Well, I love secrets... If you ever need to communicate with me in an encrypted fashion use my public key. Its here

This should be enough info to get you started

One of my friends recently joined a secret society which got me thinking about the concept of secret societies altogether. Well that and watching the DaVinci code this evening and being confronted by the scumbagtologists on Main street the other day. I am so scared of the blond one. He scares me like Malachai from Children of the Corn.

To me anything that must remain a group secret and is not a matter of security is unreasonably suspect in nature. Especially when the secret is not a shared secret about some incidence experienced by all the members of the group but rather a secret which is in essence purchased from a group new members. If anything is truthworthy or morally upstanding it should be able sustain transparency and yet still survive. Secret beliefs lead to things like old boys networks and the Scientologists, or in worse forms Jones Town.

I am especially not a fan of anything where you donate money to gain stature and access to additional secret beliefs, regardless of the method of payment.

When I was debating about this with some friends they said Christian churches are like this because of tithing, etc. I actually think there are two major differences that separate the main stream christian churches and secret societies like the scientologists.

1. There are not levels of being christian in the main stream churches at least. You either believe in Jesus or not. There is no Jesus level 38 ultra super master.

2. The bible is not a secret. Its free to see and it is generally the full belief set of the religion. You don't have to pay for it by chapter and there are not secrets beliefs that you have to swear to not tell other people for fear they won't buy the book.

3. I find it hard to believe that say the episcopalians would turn anyone away for being poor. I can't say the same for the scientologists.
Paying for secrets is such an easy way to manipulate people.