The Secret Society Of The Illuminati

Summary

This BuzzFeed Unsolved episode delves into the myth of the Illuminati, exploring its historical roots in 18th-century Bavaria to modern conspiracy theories. The show humorously examines various theories, from a one-world government to celebrity cloning, questioning the reality of the Illuminati's influence. It features interviews with experts, historical context, and a lighthearted approach to the enigmatic organization, leaving viewers to ponder the plausibility of its existence.

Takeaways

• 🕵️ The Illuminati has historical roots dating back to 1776 in Bavaria, Germany, founded by Adam Weishaupt to promote secularism and rational thought.
• 💼 Adam Weishaupt was inspired by French philosophy and sought to form a group to protect these ideals, which led to the creation of The Order of the Illuminati.
• 🤷‍♂️ Weishaupt considered joining the Freemasons but couldn't afford the fee, leading to the establishment of a secret group with an anti-religious stance.
• 🚫 The Illuminati's focus on self-improvement and free thought was seen as a threat, leading to its suppression and criminalization of secret society recruitment by the late 1780s.
• 🔍 Despite suppression, the Illuminati is believed by some to have persisted and spread to France before fading into obscurity, with theories suggesting its continued existence.
• 🌐 Conspiracy theories suggest the Illuminati's evolution into a group controlling the world, with beliefs ranging from fascist to anti-communist ideologies.
• 📊 A 2013 poll indicated that 28% of voters believe in the possibility of a New World Order, often associated with the Illuminati.
• 👥 Various theories propose different identities for the Illuminati, including fascists, communists, and even shape-shifting lizard beings controlling world leaders.
• 🎭 Celebrities are often accused of being part of the Illuminati, with symbols and gestures interpreted as proof of affiliation, though many have denied such claims.
• 👶 The name 'Blue Ivy' of Beyonce and Jay-Z's child has been speculated to have Illuminati symbolism, suggesting their involvement with the secret society.
• 🤔 The existence of the Illuminati remains a topic of debate and speculation, with experts suggesting that while it was real in the 18th century, it is not a real entity today.

Q & A

What is the historical foundation of the Illuminati according to the script?

The Illuminati was founded in 1776 in Bavaria, Germany, by Adam Weishaupt, a German professor inspired by French philosophy, mainly secularism and rational thought. It was created to protect these beliefs.

Why did Adam Weishaupt form the Order of the Illuminati?

Adam Weishaupt considered joining the Freemasons but could not afford the admission fee. Instead, he formed a secret group, The Order of the Illuminati, to propagate his views.

What were the goals of the Illuminati in its early days?

The Illuminati had an anti-religious stance and focused on self-knowledge, self-improvement, social reform, and free thought.

How did the perception of the Illuminati evolve over time according to the script?

Over time, the perception of the Illuminati evolved from a threat to the church in the 1780s to various conspiracy theories in the 20th century, including being associated with fascists, communists, and the New World Order.

What is the New World Order and how is it related to the Illuminati in conspiracy theories?

The New World Order is a conspiracy theory suggesting a totalitarian one-world government. Some people believe the Illuminati are part of this order, aiming to control the world.

What did George H.W. Bush say about the New World Order in his speech?

George H.W. Bush spoke about forging a New World Order with the rule of law, governed by a credible United Nations, fulfilling the vision of the UN's founders.

What are some of the theories about the New World Order mentioned in the script?

Theories include Mark Koernke's belief in an organization above the U.S. Government pushing an international agenda, David Icke's theory of shape-shifting lizard elites, and the idea that the Illuminati are killing celebrities and replacing them with clones.

What is the significance of the pyramid hand gesture in the context of the Illuminati?

The pyramid hand gesture is seen as an Illuminati symbol and is used as 'proof' by some that certain celebrities are part of the Illuminati.

How have celebrities like Beyonce and Jay-Z responded to allegations of being part of the Illuminati?

Beyonce and Jay-Z have denied affiliation with the Illuminati in their songs, with lyrics dismissing the Illuminati conspiracy theories.

What is the significance of the eye of Horus symbol in the context of the Illuminati and conspiracy theories?

The eye of Horus is associated with the Illuminati and is seen on the dollar bill. It is considered a symbol of their influence by conspiracy theorists.

What was the response from the alleged Illuminati PR director to the interview request in the script?

The alleged Illuminati PR director stated that members of the Illuminati were not available for on-camera interviews and referred to the website's beliefs section for more information.

What is the final stance of the script on the existence of the Illuminati?

The script concludes that the existence of the Illuminati remains unsolved, suggesting that while it was a real organization in the past, its current status is uncertain and open to interpretation.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Historical Origins of the Illuminati

The first paragraph delves into the historical roots of the Illuminati, established in 1776 by Adam Weishaupt in Bavaria, Germany. Weishaupt, inspired by French philosophy, aimed to protect secularism and rational thought through the formation of a secret society. Despite considering joining the Freemasons, financial constraints led him to create his own group. The Illuminati's anti-religious stance and focus on self-improvement, social reform, and free thought were seen as a threat, leading to its suppression by conservative forces in the late 1780s. However, the group continued to operate covertly, spreading to France before fading from public view, with some believing it persisted beyond its official end.

05:16

🌐 Theories of the Illuminati and New World Order

This paragraph explores various conspiracy theories surrounding the Illuminati and the concept of a New World Order. It discusses the belief in a secretive, powerful group that has evolved over time, from fascists in the 1920s to post-World War II anti-communists, and modern theorists who link the Illuminati to a global domination plan. The paragraph mentions a 2013 poll indicating a significant percentage of the population believes in the possibility of a New World Order, and highlights theories from figures like Mark Koernke and David Icke, who propose different views on who controls the world, including the idea of shape-shifting reptilian elites and connections to the anti-Christ.

10:22

👥 Celebrity Involvement and Symbolism in the Illuminati

The third paragraph examines the alleged connections between celebrities and the Illuminati, focusing on symbolism and hand gestures that are purported to indicate membership. It discusses specific instances, such as Beyonce and Jay-Z's use of pyramid gestures and the interpretation of their child's name, Blue Ivy, as having occult significance. The paragraph also covers the denial of Illuminati affiliation by these celebrities in their music and mentions other stars like Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Madonna, and Katy Perry who have been accused of being part of the organization. The discussion includes the idea of celebrity clones and the use of certain symbols, such as the eye of Horus, as evidence of Illuminati involvement.

📜 Debunking the Illuminati Myth and Season Finale

The final paragraph wraps up the discussion by addressing the skepticism and debunking of Illuminati myths. It includes an interview with an expert who asserts that the Illuminati, as it was in the 1780s, no longer exists, and that modern conspiracy theories make leaps of logic that lead to absurd conclusions. The paragraph also humorously touches on the ease of accusing anyone of being part of the Illuminati and ends with a note on the season finale of BuzzFeed Unsolved, hinting at the continuation of the series and the possibility of further exploration into such conspiracy theories.

Keywords

💡Illuminati

The Illuminati refers to a secret society founded in 1776 in Bavaria, Germany, by Adam Weishaupt, which aimed to promote Enlightenment ideals such as secularism and rational thought. In the video, the historical foundation of the Illuminati is discussed, as well as various conspiracy theories that have emerged around it, suggesting its influence on world events and its alleged continuation to the present day.

💡New World Order

The term 'New World Order' is used in the script to describe a hypothetical global political and economic system that conspiracy theorists believe is being secretly established by a powerful and elite group, often associated with the Illuminati. The video mentions a 2013 poll where 28 percent of voters believed in the possibility of a New World Order, and it explores theories about its nature and goals.

💡Conspiracy Theories

Conspiracy theories are speculative explanations of events or situations that suggest a secret and often sinister plot by powerful groups or individuals. The video delves into various conspiracy theories related to the Illuminati, including its supposed survival, influence on world leaders, and involvement in significant historical events.

💡Secularism

Secularism is the principle of the separation of government institutions and persons mandated to represent the state from religious institutions and beliefs. In the context of the video, Adam Weishaupt was inspired by French philosophy, mainly secularism and rational thought, which led him to form the Illuminati to protect these beliefs.

💡Freemasons

The Freemasons are a fraternal organization that traces its origins to the local fraternities of stonemasons. In the script, Adam Weishaupt considered joining the Freemasons to propagate his views but could not afford the admission fee, leading him to form the Illuminati instead.

💡Self-Knowledge

Self-knowledge refers to an individual's understanding of their own character, motivations, and desires. The Illuminati, as described in the video, focused on goals such as self-knowledge, self-improvement, social reform, and free thought, which were seen as a threat to the church and the established order.

💡Lizard People

The concept of 'Lizard People' is a part of a conspiracy theory mentioned in the video, suggesting that shape-shifting reptilian aliens control Earth by taking on human form and gaining political power to manipulate human societies. David Icke is cited as a proponent of this theory, which is used humorously in the script to illustrate the extreme nature of some Illuminati-related beliefs.

💡Clones

The script discusses a theory that the Illuminati are involved in cloning celebrities and replacing them with these clones to brainwash society. This theory is associated with Donald Marshall and is used in the video to highlight the outlandish claims made by some conspiracy theorists.

💡IlluminatiSymbols

Illuminati symbols, such as the pyramid or the eye of Horus, are mentioned in the video as visual indicators that certain celebrities are part of the Illuminati. These symbols are often associated with secret societies and are used by theorists to 'prove' affiliations between celebrities and the Illuminati.

💡CelebrityAffiliations

The video explores the claims that various celebrities, including Beyonce, Jay-Z, Kanye West, and others, are affiliated with the Illuminati. It discusses the ways in which their actions, symbols, and public statements are interpreted by conspiracy theorists as evidence of their involvement.

💡OpenMind

An 'open mind' is a state of being receptive to new ideas or willing to reconsider one's beliefs. The video's hosts approach the topic of the Illuminati with an open mind, acknowledging the possibility of hidden influences while also questioning the validity of conspiracy theories.

Highlights

The Illuminati has a historical foundation, founded in 1776 in Bavaria, Germany by Adam Weishaupt.

Weishaupt was inspired by French philosophy, aiming to protect the ideals of secularism and rational thought.

Adam Weishaupt considered joining the Freemasons but could not afford the admission fee, leading to the creation of the Order of the Illuminati.

The Illuminati held an anti-religious stance and focused on self-knowledge, self-improvement, social reform, and free thought.

By the late 1780s, the Illuminati was suppressed, and recruiting into secret societies was criminalized.

Conspiracy theories suggest the Illuminati evolved and persisted, spreading to France and influencing the New World Order.

28% of voters in a 2013 poll believed in the possibility of a New World Order, according to Public Policy Polling.

Some theories claim the Illuminati's influence extends to the highest levels of government, including the U.S. presidency.

George H.W. Bush's speech about forging a New World Order is often cited as evidence of Illuminati influence.

Mark Koernke's theory suggests the New World Order is above governments and aims to form a powerful, rights-stripping government.

David Icke's theory proposes world leaders are shape-shifting lizards controlling humanity and demanding sacrifices.

A 2013 poll revealed 4% of voters believed 'Lizard people control our societies.'

Theories connect the New World Order to the anti-Christ, suggesting the Illuminati are Satanists with global influence.

Donald Marshall's theory alleges the Illuminati kill celebrities and replace them with brainwashing clones.

Conspiracy theorists point to hand gestures and symbols as proof of celebrity Illuminati membership.

Beyonce and Jay-Z have publicly denied affiliations with the Illuminati in their music.

Kanye West and other celebrities have been accused of being part of the Illuminati due to symbols and gestures.

An attempt to interview the Illuminati was declined, with a PR director referring to misconceptions about the organization.

Expert opinion suggests the Illuminati as a real organization no longer exists, and most theories are a leap to the absurd.

The show concludes by entertaining the possibility of the Illuminati's existence with an open mind, despite skepticism.

Transcripts

- This week on BuzzFeed Unsolved

we're covering the Illuminati.

Is is a real thing?

What the hell is it?

- It's not a thing.

- Alright, approach it with an open mind, let's get started.

- Great.

- [Ryan] Shockingly, the Illuminati actually

has a very real historical foundation.

In 1776, in Bavaria, Germany,

Adam Weishaupt, a German professor,

inspired the ideal of French philosophy.

Mainly secularism and rational thought,

decided to form an organization to protect those beliefs.

Adam Weishaupt considered joining the freemasons

to help propagate his views but unfortunately,

could not afford the admission fee.

(laughter)

So instead, Weishaupt formed a secret group of his own.

He called it, The Order of the Illuminati.

I don't think they met by the train tracks

it was probably a basement, kinda like this.

It was probably something like this.

- Yeah, well we'll bet yeah.

- I don't know why I'm holding that, okay.

The Illuminati had an anti-religious stance

and focused on the goals of self-knowledge,

self-improvement, social reform and free thought.

Naturally, conservatives considered this a threat to

the church and by the mid to late 1780s,

the Illuminati was stopped and the active recruiting

people into secret societies, was criminalized.

However, Weishaupt and the Illuminati

would go Kobe in the fourth quarter.

And continue to push on, persisting with meetings

and eventually spreading to France

before disappearing into obscurity.

But, some people believe, they survived.

Here's part of an interview I had with an expert.

- Well they believe that the core group was formed back then

and has evolve and so back in the 1920s,

there were some fascists who believed that the Illuminati

were a group of Jews who controlled the world.

Right after World War II, extremist anti-communists

believed that the Illuminati were a group of communists

who controlled the world and most recently

the Illuminati conspiracy theorists believe that

the Illuminati are part of the New World Order.

- [Ryan] Many people believe the Illuminati

seeked to make a dominant one world totalitarian government,

referred to as the New World Order.

In fact, in a 2013 national poll by public policy polling,

28 percent of voters poll believe

in the possibility of a New World Order.

Some people believe that the influence of the Illuminati

and the New World Order, goes as high as

the president of the United States.

Here's an eerie clip from an old

George H.W. Bush speech when he was in office.

- We have before us, the opportunity to forge

for ourselves and for future generations,

a New World Order, a world with the rule of law,

not the law of the jungles, governs the conduct of nations,

when we are successful and we will be.

We had a real chance at this New World Order.

An order in which a credible United Nations

can use its peacekeeping role to fulfill

the promise and vision of the UN's founders.

- [Ryan] All this begs the question,

what is the New World Order and what will it do?

Assuming the Illuminati and the New World Order

are one in the same, let's hop down the rabbit hole

and take a look at some of the theories

as to who is in the New World Order.

This first theory is from a man named Mark Koernke.

AKA "Mark from Michigan."

A right wing militia activist and propagandist

who believes that the New World Order

is made above the U.S. Government, the UN

and various other organizations

pushing an international agenda.

He believes this organization

will take away American's rights, form an all

powerful government and put non-Illuminati

members in camps run by F.E.M.A.

The second theory is from David Icke

who believes that world leaders including Queen Elizabeth,

President Barack Obama and the Clintons

are actually shape shifting wizards.

These lizard elite, are behind

the freemasons and the Illuminati.

The lizard race feeds off the human race

and occasionally demands human sacrifices.

In fact, the same 2013 national poll image

an earlier reveal that four percent of voters polled

believe that, "Lizard people control our societies."

The third theory is that the New World Order

is connected to the anti-Christ

because the Illuminati are Satanists.

Pat Robertson, a conservative Christian

wrote a book on the New World Order,

that claims the group is responsible

for the French Revolution, the writing of

the Communist Manifesto and the creation of

the Federal Reserve, all in the service of making,

"A new order for the human race under the domination

of Lucifer and his followers."

The fourth theory is from Donald Marshall

who believes that the Illuminati are killing celebrities

and replacing them with clones, used to brainwash society.

I'll fuckin' look it up right here.

- Look up Dolly the sheep.

- Alright fine I'll look it up

and did she start off as a little baby sheep?

- Yes.

- Whatever, okay, apparently there was a sheep clone.

- Oh, apparently.

- [Ryan] Purported celebrity clones outed by internet

(mumbles), include Beyonce, Eminem, Al Roker.

And many more, but clone theorists

also believe they have video evidence.

- Marshall Mathers, some of you may know him as Eminem

but he's gonna join the Saturday night crew

with a music intro starting next Saturday night

but folks I wanna take you the world premier...

Marshall are you okay?

- Yeah sorry--

(laughter)

Live TV freaks me out a little bit.

- Well there you go, live TV freaks him out a little bit.

- Well, here's Al Roker's clip.

Notice what she's says,

and then notice what his face goes to.

- [Shane] Why is this a code word.

- Some people believe maybe it's like a trigger sequence

where his brain's now receiving

instructions and being mind control.

- Al Roker's the Manchurian candidate

and he's gonna kill the president.

- (laughs) Yeah.

- Like they say in Catholic school,

leave room for the holy ghost.

(mystery music)

- The expression he has on his face when he's frozen,

is so fuckin' funny to me, every time I watch it

'cause I don't know what it is, it's like look.

- [Shane] You know what actually,

he looks like he just pooped his pants.

(laughter)

Who's next?

- This is Beyonce, by the way,

she did this for so long, I had to speed up the video.

There she is going and then I fast forwarded the video here.

She's in some weird trance,

I actually don't know what she's doing.

- [Shane] She's writing Lemonade in her head right now.

(laughter)

- [Ryan] Whether or not people believe this clone theory,

many conspiracy theorists agree,

that major celebrities are in the Illuminati.

They point at clothing choices and hand gestures.

Mainly that of a pyramid, which is seen

as an Illuminati symbol, as proof that

certain celebrities are in the Illuminati.

Beyonce and Jay-Z have been known

to make a pyramid like symbol with their hands.

Although, this is also similar to the symbol

for Jay-Z's label, Rockefeller Records.

- Right (laughs).

- But the flip on that, perhaps there's a reason

why he chose that symbol, see what I just did there?

- Yeah, you did it right. - [Ryan] I did it.

The name of their child, Blue Ivy,

has been interpreted to stand for,

born living under evil, Illuminati's very youngest.

(laughter)

- Wow, I can't believe they would name her something

with so obvious of a secret message in there.

- [Ryan] However, both stars have denied

their affiliation with the Illuminati in songs.

Here's a excerpt from Beyonce's Formation,

"Y'all haters corny with that Illuminati mess,"

and here's excert from Jay-Z's verse in a song Free Mason,

"I said I was amazing, not that I'm a mason

I'm red hot, I'm on my third six,

but a devil I'm not."

Other celebrities include Kanye West,

who owns a necklace containing the symbol

of the eye of Horus, which is associated with

the Illuminati and also seen on the dollar bill.

Which by the way, the Fed, dollar bill,

there it is right there, it's pretty obvious.

Kayne's interruption of Taylor Swift

at the 2009 video music awards was said to be

a method of initiating Taylor Swift into

the Illuminati by humiliating or hazing her.

However, here's a quote from Kanye on the Illuminati,

"I'm tired of people pinpointing

musicians as the Illuminati.

That's ridiculous.

We don't run anything; we're celebrities."

Other celebrities that have been accused

of being in the Illuminati include

Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Madonna and Katy Perry

just to name a few.

She what you just did.

- Jesus Christ.

(laughter)

I'm sorry Kobe.

- The whole room is shaking right now.

Oh my God, I think we just had an earthquake.

- I'm sorry Kobe.

- [Ryan] Keep in mind that it's pretty easy

to make a claim that somebody is in the Illuminati.

Hell, quickly perusing my co-worker

Quinta Brunson's Instagram feed,

I could see several references to the Illuminati.

- [Shane] Really?

- [Ryan] Just looking through the pictures.

Yeah, there's even a picture where I myself

make the Rockefeller sign, in one of her pictures

and it was quickly called out by a comment,

Illuminati confirmed.

She also seems to be absent from her desk quite frequently.

Perhaps to attend to Illuminati affairs.

What if you're in the Illuminati?

- Look, I am not in the Illuminati.

- Wink.

- I am not in the Illuminati,

Quinta's not in the Illuminati, you may be.

- It is pretty hard to get into.

And on that note, I'd like to point to a website called

IlluminatiOfficial.org and on that site,

there's a page called join the Illuminati.

A very fascinating proposition indeed.

So I reached out for an interview

and here's what I got back from

their public relations director.

Here's what the alleged Illuminati PR director

wrote back in response to my interview request,

"Unfortunately members of the Illuminati are not

currently available for on camera interviews."

She also mentioned, "There are many misconceptions

about my client's organization,"

and referred me to the website's beliefs section.

Which, is abstract and quite interesting to say the least

but let's visit the professor one more time.

I guess the last question would be,

what percentage would you put on

that the Illuminati is actually a real thing.

- Well it was a real thing, back in 1780

but it's not a real thing anymore.

I would say 100 percent, it's not a real thing.

Most of the conspiracy theories make this crazy leap

at some point, where you're following the trail of evidence

and it makes sense and it makes sense and it makes sense

and suddenly, it's crazy.

- I could see a world where sometimes things go beyond

science or fact, that leap of faith is

what you need to make, to get to the truth.

Maybe that's just the crazy person inside me.

(laughter)

- I like how you just out yourself as one of

the crazy people that she finds exhausting.

- Here's the thing, I saw the look on her face

when I mentioned that, she did not looked pleased.

Am I gonna say outright the Illuminati is a real thing?

No, I'm not gonna say that but, is it possible?

Yeah, it's possible, why not?

The fact that there could be some,

all knowing organization under everything.

- Are they Skyping, how are they meeting,

where are they meeting?

They're like, oh let's just meet in Toledo this year

(laughter)

at the Radisson.

- We've angered them again.

- Yeah.

- Don't talk about Toledo.

(laughter)

The point I'm saying is, nothing's impossible.

Sometimes you just gotta look at something

with an open mind, it may seem crazy on the surface

and I will admit, this all looks crazy.

- So it is possible that there's an organization

founded by lizard people,

who regularly abduct and clone celebrities.

- I'm not saying saying there's lizard,

ah fuck that is what I'm saying.

- Say lizard people out loud.

- [Ryan] No. - Yeah.

- No (laughs).

- Own it Ryan, say lizard people out loud.

- We could sit here and talk about this all day

but regardless, the existence of

the Illuminati will remain unsolved.

- Well let us know in the comments

if you think Ryan's in the Illuminati

'cause now I'm sold.

- (laughs) Okay.

The good news is, you made it through this episode.

The bad news is, this is the last episode for this season

of BuzzFeed Unsolved however, double good news,

(laughs) Double good news.

- Double good news is--

- Double good news is there's a new season kids.

And if I'm still alive in October,

the new season will begin.

So hopefully I'll see you there and I'll be breathing.

If you aren't murderer and all the people that I've slided

haven't killed me, the Zodiac or the Men in Black

or the Illuminati or of course, Quinta Brunson.