Secret society

Secret societies are a type of subculture. According to Alan Axelrod, the author of the International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies and Fraternal Orders, secret societies share three characteristics: they are exclusive, they claim to own special secrets, and they show a strong inclination to favor their own.

Members may be required to conceal or deny their membership, and they are often sworn to hold the society's secrets by an oath. Violating the oath may result in the application of severe sanctions.

Like the most successful forgeries, the most effective secret societies are unknown beyond their adherents. Members may be required to deny the organization itself exists.

Function of secret societies

Secret societies have many functions. Some, such as the Odin Brotherhood, the Rosicrucians, or the Thelemic societies, exist to maintain, spread, and practice their esoteric or occult knowledge. Others, while they have esoteric philosophies, are social organizations, such as Greek Fraternities or Elk Lodges. Others were created to provide benefits and charity to members, such as the Knights of Columbus or Woodsmen.

Some secret societies have been considered dangerous by their enemies. The Carbonari of Italy were an outright revolutionary, anti-monarchist movement. The Ancient Illuminated Seers of Bavaria (Illuminati) were so considered so dangerous that they were crushed and suppressed by the State. The Sons of Liberty were also a secret society which helped launch the American Revolution.

Initiation

Admittance into a secret society begins with an initiation ritual. Often, this involves darkness, blindfolds, blood oaths, and symbolic icons such as skulls, daggers, and sacred texts. The candidate may undergo symbolic death and resurrection.

Many secret societies will have layers of membership, with a person entering first as a neophyte of some sort, and then advancing through the ranks as he participates more in the organization. These ranks are very often called "Degrees". Some organizations have as few as one or three degrees, others as many as thirty-three.

As the applicant advances through the ranks, he will often learn new passwords, hand grips, or other modes of recognition during the rituals.

International or non-governmental organizations

These groups are often considered and talked about in the context that they are secret societies.

• The Trilateral Commission

• Bilderberg Group

• Council on Foreign Relations

• Edelweiss

• Thule Gelleschaft

• Land and Liberty

• Royal Institute of International Affairs (also known as Chatham House)

• The Club of Rome

Student societies

• Anak Society (1908) at Georgia Institute of Technology

• Berzelius (1848) at Yale University

• Bishop James Madison Society (1812) at the College of William and Mary

• Book and Snake (1863) at Yale University

• Cambridge Apostles (1820) at the University of Cambridge

• Flat Hat Club (1750) at the College of William and Mary

• Order of the Acropolis at University of Georgia

• Phi Beta Kappa (1776) at the College of William and Mary, began as a secret society, but eliminated secrecy in 1831 and is now national

• Quill and Dagger (1893) at Cornell University

• Scroll and Key (1842) at Yale University

• Seven Society at the University of Virginia

• Skull and Bones (1832) at Yale University

• Society of the Pacifica House (1824) at Brown University

• Sphinx Head Society (1890) at Cornell University

Fraternal organizations

• Freemasonry

• Order of DeMolay

• Order of the Eastern Star

• AMORC (Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis)

• Confraternity of the Rose Cross

• Rosicrucians

• SRIA (Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia )

• National Society of Pershing Rifles

• Order Militia Crucifera Evangelica

• Order of the Solar Temple

• Ordo Templi Orientis

• Order of the Arrow

Historical secret societies

• Beati paoli

• Illuminati

• Knights of the Golden Circle

• Know-Nothings

• Ku Klux Klan (exists at present with very small membership)

• Gladio Society of the Elect

• Thule Society

• Tiandihui

• Wide Awakes

Revolutionary or underground organizations

• Black Hand

• Carbonari

• Fenian Brotherhood

• Germanenorden

• Katipunan

• Mau Mau

• Muslim Brotherhood

• Narodnik

• Red Turbans

• Righteous Harmony Society

• Sons of Liberty

• Tongmenghui

• Vihan Veljet

• Walhalla-orden

• White Rose Society

Secret society — alleged secret societies

Either existence, or secret society status, is subject to significant doubt

• The Elders of Zion

• The Green Man

• Majestic 12

• Priory of Sion

• Vril Society

Religious

• The Assassins

• Bwiti

• Cathars

• Compagnie du saint sacrement

• The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

• Knights of Columbus

• Knights of Malta

• Knights Templar

• Odin Brotherhood

• Ordo Templi Orientis

• Order of the Solar Temple

• Scientology

• Sufism

See also

• Illuminati

• Freemasonry

• Skull and Bones

External links

• Article on Conspiracies/Secret Societies
• Meta-Religion on Secret Societies

References

• Alan Axelrod. The International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies and Fraternal Orders. ISBN 0-8160-2307-7

• David V. Barrett. Secret Societies. From the Ancient and Arcane to the Modern and Clandestine. ISBN 0713727721

• Arkon Daroul. A History of Secret Societies. ISBN 0806508574

• Charles William Heckethorn. The Secret Societies of all Ages and Countries, Embracing the Mysteries of Ancient India, China, Japan, Egypt, Mexico, Peru, Greece, and Scandinavia, the Cabbalists, early Christians, heretics, Assassins, Thugs, Templars, the Vehm and Inquisition, mystics, Rosicrucians, Illuminati, Freemasons, Skopzi, Camorristi, Carbonari, nihilists, and other sects. ISBN 1-56459-296-0

• John Morris Roberts. The Mythology of the Secret Societies. ISBN 0-684-12904-3

• Herbert Vivian. Secret Societies Old and New. ISBN 1417979526