The "illuminated ones" are in my understanding referring generally to the upper echelons and numbered higher degree elites. At that stage you have in all likelihood been exposed to the world of or in communication with the shayateen (the evil/devils amongst the Jinn creation). You would still need to work up the pyramid/ranks to further be trusted with and disclosed to their secret agenda for mankind.
From a religious doctrine perspective you have already gone through multitudes of rituals and oaths that are covertly or overtly blasphemous; mocked religious beliefs and symbols and knowingly or unknowingly negated intrinsic beliefs in necessary articles of faith that consequently excommunicate one from their faith unless one repents.
You could claim to be part of a particular faith e.g, Muslim but if your beliefs, statements or actions oppose the orthodox creed, as expounded in texts by classical scholarship, then it is the doctrine that either establishes or negates ones claim and classifies one as a believer, disbeliever, renegade or innovator in their religion.
Initially it is those individuals who delved into the secret knowledge/magic taught by the shayateen/devils and thereafter a party of Jews who acquired that knowledge and gained dominance in it. The prophetic end times narrations indicate the antichrist being the awaited messiah of the Jews so in terms of vote it would be the Occult/Kabbalistic Jews and Globalist/Occult Satanists of whatever claimed faith working in liaison with the elite amongst the Shayateen (devils amongst Jinn/aliens) at whose head is Iblis/Satan - that option isn't available ))
And when there came to them a Messenger from Allah (Muhammad) confirming what was with them,
a party of those who were given the Scripture threw away the Book of Allah behind their backs as if they did not know! They
followed what the Shayaateen (devils) gave out (falsely of the magic) in the lifetime of Sulayman (Solomon).
Sulayman did not disbelieve, but the
Shayaateen (devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic and such things that came down at Babylon to the two angels,
Harut and
Marut, but neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things) till they had said, "
We are only for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us)." And from these (angels) people learn that by which they cause separation between man and his wife, but they could not thus harm anyone except by Allah's permission.
And they learn that which harms them and profits them not. And indeed they knew that the buyers of it (magic) would have no share in the Hereafter. And how bad indeed was that for which they sold their ownselves, if they but knew. (Al-Baqarah (the Cow/Heifer) 2:101-102)