I (15M) recently had a serious argument with one of my friends about how to “join the Illuminati,” and now I’m wondering if I handled it badly.It started after school when my friend Arif showed me a website claiming you could apply to join the Illuminati. The site had dramatic music, dark images of eyes and pyramids, and big promises like “Unlock Wealth, Power, and Hidden Knowledge.” There was even an application form asking for personal details and a “membership contribution.”Arif was excited. He said this could be our chance to become successful and powerful. He told me that many celebrities are members and that joining would connect us to important people. He was seriously considering filling out the form and sending money.I felt uncomfortable immediately. From what I’ve learned, the real Illuminati was a historical group called the Bavarian Illuminati, founded in 1776 in Germany. It was focused on Enlightenment ideas like reason and education. It didn’t last long and was shut down within about ten years. There’s no solid historical evidence that it continued secretly into modern times.So I told Arif that I didn’t think there’s a real organization you can just join today that secretly runs the world. I said websites claiming to recruit members are usually for entertainment, role-play, or scams. I warned him that giving personal information or money to mysterious sites could be risky.He didn’t like that. He said I was being negative and “closed-minded.” how to join illuminati argued that just because there’s no public proof doesn’t mean it’s fake. I responded that if a group truly controlled the world, it probably wouldn’t advertise with flashy websites and online forms. That made him even more upset.Later, he texted me saying I embarrassed him and made him feel stupid for believing it might be real. He said I should support his dreams instead of dismissing them. I honestly wasn’t trying to insult him. I just didn’t want him to fall for something that could take his money or personal data.Now I’m stuck. I value our friendship, but I also think it’s important to question big claims and be careful online. I don’t regret warning him, but maybe I could have been gentler.