Dacia Iluministă

The Historical Illuminati – Continued:

The Cathars – Gnostics who posed a serious religious challenge to the Catholic Church in the south of France in the Middle Ages. (The precursors of the Cathars were groups such as the Paulicians, the Athingani, and the Bogomils.) The Cathars were also associated with a strong literary tradition in the shape of the Goliards and Troubadours: this was the beginning of the Illuminati’s attempt to use stories, poetry, art, painting and sculpture to communicate concealed heresies to the wider world, to smuggle them past the Catholic authorities, and to pass on coded messages. The Cathars regarded the established Church as the “synagogue of Satan”, and the altar as the mouth of hell. The Vatican launched a crusade against them and they were virtually wiped out.

The Knights Templar – supposedly orthodox Catholic military monks who were in fact Gnostics seeking to retrieve unique treasures from the ruins of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem, and to erode Catholicism from a privileged insider position. The Vatican eventually realised the danger and suppressed the Templar Order. The last Grand Master was burned at the stake.

The Capuciati – (from caputium, “hood”: their distinctive headgear) – a medieval precursor of the Jacobin Clubs of revolutionary France. At the end of the 12th Century, the Capuciati rose up against the nobility and tried to implement a society based on freedom and equality. They were brutally suppressed. Like the later Jacobins, they championed liberty, equality and fraternity, thus incurring the wrath of the nobles. Allegations of heresy were levelled against them and they were deemed subversive of ecclesiastical and civil authority.

The Alchemists – Gnostic thinkers who attempted to combine science and spiritualism; to find a quasi-scientific path to spiritual enlightenment. (Some alchemists were “metaphorical” scientists i.e. they were using the language of proto-chemistry to describe a process of spiritual refinement and elevation; they weren’t seriously engaged in scientific experiments.) Alchemy was conducted in such secrecy that it managed to avoid formal condemnation and persecution by the Vatican. Alchemists rarely ventured into the open, and only did so if they had secured the protection of a powerful prince. Freemasonry was born from a combination of the alchemists and the remnants of the Knights Templar.

The Heresy of the Free Spirit was a movement that flourished in medieval Europe and was based on the idea that the practitioners had reached a state of perfection that moved them beyond sin (like the Euchites). They repudiated social and moral norms and were often highly promiscuous. However, this promiscuity was more like the “free love” of the 1960s. It was frequently accompanied by drug use, was intended to spread love and community, and, above all, was aimed at being a conduit to a higher plane, to spiritual emancipation and communion with the higher self.

For Gnostics and Christians, the concept of “Holy Spirit” held a very different meaning. To Christians, the Holy Spirit was the third person of the Holy Trinity, and, in Catholic theology, acted through the Church and the holy sacraments. Catholics had no access to the Holy Spirit other than through the sacraments. For Protestants, the individual could interact with the Holy Spirit directly, without the need of the Church or any sacraments. For Gnostics, the Holy Spirit was actually a coded reference to the higher self, the divine spark. By using that term, they could masquerade as Christians and thus avoid accusations of heresy, whilst actually spreading Gnostic teachings. If they succeeded in linking to their higher self, they would be filled with spiritual, mystical understanding – gnosis itself – that would reveal the true nature of existence. Acting through their higher self, part of the divine order, they would no longer be capable of sinning. They would be truly free of the constraints and travails of the world. For this reason, they were called Eleutherians – from the Greek word for “free”. (Some groups were freer than others; some became completely anarchic and self-indulgent while others retained a strong and clear spiritual purpose. It was not freedom itself that was the crucial issue but how that freedom was exercised; irresponsibly or with clear focus.

Joachim of Fiori (a Grand Master of the Illuminati) and Amaury of Bene (a senior Illuminist) – were responsible for the revolutionary idea that the world is divided into three ages – that of God the Father (Jehovah/Judaism), God the Son (Jesus Christ/Christianity), and God the Holy Spirit (which for Joachim and Amaury meant Abraxas/Gnosticism).

The Dulcinites – under the leadership of Fra Dolcino, were a Joachimite movement with close connections to Catharism. They advocated egalitarianism and soon attracted the hostility of the Church and nobility. They were exterminated in 1307, the same year that the Templars were arrested and suppressed.

The Brethren of the Free Spirit – the Homines Intelligentiae, the Adamites, the Amalricans, the Beghards/Beguines, the Picards, the Turlupins, the Ranters and the Perfectionists were all groups of a similar type, inspired by the antinomian ideas of Joachim of Fiori and Amaury of Bene, and dedicated to absolute freedom. Because they did not perceive themselves as bound by the conventions of society, they often acted, in secret and sometimes openly, in ways that scandalised public opinion. Inevitably, they attracted the hostility of the Church and most of them were savagely persecuted.

Hieronymus Bosch was a member of the Adamite sect and his paintings are full of coded references to the teachings of the Adamites. William Blake’s paintings and writings are also full of Gnostic symbolism, and coded messages. (An important painting of Blake’s is highlighted in The Millionaires’ Death Club by Mike Hockney.)

The Hesychasts – an offshoot of the Illuminati that appeared in Macedonia in the Byzantine Empire in the 14th Century. Their activities were centred on the monastic community at Mount Athos (“Holy Mountain”). The Hesychasts were mystics who endeavoured to see a vision of the light of the True God. They regarded this contemplation as the highest goal of humanity, taking them as close as possible to the divine order, bringing them into the company of the divine spark, their higher self. In this way they could become united with God. This experience could be described as unio mystica (mystical union), the ecstatic feeling of being one with God.

In order to disguise their practices as falling within orthodox Christianity, the Hesychasts said that the light they were seeking was that of Jesus Christ’s Transfiguration on Mount Tabor where “man” and “God” visibly became one and Christ shone with the mystical light of God. After a long debate, Hesychasm was accepted as non heretical by the Eastern Orthodox Church, but was rejected, peacefully, by the Roman Catholic Church. A similar idea, originating in Spain with the Alumbrados, met with a very different fate.

The Alumbrados (also known as Aluminados) – the Spanish chapter of the Illuminati in the 15th and 16th centuries. Ignatius of Loyola was a senior member of the Alumbrados, assigned the task of infiltrating the Catholic Church with a new group modelled on a nonmilitary version of the Knights Templar. The group he founded was the Jesuit Order.

The Alumbrados recruited a number of “Conversos” – Jews who had been forced by the Spanish authorities to convert to Christianity if they wanted to remain in the country or even simply to stay alive. Many of these were well versed in the teachings of Kabbalah. “Moriscos” (forced Moorish converts) were also recruited. The Illuminati have always been happy to take new members from different traditions, provided those people are not wedded to the mainstream “religions”. The Conversos and Moriscos were usually those who were already uncomfortable with their original religions, though they had no fondness for Christianity, simply converting for convenience rather than through any conviction.

Like the Hesychasts, the Alumbrados sought to achieve a state of perfection that would allow them to experience a vision of God; a direct transcendental encounter with the divine. At that point, when they had received the “light”, they would be able to communicate directly with their higher self.

The Alumbrados were persecuted by the Spanish Inquisition, and departed from Spain. Many went to neighbouring France where they were known as the Illuminés (and sometimes as Guerinists after their local leader Pierre Guerin). The authorities suppressed them in 1635. A new grouping appeared in the 18th century, came under renewed persecution, and fled to England where they became known as “French Prophets”. Their writings influenced Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Another chapter of French Illuminati was established by Martines de Pasqually who had Spanish Conversos ancestry and great knowledge of Kabbalistic teachings. This group later became popularly known as Martinists after their new leader, Louis Claude de Saint-Martin, the so-called “unknown philosopher.” Saint-Martin advocated that human beings must find their “creative principle.” He wrote, “The only initiation that I preach and seek with all my soul is that which takes us into the heart of God and brings the heart of God into us for that indissoluble marriage which makes us friend, brother and spouse of our Divine Restorer. There is no other means to this holy initiation but to dive deeper and deeper into the depths of our being and not to let go until we can draw out the living and life-giving root.”

Another group linked to the Illuminati in this period was the Franco-Italian Carbonari (meaning charcoal burners). Some people claim the Carbonari was founded in the 19th Century in Italy, but in fact its origins lay in the 16th century in France. They were radicals dedicated to overthrowing despotic governments.

The Jesuit order (The Society of Jesus) – was established by the Illuminati as another attempt (following the Knights Templar) to infiltrate Catholicism and seize power from within. Like the Templars, they were known as “Soldiers of Christ”, though they were not a military order. The Rosicrucians – a secret order that provided the first significant public glimpse of Freemasonry. They published several enigmatic and inspirational manifestos in heavily coded language. They did not emerge into the open and thereby avoided persecution and destruction.

As for the Rosicross philosophers,
Whom you will have to be sorcerers,
What they pretend to is no more
Than Trismegistus did before,
Pythagoras, old Zoroaster,
And Apollonius their master.
(Samuel Butler)

(The Rosicrucian Order gradually became detached from the Illuminati and fell under the influence of others. It continues to this day – see, for example,http://www.amorc.org.uk/ Note that although the Rosicrucians are no longer connected with the Illuminati, many of the Illuminati’s original teachings are still evident in modern Rosicrucian thinking. Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek was a member of AMORC. Star Trek represents a very powerful image of what our society would look like if we could rid ourselves of the Old World Order. Star Trek promotes a meritocratic, noble, honest, truthful, unselfish, ambitious, intelligent, adventurous vision of humanity, free of greed and religious dogmatism. Who is preventing us from realising this futuristic paradise? – the Old World Order.)

Freemasonry – a product of enlightenment thinking, designed to overthrow the prevailing tyrannies of monarchy and Christianity. Gradually it was infiltrated by the establishment and became totally corrupt. It is now a mainstay of the Old World Order. Freemasonry is the Illuminati’s most profound regret and greatest disaster.

Thomas Jefferson – 3rd President of the USA, principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and passionate republican, was a Freemason and America’s leading member of the Illuminati. He famously said, “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” That sentiment was highly characteristic of Illuminati thinking of that time.

America was always intended to be the great beacon of hope for the world, the Illuminati’s model for how to overthrow nobles, kings, emperors and religious dogmatism; how to govern justly in the interests of all. Everything started well. Jefferson was involved with all aspects of the development of the nation, but after he left office, his power, and that of the Illuminati, waned and the Old World Order eagerly set about securing their greatest triumph. Slowly but surely they assumed complete control of America. They didn’t create nobles, princes and kings, but instead powerful, dynastic families that had as much influence as the aristocrats of Europe, and even greater riches. They turned democracy into a farce: it became merely a vehicle to ensure their continued power. That’s why the Bush’s, father and son – two OWO fools of the highest order – both reached the White House.

The fact that the Illuminati once had the world’s current hyperpower within its grasp reveals how powerful they once were, but equally reveals the brilliance of the Old World Order in reasserting its power and vanquishing its enemies. The Old World Order know that by relentlessly appealing to the basest instincts of ordinary people they will always triumph. The challenge for the Illuminati – an almost impossible one as it has transpired – is to win by cultivating humanity’s nobler aspects and higher aspirations.

The Jacobin Clubs – the most radical political groups of revolutionary France, led by the Illuminati. They initially enjoyed great success, but imploded under the strain of being forced to wage war against all of the great powers of Europe that wished to stamp out the Revolution. The Jacobin leaders were guillotined.

In Tsarist Russia in the twentieth century, the Illuminati chose to help the Bolsheviks to overthrow the corrupt Tsarist regime. Although the Illuminati opposed communism, they saw it as the lesser of the two evils when compared with rule by tyrants and autocrats. Unfortunately, communism itself soon became a tyranny under Stalin.

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The Illuminati had no connection with the medieval German Holy Vehm vigilante secret society, contrary to what some conspiracy theorists claim. Anyone with even a superficial grasp of the Holy Vehm would know they would eagerly have hunted and executed members of the Illuminati.

Others have claimed that there was a link between the Illuminati and the Order of Assassins founded by Hasan bin Sabbah. The Assassins and the Illuminati had no formal connections, but they did respect each other. The Knights Templar encountered the Assassins in the 12th century and were intrigued by them, and wondered if assassination could be deployed as a legitimate weapon against the tyranny of the Old World Order. It’s also true that the Templars admired the enigmatic, coded motto of the Assassins: “Nothing is true – everything is permitted.” Only people of the right calibre can understand such a slogan. Stupid people will take it at face value and regard it as some sort of anarchic and nihilistic statement. It is anything but.

The Roshinaya/Rawshaniyya, a secret society in Afghanistan in the 16th century, was also said to be associated with the Illuminati. Again, this is false. The Roshinaya was related to the Assassins not to the Illuminati. The Roshinaya also had its roots in the Nuqtawiyya of Persia, a sect that appeared in the fifteenth century and taught mysticism and reincarnation. (Again, the Illuminati had respect for these groups, but no ties, although it would be fair to say that these sects were also Gnostic in their outlook.) All three sects were attacked, persecuted and largely destroyed.

Many Gnostic sects regarded themselves as “Christian” although their view of Christ was very different from that of orthodox Christianity, but the Illuminati have never been in any sense Christian.

Although Christianity is regarded as a revealed religion, it is certainly possible to treat it as a Gnostic mystery religion. Many of the cryptic remarks in the gospels are highly characteristic of the vocabulary and symbolism of Gnosticism. In such a version of Christianity, Christ becomes an exemplar of the Gnostic path to salvation. Born fully human, Jesus follows the precise path laid down by Gnostic teachings, and attains full union with his divine spark. At that point he has two fully expressed natures – human and divine – in one human person. He is both the “Son of God” (as all divine sparks can be described), and God himself. He is perfect and cannot commit sin. The Resurrection is actually Christ’s final release from the cycle of reincarnation because he has attained gnosis. Whereas Christian orthodoxy teaches that Jesus Christ was a unique incarnation of God on earth, Gnostic Christianity says that he was simply an example of what anyone is capable of achieving. Everyone can be a Christ. The miraculous “incarnation” can be repeated in each and every person. The world can be full of living gods. The Christian establishment regards such a notion as the uttermost heresy but in fact it is not
contradicted by anything that is actually said in the gospels by Jesus Christ himself.

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The Illuminati in the present day have much less influence than of old because of several trends: the rise of consumerism, the general turning away from spirituality and towards materialism by much of humanity, the relentless advance of “junk” entertainment, the widespread delusion that people have genuine freedom and choice, the success of “democracy” in persuading ordinary people that they have a degree of political power and can change their leaders, the ease and comfort provided by technology, the omnipresence of sport, music, movies and TV that keep people endlessly distracted, the media brainwashing machine, the effectiveness of the cynical advertising machine, and the complete dominance of celebrity culture and the super-rich.

It is hard in the age of secularism and science for people to accept that a malignant, spiritual force is at work in the world. Many people think the world is a vile place but they attribute that to human failings and perceive no malevolent conspiracy beyond the purely human. Many of the great movements of the past simply could not exist in the present day. The mentality no longer exists. The Old World Order have trivialised humanity and stripped away its ability to resist. The OWO’s power has never been greater than at the present time. It will take a gargantuan effort to overthrow them.

The Illuminati plan to introduce a new organisation, not unlike some of those mentioned above, that anyone can join, and that will become the heart of the new resistance to the Old World Order. Further details will be forthcoming later. Everyone will have the chance to participate. (This group is called The Movement.)

No one should misunderstand the message of the Illuminati. The Illuminati is nothing like the Catholic Church, Judaism or Islam. It does not flaunt a “holy” text like the Bible, the Torah or the Koran in your face and demand that you slavishly worship every word. The Illuminati do not claim that they can “save” you. It is never for others to save you. Jesus Christ certainly can’t save you, no matter what the Protestant Evangelicals tell you. You can only save yourself. The Illuminati act as guides, nothing else. They can’t walk in your shoes. No one can achieve gnosis on your behalf.

We receive many messages from people, but many of them fail to get the central point. Don’t look to others for the answers to your life – only slaves do that – look to yourself. All of the answers are contained within you. You simply have to find the key to unlock them. “Simply”? In truth, it’s the most difficult task of all, but how could it be any other? How could the process of becoming God be anything other than the greatest challenge conceivable? Do you have the strength, imagination, guts and knowledge for the ultimate quest?

You don’t need the Illuminati. You already have everything you need – yourself.

Those who have what it takes may well find their way to the Illuminati, but never forget that you don’t need anyone else. The most liberating idea of all is that everyone already contains all of the answers, if they could but see the light. Don’t you think that’s exactly as it should be? You don’t need to look outwards, to the world around you, to find the meaning of life: you will find all you need when you turn your gaze inwards. The answer was always contained in the ancient Hermetic wisdom: “As above, so below.” The macrocosm and the microcosm are one and the same for those with the vision to see.
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