Freemasons have a fascinating history! A Shutterstock Licensed Image.

My father, uncle, and grandfather were Freemasons. My grandfather held the title of Worshipful Master (akin to a president) at a New York City lodge near the turn of the century and had some fascinating clothing and accessories — his ring was beyond cool.​

I remember asking Pop about his lodge when I was in kindergarten. Replying in his thick German accent, he said, “There is nothing for you to know at this time, boy.” I love that answer.

“George Washington Was A Mason, Along With 13 Other Presidents And Numerous Supreme Court Justices. Benjamin Franklin Published A Book About Freemasonry On His Own Printing Press. Nine Signers Of The Declaration Of Independence Were Freemasons, Including The Man With The Biggest Signature: John Hancock.”
— “Secrets of ‘The Lost Symbol,” MSNBC

The History Of Masonry

The Masons most likely grew as extensions of the membership rules of Scotsman William Schaw’s stonemasonry tribe and The Knights Templar; a secretive group of Christian warrior-monks that protected the aspirants who traveled along the pathways to the Holy Land.

At the turn of the 16th Century, William Schaw developed his own club-like culture, housed within a lodge, and infused with a set of rules for sworn members, including, “They shall be true to one another and live charitably together as becometh sworn brethren and companions of the Craft.”

When diplomats and politicians joined the organization in the mid-1600s, the stonemason lodge movement began its climb as a stealthy phenomenon. If you were politically active and wanted to connect with the power structures of the times, you would do just about anything to become a member of The Masons.

In 1717, Masonry created a formal organization in London, when four lodges united to form the first Grand Lodge. This gave the organization credibility and added to its membership’s mystical allure. Men flocked, begged, coerced, and maneuvered to become members. Everybody wanted in.

The Freemasons Of The United States

The United States Masons, otherwise known as The Freemasons, were a highly political society in the 1700s. The first US lodge was opened in 1730 in New Jersey, where they initiated early plans and strategies used to fight the British. With its growing vault of secrets, expanding political influence, and stealth missions, it was an exciting time to be a Freemason.

Initially, the Freemason creed declared anti-Catholic, anti-Royalty, and Republican virtues, including self-government, personal freedom, and free enterprise. The basic tenet was that no person or organization should be controlled or oppressed by a government or religion, or their respective laws and doctrines. At their start, and for centuries, The Freemasons were a feisty, calculating, and powerful coalition.

Much to the chagrin of The Catholic Church, the early Masonic organization’s philosophy evolved from Deist ideology, which believes God does not interfere with creation, as it runs itself according to the laws of nature.
If you were a Mason in Europe in the 1700s, you stood against the notion of natural selection as it pertained to royalty. As Masonry developed and grew, you rooted for the wild, unruly kids across the pond – the Americans.

In 1870, The Shriners, a group of elite Freemasons, created their first rituals, emblems, and costumes based on Middle Eastern themes, when 11 Master Masons were initiated into the organization.
And while it seems they were rigorously involved in politics, Freemasonry describes itself as a “beautiful system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.”

Masonic Secret Society

Long ago, when the British government and the Catholic Church were more militant, it was dangerous to share these secrets, so all members worked hard to protect them. This is why, for several centuries, the coveted secrets of the Freemasons were known only to loyal members.

While the rest of the world is no longer fearful of Freemasonry, The Catholic Church continues to warn its “faithful” of Freemasonry’s alleged anti-church teachings. In 1983, the papal state declared that Catholics “who enroll in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion.” This proclamation comes from the same church that continues to profess that women are not holy or God-ordained enough to be in the priesthood.

But that’s not to say Freemasonry’s history is entirely free of controversy…

On the notorious date of September 11, 1826, New York writer William Morgan was kidnapped from his home by a known group of Freemasons, and taken to Fort Niagara, never to be seen again. The attackers were eventually indicted but served lenient prison sentences. This kidnapping and assumed murder are why Freemasonry membership numbers began to decline throughout the United States.

Was Morgan killed because he threatened to reveal the secrets of the Masons in a brash exposé? Masonic thugs warned Morgan not to publish his book and repeatedly threatened him. There were many witnesses to these threats, and for a while, Morgan lived in fear of retribution, regularly transporting his wife and children between several safe, temporary homes.

For the most part, Freemasonry has maintained the core of its secrets. Over the past few centuries, Freemasons have been loyal to each other and the organization, helping increase Masonic influence in politics and businesses throughout the world. While it’s no longer a hotbed of controversy, Freemasonry membership still proves to have political, networking, and financial benefits.

Some of the secrets at the foundation of Masonic traditions, while fascinating, are not so secret anymore. Here are a few of the secrets that may or may not continue to hold any mystique:

• Members might roll up their pants to symbolize their understanding of what it takes to work on building a Masonic lodge
• There is a frightening initiation ceremony that reenacts the construction of Solomon’s temple
• Freemasons might not testify truthfully against each other
• There are secret handshakes, phrases, passwords, committees, and ceremonies
• One or more rituals involve a noose
• The sun is an inspiration for some of the rites, rituals, and ideologies
• Members who seek political office and financial control in business seem to earn notoriety and celebrity within the organization and specific lodges
• The symbols within Masonry are found throughout American architecture and on the US one-dollar bill (notice the pyramid on the back)

Freemasons around the world love their secrets, yet, Masonic leaders have maintained that Freemasons “are not a secret society, but rather a society with secrets.”

Masonic Rituals

Rituals help us physicalize our beliefs, desires, and commitments. For many, performing a weekly or monthly ritual is akin to a profound physical, psychological, or emotional cleanse. Rituals help people connect to themselves, their chosen communities, and their Gods.

Given that all Masons profess beliefs in a monotheistic God, it makes sense that rituals are an essential part of the culture. There are initiation rituals and ceremonies to commemorate a member’s advancement to new Masonic levels.

Geometry and architecture are essential themes within Freemasonry, which is why Freemasons often refer to God as either The Supreme Being or The Grand Geometrician. These names help keep the concept of God as generic, and not tied to a specific religion, which removes any chance that a member will be offended.

Without the specificity and allegiance to one particular faith, the community can focus on enjoying, relating to, and helping each other, rather than judging each other or seeking to enroll each other into a specific tradition.

Masonic Symbolism And Texts

In most Masonic lodges, the Bible, the Quran, Talmud, and Vedas are prominently displayed, which gives each member a holy text to reference and utilize during rites and rituals. Solomon’s Temple is a substantial part of the rituals and symbolism found within Freemasonry. During membership initiation rites, portions of the story of the structure’s construction on the Temple Mount are reenacted.

While no ciphers are used today, during the 18th century, the pigpen ciphers were used to keep Masonic rituals and memberships secret. Some lodges may have created their own systems, symbols, and rites to protect themselves. The Mormons utilize some of the same stories and symbols as the Freemasons; however, the meanings and purposes are not the same for both traditions.​

The secret art of Masonry can be found on the rings that most members enjoy wearing, which features the famous eye and pyramid, also located on the US one-dollar bill. These symbols can also be seen on the Masonic jewels of office, which are often worn as necklaces by the Masons who have specific responsibilities within the local, national or global organizations.​​

This necklace tradition goes back to the 1400s in England, when leaders of local craftsman guilds wore them after being placed on city councils and when given titles like mayor or sheriff.

Freemason Handshakes And Secret Masonic Hand Signs

The secret Freemason handshakes are not so secret anymore. You can google them and see a fascinating little list with images, noting their respective nuances.

The original reason for these handshakes was to validate someone’s membership at meetings, events, and secret missions. Today, vetting members occurs at the entrances to Masonic meetings, which requires membership cards and other forms of written or tangible identification.

Masonic Secret Word

While some lodges have a regionalized, secret lexicon, the most famous secret Masonic word is “Ma-ha-boneor,” or “Mahabone.” This word is commonly known to mean “The lodge doors are open.”
Some say that Maha was taken from Hebrew, meaning, “What, the builder.” Some say its origins are from the Sanskrit “Maha,” meaning great, or lord.

​“Mahabone” is a subtle celebration of exclusive membership and a commitment to specific communally agreed-upon ideals.

Freemasonry Criticism

Some say it’s unethical for any organization to exclude women, but psychologists say that men, women, and other genders, who at times congregate within their genders, are happier, healthier, and more confident. Just like any group with specific missions and membership archetypes, it seems helpful for human beings to participate in same-gender organizations.

The other criticism that seems to hold weight in some circles is that Masons might promote, advance, or elect other Masons to leadership positions within their local communities, governments, and businesses.
While this sounds dangerous, networking among your peers and promoting people you know can lead to more consistency and stability within organizations. In terms of supporting specific members for positions of power, the Masons are no different unions and other regional or global organizations function. They pick influential power-players and put all the organization’s might behind them.

Preferential treatment and unified promotion of members within large organizations can lead to landslides, imbalance, and exclusion, but they can also lead to healthy, non-violent revolutions.

Freemason Strong

Today, you can join the Freemasons for between $150 and $500 in annual dues. You won’t be involved in too many secret missions or controversies, though. You’ll mostly network with small business owners and help a charity or two. If you’re really into it, you’ll climb the magic ladder and achieve its highest title of Master Mason. At that point, you are eligible to become a Shriner.​

Freemasonry has approximately five million members around the world, some more active than others. It’s still quite an honor to be involved with the Freemasons, as the experience promises to be as enriching and inspiring as it has been for centuries.​​

If you’re interested in membership, be prepared to be a fiercely loyal member, because new initiates are still sworn to the same rites and secrecy as Scotland’s William Schaw and former President George Washington.
When it comes down to it, ritualizing our beliefs and networking with like-minded people, even with a gender requirement, can be exciting, empowering, and life-enhancing. Mahabone!

Cocaine Mummies – I’ll take that coke to go 🙂 A Shutterstock Licensed Image.

Imagine the perfectly mummified Egyptian princess and priestess, Henut Taui, “The Lady of the Two Lands.” She was beautiful, powerful, and gently alluring. Imagine you’re thrust back in time and immediately invited to her palace to enjoy the most luxuriating experiences of the day.​

As you sit near her throne, you’re showered with new delights and substances, the likes of which you never imagined you might find in Ancient Egypt, like cocaine and tobacco… wait a minute.​​

While this fantasy defies the narrative of mainstream Egyptology, there’s evidence it actually could have happened. That’s because Henut Taui and the controversial “cocaine mummies” revealed a vast global trade network that linked the new world with Ancient Egypt.

Although there is no physical evidence of tobacco or coca plants in ancient Egypt, Egyptian recreational drugs were plentiful. The leafy plant Harmal can be converted to the chemical Harmine through a simple distillation process. The result is a potent antidepressant, which can also be used to treat inflammation and fever. Psilocybin mushrooms were used to acquaint avid aspirants with the Gods.

The most probable street drug of choice in Egypt was Blue Lotus. This lovely flower helped the shy become more talkative, relaxed and more blissful. It was enjoyed in tea and alcoholic spirits by every faction of society. Homer and Odysseus feared this plant because it removed the fear required for war.​

When the King of Bavaria purchased Henut’s remains in the early 19th century, her sarcophagus was placed in a Munich museum and stood undisturbed for a century.​​

In 1992, toxicologist Svetlana Balabanova discovered traces of cocaine and nicotine in the hair of Priestess Henut Taui. Since these drugs were not found on the African continent until after Columbus voyaged the seas, archeologists and historians have wondered how this might have occurred.

Did the arrival of these drugs on Egyptian soil begin with a trade? Or was there another source for the drug already thriving in Egypt?

How Did Henut Taui Source Her Cocaine?

While traditional archeologists and historians fought the findings, the headlines were accurate: “Cocaine Found in Mummies!” So began the mystery.

Since nicotine was accessible on many continents and easily derived from plants other than tobacco (i.e., Withania Somnifer and Apium Somnifera), finding nicotine in a mummy’s hair was not unusual. Even cannabis had been part of Egypt’s cultural and religious practices for centuries prior to Henut’s reign. Cocaine was a different story.

It’s only recently that koʊˈkeɪn or كوكايين (cocaine in Egyptian) has become one of the most popular drugs in Egypt. Heroin, imported cannabis, and ecstasy have also become increasingly popular. But these trends developed over the last 30 years, not centuries.​

To explain the tobacco nicotine and cocaine found in the hair and skin of mummies took some digging. Some thought that the rampant fraud found in the mummy business was the culprit. After all, if your mummies had cocaine in them, wouldn’t they be more valuable? Most certainly.

The History Of Fake Mummies

In Victorian times (1837 to 1901), Egyptian artifacts were the rage. This is when recently deceased; mummified Egyptians were sometimes sold off as the real, ancient thing.

During this era it became fashionable to sell individual limbs from these corpses. As archeologists dug deeper, it was revealed that some of the handsomely preserved deceased were convicted and recently euthanized criminals. The demand for authentic mummy fingers and toes outstripped supply.

In the 16th century, armed with the belief that ground-mummy cured illnesses, people would eat the flesh of mummies in the form of a powder akin to bitumen, known as “Mummia.” While this traditionally Islamic and ancient Greek practice started with the consumption of bitumen, a type of asphalt, the public began to interpret “Mummia” as “a black, resinous medicine scraped out from embalmed Egyptian mummies.” This is when real mummies were seared and then powdered for mass consumption. Crazy, right?

While the mummy-powder often made people ill, it was assumed that the negative aspects exiting the body caused the immediate sicknesses. Because of the insanity, hype and related fear, expensive “Mummia” bitumen was sold in apothecaries around the world.​

It’s from this lineage of events that fraudsters may have thought to inject cocaine in the hair of ancient and recently deceased mummies. Their hope may have been to inspire a lucrative market for “cocaine mummies.”

While this sounds like a reasonable explanation and correct to some extent, the only logical theory that solves this question is that sea-based trade routes between The Americas and Africa existed long before Columbus.

Cultural And Academic Snobbery

Some archaeologists and cultural snobs believed the mummies Balabanova tested were faked, but subsequent investigations of her “Munich Mummies” proved the mummies were authentic. Balabanova went on to test 134 additional mummies and bodies, including ones from Sudan, China, and Austria. One-third of them tested positive for nicotine and cocaine.

Even the mummy of Ramses was examined. Not only were tobacco and cocaine found in his body, but the nicotine was 35x that of an average cigarette smoker.

This means that the once elusive recipe for embalming included not just nicotine, but nicotine from South American tobacco. The idea that Egyptians could trade with an undiscovered continent thousands of miles away was almost inconceivable, but it’s true.

While some archeology purists claimed that all Balabanova’s and subsequent tests were contaminated, the evidence is conclusive. There was no contamination. There was an ancient international drug trade connecting South and North America with Africa and Asia. There is no other explanation.

Proven Ancient Trade Routes

It’s already been proven that American plants landed on the other side of the Pacific Ocean long before Columbus, including sweet potatoes and peanuts.

There’s a temple in Southern India with a sculpture of a goddess holding an ear of corn. This would suggest the existence of a trade route extending from The Americas to India. So then, why couldn’t tobacco and coca reach Egypt in the same manner? If not by sea, these crops could also have arrived through a land-based trade route.​

When you add to the story the recent discovery of silk in the hair of a Luxor mummy, you begin to see that Egypt engaged with China by sea. At the time, silk was only made in China.​

Filling In Historical Gaps

The majority of our histories have been lost. Many civilizations and inventions have disappeared without a trace. There are multitudes of gaps. It’s only cultural arrogance that fills the gaps with certainty.

Why do modern scholars defend the notion that the only established trade routes were created in the 18th century? Over-confidence and arrogance.

In many things, what has been proven might easily be seen as uncertain. To deeply explore our past and all possibilities, requires an open mind and the release of cultural identities, career-induced masks and old, societal stories.

If we can unshackle the agendas from our determined minds, we can further our understanding of all the mysteries in the Universe, including Atlantis, UFOs, and the ability to travel time. It’s all within our minds and within our reach.

The Beautiful Temple of Damanhur. A Shutterstock Licensed Image.

Born from a vision to establish the next Atlantis, infused with a profound and universal ideology, and remarkable works of art, The Damanhur Temple is quite possibly the 8th wonder of the world. I liken Damanhur to the contrived city of Celebration, FL, the cute, All-American hamlet initially built and owned by The Walt Disney Company, which has since divested most of its control.

The town of Celebration began with a pro-tech, yet 1950s premise, aimed at a specific demographic. Soon enough, designs, architecture, and strategies grew into a master-planned community. It was as if a loaf of white bread was magically transformed into a living, breathing neighborhood, equipped with speedy internet and an ice cream man.

Damanhur began similarly, but with a bit more mystery. They built a massive underground temple in secret over 20 years. Besides the thousands of tourists that visit every year, the community is siloed, if not proprietary.

The Magical Allure Of Temple of Damanhur

The writing on the Damanhur website is alluring. It speaks to my heart, soul, and belief system. I must say, at first glance, I loved it. Here is my favorite excerpt:

“The underlying hypothesis is that life in this universe, in all its manifestations, originates from a single divine matrix. This force is greater than the universe itself, so in order to enter into the world of forms, it had to fraction into many smaller forces. Some of them have a physical form, others do not. In Damanhur, this force is called the Human Primeval Divinity, and all the manifestations of its essence on the subtle or non-material planes, form what is commonly called the spiritual ecosystem.”

The concept of Damanhur, named after an ancient Egyptian city, probably began before 1975, near Turin, Italy. Around that time, the founder, Oberto Airaudi (1950 – 2013), aka Falco Tarassaco, began speaking publicly on the nature of the universe, the paranormal, and naturopathic medicine. From there, Falco created courses on meditation and established a process for spiritual liberation and enlightenment.

Damanhur’s emerging Olami University is focused on the union of the material, spiritual, and technological. It appears to be a noble premise and pursuit.

Regardless of where you live in the world, the organization will provide its courses via their approved instructors, but only upon the creation of a local “Damanhurian” group. Oberto Airaudi and 24 disciples were the first members of Damanhur. In 1978, three years after incorporating, they began building the Temples of Humankind, a secret, underground project aimed at resurrecting the ideology and practices found in the ancient, mythic city of Atlantis.

Initially, the Italian government fought the Damanhurians and threatened to blow the temples to bits, but eventually, they permitted every building, approved all construction, and called the temples, “The 8th Wonder of the World.”

There are currently around 750 souls living at The Federation of Damanhur. They have their own currency, the “credito,” (equal to the Euro), and a sacred language. They welcome new citizens, visitors, and tourists regularly. The leadership structure includes a traditional Senate, who are elected by the community. The Senate appoints a group of spiritual Guides, the highest authority at Damanhur.

Breakdown Of Citizenship Classes

• Class A Citizens * – share ownership of all personal property with the commune and live onsite at all times.
• Class B Citizens – contribute money and must live at Damanhur at least three days a week.
• Class C Citizens – not required to live on-site.

(*) Only Class A citizens can use the time machine.

WAIT, THERE’S A TIME MACHINE?!

Damanhur Time Travel And Singing Plants

Damanhurians believe that plants can communicate and sing. I do, too. They even developed equipment that allows humans to hear the melodies. You can see one of their videos here. In 1997, the group revealed that they unlocked the secrets of time travel. Damanhurians say that it’s safer to travel deeply into history versus traveling to the recent past, which could adversely change current events. The machine magnifies a person’s psychic energy and somehow allows them to project into a prior or future time and space.

The Damanhur community is dedicated to esoteric research, exploring things at the intersection of artistry, consciousness, spirituality, technology, and the material world.

The Idea Of The Damanhur Cult – An Overreaction?

Damanhur: The Federation of Communities has a unique marketing hook. They’re not only actively researching time travel, but they also say they’re rebuilding Atlantis, collaborating with aliens, and communicating with the eternal consciousness.

For a new-age initiate, this trifecta of ideas is the Holy Grail. It’s pure MDMA. It’s completely intoxicating.
They even have their own rules around marriage, which sound incredibly reasonable. Instead of lifetime contracts, marriage at Damanhur works on the premise of renewal. You and your partner agree to a specific number of years, after which, you renew. Fascinating!

Though it’s hasn’t always been all light, love, and innovation at Damanhur; there are some grumpy, former Damanhurians who say they believe the organization is a cult. There’s even a private support group.

But if someone is unhappy with how they were treated, isn’t it best to learn how you can do better? Wouldn’t it be nice if you apologized? Rather than attack them and build counter-intelligence websites, wouldn’t it be more evolved to be transparent and seek improvement? If you did, I’m sure Atlantis would be proud.

While every great vision has the potential to elevate a population, it’s reasonable that it might also invite consequences and losses. Over time, organizations like Damanhur tend to have growing pains. The best any leader or organization can do is to admit mistakes, seek amends, change the hurtful processes for the betterment of the community, and put sincere effort into healing all of the fractured relationships.

“No man from outside can make you free; nor can organized worship, nor the immolation of yourselves for a cause, make you free; nor can forming yourselves into an organization, nor throwing yourselves into work, make you free.”
— Krishnamurti

Damanhur Temples Of Humankind

Regardless of the press, hype, or negative chatter, these remarkable people built a beautiful, underground set of temples, unlike anything on planet earth. Imagine the Petra caves in Jordan merged with the Grand Canyon, multiply it by 1000, then add lots of spiritual artwork and positive energy.

The Temples of Humankind were built to awaken the sense of the sacred in all of us. The halls are open to visitors year-round. You can rent one of the temple’s halls for your wedding, or you can wander the labyrinth alone for hours, in pursuit of spiritual, artistic, and personal inspiration. This underground haven is over 4000 cubic meters, based on principles surrounding the ancient legend of Atlantis, and covered with intricate murals.

There are 100s of yards of tunnels and a unique group of giant chambers, including The Hall of Water, The Hall of the Earth, The Hall of the Spheres, The Hall of Metals, The Blue Temple, and the Labyrinth. It’s like a Disney theme park for universal spirituality and dedicated to the advancement of humanity.
The temples became public knowledge when a former member sued to regain the possessions he had given to the community. He revealed that the temples were built over 17 years in secret, and are still under construction. It’s possible that only 15% of the original vision has been constructed.

Initially, they had no building permits, but it was all eventually approved by the Italian government. This spiritual and artistic masterpiece has become one of the most important tourist attractions in the country. To construct the temple there were no architectural plans and no intricate engineering, as all the work was derived from sketches drawn by the founder, Falco.

Every detail of the temples adheres to a precise code. It’s all been created by hand and with tools that were no more advanced than an electric hammer. Throughout the temples, you’ll see mathematical and ancient symbols, generally understood by the initiates who live there. As such, the halls are used for prayer, rituals, community gatherings, and for individual spiritual purposes.

One of the ideas here is for community members to send psychic and prayerful messages to the cosmos, aliens and the eternal consciousness. One goal seems to be centered around communicating the needs of humanity to help our species evolve. Damanhur’s next construction project is The Temple of Peoples, which will be built at the intersection of Synchronic lines, supposedly beneficial for psychic and spiritual alignment. V

Free Will

I love what the people at Damanhur have created. While it’s not perfect, it’s a remarkable accomplishment. Before you buy something expensive, do your research. If you buy something that puts your financial well-being in jeopardy, get a warranty. If you pay $10,000 for a timeshare in Detroit, own your mistake.

Similarly, if you join a community and award them all of your earthly belongings in exchange for lifelong effort and loyalty, isn’t it you who should bear the brunt of your decision and eventual change of heart? Certainly.
Be clear and informed before diving into complex labyrinths. If you’re not aware of the complexities of a possible experience, take the time you need to make a congruent decision. Choose things that honor all parts of you. As Carl Jung says, in all things, seek your “ideal self.”

Don’t Drink Anybody’s Kool-Aid, Except Your Own.

Head over to Italy and check out Damanhur’s amazing Temples of Humankind. Visit damanhur.org for a deep dive into a fascinating universe.

4Chan Masthead: A Shutterstock Licensed Photo

When the Titanic sank, we didn’t have secret chat-rooms and viral videos. From the 1700s through the early 20th century, we had super-secret handshakes in members-only social organizations, most often comprised of white men. These old-time organizations include The Masons, The Skull & Bones Society, The Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World, The Grand Orange Lodge, The Independent Order of Odd Fellows, The Knights of Pythias, The Ancient Order of Foresters, The Ancient Order of United Workmen, The Patriotic Order Sons of America, The Molly Maguires, and many other social groups, some of which are still in existence today. 

These groups were the birthplaces of life-changing agendas, powerful social movements, and presidential campaigns. As fraternities, they shared beliefs and ideologies, they often schemed together, and would aggressively defend, protect, and uplift each other. These private societies were also safe havens for the proliferation of private, self-serving agendas.

“Those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.”

— Friedrich Nietzsche

Today’s most classified sanctuaries are no longer built with brick and mortar or via cocktail parties and hand-shakes. They’re formed within clouds, chatrooms, and social media platforms. Armed with prejudice and bad genes, these anonymous anti-science revolutionaries are filled with cartoonish presumptions and anger. Unrelenting and hard-core, these fanciful opinionators can be found infiltrating an all-American town near you!

A teensy tiny percentage of the chats and chatters found in these conspiratorial asylums are brilliant and backed by meticulously vetted research. Most, though, are non-scientific and anti-analysis, often refuting facts with Fisher-Price style scrutiny. Somehow ideology-based fiction has become the rage. 

QAnon, also known as “The Storm” and “The Great Awakening,” is the super-secret, pro-Trump, fighter-against-all-evils, who seeks to squash the global ring of what they call, “wealthy, satanic pedophiles.” They’re on the hunt to stop the descendants of the Rothschilds from growing their Satanic cult. 

These power-chatters can be found on 4chan and its unzipped, squirrelly twin, 8chan, otherwise known as Infinitechan or Infinitychan. These communication channels are entertaining at best. With hype, twisted beliefs, and mentally deficient premises, they hope to escort you, against your will, far from reality. Oh, and they hate gay people, folks of color, and anybody who’s not a born-again Christian. It’s White-Jesus Or Bust, Baby!

This unhinged group of all-cap texters believes that the US government is in big trouble. They believe that a dangerous cabal, managed by Robert Mueller, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama, is responsible for everything from the “anti-American LGBTQ agenda,” to the 2017 shooting in Las Vegas. And even though Trump was best pals with the most diabolical pedophile and sex trafficker of all time, Jeffrey Epstein, these inbred fact-fuckers seem to believe the Trump-Epstein friendship is fake news. Facts prove otherwise.  

This fascinating, generally anonymous group of knuckleheads believes that Trump and his friends will drain the swamp and combat the “deep state” in all branches of the U.S. government. Nothing even close to this has happened since Trump took office. 

While I love the idea of deconstructing the deep state, I believe 4Channers might garner a little more respect if they introduced the American public to the aliens held at Area 51 or any other military black site. Instead, they run romper rooms full of unintelligent, fictitious garbage. Remember when we used to watch cartoons as kids? Yeah, it’s like that. 

Regardless of where they stand on any given topic, 4channers and 8Channers know how to push buttons and fan flames, even though 99% of their bullshit is born from jealousy, arrogance, and presumption. Their reactions to each other, and some of their most vocal critics, are not just combative, they’re volcanic. While these folks seem perfectly at-home in their attempts to set their chatrooms on fire, the atmosphere on these sites appears to be just a few cotton candies shy of a circus. 

Although they’re passionate and pro-America, they’re not champions of facts, actual events, and statistics, which tend to be based on silly things like mathematics, science, and well, ya know, reality. And you can forget scrutiny. Just like Trump at a town hall, they fuck-up, fumble, and fold.

These folks can’t scrutinize ideas and shape them into recognizable, relatable, defensible realities. Their brains can only handle sensationalism, fantasy, and self-aggrandizement. They don’t have any solutions, they just conjure conspiracies and masturbate themselves into frenzies. 

While the fodder on these channels is enjoyable to some, the Chatters might serve more people if they inched ever-so-slightly toward representing a realistic version of our three-dimensional reality and a more balanced perspective on how to live with other humans. Instead, they want everybody to be fearful and buy guns because Bill Gates is planting poisonous chips in the brains of bus drivers, librarians, and soccer moms so he can control black people and Safeway. Soon, we’ll all be running book clubs, drinking boxes of white wine, and fucking pool boys when Daddy’s in Des Moines. 

While not all the data has been collected, it’s pretty clear that Channers are less evolved than apes. Anybody who fights against science is nothing but a jealous clown who hates ideas they couldn’t possibly imagine. It’s like telling your mechanic you know more about your carburetor than he does. Folks like these would have executed Einstein, fearful that electric lights turn babies into zombies.

Here’s the thing: people who stockpile guns because they believe Trump & White-Jesus are starting the Apocalypse are often unable to form complete sentences or represent coherent thought. Let’s face it, these virus-denying, professional inbreeders should be euthanized. 

“You’ve reached 4chan. Leave your moral standards at the tone.”

— Anonymous

Here’s the icing on the cake: all the channy jibber-jabbers in the United States are constantly on alert for hints secretly implanted in the speeches by the Commander-in-Chief, President Donald Ape-Dump. These might include the ways he looks at his wife, makes fun of cerebral palsy victims, or how he sips a water bottle using two shaking hands. From the President’s slightest behavior or action, Channers assign meanings and assumptions. While fascinating, this is nothing short of a far-reaching insanity. 

Many lunatic Channers believe the pseudonym “Q” on 4Chan is the pen-name of John F. Kennedy Jr., the son of the former president, who, they claim, did not die in a plane crash years ago. Apparently, he lived, left his family, went into hiding, and started blogging, long before the personal computer was invented. 

If you’re a Q fan, please stay indoors and read books.

Some 4Channers and 8Channers believe their coveted channels have become compromised by anti-American, White House office staff and masked liberals living in the tunnels underneath the Capital. Whether you’re with the former or latter, please double the meds.

“Don’t forget, you’re here forever.”

— A common banner for 4chan

In addition to investigating evils, dangers, and Democrats, these anti-social networks are keenly focused on dismantling the Illuminati, terminating the CIA, and exalting Christian Revivalism. It seems they want every liberal and LGBTQ person to finally pray-away their tendencies of immorality and collusion. 

Most Channers seem to believe that vaccines, moon landings, and climate change are hoaxes. And they’re convinced that J. P. Morgan paid Germans to sink the Titanic. Somehow, they believe this saved the Federal Reserve. Even the head writers of The Simpsons marvel at ideas like these.

“4chan is like — It’s like a look at what the human race really wants to be, deep down inside. It’s how we would treat each other if there were no such thing as restraint or empathy.”

— I Hate Everything

The Top Titanic Conspiracy Theory

This theory surmises that the multi-millionaire financier wanted to kill his rivals Jacob Astor, Isidor Straus, and Benjamin Guggenheim. His motive was to dismantle the Federal Reserve, an institution that Morgan had long been manipulating and controlling, in one way or another. 

Since the three amigos were not pro Federal Reserve, and they never shared their opinions in public, they were probably not at war with Morgan. Given that most millionaires are secretive when it comes to their views, it’s silly to assume the things they said in public as anything more than playful banter. These types of men are driven by profit, not honesty.

Long before his company added him to Titanic’s manifest, customary for a man of his stature, J. Pierpont Morgan had a busy schedule of philanthropic, business, and social events. With his absence, he was not trying to avoid dying on the Titanic. Morgan’s dance card was simply too full, which prevented him from joining the maiden voyage. 

It’s interesting to note that the Federal Reserve is insanely complicated and self-serving. While it regularly determines interest rates and pathways to acquire loans and homes, its’ primary function is to serve the banking industry and the original investors in the US experiment. The Fed could care less about the American citizens who fund it. 

The Federal Reserve was built on the premise that only rich men and politicians should benefit from the government and its bank. The average American citizen was never a contender for using the bank to grow wealth. This position was always meant for politicians who construct the laws and the wealthy people who fund them. This has never changed. 

Digging deeper, one might determine that “The Fed” was created in haste by a group of greedy and naive colonists, to serve only a handful of wealthy slave-owners, farmers, Governors, Senators, and Congressman.

Since it’s inception, The Fed has only benefited foreign investors and bankers, which has resulted in a mountain of debt to the American people. With a strapped, confused, and overburdened government, rich men have more room to manipulate the market toward their favor. It makes sense, right?

“The proper funding of the present debt will render it a national blessing. The creation of debt should always be accompanied with the means of extinguishment.”

~ Alexander Hamilton

There’s one positive aspect here. The whackjob, gay-bashing, science-hating racists on 4Chan, 8Chan, and similar sites sometimes kick a pebble that’s remotely connected to a possible truth, if you squint. For example: if it weren’t for the Chanheads, we might never have seen a connection between Darpanet, Monsanto, The Skull & Bones Society, and WTC’s Larry Silverstein. Before 4Chan, it was difficult to unearth and explore these types of connections. But the good ends there.

Larry Silverstein was the World Trade Center leaseholder who increased his insurance coverage a few months before the 9-11 terrorist attacks. This statement is true. The original 4Chan claim was that Larry purchased anti-terrorism insurance. No, he didn’t. There is no such insurance policy inclusion or exclusion. It’s just insurance, which generally seems to cover terrorist attacks. This is the type of vetting that’s missing from deep-state conspiracy theories.

But here’s the rub: 75% of a 2018 Monmouth Poll agreed: “A group of unelected government and military officials are secretly manipulating or directing national policy.” While I wholeheartedly agree, this idea doesn’t conflict with my belief that scientific research is valuable, wearing masks is an example of self-respect and empathy, and fact-based news is vital to sustaining a healthy Democratic Republic. That said, the US is nothing more than a bank-serving Corporate Oligarchy.

What can we do? Bring the banks under public ownership and tax every religion. Then we can talk.

“Nothing is random. Everything has meaning.”

— Anonymous, 4Chan

Alexander Hamilton was obsessed with using debt to grow – just like most Americans. A Shutterstock Licensed Image.

While starting a nation is a huge undertaking, our nation’s founders were a little hasty. The real Alexander Hamilton would have hated today’s Federal Reserve. Jefferson, too.

After seeing Hamilton in several cities, including on Broadway in its early days, I continue to be insanely obsessed with the play’s story and music. I love every nuance, character, and song. I adore the portrayal of Hamilton’s unrelenting drive to succeed. I love the images my mind conjures related to how he overcame oppression.

With every whack, tap, lyric, beat, and swipe, I feel inspired to be young, scrappy, and hungry. And while I’ve certainly jeopardized an opportunity or two, I’ve never thrown away my shot. I relate with Hamilton on every level.

When it comes to Hamilton, I’m an obsessed super-fan.

I listen to the Hamilton soundtrack a few times per week. This helps me remember the play’s tableaus and themes, like: the thrills of a seemingly justified war, a bold and defiant patriotism, the pains of self-discovery, and the emotional journeys born from crushing disappointment and death.

But something has been bugging me, and it’s not the price of the tickets.

When Hamilton rose to power in the colonial United States, British-Americans had fragile self-identities. They saw themselves as caught between two divorcing, alcoholic parents. For years, most Americans struggled with their perspective on the scuffles and impending war. A farmer might go to bed a fervent patriot and wake-up a loyal, defender of the crown.

In the midst of all the mayhem, people had to work 3X harder in America than they did back home. While there was more opportunity in the states, not every promise turned to gold, and there was a lot of crime. More than ever, you had to know who your friends were, and no matter where you wandered, you were always worried about your family’s safety.

In Hamilton’s first act, theater-goers enjoy “My Shot,” which brings to life the newly emerging idea that America can be much more than it is. It’s a powerful song filled with hope, aggression, and dangerous ideas, fueled by a massive ego. This is where the play “Hamilton” and the real Alexander Hamilton part ways.

While it’s tough to fit every tidbit and theme into a biographical story, the play leaves out the aftermath of Hamilton’s vision – the greed, politics, maneuvering, cheating, stealing, and outright insanity of how the Federal Reserve came to be.

During his life, and in the years that have since followed, almost everyone has misquoted and misrepresented Hamilton’s ideology. Check out this quote from Alexander, which is often cut-off after the first sentence:

“The proper funding of the present debt, will render it a national blessing. The creation of debt should always be accompanied with the means of extinguishment.” — Alexander Hamilton

Every patriot, including all the Presidents, Senators, Congressmen, Congresswomen and state representatives that followed Washington and the founding Fathers and Mothers, began to depend on this newly fangled idea that “debt creates security and wealth.” This could not be farther from the truth.

While the musical immortalizes Hamilton’s brilliant financial and banking scheme, the reality is that debt inspires dependencies and secret, exclusive systems that oppress. In addition to the most conservative Republican politicians, the most liberal and conscious leaders of today have ideologies that are not in balance.

In an ideal federal debt system, there would be a conscious, non-salaried, non-incentivized, board of directors who were somehow forced to make decisions that would nurture all factions of society, not just the wealthy, and not solely the poor.

In the case of the United States, the saddest aspect of our system is that most people in power expect to be paid first, which has resulted in the faulty trickle-down system in place today. By the time Hamilton created The First Bank of the United States, greed had already dismantled his original ideology and turned it into a hierarchical system of debt as the oppressor.

Fast-forward to today, and it appears we’re in trouble.

Is our untended debt Hamilton’s fault? Maybe.

During the Revolutionary War, the emerging United States was accruing huge debt. Including foreign, domestic, and the newly acquired state debts, the United States owed $80 million, mostly born from the upkeep of the Continental Army.

While he was clearly defiant against the Royal Family’s history of control of the colonies, when he became the first Secretary of The U.S. Treasury, Hamilton created a kingly position for himself. For a time, he had exclusive management of the U.S. government’s finances.

“No one really knows how the game is played. The art of the trade, how the sausage gets made. We just assume that it happens, but no one else is in The room where it happens.” — Aaron Burr in Hamilton

Acting quickly, and getting more than he gave, Hamilton negotiated for the establishment of the “Bank of the United States,” which included the promised plan to expand the U.S. government’s fiscal and monetary power, and the creation of a federal mint, along with a drastic increase in excise taxes. While it appeared that all states would greatly benefit, this new system initiated the north-south divide that would eventually lead to civil war.

At the time, the astute representative from Massachusetts, Fisher Ames, claimed, “A debt-compelling government is no remedy to men who have lands and negroes, and debts and luxury.” Somehow Ames was able to see the dangers in unchecked debt.

Hamilton had substantial opposition in his quest, including James Madison and Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson argued that the enumerated powers of the federal constitution did not permit the creation of such extraordinary debt, especially absorbing every state’s debt (without limits,) or the creation of a federal bank.

“This financial plan is an outrageous demand, and it’s too many damn pages for any man to understand … Stand with me in the land of the free. Look, when Britain taxed our tea, we got frisky. Imagine what gonna happen when you try to tax our whiskey.” —  The character of Thomas Jefferson in Hamilton

Jefferson wrote passionately to Washington stating that this type of bank “represented a boundless field of power and constitutional overreach.”

While we might never know what would have occurred had the U.S. continued to solely borrow money from other countries, today’s trends in government and personal debt, financing and fiscal responsibility are not looking very positive.

Check these out:

• American’s are overburdened by debt, which collectively has hit $13.3 Trillion. Even the country’s debt is at $22 Trillion

• The Federal Reserve reports that the average American has $38K in personal debt, which includes credit cards, auto loans, student loans and personal loans.

• 28% of all Americans have more debt than savings.

• 20% of Americans spend 50%-100% of their monthly income on debt repayment.

• In a conscious effort to divide the country and marginalize America’s most pained and oppressed citizens, the President speaks with xenophobic rhetoric, reminiscent of an 1800’s Southern Plantation Owner.

• Given all the personal debt in the United States, it would make sense that the government would place pricing limits in a handful of sectors. For example, pharmaceutical companies like GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson (J&J), Merck & Co Inc, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Novartis, and the #1 beast Pfizer Inc, all continue to rape the public with inhumane prices on medicines that should be free.

Given all the hooplah over the remarkable musical, “Hamilton,” the play’s program should come with a mandatory debt-management class immediately following the show.