Definition of a secret society--
Yes it is a copy and paste,however the question was what is a Secret Society
"A secret society is a club or organization whose members do not disclose their membership, and may be sworn to hold it secret. The term is sometimes
also used to describe fraternal organizations which may have secret ceremonies.
Secret societies are often the subject of much suspicion and speculation from non-members, and often feature in conspiracy theories.
Secret societies are illegal in several countries. In the European Union, Poland has made the ban a part of its constitution. Article 13 of the
Constitution of the Republic of Poland states:
"Political parties and other organizations whose programmes are based upon totalitarian methods and the modes of activity of nazism, fascism and
communism, as well as those whose programmes or activities sanction racial or national hatred, the application of violence for the purpose of
obtaining power or to influence the State policy, or provide for the secrecy of their own structure or membership, shall be prohibited."
Some--though certainly not all--secret societies may strive for secrecy for reasons of illegal activity."
en.wikipedia.org...
--Here is a list of
known Secret Societies (Of course by being known, they aren't to secret are they)
Secret societies
Angelic Society
Adelfi
Bella Constantina
Bilderberg Group
Bishop James Madison Society (College of William and Mary)
Brotherhood of the Snake
Brotherhood of the Golden Dagger (Rutgers University)
Cambridge Apostles
Camorra
Carbonari
Dragon Rouge
Edennisti
Eight Letters
Episkopon (
www.episkopon.com...) (University of Trinity College)
European Patriots
F.H.C. Society
Fenian Brotherhood
Filadelfi
Four Colours (secret society)
Germanenorden
Hellenists
House of Flying Daggers
Illuminati
Iron Arrow Honor Society
Know-Nothings
League of Outlaws
League of the Just
League of the Holy Court
Mafia
Mau Mau
Michigamua
Mountain (West Virginia University)
Narodnik
Order of DeMolay
Order of the Solar Temple
Order of the Bull's Blood (Rutgers University)
Order of the Gimghoul
Ordo Templi Orientis
Owl Society (University of Pennsylvania)
Perfect Masons
Quill and Dagger (Cornell University)
Red Lotus Society
Rosicrucians
Round table groups
Scroll and Key (Yale University)
Secret Society of the Seven
Seven Society
Sect of Five
Seven Letters
Shirtless Ones
Skull and Bones (Yale University)
Sociedad secreta Abakuá
Speculative Society
Sublime Perfect Masters
Sword and Serpent (Rutgers University)
Society of Harmonious Fists
Society of the Seasons
Society of the Venerable Souls in Purgatory
Supreme Masters
St. John the Baptist (secret society)
Tabard (University of Pennsylvania)
Theos (University of Pennsylvania)
The School of Night
The Woolcombers' Union
Sicari
The Central Tomb
The Machine (University of Alabama)
The Men of Decision
The Men of the Dagger
The Onion (secret society)
Three Colours (secret society)
Tong (secret society)
Tonton Macoute
Triad
Trilateral Commission
Tugendbund
Unnamed Ones
Vihan Veljet
Walhalla-orden
White Lotus Society
White Pilgrims
Yakuza
Many secret societies have been established on university campuses[1] (
mill-valley.freemasonry.biz...), including, most
notably, Skull and Bones (1832) at Yale University, the Order of the Bull's Blood (1834) at Rutgers University and the Bishop James Madison Society
(1812) at The College of William & Mary. The first collegiate secret society was the FHC Club (1750), followed by Phi Beta Kappa (1776), both founded
at William & Mary. William & Mary's early exposure to secret societies allowed these types of organizations to flourish there. It now serves as host
to at least five, including the 7 Society, the 13 Club, the Alpha Club, the FHC, and the Bishop James Madison Society.
Formerly secret or semi-secret societies:
AMORC: Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis
Bilderberg Group
Confraternity of the Rose Cross
Freemasonry (membership hasn't been strictly secret since the late 20th century)
FUDOFSI
FUDOSI
Ku Klux Klan
Order Militia Crucifera Evangelica
Phi Beta Kappa (began as a secret society, but eliminated secrecy in 1831)
Technocracy
Alleged secret societies
Priory of Sion
Kom'Royza
Fictional secret societies
Brotherhood of the Cruciform Sword in Steven Spielberg's film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Cabal, in the works of Robert A. Heinlein
The Central Anarchist Council in G.K. Chesterton's The Man Who Was Thursday
The Committee to Unelect the Patrician in Discworld (parodies the Committee to Re-elect the President)
Darkfriends, in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time
The Elucidated Brethren of the Ebon Night in Discworld
Harpers, in the Forgotten Realms Dungeons & Dragons game setting
The Millennium Group, a law enforcement consulting firm and centuries old quasi-cult based upon Judeo-Christian "End Time" prophecies in the
Millennium television series.
S.P.E.C.T.R.E., in the works of Ian Fleming
Order of the Phoenix, in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series
The Stonecutters, from The Simpsons
Second Foundation, in The Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov
External links
A Survey of Secret Societies (
mill-valley.freemasonry.biz...)
BTW- each of the societies listed above, has a link, however not all links will take you to information about the society. Some are blank pages,
apparently waiting for someone to fill in the definition for that society
[edit on 25-11-2004 by NetStorm]