What is the illuminati?

The Illuminati (plural of Latin illuminatus, "enlightened") is a name given to several groups, both real and fictitious. Historically, the name usually refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on 1 May 1776. They were outlawed through edict, by the Bavarian ruler, Charles Theodore, with the encouragement of the Roman Catholic Church.

It was a small group of people in Bavaria in the 1770s and 1780s who believed people should form their beliefs based on science and logic instead of old European tradition and religion. European royalty and The Church were so upset about such a radical idea (for that time) that they started the false propaganda that the Illuminati were devil-worshipers trying to take over the world.

It goes to show the power of propaganda. The Illuminati disbanded over 200 years ago and never reformed but the false propaganda about them still exists today.

It was a group of intellectuals in Bavaria, who discussed politics. They existed from 1776-1785 when the Prince-Elector outlawed them. As they had secrets (like many other groups), he though that they were plotting against him. Some groups were, but, not the Illuminati. Still, they were outlawed anyway.

It was a society of mostly Christian intellectuals that was ordered by the Church to disband more than two hundred years ago. Because the Church had it's own army back then, the order was obeyed. There has been no such organization since then.

It's a philosophy to live by. It goes something like this:

Lord let me worry over those things I can resolve and let me not worry over those things I can do nothing about. But most of all, let me know the difference.