What is Illuminati ?

Beyoncé puts references in her lyrics (In Formation: “Y’all haters corny with that Illuminati mess”), Katy Perry once admitted she believed in aliens. Or maybe they’re double bluffing.

When the word Illuminati is mentioned, there are a list of things that instantly come to most people’s mind; Bilderberg, New World Order, the Cabal, celebrities and politicians to name a few.

The basic structure of the Illuminati revolves around fighting against superstition, irrational over-exertion of power by government and religious organizations, and general prejudice. They also believed strongly in gender equality.

Almost every major catastrophe has, in some way or another, been blamed on the Illuminati. Anything from the JFK assassination to the September 11th attacks are thought to have been caused by their influence but, obviously, there are no facts to back this up at all.

Some report the Illuminati functions as a prominent figure in US government. The Illuminati was founded on May 1, 1776 and the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776—just two months later.

The Illuminati date back to the mid-1700s, founded by a Bavarian professor at the University of Ingoldstadt named Adam Weishaupt. Weishuapt was a law professor, followed by an even higher honor of Professor of Natural and Canon Law.

In recent years hundreds of big name celebs have been thought to be involved with the Illuminati. The more successful they are, the more conspiracy theorists feel as though their claims are valid. There’s very little, if anything at all, to substantiate these claims, but they make for interesting web posts.

Members of the Illuminati are thought to hold top level positions in the US government, as well as the Vatican, NATO, and major media outlets. Again, the evidence here is sparse.

When the word Illuminati is mentioned, there are a list of things that instantly come to most people’s mind; Bilderberg, New World Order, the Cabal, celebrities and politicians to name a few.

Weishaupt’s world-views were more cosmopolitan and liberal than the bucolic, dogmatic views of the priesthood. In response, he created the Illuminati, a secret society eponymously promoting enlightenment as well as moral progress.

In a historical sense, the term "Illuminati" refers to the Bavarian Illuminati,

The “All-Seeing Eye” is another reason to believe that they secretly run the US government. Recently in popular culture, the “All-Seeing Eye” has been linked to the Illuminati, which has convinced enough people that the organization runs the US government—due to the Eye being featured on the back of the $1 bill.

But, whether or not the Illuminati is a covert organization of reptilians, with an esoteric agenda for global domination via subliminal societal enslavement, it does have a traceable origin similar in nature to the Freemasons.

A symbol often associated with the Illuminati is the “all seeing eye,” which is also found on American money, but pyramids are actually more directly a Freemason symbol.

Many high-profile celebrities are suspected of being members of Illuminati: Jay-Z, Beyonce, Snoop Dog, Kanye West, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Emma Watson, Celine Dion, Bradley Cooper (seriously?), the entire cast of Boy Meets World (even Mr. Feeney?), and President Barack Obama

The priesthood, waging significant political power in those days, revoked his academic credentials and had him banished from the country. He moved on to Germany where he was better received and free to form the foundation of the Illuminati and its philosophy.

The Illuminati date back to the mid-1700s, founded by a Bavarian professor at the University of Ingoldstadt named Adam Weishaupt.

It was pretty ambitious for six or nine guys, but they really wanted to take over the world," says Chris Hodapp, the co-author of Conspiracy Theories and Secret Societies for Dummies with Alice VonKannon.

There’s a popular, and comical, theory circulating online that the headquarters for the Illuminati are located beneath the Denver airport.

The Illuminati headquarters are supposedly located in an underground bunker beneath the Denver Airport. The airport itself is the source of a number of really odd conspiracy theories because the airport is so bizarrely decorated with creepy murals, zebra statues, and gargoyles guarding baggage claim. So, yeah, great place for a late-night Illuminati slumber party.

The Illuminati are thought to be divided into three tiers of classes: The Nursery, The Masonic Grades, and The Mysteries.

Weishuapt was a law professor, followed by an even higher honor of Professor of Natural and Canon Law.

The mission statement of Weishaupt’s Illuminati was, “by the mutual assistance of its members, to attain the highest possible degree of morality and virtue, and to lay the foundation for the reformation of the world by the association of good men to oppose the progress of moral evil.”

Class I— “The Nursery”; contains the Noviciate, the Minerval, and the Illuminatus minor. To get into this level you have to be “tapped” or invited by one of the already initiated members, and then you begin a 1-3 year trial period.

Unfortunately, he butted heads with the Jesuit priests of the University.