Secret Societies

Have you ever wondered what happened to all those freaks and weird people you knew when you were at school? Last summer I found out a possible solution to that problem.
It was a disgusting rainy dumpy summer evening and I had no plans, so I decided to attend a random conference whose title was 'Secret Societies'.
When I got to the conference place (pub) I found a complete freak show and I was very close to turn back and go home but my curiosity made me stay to see what was going to happen.
They are a big bunch of people that are free thinkers and know a lot about politics, economics, history and everything in general, so it is very difficult to have a conversation rather than a monologue.
One of the event organisers has written several books, including 'A brief History of Secret Societies'. From his conference it seemed that he wasn't going to attack or defend any particular sect or group but describe and analise their origin and their current status.
I got his book and soon I confirmed my guess. It was a non bias piece of information that turn out to be quite interesting in some parts and a bit dull in other ones.
Several aspects caught my eye in this book. I'm describing here 4 of them:

1. Early versions of Egyptian mythology says the creator god Atum-Re masturbated to create life. In fact there is a broad amount of sexuality in Egyptian mythology. When Christianity saw this, they took a complete radical opposite reaction that could have evolved ot the current point of view that Christianity has towards sexuality.
2. The fact that most of the sects, cults and religions believe that there is only one truth and that they alone have the truth.
3. The concept of equality between men and women has existed in some cults since the middle ages.
4. It seems that humans have a constant search to stick out and be unique somehow, this leads to the creation of sects and different groups. Some of them quite hidden and sealed.

It was worth going to the conference and in fact I would like assist to more but I never manage to remember on time to go.