by Texe Marrs
To the secret societies, such words refer to the concept that the human spirit, the human soul, can win freedom and divinity for itself through achieving higher consciousness, the gnosis. “Gnosis” is defined as higher wisdom and knowledge. There is no God, no personal God to whom the men of the secret societies must pledge allegiance; no religious system, no Bible that they must adhere to. Instead, they are convinced that they possess a divine, inalienable right to seek perfection in themselves and literally to become “godmen,” divine beings in their own right. This has always been the principal core, the mysterious secret doctrine, of such esoteric groups as the Freemasons, the Knights Templar, the Knights of Malta, and the Skull & Bones Society.
Initiation and 322
Not too long ago a gentleman proposed to me that the real meaning of Chapter 322 of the Skull & Bones was not to commemorate the death of Demosthenes, but instead, could be found in Chapter 3, verse 22 of the book of Genesis in the Bible. Now, in turning our attention to Genesis, chapter 3:22, a fascinating revelation comes into focus. What Genesis 3:22 is all about is initiation. Just as each of the candidates for Skull & Bones membership must pass through an initiation process, so Genesis 3:22 is talking about the ordeal of a man who passes through ritual initiation into perfection and godhood.
Here we have recorded the story of Adam and Eve and their fall from grace. You see, before they sinned and disobeyed their creator, Adam and Eve were immortal creatures. They would not die unless they transgressed against God. And so God put them in the garden, with the prohibition against the eating of certain forbidden fruit. But they did eat of that fruit of that tree which they should not have, which they were ordered not to by God. And so God, in Chapter 3 of Genesis, verse 22 says this: “And the Lord God said, behold the man is become as one of us. To know good and evil.”
But God continues: “And now lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live forever, let us banish him from the garden!” Thus, in verses 23 and 24, we find that God sent Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden; he drove out the man and woman from paradise, and he placed at the East of the Garden of Eden guards known as the cherubim, and a flaming sword to keep inviolate, sacred, and untouched the Tree of Life.
In other words, Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden because God said: “He has already eaten of the one fruit. He knows he’s almost like us. He’s become one of the heavenly hosts. He knows the difference between good and evil and now let’s drive him out of the Garden or he’ll take of his hand and eat of the other tree, the Tree of Life, and he’ll be an immortal god and live forever.
If man had eaten of the Tree of Life, he would have become an immortal, a divine being: a god. So the Lord said, “let us drive him from it.”
Therefore, the number of Skull & Bones Chapter 322 may be a veiled reference to unredeemed man’s inner desire and yearning to become a god—to partake of the Tree of Life. Through initiation, the secret society candidate does, in fact, partake of the fruit from the Tree of Life—he symbolically returns to the Garden and is made perfect and divine!
Indeed, my investigation demonstrates that, metaphorically speaking, the goal of every secret society is to have man, the initiate, eat of the fruit from the Tree of Life, to become immortal, to become a god. This is also the goal of the New Age. And I think it makes perfect sense that it could, indeed, be that account in Genesis 3:22 which inspired the Skull & Bones founders to utilize this number.
The Meaning of the Skull & Bones
What is the symbolic meaning of the skull and bones? Now, I think anybody with common sense would know of the occultic legend of the skull and bones. The pirates of the high seas had their black flags, on which they would paint a white skull and crossbones. So we know that this symbol has an evil and corrupt, outlaw type connotation.
It is, therefore, a fascinating fact that when George Bush (Skull & Bones, class of ’47) first went into the business world, he and his associates (also “bonesmen”) named their new, upstart company, Zapata Petroleum, after the Mexican outlaw and badman, Emilio Zapata. 5
Throughout the years, a number of sinister groups have used the skull and bones as symbols of death and as artifacts for occultic, Satanic rituals. We know that witches, sorcerers, shamans, witchdoctors, and devil worshippers make use of the skull and bones. These symbols of death have often been used by medieval knights and orders and by 20th century dictators. Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, who was a member of the Order of the Teutonic Knights and other secret societies, chose the skull with crossed bones as a military insignia for one of his World War I units. The Death’s-head Corps wore a fur cap in which was embedded a scary and frightening skull and crossbones.
The “X” Factor: A Mark of Satan
In ancient Egypt, the mark of “X” and the symbol of crossed-bones in the form of an X was very prominent in religious contexts. You can find the X on the walls of a number of ancient Egyptian temples and pyramids. The meaning of the X is simply this: it is the sign of Osiris, the great sun god, who, it was said, sends forth his “thousand points of light” to earth to do his work—meaning his disciples, his organizations, and his temples throughout the world. 6
Now it began to be said among the peoples of ancient Egypt that if you were illiterate and could not sign your own name, then it would be acceptable to simply sign your “X.” And so today, a lot of people, when you’re going to sign a document, will say, “sign your X here,” “put your X right here.” Legally, if you can’t write, you can put your X mark, witnessed by others who sign their name which indicates that you did attest to the document.
This practice came from the ancients who were, in effect, swearing and affirming to Osiris the sun god, of the authenticity of their X mark.
The ancient pharaohs, when they were buried, had their legs crossed in the form of an “X” as a sign of devotion to Osiris. And it is true, too, that during the medieval period in Europe, many of the Knights Templar and later the Freemasons also had their legs crossed in the casket. They may well do so today, because for the Freemasons, the skull and crossbones is considered a most important symbol.
Keep in mind, too, that the skull is also the symbol of Baphomet, the androgynous (male and female) goat-headed god who represents Satan. The skull represents for occultists the head or center of the universe, a universe ruled by Satan.
The Nazi Swastika and the Skull & Bones
The Yale students who in 1873 illegally entered the Skull & Bones Tomb alleged that inside were a number of human skulls. More recently, in 1979, several Yale women co-eds also infiltrated the Skull & Bones sanctuary. Evidently, according to their eye-witness report, things haven’t changed much since 1873. The co-eds found some amazing things; for example, on one wall was a triangle-shaped black pirate flag emblazoned with the skull and crossbones. They also found an entire skeleton on display in a standing-position coffin. They reported seeing a painting of a sinister man with a dagger. A number of skulls were discovered. The co-eds also allege that they observed Nazi-like swastikas, the swastika being the eternal sign of the sun god. 7
Throughout history, swastikas have been used in pagan rituals, not only among Hitler and the Nazis, but in Buddhist temples and Hindu temples. Today the swastika is often displayed in Hindu temples in India and Shinto shrines in Japan. It is the sign, the great swirling spokes, or wheels, of the great sun god. 8
The skull is also considered by the occultists and by the devil worshipers as representing the demonic spirit known as Asmodeus, who is considered to be the guardian of the treasure of Solomon. All Freemasons proclaim as their objective the rebuilding of the great Temple of Solomon. Is there a connection?
When the Knights Templar, in 1314, were charged with blasphemous and devilish crimes by the Catholic Church and French authorities, leader Jacques de Molay was accused of drinking blood and wine from a human skull in ritual ceremonies. De Molay was also accused of sodomy, and of urinating on a cross or a crucifix. He was t
herefore condemned by a court to be burned at the stake. 9
Today, the Freemasonic order for young boys is called the Order of DeMolay.
The Skull and the False Christ of Freemasonry
Possibly the most grotesque meaning of the skull in Freemasonry is that it represents a false Christ, or Antichrist who is the enemy and counterfeit of the real Christ, Jesus. In the lowest degrees of Freemasonry, the initiations include rituals in which participants play out, or role play, the part of a heroic character named Hiram Abif. Now Hiram literally means, “he ram,” in other words, the “Lord Ram.” The goat-headed god. And so we have an incredible connection with the blackest aspects of occultism.
In the Masonic ceremony is acted out the killing of the builder of Solomon’s temple. The legend is that this Hiram Abif was the King of Tyre. Solomon invites Hiram, the King of Tyre, and his craftsmen and stone masons to Jerusalem to build the great Temple of Solomon, the Temple of the Lord. According to the Masonic legend, the master builder, Hiram Abif, goes to the temple one day to inspect the temple construction and see how the work of his artisans is progressing. But, upon arrival at the site, he meets up with and is confronted by three “criminals.” (I believe these three criminals portrayed are, in fact, the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost, the true deities of this universe, Jesus Christ being Lord.) These three criminals demand from him the magical and supernatural Lost Word of Masonry—they want to know the most sacred secrets of Freemasonry. Hiram Abif says no, he will not tell, so they smash him over the head with a club, and of course, his skull is crushed. And thus, we have the symbolic significance of the skull in Freemasonry.
The skull and bones of the Skull & Bones Society therefore has to do with Hiram Abif, the Freemason, the builder and false Christ figure, who built the great Temple of Solomon, but, in its last stages of construction, was murdered and assassinated. This is why, in the 30th degree ceremony of Freemasonry, the candidate enters a tomb, hung with black, adorned with skulls and a crown.
The Wicked King Solomon and His 1,000 Wives and Concubines
It is very important to recall that, as recorded in I Kings and II Chronicles in the Bible, we find that Solomon did, indeed, send a message to a Hiram, the King of Tyre, requesting Hiram to come, he and his skilled workers, to build the temple. They were to help in the engraving work and the bronze and the iron. But why did Solomon ask for help from Tyre, a city where heathen gods were worshipped? Well, in his old age, the Bible tells us, Solomon had grown wicked, he had disobeyed God, and so Solomon, even though he had hundreds of wives, was not content to have Jewish wives, but he also wanted to marry the beautiful women of the neighboring tribes and cities and nations. These women, however, were worshippers of the false goddesses and gods. Solomon took for himself a total of 1,000 wives and concubines and some were from Tyre.
The Bible does not inform us about the name “Abif.” But Abif literally means “father,” so the Masonic story refers to Father Hiram. Also in Tyre during the days of Solomon the people worshiped the mother goddess, Astarte. Astarte, also called Ashtoreth and Ishtar, was bequeathed the title of the “Queen of Heaven,” the goddess from the sea.
At first, the temple built by Solomon was a holy place. But eventually it became an evil abode of the demonic goddess of the pagans. The priests of the temple also were wicked during the days of Solomon. They brought in the Asherah totem poles in honor of the goddess. This was the image of jealousy, the abomination that maketh desolate in the temple. And Solomon himself was given a pagan offering by the priests of the temple. Each year they gave him 666 talents of gold.
Solomon angered God when he attempted to blend worship of Jehovah with the adoration and veneration of the heathen goddess. Solomon sought to mix the things of God with the things of evil. Hiram, King of Tyre, brought darkness with him to Jerusalem.
In the Freemason ceremony, this Hiram Abif is literally honored as a Christ-type. It is the goal of all Freemasonry to rebuild the great Temple of Solomon. Hiram is to be resurrected and worshipped in a glorious new, reconstructed Temple. This is the ultimate objective of Freemasonry the worship of a false Christ (the Antichrist!). This false Christ must, naturally, rule over a Kingdom. The whole world is to be that Kingdom.
George Bush and the Goals of the Secret Societies
Since George Bush’s roots came from Freemasonry, as exemplified by his initiation and continuation in the Masonic Skull & Bones Society, we can gauge the goals and objectives of esoteric Freemasonry best by examining George Bush’s actions. We know, for example, that George Bush was at one time the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. As president, he has called for a stronger United Nations, to be fitted with a standing military police force. He is therefore in favor of a United Nations able to enforce its rule around the globe.
As strange as it may seem, George Bush also is linked with pyramid powers, another occultic symbol. There is a group called the Millennium Society, founded in 1979 by Edward McNally, a New York attorney. Every year it gives a huge party or a celebration in different cities around the world. This gala event is said to be for the benefit of students selected to attend colleges affiliated with the New Age organization, United World Colleges. United World Colleges was founded and is headed on an honorary basis by Britain’s Prince Charles. 10
The Millennium Society says that in the year 1999, in fact on New Year’s Eve, on the very precipice of the year 2000, the next millennium, they plan to conduct a great ceremony and ritual in the Great Pyramid of Egypt. And according to the Los Angeles Times (January 3, 1989), George Bush says that he and his wife, Barbara, will attend. According to the Los Angeles Times report, the President wrote a personal letter to the Millennium Society and assured the group that he and Barbara “fervently support the Millennium Society’s dedication to education, international understanding, and world peace.”
George Bush also stated that he had committed himself to being there in Egypt in person, to help usher in the new millennium. The time and date is thus set at the stroke of midnight, 1999, on New Year’s Eve.
The New Money and a Strange New U.S. Mint Building
As president, George Bush has also implemented a plan for a New Money. Eventually, our currency is to change dramatically. To print the new money, a new U.S. Mint facility has been constructed in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. This U.S. Mint is built using the principles of occultic, sacred architecture. It is constructed in the shape of a circle with a great pyramid in the very center of it. In fact, when you go in the front gate of this U.S. Mint facility, constructed by the way with your tax dollars, you pass through two great pillars. At the top of each pillar is also a small pyramid.
The pyramid (or the triangle) within the circle has long been a satanic symbol. It is the very symbol that the Rajneesh, the corrupt Hindu guru who came to America during the 1970’s and built a New Age community in Oregon, used to represent his work. If you visit the Rajneesh’s community in India today you will see this symbol displayed.
It is also the symbol of Alcoholics Anonymous, because AA was founded with money from John D. Rockefeller. Although many people erroneously believe that AA is a Christian organization, and although some drunks do get sober through its 12-step method, AA in fact, was designed by its founders to support occultic goals. Observe, for example, the fact that the name of “Jesus” is forbidden at AA meetings. And while reference is made to a vague “God,” the God of AA is defined simply as a nebulous, unnamed “higher power”—he is God as you understand him to be. The witch, the satanist, the Hindu, the Buddhist, and the deceived “Christian” all can worship and celebrate together in harmony at an AA conclave.
The Skull & Bones Initiation Ceremony
What happens when a person is inducted into the Skull & Bones Society? What I’m going to describe to you is the initiation ceremony for all new “bonesmen.” It is exactly what George Bush and many other prominent political, media, and financial leaders have gone through.
First, as pa
rt of this ritual of initiation, the new man is placed in a coffin, in a casket. He is then carried into the central part of the Tomb, the Skull & Bones building. The other members of the society, dressed in bizarre, occultic costume and wearing masks or hoods, stand solemnly around the coffin, chanting and moaning, invoking the powers. They are chanting, evidently, for familiar spirits to facilitate the “rebirth” of the candidate. The rebirth is said to transform the candidate from ordinary human status into a “superman”—a god-like being.
The individual next is removed from this coffin and given a robe with certain Masonic symbols on the robe. Evidently, in at least some of the initiation ceremonies, one of these symbols is the Maltese cross with eight points (eight is the occultic number of new beginnings).
Finally, a bone with the man’s new name on it is tossed into a bone heap. Initiates have also commonly taken part in a ritual in which they plunge naked into a mud pile. The purpose is that the initiate takes on filth and is then cleansed and purified.
Now you say, Texe, all this is ridiculous. A man lies in a coffin, they chant over him, they remove him from the coffin, he’s given a robe with occult symbols on it, then there’s wallowing in a mud pile, followed by tossing a bone with the initiate’s name on it into a bone heap. That’s absurd!