Metzger: You studied the Illuminati for years, have you come to any conclusions about their aims?

Robert Anton Wilson: I think the Illuminati was a short-lived society of freethinkers and democratic reformers that formed a secret society within Freemasonry, using Freemasonry as a cover so they could plot to overthrow all the kings in Europe and the Pope, and I'm very happy that they succeeded in overthrowing all the kings. I wish they had completed the job and got rid of the royal family in England too, but they did pretty well on the continent; and I'm sorry they haven't finished off the Pope yet but I think they're still working on the project and I wish them luck.