KABALLAH

HERMETICISM

Hermeticism comes from Hermes Trismegistus ("Hermes the Thrice Great"), who was originally the Greek name for the Egyptian god of magic, Thoth. Later, Hermes Trismegistus was considered to be the first sorcerer, using his magics to become "prophet, priest and king" (the "thrice" in "thrice great"). Although the stories vary, he is given credit for designing the Pyramids, inventing astrology, creating the Tarot deck and giving the secret of hieroglyphics to the Egyptian priesthood. In the second or third century A.D., a body of work ascribed to Hermes Trismegistus began circulating as the Corpus Hermeticum (the 'collected works' of Hermes). Hermetic thought influenced the Gnostics, Jews, Christians (St. Augustine quotes the Hermeticum), and pagan philosophers, especially the "neo-Platonists" like Plotinus, Iamblichos and Damascius. Hermeticism's influence did not end with the fall of Rome, however. During the Middle Ages, the Corpus Hermeticum was preserved by the Arabs, and it was translated into Latin in 1471 by Marsilio Ficino, a Rosicrucian adept and Mithradite in the employ of Cosimo de Medici.

Robert Fludd; Famous hermeticist (1574-1637).

GNOSTICISM

The word comes from the Greek word gnosis, meaning 'knowledge', and refers to the core Gnostic belief that the key to enlightenment is the attainment of knowledge, whether from secret texts, instruction from a mentor, or sudden personal illumination. Many Gnostic sects went so far as to identify the God of the Old Testament, whom they referred to as the Demiurge, as an evil or corrupt being who created the imperfect, evil, material universe. Valentinus (100?-161), created the Gnostic schools (Cult of the Valentine's) of Alexandria and Rome which spread throughout the Mediterranean. Gnosticism's other founding father was Mani (216-276), who tied the Zoroastrian dualism of Ahriman and Ormazd into the Gnostic cosmology of matter and spirit, creating Manicheanism, the doctrine that God and Satan are equivalent in power, and Satan has lordship over the material and earthly. Many earthly secret societies and religious cults were wholly or partially Gnostic, from the Druze Muslims to the Joachimite Christians of 14th century Italy. The Cathars, the best-known Gnostic sect, and the equally Gnostic Templars. The Gnostic myth is the central, empowering myth of virtually all secret societies.

ROSICRUCIANISM

The term "Rosicrucianism" first appeared in 1598 in Germany. Rosicrucianism is built around three elements, called "magiam, cabala and alchemiam". The Rosicrucian Order began with ”the Promethean Brotherhood", and was originally a human auxiliary to the Nephilum-dominated Prometheans. In Mesopotamia it was known as the ”Sarmoung Brotherhood, and in Egypt it was created as ”the White Lodge under either Pharaoh Ahmose (1580-1557 B.C.) or Pharaoh Thutmose III (1501-1447 B.C.), both of the Eighteenth Dynasty. The Assyrians splintered the Sarmoung Brotherhood, and the White Lodge went underground following the end of Akhenaton's reign. The main Rosicrucian brotherhood, ”the Societae Antiquae Rosae Crucis", has been in continuous existence only since the early 1400's, and has split repeatedly, in addition to taking different names in different locations and times.

MASONRY

HOLY VEHM

Officially known as the Vehmgerichte (Righteous Judges). The Vehm separated itself from the Illuminati after the end of World War II, and began building an independent network of informants, assassins and judges tied to the CIA, West German Intelligence, and a number of influential banks and corporations in Central Europe. Recently, the Vehm has been expanding into Russia, England and South America. The Vehmhof in Vienna are the headquarters since 1661.

KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN FLEECE

KNIGHTS OF RHODES

ORDER OF THE BLACK STAR

PRIEURE DE SION

SOCIETAS ROSICRUCIANA IN ANGLIA

TEUTONIC KNIGHTS

THULE BRUDERSCHAFT

source: internet