[mburbank]

The illuminati have (or had) a historical existence. It's much clouded first by their own claims that the order dated back to ancient egypt (which it almost certainly did not) and by an excellent and histerical series of books by Robert A. Wilson, well worth reading and full of hostorical facts. HOWEVER, he quite deliberatly makes no distinction between facts and wild flights of fancy.

Their really was an Adam Wesihaupt. There really was a secret cell within the Masons who called themselves the Illuminati. It's HIGHLY unlikely Weishaupt murdered and replaced George Washington halfway through his career.

Moreover, many who have read and enjoyed the books adopted the philosipjhy of one splinter group within it, Discordians and joyfully spread missinformation for the fun of it.