Secret Societies & The Grand Plan
Overview
A central claim in the Pax Judaica framework is that secret societies—particularly Freemasons and the Illuminati—have been orchestrating world events for centuries according to a "grand plan" derived from biblical prophecy interpretation. This article examines these claims, presents the evidence, and provides mainstream historical context.
Isaac Newton: The Alleged Originator
Newton's Biblical Studies
Some framings of the Pax Judaica theory position Isaac Newton as the intellectual originator of an orchestrated plan.
Historical fact: Newton did write extensively on biblical prophecy and spent considerable time on alchemical and theological studies alongside his scientific work. His posthumously published Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse of St. John (1733) attempts to interpret biblical prophecy.1
Key scholarly works on Newton's religious writings include:
- Rob Iliffe, Priest of Nature: The Religious Worlds of Isaac Newton (2017)2
- Stephen Snobelen's research on Newton's eschatology3
Claim vs. Reality: While Newton's religious writings are genuine, the assertion that they became "the basis of Freemasonry" and a plan for orchestrating world events is not supported by mainstream historical evidence. Newton was not a Freemason according to documented membership records.4
The Alleged "Plan"
According to the framework, Newton's biblical interpretation yielded a sequence of events to be engineered:
Critical evaluation: Newton did write about the restoration of Jews to Israel as a prophetic expectation, viewing it as something God would bring about rather than something humans should engineer.3 The claim of an operational "plan" derived from these writings requires evidence not found in historical records.
Freemasonry
Historical Origins
The documented history of Freemasonry is well-studied by historians:
- Medieval origins: Evolved from stonemason guilds and lodges5
- Scottish emergence: First documented non-operative (speculative) Masonic lodges appear in late 16th/early 17th century Scotland6
- First Grand Lodge: Established in London in 1717, when four lodges merged7
- Expansion: Spread throughout Europe and to colonies in 18th century
Key academic sources on Masonic history:
- David Stevenson, The Origins of Freemasonry: Scotland's Century, 1590-1710 (1988)6
- Margaret Jacob, The Origins of Freemasonry: Facts and Fictions (2005)8
- Jessica Harland-Jacobs, Builders of Empire: Freemasons and British Imperialism, 1717-1927 (2007)9
Claims in the Framework
The framework claims Freemasonry exists to implement a biblical prophecy plan and that America was founded to achieve this purpose.
What's documented:
- Several American founders were indeed Freemasons, including Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and others10
- Freemasonry was influential in Enlightenment-era elite networks
- Masonic lodges provided spaces for social networking across class lines
What's contested:
- The claim that Freemasonry exists to implement a specific biblical prophecy plan
- Masonic historians describe the organization's purposes differently: fraternity, moral philosophy, mutual aid, and networking7
- Freemasonry contains members of diverse and often contradictory religious views
What Freemasons Actually Believe
Freemasonry's stated principles, as documented in Grand Lodge materials:7
- Belief in a Supreme Being (required for membership, but interpretation left to individual)
- Moral self-improvement through ritual and symbolism
- Fraternal bonds and charitable work
- Commitment to civil society and rule of law
Freemasonry is not a religion and does not claim to offer a path to salvation. Its rituals draw on biblical imagery (particularly the building of Solomon's Temple) but as moral allegory rather than operational blueprint.5
The Illuminati
Historical Facts
The Bavarian Illuminati is one of the most documented "secret societies" in history:
- Founded: May 1, 1776, by Adam Weishaupt, professor of law at University of Ingolstadt11
- Original name: Order of the Perfectibilists (Perfektibilisten)
- Goals: Promoted Enlightenment ideals (rationalism, secularism, liberalism, republicanism)
- Organization: Hierarchical with grades of initiation
- Peak membership: Perhaps 2,000-3,000 members across Bavaria and beyond
- Suppression: Bavarian government banned secret societies in 1785; Illuminati effectively dissolved12
Primary sources:
- Illuminati documents were seized by Bavarian authorities and published: Einige Originalschriften des Illuminatenordens (1787)13
- These documents are available in academic archives and have been studied by historians
Claims in the Framework
The framework claims Adam Weishaupt co-founded the Illuminati with Jacob Frank and that they infiltrated Freemasonry.
Jacob Frank: A historical figure (1726-1791) who led a controversial Jewish messianic movement (Frankism) and later converted to Catholicism.14
Critical evaluation: The claim of Frank co-founding the Illuminati with Weishaupt is not supported by primary sources or mainstream historical scholarship. Weishaupt founded the order and its early membership records are documented.11
Infiltration narrative: The idea that the Illuminati infiltrated and took over Freemasonry is a long-standing conspiracy theory, popularized in works like:
- Abbé Augustin Barruel, Memoirs Illustrating the History of Jacobinism (1797)15
- John Robison, Proofs of a Conspiracy (1797)16
Modern historians consider these early conspiracy texts as examples of the "paranoid style" that has recurred throughout history, as analyzed by Richard Hofstadter.17 The historical Bavarian Illuminati was effectively dissolved after 1785.
The Rothschild Family
Historical Role
The Rothschild banking dynasty is documented in serious historical scholarship:
- Founder: Mayer Amschel Rothschild (1744-1812), Frankfurt, Germany
- Expansion: Established branches across Europe (Frankfurt, London, Paris, Vienna, Naples) through his five sons18
- Activities: Government bonds, railway financing, mining investments
- Peak influence: Mid-19th century; first family to operate international banking across national lines
Key academic sources:
- Niall Ferguson, The House of Rothschild (2 volumes, 1998)18 - Authorized access to family archives
- Herbert Kaplan, Nathan Mayer Rothschild and the Creation of a Dynasty (2006)19
- Frederic Morton, The Rothschilds: A Family Portrait (1962)20
Documented Activities
What the Rothschilds actually did, per historical records:
- Financed government debt during Napoleonic Wars (multiple sides)18
- Facilitated British purchase of Suez Canal shares (1875)21
- Major investors in Cecil Rhodes' mining ventures22
- Supported early Zionist settlement (Baron Edmond de Rothschild)23
- Involved in gold market through N.M. Rothschild participation in London Gold Fix (1919-2004)24
Claims vs. History
The Rothschilds frequently appear in conspiracy theories as orchestrators of all wars and world events. While they were genuinely influential bankers, claims of total control rely on:
- Exaggerated or fabricated quotes: Many "Rothschild quotes" circulating online have no documented source25
- Post-hoc attribution: Events involving finance are attributed to them without evidence
- Antisemitic tropes: The "Jewish banker" stereotype has centuries of history26
Ferguson's authorized biography, with access to family archives, presents a more complex picture: a family of ambitious bankers who were influential but also suffered failures, faced competition, and were subjects of persecution.18
"Sponsored Thinkers"
The framework claims that British philosophy was deliberately promoted to create a materialist worldview:
| Thinker | Alleged Purpose | Historical Context |
|---|
| John Locke | Promote private property | Wrote in context of Glorious Revolution debates27 |
|---|---|---|
| David Hume | Discourage religious thinking | Scottish Enlightenment philosopher; complex religious views28 |
| Jeremy Bentham | Utilitarianism as ethics | Reformer focused on legal/prison reform29 |
| John Stuart Mill | Individual happiness | Liberal philosopher; complex relationship with Bentham30 |
| Karl Marx | Material freedom | Communist theorist; actually criticized capitalism31 |
| Charles Darwin | Undermine religion | Naturalist; religious views evolved over time32 |
Critical perspective: This claim requires believing that:
Historians of ideas explain the development of these philosophies through their intellectual contexts, institutional settings, and debates with contemporaries—not secret coordination.33
The Control of Science
Claims Made
The framework suggests that:
- Science is deliberately steered away from consciousness, spirituality, etc.
- Particle accelerators like CERN may be attempts to open "interdimensional portals"
- Specialization, bureaucracy, and credentialism are intentional barriers
Alternative Explanations
Historians and sociologists of science offer different perspectives:
For academic history of science, see:
- Steven Shapin, The Scientific Revolution (1996)37
- Thomas Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962)38
Evaluating These Claims
When assessing secret society theories, consider:
Questions to Ask
Documented vs. Speculative
| Documented | Speculative |
|---|
| Newton wrote on prophecy | Newton's writings became Masonic doctrine |
|---|---|
| Freemasons existed; founders were members | America founded to fulfill biblical plan |
| Illuminati existed 1776-1785 | Illuminati continues to control world |
| Rothschilds were powerful bankers | Rothschilds orchestrate all major events |
| British Empire was influential | British thinkers were "sponsored" to shape worldview |
Further Reading
This article presents claims made within the Pax Judaica framework alongside critical analysis and mainstream historical scholarship. Many assertions are not supported by documented evidence.
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