William Cooper's Mystery Babylon: Part 10 – The Assassins

Transcribed by wakingup72 @ http://www.waronyou.com/forums

You're listening to the Hour of the Time and I'm your host, William Cooper.


(opening music: In the Hall of the Mountain King, written by Edvard Grieg)


[Reading from A History of Secret Societies, written by Arkon Daraul]:


"Two men in the year 1092 stood on the ramparts of a medieval castle -- the Eagle's Nest -- perched high upon the crags of the Persian mountains: the personal representative of the Emperor and the veiled figure who claimed to be the incarnation of God on earth. Hasan, son of Sabah, Sheikh of the Mountains and leader of the Assassins, spoke: 'You see that devotee standing guard on yonder turret-top? Watch!'

"He made a signal. Instantly the white-robed figure threw up his hands in salutation, and cast himself two thousand feet into the foaming torrent which surrounded the fortress.

"'I have seventy thousand men -- and women -- throughout Asia, [and] each one of them ready to do my bidding. Can your master, Malik Shah, say the same? And he asks me to surrender to his sovereignty! This is your answer. Go!'

"[Now] such a scene may be worthy of the most exaggerated of horror films. And yet it took place in historical fact. The only quibble made by the chronicler of the time was that Hasan's devotees numbered 'only about forty thousand.' How this man Sabah came by his uncanny power, and how his devotees struck terror into the hearts of men from the Caspian to Egypt, is one of the most extraordinary of all tales of secret societies [William Cooper: the Mysteries]. Today, the sect of the Hashishin ([or] druggers) still exists in the form of the Ismailis ([or] Ishmaelites), whose undisputed chief, endowed by them with divine attributes, is the Aga Khan.

"Like many another secret cult, the Assassin organization was based upon an earlier association. [And] in order to understand how they worked and what their objectives were, we must begin with these roots.

"It must be remembered [William Cooper: dear listeners] that the followers of Islam in the seventh century A.D. split into two divisions: the orthodox, who regard Mohammed as the bringer of divine inspiration; and the Shiahs, who consider that Ali, his successor, the Fourth Imam ([or] leader), was more important. It is with the Shiahs that we are concerned here.

"From the beginning of the split in the early days of Islam, the Shiahs relied for survival upon secrecy, organization and initiation. Although the minority party in Islam, they believed that they could overcome the majority (and eventually the whole world) by superior organization and power. To this end they started a number of societies which practiced secret rites in which the personality of Ali was worshipped, and whose rank and file were trained to struggle above all for the accomplishment of world dominion.

"One of the most successful secret societies which the Shiahs founded was centered around the Abode of Learning in Cairo, which was the training-ground for fanatics who were conditioned by the most cunning methods to believe in a special divine mission. In order to do this, the original democratic Islamic ideas had to be overcome by skilled teachers, acting under the orders of the Caliph of the Fatimites, who ruled Egypt at that time.

"Members were enrolled, on the understanding that they were to receive hidden power and timeless wisdom which would enable them to become as important in life as some of the teachers."

[William Cooper]: ...and you find that these same precepts in every branch, in every nationality, on every continent where the Mysteries prevail.

"The Caliph saw to it that the instructors were no ordinary men. The supreme judge was one of them; another was the commander-in-chief of the army; a third the minister of the Court. There was no lack of applicants. In any country where the highest officials of the realm formed a body of teachers, one would find the same thing.

"Classes were divided into study groups, some composed of men, others of women, collectively termed Assemblies of Wisdom. All lessons were carefully prepared, written down and submitted to the Caliph for his seal. At the end of the lecture all present kissed the seal: for did the Caliph not claim direct descent from Mohammed, through his son-in-law Ali and thence from Ismail, the seventh Imam? He was the embodiment of divinity, far more than any Tibetan lama ever was.

"The university, lavishly endowed and possessing the best manuscripts and scientific instruments available, received a grant of a quarter of a million gold pieces annually from the Caliph. Its external form was similar to the pattern of the ancient Arab universities, not much different from Oxford. But its real purpose was the complete transformation of the mind of the student.

"Students had to pass through nine degrees of initiation [William Cooper: the same number that are claimed in the York Rite of Freemasonry]. In the first, the teachers threw their pupils into a state of doubt about all conventional ideas, religious and political. They used false analogy and every other device of argument to make the aspirant believe that what he had been taught by his previous mentors was prejudiced and capable of being challenged. The effect of this according to the Arab historian, Makrizi, was to cause him to lean upon the personality of the teachers, as the only possible source of the proper interpretation of facts. At the same time, the teachers hinted continually that formal knowledge was merely the cloak for hidden, inner and powerful truth, whose secret would be imparted when the youth was ready to receive it. [William Cooper: None ever questioned why no secret was ever put forth.] This 'confusion technique' was carried out until the student reached the stage where he was prepared to swear a vow of blind allegiance to one or other of his teachers.

"This oath, together with certain secret signs, was administered in due course, and the candidate awarded the first degree of initiation. The second degree took the form of initiation into the fact that the Imams ([the] successors of Mohammed) were the true and only sources of secret knowledge and power. Imams inspired the teachers. Therefore the student was to acknowledge every saying and act of his appointed guides as blessed and divinely inspired. In the third degree, the esoteric names of the Seven Imams were revealed, and the secret words by which they could be conjured and by which the powers inherent in the very repetition of their names could be liberated and used for the individual especially in the service of the sect.

"In the fourth degree, the succession of the Seven Mystical Law-givers and magical personalities was given to the learner. These were characterized as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Mohammed and Ismail. There were seven mystical 'helpers': Seth, Shem, Ishmael, Aaron, Simon, Ali, and Mohammed, the [sons] of Ismail. This last was dead, but he had a mysterious deputy, who was the Lord of the Time: authorized to give his instructions to the People of Truth, as the Ismailis called themselves. This hidden figure gave the Caliph the power to pretend that he was acting under even higher instructions.

"The fifth degree named twelve apostles under the seven prophets, whose names and functions and magical powers were described. In this degree the power to influence others by means of personal concentration was supposed to be taught. One writer claims that this was done merely by the repetition, for a period of three years to train the mind, of the magical word AK-ZABT-I.

"To obtain the sixth degree involved instruction in the methods of analytical and destructive argument, in which the postulant had to pass a [very] stiff examination. The seventh degree brought [revelations] of the Great Secret: that all humanity and all creation were one and every single thing was part of the whole, which included the creative and destructive power [William Cooper: the androgynous god]. But, as an Ismaili, the individual could make use of the power which was ready to be awakened within him, and overcome those who knew nothing of the immense potential of the rest of humanity. This power came through the aid of the mysterious power called the Lord of the Time.

"To qualify for the eighth degree, the aspirant had to believe that all religion, philosophy and the like were fraudulent. All that mattered was the individual, who could attain fulfillment only through servitude to the greatest developed power - the Imam. The ninth and last degree brought the revelation of the secret that there was no such thing as belief: all that mattered was action. And the only possessor of the reasons for carrying out any action was the chief of the sect.

"As a secret society, the organization of the Ismailis as outlined above was undoubtedly powerful and seemed likely to produce a large number of devotees who would blindly obey the orders of whomever was in control of the edifice. But, as with [many] other bodies of this kind, there were severe limitations from the point of view of effectiveness.

"Perhaps the phase of revolt or subversion planned by the society did not in the end get under way; perhaps it was not intended to work by any other means than training the individual. Be that as it may, its real success extended abroad only...to Baghdad [in 1058], where a member gained temporary control of Baghdad and coined money in the Egyptian Caliph's name. [Now] this sultan was slain by the Turks, who now entered the picture, and the Cairo headquarters was also threatened . By 1123, the society was closed down by the Vizier Afdal. The rise of Turkish power seemed to have discouraged the expansionist Cairo sect so strongly that they almost faded out, and [very] little is heard of them after that date.

"It was left to Hasan, son of Sabah, the Old Man of the Mountains, to perfect the system of the ailing secret society, and found an organization which [has] endured for nearly another thousand years.

"Who was Hasan? [Well,] he was the son of a Shiah (Ali-worshipper) in Khorasam, a most bigoted man, who claimed that his ancestors were Arabs, from Kufa. [Now] this assumption was probably due to the fact that such a lineage bolstered up claims to religious importance, then as now, among Moslems. [You see,] the people of the neighborhood, many of them also Shiahs, stated very decisively that this Ali was a Persian, and so were his forebears. [So] it is generally thought that this is the truer version. As the Governor of the Province was an orthodox Moslem, Ali spared no efforts to assume the same guise. [Now] this is considered to be completely permissible -- the Doctrine of Intelligent Dissimulation. As there was some doubt as to his reliability in the religious sense, he retired into a monastic retreat, and sent his son Hasan to an orthodox school. This school was no ordinary one. It was the circle of disciples presided over by the redoubtable Imam Muwafiq, about whom it was said that every individual who enrolled under him eventually rose to great power.

"It was here that Hasan met Omar Khayyám, the tentmaker-poet and astronomer, later to be the poet laureate of Persia. Another of his schoolmates was Nizam-ul-Mulk, who rose from peasanthood to become prime minister. These three made a pact, according to Nizam's autobiography, whereby whichever rose to high office first would help the others."

[William Cooper]: And that tenet has survived to this day. It is how their own infiltrate all levels of society, military, and government, and then pull their brothers up into positions below them. It is the method of infiltrating and controlling large masses, populations, governments, military organizations, and society as a whole.

"Nizam, the courtier, became Vizier to Alp-Arslan the Turkish sultan of Persia [William Cooper: in a very relatively short time. He helped Omar], in accordance with his vow, and secured him a pension, which gave him a life of ease and indulgence in his beloved Nishapur, where many of his Rubá'iát poems were written. Meanwhile Hasan remained in obscurity, wandering through the Middle East, waiting for his chance to attain the power of which he had dreamed. Arslan the Lion died, and was succeeded by Malik Shah. Suddenly, Hasan presented himself to Nizam, demanding to be given a place at court. Delighted to fulfill his childhood vow, the vizier obtained for him a favored place, and relates what transpired thus in his autobiography:

"'I had him made [a] minister by my strong and extravagant recommendations. Like his father, however, he proved to be a fraud, hypocrite and a self-seeking villain. He was so clever at dissimulation that he appeared to be pious when he was not, and before long he had somehow completely captured the mind of the Shah.'

"[Now] Malik Shah was young, and Hasan was trained in the Shiah art of winning people over by apparent honesty [William Cooper: which means it has the appearance, or the look, of honesty, but truly is not. Just as the notice of apparent violations sent by the FCC (laughs)]. But Nizam was still the most important man in the realm, with an impressive record of honest dealing and achievements. Hasan decided to eliminate him.

"The king had asked in that year, 1078, for a complete accounting of the revenue and expenditure of the empire, and Nizam told him that this would take over a year. Hasan, on the other hand, claimed that the whole work could be done in forty days, and offered to prove it [William Cooper: and there's that forty days again]. The task was assigned to him. And the accounts were prepared in the specified time. Something went wrong at this point. The balance of historical opinion holds that Nizam struck back at the last moment, saying, 'By Allah, this man will destroy us all unless he is rendered harmless, though I cannot kill my playmate.' [Now] whatever the truth may be, it seems that Nizam managed to have such disparities introduced into the final calligraphic version of the accounts that when Hasan started to read them they appeared so absurd that the Shah, in fury, ordered him to be exiled. As he had claimed to have written the accounts in his own hand, Hasan could not justify their incredible deficiencies [William Cooper: and could not sluff the blame off upon his friend].

"Hasan had friends in Isfahan, where he immediately fled. There survives a record of what he said there, which sheds interesting light upon what was in his mind. One of these friends, Abu-al-Fazal, notes that Hasan, after reciting the bitter tale of his downfall, shouted these words, in a state of uncontrollable rage: 'If I had two, just two, devotees who would stand by me, then I would cause the downfall of that Turk and that peasant.'

"Fazal concluded that Hasan had taken leave of his senses, and tried to get him out of this ugly mood. Hasan took umbrage, and insisted that he was working on a plan, and that he would have his revenge. He set off for Egypt, there to mature his plans.

"Fazal was himself later to become a devotee of the Assassin chief, and Hasan, two decades later, reminded him of that day in Isfahan: 'Here I am at Alamut, Master of all I survey: and more. The Sultan and the peasant Vizier are dead. Have I not kept my vow? Was I the madman you thought me to be? I found my two devotees, who were necessary to my plans.'

"Hasan himself takes up the story of how his fortunes fared after the flight from Persia. He had been brought up in the secret doctrines of Ismailism [William Cooper: the Arab branch of the Mysteries], and recognized the possibilities of power inherent in such a system. He knew that in Cairo there was a powerful nucleus of the society. And, if we are to believe the words of Fazal, he already had a plan whereby he could turn their followers into disciplined, devoted fanatics, willing to die for a leader. What was this plan? [Well,] he had decided that it was not enough to promise paradise, fulfillment, eternal joy to people. He would actually show it to them; show it in the form of an artificial paradise, where houris played and fountains gushed sweet-scented waters, where every sensual wish was granted amid beautiful flowers and gilded pavilions. And this [dear listeners] is what he eventually did.

"Hasan chose a hidden valley for the site of his paradise, described by Marco Polo, who passed this way in 1271:

"'In a beautiful valley, enclosed between two lofty mountains, he had formed a luxurious garden stored with every delicious fruit and every fragrant shrub that could be procured. Palaces of various sizes and forms were erected in different parts of the grounds, ornamented with works of gold, with paintings and with furniture of rich silks. By means of small conduits contained in these buildings, streams of wine, milk, honey and some of pure water were seen to flow in every direction. The inhabitants of these places were elegant and beautiful damsels, accomplished in the arts of singing, playing upon all sorts of musical instruments, dancing, and especially those of dalliance and amorous allurement. Clothed in rich dresses, they were seen continually sporting and amusing themselves in the garden and pavilions, their female guardians being confined within doors and never allowed to appear. The object which the chief had in view in forming a garden of this fascinating kind was this: that Mahomet having promised to those who should obey his will the enjoyments of Paradise, where every species of sensual gratification should be found, in the society of beautiful nymphs, he was desirous of it being understood by his followers that he also was a prophet and a compeer of Mahomet, and had the power of admitting to Paradise such as he should choose to favor. In order that none without his license should find their way into this delicious valley, he caused a strong and inexpugnable castle to be erected at the opening to it, through which the entry was by a secret passage."

[William Cooper]: ...and thus the legend of Shambala, or the paradise in the mountains, a valley of lush greenery, unending fruits, fair, beautiful maidens...thus the legend began.

"Hasan began to attract young men from the surrounding countryside, between the ages of twelve and twenty: particularly those whom he marked out as possible material for the production of killers. Every day he held court, a reception at which he spoke of the delights of Paradise and at certain times he caused droughts of soporific nature to be administered to ten or a dozen youths, and when half dead with sleep [William Cooper: drugged out of their minds] he had them conveyed to the several palaces and apartments of the garden. Upon awakening from this state of lethargy, their senses were struck by all the delightful objects, and each perceiving himself surrounded by lovely damsels, singing, playing, and attracting his regards by the most fascinating caresses, serving him also with delicious viands and exquisite wines, until, intoxicated with excess and enjoyment, amidst actual [real] rivers of milk and wine, he believed himself assuredly in Paradise, and felt an unwillingness to relinquish its delights. When four or five days had thus been passed, they were thrown once more into a state of somnolency [drugged], and carried out of the garden. Upon being carried to his presence, and questioned by him as to where they had been, their answer was, 'in Paradise, through the favor of your highness'; and then, before the whole court who listened to them with eager astonishment and curiosity, they gave a circumstantial account of the scenes to which they had been witnesses. The chief thereupon addressing them said: 'We have the assurance of our Prophet that he who defends his Lord shall inherit Paradise, and if you show yourselves[, if you show yourselves] to be devoted to the obedience of my orders, that happy lot awaits you.'

"[Now] suicide was at first attempted by some [William Cooper: to be able to return to the Paradise that they had just left, not knowing that it was an illusion]; but the survivors were early told that only death in the obedience of Hasan's orders could give the Key to Paradise. [And] in the eleventh century it was not only credulous Persian peasants who would have believed such things were true. Even among [the] more sophisticated people the reality of the gardens and houris of paradise were completely accepted. True, a good many Sufis preached that the garden was allegorical - but that still left more than a few people who believed that they could trust the evidence of their senses.

"The ancient Art of Imposture, by Abdel-Rahman of Damascus, gives away another trick of Hasan's. [You see,] he had a deep, narrow pit sunk into the floor of his audience-chamber. One of his disciples stood in this, in such a way that his head and neck alone were visible above the floor. [And] around the neck was placed a circular dish in two pieces which fitted together, with a hole in the middle. This gave the impression that there was a severed head on a metal plate standing on the floor. [Now] in order to make the scene more plausible (if that is the word) Hasan had some fresh blood poured around the head, on the plate.

"[Then the] recruits were brought in [William Cooper: the initiates]. 'Tell them,' commanded the chief, 'what thou hast seen.' [Then] the disciple [William Cooper: appearing as a head on the plate]...described the delights of Paradise. 'You have seen the head of a man who died, whom you all knew. I have reanimated him to speak with his own tongue.' [William Cooper: And then, he would really sever, treacherously, the man's head] in real earnest, and stuck for some time somewhere that the faithful would see it. The effect of this conjuring trick plus murder increased the enthusiasm for martyrdom to the required degree [William Cooper: and gave him unbelievable control over his flock].

There are many documented instances of the recklessness of the fidayeen (devotees) of the Ismailis, one witness being a Westerner who was treated a century later to a similar spectacle to that which had appalled the envoy of Malik Shah."

[William Cooper]: But we've got to take a break first, folks. Don't go away, I'll be right back after this very short pause.


(break music: Theme from The Twilight Zone)


[Continuing reading from A History of Secret Societies, written by Arkon Daraul]:


"Henry, Count of Champagne, reports that he was traveling in 1194 through Ismaili territory. 'The chief sent some persons to salute him and beg that, on his return he would stop at and partake of the hospitality of the castle. The Count accepted the invitation. As he returned, the Dai-el-Kebir ([or] Great Missionary) advanced to meet him, showed him every mark of honor, and let him view his castle and fortresses. Having passed through several, they came at length to one of the towers which rose to an exceeding height. On each tower stood two sentinels clad in white. "These," said the Chief, pointing to them, "obey me far better than the subjects of your Christians obey their lords;" and at a given signal two of them flung themselves down, and were dashed to pieces. "If you wish," said he to the astonished Count, "all my white ones shall do the same." The benevolent Count shrank from the proposal, and candidly avowed that no Christian prince could presume to look for such obedience from his subjects. When he was departing, with many valuable presents, the Chief said to him meaningly, "By means of these trusty servants I get rid of the enemies of our society."'

"Further details of the mentality of Hasan are given in what is supposed to be an autobiographical account of his early days, and it probably is in fact such, because the method of his conversion does seem to follow the pattern which has been observed in fanatics, of whatever religious or political persuasion.

"He was, he says, reared in the belief of the divine right of the Imams, by his father. He early met an Ismaili missionary (Emir Dhareb) with whom he argued strenuously against the Emir's particular form of creed. Then, sometime later, he went through a bout of severe illness, in which he feared to die, and began to think that the Ismaili doctrine might really be the road to redemption and Paradise. If he died unconverted, he might be damned. Thus it was that as soon as he recovered he sought out another Ismaili propagandist, Abu Najam, and then others. Eventually he went to Egypt, to study the creed at its headquarters.

"He was received with honor by the Caliph, due to his former position at the Court of Malik Shah. in order to increase their own importance, the high officials of the Court made a good deal of public play of the significance of the new convert; but this fact seemed in the end to help Hasan more than it did them. He entered into political intrigue and was arrested, then confined in a fortress. No sooner had he entered the prison than a minaret collapsed, and in some unexplained way this was interpreted as an omen that Hasan was in reality a divinely protected person. The Caliph, hurriedly making Hasan a number of valuable gifts, had him put aboard a ship sailing for north-west Africa. This gave him the funds which he was to use for setting up his 'paradise' -- and also, through some quirk of fate, the disciples whom he sought.

"A tremendous storm blew up, terrifying the captain, crew and passengers alike. Prayers were held, and Hasan was asked to join. He refused. 'The storm is my doing; how can I pray that it abate?' he asked. [William Cooper: And then says this:] 'I have indicated the displeasure of the Almighty. If we sink, I shall not die, for I am immortal. If you want to be saved, believe in me, and I shall subdue the winds.'

"[Well] at first the offer was not accepted. Presently, however, when the ship seemed on the point of capsizing, the desperate passengers came to him and swore eternal allegiance. Hasan was still [very] calm; and continued so until the storm abated. The ship was then driven on to the sea-coast of Syria, where Hasan disembarked, together with two of the merchant passengers, who became his first real disciples.

"Hasan was not yet ready for the fulfillment of his destiny as he saw it. For the time being, he was traveling under the guise of a missionary of the Caliph in Cairo. From Aleppo he went to Baghdad, seeking a headquarters where he should be safe from interference and where he yet could become powerful enough to expand. Into Persia the road led him, traveling through the country, making converts to his ideas, which were still apparently strongly based upon the secret doctrines of the Egyptian Ismailis. Everywhere he created a really devoted disciple ([or] fidayi) he bade him stay and try to enlarge the circle of his followers. These circles became hatching-grounds for the production of 'self-sacrificers', the initiates who were drawn from the ranks of the most promising ordinary converts. Thus it was that miniature training centers, modeled upon the Abode of Learning, were in being within a very few months of his return to his homeland.

"During his travels, a trusted lieutenant -- one Hussein Kahini -- reported that the Iraki district where the fortress of Alamut was situated seemed to be an ideal place for proselytism. Most of the ordinary people of that place, in fact, had been persuaded into the Ismaili way of thinking. The only obstacle was the Governor, Ali Mahdi, who looked upon the Caliph of Baghdad as his spiritual and temporal lord. The first converts were expelled from the country. Before many months, however, there were so many Ismailis among the populace that the Governor was compelled to allow them to return. Hasan, though, he would not brook [William Cooper: would not allow him]. The prospective owner of Alamut decided to try a trick. He offered the Governor three thousand pieces of gold for 'the amount of land which could be encompassed by the hide of an ox'. When Mahdi agreed to such a sale, Hasan produced a skin, cut it into the thinnest possible thongs, and joined them together to form a string which encompassed the castle of Alamut. Although the Governor refused to honor any such bargain, Hasan produced an order from a very highly placed official of the Seljuk rulers, ordering that the fortress be handed over to Hasan for three thousand gold pieces. [Well] it turned out that this official was himself a secret follower of the Sheikh of the Mountain.

"The year was A.D. 1090. Hasan was now ready for the next part of his plan. He attacked and routed the troops of the Emir who had been placed in the governorship of the Province, and welded the people of the surrounding districts into a firm band of diligent and trustworthy workers and soldiers, answerable to him [and him] alone. Within two years the Vizier Nizam-ul-Mulk had been stabbed to the heart by an assassin sent by Hasan, and the Emperor Malik Shah, who dared to send troops against him, died in grave suspicion of poison. Hasan's revenge upon his class-fellow was to make him the very first target of his reign of terror. [You see,] with the king's death, the whole realm was split up into warring factions. For long the Assassins alone retained their cohesion. In under a decade they had made themselves masters of all Persian Irak, and of many forts throughout the empire. This they did by forays, direct attack, the poisoned dagger, and in any other manner which seemed expedient [William Cooper: indeed, the ends always justifies by the means]. The orthodox religious leaders pronounced one interdict after another against their doctrines; all to no effect.

"By now the entire loyalty of the Ismailis under him had been transferred from the Caliph to the personality of the Sheikh of the Mountain, who became the terror of every prince in that part of Asia, the Crusader chiefs included. 'Despite and despising fatigues, dangers and tortures, the Assassins joyfully gave their lives whenever it pleased the great master, who required them either to protect himself or to carry out his mandates of death. The victim having been pointed out, the faithful, clothed in a white tunic with a red sash, the colors of innocence and blood, went on their mission without being deterred by distance or danger. Having found the person they sought, they awaited the favorable moment for slaying him, and their daggers seldom missed their aim.'

"Richard the Lionheart was at one time accused of having asked the 'Lord of the Mountain' to have Conrad of Montferrat killed; a plot which was carried out thus: 'Two assassins allowed themselves to be baptized and placing themselves beside him, seemed intent only on praying. But the favorable opportunity presented itself; they stabbed him and one took refuge in the church. But hearing that the prince had been carried off still alive, he again forced himself into Montferrat's presence, and stabbed him a second time; and then expired, without a complaint, amidst refined tortures.'"

[William Cooper]: Do you see? The method of controlling men's minds that Hasan had perfected was extremely effective and powerful. And not one, not even one, incidence of one of his followers failing to carry out his orders exactly can be found.

"The Order of the Assassins had perfected their method of securing the loyalty of human beings to an extent and on a scale which has seldom been paralleled.

"The Assassins carried on the battle on two fronts. [You see,] they fought whichever side in the Crusades served their purposes [William Cooper: They fought with the Knights Templars and fought against the Knights Templars]. At the same time they continued the struggle against the Persians. The son and successor of Nizam-al-Mulk was laid low by an Assassin dagger. The Sultan, who had succeeded his father Malik Shah and gained power over most of his territories was marching against them. One morning, however, he awoke with an Assassin weapon stuck neatly into the ground near his head. Within it was a note, warning him to call off the proposed siege of Alamut. [Well,] he came to terms with the Assassins [after that], powerful ruler though he undoubtedly was. [William Cooper: You see, the assassins eventually] had what amounted to a free hand, in exchange for a pact by which they promised to reduce their military power."

[William Cooper]: It was during their pacts, their treaties, their battles with the Knights Templars that many, some say most, some few even say all, of the Knights Templars were initiated into the Mysteries.

"Hasan lived for thirty-four years after his acquisition of Alamut. On only two occasions since then had he even left his room; yet he ruled an invisible empire as great and as fearsome as any man before -- or since."

[William Cooper]: ...they say, but his empire may still exist today, changed and melded with other sects of the Mysteries.

"[Hasan] seemed to realize that death was almost upon him, and calmly began to make plans for the perpetual continuance [folks] of the Order of the Assassins."

[William Cooper]: And we now begin the latter days of the Assassins which we will not finish in this hour but will finish in the next.

"The ruler of one the most terrifying organizations the world has ever known was without a lineal successor. [In fact,] he had had both of his sons killed: one for carrying out an unauthorized murder, [and] the other for drinking wine; certainly a case of 'do as I say, not as I do'. He called his two most trusted lieutenants from the strongholds which they maintained on his behalf: Kia Buzurg-Umid (Kia of Great Promise) and Abu-Ali of Qaswin. Kia was to inherit the spiritual and mystical aspect, while Abu-Ali attended to the military and administrative affairs of the Order. It is said that Hasan bin Sabah died almost immediately afterwards, in 1124, at ninety years of age; having given the world a new word; assassin. 'Assasseen' in Arabic signifies 'guardians', and some commentators have considered this to be the true origin of the word: 'guardians of the secrets [William Cooper: which the Knight Templar took to Europe].'

"The Organization of the Order, under Hasan, called for Missionaries...Friends... who were disciples, and Fidavis, devotees. The last group had been added by Hasan to the Ismaili original, and these were the trained killers. Fidavis wore white, with a girdle, cap or boots of red. In addition to careful coaching in where and when to place the dagger in the victim's bosom, they were trained in such things as languages, the dress and manners of monks, merchants and soldiers, any of whom they were ready to impersonate in carrying out their missions. The chief was known as Sayedna ([which means] Our Prince, [or] Leader), and popularly (because of the mountain stronghold of Alamut), as the Sheikh of the Mountain."

[William Cooper:] Now, Alamut, or the stronghold of the mountain, was also known as "The Eagle's Nest," and this is what Hitler named his mountain retreat, and there's also an Eagle's Nest near Santa Barbara, California, which very few people know anything about...yet.

"[Now, the Sheikh of the Mountain] is the figure referred to in Crusaders' writings as 'Sydney', or 'Senex de Monte', the first word being a literal translation of the word 'Pir': Persian for Ancient, or Sage. There were three Great Missionaries, who ruled three territories. After the Friends and Fidavis came the Laziks, aspirants who were being trained for membership of the society, but were as yet uninitiated.

"Hasan reduced the original number of degrees of initiation from nine to the mystical number of seven. A similar number of regulations formed the rules of the Order. This, in fact, comprised the working plan of the spreading of the Faith. The First Rule was that the Missionary must know human psychology in such a way as to be able to select suitable people for admission to the cult; and was summed up in the mnemonic: 'Cast no seeds upon rocks.' The second rule of procedure was the application of flattery and gaining the confidence of the prospective member. Third came the casting of doubt into the mind, by superior knowledge. Fourthly, the teacher must apply an oath to [the] student never to betray any of the 'truths' which were to be revealed to him. Now he was told, as the fifth stage, that Ismailism was a powerful secret organization, supported by some of the most important figures of the time. After this, the aspirant was questioned and studied, to discover whether he had absorbed the opinions of the teacher and attached himself sufficiently into a position of dependence upon his ideas. [And] at this stage he was asked to meditate upon the meaning of the reported saying of the prophet that 'Paradise lies in the shadow of swords.' In the final degree, many difficult passages of the Koran were explained in terms of allegory.

"How is it that the rules of this extraordinarily successful Order are known in such detail? [Well,] it so happened that when the Mongols eventually overthrew Alamut by force of arms, their chief Halaku ([meaning] 'Destruction') Khan, asked his chief minister to examine their library. This most learned man, 'Father of Kings' Jawani, later wrote a careful book in which he detailed the organization of the Assassins, whose name he attributed to the use of the drug Hashish, which they were said to use in stupefying candidates for the ephemeral visit to 'paradise'.

"It is possible that recruits were made in another way than by selecting gullible, fully grown youths. Legend has it that Hasan, once master of Alamut, used to buy unwanted children from their parents, and train them in implicit obedience and with the sole desire to die in his service.

"Buzurg-Umid ([meaning] 'Great Promise'), the second Grand Master [William Cooper: 'Grand Master' is still used today, folks], maintained the power of the Assassins on much the same pattern: building new forts, gaining fresh converts, terrorizing those whom he did not want to have killed and using them to further his design of world conquest. Sultan Sanjar of Persia, in spite of several expeditions against the Viper's Nest, as Alamut was now being called, could do little about him."

[William Cooper:] "Viper's Nest" was the term given by the Assassins' enemies. The Assassins themselves call it the "Eagle's Nest."

"Ambassadors on each side were slain; a notable religious leader was captured by the Assassins, given a mock trial and flung into a furnace. The Grand Master at this time seldom put on the field more than two thousand men at a time: but it must be remembered that they were killers acting under an iron discipline, and more than a match for any organized army that they might ever have to face. Now the Order began to spread in Syria, where the continued contact with the Crusaders was established.

"The warriors of the Cross were in fairly effective control of an area extending from the Egyptian border to Armenia in the north. Bahram, a Persian leader of the Assassin cult from Astrabad, gained control of a mighty fortress in Syria, in the region known as the Valley of Demons (Wadi-el-Jan), and from there spread [out] from one fort to another. The Grand Prior Bahram now moved to an even more substantial fortified place, Massyat. Bahram's successor, Ismail the Lash-Bearer, planted a trained devotee on the saintly Vizier of Baghdad, into whose confidence he worked his way to such an extent that this Assassin, now called the 'Father of Trust', was actually made Grand Judge of Baghdad.

"The Crusaders had by now been about thirty years in the Holy Land, and the Assassins decided that they could usefully form an alliance with them aimed against Baghdad. A secret treaty was therefore made between the Grand Master and Baldwin II, King of Jerusalem, whereby the Ismaili Grand Judge would have opened the gates of Baghdad treacherously to the Crusaders, if the fortified city of Tyre were handed over to the Assassins for their part in the transaction.

"[William Cooper: Well, (laughs) as with most plans,] something went wrong. The judge had ordered an underling to open the city's gates. This servant had told the military commander of Damascus, who lost no time in killing the man, the Vizier and six thousand people believed to be secret Assassins within the city. The Damascus garrison fell upon the Crusaders and beat them back in a thunderstorm which the Christian warriors attributed to divine anger at their unworthy pact, and the Assassins as an attempt by the powers of Nature to allow the Crusaders into the city under its cover.

"Meanwhile the Grand Master was indulging in an orgy of destruction of individual rulers who opposed his creed; the list is interminable, but this is a fair example: 'The celebrated Aksunkur, Prince of Mosul, was a warrior equally dreaded by the Christians and the Assassins. As this Prince, on his return from Ma'ara Masrin, where the Moslem and Christian hosts had parted without venturing to engage, entered the Mosque at Mosul to perform his devotions, he was attacked at the moment when he was about to take his usual seat by [William Cooper: not one, but] eight Assassins, disguised as dervishes. Three of them fell below the blows of the valiant Emir; but ere his people could come to his aid, he had received his death-wound and expired.'

"The fanaticism which inspired the killers was shared, it seems, by other members of their families, who had been thoroughly trained in the bloody creed: for the historian Kamal-ed-Din relates, 'On this occasion when the mother of one of the youths who attempted Aksunkur's life heard that he had been slain, she painted her face and donned the gayest raiment and ornaments, rejoicing that her son had been found worthy to die the glorious death of a martyr in the cause of the Imam. But when she saw him return alive and unscathed, she cut off her hair and blackened her countenance, and would not be comforted.'

"Things thus continued for the fourteen years and a quarter of the Second Grand Master's rule. When he died he nominated his son Kia Mohammed as his successor. Under Mohammed the killings continued, a part of the sea-coast of Palestine came into Assassin hands, and the cult leaders reaffirmed their overt belief in orthodox Islam. In public, Ismailis were ordinary Moslems; the secret doctrine of the divinely guided leader was not to be discussed with the uninitiated."

[William Cooper]: Don't miss tomorrow night's show. Good night, and God bless each and every one of you.


(closing music: unknown, dramatic instrumental music)

OBAMA LOSING LIBERAL BASE AND YOUTH COULD COST DEMOCRATS BIG IN NOVEMBER

By Sherwood Ross


President Obama is not only losing support among the general public but also of the liberals and college students who did so much to energize his presidential campaign. Now, even some Democratic incumbents whose seats had been considered safe are in trouble.

According to Rasmussen pollsters, Obama's general approval rating plunged from 65 per cent upon taking office to 45 per cent today. Larry Sabato, director of the Center For Politics at the University of Virginia, says the Republicans are poised to have a net gain of 47 House seats and likely eight Senate seats. “If anything,” says Sabato, “we have been conservative in estimating the probable GOP House gains...”

What's turning off liberals is that on issue after issue, Obama appears to be little more than a slicker copy of his stumbling predecessor. When the Republicans under George Bush elected to bail out Wall Street, Obama helped them finish the job even though congressional mail ran overwhelmingly against it.

Instead, he might have created a massive jobs program to restart the economy with paycheck power as FDR did with his New Deal. But Obama's half-hearted make-work blueprint appears to be too little and too late. “For Vulnerable Democrats, Economy Fuels Election Fears,” The New York Times reported September 4th. “Seeking to keep the focus away from Mr. Obama and the national economy, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona emphasizes her work for rougher border controls and support for the stimulus money that saved the jobs of local teachers and public safety workers,” the paper said. Her campaign manager, Rodde McLeod, says, “We're running our own race.” Translation: the man in the White House is now a liability, not an asset.

A related article in the same issue is titled, “In a Shift, Fewer Young Voters See Themselves as Democrats.” Reporter Kirk Johnson writes, “The college vote is up for grabs this year---to an extent that would have seemed unlikely two years ago, when a generation of young people seemed to swoon over Barack Obama.” He quotes Mandi Asay, 22, spokeswoman for the University of Colorado's College Democrats, as saying: “People are angry---about the budget deficit, health care plan, angry about this and that. I feel like Republicans definitely, definitely have a chance of getting back on their feet.” The percentage of collegians who identify themselves as Democrats has dropped about five points to 57 percent in roughly two years, according to Pew Research Center.

On health care, perhaps the No. 1 concern of liberals after the wars of aggression in the Middle East, Obama surrendered on the public option issue when he might have campaigned for it dramatically in person on hospital doorsteps around the country. Instead, the public got the idea that he regarded it as, well, optional.

And liberals who saw the president as a champion for ecological sanity, are also disillusioned. Writing in the July issue of “Sojourners” magazine, which defines itself as “Faith in Action for Social Justice,” author Bill McKibben writes Obama's honeymoon with progressive Americans “took what looks like a lethal blow” when oil began washing ashore in the marshes of Louisiana last Spring.

True, Bush had relaxed the relevant environmental regulations “But it was Obama himself who had stood up three weeks before the spill and announced that he was lifting a long-standing moratorium on offshore drilling...” McKibben points out. Obama promised “We'll be guided not by political ideology, but by scientific evidence,” when, “In fact, the president has basically ignored scientific evidence when it's come to energy policy,” McKibben wrote.

And Paul Craig Roberts, the former Assistant Treasury Secretary under President Reagan, writes, “Obama... is committed to covering up the Bush regime’s crimes and to ensuring that his own regime can continue to operate in the same illegal and unconstitutional ways.” He points out, “To the consternation of his supporters, Obama is leaving 50,000 U.S. soldiers in Iraq. The others are being sent to Afghanistan and to Pakistan, where on Obama’s watch war has broken out big time with already one million refugees from the indiscriminate bombing of civilians.” Says Roberts: “The change that we are witnessing is in Obama, not in policies. Obama is morphing into Dick Cheney.” Obama has even multiplied the illegal CIA drone attacks in Pakistan that have claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians, possibly because he himself has been a long-time clandestine asset of that intelligence agency.

Where President Eisenhower once got a landslide voter response for his campaign slogan of “Peace and Prosperity,” it should surprise no one that President Obama's failure to deliver either one of those ideals has turned off a nation----starting with disillusioned liberals and college students whose energies played a major role in his election. As Tom Paine is said to have once remarked of a British politician, “As he rose like the rocket, he fell like the stick.”

(Sherwood Ross formerly reported for the Chicago Daily News and wire services. Reach him at sherwoodross10@gmail.com)

William Cooper's Mystery Babylon: Part 09 – Gnosticism

Transcribed by wakingup72 @ http://www.waronyou.com/forums

Welcome once again, folks, to the Hour of the Time, and our ongoing series of the exposure, of the origins, the history, the doctrine, and the identity of Mystery Babylon. I'm William Cooper.

Many of you have written letters and asked, “How does one get into the Mystery Schools since no one ever hears anything about it? And there appears not to be a campaign of recruitment,” and you're absolutely right. In our research, we have found the requirements to be simple: be of sound mind and body, have a sincere desire to be illumined, and simply knock up on the door.


(Opening music: Opening theme from Phantom of the Opera)


Remember folks, Monday, March 5...(William Cooper plugs an appearance, asks for donations to stay on the air and offers CAJI memberships)


Well, to continue...remember that the first religion in the world was the religion of the worship of the heavens. And man eventually came to recognize the sun as the representation of the power and the ability of the hidden god of the universe. The invisible god of the universe, the all-powerful creator of everything. But man, as he gained his intellectual ability, began to look toward himself, toward the intellect as that god. And the sun, the representation of what used to be the invisible god of the universe then because the representation of the intellect, the light, Lucifer. And man began to worship the Luciferian philosophy.

He believed -- these people who call themselves the "Guardians of the Secrets of the Ages," and still believe -- that man was held prisoner in the Garden of Eden by an unjust, vindictive and very cruel God, the God of the Bible. And that he was set free from the bonds of ignorance through the gift of intellect, given to him by Lucifer through his agent, Satan. Now, many people believe that Lucifer and Satan are the same individual entity, and they may be. I don't know the answer to that, I just know what the Mystery Schools believe, and I know what I personally believe and what I personally believe doesn't have any bearing on anything. Knowledge, the truth, is what counts, and that's what we're trying to get to the bottom of here. Now, eventually this philosophy of worshiping the intellect, or wisdom, or the mind became known as Gnosticism. And the followers of Gnosticism began to be known as the Gnostics.


(Reading from A History of Secret Societies, written by Arkon Daraul):


"In extraordinary number [folks] of exceedingly bizarre talismans and inscribed stones bear witness to the power of the secret Gnostic organizations which flourished in various forms during the few centuries immediately before and after the rise of Christianity in the Middle East. [You see,] one of the oddest emblems of these schools was the figure of Abraxas. [Now, that's] a human body clothed in a Roman soldier's garb wielding a battle-axe, as if threatening an enemy. [Now] in its left hand it carried an elliptical shield, upon which the words of power 'IAO' and 'Sabaoth' were sometimes written. The head of this fearsome being was that of a cock with open beak. [William Cooper: Now, that symbolized the rising of the morning sun, because the cock crows with the sunrise.] For legs, it had twin serpents [William Cooper: The serpent throughout history has always been a symbol for wisdom, the gift of intellect], coiling to either side. Underneath the figure sometimes lay a conventionalized thunderbolt.

"[Now] who was Abraxas? His name, in accordance with cabalistic computation, is decoded to mean 'three hundred and sixty-five'-- [William Cooper: Isn't it absolutely incredible that every single time we investigate one of these, it leads directly to the sun. For three hundred and sixty-five days are] the number of days in the year. [William Cooper: or the exact number of days that it takes for the earth to make one revolution around the sun. Amazing!] There was no god or idol belonging to the society. [William Cooper: And this is where man made the transition from worshiping a god to worshiping the mind.] The Abraxas figure merely represented the aspects for power which went to make up the supreme intelligence, the all-power. The body was man himself; the bird stood for intelligence, and the hailing of light [illumination] which is the cock's habit at dawn. The tunic represented the need for struggle [or revolution, Socialism], the arms the protection and power given by the dedication to the Gnosis -- [or] knowledge. The shield was wisdom, the club or whip, power. The two snakes meant nous, insight, [or] logos, understanding. [William Cooper: primordial knowing, which was the gift from Satan, the snake, the serpent.]

"By means of this diagram Gnostic teachers inculcated the theory that man comes to his power by developing certain facets of his mind. He must struggle to arrive at gnosis; but this knowledge if of the mystical kind and it is not the mere collection of facts. [You see] great stress was laid upon personal mystical experience, to and through which the initiate was guided under conditions of great secrecy.

"The Gnostics did not confine their studies, or their teachings, to anyone of religion, but borrowed illustrations from all that were accessible to them. This caused them to be considered Christian, heretics, Jews, who were trying to undermine Christianity, remnants of the Persian sun-worshipers. They have been widely studied by early Christian sages, and it is upon the opinions of these latter that many conclusions have been formed. Little or no investigation of these 'People of Wisdom' has been done by research workers on the spot--in Asia and North Africa--where strong and interesting traces of their beliefs and practices still remain.

"The main teaching states that there is a Supreme Being, or power which is invisible and has no perceptible form [William Cooper: it is pantheism]. This power is the one which can be contacted by mankind, and it is through it that man can control himself and work out his destiny. The various religious teachers through the ages, putting on their creeds in many different ways, were in contact with this power [they claim], and their religions all contain a more or less hidden kernel of initiation. [Now] this is the secret which the Knowers can communicate to their disciples. But the secret can be acquired only through exercising the mind and body until the terrestrial man is so refined as to able to become a vehicle for the use of this power [William Cooper: or, in their terms, 'illumined']...

"...Eventually, the initiate becomes identified with the power, and in the end he obtains his true destiny as purified personality, infinitely superior to the rest of unenlightened mankind [William Cooper: to the state of Apotheosis, where he himself is god].

"The symbolism in which this teaching is concealed, the methods by which the mystical power is attained, vary from one Gnostic society to another. But the constant factor is there: the attainment of that which humankind unconsciously needs. [You see] the Gnostic claims that within every man and woman, there is an unfulfilled urge which cannot be given expression in the normal way because there is social means by which it can be fulfilled. This feeling has been put into man in order that he may seek the fulfillment which the Gnostics can give him. His search for completeness in love, trade, professions, theology is vain and unsuccessful.

"The theories of the various schools [folks] of Gnosticism with which the Christian clerics came into contact are very much secondary to the [rituals and] practices which are used to produce the Gnosis, the enlightenment [the illumination]. This has not been fully understood by too many [people], who devote much space to trying to work out the beliefs of the Knowers by a perusal of their writings, or by reports which had been given them by others."

[William Cooper]: Simply, folks, because they do not understand the symbolism. It is not clear to them; it is veiled. It is the esoteric wisdom.

"What were--and are--the Gnostic practices? [Well] first, discipleship and the inculcated belief that the initiate must struggle, must devote himself as much as possible to the identification with the power which inspires all. Secondly, there are two kinds of men, those who are bound to the earth and matter, and those who can refine themselves. It is from the latter class that the aspirants are chosen [William Cooper: they claim. In every instance that we investigated, they many choose them from the latter class, but they all end up in the first]. Thirdly, the methods by which the divine illumination may come are many and varied; and it is the providence of the teacher to choose which path he will give to his disciple to follow. Some Gnostics believed that frenzy and excitement would produce the necessary liberation of the mind from the fetters of the body [William Cooper: Remember the sphinx?]; others [consider] that this could be done best by fasting and meditation. Present-day Gnostic practice in the East has it that different methods suit different temperaments: and this [could] be one cause for the historical confusion as to which branch of 'heretics' practiced what.

"The Gnostics believed themselves to be intellectual aristocrats: their knowledge was only for the few who were ready to receive it. [William Cooper: And that's why they do not recruit. You must knock at the door. And you, and only you, know when you ready to receive it.] And this is what made them a secret cult, not the fear of persecution. They had their own passwords, in shaking hands they tickled the palm as an identification signal, and they helped one another in every conceivable way."

[William Cooper]: Just as Freemasons do today, for they are one and the same, as they have always been one and the same with all the different versions of the Mystery throughout the ages.

"[Now some say that] they could not pantheists...that the doctrine was secondary to the experience of religion; and the theologians and ordinary priesthood of any religion did not approval of that. They were not, in fact, a religion like most others, because they stressed the importance of the individual before that of the community. Those who were more enlightened were more important in every possible way, because they were valuable, refined, aristocrats. At the same time they taught that providing the wellbeing of the Gnostics was assured, so was that of the community at large. [And] this meant that they could subscribe to the outward doctrines of any religion, and could continue to operate under many different politico-religious systems. Gnosticism profoundly influenced men's minds even in Europe up to and after the Middle Ages, and its basic way of thinking is probably an underlying factor in other secret societies whose members would be surprised to know it."

[William Cooper]: Because the pyramidal, organizational structure of membership of these organizations means that nobody below the top, the very top, really knows anything of the true religion and goals of the society to which they belong. And so these people could truly be said to be the greatest group of followers and fools in the history of the world. For they think that they are illumined, but, in fact, they were never given any real secrets, and only those at the top truly know what is really going on.

"Terrible obscenities and other crimes have been laid at the door of the Gnostics by the early ecclesiastical writers. Although there is little doubt that some of them did believe in mass ecstasy, it seems unlikely that their secrets were well enough known to enable the commentators to assess them."

[William Cooper]: And in most cases whenever the commentators try to assess them, they were trying to assess the exoteric, or the appearance, but not the esoteric, or the real truth of the object of the worship of the Gnostics.

The belief that certain special men could control their destiny and obtain extra powers thought dedication to Gnostic practices meant that, inevitably, there was a belief in magic.

[William Cooper]: Remember on previous shows we discussed that belief in magic? Magic is real, folks. I have seen it work, and it is not to be played with or laughed at or scoffed about. It is dangerous, extremely dangerous.

"The myriad Gnostic 'gems' (inscribed stones) decorated with serpents, cabbalistic names and the rest, are more likely to be proofs of initiation and talismans than mere identification tokens presented to ensure admission to meetings, as some authors have thought. The reason for supposing this is that (1) the 'gems' are very similar in many respects to talismans in use by other communities [William Cooper: including the ancient Egyptians]; and (2) they can often be interpreted as containing magical messages or 'diagrammatical invocations'.

"Ethically speaking, Gnostic belief is that there are two principles: that of good and that of evil. A balance must be struck between these forces; and the balance is in the hands of the Gnostic--the Knower--partly because nobody else can tell whether an action is for the eventual good of the individual or the community. [And] this secret knowledge comes through the mystical insight which the supermen-Gnostics attained."

[William Cooper]: There's that reference to a super-race or a "superman" again, which always crops up with these people, as it did with Hitler and many others.

"The rise of individuals who wrongly believed that they had attained to Gnosis -- all knowledge -- some of whom were leaders of Gnostic societies, produced notorious characters. Those who followed the way of the Ophite branch glorified the serpent who tempted Eve [William Cooper: and they still do that today]. They did this because this snake by his actions brought knowledge into the world. [William Cooper: Gave man the gift of intellect, the use of which will bring him to the state of Apotheosis, where man himself will be God.]

"...Basilides was a leader who taught that Jesus did not die on the cross. [William Cooper: And you will see this crop up all through the history of the Mystery Schools, even in the Knights Templar.] Since matter and material things were considered to be a part of the inferior, non-spiritual world, the sect known as the Cainites called upon everyone to destroy those things which belonged to the world. [William Cooper: And they called themselves 'the destroyers,' and their god is the Destroyer.]

"These deviations and aberrants have attracted the greatest attention -- as is natural -- and the quieter teachers of the creed have received less attention. The pious horror with which the less respectable Gnostics were viewed by the early Christian father has stamped itself for ever on Western literature and belief about the ['Enlightened Ones']. But, in more than one place in the Middle East, as well as in small groups in Western Europe, there are still followers of various schools of Gnosticism. They mainly follow the ideas held by Valentinus, with some variations. [And] this school teaches its initiates that matter is more evil than good; that man must be purified by mental concentration; that after death man will rejoin that from which he has been severed, and will be unified with those whom he loves [William Cooper: in the Great Intelligence]. They also believe that all matter will eventually be destroyed by fire."

[William Cooper]: And if they have their way, that could be absolutely true.

"The Mandaeans, a small but tenacious community which dwells in Iraq, follow an ancient form of Gnosticism, which practices initiation, ecstasy and some rituals which have been said to resemble those of the Freemasons."

[William Cooper]: And of course they do, because they are. (laughs) In every Masonic temple you will see somewhere up on the wall a big letter 'G'. And you will see it in their symbology, in their books. You will see this letter 'G'. And if you ask a Freemason, being bound by the oath never to tell you or reveal you the secrets to the profane -- which is what they call those who are not initiates, or adepts in the Mysteries -- he will tell you it's for God, but that is a lie. That does not stand for God, for I have researched it deeply, all the way up the ladder of the stages of initiation. And at the top, those adepts known as the Priesthood know this large letter 'G' to represent Gnosticism. And it is an admission that they are indeed the recipients of the ancient Gnostic. They are Gnostics, and they are looking to attain the gnosis, through which they will receive Apotheosis. And they believe that they are the only ones in the world who possess truly mature minds and, thus, the only ones in the world capable of ruling the rest of us, whom they refer to as cattle. Cattle.

[William Cooper]: Well, it's time to take a break, folks. Don't go away, I'll be right back after this very short pause.


(break music: Overture to Sleuth, written by John Addison)


That was Overture to Sleuth, conducted by Erich Kunzel, the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. Cincinnati is the home of the order of Cincinnatus and the Knights of the Golden Circle. You see, everything that I do on this show has meaning -- even the music, folks. Now, whether you like the music or not makes no difference. Listen to the words. Research the title. Try to find out what the music means before you condemn it. And remember that you're not the only one out there. Your age group is not the only age group listening. So, whether you like the music or not, it doesn't make any difference. It all has a message. All has a message, folks, and I hope you get the message, for it is extremely important that you do.

"[The] most detailed account on what was said to be the seven highest degrees of secret Egyptian initiation was first published in Germany in the eighteenth century. This strange and very exhaustive document combines many elements from the ancient mysteries...It seems to come from Greek sources, because many of the words used are Greek; and it [could] well be that we have here the modern beginnings of an attempted revival of ancient mysteries. Whatever [it is], it is not one of those fanciful and spurious ones which used to be printed merely to attract the credulous: because it is plausible in containing the sort of material which might well have formed the content of an initiation and mind-conditioning system."

[William Cooper]: And if you understand the secret religions as I do, and specifically the modern ones, you will quickly recognize this as authentic.

"The earliest version known is in the form of an anonymous pamphlet (probably not intended for public sale) or thirty-odd pages, [which was] printed in 1785. (laughs) [William Cooper: Right in that area of history is momentous occurrences [sic].] It was republished in a French translation thirty years later, purporting to be the ritual of the Master degree in Freemasonry. [William Cooper: And if you know anything about the Master degree in Freemasonry, you will soon see that it's certainly (laughs) is exact in its description.] The French editor claims that it is a composite ritual, derived from the works of some fifteen Greek and Roman writers.

"This degree, we are told, was open to Egyptian kings and priests alone; and only those specially recommended by an initiate could enter it. The usual procedure was that the Pharaoh himself introduced the candidate to the priests. By them he sent from Heliopolis [William Cooper: the city of the Sun, and you will never escape from the sun when you're studying the mysteries] to the Memphis priests; from there we went to Thebes. He was circumcised, forbidden to eat pulse or fish; and generally had to abstain from wine. He was put for several months in an underground cave, and asked to write down his reflections. [After] he had done this, he was led to a passage supported by the pillars of Hermes where he had to learn certain things which were inscribed thereon. As soon as he was word-perfect, the Themorphous (introducer) came to him with a strong whip, to keep the uninitiated at bay. He was blindfolded, and his hands bounds with cords.

"Now follow the procedure from the first degree of this elect body. The candidate was led to the Gate of Men, where the introducer touched the shoulder of an apprentice (Portophorus) standing there on guard. He in turn knocked on the gate, which was opened. When the aspirant entered, he was questioned on various matter by the Hierophant, after which he was led around the Birantha in an artificial storm of wind, rain, thunder and lightning. If he showed no sign of fear, Menies the Expounder explained the laws of the Crata Repoa, to which he had to agree. He was then taken in front of the Hierophant, made to kneel, and vowed fidelity with a sword-point at this throat. As witnesses he called upon the sun, moon and stars."

[William Cooper]: And where have you heard that before?

"'His eyes were then unbandaged, and he was placed between two spare pillars, called Betilies, where lay a ladder of seven steps, behind which were with doors of different metals of gradually increasing purity. The Hierophant then addressing those present as Mene Musae, or children of the Work of Celestial Investigation, exhorted them to govern their passions and fix their thoughts upon God.'"

[William Cooper]: Now the sun, the moon and the stars, you should know by now, represent the doctrine, the church, and the initiates. The sun, of course, is the doctrine, the moon is the church, and the stars are the body of initiates, or the "thousand points of light."

"The candidate was taught [folks] that the ladder symbolized the wanderings of the soul; he was told the causes of wind, thunder and lightning; and given other valuable information, such as medial lore. He was given the password of recognition of this degree, which was [William Cooper: and I spell it because I don't know the correct pronunciation...A-M-O-U-N], meaning secrecy. He was taught a grip, given a pyramidal cap and an apron called Xylon. Around his neck was a collar; and he word no other clothes. His duty was to guard the Gate of Men in his turn.

"The Portophorus was now able, after showing his devotion, to proceed to the Second Degree. Following a prolonged fast he was taken to a dark chamber called Endimion, the invitation grotto. He was now of the degree of Neocoris. 'Handsome women brought him dainty food; they were the wives of the priests, who endeavored to excite his love.'

"If he resisted these advances, he was further lectured by the Master of Ceremonies and led into an assembly, where the Stolista ([or] water-bearer) poured water over him. Then a living serpent was thrown at him. The whole room was full of snakes, to test his courage. 'He was then led to two high pillars between stood a griffin driving a wheel before him. The pillars symbolized East and West, the griffin the sun and the wheel of four spokes the four seasons. He was taught the use of the level and instructed in geometry and architecture. He received a rod, entwined by serpents [William Cooper: and that rod is still used today by the medical community. It's called the caduceus] and [he received] the password HEVE ([meaning] serpent), and was told the story of the fall of man. The sign consisted in crossing the arms over the chest [and] his duty was to wash the pillars.

"[Now when the initiate] was initiated into the Third Degree, the member was given the title of Melanophoris. He was led to an anteroom, over whose door was written 'Gate of Death'. The room was full of copies of embalmed bodies and coffins. Here too were a number of dissectors, embalmers and so on.

"'In the centre stood the coffin in Osiris. The Melanophoris was asked if he had had a hand in the assassination of his master. On his denying the question , he was seized by two Tapizeites, or men who buried the dead, and led into a hall, where he found all the other Melanophores clothed in black. The King himself, who always was present on these occasions, addressed him in an apparently friendly way, begin him if he did not feel courage enough to undergo the test no to be applied to him, to accept the golden crown he was offering him.'

"[Well] he had already been coached to refuse the crown and tread it underfoot. At this 'insult' the King called for revenge. Raising his sacrificial axe he touched the head the initiate."

[William Cooper]: And in one famous initiation, the King actually beheaded the man.

"The two corpse-carriers threw him to the ground, and the embalmers wrapped him in bandages. All who were present wept. Now he was led to a gate over which was written Sanctuary of the Spirits."

[William Cooper]: Now, the initiate was not supposed to be beheaded in that one famous initiation. And I don't know what they chalked that up to. Now, standing before the gate, the initiate waited.

"'On its being opened, thunder and lightning struck the apparently dead man. Charon received him as a spirit into hit boat and carried him to the judges of Hades. Pluto sat on his judgment seat, while Rhadamanthus and Minos as well as Aethon, Nycreus, Alaster and Orpheus stood beside him. Very severe questions were put to him as to his former life and finally he was sentenced to remain in these subterranean vaults.'"

[William Cooper]: Now, remember, this was an initiation which sometimes lasts for months, and even years.

"The bandages were removed, and he was told never to desire blood, never to leave a corpse unburied; and to believe in the resurrection of the dead and the judgment to come."

[William Cooper]: Now remember, this was long...centuries before Christianity.

"He was taught coffin-decoration and the peculiar hierogrammatical script. The sign was an embrace, to express the 'days of wrath'. He was kept in these underground chambers until thought fit to proceed to a higher degree.

"These 'Days of Wrath' generally lasted for a year and a half, until the initiate was ready for promotion to the Fourth Degree: 'The Battle of the Shades'. He was handed a sword and a shield and taken though dark passages. He met 'certain persons, presenting a frightful appearances, carrying torches and serpents". He was attacked, with the cry of PANIS! He defended himself bravely, but was [always] taken prisoner, his eyes were bandaged and a cord placed around his neck. Dragging him into a hall, the specters disappeared. He was led into the assembly of initiates, and his eye unbandaged. Before him saw a magnificent hall, decorated with beautiful paintings; the King and the highest dignitary--the Demiurgos--were present.

"All were wearing their Alydei, and Egyptian Order composed of sapphires. Among those present were the Secretary, the Treasurer and the Master of Feats. The Orator made a speech, congratulating the new member on his fortitude. He was given a drink, called Cyce, which he drank to the dregs. This was probably the ritual drink of honey or milk, water, wine and gruel--and perhaps some hypnotic drug. He donned the boats of Anubis, took up the shield of Isis, put on the cloak and cap of Orcus. He was handed a sword and told that he must cut off the head of the next person he met in a cave and bring it back to the King.

"This cave was pointed to him. Entering it, he saw that seemed to be a beautiful woman, but in reality was a model of one. [William Cooper: And notice it's a woman.] He seized this by the hair and severed the head. This he brought back to the monarch, who praised him, telling him that he had symbolically won the head of the Gorgon, wife of Typhon, who had caused the death of Osiris. He was not permitted always to wear the dress which had been given to him, and he was entered in a book as one of the judges of the land. [William Cooper: Notice that: one of the judges of the land.] He was able to communicate at any time with the King, and received an allowance from the court. He was invested with an Order (that of Isis in the shape of an owl) and it was revealed to him that the secret name of the lawgiver was 'JOA', which was also the password of this Degree. But the password for the meetings of the Christophori (as the Fourth Degree initiates were called) was 'SASYCHIS'.

"The Fifth Degree, that of Balahate, could not now be refused to the Christophoru. He was led to a hall to watch a play, at which he was the only onlooker. Other members of the degree went through the hall, as if looking for something. One drew this sword, and the terrible figure of Typhon appeared. [Of course] he was slain. Now the new Balahate was told that Typhon represented fire, a terrible element which was at the same time indispensable. The password was 'CHYMIA', and the teaching was in chemistry [or alchemy].

"In order to become an 'Astronomer at the Gate of the Gods'--the Sixth Degree--the candidate was taken to the hall of assembly, bound, and led to the Gate of Death. He was shown corpses which had been cast into water, and warned that he might be similarly treated if he broke his oath. He was given some teaching in astronomy, and taken back to the Gate of the Gods, where he looked at the pictures of the gods while their histories were explained to him. A priestly dance took place, symbolizing the course of the heavenly bodies; he saw a list of members of the Order throughout the world, and learned the password: 'IBIS', for watchfulness.

"The last and the highest degree was that of 'Propheta', in which all secrets were laid bare. It was conferred following public processions, and when the permission of the King and all the highest members had been obtained. The members secretly left the city by night, 'and retired to some houses built in a square and surrounded by pillars by the sides of which were placed alternately a shield and a coffin, whose rooms were painted with representations of human life'. [Now] these houses were called maneras, for the people believed them to be visited by the manes of departed men. On their arrival at these houses the new member, now called prophet or Saphennath Pancah (a man who knows the secrets), was given a drink called oimellas and told that now all trials were over. He received a cross of peculiar significance, which he was always to wear. He was clothed in a wide, white-striped dress, called etangi. The usual sign was crossing his arms in his wide sleeves. He could peruse all the sacred books written in the Ammonite language...his greatest privilege was having a vote in the election of a king [and] the password was 'ADON'."


(Reading from Behold A Pale Horse, written by Milton William Cooper)


"These mystical societies always continued, and one of special interest is the powerful society of Afghanistan in ancient times called the Roshaniya--illuminated ones. The major tenets of this cult were: the abolition of private property; the elimination of religion; the elimination of nation states; the belief that illumination emanated from the Supreme Being who desired a class of perfect men and women to carry out the organization and direction of the world; belief in a plan to reshape the social system of the world by first taking control of individual countries one by one, and the belief that after reaching the fourth degree one could communicate directly with the unknown supervisors who had imparted knowledge to initiates throughout the ages...

"...The Roshaniya also called themselves the Order. Initiates took an oath that absolved them of all allegiance except to the Order and stated, 'I bind myself to perpetual silence and unshaken loyalty and submission to the Order... All humanity which cannot identify itself by our secret sign is our lawful prey.' The oath remains essentially the same to this day. The secret sign was to pass a hand over the forehead, palm inward; the counter-sign, to hold the ear with the fingers and support the elbow in the cupped other hand. Does [that] sound familiar?"

[William Cooper]: If you sit in a courtroom in just about any city in this land, you will see those signs exchanged between lawyers and defendants and judges. And you will see that whenever that...these signs are exchanged, whoever initiated the exchange will usually, in fact, most often does, win the court case.

"The Order [of course] is the Order of the Quest. [And] the cult preached [there was no heaven and no hell, only] a spirit state completely different from life as we know it. The spirit could continue to be powerful on earth through a member of the Order, but only if the spirit had been itself a member of the Order before its death. Thus members of the Order gained power from the spirits of the dead members.

"The Roshaniya took in travelers as initiates and then sent them on their way to found new chapters of the Order."

[William Cooper]: and they were called 'fellow travelers’. You see, this order, as all before it, and all since, are Socialist, Communists.

"It is believed by some that the Assassins were a branch of the Roshaniya. Branches of the Roshaniya or 'the illuminated ones' or the Illuminati existed and still exist everywhere. One of the rules was not to use the same name and never mention 'the Illuminati.' That rule is still in effect today [and it's probably] the breaking of [that] rule that resulted in Adam Weishaupt’s downfall."

[William Cooper]: Remember, folks, that we have really only just begun. And you are just beginning to understand, although some of you may think that you do already understand. I can assure you that may be only a very small minority of you really do. Most do not. We have a long way to go in this history and in your own particular, individual illumination. (laughs) Oh, I just love it! I just love it; exposing these people who claim that they are doing everything for the benefit of mankind, who really have all the guilt of everything bad that has ever happened to mankind squarely upon their shoulders.

[William Cooper]: Now, if you'd like a packet of information, if you would like to know how to join CAJI, if you'd like to purchase my book, or if you would like to donate...


(William Cooper asks for donations to stay on the air and offers CAJI memberships)


Next time, folks, we're going to talk about the Old Man of the Mountain. And we're going to continue the history of the order through the ages.

Good night, and may God bless you all.



(closing music: unknown classical piece)

Pentagon declined to investigate hundreds of purchases of child pornography

By John Cook

A 2006 Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigation into the purchase of child pornography online turned up more than 250 civilian and military employees of the Defense Department -- including some with the highest available security clearance -- who used credit cards or PayPal to purchase images of children in sexual situations. But the Pentagon investigated only a handful of the cases, Defense Department records show.

The cases turned up during a 2006 ICE inquiry, called Project Flicker, which targeted overseas processing of child-porn payments. As part of the probe, ICE investigators gained access to the names and credit card information of more than 5,000 Americans who had subscribed to websites offering images of child pornography. Many of those individuals provided military email addresses or physical addresses with Army or fleet ZIP codes when they purchased the subscriptions.

In a related inquiry, the Pentagon's Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) cross-checked the ICE list against military databases to come up with a list of Defense employees and contractors who appeared to be guilty of purchasing child pornography. The names included staffers for the secretary of defense, contractors for the ultra-secretive National Security Agency, and a program manager at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. But the DCIS opened investigations into only 20 percent of the individuals identified, and succeeded in prosecuting just a handful.

The Boston Globe first reported the Pentagon's role in Project Flicker in July, citing DCIS investigative reports (PDF) showing that at least 30 Defense Department employees were investigated.

But new Project Flicker investigative reports obtained by The Upshot through the Freedom of Information Act, which you can read here, show that DCIS investigators identified 264 Defense employees or contractors who had purchased child pornography online. Astonishingly, nine of those had "Top Secret Sensitive Compartmentalized Information" security clearances, meaning they had access to the nation's most sensitive secrets. All told, 76 of the individuals had Secret or higher clearances. But DCIS investigated only 52 of the suspects, and just 10 were ever charged with viewing or purchasing child pornography. Without greater public disclosure of how these cases wound down, it's impossible to know how or whether any of the names listed in the Project Flicker papers came in for additional scrutiny. It's conceivable that some of them were picked up by local law enforcement, but it seems likely that most of the people flagged by the investigation did not have their military careers disrupted in the context of the DCIS inquiry.

Read More..

William Cooper's Mystery Babylon: Part 08 – Initiation

Transcribed by frizshizzle/luckee1

You're listening to the Hour of the Time. I'm William Cooper.


(Intro music: Stardust, written by Hoagy Carmichael & Mitchell Parish)


From Tinkerbell to Artie Shaw to George Bush’s Thousand Points of Light, America has been mesmerized by stardust since its very inception. And now, America is beginning to learn what all these references to the star, the morning star, Wish Upon a Star, Stardust, really is all about.


[reading from: A History of Secret Societies, written by Arkon Daraul]:


"There was something [very] strange about the classical mysteries; something which attracted people to them and having attracted them made their initiates with very few exceptions permanent devotees. In Egypt, Greece, India, Rome and a dozen other places and countries, sacred initiations took place in specially prepared sanctuaries [William Cooper: usually in a cave or underground]. Priests of the mysteries enjoyed the profound respect of the masses, as well as that of kings and counselors."

[William Cooper]: And in those days there was nothing really secret about it except the initiations rites and the knowledge which they retained for themselves, giving only the exoteric to the people.

"What were the mysteries? Until relatively recently, and relying upon comparatively scattered fragments such as Apuleius' Golden Ass, historians and religious writers had formed an opinion of them which has been shown to be extremely naïve [William Cooper: if not, outright false]. They knew that at the ceremonies symbolical teaching took place, and hence inferred that the mysteries were a relic of the times when academic knowledge was guarded by the very few and scientific truths (such as Pythagorean theorems) were given only [and only] to the elect. They knew [also] that orgiastic drumming and dancing formed a part of many of the rituals, and therefore told their readers this was a degenerate form of religion, or a mere excuse for licentiousness. They found that stories of ancient gods and heroes were recited, and were sure the mysteries constituted little more than an underground survival of prehistoric religion, magic or tribal initiation."

[William Cooper]: Or maybe that’s exactly what they wanted us to believe, knowing full well that it was false. And, of course, if those who did the writing were members of the Mysteries, they would never have allowed the secrets to be revealed to the profane.

"But times have changed [folks]. The study of 'brainwashing' [William Cooper: and mind control] and conditioning the mind within the past decade [or so] has helped to lay bare the essence of the mysteries, and has answered the riddles which surrounded them. [You see,] in this process, those who have tried to keep the celebration of the mysteries alive, who have tried to revive them, have been shown up as relying upon the symbolic interpretation alone. And this revelation has been in its own way has been on of the most startling developments of contemporary religion. [You see, for] almost anyone, for instance, can get away with telling anyone else that he was an Egyptian priest in a former incarnation, because there is so very little verifiable material available to prove the reverse."

[William Cooper]: It becomes obvious, though, when you attend a party populated by these nuts. When six people introduce themselves as having been Abraham Lincoln in a past life.

"But let anyone attempt to celebrate any of the ancient mystery-cults' rituals, and unless he has a sound idea on how the human mind works, he is unlikely to escape the criticism of those physiologists who now see in the mysteries an almost open book.

"[So] let us return to a sketch of the conventional knowledge about the mysteries. In those of Eleusis, celebrated in Greece, the candidate had to undergo...fasting or abstinence from certain foods. There were processions, with sacred statues carried from Athens to Eleusis. Those who were to be initiated waited for long periods of time outside the hall in the temple [where] the rites were to be held [William Cooper: building up a tremendous tension of suspense]. Eventually a torchbearer led them within the precincts [William Cooper: usually underground]. The ceremonies [usually] included a ritualistic meal; one or two dramas; the exhibition of sacred objects; the 'giving of the word'; (Laughter) an address by the hierophant; and, oddly enough, closure with the Sanskrit words: 'Cansha om pacsha.'

"The elements included the clashing of cymbals, tension and a certain degree of debilitation, eating something, plus conditions which were all-inspiring, strange. The candidate was in the hands of, and guided by, the priesthood. Other factors: drinking a soporific draught; symbolic sentence of death; whirling around a circle.

"Initiation ceremonies of [certain] secret cults, the mystery-type invariably involve tests, sometimes most severe ones. The effect of certain experiences was a carefully worked programme of mind training which is familiar in modern times as that which is employed by certain totalitarian states to 'condition' or reshape the thinking of an individual."

[William Cooper]: Are you listening to me, all you Freemasons out there who think that you're so smart? Well, you're not.

"This process produces a state in which the mind is pliant enough to have certain ideas implanted: ideas which resist a great deal of counter-influence. This was the secret of the mysteries, this and nothing else. Echoes of such training are to be seen in the rituals of certain secret societies without mystical pretensions which survive to this day: trials, terror, expectancy, drinking and the rest.

"That this fact was known in the past[, folks,] is evidenced by the words of Aristotle, who was exiled because he was said to have revealed something about the mysteries; and he said [this]: 'Those who are being initiated do not so much learn anything, as experience certain emotions, and are thrown into a special state of mind.'

"[Well,] what was this special state of mind? [Folks,] it was a plasticity, in order that the conditioning might take permanent root. The psychologist William [Walters] Sargant, the greatest authority on this subject, says in his classic Battle For The Mind: 'It seems, therefore, that there are common final paths which all individual animals (though initial temperamental responses to imposed stresses vary greatly) must finally take -- if only stresses are continued long enough. This is probably the same in human beings. [And] if so...may help to explain why excitatory drumming, dancing and continued bodily movement are so much used in such a number of primitive religious groups. The efforts and the excitement of keeping the dance in progress for many hours on end should wear down and if need be finally subdue the strongest and most stubborn temperament, such as might be able to survive frightening and exciting talk alone for days or weeks.'"

[William Cooper]: Now, understanding what I just read to you, this quote from Battle for the Mind by William Sargant...can you still say that music plays no part of the conditioning of the mind? That the words in the music is not being entrapped by the subconscious of those young people who dance for hours listening to this music? If so, I think you'd better rethink that position. For it is a form of mind control, brainwashing.

"Dr. Sargant notes that Chinese experiments in mass-excitation, breaking down and reconditioning are based on same physiological principles as religious conversion and also individual and group psychotherapy treatments. [Folks,] these include the application of tension, fear, anxiety, conflict, to the point where subjects are uncertain. [And] in this state suggestibility is increased and the old pattern of behavior is disrupted.

"The fact that the devotees of the mysteries were thoroughly conditioned to them, and felt they were important in their lives, is seen in much historical evidence. Even in the fourth century of the Christian era, the Greeks were insisting that they 'would consider life unbearable if they were not allowed to celebrate those most sacred mysteries which unite the human race.'

"[Now] the work of those that pointed out the functions of mysteries as mind-training and conditioning has, of course, evoked no answer for those who still think [that] the rituals are mere symbolic representations of knowledge or facts."

[William Cooper]: And indeed they cannot admit this, simply because they would be admitting their own foolishness and stupidity in the process. So they will resist at all costs and continue to go to their meetings, for to do otherwise would be to confront their own fallibility, and in human nature that is one of the most difficult things for any individual to do. We all realize that.

"...It’s interesting to note[, folks,] that the ecstasy which is produced by excitatory methods and is followed by manipulation of the mind is still sought by members of many secret cults who are aware of the scientific explanation."

[William Cooper]: You see, irregardless, even when they know this, they still seek it out. Because for them it fulfills some terrible need, way down deep inside their gut.

"There reaction is that the experience may well be induced by physical methods; but in spite of that [William Cooper: and this is what they say] 'it is nothing less than actual spiritual communion with a supernatural power.' This is the point [at which] scientists and mystics cannot agree. The mystic feels sure [that] he has experienced something sublime."

[William Cooper: And who’s to say that they haven’t? Or, if you have not experienced it, you have no basis upon which to make a decision. But to experience it is to put yourself in a position to be controlled by others. So, we are in a quandary now. How do we explore this?

"The scientist tells [the mystic] that it is an illusion. He [just simply] will not believe it. The situation just reminds one of the time when someone produced the soul of a departed relative to tell a spiritualist, that there was no life after death. (Laughter) Although this is alleged to have happened in Ireland, one can visualize it taking place easily enough in the mutually heated atmosphere of scientist versus mystic anywhere [William Cooper: in the world].

"The orgiastic side of the mysteries [also] has a place in the sphere of psychology. The catharsis ([or the] cleansing of the mind) which the secret cult of the Cathari experienced after ecstasy is paralleled by the modern therapist's procedure in bringing his patient to a state of excitement and [then] collapse before an implanting what he considers more suitable ideas in the mind.

"Christianity [of course] was not been behind in its use of the mystery-system for initiates. [For] it was not until A.D. 692 that the every believer was ordered to be admitted to the worship of the Christians, following the period when it was thought advisable to celebrate certain parts of worship in secret."

[William Cooper]: You see, Christianity in the beginning, was a secret society itself. And the correct name for it was the friendly, open secret society, although in the beginning there was nothing open about it.

"Traces of this survive in such customs as that of the Greek Orthodox Church, where the priest celebrates divine worship behind a curtain, which is only taken away during the elevation of the Host, 'since at that moment the worshipers prostrate themselves and are not supposed to see the holy sacrament.'

"The reason given for the secrecy of the practice of the Christian cult gives a clue in explaining that the celebrant must be prepared by expectation. St. Augustine laid down that secrecy was essential because: the mysteries of Christianity were incomprehensible to human intellect, and should not be derided by the uninitiated; secondly, because this secrecy produced greater veneration for the rites; thirdly, that the 'holy curiosity' of those to be initiated into the experience of Christianity should be increased, in order that they might attain to a perfect knowledge of the faith."

[William Cooper]: And to you all, quite frankly, folks, in my study of mind control, the Christian church would swell, well beyond any conception or imagination of what their numbers could be, if they had continued their [laughter] secrecy.

"St. Basil (De Spiritu Sancto, cap [let me see, that's 17? *note: it's actually 27.] xxvii) [William Cooper: that’s a writing, folks) tells how the Fathers of the Church 'were well instructed to preserve the veneration of the Mysteries in silence. For how could it be proper publicly to proclaim in writing the doctrine of those things which no unbaptized person may so much as may look upon?'"

[William Cooper]: Now this all sounds silly to us today. But believe me, folks, there is nothing silly about it. And if it were practiced today as it was then, the Christian church would be more powerful then you can possibly conceive.

[William Cooper]: Now, remember, this is the results of our research. I myself consider myself to be a Christian. And that I follow the teachings, the words of Jesus Christ in my daily life. Not the dogma of any church, not the preaching of any minister or priest. But simply and only the words of Christ. Seated upon the foundation of that which God gave us in our history, the moral code called the Ten Commandments as they were originally given to Moses, and not as they were changed by man in the form of the Pope.

"The origin of mystery ceremonies seems to be India: or, at least, the place in time when the Brahman priesthood started its initiations. The ceremonies were based upon the Hindu myths; but the procedure followed in training the aspirant as strikingly similar in Egypt. And Egypt profoundly influenced Greece."

[William Cooper]: Now what's left out here, and the reason it’s usually left out, is because any mention or discussion of the Babylonian Mysteries or the Babylonian religion is usually met with much criticism and derision by those who believe that it was a terrible institution. The Mysteries definitely came from the East, and the East in the Mysteries still survives today. When one Freemason greets another and he is not sure if he is really a Freemason, he will ask if he is a "traveler", or if he is "traveling" or if he is a "fellow traveler". All, I might add, were the same code of identification used by the Communist party in this country, because Communism and the Mysteries are the same entity, as are Socialism and the Mysteries.

[William Cooper]: When they meet and this exchange takes place, the one being queried, if he is indeed a member of the Mystery Religion, will say, "Yes, I’m a traveler," to which the first, or the inquirer, will respond with, "Where are you going?" or "Where are you traveling, from where to where?" And the answer will be, "From west to east," for the east is the position of the rising sun, where the knowledge comes from. You see? For an early history, it certainly can be proven to have come from the east. And the sun was the symbol of the intellect . It began by being the symbol of the unseen god of the universe and slowly transformed into the symbol of the intellect, the light, Osiris, Ra, Lucifer.

"Prayer, fasting, and study were the first requirements, when the Indian candidate prepared himself for the trials which were before him, [William Cooper: All of this, folks, originated in Babylon at the dawn of civilization.] for the actual sight for the Great Gods, and the final 'word' ([or] teaching) which would be implanted in his mind when it had become sufficiently prepared to receive it. [And] if the weather was cold, he would have to sit in the snow or rain, naked. In the torrid heat, he sat in the full blaze of the sun with four fires built around him to give additional heat. This was the first part of the undertaking; while he repeated prayers and repetitions which included the invocation for his complete conversion. This latter concentration [folks] upon the desires of the candidate is applied in more than one of the mysteries. [William Cooper: Some of the initiations ceremonies were cruel and painful.] Coupled with the 'word' which is given during the ceremonies, it means that the power of suggestion is being applied continuously, and should penetrate into the mind at every moment when it is able to receive it.

"This period of dedication was succeeded by one in which he visited the underground cave of initiation."

[William Cooper]: And when it wasn’t in a cave, it was in a tomb or a crypt, such as the pyramids of Egypt, which were never tombs of pharaohs, but were, from the beginning until the end of their use, they were temples of initiation.

"Passing through a tunnel of complete darkness, [the initiate] emerged into the cavern, where three priests, dressed as gods, awaited him in resplendent and intimidating array. After being addressed and partaking in the oration of prayers, [the initiate] walked rapidly around the temple several times [William Cooper: this called circumambulation] and was then carried through several subterranean and unlit caves. During this time there were wails[, wails, screams] and shouts from every side, while illuminated specters and other horrors abounded. At the end of this terrible experience, the aspirant came to two doors which, when thrown open to the sound of the sacred conch trumpet the conch [William Cooper: folks, is a shell], revealed a scene of brilliance and glory. This hall was full of every delight in the form of pictures, music, and perfume. [The initiate] walked to the altar in the room where he was again harangued, and presented with his sevenfold cord, which was marked his passing through the initiation.

"[Now,] if we compare these proceedings with those that were said to be carried out among the Egyptians, the parallelism is startling [even today]. The candidate was taken to a well, which he had to descend until it came to a tunnel. Torch in hand, he passed through a door, which closed with a resounding noise [William Cooper: as if never to be opened again]. He was met by frightful figures, which offered him a last chance of going back. [Then] he passed through a fire, swam through a dangerous underground stream. [And] as soon as he reached a door and touched a ring to open it, a blast of air blew out the lamp which gave the only available light. [Some type of] machine swung him over a bottomless pit. [And] just as he was on the point of exhaustion, and ivory door opened, and he found himself on the threshold of a resplendent Temple of Isis. Here the priests received him into their company. [He would go through a] series of tests, he had to undergo fasting and what would nowadays be called indoctrination, before he could be considered completely initiated into even the first degree. The foregoing experiences were followed by the higher degrees, those of Serapis and Osiris."

[William Cooper]: And, in the process, the wives of the priests would tease him and cajole him and try to get him to make love to them. And if he had successfully resisted, then he could say that he had passed all the tests. But if he succumbed to their advances, he was not considered worthy.

"It is needless to outline the beliefs and methods used in the Chinese, Japanese, South American and other mysteries; because while the legends which are inculcated [may] vary [in some way -- they are all essentially and basically the same], the training hardly varies at all. The real mystery of the mysteries[, folks,] is how and when man first discovered and the use certain procedures to condition other men [William Cooper: and thus rule them and control them], and whether the discovery was instantaneous or gradual, or simultaneous or at different times or places. But one cannot date doctrines as one can archaeological finds, by radioactive carbon [dating].

[William Cooper]: And, so, you have reached another milestone in your education into the Mysteries. And this program has only half completed. And, again, I must remind you we have just begun, for we are essentially covering six thousand years of the history of a hidden religion, known simply as the Mysteries. To Christians, it is Mystery Babylon; to others, it is called the Invisible College. In all cases, it belongs to those who consider themselves in possession of the only truly mature minds, and thus the only ones capable of knowing certain advancements in technology, sociology and many, many other things. They call themselves of the "Guardians of the Secrets of the Ages." And I can assure you, folks, they are in complete control of all elements of our society, military, and government at this time. So it is essential that you learn these facts about them and their organization, so that we can decide our future.

[William Cooper]: Don't go away, folks. We've got to take a short break. I'll be right back after this pause.


(break music: unknown, dramatic instrumental music)


[continuing reading from: A History of Secret Societies, written by Arkon Daraul]:


"The cult of Mithra, the intercessor between man and the Persian divine power Ormuzd, was once an extremely widespread one [William Cooper: for it is the original cult of the sun]. From its origins in Persia, the faith spread to Babylononia, Greece and finally the Roman Empire, where it struggled against Christianity at the latter’s inception. Christianity won, with the decline the material virtues of the Romans, but there are people who worship the solar deity [today], and even London has its Mithra temple.

"Mithra was said to give his worshipers success in this world as well as security and happiness in the next. [William Cooper: Sound familiar, Freemasons?] He was originally a genie, the worldly representative of the invisible power which ruled the affairs of men. Later (and the cult probably has a history of over six thousand years) he became thought of by his devotees as not being just one of the twenty-eight genii, but the only one which mattered, and the only one who could cater to the wishes and needs of the people. Thus it was that the ancient Aryan worship of Ahura-Mazda, the supreme being, was displaced by that of one of his representatives. Now, one way, folks, you can tell who, or which corporations, or which businesses, or societies belong to these cults, is look at these names. Such as Saturn, Mazda, etc. Ahura Mazda, the supreme being, was displaced by that of one of his representatives. Although archaeological research has produced little to give a clear picture of the rituals and beliefs of the Mithraists, a considerable amount of secret lore still survives in the east -- from India to Syria -- which gives one a good idea of exactly how the members of the cult thought, and [just exactly] what their magical ceremonies were.

"Three ritualistic objects are used by Mithraists: the crown (equivalent to the sun, and power of the supernatural kind), the hammer or club (symbolizing creative activity of mankind) and the bull, which stands for nature, virility, [and] increase. By the proper understanding of these objects and [just exactly] what they represent, Mithraists have it that the ordinary man can transcend his environment, can become great, or successful, or can achieve what he wants to do; and enters a delightful after-life. What must he give in exchange? Nothing but worship to the principle which presides over all destiny [William Cooper: and control to the priests of the religion]. "

[William Cooper]: Now let’s regress just a moment, and let me explain to you why the bull. Throughout the ancient world you see the symbology of the bull. Now you have to remember, this history goes back six thousand years. The first two thousand, of which, looking back, is the Christian era. Now, remember, this is the age of Pisces, or the two fish. The six thousand year period started in antiquity when the sun was in Taurus, or the Bull. That is the meaning of Baal, the golden calf...was the representation of the house of the sun, or the age of the bull, or Taurus. It was really the same old Mystery Religion, the worship of the unseen God of the universe, represented by the sun which, over the centuries and the millennia, has become the worship of the intellect, with the sun the representation of the light, or Lucifer, the one who gave man the gift of intellect.

[William Cooper]: Now after the age of Taurus came the Goat, or the Ram. And this was symbolized by the symbol of the goat, or the goat of Mendes, for in Mendes there was a temple erected to the worship of the Mysteries, and since the sun was in the house of the goat, or the ram, the object of the exoteric worship by the masses was the goat.

[William Cooper]: When the sun passed into the house of Pisces, or the two fishes, the Christian era began. We are now on our way out of the age of Pisces into the age of Aquarius. Once you understand that the ancient religion was a religion of the worship of the heavens then everything begins to come together. And when you understand that they ceased believing in an all-powerful unseen God, or hidden God of the universe, and became essentially pantheous (believing everything is God), they call this nature or the natural way. Then you can understand how man became to worship the intellect. The intellect. And the symbol that used to represent the unseen God of the universe came to represent the intellect. The use of which will bring man to the state of Apotheosis, where man himself will become God. And then you begin to look at all the things that are happening today and you see their symbology everywhere. Nowhere will you see it more prominently than in the Loony Tune fringe element calling themselves, "Ufologists." You will see that everything to do with the so-called UFO phenomena, comes right out of the Mystery Schools.

"One reason[, folks,] for the loss of importance of the cult [of Mithras] undoubtedly is that admission was restricted to those who were thought worthy to receive the blessings which would come through the proper beliefs and use of the magical powers presided over by the Mithra priests. Christianity, for instance, was open to a far greater section of the population, even although the Christian mysteries were not accessible everywhere to all to until relatively late [in our history]. At the same time, some of the Mithras ceremonials were of such obvious emotional appeal that scholars are agreed, that the purely ritualistic side of Christianity owes much to those of the sun-god of the Persians."

[William Cooper]: And if you have been listening to this program, you already know that: that Christianity was actually merged with the religion of the worship of the sun into what is now known as the Vatican.

"The lowest degree of initiation was known as the Sacrament, and could be administered to anyone, theoretically, who could be relied upon to keep a secret, and would develop into a regular and devout worshiper This degree was called that of The Crow, and it symbolized, according to the present-day Mithras, the death of the new member, from which he would arise reborn as a new man [William Cooper: and today The Crow is known as a phoenix]. This death [or symbolic death] spelt the end of his life as an unbeliever and canceled his allegiance to former and unaccepted beliefs. The use of the word ‘crow’ probably derives from the ancient Persian practice of exposing their dead to be eaten by carrion birds -- which is still carried on by the Parsi community in India, who follow parts of ancient Iranian religion as supposedly taught by Zoroaster. But if the crow symbolized death, it was also delegate privileged to take over the human body after death. [Of course,] in a sense, it was superior to humanity. Thus it was that the member of the cult was superior to the ordinary run of mortals."

[William Cooper]: They believed themselves to be a separate race of man and still do.

"The candidate descended seven steps into the temple, which was an underground one, fashioned in the shape of a cavern, and made to look as much as possible like a natural cave. Initiation tests now took place. The newcomer was pursued by 'wild beasts' (priests in animal skins), 'demons' and all sorts of terrors. He had to fast for three days. [And] in this debilitated, altered and plastic state, he was given a lecture by a priest on the responsibilities which were now his. Among these were the necessity to call brother only those who had been initiated."

[William Cooper]: In the words of a Freemason today, whose son I happen to know: "If you are not one of us, you are nothing." Those words were spoken to his son when he asked his father why the Freemasons that he knew and his father were persecuting a local business man and trying to drive him out of business. Now, bear in mind that his son was not a Freemason. Let me say those words again for you, folks: "If you are not one of us, you are nothing."

"All family ties were severed; nothing mattered but doing one’s job well and carrying out the worship of Mithra. The final ceremony took place amid the clash of cymbals, the beating of drums and the unveiling of a statue of Mithra himself. This latter showed Mithra as a man, carrying a bull by the hind legs. Now the symbolism of this piece of sculpture was explained to him. The bull, in addition to symbolizing fecundity, was representative of animal passion [William Cooper: and it was also the house in which the sun dwelt in the first two thousand years of the religion]. It was through invocations to Mithra that mankind first discovered how to overcome this force, and how to discipline himself. Therefore the secret of religion was partly that the worshiper must restrain himself physically in order to obtain power over himself and over others."

[William Cooper]: And this is the mystery of the Sphinx that man has been trying to decipher since man discovered the Sphinx in the modern world. It is simply this: that man is nothing but an animal with a brain, with an intellect. It is to remind us, folks. It is to tell us that no matter what you think or how high you get, you are still nothing but an animal with an intellect. Period.

"This graphic teaching of the diversion of sexual power into psychic channels shows that the Mithraists followed in essence the pattern of all [Mystery Schools] which believed in the production of power through discipline. In this they are clearly distinguished from the more primitive and the less important of the orgiastic schools, which merely practiced indiscriminate indulgence, mass immorality and so on.

"The neophyte [in this initiation] then drank a little wine from the cymbal, to show that he realized that the cymbal is the means whereby ritual ecstasy comes, which puts him in touch with the 'higher powers'.

"[Now] two long lines of initiates knelt on either side of the low stone benches which traversed the crypt..."

[William Cooper]: Remember, George Bush was initiated in the crypt, or the tomb, at Yale University, into what is known as the Skull and Bones, the Russell Trust, the Brotherhood of death.

"[Now, remember,] two lines of initiates knelt on either side of the low stone benches which traversed the crypt, [and] as the new member, accompanied by the priests who were initiating him, walked along the central isle for the Eating of the Bread. A number of pieces of dried bread were placed on a drum, similar to those which were being softly beaten by one of the priests. The candidate ate one morsel, signifying that he accepted Mithra as the source of his food. This bread, according to their beliefs, had been exposed to the rays of the sun to absorb some of its quality; and thus the worshiper was partaking of the nature of the sun itself in this ritual observance."

[William Cooper]: But it goes deeper than that that, folks, because the sun is what enables all life to exist on this planet. Being that the planet is at the perfect balance, where it is neither too hot, nor too cold. And that the planet is tilted upon its axis, creating the seasons, which enable food to be grown in the more northern latitudes, than if the earth was stable on an axis where only one portion of the globe always was in direct alignment with the sun. Then it would be too hot at the equator; there would be one narrow band in the northern, southern hemisphere where crops could be grown; and it would be too cold in the northern and southern hemispheres. So, this ritual observance has scientific fact behind it, in that the bread, indeed, did come from the sun.

"[And] now [the initiate] was taught the password of the cult, which was to identify him to other members, and which he was to repeat to himself frequently, in order to maintain the thought always in his mind: 'I have eaten from the drum and drunk from the cymbal; and I have learned the secret of religion.'

"This is the cryptic phrase an early Christian writer, Maternus, reports as being taught to the Mithraists 'by a demon.'

"The second phase of initiation was called The Secret, and during this the candidate was brought to a state of ecstasy in which he was somehow made to believe that he had actually seen the statue of the god actually endowed with life. [Folks,] it’s not likely that there was any mechanical method by which this was done, because no such apparatus has been found in Mithraic temples unearthed. The candidate was brought up to the idol, to which he offered a loaf of bread and a cup of water. [And] this was to signify that he was a servant of the god, and that [he was] 'By what sustains my life I offer my entire life to your service.' The grade of Soldier may show that the military arts were responsible for a good deal of the power of Mithra worship in ancient Persia. Certain it is, in any case, that this degree greatly appealed to the Roman warriors who formed a very large part of the rank and file of the cult during its Western expansion. A sign similar to a cross, signifying the sun, was made on the forehead of the initiate, who was thus marked as being owned by the deity. A crown was placed before him, hanging from the point of a sword. This he took and placed it aside with the words: 'Mithra alone is my crown.'"

[William Cooper]: And this, folks, this takes place, in every, every mystery that there have ever been. Remember when Christ had went into the desert for forty days and forty nights and was tempted by Satan? Satan offered Him the crowns of any, or all, of the nations of the earth, if He [Christ] would just follow him [Satan]. And Christ rejected it. The same thing happens in the Mystery School: the initiate is always offered a crown, sometimes by the king or emperor himself. And if he accepts the crown, he is considered unworthy and, being as it would be interpreted as a threat to the real wearer of the crown, probably would have been executed. He was considered only worthy if he rejected the crown symbolic of the ruler, the ruling of the nation, or people, or area.

"The Persian crown, it will be remembered, from which pattern all present-day crowns are eventually derived, is a golden sun-disc with a hole in the centre for the head. [It’s] jagged at the edges (representing the sun’s rays) [William Cooper: just like that worn by the Statue of Liberty], and these projections are turned up, to make what is still known in Western heraldry as the Oriental crown."

[William Cooper]: You can also see this representation as the halo in Christian art.

"Now the candidate has to prove himself in a mock combat with soldiers and animals in a number of caves. When the Emperor Commodus went trough this degree of initiation, he actually killed one of the participants, although he was supposed to only make a symbolic slaying.

"Passed through the Soldier degree, the Mithras was eligible, after a lapse of time, to be promoted to the rank of Lion. He was taken again to the cavern, and honey was smeared upon his brow, as opposed to water that had been used in his acceptance into the earlier degree -- his 'baptism.' The degree of Lion was taken only by those who had decided to dedicate themselves completely to the cult, and who would henceforth have no truck with the ordinary world. The Lion was then, a sort of priest, but rather more of a monk. He was trained into the rites of the cult and told certain secrets.

"The degree of Lion of Mithras could only be conferred only when the sun was occupying [in] the Zodiacal sign of Leo ([and that is] about July 21st to August 20th) during the Persian month of Asad, The Lion. [Now,] there is a good deal of astrological lore in Mithraism, and also an admixture with cabbalistic numerology. The Greek branch of the Mithraists, for example, worked out that the numerical equivalent of the name (spelt by them Mitrus) was 365, and thus corresponded [of] the days in the solar year."

[William Cooper]: Well, since the deity was the sun, then this is exactly what it should have been.

"In the purely magical sense, Mithraism has it that both the name of the god and the rank which the individual holds in the cult have magical power. Thus, if a person wants to achieve anything, he has to concentrate upon the word 'Mithra', while preparing for himself the ceremonial repast and beating alternately a drum and cymbals.

"That the effect of initiation was to produce someone of an upright character is amply evidenced by literature of Roman times, in which the Mithraists were generally considered to be thoroughly trustworthy and improved people. Even their enemies could reproach their own followers [that showed the] vitality of the Mithras creed. Tertullian, in his De Corona [William Cooper: which is Latin for, 'The Crown'], which he composed in the third Christian Century, upbraids the Christians, inviting their attention to the Mithrists as examples:"

[William Cooper: De Corona actually means, "the Crown of Thorns."

"'You, his fellow-warriors, should blush when exposed by any soldier of Mithra. When he is enrolled in the cave, he is offered the crown, which he spurns. And he takes his oath upon this moment, and [he] is to be believed. Through the fidelity of his servants the devil puts us to shame,' [he said.]

"[Now] there were seven degrees of initiation in all, although there are some branches of the ecstatic side of the lore which includes certain others, making the total twelve. After Lion came the Persian, then the Runner of the Sun, then Father, and finally, Father of Fathers. The twelfth degree, it is said, is King of Kings, [William Cooper: and where have we heard that before?] and properly, this can be held only by the supreme king, and preferably the Shahinshah (King of Kings) of Persia.

"This very ancient cult, from which more than one present-day secret society [is] derived, is thus seen to contain many of the elements which underlie organizations of this sort. [You see folks,] it is a training system; it attempts to produce in its members a real or imagined experience of contact with some supreme power. The magical element is there too, shown in the belief in the power of certain names to achieve things which cannot be done by men. Mithraism was not an anti-social society, in the sense that it did not conflict in its aims with the objectives of the countries in which it flourished. And hence it did not threaten the established order. It was tolerant of other creeds."

[William Cooper]: Just like Freemasonry is now. You can belong to any religion and join at the lowest level. But I guarantee you that, when you reach the highest level, you will only belong to one religion.

"[The tolerance] of other creeds...meant that [it] did not intend to supplant them. Its greatest festival, the Birth of the Sun, on the 25th of December, became Christianized; and it is claimed by those that still believe in the mysteries and celebrate them, that Christianity did not so much supplant Mithraism as absorb it, accepting some of its externals and diverting to its own use [William Cooper: and that is exactly what has happened]. Perhaps incongruously, a present-day follower of Mithra in England recently likened this phenomenon to the eclipse of the Liberal Party, 'because the two other Parties have taken over its objectives, and widened the basis. Only the actual initiates of Mithra know what has been lost in the process.' So the young man in the Phrygian bonnet, sometimes seen as the conqueror of the bull, or even as a man with a lion's head, still has his devotees. And [folks] the sun still shines."

[William Cooper]: So, what does all this got to do with stars and stardust? Many people believe that Venus is the morning star and, in the ancient days, they say that it was Sirius that rose before the sun with a red cast to it, and then turned a brilliant white as it rose up into the heavens. Well, folks, if you really think about it, the sun is the morning star.

Good night, and God bless each and every one of you.


(closing music: continuation of Stardust?)http://www.waronyou.com/forums)

Were Obama and Parents Connected to CIA?‏

OBAMA AND HIS FAMILY
TIED TO CIA FOR YEARS,
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER SAYS


By Sherwood Ross

President Obama---as well as his mother, father, step-father and grandmother---all were connected to the Central Intelligence Agency---possibly explaining why the President praises the “Agency”and declines to prosecute its officials for their crimes, an investigative reporter says.

According to a published report in the September “Rock Creek Free Press” of Washington, D.C., investigative reporter Wayne Madsen says Obama's mother Ann Dunham worked “on behalf of a number of CIA front operations, including the East-West Center at the University of Hawaii, the U.S. Agency for International Development(USAID), and the Ford Foundation.” The East-West Center had long been affiliated with CIA activities in the Asia-Pacific region, Madsen says.

What's more, Obama's father, Barack Obama Sr., arrived in Hawaii from Kenya as part of a CIA program to identify and train Africans who would be useful to the Agency in its Cold War operations against the Soviets, Madsen says. Obama Sr. divorced Ms. Dunham in 1964.

Ms. Dunham married Lolo Soetoro the following year, a man Madsen says assisted in the violent CIA coup against Indonesian President Sukarno that claimed a million lives. Obama's mother taught English for USAID, “which was a major cover for CIA activities in Indonesia and throughout Southeast Asia,” Madsen reports. That USAID was a cover for CIA covert operations in Laos was admitted by its administrator Dr. John Hannah on Metromedia News. Madsen says the organization was also a cover for the CIA in Indonesia.

Ms. Dunham worked in Indonesia at a time when Midwest Universities Consortium for International Activities(MUCIA)---a group that included the University of Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Minnesota and Indiana--- was accused of being a front for CIA activities in Indonesia and elsewhere. Ms. Dunham traveled to Ghana, Nepal, Bangladesh, India and Thailand “working on micro-financing projects” for the CIA, Madsen reports.

And Ms. Dunham's mother, Madelyn Dunham---who raised Obama while his mother was on assignment in Indonesia---acted as vice president of the Bank of Hawaii in Honolulu, which Madsen says was used by various CIA front entities. She handled escrow accounts used to make CIA payments “to U.S.-supported Asian dictators” including Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, South Vietnamese President Nguyen van Thieu, and President Suharto in Indonesia, Madsen says.

“In effect, the bank was engaged in money laundering for the CIA to prop up covertly its favored leaders in the Asia-Pacific region,” Madsen writes. “It is clear that Dunham Soetoro and her Indonesian husband, President Obama's step-father, were closely involved in the CIA's operations to steer Indonesia away from the Sino-Soviet orbit after the overthrow of Sukarno.”

“President Obama's own work in 1983 for Business International Corporation, a CIA front that conducted seminars with the world's most powerful leaders and used journalists as agents abroad, dovetails with CIA espionage activities conducted by his mother,” Madsen says. “There are volumes of written material on the CIA backgrounds of George H.W. Bush and CIA-related activities by his father and children, including former President George W. Bush. Barack Obama, on the other hand, cleverly masked his own CIA connections as well as those of his mother, father, step-father, and grandmother,” Madsen points out.

A review of the influence on the Oval Office by the CIA, particularly since the presidency of Bush Sr., a former director of the Agency, it becomes apparent the Agency has played a major role in the shaping of U.S. foreign policy---a role that has been largely kept secret from the American public and one which most Americans would not have approved. The CIA's overthrow of the democratic government of Iran in 1953 is an example. The overthrow occurred after the Iranian government nationalized the oil industry following alleged cheating on payments by contractor British Petroleum, then known as Anglo-Iranian Oil Co. For another, the CIA's widespread use of illegal rendition and torture of suspects is repugnant to Americans who still believe in their Constitution.

Investigative journalist Madsen, who has a long string of “scoops” to his credit, is a member of the Society of Professional Jouralists, a commentator for RBN's Saturday radio show, and is a member of the National Press Club. A subscription to the Rock Creek Free Press is $25. Contact editor@RockCreekFreePress.com

Sherwood Ross formerly worked for the Chicago Daily News and wire services and currently operates a public relations firm for good causes. Reach him at sherwoodross10@gmail.com

Discovery Channel gunman shot

LATEST: Police have shot a man upset with the Discovery Channel network's programming who took three people hostage at the company's Washington DC headquarters, officials said. All three hostages escaped safely.

NBC reported the man had died in the shooting, quoting law enforcement sources, but Montgomery County Police Chief Thomas Manger said he did not know whether police killed the gunman.

Police spent several hours negotiating with him after he burst into the suburban building about 1pm (5am NZT) waving a handgun and with canisters strapped to his body.

Manger said an explosive device may have detonated, and the suspect may have brought other devices into the building. He said as far as he knows, the 1900 people who work in the building were able to get out safely.

A law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing said authorities had identified James J. Lee as the likely suspect.

A different official, who spoke on condition of anonymity for the same reason, said Lee previously protested outside the building, where he was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct in February 2008, according to court records.

Police reports indicate he paid homeless people to join his protest and carry signs outside the building. He gave one individual US$1000 for what he considered a prize winning essay.

At one point, a crowd of more than 100 people gathered around Lee, 43, who referred to money as "just trash" and began throwing fistfuls of it into the air.

Read More...

Financial Depression Spreads Among Seniors‏

By Sherwood Ross


President Obama has U.S. taxpayers paying billions to meet the costly payrolls of 50,000 troops and 190,000 contractors in Iraq while 20-million-plus jobless are looking for work in USA and can't find it.

Among the hardest hit now are more than 2-million people age 55 and over, half of whom have been looking for work for six months or longer. For them, the Great Recession is a no-fooling, deepening Depression.

Many of these seniors have no families to care for them. Others are too proud to ask their families, churches, or relief agencies to help them in their time of need. Even so, many a proud, independent, well-dressed senior is a soup kitchen regular because it's either that or go hungry.

Seniors have been loyal to a corporation for much or all of their working lives only to discover the corporation has no loyalty to them. Instead, their employer laid them off before the retirement age and hired a younger, cheaper worker to replace them or just shipped their job to an office or plant on foreign soil. Many seniors are right to feel betrayed.

“The unemployment rate for this age group actually reached 7.1 percent in May, the highest it's been since the late 1940s,” writes A. Barry Rand, chief executive officer of the AARP in his September “Bulletin.” That's more than double the 2005 rate of 3 percent.

“African Americans and Hispanics have been hit especially hard,” Rand adds. He points to a Labor Department study showing over-65 workers outnumber teenagers in the workforce for the first time since 1948.

“And AARP's own research finds that more and more of our members want or need to keep working past traditional retirement age,” he writes. That's likely because seniors are living longer and leading healthier lives.

Speaking for the AARP, Rand says, “We believe that anyone 50-plus who wants or needs to work should be able to work. It's not only essential to achieving financial security, it also benefits our economy.”

But what do you do when the private sector fires you and the public sector refuses to spend the money to hire you? Washington knows darn well this country is short nurses, nursing aides, school-teachers, librarians, and clerks, to cite a few occupations. In city and county governments everywhere, employees are being laid off, forced to take furloughs, or are taking mandatory pay cuts while the Federal government spends more than half of every dollar collected from the taxpayers to make war.

Meanwhile, a Supreme Court largely made up of Republican appointees is making it tougher for seniors to fight against employers who wrong them. “In a case involving Iowa resident Jack Gross, the court ruled that evidence indicating age was a factor in job discrimination was no longer enough,” writes Rand. “Now age must be the sole factor.”

While Rand only mentioned teen unemployment in passing, in fact that rate is far higher than for seniors. Writing in The Washington Post, Frank Ahrens said unemployment among black teens hit nearly 50 per cent last November. For some kids, serving as a look-out for drug peddlers is the only job available.

Obviously, Washington needs to rechannel dollars from its foreign adventures to benefit the home front. It needs to repair the highways, upgrade mass transit, revitalize the national parks, and build the public works just as President Roosevelt's “New Deal” did in the Thirties. That blueprint not only got the country on the road back to full employment but the roads and bridges and public schools were built to last and to benefit future generations and they have.

It might also be a good idea to require corporations relocating jobs abroad to pay their laid-off workers 50 percent of salary for the next five years, instead of firing them like dogs or worse. Right now the military-industrial complex is looting America of its wealth and taking the public for a ride----a ride to the poor house.

(Sherwood Ross is a Chicago native who formerly reported for major dailies and wire services. He currently runs a public relations firm for good causes. Contact him at sherwoodross10@gmail.com)