Entering the world of conspiracy theories and secret societies is like stepping into a distant, parallel universe where the laws of physics have completely changed: black means white, up is down, and if you want to understand what’s really going on, you need a good reference book. That’s where Conspiracy Theories & Secret Societies For Dummies comes in. Whether you’re a skeptic or a true believer, this fascinating guide, packed with the latest information, walks you through some of the most infamous conspiracy theories — such as Area 51 and the assassination of JFK — and introduces you to such mysterious organizations as the Freemasons, the Ninjas, the Mafia, and Rosicrucians. This behind-the-curtain guide helps you separate fact from fiction and helps you the global impact of these mysterious events and groups on our modern world. Discover how to: Test a conspiracy theory Spot a sinister secret society Assess the Internet’s role in fueling conspiracy theories Explore world domination schemes Evaluate 9/11 conspiracy theories Figure out who “they” are Grasp the model on which conspiracy theories are built Figure out whether what “everybody knows” is true Distinguish on assassination brotherhood from another Understand why there’s no such thing as a “lone assassin” Why do hot dogs come in packages of ten, while buns come in eight-packs? Everybody knows its a conspiracy, right? Find out in Conspiracy Theories & Secret Societies For Dummies.

The invisible world of influence and power revealed. Hidden agendas uncovered. Examines 250 current and historical conspiracies, secret cabals, and powerful groups. Startling allegations. Suppressed evidence. Missing witnesses. Assassinations. Cover-ups and threats. Documented connections to an even deeper intrigue. Allusions to the New World Order. Coincidences? Too many to be mere coincidence? American history is replete with warnings of hidden plots by the Illuminati, the Freemasons, the Zionists, the Roman Catholics, the Communists, World Bankers, the Secret Government, and Extra-Terrestrial Invaders, to name a few. Separating fact from fiction, this compelling work provides gripping details and presents the information without bias, including hundreds of individuals, organizations, and events where official claims and standard explanations of actions and events remain shrouded in mystery. Conspiracies and Secret Societies: The Complete Dossier examines the most common subjects among conspiracy theorists, probing and thoroughly examining cases of conspiracies and dark doings of secret societies. Bring yourself up-to-date with the latest research and findings into historical topics plus current issues, including: Historical riddles—the Ark of the Covenant, the Holy Grail, Noah’s Ark, the Sphinx, alchemy, the true relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene, and the churches dedicated to the Black Madonna. Classified background on U.S. Presidents—Lincoln, Kennedy, Eisenhower, Obama, Reagan, their advisers, and more. Powerful secret societies and groups—the Knights Templar, Freemasons, Illuminati, the Triads, the Rosicrucians, the Skull and Bones Society, Scientology, the Falun Gong, the New World Order, and Lightning from the East. Government cover-ups—electronic spying, MKUltra, the John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. assassinations, Area 51, extraterrestrial invaders, black helicopters, satellite snooping, FEMA, the Global Bank, and the Trilateral Commission. Terrible secrets—the BP oil spill, Unit 731 and germ experiments, the 2011 tsunami in Japan, and Hurricane Katrina. Science mysteries—biochip implants, genetic manipulation, weather control, mad cow disease, AIDS/HIV, West Nile virus, and the bizarre Morgellons disease. The only way to crush these secret plots is to bring the facts to light. Don't let history repeat itself! Knowledge is our best weapon against these people, groups, and their nefarious schemes.

Did you know? • Freemasonry's first American lodge included a young Benjamin Franklin among its members. • The Knights Templar began as impoverished warrior monks then evolved into bankers. • Groom Lake, Dreamland, Homey Airport, Paradise Ranch, The Farm, Watertown Strip, Red Square, “The Box,” are all names for Area 51. An indispensable guide, Cults, Conspiracies, and Secret Societies connects the dots and sets the record straight on a host of greedy gurus and murderous messiahs, crepuscular cabals and suspicious coincidences. Some topics are familiar—the Kennedy assassinations, the Bilderberg Group, the Illuminati, the People's Temple and Heaven's Gate—and some surprising, like Oulipo, a select group of intellectuals who created wild formulas for creating literary masterpieces, and the Chauffeurs, an eighteenth-century society of French home invaders, who set fire to their victims' feet.

Provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world's most notorious secret societies, chronicling their origins, history, initiations, rituals, beliefs, activities, secret signs, members, and influence.

Few fields of academic research are surrounded by so many misunderstandings and misconceptions as the study of Western esotericism. For twenty years now, the Centre for History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents (University of Amsterdam) has been at the forefront of international scholarship in this domain. This anniversary volume seeks to make the modern study of Western esotericism more widely known beyond specialist circles, while addressing a range of misconceptions, biases, and prejudices that still tend to surround it. Thirty major scholars in the field respond to questions about a wide range of unfamiliar ideas, traditions, practices, problems, and personalities that are central to the field. By challenging many taken-for-granted assumptions about religion, science, philosophy, and the arts, this volume demonstrates why the modern study of esotericism leads us to reconsider much that we thought we knew about the story of Western culture.

A deep dive into the origins, history, members, and workings of the Illuminati from a well-known and respected expert. Chilling initiations. Big banks and money manipulations. Possible links to the Rockefellers, Rothschilds, Adamses, and Bushes. Reviewing the evidence, documents, and connections, The Illuminati: The Secret Society That Hijacked the World by award-winning journalist and author Jim Marrs shines a light on the history, workings, continuing influence, and pernicious and hidden power of this secret order. Surveying experts—from those who dismiss the Illuminati as a short-lived group of little consequence to skeptics who dare question the government's accounts and pronouncements—Marrs cuts through the wild speculation and the attempts to silence critical thinkers to tell the true story of this secret cabal. Gnosticism, mystery schools, the Roshaniya, Knights Templar, assassins, Rosicrucians, Skull and Bones, Knights of Malta, whistle blowers, the revolutions in France, Russia, and America, and the structure, symbols, and theology of the Illuminati are all covered. Marrs takes a broad look at the group and their workings, investigating their origin as “The Ancient and Illuminated Seers of Bavaria,” the depiction on the United States one-dollar bill of an all-seeing eye and pyramid on the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States, and the Protocols—or procedures—for usurping national governments and gaining world domination, as well as the Illuminati symbolism found in today's international corporate logos. Wealth, power, and intrigue come together in this in-depth exposé on the Illuminati, their history, connections to influential people, and their place in modern America. The Illuminati lifts the cloaks of secrecy protecting the powerful.

Elite secret clubs have always influenced society. First they build power, then they bend others to help them, knowingly or in ignorance, to consolidate and expand their power base. Then they destroy society. Some of them already control the world. When the word "cult" is used, the response is usually the same: dangerous, subversive, anti-family, anti-social. And while this is certainly true, the most daunting discovery in this book is tha the most powerful secret societies are actually running the world, seeking to destroy "morality" and the family unit while publicly appearing to be their biggest champions. Their ultimate weapons are power and time. They have the power; only time will bring their obscure scheme to its inevitable conclusion. This book examines 21 of these elusive and deeply disturbing organizations and reveals in alarming detail how, for five centuries, they have successfully manipulated the global economy, waged wars, and controlled the balance of power to bring about a New World Order.