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Why are secret societies secret?

janesix

Active Member
Why are secret societies, like the masons, rosicrutians etc secret? They are supposedly modern mystery schools, and the ancient mystery schools were secret as well. What's the secret, and why are they hiding? I can understand that during the middle ages that they had to hide things from the church, but before and after that? What's the deal?
 

Orbit

I'm a planet
Why are secret societies, like the masons, rosicrutians etc secret? They are supposedly modern mystery schools, and the ancient mystery schools were secret as well. What's the secret, and why are they hiding? I can understand that during the middle ages that they had to hide things from the church, but before and after that? What's the deal?

I think you answered your own question--and after that it was tradition.
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
There can be two basic reasons for secret groups.

One is personal satisfaction at knowing something other's don't know - the feeling of being special.

The other is that many people can't handle knowing something. To use an obvious example, young children have no capacity to really understand sexual attraction in all its forms. Only when they mature enough will they understand from personal experience what's involved.

My sense is that the time for secret societies has passed.
 

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
To add a third, mystery religions/traditions are also kept secret because they are fundamentally experiential. That is to say, you cannot experience the mysteries of that tradition without experiencing them in the context of that tradition.
 
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