| The Alumbrados is the first use of the term “the illuminated ones,” which many people trace the Illuminati back to, because Adam Weishaupt was said to be a Jesuit priest. However, Weishaupt’s work in the Illuminati ran 180 degrees counter to the aims of the Catholic church and the Jesuits, so therefore we must conclude that Weishaupt and the Illuminati were the antithesis to the Catholic Church, and were therefore aligned with the ideals and philosophies of the “Militia Evangelica” or the Rosicrucians, as well as the Masons. Weishaupt though, was not, in my opinion, connected intimately with any groups. He had one object, which was the founding and creation of a one-world government and his intention was to infiltrate his members into Masonic lodges and use the Masonic lodges as recruiting grounds for his objectives. The way this would be accomplished would be through the use of selective tidbits of information based on occult philosophy, given to initiates, and instructions about the objectives given to one initiate would not be known to the initiates below them. Each degree, up to the highest degree, would lead the initiate closer and closer to the ultimate goals and truth of the organization. By this method, each level from the top, would control every level underneath them, and all information could be controlled, while everyone worked towards the common objective, which nobody completely understood but Weishaupt. Some of Weishaupt’s writings are included in the following paragraphs. These give tremendous insight into the mind of the world’s arch conspirator, who was really a brilliant thinker and a wise architect, though not quite the prophet he might have desired to be, at least in his own time. The writings I have chosen to use were selected from a book from 1797, title Proofs of a Conspiracy against all the Religions and Governments of Europe carried on in the Secret Meetings of Illuminati, Masons and Reading Societies, by John Robison. This book was written by a Mason who was a Christian, concerned about the revolutionary political and religious thought prevailing at the time. This following quote is directly from Adam Weishaupt, the founder of the illuminati. The organization had come under the scrutiny of the public. Members had been accused of poisonings and abortions and some unchristian doings. Weishaupt was defending himself against the charges, before the public in his writing: “The tenor of my life has been the opposite of everything that is vile, and no man can lay any such thing to my charge. I have reason to rejoice that these writings have appeared. They are a vindication of the order and of my conduct. I can and must declare to God, and I do it now in the most solemn manner that in my whole life I never saw or heard of the so much condemned secret writings, and in particular, respecting these abominable means; such as poisoning, abortion etc. was it ever known to me in any case that any of my friends or acquaintance ever even thought of them? |
I was indeed always a schemer and projector, but never could engage much in detail. My general plan is good, though in the detail there may be faults. I had myself to form. In another situation, and in an active station in life, I should have been keenly occupied, and the founding of an order would have never come into my head. But I would have executed much greater things, had not government always opposed my exertions, and placed others in situations which would have suited my talents. It was the full conviction of this, and of what could be done, if every man were placed in the office for which he was fitted by nature and a proper education, which first suggested to me the plan of Illumination. I did not bring Deism into Bavaria more than into Rome. I found it here, in great vigour, more abounding than in any of the neighboring Protestant States. I am proud to be known to the world as the founder of the Illuminati.” -- Adam Weishaupt. In the next several paragraphs, the extracts are personal and secret writings to other members, instructing them of the objectives of the organization and its founding member, Weishaupt: “This is the great object held out by this association; and the means of attaining it is illumination, enlightening the understanding by the sun of reason which will dispel the clouds of superstition and of prejudice. The proficients in this order are therefore justly named the Illuminated. And of all illumination which human reason can give, none is comparable to the discovery of what we are, our nature, our obligations, what happiness we are capable of, and what are the means of attaining it. In comparison with this, the most brilliant sciences are but amusements for the idle and luxurious. To fit man by illumination for active virtue, to engage him to it by the strongest motives, to render the attainment of it easy and certain, by finding employment for every talent, and by placing every talent in its proper sphere of action, so that all, without feeling any extraordinary effort, and in conjunction with, and in completion of ordinary business, shall urge forward with united powers, the general task. This indeed will be an employment suited to noble natures, grand in its views, and delightful in its exercise.” - Adam Weishaupt |