Wtf, is that a Conspiracy Theorist on my Block?

I have learned in my experience that just like the over-skeptical and over-analytical, there's no arguing with a conspiracy theorist who believes the world is a puppet at the complete and total whim of a few old men in a secret club that conjures the devil and do all sorts of crazy things no normal person would do, all in the name of world domination...white Persian cat, maniacal cackle and black high-back executive chair not included. I'm a witch but I find this all incredibly ridiculous, just as ridiculous as I think of those who believe all witches are wicked souls bent on destroying and deceiving others regardless of circumstance. (Erm...I know quite a few people like that and nary of them are witches, but a notable amount are Christians and that attitude really goes on overdrive when they find out you're not).

Wtf, is that a Conspiracy Theorist on my Block?
Words Black Witch

Now, for those who don't know and are luckier than me in regards to having their ears stuffed about it, here's a rundown of a few secret societies that people often talk about, as defined by the Watkins' Dictionary of Magic (I love this book):

Illuminati: A term used by occultists from the late fifteenth century onwards to describe spiritual adepts who had received mystical insights or “illumination” from a transcendent source. The Order of the Illuminati was founded by Adam Weishaupt, a Bavarian law professor, in 1776, but this was hardly esoteric in any mystical sense and based most of its “secrets” on the work of Voltaire and the French Encyclopedists. Weishaupt and another enthusiast, Baron Adolf Knigge. later adapted the order’s teachings in order to infiltrate Freemasonry. A decree in Bavaria in 1784 banned all secret societies – including Freemasonry – and the order declined. However, it was revived around the turn of the 20^th century by the occultists Leopold Engel and Theodor Reuss. In recent times the idea of a secret brotherhood of adepts or Illuminati has been popularized by fantasy occult writer Robert Anton Wilson and New Age spokesman Stuart Wilde.

Freemasonry (or Masonry): This international institution now has the nature of a benevolent, friendly society, but was originally an esoteric organization. It still has elaborate secret rites and ceremonies and a code of morals, and requires that its members believe in “the Great Architect of the Universe”. Freemasonry may be descended, directly or indirectly, from a guild of stonemasons that existed in fourteenth-century England; but modern Masonry dates from the establishment of the Grand Lodge of London (1717). Freemasonry later spread to the United States and Europe. At times, in some countries, Freemasonry has been suppressed by the state. Traditionally, it has aroused the hostility of the Roman Catholic Church, but in recent years this antagonism has subsided.

Rosicrucians: The name used by many occult groups who have claimed inspiration from a figure called Christian Rosenkreuz or Rosencreutz. The origin of the Rosicrucians (who take their name from Rosenkreuz, which mean “Rose Cross” or “Rosy Cross” dates from the publication c. 1614-1616 of three books purporting to emanate from an occult order, the Brotherhood of the Rosy Cross (Fraternitas Rosae Crucis) – it is likely, however, that all three were written by Johann Valentin Andreae. The first of these publications, Fama Fraternitatis, described how a certain Christian Rosenkreuz met the “Wise Men of Damcar”, and subsequently translated the mystical book Liber M. into Latin. The second, Confessio Fraternitatis R.C. provided more details about Christian Rosenkreuz and invited members of the public to join the order. The third, Chymische Hochzeit Christiani Rosenkreuz (The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreuz) was a Hermetic allegory in which the central figure witnesses a royal marriage and later discovers the king’s “secret books of wisdom”. The Rosicrucian myth has been a strong influence on several mystical groups, including the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (who incorporated Rosicrucian elements into the initiations of their second order, the Ordo Rosae Rubeae et Aureae Crucis). Similiarily, Franz Hartman started a Rosicrucian order in Germany; and Sar Josephin Peladan ran a fashionable Rosicrucian salon in Paris. Competing Rosicrucian orders of questionable authenticity now market the esoteric wisdom of Christian Rosenkreuz in the United States.

Ooh, spooky.

Lemme let you in on a secret (not a society, too much micro-management)…I live across the street from the Hiram Grand Lodge O.T.O., a Freemasonry. Next door to that is a synagogue (that was bought and now owned by Hiram Grand Lodge) and I’m completely surrounded by churches, including the very first Black church in America, Bethel A.M.E.. Annnnnnd down the street, I believe, is a few more churches and a mosque. Pretty lively Black neighborhood, wouldn’t you say? The men and women who go to the Lodge are always sharply dressed in suits and dresses or always throwing bashes and parties. I have yet to see or hear any demonic laughter or ominous thunderclaps during any of the time I have lived in this neighborhood. In addition, I have friends who are Freemasons or have Freemasons in the family to the point of generational tradition. I don’t perceive being part of a secret society as much different or any greater threat than a normal, well-known, hard-to-get-into club.

I hear so much talk about Illuminati this, the Freemasons that and it usually revolves around Hollywood. I generally never agree with Kanye West on anything at all but he was right when he asked who was the Illuminati and why does everyone think all celebrities ... in response to accusations made about West’s relation to the occult group because of the broadly metaphorical production of his short film “Runaway”. West is, almost unsurprisingly, another celebrity who a bunch of crazy theorists believes he partakes with the Illuminati simply because he’s popular, knows it, flaunts it and clearly doesn’t mind it. I have heard these same accusations for Jay-Z, Beyonce Knowles, Lady Gaga and even utterances of Janelle Monae (you could probably believe I was only quiet upon hearing such “news” for I wasn’t sure whether to bawl in laughter or simply stare confused and perplexed. The most esoteric Wondaland could possibly get is me and I’m not even part of the group, just friends with a few.) While I do believe the music industry itself is quite evil but celebrities taking part in secret societies simply because they’re popular or have a few out-there and abstract music videos? That’s senseless. They’re creative and will pull out all stops to express it…and have a killer promotion & marketing team backing them up. Nothing unusual about that except for their manner of creative expression - which is in an incredibly appropriate field: the fine arts.

Since I peruse the same metaphysical shops, hang out at the same sites and simply am a Black Pagan columnist, I get to run into these wack and fragmented theories fairly frequently. Where the devil falls into this, I simply do not know but I must admit, anything occult does garner images of evil, bloody goat heads, fire and scary stuff. People do fear what they don’t understand, after all. Good thing I’m here and with an Ask Black Witch submission form. When I do hear these wacked out theories, I often tell them to my Freemason friends to see their reactions. They may roll their eyes, laugh or just give a look that communicates, “They said that?” They wonder how people come to these conclusions and will even joke, “Wait, so that means Jay-Z works for me too…Then how come I still can’t get into his concerts or the tickets are too high? Ain’t I suppose to have a special pass or somethin’? He does work for me after all!” The findings that people create to connect the dots are really farfetched often times and looking into the history of secret societies, the theories wouldn’t 100% work because, quite frankly…they don’t make a lic of sense.

Do I believe in secret societies? Well, yes, especially since I practically live across the street from one but I’ve never seen them as the spooky secret society that everyone else sees them as. They’re just another organization to me. But if they were bent on world domination, Persian kitty, nice swivel chair, controlled thunderclaps and all, maybe that’s what they would want you to think. Hmm…

Naaaaah.

And speaking of spooky, thank you everyone for attending the first ever Black Witch vcast on Halloween! It was a lot of fun, although I was fairly nervous since this was my first video anything but I enjoyed myself. I was very happy to see so many viewers and chatters. Sadly for those who weren't there, the hour long broadcasting was not recorded due to my derpiness but I did stay an extra fifteen minutes and recorded that. There will be more vcasts such as that but at the very least twice a year for the Black Witch anniversary on June 9th and on Halloween/Samhain.

And speaking of Wondaland, remember Nastassia Davis, the Wondaland photographer with the lovely pictures that I featured on The Arts? She’s going to be selling some of those prints so if there was a particular picture that you adored, it can be yours! Send an email to contact@nastassiadavis.com. And don’t forget to peruse her site, nastassiadavis.com, for ideas of what prints to ask for!

Nota Bene: Send questions for Ask Black Witch! Tweet me (@thisblackwitch), email me (thisblackwitch@hotmail.com), use the Ask Black Witch submission form or simply comment here! And I have a Black Witch Fan page on Facebook now! Come and like me!

Tags: afro-punk, afropunk.com, black, conspiracy, illuminati, witch

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Comment by The Deacon on November 17, 2010 at 10:16pm: @ I.C.O.N.

I think you passed up a chance to play a joke on the cat. Next time just say "you know too much"; then wave to complete strangers and yell out "I got him".

But maybe not, cat my shit his pants and run into traffic; or maybe pull out a gun and shoot you down.

Comment by I.C.O.N. on November 17, 2010 at 7:23pm: I have found this subject to be of highest interest to me. I just find it very fascinating. When i used to work at Virgin Megastore i was on my way to work and i was wearing my favorite skull jacket. I was on the subway platform and this black dude would not stop staring at me. Eventually i asked him what was his problem and he actually asked me if i was a Skull and Bones member. It was probably one of the most all time ignorant things i have ever been asked in my life. If this clown did his homework on Skull and Bones he would know that 1)They are mostly white and 2) They are Yale students. John Kerry, George Bush Sr., and George Bush Jr. are members. This jackass thought i was in the Skull and Bones just because of my jacket. Astounding.

Comment by Black Witch on November 16, 2010 at 11:32pm: I've been reading everyone's comments! I really like them, they bring up good points (and I was worrying someone was gonna do some "Zomgz u lie! Illuminati rull da worlds!" foaming-at-the-mouth sort of reaction to this piece, good to know it didn't happen). Lemme respond to some of the comments:

@oilkanlarry - That is a good question and I wonder the same myself, hence the column piece. What is to worry overzealously over what's going on behind the scenes when there's already some insane stuff going on right in front of us. What is truly the point stressin out over a secret club?

@Matthew - I've really been liking your comments so far!

@TheDeacon - I've also been liking your comments. I agree that the discussion so far is very balance and not soaked in crazytalk. I've heard of the Skulls and Bones, goodness gracious does that stir up talk in the metaphysical communities. I know people who are part of secret societies but I also know people who are suspicious to a fault about them. I never would want the two in the same room together, headache pills aren't potent enough for that.

@Daoud - Thanks! I try to keep up with everyone the best I can. I don't want anyone thinkin I'm some hidden away writer or that I don't read the comments or something like that.

@Crimson - That's what I think consistently, if it's so secret, then how come this stuff is so out and about? It doesn't make much sense

@Metamuzik - Firstly, I would wanna know where did they get space weed from, ha ha! I didn't know other places in the universe had the same problem! But it is true, if an idea sounds "crazy" enough, people will dismiss it. There was a perfect quote in "Aliens vs Monsters" that the general said to Gigantica girl, something about how it was a top secret mission enrolled in the crispy nougat of conspiracy or something like that. It was an on point quote about how much can slip by us if it sounds loony enough.

Comment by MetaMuzik on November 16, 2010 at 9:40pm: The system in itself is designed to cause failure for the masses to some extent. I can dig everything that everyone here has said. A secret society, the system, the media whatever the case maybe people pose this one question. "If they were so secretive why would they make themselves known?" If a UFO landed in the middle of Detroit and little green men came running out with a blunt and some space rum, the government would not have to worry about people believing the one's who saw it. It would make headline news be labeled a hoax and be done with. Unfortunately the majority of American people are not cognitive, and have a hard time believing shit labeled as a conspiracy theory or "Unamerican". If this shit does indeed exist, and people want to know why they would be so obvious about their existence, all you have to do is look at the people who pass you by. Everyone is embracing materialism, worried about rent and food, fake terror attacks, and lil wayne's new album. People are so consumed with what they perceive as real, on top of actual serious issue's and downplaying of any and everything that isn't big brother approved, as far as real and make believe, the cats don't need to hide shit. They have people programmed and have created serious issue's for people to worry about. Brainwashing? Maybe. Clever shit? With out a doubt.

Comment by The Deacon on November 16, 2010 at 9:19pm: Well I'm glad I finally joined AP. Lots of wisdom on the board. Only disagreement I see is if it's a conspiracy or just the way the system operates. To be honest, as long as someone is not just a straight up paranoid nut, it don't make that big a difference. And I personally know people that let this thing run their lives. Every wrong phone call turns into a warning from Skull & Bones. Sequence of numbers in the newspaper turns into a code sent out for a secret meeting. Any discussion about Skull and Bones, and you'll certainly be kidnapped and sacrificed on the alter.

If you don't hear from me the next couple days, you'll know I was kidnapped by Skull & Bones or possibly a member of the Boule.

Comment by JICA on November 16, 2010 at 8:18pm: i had a post like this a while back that but i was taking a different side. however one person did say something that made think, if someone was in a secret society hell bent on world domination, evil, and destruction, why would they make it so obvious to tell? most SECRET societies like to be SECRETIVE. or at least thats what i always thought.

Comment by X-D-D-M*9 on November 16, 2010 at 7:56pm: Thank you BlackWitch for the blog and answering me directly. Yes folks get it all out of hand because it's interesting and consuming, same as a 007 James Bond or Tom Clancy novel or film. Whether you think it's crazy is completely relative. As MetaMuzik states, it's been near proven that certain groups conspire (which I believe just means one or more people plotting for their own personal benefit mostly at the expense of others) to keep an advantage. It's just the reigning champoinship baseball team unfairly continuing to spy on other teams and cork the bat or put vasline on the ball so they hold the penant year after year.

It only took a frustrated Austrian artist and some folks who conspired with him to set off World War II. Folks initially wrote them off as nutcases. Jews don't get called paranoid for trying to avoid another Holocaust. In the music industry, yeah FashionFreak, artists mostly don't have that kind of power or wealth but their desire for that status and vanity makes many great vessels for the plans of others. The Jay-Z possibly being a Mason thing ain't really a big deal, he probably is. A member of Lords of the Underground has the symbols tattoed on him and was throwing up their signs years ago. My problems is a popular artist using his position to speak on "rape and pillage women and children" (Jay-Z on "Monster" with Kanye & Nicki Minaj). Then I wonder if their simply insane or tools of more powerful puppetmasters, whether it be the entertainment/media industry or "secret" exploitive organizations. Or one in the same...

Comment by The Deacon on November 16, 2010 at 2:40pm: I agree the system uses the artist to sell its propaganda. And neo colonialism is part of the agenda. It's the new extending foreign powers by using the indigenous population. Most the time it's the intellectuals other times it can be rich Rappers. Phat Farm, Sean John and the rest of them get their products made with Indonesian and Chinese slave labor; same as Polo, Nike, Old Navy and the rest of them. So I don't think it's something we should overlook. But it's the way the system is built; it's no conspiracy. You even hear some conspiracy theorist talking about what the founding fathers meant. This is the same founding fathers that wanted to make it legal for only the rich to vote. Rome instituted voting early in its history. But at no time did the poverty level go under 85% and at one time 1/3 the population were slaves. They were successful, in a insane way, cause they came up with a model and stuck to it. Even in Africa and Ireland, you can find ruined cities that look like Rome. Basically what the U.S. does by exporting its culture and values. But it's no conspiracy. Are there sometimes conspiracies to push a agendas through? Yes. Are there secret societies? Yes. Was AIDS put out in the world to wipe out 3rd world population. I don't have the proof, but knowing how the system behaves, I would say yes.

Comment by Matthew on November 16, 2010 at 2:20pm: exactly @thedeacon that's why I find the Illuminati and Free Masons debates amusing. Anyone who has taken European History would find them amusing as well. None of those fools know what the Diet of Worms trial is or who was persecuted, no one educates themselves about the Catholic Inquisition, no one takes a good look at how Martin Luther was a pawn for the Catholic church, no one asks why Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin all had a sit down with the Pope in the Vatican but yet they are so big and bad. We are supposed to accept the fact that Hitler started Fascism when it's evident that the Papacy has been murdering Jews, Muslims, Homosexuals, people of Non-European decent, and women in their dungeons for centuries. But yet the idiocy of humanity says believe Jay Z's lyrics because he uses the word Lucifer to sell records instead of books and black people are oppressed with religion created by the Papacy to see the difference. The Holy Roman Papers and history tells it all but the average human wants to fathom why evil is done instead of accepting it and stopping it. That's why it's considered insulting to refer to the Christians in the crusades as "jihadists" even though Western Civilization proclaim these are militant religious fanatics who terrorize people when they did the same thing to Jews and Muslims to give land to the Catholic Church and turned around to be slaves to the land. All of this is in their Bible but it's a quote unquote conspiracy theory but they wrote it themselves. This isn't the tip of the ice berg and their archives will show even more of their detrimental acts towards humanity for greed but it's all okay. I'd much rather be concerned about the Vatican than where our crooked politicians lay their heads at night because they do indeed do it in front of our faces and we don't care and we will never care because the system is supposedly better than Socialism because Socialism is apparently evil but Jesus was a Socialist. In the end you can't tell an idiot anything if he is not willing to learn the truth. Like Sarah Silverman said, Sell the Vatican and help end world hunger.

Comment by oilkanlarry on November 16, 2010 at 1:41pm: Here's a question. Does wondering who runs the show even matter... Say if you found who the friggen lodge master, friggen, Grand Puba of whatever wearing his big ass elk hat in some giant office. What the hell does it do and why does need to know these "seceret societies pulling strings matter. Politicians do it IN OUR FACE every damn day and we can't do crap yet we are worried about some old white men doing the same shit privately. Life just seems way to short to worry about if Nas and JayZ are a part of this. I like the music but I don't think I have ever been brainwashed.