Salih Niyazi Dedebaba and his dervishes

“[The Bektashi] are even said to be affiliated to some of the French Masonic Lodges. One thing is certain; the order now consists almost exclusively of gentlemen of education, belonging to the Liberal, or Young Turk party.”

- Richard Davey, The Sultan and His Subjects [1897] (Gorgias Press LLC, 2001), p. 65.

I’m not that familiar with the Bektashi Order, but it turns out that this politico-mystical secret society - directly or indirectly - was the inspiration behind the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.

Freemasons Dr. Walter M. Fleming, 33°, and William J. Florence, 32°, founded the Shriners in 1870. And in recounting the origins of their Order, Florence and Fleming corroborate the above statement by Richard Davey.

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William Huntington Russell and Bones seal

Nicolas Niarchos and Victor Zapana - December 5, 2008

The society system.

“It has its faults. But it’s the best system there is …”

“… And it makes Yale what it is today.”

This is how savvy sophomore Hugh Le Baron explains the world of Yale to freshman Dink Stover his first night on campus in 1900 in Owen Johnson’s 1911-12 serial novel “Stover at Yale.” For the Stovers of the time, the society system was the reason to attend Yale — the reason, even, to exist in “a crowd you’ll want to know all through life.” The lists of those “tapped,” selected by the graduating class, were published in The New York Times every year until the 1970s.

The great and the best. The politicians and the powerbrokers. And practically all of Yale’s most illustrious alumni. To be tapped is to be, on Yale’s campus and around the world, what Stover would deem “a big man.”

100 years have passed since the time of Stover and Le Baron. Today, most Yale students do not wear letterman sweaters and tweed. Yale’s big men are no longer all white, Anglo-Saxon and class-obsessed. Indeed, they are not even all men. When women were admitted to the school in 1969, all but the senior societies at the top of the social hierarchy allowed them to join.

And when the members meet, dine and debate on Thursday and Sunday nights, they do not drink 15-year old scotch; they drink Keystone Light or, in the case of Skull and Bones, Snapple. Times have changed, and perhaps the role of secret societies has evolved. Or maybe, just maybe, the old boys’ clubs have failed to adapt to the modern world.

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To this day, the reigining British monarch serves as “sovereign head” of the Knights of St. John. The queen’s cousin, Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, serves as “grand prior,” or chief executive.

starnewsonline.com | Nov 17, 2008

By Ben Steelman

He doesn’t have a suit of armor, he doesn’t carry a sword, and you don’t have to call him “Sir.” Nevertheless, Thomas H. Van Arsdale of Wilmington is a real, live, honest-to-goodness knight - and he has the medal and parchment to prove it.

Retired banker Thomas H. Van Arsdale of Wilmington is a newly minted knight of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem. The ancient order is a modern-day charity, and the knighthood is an honor for community work.

Van Arsdale became an official knight of grace in the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in an investiture ceremony Nov. 8 at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.

Since Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain is the “sovereign head” of the order, Van Arsdale’s new title officially was published in The London Gazette, the British court’s official journal of record. He received his knighthood in Her Majesty’s name from the head of the order’s priory, or chapter, for the United States.

Full story

PARIS (AFP) — Garters, Thistles, Golden Fleeces and even the Thai Order of the White Elephant: priceless orders amassed by the world’s probably biggest such private collector come out of the closet at a Paris museum this week.

Amassed over decades by Italian financier Antonio Benedetto Spada, now in his 70s, some 600 rare bejewelled insignia once strung around the necks of royalty, knights, and other VIPs, go on show at Paris’ prestigious Legion of Honour museum from November 19.

Spada, who describes himself as “a born collector”, began hoarding old books and prints at only 16 before progressing to silverware, antique clocks, stamps and art, until he stumbled and stopped on his first handcrafted order, or decoration, at the Paris flea-market in the 1960s.

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(November 05, 2008) The National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC, hosted the illustrated symposium ‘Caravaggio and the Knights of Malta: a 400-Year Perspective’ on 24 October. The meeting was attended by art experts and aficionados and by a sizeable contingent of American-based Knights of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

Prof. David M. Stone of the University of Delaware’s Art History Department, organised the symposium to celebrate the quadricentennial of Caravaggio’s historic visit to Malta (1607-1608). He underlined that “Caravaggio made some of his greatest works in Malta, including his largest and only signed painting, ‘The Beheading of St John the Baptist’ (1608), painted for the Oratory of San Giovanni Decollato in the Annex of St John’s Co-Cathedral.”

Three internationally known Caravaggio scholars presented new research on the artist: Prof. David M. Stone (University of Delaware), Prof. Catherine Puglisi (Rutgers University), and Prof. Keith Sciberras (University of Malta).

William T. Clew

SHREWSBURY - A lector and Eucharistic minister at St. Mary’s Parish will be invested in the Knights of Malta Nov. 14 by Cardinal Edward Egan in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.

Ronald Thompson of 8 Saxon Lane also is a catechist and a member of the parish stewardship committee. He has helped develop programs on religion for young people involved in the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts and has been awarded scouting’s St. George Medal.

In the Worcester Diocese he is a 12-year member of the Pro-Life Committee and a 13-year member of the Catholic Committee on Boy and Girl Scouting.

He created a Boy Scout Troop and activies for special needs children. He received the St. George National Catholic Adult Scouting Award for providing programs integrating Catholic faith into youth programs. He developed and implemented Catholic youth religious award programs in the diocese.

At the Calvary Retreat Center he served for eight years on the executive committee, helping to create religious programs for alcoholic recovery, unwed mothers, homeless retreats and senior citizen day programs

He is a member of the 3rd and 4th Degree Knights of Columbus and is active in supporting special needs, pro-life and unwed mothers programs.

Full story

Al-Muftil Azeem the Grand Al-Mufti “Divan” The Imperial Grand Potentate As-Sayyid Issa Al-Haadi Al-Mahdi Noble Rev. Dr Malachi Z. York El 720 degree

Miles Bennett - Nov 6, 2008

Like he does in his monthly blog on Vibe.com, the incarcerated Prodigy recently spewed more of his conspiracy theories via a handwritten letter to URB. This time, he reveals the moment his eyes were opened to the sham he calls “the government, religions, politics, the Federal Reserve, and I.R.S.”

According to P, in 1996, after reading a book by Dr. Malichi Z. York titled Leviathan 666, he was moved so much, he cried, and that was his “moment of clarity.”

“I was crying for all of humanity, but mostly for my black people ’cause I then realized it was all a sham,” Prodigy writes in his letter to URB. “The government, religions, politics, the Federal Reserve, the I.R.S., and everything that we believe and live by is a joke.”

Even worse, the rapper says that many popular rappers are aware of these society secrets, but choose not to speak on it for fear of not being accepted by corporate America. One, in particular, is Jay-Z.

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(Riga, 28.10.2008) Today in Riga Castle, President Valdis Zatlers will hold a meeting with His Most Eminent Highness Fra’ Matthew Festing, Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta.

After the meeting Zatlers and Festing will hold a joint press briefing, as the President’s Press Office informed LETA.

At 11 a.m. the Grand Master of Order of Malta, together with President, will lay a wreath of flowers by the Freedom Monument, at 7 p.m. Fra’ Matthew Festing will participate in a state dinner, organized in his honor by the president.

The president’s Chapter of Orders have decided to grant 10 Latvia’s state highest State Awards to members of the Order of Malta. The Grand Master Fra’ Matthew Festing will receive the First Class Order of the Three Stars.

The president’s public relation advisor, Maija Celmina, confirmed to LETA that the Order of the Three Stars will be bestowed during the framework of the Grand Master Fra’ Matthew Festing’s visit to Latvia, which will last until October 31.

Today, Cabinet of Ministers will review draft project on signing a memorandum of understanding between the governments of Latvia and the Order of Malta. On the side from Latvian government the memorandum of understanding will be signed by the Ambassador of Latvia to the Order of Malta Alberts Sarkanis.

The Latvian Foreign Ministry points out that signing the memorandum will enhance the development of cooperation between Latvia and Malta by diversifying cooperation in the social, humanitarian and health care sectors, as well as setting the framework and guidelines for further relations in the future.

October 20th, 2008 by Racket Magazine

Daniel Estulin
The True Story of the Bilderberg Group
Trine Day Books
5.5/10

Since the dawn of mankind, or at least the turn of the last century, conspiracy theories have always existed. From the Kennedy assassinations to rumors of an underground network of brainwashed sex slaves, such rumors have always benefited from the supposed secrecy of the shadowy organizations they addressed, whether they be the Freemasons or the Central Intelligence Agency. These groups are said to run the world, and in some cases they’ve come close to doing just that, but the truth is hardly that simple. Nor do their tentacles extend as far as some conspiracy theorists- and even the groups’ leaders themselves- would hope. Yet that is exactly what Daniel Estulin claims in his new book The True Story of the Bilderberg Group. It is an alarming tale of greed, paranoia, and power run amok, and yet, in many ways the book suffers from the same affliction as its subjects.

Full story

Aaron Dykes - October 3, 2008

During a somewhat gimmicky Today Show interview with George H.W. Bush, the elder ‘41′ reminisced about his debates with Geraldine Ferraro, the only other woman to run for Vice President in a major party, who sat alongside him in a discussion about gender roles and discussed the significance of Sarah Palin’s VP candidacy in anticipation of the debate.

At about 2:20 into the interview, the Today Show cuts to another location where the former President is wearing a ballcap displaying the Bohemian Grove owl logo along with his boastful ‘41′ wind jacket. As the screenshot (right) indicates, the owl is distinctly that of the Bohemian Club, as shown in the noted designs.

The elder Bush’s wearing it during a televised interview should be read as a ‘thumb up’ at the democratic will of the people and a reminder that the electoral process is little more than a sham thinly concealing the rule by secrecy that really goes on behind the scenes.

Full story

Rhodes Memorial, Cape Town, South Africa, modeled after the Greek Temple at Segesta

Rhodes originally wrote this on June 2, 1877, in Oxford. Later, that year in Kimberley, he made some additions and changes. What follows is that amended statement. The spelling and grammar errors were in the original. (source)

It often strikes a man to inquire what is the chief good in life; to one the thought comes that it is a happy marriage, to another great wealth, and as each seizes on his idea, for that he more or less works for the rest of his existence. To myself thinking over the same question the wish came to render myself useful to my country. I then asked myself how could I and after reviewing the various methods I have felt that at the present day we are actually limiting our children and perhaps bringing into the world half the human beings we might owing to the lack of country for them to inhabit that if we had retained America there would at this moment be millions more of English living. I contend that we are the finest race in the world and that the more of the world we inhabit the better it is for the human race. Just fancy those parts that are at present inhabited by the most despicable specimens of human beings what an alteration there would be if they were brought under Anglo-Saxon influence, look again at the extra employment a new country added to our dominions gives. I contend that every acre added to our territory means in the future birth to some more of the English race who otherwise would not be brought into existence. Added to this the absorption of the greater portion of the world under our rule simply means the end of all wars, at this moment had we not lost America I believe we could have stopped the Russian-Turkish war by merely refusing money and supplies. Having these ideas what scheme could we think of to forward this object. I look into history and I read the story of the Jesuits I see what they were able to do in a bad cause and I might say under bad leaders.

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Paul and Phillip Collins | 2008-09-29 - Previous installments of this series have examined the disturbing conjunction between the Minute Men, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, Malthusian population control advocates, and Dominionist organizations like the Council for National Policy (CNP). [...] This installment shall attempt to elucidate the neo-Confederate Trojan Horse within the so-called “Ron Paul Revolution.” Masquerading as libertarians, these neo-Confederates are trying to use Paul’s movement as a vehicle for divisive racial politics and secessionist objectives.

Conspiracy Archive: The Ruling Class-Sponsored Race War and the Balkanization of America Part Four

Frances Wilson - September 23, 2008

Not only did the devil, as Blake observed, grab for himself the best lines of Paradise Lost, but by the 18th century he seems to have got into the top secret societies as well. No hell-raising libertine could join one of the thrillingly named Hell-Fire clubs unless Satan would have him as a member. The clubs, which appeared across the country like the mark of the beast, were rumoured to toast their diabolical leader and so confident were the Irish Hell-Fire members of the devil’s approval that they saved him a seat at their meetings. One night he did indeed join them, bursting forth from the body of a black cat and shooting up through the roof of the building. The Satan-shaped hole he left could be seen by all, but “this story”, Evelyn Lord tells us in her sober and sobering book, “is obviously apocryphal”.

The Hell-Fire clubs were, like the sphinx in Oscar Wilde’s story, societies without a secret. Were it not for the dubious stories that stuck to them as feathers will to tar — members, it was variously rumoured, indulged in blasphemy, rape, devil-worship, the occult, pornography, orgies and murder — there would be very little to say about them other than that they were flamboyant drinking societies whose purpose was to shock. They consisted of well-born rakes or “Rake Hells” with time to kill and money to lose, and they did nothing more scandalous to public morals, so Lord concludes, than question the established church. More interesting than what the Hell-Fire clubs got up to is what the public believed they got up to, and Lord is in the curious position of having to sex her subject down.

Full story

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The Hell Fire Clubs: Sex, Satanism and Secret Societies

Samir Salama - September 22, 2008

Abu Dhabi: The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, which has been officially outlawed as a political organisation, is a political and not a religious movement, said an expert in Islamic movements.

“The Muslim Brotherhood movement’s belief in the inseparability of politics and religion proves that its true goal is to establish a theocracy, and that its declared acceptance of political pluralism and the alternation of power is insincere,” Abdul Rahim Ali, founder and director of the Arab Centre for Islamic Movements Studies, told the majlis of General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

Full story

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Related

• Western Intelligence and the Rise of the Muslim Brotherhood
• Compromised at the Top
• The Reemerging Swastika

Ben Goldby - Sep. 17th

In the plush grounds of the prestigious Yale University in Connecticut a grim, grey building known as “the tomb” sits amid the affluence and elegance of America’s most illustrious law school.

What lurks behind the imposing entrance to the spooky cavern is a mystery to all but the chosen few who are initiated each year into the ultra-secretive Skull & Bones society.

The fraternity, established in the early 1830s and modelled on German university sects, counts myriad Senators, CIA staff and state department diplomats amongst its membership.

It has also nurtured three US Presidents, William Taft, George Bush Snr and George W Bush, as well as the current President’s 2004 democratic opponent John Kerry.

Full story

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