banks and governments in order to bring about a one-world government or another sinister outcome. The illuminati is also believed to have links to other secret societies, including Skull and Bones and the Bilderberg Group. When the illuminati were active, they used rituals and pseudonyms to keep their activities a secret. These rituals are unknown, but they likely included a requirement that novices read extensively and that they sacrifice their own interests for the greater good of humanity. They were also believed to have mystical connections to the occult, a belief that would later give rise to modern magick. Various groups of heroes claim to be members of the Illuminati, including Black Panther, Captain Britain, Roberto da Costa, Sunspot’s Avengers, General Thaddeus Ross’s Red Hulk and Scott Summers’ Nation X. However, it is difficult to determine which characters belong to the real illuminati since they rarely share their true names. Regardless, they are constantly linked to conspiracy theories about everything from the faked moon landings to 9/11 and the assassination of JFK.

4. RESULTS This investigation highlights a phenomenon combining potential online scams (highlighted by platform negligence and failure to counteract them) with dangerous conspiracy beliefs and prejudices against elites, Jews, and Freemasons. These malign actors exploit people's credulity to offer them the chance to become members of a secret society, claiming that they will help them achieve great wealth and power by joining it. Frequently used tactics include the resharing of stolen images, e.g. of luxury watches or cars, and false promises of benefits like occult powers and immortality. The Order of the Illuminati is one of the oldest conspiracies, dating back to 1776 when Adam Weishaupt created the 'lluminatenorden' as an intellectually- and philanthropically-oriented secret society for elites in Bavaria. It aims to promote secular, humanistic, and Enlightenment values among leaders to influence decision-making. In 1797, physicist John Robison published his polemic "Proofs of a Conspiracy" accusing the Illuminati of infiltrating Freemasonry. The Illuminati have since gone from alleged benefactors to bogeymen. Their name has been evoked in everything from anti-Muslim sentiment to the marketing of pop albums.