On a yahoo list I am on, someone mentioned that they had placed on ebay their copy of the Crystal Tablet of Set. One of the many people to comment on this replied that the 'one rule of cecrecy is that someone will always reveal it, no matter what the oath. [snip] People are at an age where secrecy is not needed and many are waking up on their own."

I then replied, "Secrecy is part of our very being, its in our DNA. Most animals conceal their den or nest from predators, and humans actively conceal aspects of themselves from others. What family does not havea 'family secret' or some 'bones in the closet'? Something mutually agreed upon that 'we just dont talk about'.

Keeping a secret is nothing short of confidentiality and privacy. Mostly, secrets teach discernment and discrimination, within ourselves and others. Therefore, secrets teach us of personal value and worth.

The word 'secret' is rooted in Indo-European krei- and means, "sieve, discriminate, distinguish". Varients include 'crime, criminal; judgment', which indicates that revealing a secret was unlawful. The Greek varients include, 'separate, decide, judge; to explain', which indicates that a secret allows us to determine who can be trusted and who cannot; or who is able to receive additional information.

Many seek the 'mystery' behind secret societies and the secrets that they may hold, but in truth, there are no secrets that cannot be found through diligent self-inquiry. Which is why many seek out such schools: To learn from those who have been-there / done-that.

The secrets found in secret societies are, again, centered on value, on integrity, on honesty, on loyalty. Someone who 'breaks' or reveals asecret then simply cannot be trusted.

"It is wise to seek a secret; and honest not to reveal one."
-William Penn