starting a NRM: advice please!

[beenherebeforeagain]

I seriously doubt the possibility of more than one person creating a religious movement. The problem starts (and probably ends) in your point 1 above ("after we have decided what is true"). Just the attempt at that will get you so bogged down you'll give the whole project up.

Messiah complexes are very much solo.

How about "The Multiple Messiahs' Club?"

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

How about "The Multiple Messiahs' Club?"

Try it and see. They'll be hurling anathemas at each other before tea break.

 

[Suave]

Try it and see. They'll be hurling anathemas at each other before tea break.

That does not seem to me like it'd be as much fun of a place as a mystical virtual reality world like Church Metaverse could be!

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

Try it and see. They'll be hurling anathemas at each other before tea break.

Here's how it works: each Messiah gets a week as Supreme Messiah, but all of his/her actions and decisions have to be approved at the monthly Meeting of the Messiahs, by a mere majority in the case of normal operating decisions and actions, or with two-thirds approval in the case of major policy decisions and actions...

The rotation to serve as Supreme Messiah will be on a set schedule, and in the week following service as Supreme Messiah one must serve in the lowest position, getting coffee, running errands, and cleaning up after the late-night parties...

 

[Suave]

Here's how it works: each Messiah gets a week as Supreme Messiah, but all of his/her actions and decisions have to be approved at the monthly Meeting of the Messiahs, by a mere majority in the case of normal operating decisions and actions, or with two-thirds approval in the case of major policy decisions and actions...

The rotation to serve as Supreme Messiah will be on a set schedule, and in the week following service as Supreme Messiah one must serve in the lowest position, getting coffee, running errands, and cleaning up after the late-night parties...

The problem there might be with a Messiah's disappearance the following week after meeting their role as Supreme Messiah. ...

 

[Eddi]

Messiah complexes are very much solo.

Not as I understand the term

We see each others as colleagues with a common boss

None of us think we are Jesus of Nazareth or Christ-like either

It is more complicated than that........

To say someone has a "Messiah Complex" is to say that they believe that they feel the need to help save/improve the world and that doing so is the purpose of their existence

Basically: That they acquire identity and meaning through saving/improving the world

Is wanting to save/improve the world really such a bad thing??????

What does it matter if such a person happens to have a bit of a Messiah Complex?

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

The problem there might be with a Messiah's disappearance the following week after meeting their role as Supreme Messiah. ...

Yes, but then their actions/decisions are automatically negated as invalid, because they have refused to show up to defend them to the council at the monthly meeting.

They also lose their place in the rotation if they should happen to have a second coming, and will have to start at the servant's position for two weeks as penance...

 

[Exaltist Ethan]

This is going to sound weird, but avoid becoming an anti-cult too.

Cults control. Religions change. Anti-cults don't want anything to do with you. I call myself a UU Quaker because they are anti-cults. The anti-cult just says things like, "happiness is happiness", broad statements nobody can disagree with, and you if happen to be wealthy will require a liberal tithe of 10%, maybe.

Look over your beliefs sheet. Is there room for subjectivism or faith in it? I don't have faith but my beliefs are extremely subjective. It looks like you want to form a secular religion based on your views, so be sure to fill it loaded with subjective meanings, otherwise you are just creating some kind of general non-profit.

If you want to be an actual religion and not a cult or an anti-cult you are going to try to find ways to change people in ways they want to be changed, for the betterment of themselves and for society. If you don't post some kind of creed for this religion you need to at least have an abiding covenant that the members can practice.

Good luck. If you show me some of it, throw in a little God-language or use the words "divine" a lot I might actually join. Below is a website you can use to post your beliefs, it's called NRM Fandom.

NewReligionWiki

 

[Eddi]

This is going to sound weird, but avoid becoming an anti-cult too.

Cults control. Religions change. Anti-cults don't want anything to do with you. I call myself a UU Quaker because they are anti-cults. The anti-cult just says things like, "happiness is happiness", broad statements nobody can disagree with, and you if happen to be wealthy will require a liberal tithe of 10%, maybe.

Look over your beliefs sheet. Is there room for subjectivism or faith in it? I don't have faith but my beliefs are extremely subjective. It looks like you want to form a secular religion based on your views, so be sure to fill it loaded with subjective meanings, otherwise you are just creating some kind of general non-profit.

If you want to be an actual religion and not a cult or an anti-cult you are going to try to find ways to change people in ways they want to be changed, for the betterment of themselves and for society. If you don't post some kind of creed for this religion you need to at least have an abiding covenant that the members can practice.

Good luck. If you show me some of it, throw in a little God-language or use the words "divine" a lot I might actually join. Below is a website you can use to post your beliefs, it's called NRM Fandom.

NewReligionWiki

Thanks for your reply and for sharing the link!

I think it's actually going to be more of a club or an association than a NRM

 

[Truth in love]

So...

Me and a friend of mine (possibly me and two friends if we can get another person on board) have decided we are going to start a New Religious Movement...

We all have Messiah Complexes so I think we could put together a decent NRM

And I mean a New Religious Movement, not a cult

We don't want anyone's money and we don't want to control people or anything like that - that is not our business!

There are some issues I think we will face that I would like to ask the great wisdom of RF about:

1) After we have decided what is true, where do we go from there?
2) What topics should a comprehensive exposition of our movement's beliefs cover?
3) How can we ensure that it doesn't morph into a cult?
4) Any ideas what to do with it re: social media and all that business?

That's it for now, I may post some more questions sometime in the future

Thanks in advance for any help

anytime humans are involved there is risk that the system will become harmful.
The more clear and detailed the rules. e.g “no murder even if …. “ The lower the risk of things being taken out of context.

 

[blü 2]

1) After we have decided what is true, where do we go from there?

That rather depends on what is true, no?

Stick to the center of the road ─ "Do no Harm" for a start. "Treat others with decency, respect and inclusion" for seconds.

And since you're a religion, we can add ─ "All views about the afterlife are equally correct."

3) How can we ensure that it doesn't morph into a cult?

By sticking with the principles above ─ particularly (as you said) not taking money.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

So...

Me and a friend of mine (possibly me and two friends if we can get another person on board) have decided we are going to start a New Religious Movement...

We all have Messiah Complexes so I think we could put together a decent NRM

And I mean a New Religious Movement, not a cult

We don't want anyone's money and we don't want to control people or anything like that - that is not our business!

There are some issues I think we will face that I would like to ask the great wisdom of RF about:

1) After we have decided what is true, where do we go from there?
2) What topics should a comprehensive exposition of our movement's beliefs cover?
3) How can we ensure that it doesn't morph into a cult?
4) Any ideas what to do with it re: social media and all that business?

That's it for now, I may post some more questions sometime in the future

Thanks in advance for any help

My advice: please don't.

 

[firedragon]

We all have Messiah Complexes so I think we could put together a decent NRM

So you know you're fake.

 

[Sedim Haba]

Look at existing NRM and learn.

Good examples are Jediism and Pastafarianism.

So true.

Find a niche market that's not being served.

Like the 80% of humanity that is effectively non-religious. (includes twice-a-year-observers)

Invent some fun holidays, everyone loves holidays. Gov workers will 100% support.

Focus on mental heath, no one is filling that need anymore. Just look around.

 

[Ella S.]

After we have decided what is true, where do we go from there?

Indefinitely continue testing what you think is true and coming up with alternative explanations that can also be tested.

 

[Ella S.]

How can we ensure that it doesn't morph into a cult?

I don't think you can. The institutions/communities that survive and thrive are the ones which prioritize their own survival and expansion, which means that institutions eventually end up adhering to realpolitik.

Realpolitik is inherently a form of systemic abuse (or oppression), which is usually how cults are defined according to Anti-Cult Movements and measures like the BITE model. The members of an institution begin to serve only to maintain and expand that organization, usually at the cost of whatever their founding principles are.

Then you have merely re-invented tribal warfare again, which seems to be a bad habit of humanity's.

 

[Eddi]

So you know you're fake.

Oh no, we're not "fake"

Because what we believe is true (in my opinion)

We have been selected to do this precisely because we all have a Messiah Complex (in my opinion)

 

[firedragon]

Oh no, we're not "fake"

Because what we believe is true (in my opinion)

We have been selected to do this precisely because we all have a Messiah Complex (in my opinion)

So you know you have a Messiah Complex which is a psychological condition which is an oxymoron by default. If you have a Messiah complex, you cannot know you have a Messiah complex.

And you say you know you have a mental health problem, a delusion, which means you are a fake messiah, but you are still gonna propagate it.

First it's just nonsensical, an oxymoron, and it's an intentional deception if you have the capability to know that you are a mental patient with a delusion which you are planning to propagate intentionally.

 

[Eddi]

So you know you have a Messiah Complex which is a psychological condition which is an oxymoron by default. If you have a Messiah complex, you cannot know you have a Messiah complex.

And you say you know you have a mental health problem, a delusion, which means you are a fake messiah, but you are still gonna propagate it.

First it's just nonsensical, an oxymoron, and it's an intentional deception if you have the capability to know that you are a mental patient with a delusion which you are planning to propagate intentionally.

As I understand it, the word "Messiah" simply means "anointed one" - i.e. "chosen one" (chosen by a higher power)

To have a "Messiah Complex" is to act like a chosen one

I believe I have been chosen by a higher power to found this NRM

To have a Messiah Complex is to behave like a saviour/chosen one

It is because I have a propensity towards exhibiting a Messiah Complex that I have been chosen to found this NRM

Basically, I have been adopted as a chosen one because I have the mentality of a chosen one!

Makes sense, if you think about it

 

[firedragon]

To have a "Messiah Complex" is to act like a chosen one

I believe I have been chosen by a higher power to found this NRM

But you know that's fake because you have a psychological condition.

You know you are fake, and are willing to propagate a fake religion knowing it's fake.