[Mr 5 0]

Conspiracy theories centering around so-called secret societies that 'rule the world' are numerous and long-running because they give comfort to many who like to believe that life really IS all a big plot or that every major event, every unexplained death of anyone famous or powerful, any downturns in the world stock markets, and just about everything important, including every war, is all part a master plan - operated over centuries with the assistance of thousands of people - to 'run the world'.

Conspiracy buffs will often insert their favorite villains into the plot; Jews usually are the first in line, often described as 'world bankers', media moguls of course, church leaders, every government leader (in some way shape or form) and anyone else they can throw into the mix. Nothing happens in the world (including 9/11) without a sinister reason traced back to the ongoing Illuminati conspiracy (or the same group with another name) and there are no accidents or coincidences to the conspiracy true believers. The 'proof' of the never-ending worldwide plot to run the world is usually attributed to Satan and uses the bible, mostly the Old Testament, to justify the claim. As a Christian, I resent this. While Christianity does teach, from scripture, that Satan is 'prince' of the world, he can also be easily thwarted by God at any time - and often is. The mixing of the religious and the secular is clever as it uses some bibical truth; Satan has great power - he runs the world - he uses willing people to do so. True, from a Christian prospective, but the massive plot aspects of the Illuminati theory don't jibe with bibical truth, in most cases. I don't wish to start a religious debate (I just don't have the time) so I'll simply state that from a bibical perspective, God has ultimate control, not Satan. See the Book of Job in the Old Testament to understand how this works.

I find the whole 'Illuminati' thing along with most conspiracy theories, tedious and rather absurd, needing thousands of people over hundreds of years to join together in a massive plot but work independently, never, ever reveal anything to anyone and go undetected since the eighteenth century, except by the folks who propose these theories, of course, then sell books about it to those eager to obtain the 'special knowledge' that really explains everything and that only a 'select' few (hundred thousand) know about. Sorry, I'm not buying, thanks and I gave at the office.

While I'm certain many powerful men both in and out of government have and will continue to try to choose government leaders, start wars, influence opinion and generally 'run the world' I do not subscribe to the 'One Big Conspiracy' theory the so-called Illuminati represents. Too massive and too convenient as a catch-all that 'explains' far too many major historical events as simply 'part of the plot'. The anti-semitism is also rather glaring in some of these articles and books and that, alone, loses me, fast for a variety of reasons, even though I'm not Jewish. Again, I admit that there are plenty of conspiracies around and some major world events are a result of them (Osama bin Laden and Muslim-led world terrorism is a good example but hardly secret) but I do not believe that every major world event, especially the ones that cause mass deaths or major financial problems are the result of some sinsister group of people around the world. It's very comic-book and James Bondish type of thinking. The fact that one can claim that since many don't believe it this somehow validates the theory because it shows how successful the Illuminati really are in staying hidden is one of those circular arguments that isn't worth debating - and I will not.

We are all quite free to believe whatever we want and if some folks truly think that everything that happens on the world stage is another piece of a jigsaw puzzle being put together by evil men guided by Satanic forces around the world, fooling all but those who read the books, the magazines and the websites that 'expose' this never-ending conspiracy every day (but still, it stays hidden from 99% of the population because 'the powerful' WANT it that way) that's fine with me. I don't buy it, never have, never will. Yes, I've read some of the information and it's all too easy, too convenient and too full of holes to suit me. People work in their own interest and to expect all these powerful people around the world to be 'in' a vast but still somehow cleverly disconnected secret plot to 'run' everything is simply preposterous, in my opinion. Makes a great movie plot, though.