What are the connections between secret societies and the Church?, page 1

Pike again I have to point out was a hoax:
Actual thought of Pike:
"Masonry does not pretend to be a religion; but it is not irreligious
or irreverent. It does not assume to take the place of any religion,
or claim to make religion unnecessary. To charge it with this is to
libel it. It requires its initiates to believe in one God and a Divine
Providence, and that the soul survives the dissolution of the body.
Thus it teaches those great primary truths on which all religion must
repose; and it inculcates those principles of pure morality which have
commended themselves to the good and wise of all ages." (pike � Ritual
for the Reception of a Louveteau p.14)

Weishaupt was a Jesuit,
He was born and raised in Ingolstadt ! Coat of Arms ! Map |

encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com...

He worked at first to divest Freemasonry of its pseudohistorical mumbo-jumbo and reform it. Weishaupt had no use for other occultisms in general: "It is by this scale that we must measure the mad and wicked explanations of the Rosycrucions, the exorcists and Cabalists. These are rejected by all good Masons, because incompatible with social happiness." His project of "illumination, enlightening the understanding by the sun of reason, which will dispel the clouds of superstition and of prejudice" was an unwelcome reform. Soon however he had developed gnostic mysteries of his own, with the goal of perfecting human nature through re-education to achieve a communal state of nature, freed of government and organized religion. He began working towards incorporating his system of Illuminism into that of Masonry, with the aim of spreading his ideals throughout the world. "I did not bring Deism into Bavaria," he wrote, "more than into Rome. I found it here, in great vigour, more abounding than in any of the neighboring Protestant States. I am proud to be known to the world as the founder of the Illuminati."

Layola
www.religiouscounterfeits.org...
The Society of Jesus, the largest Roman Catholic Religious Order, whose members are called "Jesuits", was founded by Ignatius of Loyola. Ignatius was born at Loyola in the Spanish Basque country in 1491. He adopted a military career, and upon being wounded in the leg at the seige of Pampeluna he was obliged to undergo a long convalescence. During this time, he underwent a fantastic "Spiritual Transformation".

THE LOS ALUMBRADOS- "The Illuminated Ones"

Well, there is no way to break this news gently to you, and so I will just go ahead and say it. The Founder of the Jesuit Order, Ignatius Loyola, was a Witch! Literally! Ignatius belonged to a Witchcraft Group called THE ILLUMINATI, in his native tongue called "The Los Alumbrados". (See Encyclopedia Brittanica, Vol. 14, 1910, pg. 320)

Pike was not a Jesuit, he never defamed the Christian church and was a devoted Christian.

The Illuminati which is oft tried to be linked to Freemasonry although there has nevr been any evidence to support the speculation. Is Dufunked and no longer exists except in the theories of the scare mongers and conspiracy propagandists.
www.masonicinfo.com...