Rosicrucians

The Rosecrucians (or "Rosicrucians", as it is often spelled in Europe) are a fraternal order that began in the 17th century in Europe, especially in Britain. Rosecrucianism combines elements of Christianity, Hermeticism, Mysticism and Kaballah.

Alternative names include Rosicrucians (European spelling)and the Ancient Mystical Order of Rosae Crucis, colloquially abbreviated as AMORC.

History

The Rosicrucians share a common ancestry with Freemasonry, from whom the Freemasons derived the Rose-Crux degrees. Most Rosecrucians reject the "secret society" label, with certain individuals creating websites with a public invitation for membership

The rose, butterfly, inverted triangle and rosy cross are known to be symbols of Rosecrucians .

Rosecrucianism may have some involvement with the CIA's Monarch Project, as their symbols are prominent

Beliefs

The Rosecrucians hold a complicated belief system integrating fifteen unique esoteric charts denoting the elements; their relationship with the earth; and the co-dependent relationship this has with Schamayim--the Hebrew word for "heaven" . They place great spiritual importance on the paganistic "five elements": earth, wind, air, fire, water, and the spiritual essence.

The fifteen Rosecrucian charts--a central part of Rosecrucian teachings--originally came from a rare tome called "The Magical, Qabbalistical, and Theosophical Writings of Georgius von Welling, on the Subject of Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury". Von Welling's tome was written in Frankfurt Germany between 1735-1760, and was largely about alchemy.

Compared to most other secret societies, Rosecrucianism tends to be apolitical. Some Rosecrucians openly denounce the Illuminati.