Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-5630100-20130725190703/@comment-31166511-20170223021849

The Freemasons are a secret society that has existed for many years. They have odd initiation rituals they tried to keep from the public (think Fight Club) but over the years too many spies and members breaking their oath of secrecy have made all of the rituals public knowledge. The Freemasons are unlikely to have had any real influence or power for hundreds of years, if they ever had any in the first place. Many of the US founding Fathers were reputed to be Freemason, with "clues" about their membership appearing in various official portraits.

The main oath of Freemasonry excludes any conflict with the oathswearer's personal honor or public obligations. As a secret society goes, they don't ask for much loyalty from the membership at all. Pretty wet firecracker for a global conspiracy.

The Illumanati on the other hand, required obedience even beyond death, implying to some that the Illuminatti had access to immortality or occult powers beyond the grave. It is a far more likely candiate for a conspiracy of global domination. Even the non comic-opera villian, historically plausible version of the society may have had influence on the development of democracy in Europe.

Most historians believe that the 1700s was just the time for monarchies to give way to democratic forms of government. Conspiracy theorists are just as sure that monarchy was here to stay--until the Illuminati gave it a strong shove from behind the palace draperies.

It was just a matter of eliminating the wise and effective kings, while leaving the inbred fruitcakes in power. Soon the rule by a single man wasn't seen as an efficient system of government, as it had been for hundreds of years, but a foolish and dangerous indulgence. If there hadn't been so many bad kings over such a short time, no one would have dared challenge 'the divine right of kings'.

This is the kind of environment Stan would have flourished in. He really was born 300 years too late.

Well, maybe 200 years.

If you don't understand, ask questions. I'm not a mind reader.

Well, you won't catch me displaying special powers in public anyway. Bolo ties are not my thing.