# Illuminati and the Masons **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [May 1, 2002, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illuminati-and-the-masons/106693 "2002-05-01T17:31:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![porkchop\_d\_clown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@porkchop\_d\_clown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porkchop_d_clown)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illuminati-and-the-masons/106693/1 "2002-05-01T17:31:15Z")
Cecil, As a member in good standing of the Free and Accepted Masons, the Shrine of North America and the Tall Cedars of Lebanon, I want to tell you that we bear you no animosity whatsoever. The black helicopters hovering over your home are merely a courtesy we extend to everyone who expresses such a deep interest in our New World Order. When the man in black knocks on your door, please be polite and go along quietly. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illuminati-and-the-masons/106693/2 "2002-05-01T18:06:27Z")
Welcome to the SDMB, and thank thee for posting thy comment. Please include a link to Cecilā€™s column if itā€™s on the straight dope web site. To include a link, it can be as simple as including the web page location in thy post (make sure there is a space **before** and **after** the text of the URL). Cecilā€™s column can be found on-line at this link: [Does May Day actually commemorate the birth of the Illuminati? (04-Feb-1982)](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_043.html) * * * moderator, Ā«[**Comments on Cecilā€™s Columns**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=1)Ā» ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illuminati-and-the-masons/106693/3 "2002-05-02T18:02:51Z")
[sub]fnord[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illuminati-and-the-masons/106693/4 "2002-05-02T19:17:17Z")
Iā€™m sorry UncleBill- I canā€™t see your last post. Could you repeat it? šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![porkchop\_d\_clown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@porkchop\_d\_clown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porkchop_d_clown)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illuminati-and-the-masons/106693/5 "2002-05-02T19:24:39Z")
Hey! Remember, the All Seeing Eye is watching you. You donā€™t think that pyramid on the dollar bill is for decoration do you? Sigh. Ever since that Tomb Raider movie, people have been getting postively snippy. Whatā€™s a conspirator to do? ---
**Author:** ![Hoopy\_Frood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoopy_frood/32/8452_2.png) [@Hoopy\_Frood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoopy_Frood)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illuminati-and-the-masons/106693/6 "2002-05-03T16:26:31Z")
Just wondering who out there has ever read _The Illuminatus! Trilogy_ by Shea and Wilson. Oddest and most nonsensical book I think Iā€™ve ever had the combined pleasure and displeasure to read. Its one of those books where you know the authors are laughing to themselves as the reader is compelled to actually plod through there 800 or so pages of nonsequiters, contradicitions, and hundreds of characters most of whom only show up once, or show up multiple times in different forms. Heck, even the narrator canā€™t make up his mind who he wants to be. Samuel Stoddared does a really good job of summing up the book in his Book-A-Minute at Rinkworks: [http://www.rinkworks.com/bookaminute/b/sheawilson.illuminatus.shtml](http://www.rinkworks.com/bookaminute/b/sheawilson.illuminatus.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![porkchop\_d\_clown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@porkchop\_d\_clown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porkchop_d_clown)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illuminati-and-the-masons/106693/7 "2002-05-03T16:44:57Z")
> [@](#): > > Just wondering who out there has ever read The Illuminatus! Trilogy by Shea and Wilson. Given the previous replies to this thread, Iā€™m pretty sure every one of us has. Love that book-a-minute link. LoL. I preferred ā€œFocaultā€™s Pendelumā€, though. Eco is an amazing writer. ---
**Author:** ![Hoopy\_Frood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoopy_frood/32/8452_2.png) [@Hoopy\_Frood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoopy_Frood)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illuminati-and-the-masons/106693/8 "2002-05-03T18:20:10Z")
I just realized I made an error in crediting the guy who wrote the book a minute. Although itā€™s Stoddardā€™s website, the author of the summary was David J. Parker. Havenā€™t red _Focaultā€™s_. Might have to check that one out. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illuminati-and-the-masons/106693/9 "2002-05-03T23:04:20Z")
Personally, I preferred _Schroedingerā€™s Cat_ by the same authors. A much better head-trip, IMO. The last three pages are amazing, like fireworks in the brain. Yeah, itā€™s a kind of juvenile stunt, but fnord itā€™s still pulled off pretty well. ---
**Author:** ![porkchop\_d\_clown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@porkchop\_d\_clown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porkchop_d_clown)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2002, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illuminati-and-the-masons/106693/10 "2002-05-04T03:21:21Z")
Focaultā€™s Pendelum is more of a thriller than a head trip - until you get to the very, very end and you realize that - yes - Eco has been messing with your head and very effectively, too. Really incredible author - he uses words the way a juggler uses balls - or maybe flaming torches.