Secret History #26: Faith of Evil
Predictive HistoryKey Moments
Jacob Frank promoted rebellion against religious and social norms, advocating for individual freedom and worldly conquest through sin and self-empowerment.
Key Insights
Jacob Frank, a successor to Sabbatai Zevi, developed a philosophy of "Sabatian Frankism" that challenged traditional Jewish interpretations.
Frank's teachings emphasized individualism, challenging religious hierarchies (like rabbis) and advocating for personal freedom over strict laws.
A central tenet of Frankism is the idea of "justification by sin," where breaking societal laws and embracing worldly experiences leads to true knowledge and power.
Frankism promoted an egalitarian society with a strong emphasis on self-empowerment, claiming to offer a path to worldly success and control.
The movement appears to have had a significant, albeit often clandestine, influence on various secret societies and philosophical movements, including alleged ties to the Illuminati.
Frank's philosophy can be seen as a precursor to modern concepts of individualism, liberation from oppression, and the idea of creating one's own reality.
THE CRISIS OF FAITH AND ZACHARIAH ZEVI'S LEGACY
The lecture begins by contextualizing Jewish history with a focus on Jerusalem's strategic importance, the development of Jewish monotheism, adherence to Mosaic law, and the use of the Bible as collective memory. Persecution under various empires led to diaspora and shifts in religious practice from temple worship to rabbinic interpretation. The destruction of the Second Temple and subsequent expulsions created a crisis of faith, prompting anticipation for a messiah. Zachariah Zevi emerged, proposing a revolutionary message of liberation from rabbinic control and advocating for an egalitarian society. Zevi's conversion to Islam, though controversial, was interpreted as a redemptive act to absolve Jews of the sin of conversion.
JACOB FRANK: REINCARNATION AND REJECTION OF TRADITION
Jacob Frank, claiming reincarnation of Zevi, developed "Sabatian Frankism," a philosophy that diverged significantly from Judaism. Frank expressed contempt for traditional Jews and rabbis, whom he viewed as a corrupt elite. His teachings asserted that the laws and morality imposed by society are mechanisms of control and oppression. Frank presented himself as a proto-liberal and proto-communist, emphasizing personal freedom, equality between men and women, and the idea that individuals should govern themselves rather than adhere to external laws.
THE PHILOSOPHY OF JUSTIFICATION BY SIN
A core concept in Frankism is the "justification by sin." Frank argued that the material world is controlled by a "false god" or "Satan," and that by defying its laws and embracing sin, one reveals the world's true nature and accelerates the end of the current, corrupt age. This is not mere hedonism, but a means to access deeper knowledge and wisdom, which even divine beings cannot attain. By sinning, individuals demonstrate true faith in God and break free from the constraints of human authority and convention, leading to personal empowerment and the ability to conquer the world.
THE POWER OF IMAGINATION AND CREATING REALITY
Jacob Frank taught that reality is constructed through imagination and collective belief. He encouraged his followers to create their own realities and laws, asserting that the world is what we imagine it to be. This philosophy suggests that by training one's mind and imagination, individuals can influence others and establish their own narratives. Frank believed that by breaking through societal taboos and conventions, one could gain power and wealth, asserting that laws and morality are often artificial constructs that hinder progress and self-realization.
COVENANT, REBELLION, AND WORLDLY CONQUEST
Frankism emphasized the formation of a strong, cohesive "company" or community bound by a covenant of love and loyalty, rather than strict religious doctrine. This community, characterized by egalitarianism and often unconventional sexual practices, aimed to empower individuals, particularly women. Frank's followers were encouraged to pursue "material victory," recognizing the importance of money and worldly success. They were taught to use arguments, learning, and critical thinking to overcome opposition, distinguishing them from mere bandits and positioning them as leaders capable of changing the world.
INFLUENCE AND LEGACY: MODERNITY AND SECRET SOCIETIES
The teachings of Jacob Frank are presented as a significant influence on modernity, challenging traditional religious frameworks like Catholicism and Judaism. Frank's philosophy, emphasizing individualism, the embrace of worldly experience, and the questioning of authority, is seen as a precursor to many modern Western ideologies. The lecture speculates on Frank's alleged role in founding or influencing secret societies such as the Illuminati and speculates on the movement's infiltration into major institutions, suggesting its continued, behind-the-scenes impact on global power structures and cultural narratives.
Mentioned in This Episode
●Tools
●Organizations
●Books
●Concepts
●People Referenced
Common Questions
The three pillars are: belief in Yahweh as the only God and Jews as His chosen people, adherence to the Law of Moses (Torah and Oral Law), and the use of the Bible as the collective memory of the people.
Topics
Mentioned in this video
A group that taught the oral law of Moses and became the new elite (rabbis) in the Jewish diaspora.
A famous play by Goethe about a scholar who makes a deal with the devil for wisdom, embodying a Frankist attitude.
A religion whose structure is noted as being very similar to Frankism.
A religion incubated in the Arabian desert by Jews who continued to fight against the Romans, prophesying the coming of Muhammad as the Messiah.
Founder of the Republic of Turkey, who is identified as a Dönmeh.
A religious order of the Catholic Church that the Frankists reportedly infiltrated.
A 17th-century figure who declared himself the Messiah, advocating for an egalitarian society and eventually converting to Islam.
The first Jewish Supreme Court justice in America, who was a Frankist.
The dominant religion in medieval Europe, which prohibited charging interest on loans, leading Jews to fill this financial role.
A university founded after Louis Brandeis.
Approximately 300 families who followed Shabtai Zevi after his conversion to Islam, eventually coming to control Turkey.
A belief system whose tenets are compared to those of Frankism.
A Jewish festival celebrated today, commemorating the Maccabean Revolt against the Greeks.
A famous Irish poet and Nobel Prize winner, who was a member of the Order of the Golden Dawn and influenced by Frankist philosophy.
A secret society that William Butler Yeats was a member of.
A religion founded by Jacob Frank, which emphasizes success, breaking societal rules, and seizing worldly power.
A poem by William Butler Yeats exploring themes of sin, redemption, and finding divinity in unconventional places.
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