The More I Learn About Christianity, The More I Respect Cult Creators.

[Adrianime]

Honestly, I have a healthy respect for those who are cunning enough to break into a market and manipulate consumers enough to get rich.  It's a rare feat! 

 

Cult creators take parts from religion, put their own spin on it, and then sell it.  They get followers, and eventually (sometimes) become rich.  I'd venture a guess that most cult creators believe nothing close to what they try to sell in their cult.  It takes alot of guts to pull off.  Not to mention ruthlessness, a lack of ethics, a grasp on the human psyche, and some decent sales tactics. 

 

Of course Cults = Religions and Religions = Cults.  It's all about scale and mainstream acceptance.  But the recent cult creators are the ones who I'm talking about.

 

 

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Here is a secret of mine (kinda makes me a bad person, but that's OK):

 

When I was a teenager I dreamed the idea of making a cult (just the concept, no specific details).  But the purpose of my cult was not going to be to make money.  I wanted to make a cult that became a widespread religion.  The most practiced religion in the world, with me as the center figure (of course always praising "god"). 

 

Once I got my religion to be number 1, I would make a public announcement that I was lying the whole time.  There is no god.  The rituals and beliefs mean nothing.  Of course my teenage self thought that this could possibly make people finally realize that theistic religion is all BS, and make people realize how gullible they are when it comes to fantastic promises that cater to a person's selfishness and fears.  I thought that if the person with the most religious authority said it, people might listen.

 

But, now I think it would be a very bad idea.  I'm fairly certain my idea would cause alot of death from suicide, and I'm betting people would be in denial and form several different factions of my religion.  It would probably eventually turn into something even more perverse than Christianity.

 

Good thing I'm not a bad person though, because I would make a great cult leader.  Haha.

[CoralPeachy]

That was an interesting plan! Did you think that there was really a chance of that happening? I didn't know that people actually created there own religions for money.

[emshi21]

That would be a really good plan, though I see what you mean about the suicide issues. It would be interesting to see if it would work though

[stryper]

 

You don't get rich writing science fiction. If you want to get rich, you start a religion.

• Response to a question from the audience during a meeting of the Eastern Science Fiction Association on (7 November 1948), as quoted in a 1994 affidavit bySam Moskowitz.

And then he did.

 

And it is still going strong today. 

[Adrianime]

That was an interesting plan! Did you think that there was really a chance of that happening? I didn't know that people actually created there own religions for money.

 

Oh yes.  I'd say most religions are created with power or wealth as the end goal (Christianity included). 

 

Like I said Cults=Religions and Religions=Cults. 

 

Some of the more recent Cults/Religions would be Scientology and Mormonism.  I personally haven't been exposed to any current "underground" cults (you know, the kind that cost you 3000 dollars to reach "level 2")  I've just heard of them in news and media.  It's an interesting concept.  Another form of Con-Artistry.

[Adrianime]

That would be a really good plan, though I see what you mean about the suicide issues. It would be interesting to see if it would work though

 

Alternatively, since it would probably take quite some time for a religion to grow as large as it needs to be to make a difference.  I could leave a sealed "holy" document and say only open this in the year 2400.

 

The document could describe how the entire religion was a farce.  You aren't reading this wrong, it is fake.  There is no god. 

 

Then it could include a nice summary of secular morality and how to find meaning in life.  Haha. 

[Adrianime]

But then people might try to argue that the letter is a fake

[Adrianime]

 

 

You don't get rich writing science fiction. If you want to get rich, you start a religion.

• Response to a question from the audience during a meeting of the Eastern Science Fiction Association on (7 November 1948), as quoted in a 1994 affidavit bySam Moskowitz.

And then he did.

 

And it is still going strong today. 

 

Stryper, you teach econ right?  Think you could gauge the market well enough to run a successful marketing campaign for a new religion ?  Or do you think the competition would be eating up all the demand?  Haha.

[par4dcourse]

I didn't know that people actually created there own religions for money.

The Vatican is a prime example.

[Newlife]

I belonged to a cult for 25 years. Some time afterwards the leader died and we found out that he had plagiresed the writings of others claiming that god had revealed it to him so he was clearly a fraud. Despite that, there are now several splinter groups that continue to look upon him as someone that god revealed the truth to. 

[Adrianime]

I belonged to a cult for 25 years. Some time afterwards the leader died and we found out that he had plagiresed the writings of others claiming that god had revealed it to him so he was clearly a fraud. Despite that, there are now several splinter groups that continue to look upon him as someone that god revealed the truth to. 

 

Glad you made it out!

[RipVanWinkle]

To start a cult or religion I think the goal is either money or power (control) or both. I just have a feeling that true believers do not start new cults. They have their eyes on the prize.  bill 

[Galien]

I have no respect for anyone who is cunning.

[Adrianime]

I have no respect for anyone who is cunning.

 

It's part of the formula for big business.  Sadly.

[Galien]

 

 

I have no respect for anyone who is cunning.

 

It's part of the formula for big business.  Sadly.

I know, I'm not a fan of business big or small. I hate living in a world where money always wins over people. It offends my soul.

[Adrianime]

 

 

I have no respect for anyone who is cunning.

 

It's part of the formula for big business.  Sadly.

I know, I'm not a fan of business big or small. I hate living in a world where money always wins over people. It offends my soul.

 

My ideal social structure would be alot closer to communism than capitalism.

[Bhim]

Heh, I was just going to cite the Hubbard quote about starting a religion to make money.

 

Chances are if you followed through with this plan, any genuinely successful religion would continue.  The stupid people would simply keep believing the religion as-is, and the smarter people would point out that even if the teaching is false but improves peoples' lives, it has some value and should enjoy continued practice.  Can't say they're entirely wrong either.  There are plenty of intelligent people who practice highly liberal forms of Christianity.  At some level I think these people ask, "if it works, why change it?"  It's an argument from practicality, but religions can appeal to needs and/or wants that most humans have.

[Galien]

 

 

 

 

I have no respect for anyone who is cunning.

 

It's part of the formula for big business.  Sadly.

 

I know, I'm not a fan of business big or small. I hate living in a world where money always wins over people. It offends my soul.

 

 

My ideal social structure would be alot closer to communism than capitalism.

Mine too, shame humans are too silly to make communism work. I would love to encourage people to be better than they are, but no matter what thenature of the group it always turns to shit, people start worshipping the leader, they get bent out of shape with the adoration and start thinking they are god.

 

One of the reason I like galadriel whose picture is my avatar, is that even though she was given the opportunity to have the ring, she knew it would have corrupted her and she refused it. Some people are still beyond corruption, but not many.

[stryper]

 

 

 

You don't get rich writing science fiction. If you want to get rich, you start a religion.

• Response to a question from the audience during a meeting of the Eastern Science Fiction Association on (7 November 1948), as quoted in a 1994 affidavit bySam Moskowitz.

And then he did.

 

And it is still going strong today. 

 

Stryper, you teach econ right?  Think you could gauge the market well enough to run a successful marketing campaign for a new religion ?  Or do you think the competition would be eating up all the demand?  Haha.

 

 

Given that there are at least 5-6 major world religions.  That in christianity alone there is two major splits and that even in 1800's Joseph Smith was able to go west young man and create a theocracy in fact if not in law.   And that there are at least 38,000 sects of christianity out there......I'd say the demand is there. 

 

Your supply would have be something different, but not really, from what is out there.   This would get into psychology and marketing more they analysis of demand.   Regardless, you need to offer people something that they need.  

 

In this age of technology and such, one of the best things would be a community.  This is partly why so many cults form communes in addition to the isolation.  If Mormonism hadn't gone west, then they would have died out from competition. By taking advantage of the isolation, they were able to raise generations of people in the Mormon tradition, just as many were raised in other more mainstream religions. 

 

Part of the reason why many cults fail is because the leaders become abusive.  You would have absolute control over your followers.  Would you be able to stay legal? Would you be able to handle dissent?  How would you deal with questions?   Would people be able to leave?   Comeback?

 

Those are questions I can't answer for you.  But would need to be addressed.

[Guest r3alchild]

I thought that idea of making your own cult then saying its all a lie would make a great movie, with explosions if course.