creating your own cult

[The Yosemite Bear]

ok growing up in middle of no where in california and Oregon I have always been surrounded by the interesting fringe groups of religion. Partially because of the discussion of Scientology, partially from growing up near moonies, scientologists, faith healer fundies, sub genious, and church of satan types.

I always found it interesting as a sociological experiment, what one would do for creating ones own cult, and belief system.

what would one include in terms of values, reasons, and how would one go about brining it to the masses....

[wolveraptor]

Another one of these? I vote a group orgy cult again.

[Lord Pounder]

first off all you need to get a loyal group of followers who will follow you everywhere and hang on your every word. Then you need to sit down and define the goals and beliefs of your cult. After thats done you need to hold group meetings, your followers should be planted in the audience to ask you really easy questions and appears as your first "converts" from the crowd. When others decide to join you feed them next to fuck all, drug them and sieze the worlds assets. Repeat as needed untill you are rich and powerful or your conscience gets the better of you.

[Darth Wong]

The key to starting your own cult is to act as though you sincerely believe in your own bullshit. It doesn't matter how stupid that bullshit is; if you show passion and sincerity in your belief, others will eventually be caught in your spell.

There are certain people in this world who are born to be followers. They don't like to think for themselves because it tires them; they want to be led, and when they find a charismatic leader who has the fire of conviction in his belly, they will follow him no matter what stupid shit he says.

[Darth Sephiroth]

Of course you could always try to simply make a cult to get tax exempt status...

[Zero]

I wouldn't create my own cult, I'd just start up my own discordian cabal. It wouldn't be hard to convert most of my friends, and I already sort of have four followers. But I wouldn't take any of the cult perks. I don't want a bunch of stupid teenagers hanging on my every word, because I'd have to be too damned careful about what I say. Our motto would be "Think for yourself, schmuck!"

(kudos if anyone gets the reference)

[Raw Shark]

*schnip* Our motto would be "Think for yourself, schmuck!"

(kudos if anyone gets the reference)

The words written in gigantic flaming letters by the hand from the sky in a painting on the submarine Lief Erikson.

[Patrick Degan]

I always found it interesting as a sociological experiment, what one would do for creating ones own cult, and belief system.

Oh... I've toyed with the idea myself.

[Oni Koneko Damien]

Two friends and I are the head of our very own cult, the Official Buccaneers And Rapscallion Society (OBARS). We demand adherence to the ideals of true piratehood, and advise members to stay away from the blasphemous teachings of ninjas.

My friend Emmu La La La Pancakes is the Supreme Overlord, my other friend Katu is the Executive Dicktator, and I am the Emminent Chancellor. So far, our cult has swelled to about sixteen members, and we're looking to expand this summer.

[The Yosemite Bear]

well I think I found the theme music for this thread...

"Loosing my religion" by REM

[Erik von Nein]

I've got a cult built around my personal charisma. I actually have several adherants who wait on my beck and call.

Okay, well, maybe not the waiting on my beck and call, but they're adherants, damnit!

[Gil Hamilton]

I've often wanted to make a cult of which its basic principles revolved around healthy varied diet, regular exercise, social acceptance honest hard work, and fiscal responsiblity, all of which is dressed up in suitably religious hoodoo. When my cultist's lives improve from the diet, exercise, and doing a good job at work, they'll naturally assume that my religion is responsible and proof that the good things happening to them are part of being in a real working Faith.

They'll spread the word of their success and my religion and before you know it, I'll have a tax-deductible Bentley with a vanity plate that reads "godslove" and a house in the Hamptons.

[Utsanomiko]

Like Wong stated, the first thing you need to do is sell the cult itself. Flashing any level of charm and confidence will draw cattle and parasites from society, and many more accept the leadership and statements of anyone who simply displays willpower and conviction greater than theirs.

Secondly, you have to provide something they 'need', some sort of basic human want, like the need for a sense of purpose or the need for acceptance. Some will generate simply by being a group one can belong to, but you can also tack on other fufillable desires and necessities, even if their importance is questionable or purpose completely made up ('spirituality' and 'grace' are good examples. Commercials are a good example of creating an array of needs, especially in fashion and some cleaning products). Generally you can aim for the basic needs that many people lack due to bad upbringing or unfulfillment, but you can also fill needs by simply denying them, as well. There are niche groups with social and sexual inabilities that ignore the desire for physical contact or use something non-sexual instead, for a common example. But in some manner you need to provide tools and conditions to fill or close off their deficeint needs, upon which they'll be eating ouy of your hand for 'fixing' their problem, especially if they depend on you to continually provide their solution.

So there you have it; call the animals and feed them. Tell people to follow you and give them something to feel complete, and they ones who want to be shepered and tended will do just that.

[Darth Wong]

First rule of salesmanship: make people feel bad about themselves. Then they'll be more desperate for whatever you're selling.

Why do you think womens' magazines are filled with ads displaying pictures of women with perfect complexion and athletic physiques? The objective is to make the readers feel inadequate, so they will keep buying more shit.

Religions do it by knocking you down, and then building you up within the context of their religion. Judaism does it by reminding you of how worthless and weak you are, relative to God. Christianity does it by reminding you of how worthless and morally weak you are, relative to Jesus. In both cases, the objective is to destroy your self-esteem and then rebuilt it within the context of their religion. In Judaism, you are built up again as a member of God's chosen people, who will receive his favour as long as they worship and obey a lot of rules, including rules about giving generously to the priesthood. In Christianity, you are built up again as a member of a favoured group who will receive the "grace of Jesus Christ" by "accepting him into your heart", which means that you will try to live as he did, including not hoarding money which could be better used in the service of Christ by donating it to the church.

This is clearly a very useful marketing tool and brainwashing ploy for use by cults, and I suspect most cults employ it in some form or other.

[Rye]

Gozer worship, meaning the destruction god from ghostbusters, rather than the surgeon that circumcises children.

There'd be sigils and arcane shit on walls, banners, incense, and all that good aesthetic stuff. There'd be regular rituals, bizarre rituals (though nothing that would hurt animals, of course), that generally involve an attempt to bring about the end of the world, because we are all so unworthy (domine non es dignus is to be above the doorways of holy sites, in a font that looks like nordic runes) of the precious gift that is life.

When the world fails to end, we see it as Gozer granting another small slice of existence, so we enjoy it by making music (the more evil sounding, the better) and then lots of fucking.

The teaching revolves around misanthropy from a video like the one shown to the chimp at the start of 28 days later, and lovecraftian invocations of ancient forces, and talk of smashing the gods of hypocrisy. Involve authentic-looking fearsome totems and such, have bogus "healing" ceremonies, use cold reading, e-meters and so on. Work the flock into hysteria regularly, they'll get hooked on it and feel much better after the swinging parties that follow the rituals.

Working up all that rage, sadness and emotion, then it bursting into goodness and sexual gratification, I imagine, would be very addictive and fulfilling indeed.

Have charity work an inherent part of the cult, this way, you get decent labour for free, and a good way of virulently spreading the cult when you start funding schools and whatnot. You can make various products with this free labour, from clothes to sell, to new temples, to new temple gardens that the cult can enjoy. Eventually, get a compound like the phelps did and have everyone move in and farm the land, get more money, spread around the world.