Secret society
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Secret society is a term used to describe a variety of organizations. Although the exact meaning of the term is disputed, several of the definitions advanced indicate a degree of secrecy and secret knowledge, which might include denying membership or knowledge of the group and possibly negative consequences for acknowledging membership, strong ties between members of the organization, and frequently rites or rituals which outsiders are generally not permitted to observe.
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[edit] Definition
Several definitions for the term have been put forward. The term "secret society" is used to describe fraternal organizations that may have secret ceremonies, ranging from the common and innocuous (collegiate fraternities) to mythical organizations described in conspiracy theories as immensely powerful, with self-serving financial or political agendas, global reach, and often luciferian beliefs.
Alan Axelrod, author of the International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies and Fraternal Orders, defines a secret society as possessing three characteristics. These are that the organization is exclusive, it claims to own special secrets, and it shows a strong inclination to favor its own.
David V. Barrett, author of Secret Societies: From the Ancient and Arcane to the Modern and Clandestine, uses slightly different terms to define what does and does not qualify as a secret society. He defines it as any group that possesses the following characterists: it has "carefully graded and progressed teachings" that are "available only to selected individuals". These teachings lead to "hidden (and 'unique') truths" that bring "personal benefits beyond the reach and even the understanding of the uninitiated." Barrett goes on to say that "a further characteristic common to most of them is the practice of rituals which non-members are not permitted to observe, or even to know the existence of."
Another characteristic these societies may have is that, in extreme cases, they may be required to take an oath or make some similar statement to the effect that they will conceal or deny their membership in the organization, sometimes acknowledging the indicated penalties for not doing so.
The term as used in this article could include criminal organizations, such as the Triad, Yakuza or the Cosa Nostra organizations.
[edit] Overview
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Historically, secret societies have been the subject of suspicion and speculation from non-members since the time of the ancient Greeks, when meetings were held "sub rosa" (Latin, "under the rose"). This phrase arises from the fact that the rose was the emblem of the god Horus in ancient Egypt[citation needed]. Later the Greeks and Romans regarded Horus as god of silence. This originates from a Greek/Roman misinterpretation of an Egyptian hieroglyphic adopting Horus along with Isis and Osiris as a god. The Greeks translated his Egyptian name Har-pa-khered to Harpocrates. The rose's connotation for secrecy also dates back to Greek mythology. Aphrodite gave a rose to her son Eros, the god of love; he, in turn, gave it to Harpocrates, the god of silence, to ensure that his mother's indiscretions (or those of the gods in general, in other accounts) were kept under wraps. In the Middle Ages a rose suspended from the ceiling of a council chamber pledged all present (those under the rose) to secrecy.[1] Today the phrases "Sub Rosa" and "under the rose" are commonly used to indicate secrecy.
Since some secret societies have political aims, they are illegal in several countries. Poland has made the ban of secret political parties and political organizations a part of its constitution.
Many student societies established on university campuses in the United States have been considered secret societies. These such collegiate secret societies are like the Flat Hat Club (1750) and Phi Beta Kappa (1776), both founded at William & Mary. The most famous member of the FHC was Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States. In correspondence, Jefferson noted that the Flat Hat Club served "no useful object." The nation's prestigious universities and liberal arts colleges are home to secret societies today.
Perhaps one of the most famous secret college societies is the Skull and Bones club, of which both presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush and Senator John Kerry are members from their college years.
The United States National Security Agency has been described as a secret society, since for many years, its very existence was a secret, as was its budget. People (such as James Bamford, in The Puzzle Palace, 1982) used to say that the letters NSA stood for "No Such Agency" or "Never Say Anything"; and, in the early 1990's, the CIA had a website but the NSA did not. This has changed: The NSA has had a website for several years, and its activities are debated in Congress and the press. Its budget is still classified, but it officially exists. Its activities are authorized and are paid for, although the details of those activities are closely-held secrets.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Heckethorn, Charles William (1997). 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. Kessinger Publishing. ISBN 1-56459-296-0.
- Whalen, William Joseph (1966). Handbook of secret organizations. Milwaukee: Bruce Pub. Co.. LCCN 66-026658.
- Axelrod, Alan (1997). The international encyclopedia of secret societies and fraternal orders. New York: Facts on File. ISBN 0-8160-2307-7.
- Roberts, J. M. (John Morris) (1972). The mythology of the secret societies. New York: Scribner. ISBN 0-684-12904-3.
- Robbins, Alexandra (2004). Pledged: the secret life of sororities. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 0-7868-8859-8.
[edit] Notes
[edit] External links
- Major media articles on secret societies — Collection of one-paragraph excerpts with links to original articles
- Secret Societies: a very short history — Documents and illustrations of Freemasons, Jesuits, Illuminati, Carbonari, Burschenschaften and other putative secret societies and clandestine organizations
