Conspiracy Theories: Secret Societies

Throughout history, there have been a handful of important events that have made some people skeptical about the true details surrounding the outcome. Many feel that the government or other secret groups have tried to hide the truth from the public. From the notion that aliens have crashed to the earth to proving whether or not a famous person is really dead , there will always be a conspiracy theory as long as controversial events occur in the world.

Secret Societies in Colleges

If you’ve ever watched the movie ‘The Skulls,’ then you already know about the concept that secret societies thrive in academia and in other circles. The movie suggests that an elite group of men (often wealthy) belong to a secret society where they bask in the benefits of privilege. With hazing rituals and an above-the-law attitude, the members of such societies are believed to include prominent members of communities, such as lawyers, judges and politicians. Usually, such groups are thought to include bloodlines and involve several generations.

To learn more about one of the most well known of secret school societies (Skull & Bones at Yale University), check out the article titled, ” Secret Societies: Skull and Bones”. The article titled, “Secret Societies in Britain” highlights two societies outside of the United States that have a history of holding clandestine meetings and practices.

Religious and Political Secret Societies

As for outside of the movies, some people believe that religious secret societies exist. The most influential is said to be called the Illuminati, which some believe control the world. The presence of this secret group appears in some form in the Dan Brown novel titled ‘Angels and Demons,’ which was made into a movie featuring Tom Hanks. The author also touched upon powerful secret societies (such as Opus Dei and the Priory of Sion) in his book, The Da Vinci Code.

The Illuminati

There is more than one group that calls themselves the Illuminati, which exist within both real (historical significance) and in fictitious circles. Historically, the Illuminati is the shortened name given to the Bavarian Illuminati, which was a secret society that emerged during the Enlightenment era. It was founded on May 1st, 1776. Over the years, the reputation of the group has led to people believing that the organization conspired to affect historical events and people. Some believe that they have the power to control world affairs because of members belonging to high positions within the government and corporations. Some fear that the powerful members wish to establish a New World Order.

Today, there are some fraternal groups to claim to be the ‘heirs’ to the original Illuminati. There are some people that believe the Bavarian Illuminati has survived over the years. Conspiracy theorists claim that many notable people in history were or are members of the Illuminati. It is not uncommon to hear that U.S. Presidents have been suspected of belonging to the organization.