A Conversation for Secret Societies

Surely some mistake

Post 1

Maurice Deebank

You have confused the Rosicrucians with the Knight's Templar, two different groups I think you'll find.

I think you need to do a little more research.

Your article represents a very selective tip of the iceberg of secret societies - there's plenty more weirdness out there waiting to be unearthed!

Deebank


Surely some mistake

Post 2

Boys and Cake Girl

I agree! The Rosicrucians (what little I know of them) trace their beginnings back to ancient Egypt. In medieval times, though they did have links with orders of Knights, they were mainly involved in the alchemy, medicine and philosophy. This knowledge was supposedly gained from texts from library at Alexandria, which had been secrectly preserved and brought to Europe by the Arabs. Lots of symbolism realting to them was supposedly hidden in songs and writings of the medieval period.

The Templar Knights were formed to wrest the Holy land from the Infidel. There are many strange things quoted about them. During the investigations that resulted in their dissolution, it was claimed that it was front and the initiation ceremony included defecating on a crucifix and homosexual orgies. This was the point that the new recruit found it wasn't a holy order at all. However this 'information' was gathered under torture and in all but a few cases, the 'confessions' were retracted afterwards. It was this that resulted in the Templars gaining the reputation of a secret organisation in league with the dark forces. Their dissolution was politic because they were extremely wealthy and this posed a threat as money holds such power. As the Crusades had gone out of fashion (mainly because they always failed.) various monarchs of Europe assisted in their downfall.

Most orders held relics of some saints or another. It was just the done thing ; there is no real mystery involved there. Rumors also abounded that in a secret location the Templars held the embalmed head of Jesus, found buried under the Church Of the Sepelchure. All of this is arrant nonsense but the stories persist. They were in all probabilty an order of warrior monks who were good at holding onto money and out lived their usefullness.

This is a very potted history. They should at least merit a mention though, I would've thought.

Some people also claim that the Masons are actually the Templars under a different name. That I don't know. smiley - smiley


Surely some mistake

Post 3

Gw7en, Voice of Chaos (Classic)

Thank you both very much for reading the article! smiley - smiley I had wanted to include more secret societies, but didn't have enough information on all of them. If either of you have any references that I can check out, I'd be happy to do so.

You're right about the Rosicurcians having some links to Egypt, although most of these were claimed later by the Order of the Golden Dawn. (Both of which are made fun of by Shakespeare in Hamlet, by the way. Rosencranz - Rosy Cross - and Guildenstern - Golden One - were brought in to die, but were obvious references to the two most active secret societies of the day in Europe.) Many of the sources that I found said that the founders of the Rosicrucians were actually former Templars. The Templars - or so the story goes - were the ones who recovered the books from the Great Library. Interesting stuff, either way.

smiley - smiley

G7


Surely some mistake

Post 4

Maurice Deebank

You would have to have good aim to defecate on a cross - mmind you this depends on how big the cross is. There is I think a large monty Python element in many of the accusations made against the templars, they were also accused of 'obscene kisses'


Surely some mistake

Post 5

Maurice Deebank

You would have to have good aim to defecate on a cross - mmind you this depends on how big the cross is. There is I think a large monty Python element in many of the accusations made against the templars, they were also accused of 'obscene kisses'


Surely some mistake

Post 6

Boys and Cake Girl

Well these men were used to fighting on horseback with a lance. I'm sure the target provided would present them with no problems at all. smiley - smiley

I know their rules were absurd as well. They weren't allowed to kiss their own mothers in case they were tempted by the evil influence of female sexuality to break their vow of chastity. Your own mother?? Blergh!

Gw7en, if I get some time I'll try and post a bit more about the Templars. Got obssessed with them after reading Ivanhoe. Thought someone wrote an article about them on here once...


Surely some mistake

Post 7

Boys and Cake Girl

Oh yes!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A272558


Surely some mistake

Post 8

Psigeist

Some Masons are also members of the 'Higher Degree' of Knight Templer - no conection to any other 'Templer' society. And don't call me surely!


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