The existence of a secret society known as the Illuminati remains one of the most enduring conspiracy theories of modern times, however it has it’s very real foundation and history - the group itself was real. The Order of the Illuminati was a secret group founded in Bavaria in 1776 by Adam Weishaupt, who believed “the monarchy and the church were repressing freedom of thought”, Weishaupt “decided to find another form of ‘illumination’, a set of ideas and practices that could be applied to radically change the way European states were run. He based his society on the Freemasons, with a hierarchy and mysterious rituals, and named it the Order of Illuminati to reflect the enlightened ideals of its educated members.

Dr. Obadiah Harris (1930 - 2019) had spent decades devoting himself to the wisdom traditions of the world. His career spanned decades and included serving as a minister, a counselor, teacher, professor at New Mexico State University and Arizona State University, public speaker and author of several books. Beginning in 1991 he served as President of the Philosophical Research Society. He also was able to digitize the Manly Hall Library which makes it available to the world. During this process he was able to protect and repair several ancient texts. He retired in 2017 and was granted the title of President Emeritus by the Board of Directors of the Philosophical Research Society and UPR.

From the Archives: This live interview was recorded on August 7, 1999 on the nationally syndicated radio program, hosted by Laura Lee . See more at www.lauralee.com

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