10 Most Mysterious Secret Societies That ACTUALLY EXIST

10 Mysterious Secret Societies that Actually Exist

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be discussing 10 Mysterious Societies that Actually Exist.

For this video, we’ll be revealing the most secretive organizations that, at the time of writing, are active in the modern day.

Can you confirm or deny the rituals of any secret societies on this list? Let us know in the comments!

The Heaven & Earth Society

What’s in a name? China’s Heaven and Earth Society goes by a number of them, including Tiandihui and Hongmen. It also has a complicated backstory to go along with its spiritual and religious center. Multiple splinter groups have become incorporated into Tiandihui over the years, though its date of origin is said to be 1761. Modern members of the Heaven and Earth Society are largely Chinese, but membership has also been granted to Japanese and select American candidates over the years. Tiandihui is a rather controversial group, due to its alleged involvement with Chinese organized crime. As such, the sect has been labeled illegal in Hong Kong.

The Patriotic Order Sons of America

Although it’s true that the Patriotic Order Sons of America does still exist today, this existence is tenuous, at best. In fact, the only American state that features chapters of the Sons of America is Pennsylvania. It’s here where the last fourteen camps from the order remain, as well as its Valley Forge headquarters. The Sons of America operates today as a fraternal patriotic organization. Its early mission statements expressed concern over immigration into the United States, but it is unclear whether or not that policy is still espoused today.

The International Order of St. Hubertus

Secret societies, by definition, harbor mysteries that are largely kept hidden from the outside world. So, when it was revealed in 2016 that former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was a member of such a group, the media had questions. Specifically, why was Scalia fraternizing with men connected to the group? And why were his last days spent with them? This is a fraternal organization dedicated to hunters, with origins dating all the way back to 1695. Weirdly, the St. Hubertus Order was actually banned by Adolf Hitler in 1938, due to the organization refusing Nazi membership. After the war, surviving members reunited and reinstituted the Order.

The Knights of Pythias

The term “fraternal” gets tossed around a lot when discussing many different secret societies. This word for brotherhood is at the center of our next entry, however: The Knights of Pythias. That’s because this American secret society bases its mission statement on brotherhood and loyalty, drawing on the Greek story of Damon and Pythias’ unwavering friendship as inspiration for modern behavior. Interestingly, the Knights of Pythias also have several female auxiliaries so, as much as this organization stands for brotherhood, we also get some sisterhood and sororal bonds. In any case, the Knights’ philanthropic efforts seem to prove that the organization seems to hold true to those aforementioned ideals in good standing.

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows

The term “Odd Fellows” actually refers to an international organization of societies with origins dating back to 1700s-era London. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows, evolving from the former, still exists today, and even gained some headlines back in 2001 thanks to its arcane initiation practices. The Los Angeles Times reported that a maintenance person who was working on an Odd Fellows lodge uncovered real human remains hidden behind a wall. It was seized by police seized as evidence, but this is just one aspect of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows that ties together the modern day with ancient and shrouded traditions.

The Grand Orange Lodge, a.k.a. the Orange Order

No, this isn’t some group obsessed with juice or orange soda. The beginnings of the Orange Order can be traced back to Protestantism in Northern Ireland in the year 1795. In fact, Protestantism is intrinsic to the Order’s charter, as Orange Lodges do not accept non-believers into their ranks. This has sometimes proven to be a source of violence in the past, due to clashes with Irish Catholics and disputes over holiday parade routes. Today, the Orange Order’s official website does its best to shift focus away from this image, however, in favor of a more balanced view and representation of its pro-Protestant stance.

The Improved Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks of the World (IBPOEW)

The Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World should not be confused with another society with a similar moniker: the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. The former’s existence, as it turns out, is as a direct response to the latter’s initial refusal to accept African-American members. The Improved Elks are a Black-only society that worked to improve African-American representation in the union workplace, and also fought against school segregation. The IBPOEW still exists today, although their membership is in reduced numbers, and they continue to support their communities with technological education and local activism.

Skull & Bones

It’s perhaps one of the best known secret societies on this list, as a result of serving as partial inspiration for films such as 2000’s “The Skulls.” Skull and Bones, also the Order and Order 322, is just one of the three secret societies based within Connecticut’s Yale University. The existence of Skull and Bones has long been followed by conjecture and conspiracy theories, thanks largely to its code of secrecy. What non-members do know is that “Bonesmen,” as they are sometimes known, have a history of gaining power and influence within world society. Even more interesting are the initiation rituals and nicknames given to Bonesmen, many of which possess occult monikers such as Baal or Magog. We’re sure it’s all in harmless fun, though, right? Right?

The Bilderberg Group

Does the term “secret society” count when membership only meets once a year? We think so, especially when these members are as elite as those in the Bilderberg Group. These include notable members from various sectors of society, including finance, politics and education. The Bilderberg Meeting, as it’s also sometimes referred to, is meant to foster meaningful dialogue between European and North American guests. A list of those attending the meeting is made public knowledge. However, what goes on inside the meeting is absolutely confidential. This has led to all sorts of ideas about whether or not the Bilderberg Group is actually a modern day Illuminati. Anyone wanna find out for us, and check back?

The Freemasons

The subject of Freemasonry is vast, and there isn’t enough time here to discuss the various intricacies of membership. However, the “mysterious” aspect of our criteria more than applies, as non-Masons seem to be just dying to know what goes on behind their walls. Freemasonry dates all the way back to the original Stonemason guilds of the thirteenth century, while today, stories run rampant with regard to their initiation rituals and symbolism. An Anti-Masonic movement can be traced back to the late 1600s, whereby some oppose the society’s “Regular Freemasonry” sector, among other aspects. This is scripture that prevents women from joining, bans religious and political discussion, and maintains that belief in a Supreme Being is mandatory. Is truth stranger than masonic fiction? We’ll let you be the judge.