Starting a cult for fun and profit.

[Father Heathen]

Let's pretend that you lacked scruples and had the time and resources to start a cult. How would you structure it? What would the beliefs, rules, and practices be, etc?

 

[Eddi]

Let's pretend that you lacked scruples and had the time and resources to start a cult. How would you structure it? What would the beliefs, rules, and practices be, etc?

OK, assuming I lacked scruples and had the time and resources to start a cult:

If I were to make a cult I'd want it to last and for it to stick together

I'd want there to be a degree of solidarity, of cohesion

To help this I would base its structure on that of a family

For instance, I'd get the members to call each other "brother" and "sister" and to call me "father"

In a kind of quasi-familial hierarchy with me at the top

This would also serve to separate the members from their actual families, which would be in the interests of the cult's leadership as it would increase the influence the cult would have over its members by separating them from the influence of their families

I'd practice love bombing big time and give them lots of nice food

But no, I would never actually do this as that would be evil

 

[Exaltist Ethan]

I kind of did already. I called it Exaltism. The beliefs were identical to the beliefs I share on these forums, except much of what I originally stated was outdated and I didn't believe anymore. It was essentially a more elaborate version of Earthseed, explaining that all change is entropy or extropy, and explaining the five divine attributes of each, along with an expanded version of the Kardashev Scale. I ended up scrapping this however because my beliefs, theology, ideas, concepts and practices kept changing and I felt no matter what I do I could never update my website and Fandom article fast enough for these changes to occur. For example, I used to tout and say that I believe we are creating monotheism and omnitheism, when now I believe my panendeism and syntheism beliefs are ultimately creating panentheism instead.

And I just use one word to describe God now - Reality - that includes The Omniverse, entropy and extropy altogether. In fact, for the first time I'm starting to realize myself as a Realist. But instead of consistently changing my website and Fandom articles, which at one point was completely outdated, instead I decided that I would be an active member of RF and share with other people my updates in forums such as this one and when I talk to people on Discord about religion. If Exaltism did continue forth the rules and practices would eventually become antiquated too. But if I had to make them at this very moment, I would just say, experience life to the fullest, and try not to make anyone a victim, including yourself.

I realize now that there are theologies and organizations that already exist that practice the fore mentioned ideas I have explained. Process theology, variants of pantheism, syntheism - both as a theology and a religion, and religious transhumanist groups such as Earthseed, Terasem, Solseed, Evolutionism, Turing Church, Astronism, among others, already explain to me the core essentials of what I believe. I don't need to create another division, another practice, when ideas that I've already believed in for several months or years now already have been made, even if those ideas come from books, like how Earthseed started. Earthseed might be from a dystopian sci-fi fiction novel, but myself and other people firmly believe in the three tenets, which is essentially - pantheism/process theology, syntheism and cosmism.

In fact, I even plan on changing my name from Exaltist Ethan to Earthseed Ethan when a year has passed with this name. Which will be on August 23. But I do apologize however, since, you've asked us if we were to start a cult what would it be like, and for the majority of this post, I've been arguing against that idea, despite already creating a techno-cult for myself over the past few years. Nobody joined it, I never practiced my own rites and rituals, and in the end all of the ideas I expressed at one point became outdated over the new ideas, words, phrases and concepts I would continue to elaborate my ideas of God would be. It seems that I typically add more to my faith rather than remove, but there was a lot of out-of-butt stuff that was both on my website and on the Fandom articles, especially on Fandom, and I could no longer justify keeping it anymore.

 

[syo]

I'd encourage people to stay modern abrahamics.

 

[mangalavara]

How would you structure it?

I would be ‘The Leader’ at the top. My family members would be my closest cult members and very important people. Below us would be the treasurer and some advertisers and lawyers. The vast majority of other members would have informal membership. Their informal membership would be just a matter of personal loyalty to me and to be supportive.

What would the beliefs, rules, and practices be, etc?

These are the beliefs:
1. The country is perishing
2. I am the only person who can save the country
3. I am the rightful leader of the country
4. Everybody else is wrong

There are no rules for me to follow.

The practices for all members including myself are all political actions.

 

[an anarchist]

Let's pretend that you lacked scruples and had the time and resources to start a cult. How would you structure it? What would the beliefs, rules, and practices be, etc?

I had to look up the word scruples. I don't have to pretend lol. I just need the time and resources.

I would like to establish a cult irl. As in establish my personal theology amongst the denizens of the earth.

The core belief is that humanity can bring about a literal heaven on earth through collective morality.

I teach government is inherently immoral, so an anarchist community is necessary to evade constant immorality. So, my cult of anarchists will live removed from contemporary society and focus on figuring out the collective enlightenment. I think our community will be one where different religious beliefs are practiced openly. This generation won't be able to figure out how to bring about the collective enlightenment, but if we remove the force of government from a society, that society's individuals will literally evolve into more moral and enlightened beings.

So essentially I'm creating a religious reason for Ancapistan.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

I'd gather a mass of people who would spend whatever money they have on whatever resources we may need to get started: Many acres of land in a forested area, renting a bulldozer to make a clearing, metal and other reusable materials, etc.

We would cut ties with civilization and live off the forest, have our own trading system, everyone has a job assigned to them but they have a little bit of choice so long as it's beneficial to our community. We would communally construct buildings or service and homes for each other, it would be largely communist but on a small population level.

We would worship the earth and animals around us, and the trees and the sky. Gods and afterlives and spirits will be the stories we tell around the fire, nothing we kill one another over. The holiest of all things, however, will be the community. The community will be its own organism, we must shake hands and be friends with all of our brothers and sisters, we are all equals. When there is disagreement, when there is conflict, it is settled peacefully and reasonably. Intentional violence or conspiring against another results in excommunication.

Twice a week we will have a potluck that everyone in the community must attend, unless they are physically unable to. We will sing songs, tell tales, and sit in a large circle. It's to encourage that everyone has a good relationship with everyone.

 

[Koldo]

Let's pretend that you lacked scruples and had the time and resources to start a cult. How would you structure it? What would the beliefs, rules, and practices be, etc?

Create a new Christian Church. It is a lot easier to start with something that already exists.
Declare myself a new prophet.
Make vague predictions about the future that will affirm my prophethood.
Make people believe that I can perform Healing miracles when God allows me to. But that they ought to show committment to God, which means giving me loads of money... except I wouldnt explain it on those exact terms.
Desperate people will easily hand over their money and I will be making a claim that is virtually impossible to falsify since I can always make up reasons on why someone wasn't healed.
Promising prosperity also makes wonders.
As for the beliefs, I would pick them according to the demography that would be more gullible and that would be both able and willing to spend money.
Also, it is important to be humble and pretend I am not filthy rich. That extra step would make be worshipped (or venerated).

 

[Twilight Hue]

Let's pretend that you lacked scruples and had the time and resources to start a cult. How would you structure it? What would the beliefs, rules, and practices be, etc?

Definitely prosperity gospel. A proven scam for acquiring incredible wealth for oneself.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Let's pretend that you lacked scruples ...

I'd probably joke about cultism.

 

[vulcanlogician]

Let's pretend that you lacked scruples and had the time and resources to start a cult. How would you structure it? What would the beliefs, rules, and practices be, etc?

I'd start a hippie commune. I'd preach the value of peace, love, and decency. I'd spew new age platitudes, and turn malcontents off the street into enthusiastic devotees of love.

At first I would be motivated by my lofty idealism... but as time went on, I'd collect a harem of beautiful hippie women, and lie contentedly by my hookah most of the day. Eventually my followers would realize it was all a sham and move on.

But that'd be cool with me because I'd have 7 million dollars in an offshore account by that point. In the end, I'd sell the commune that my followers built from scratch for an additional 2 million, move to New Jersey, and tell no tales.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

I'd start a hippie commune. I'd preach the value of peace, love, and decency. I'd spew new age platitudes, and turn malcontents off the street into enthusiastic devotees of love.

At first I would be motivated by my lofty idealism... but as time went on, I'd collect a harem of beautiful hippie women, and lie contentedly by my hookah most of the day. Eventually my followers would realize it was all a sham and move on.

But that'd be cool with me because I'd have 7 million dollars in an offshore account by that point. In the end, I'd sell the commune that my followers built from scratch for an additional 2 million, move to New Jersey, and tell no tales.

The nicer Charles Manson

 

[ChristineM]

I'd start a hippie commune. I'd preach the value of peace, love, and decency. I'd spew new age platitudes, and turn malcontents off the street into enthusiastic devotees of love.

At first I would be motivated by my lofty idealism... but as time went on, I'd collect a harem of beautiful hippie women, and lie contentedly by my hookah most of the day. Eventually my followers would realize it was all a sham and move on.

But that'd be cool with me because I'd have 7 million dollars in an offshore account by that point. In the end, I'd sell the commune that my followers built from scratch for an additional 2 million, move to New Jersey, and tell no tales.

Sounds good, when can i join ;-)

 

[exchemist]

Let's pretend that you lacked scruples and had the time and resources to start a cult. How would you structure it? What would the beliefs, rules, and practices be, etc?

When one of my brothers did a road trip in the States with an American schoolfriend, back in the late 70s, they dreamt up a fictitious "church", to be called the "Church of Glad Tidings", the object of which was essentially to be a drinking club - but able to claim tax-deductable status, on account of being a "church". (They had been at an English Jesuit boarding school together. )

 

[JustGeorge]

I'd gather a mass of people who would spend whatever money they have on whatever resources we may need to get started: Many acres of land in a forested area, renting a bulldozer to make a clearing, metal and other reusable materials, etc.

We would cut ties with civilization and live off the forest, have our own trading system, everyone has a job assigned to them but they have a little bit of choice so long as it's beneficial to our community. We would communally construct buildings or service and homes for each other, it would be largely communist but on a small population level.

We would worship the earth and animals around us, and the trees and the sky. Gods and afterlives and spirits will be the stories we tell around the fire, nothing we kill one another over. The holiest of all things, however, will be the community. The community will be its own organism, we must shake hands and be friends with all of our brothers and sisters, we are all equals. When there is disagreement, when there is conflict, it is settled peacefully and reasonably. Intentional violence or conspiring against another results in excommunication.

Twice a week we will have a potluck that everyone in the community must attend, unless they are physically unable to. We will sing songs, tell tales, and sit in a large circle. It's to encourage that everyone has a good relationship with everyone.

I like that one.

 

[exchemist]

I like that one.

Not sure about the potluck. Could be like this:

 

[JustGeorge]

Not sure about the potluck. Could be like this:

I used to attend a local vegetarian potluck... close enough.

Most were vegetarian for health reasons. My family and I were the only 'ethical' ones. I used naughty ingredients in my cooking, like salt, and sugar.

A rather quiet man got awfully emotional about an apple tart I made. I appreciated his gentle compliments. However, I think when we found a grumpy old woman in the kitchen licking the remains of the chili we'd brought right out of the pot we were all a little embarrassed.

 

[exchemist]

I used to attend a local vegetarian potluck... close enough.

Most were vegetarian for health reasons. My family and I were the only 'ethical' ones. I used naughty ingredients in my cooking, like salt, and sugar.

A rather quiet man got awfully emotional about an apple tart I made. I appreciated his gentle compliments. However, I think when we found a grumpy old woman in the kitchen licking the remains of the chili we'd brought right out of the pot we were all a little embarrassed.

Good for you. The clip is from a 1970s film called "Nuts in May", about a couple of health and back to nature cranks this guy meets on a camping holiday and how ghastly they are.

 

[Brickjectivity]

I will avoid answering, because I could start three cults by 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon. You don't want me to do that.

 

[JustGeorge]

I will avoid answering, because I could start three cults by 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon. You don't want me to do that.

You're right. Two will do.