Illuminati is a word that is used more than often in this modern world. Children as young as seven have been heard mentioning this intriguing word, mostly applied in the entertainment industry. I first heard the word illuminati in a social meeting some years ago. I did not quite get the clear meaning of the word, which led me into asking various people, who ended up confusing me.
This is because each person had a different opinion about it. Hence, this word has been very mysterious to me and the mention of it makes me want to know more facts about it. People with strong religious beliefs are normally cautious whenever the word is used due to a spiritual link it provides.
According to Dictionary.com, the word Illuminati pronounces as [ih-loo-muh-nah-tee], means a group of people that claim to possess some form of superior enlightenment. It is said that the word is derived from the Latin word “illuminare” which means either to enlighten or illuminate (Collins English Dictionary 34).
The Houghton Mifflin Company defines illuminati as a group of people who are unusually knowledgeable about a certain subject.
The Collins English Dictionary offers various meanings according to organizations, i.e. according to:
- Philosophy, it means whichever of the groups of illuminati from France, especially in the 18th century.
- Christianity/Roman Catholic community, it means a group of enthusiastic Christians who were persecuted in Spain in the 16th century.
- Other Christian churches, it refers to a sect founded in 1778 that claimed Christ’s illuminating grace rested only in Bavaria. Other Christian churches believe it is a Rosicrucians’ rare name.
Illuminati Wikipedia states that illuminati refers to the most secret society in the world. The “New World Order” is sometimes used in place of the word.
Blogger Michele Travis suggests that the first time that word was ever written was from the Rosicrucian’s official printings (Hubpages). The printing was about the commissioning of the Illuminati brothers to spread their doctrines to other lands in 1203 B.C. The word then faded away till 1976 when it reappeared.
Several signs and symbols are believed to represent illuminati. The “udjat” which refers to a human eye in a triangular shape is a very common sign. The inverted cross is also used to represent illuminati and is found on many great personalities’ tombs. There is also the hand sign whereby the index and fifth fingers pointed up while the thumb crosses the folded third and fourth fingers.
Negative connotations have been associated with this illuminati word. It is a word believed by many to have many meanings. The word is associated with a secret group growing fast, which aim is to rule or take over the world. This has led to a conspiracy since most people have no clear history or origin of the word (Houghton Mifflin Company 24).
Some people associated the word illuminati to a powerful satanic group or cult that came to existence recently. Rumors are also going round that some celebrities as well as some eminent persons in the world belong to the group (Hubpages 67).
The word Illuminati remains to be mysterious to many people. Most of who prefer to ignore it and not explore its hidden meaning. I believe it will take some time before the use of the word portrays a clear meaning without ambiguity.
Works Cited
Houghton Mifflin Company. American Heritage Dictionary, Fourth Edition (American Heritage Dictionary (mass Market Paper)). USA: Dell. 2010. Print.
Collins English Dictionary (Collins Complete and Unabridged): Complete & Unabridged. USA: HarperCollins Publishers. 2003. Print.
Hubpages. Prairie View A&M. 2003. Web.