Hei

"Princes and nations will disappear without violence from the earth, the human race will become one family and the world the abode of reasonable men. Morality alone will bring about this change imperceptibly."
- Adam Weishaupt


The Illuminati – The Truth Behind history’s most controversial secret society



Over the years, there has been a varying range of conspiracies regarding the elite, or the Powers that be, more commonly referred to as the Illuminati. In this informative piece, I will attempt to cover the true history behind the Illuminati, describing the man whom created it; Adam Weishaupt, the lore behind the order, and the goals, using both primary and secondary sources that are available.

Adam Weishaupt was a male who was born on February 6, 1748 in Ingolstadt, Bavaria (now a state of Germany). Weishaupt was educated in a Jesuit College, under strict conditions, rejecting explicit Jesuit beliefs, gravitating more toward Enlightenment thinkers who promoted atheism, rationalism, materialism and egalitarianism. Around 1773, Weishaupt became a Professor of Natural and Canon Law at the University of Ingolstadt. On the first of May, 1776, Weishaupt founded a secret Order of Illuminati (built on the base of a secret student society) consisting of 5 members who were devoted to promoting equality & rationality, primarily through study.

In the year 1777, Weishaupt re-joined the Freemasons, as well as placed Illuminati insiders into the lodges in order to gain more influence and recruit bright Masons into the Illuminati. It is quoted in American Atheists:
“Weishaupt's Order grew slowly, reaching a membership of 200-300, when the Marquis d'Costanza, acting as an insinuator, recruited Baron Adolph von Knigge in 1778. Knigge (1752-1796) was a noted German playwrite and novelist, who had translated Mozart's Magic Flute, an opera abundant with masonic allegory and symbolism.”
…

“It was Baron Knigge who helped graft on to the Illuminati much of the ritual of Freemasonry but Weishaupt had dabbled in masonry several years before forming his Order, and considered it of little use in furthering his own purposes. It was Baron Xaverius von Zwack ('Cato'), a member of the Areopagites, or ruling council of Illuminism, who had begun the process of recruiting minervals from within masonic lodges. As a result of this, along with the tireless efforts of Knigge, the Order swelled in size to over 2,000 and extended throughout much of Europe. Each country had a national director who presided over a network of inspectors; they in turn carried on the business of the Order with the help of provincial aides, working down to the city level and minerval academy level.”

Furthermore, When the Bavarian Elector published an Edict forbidding secret societies around 1783 followed by another Edict which explicitly condemned the Freemasons and Illuminati on religious, social and political grounds. Weishaupt fled Bavaria and the Illuminati eventually vaporized.

Many primary sources have been uncovered, regarding the true goals of the Illuminati and Adam Weishaupt:

“The goal that the Order proposes for the future remains the same: to render unto man the importance of the perfection of reason and his moral character; to develop social and humane sentiments, to oppose the wicked designs in the world, to assist against the injustice suffered by the unfortunate and the oppressed, to encourage men of merit, and in general to facilitate the means of knowing and science. Assurance is here given, in a sacred and faithful manner that this is the sole goal — not just supposed — of the Order.

On the contrary, the Order offers nothing more, therefore candidates will increase in due time; this will prove to be more beneficial, as they realize that, in opposition to the practice of other societies, we possess more than what we had promised.

A member who is thrust upon entering the Order with the hope of gaining greater power and wealth would not be welcomed.”

In essence, Adam Weishaupt was a man who rebelled against the agreed upon ideologies of the time in which he lived. He was like you and me, a person who denies ignorance. He created the Illuminati on a basis that in order to gain rank; one must become knowledgeable, and not seek power or wealth. This is the true Illuminati. I thank everyone who has taken the time to read through this piece.