I know someone who was almost taken in by a particularly wacky cult. He ended up escaping from their compound, thankfully. They are around, here and there.
I have two vague and mystical female friends - one of whom I used to go out with - who got sucked into New Kadampa Tradition Buddhism. It fits all the definitions of a cult and the guy who runs it lives in some kinda gold-plated mansion in the Lake District off the donations of his followers, while getting frequently annoyed and ranty about the Dalai Lama (who see NKT as a travesty of Tibetan Buddhism). His books consist of dumb New Age platitudes as much as Buddhist teachings.
We had a Thelemic cult of our own going a while back. Temple in the house, rituals indoors and out, piercing, strange drugs, one death and the inevitable shagging. Weird scenes inside the goldmine indeed.
It was a wonderful thing for me to grow up with in the 80s. Most of us had the measure of Gen and didn't regard him as infallible, in fact frequently regarded him as very silly! I have nothing but good memories and positive formative experiences.
I'm jealous! I started becoming interested in British Industrial music in the middle of my teenage years (late 90s) out of curiosity (so a bit late really), I think somethings lost when you've got everything at your fingertips with the internet. Did you write to Gen and co? or receive weird artifacts in the post?
What I wouldn't give to go back to the 70s and live on a bleak industrial estate named 'THE DEATH FACTORY', haha.
>>1074 Yes a lot of very strange things in the post which would alarm my mum. It wasn't really so different from the internet before the internet existed in a way. I got laid when I was still at school by a cool older TOPY chick, that was pretty good! I'm still in touch with some people from those days - musicians etc. It was a surprisingly tiny scene in the early days before PTV went dancy and crusties got involved. So there would be an incestuous mingling of power electronics and industrial bands & fans in an obviously Burroughs-derived culty and debauched fantasy world atmosphere. I do still sigilise sometimes. It works. "It is the Key to the Temple" (spooky melodramatic voice)
A film titled THE DEATH FACTORY about the industrial scene of those days set on a bleak estate in the style of This Is England would be great although of limited accessibility...Ramleh's 'Fistfuck' as the opening theme music, haha
One already had an interest and had previously briefly become involved with that nyam-ho-ryenge-khan chanting school of Japanese Buddhism. The other simply went to an advertised meeting on Buddhism and meditation back when the NKT were expanding very rapidly a few years back. Both girls are intelligent/thoughtful/sensitive/arty people, both have had kinda nervous troubles in the past...just sad/mystifying to see them sucked into it so quickly.
I have wondered if Chinese Intelligence is behind the sect in the past. Testing mind control techniques at the same time as helping destroy Tibetan nationalism!
Thanks for elaborating. The Chinese are very much involved in supporting the NKT and other, generally tiny, groups in the Tibetan diaspora who are involved in the more dodgy meditations which the NKT are involved in. NKT expansion in the US is particularly linked to this.
Regarding the Dalai Lama, he isn't the final boss of Buddhism or Tibetan Buddhism, but all other high lamas agree with him on the NKT.
There are tons of survivors groups for ex NKT members out there and I know some very good practitioners in genuine Vajrayana lineages who left the NKT and managed to get over the headfuckery that goes with it.
If you want I can ask the people I know who are NKT survivors about resources, but for now these links may be of use.
Also if either or both of them need to talk to someone who has a broad perspective on the issue (I'm a long term practitioner of both Kagyu and Nyingma lineages and have an academic background), then I'm happy to post a contact e-mail ITT.
Most people in the West who get involved with the NKT and similar do so through not fully understanding the importance of investigating teachers and lineages before getting involved. Anyone interested in this sort of thing should read the sections on finding a teacher in "Words of my perfect teacher" by Patrul Rinpoche.
Also OM AH HUM BENDZA GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG.
Anyone wanting to troll the NKT should send them pics of Guru Rinpoche either in the common form or the attached one.
That was really interesting, thanks. My own spiritual interests, such as they are, lean more towards the Tao Te Ching,the Hagakure & Alan Watts interpretations of Zen (with a side order of secular Judaism) and I will admit to knowing very little indeed about Tibetan Buddhism, but a quick look at Kelsang's books were enough to help me ascertain that it was pretty dumbed down stuff and the clauses of their Sangha vows made me raise an eyebrow to say the least.
In a way though it's like having friends with political views which differ wildly from my own: we simply mutually agree to avoid the topic as it will only cause disagreements. Both are aware of my (and many other mutual friends') views and their Sangha vows haven't affected our friendship unduly. I have lost some respect for their powers of judgement though - maybe that's my problem.
As one of the millions who rather enjoyed a few nights on mephedrone last winter, I'm not immune to the Chinese 'soft power' approach myself ;)
Oh yeah, and I looked up your Dorje Trollo image and realised I'd read about that 'crazy wisdom' thing before - the poet Allen Ginsberg's teacher was some kind of amusing-sounding hard-drinking Rinpoche guy, thought he sounded alright...we have taken over this thread somewhat here with all this esoteric talk, but most threads on /boo/ are pretty disappointing light-hearted stuff that's neither spooky nor interesting...
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. He was also a master of the trolling arts. I know a few of his students from back in the day and he certainly knew how to make an impact. His "First thought, best thought" poetry book is awesome as is "Cutting through spiritual materialism". Despite his notoriety, his actual teaching are/were very traditional Karma Kagyu teachings. At some point in the late 70's he was giving a teaching in America whilst visibly pissed. He nearly fell off the stage. Yet the 16th Karmapa was in the audience and kept whispering to people either side of him that "this is what a real lama teaches like".
The crazy wisdom thing is sort of tricky. For example the other week I was out drinking and a monk claiming to be a tulku came along and joined in. After some investigation, questioning him about Dharma and checking with some of the locals, it seems this guy is a fake rather than a mahasiddha. So it's best to be careful. That being said, one of the most respected Lamas locally used to have a reputation for heavy drinking and womanizing, although both are very much part of Tibetan culture generally.
Seeing as this thread is now a conversation, I'd also recommend you see Ghost Dog as you are already familiar with the Hagakure.
I love this idea. Please bring us more Buddhist gossip of ths nature lad, it just makes me love it even more. What is the preferred local tipple? What does your average lama get trashed on?
I haven't always enjoyed Jarmusch films but now I know the subject matter I'll check out Ghost Dog.
Back to the NKT, a whole group of people I know went to the meetings in my town when they sprung up almost a decade ago but most dropped out quickly, found the teaching too dogmatic and were disappointed at how unwanted questions were discouraged. So it seems that only a small percentage of people are susceptible/vulnerable to the brainwashing techniques. I would be interested to hear more about the nature of their 'dodgy meditations' to which you alluded if there is a way of explaining it to a non-specialist.
Well in Tibet proper, as well as the exile community, chang which is a beer like drink made from barley or rice. I personally am not a huge fan as it smells bad and is pretty weak, plus if you don't know how it was made etc, the water used might make you I'll.
There is no average lama tipple per se, although my main teacher used to drink whiskey before he took full ordination etc. Most of the monks and similar I hang out with are very serious though and tend to drink various types of tea.
I can give gossip/info on other stuff too, just ask.
>>1087 >>I would be interested to hear more about the nature of their 'dodgy meditations' to which you alluded if there is a way of explaining it to a non-specialist.
I'll try to keep this brief.
Yidam, or "deity" meditation in Tantric/Tibetan Buddhism is a practice whereby one meditates on a deity as a means of realising ones own true nature. It's effectively the imaginary friends aspect of religion, but with full acknowledgement that the deity is not real, and the whole thing is "dissolved" at the end.
Various forms of this mediation exist. The NKT do one which is from a class of deities known as protectors, however they also see it as enlightened and a source of refuge, which is the point of contention between them and the Dalai Lama. This deity is also associated with sectarianism which in turn has caused a lot of problems in Tibet and certainly influenced the invasion.
I wrote a paper on Yidam practice which I'm happy to e-mail anyone interested.
I can't believe I forgot Drukpa Kunley. Copypasta is from "The Divine Madman" by Keith Dowman.
Drukpa Kunley was an enlightened master, he is revered in Tibet and Bhutan. Some of his words are considered offensive to people who may not understand his teaching style. It is definitely under the category of Crazy Wisdom. If you easily are offended i suggest you stop reading now. If not enjoy.
Drukpa Kunley's Teaching Songs
The Lama returned to Adzomma's chung house, to his drinking and cavorting. The girls were full of admiration.'Yesterday you killed those animals and then returned them to life and we have great faith in you', they told him. You must certainly have been a Buddha in your past life. Please tell us about it.'
'In the rosary of my many lives
I have taken the form of every creature;
I remember it only darkly,
Yet I feel it was something like this:
Since now I thrive on chung,
Once I must have been bee;
Since now I am so lustful
Once I must have been a cock;
Since now I am so angry,
Once I must have been a snake;
Since now I am so slothful,
Once I must have been a pig;
Since now I am so mean,
Once I must have been a rich man;
Since now I am so shameless,
Once I must have been a madman;
Since now I am such a liar,
Once I must have been an actor;
Since now my manners are so rude,
Once I must have been a monkey;
Since now I have such blood lust,
Once I must have been a wolf;
Since now I have so tight an anal sphincter,
Once I must have been a nun;
Since now I am so punctilious,
Once I must have been a barren woman;
Since now I spend my wealth on food,
Once I must have been a Lama;
Since now I am so avaricious,
Once I must have been a steward;
Since now I am so self-esteeming,
Once I must have been an officer;
Since now I enjoy cheating others,
Once I must have been a business man;
Since now I am so loquacious,
Once I must have been a woman;
But I cannot tell you if this is really true.
Consider the matter yourselves.
What is your opinion?'
'You pretend to be telling us your past lives,' said the girls, 'but actually you are showing us our faults. We thank you for your teaching.'
The Lama travelled on to the Academy of Palkhor Stupa where he found the metaphysicians engaged in debate. Watching the show, his attention was held by a very beautiful woman sitting on the edge of the Stupa. But at the head of the line of monks was an old monk who said to him, 'Your magical powers and signs of accomplishment are astonishing, but, you know, your refusal to bow to the Stupa, and to the monks, is wrong-headed and contrary to the Buddhas' Law,'
'I am an experienced Naljorpa who long ago completed his prostration and confession,' said the Lama. 'But if you wish I will prostrate now.' And he began to perform his prostrations to the girl and the Stupa with this prayer:
'I bow to this body of beautiful clay,
Not counted amongst the Eight Sugata Stupas;
I bow to this marvellous creation,
Not fashioned by the hand of the god of craftsmen;
I bow to these Thirteen Wheels,
Unsurpassed in the Thirteen Worlds;
I bow to the cheeks of the Gyangtse maiden,
Not regarded in the body of the Saviouress.'
'Alala!' exclaimed the monks. 'How crass! This Drukpa Kunley is truly crazy!'
'Since woman is the way that all good and evil enter the world, she has the nature of Mother Wisdom,' the Lama told them. 'And further, when you took your ordination and vows of discipline at the feet of your spiritual preceptor, offering gold and silver without any concern for the future, you entered the mandala between woman's thighs. So I make no
distinction between this woman and the Stupa as my object of refuge.'
The laymen who heard him laughed, but the monks gave him black, resentful looks and turned away. 'We are trying to maintain the peerless rules of moral discipline,' said the Moral Guard, 'and you come here making fun of us.' And he took up a stick to beat him.
Drukpa Kunley sang this song:
'Proud Kongpo stallion, matchless in style and elegance,
Black Tibetan horse, lifting high its white socks,
Both racing together on the wide open plains
Aku's Stableboy bear witness
See which is first to pass the flag!
'Bengali peacock, matchless in fine feathered display,
Tibetan vulture, bird-lord with the wide Wings,
Circling high in the empty sky
Snow Mountain Heights bear witness
See which bird has the bird's eye view!
'Blue cuckoo in the tree's upper branches, matchless in song,
Red breasted house cock with deafening cokorico,
Both aroused by the season, stretching their lungs
Old Man of the World bear witness --
See who tells the time correctly!
'Ferocious mountain snow lioness, matchless in pride and
paw-power,
Striped Indian tiger in the Sengdeng jungle,' savage in anger,
Both in the Sengdeng jungle aroused to pitch of cunning fury --
Gomchens and nuns bear witness-
See who truly rules the jungle!
'Palden Stupa abbots and professors of the robe, matchless
Panditas,
And I, Drukpa Kunley of Ralung, relaxing in the stream of events,
All examining our moral performance
Incontestable Truth bear witness --
See who finally gains Buddhahood!'
Finishing his song, his listeners were overcome with faith and devotion, and begged the Lama to protect them in this life and the next.
I've been to tons. My favourite would probably be Palpung Sherab Ling in India. I've spent a fair bit of time there and have monk friends there so it sort of feels like home.
Although I like Gyuto ''up the road' purely as it's the current based of the Karmapa who is awesome.
Locally my favourite would be Pelgye Dingri Ling, as it's not only the home of Lama Wangdu, who is said to be the greatest living practitioner of "Chod", but it's also two minutes walk from my house. He always gives me cool stuff when I go to see him, in addition to teachings etc.
I got into that through an interest in Mishima and much like the Tao it really can apply itself to a balanced approach to life, not necessarily poncing around thinking of yourself as a 'warrior'.
Interesting pic you posted and a discussion of the pros and cons of DIJ would be a nice further digression. Declaration of Interest: their most prominent obsessed critic, you know who I mean, is a mate of mine. My view is that I am simply not keen on the po-faced nature of his lyrics and much of the music is just dull, I find that as offensive as the latent nationalist leanings and inadvertently encouraging nazi scumbags in eastern European shitholes to pick up acoustic guitars. As far as homosexual fetishism of this nature goes I would prefer the more manly sound of the 4-Skins and The Last Resort, a better quality sound, look and image. SH's obsession with him and Wakeford based on unrequited teenage lust really does go a bit far and regularly bemuses persons otherwise amenable to his mischievous egocentric art.
oh he is happy trust me after they let him out of rampton he was declared happy by the way he is now a bhudhist too if that helps doesnt have any slaves now.
She is obviously a child suffereing from an advanced aging syndrome like progeria. "Willing slave" - you disgusting paedophile! Death is too good for you! I shall be writing to my MP about this.
Children of God are a cult whose leader believed and raised his son to be the second coming of Christ or something. Son was molested (as was part of the cult's teachings) and later defected, trying to be a normal person.
Then he went on a road trip with an arsenal of guns to infiltrate the cult and assassinate the leader and his abusers. He invited round one of his nannies or something, killed her, then half way down the highway, pulled over and killed himself. He made a video that's about an hour long IIRC explaining his situation, which is on the wiki, along with insider magazines etc.
Also River Phoenix's family were members; they took the name Phoenix after they escaped it. And Louis Theroux briefly covered them (you might remember Flirty Fishing and Louis playing guitar and singing Faith by George Michael), but he didn't mention any of the stuff I've talked about in this post.
Here's a documentary on the main story of Children of God which is maybe a good starting point. It does get much more complicated though, especially given that they are still around today (including in the UK). And also when you watch videos of parents trying to beg their children to come with them to the real world, and being disowned by said children.
Children of God have been through a few name changes, and are now known as 'The Family International' as far as I know, which is why the wiki and films refer to both; they are the same group.
I've brought them up not only because they are a fascinating cult, but when my mum was a student (1975ish), she was recruited by flirty fishing. So I think it's really important to stress that this isn't just a historic cult group of weirdos. These people walk among us, in the UK, and whilst they might have dropped the child abuse stuff (as far as they tell the public), they are an evil organisation and I would really appreciate a zero-tolerance policy on them, no matter how friendly or flirty they get.
>This is a picture of my dad eating. He had just made lunch for me, but he couldn’t eat it with me. I had to eat it at another table with my four-year-old son while he sat there away from me.
>Why? Because that’s what the Watch Tower Society tells him to do.
>After my mother died eight months ago, my dad, being all alone, went to the elders in the congregation he attended to see if he’d be allowed to visit with me. They said that since I was his son, he could visit with me at his house. But he could not discuss religion - nor could he share a meal with me at the same table.
>As I nibbled on my lunch, a feeling of pure sadness engulfed me. But as bad as I felt, I had this gut-wrenching feeling for Dad. This had to be much harder for him. Here’s an 80-year-old man thinking that he is doing this for God. He feels he has to suffer through this intuitively wrong act to be loyal to what he thinks is “God’s organization.”
>Tears were running down my face as I drove away from my father’s home. But I also realized that I was not alone in this situation. Today, there are thousands of us who no longer believe the Watchtower’s lies we used to feed on. We now know the truth about several Watchtower policies that sacrifice the civil rights of current and former members.
>>2687 I have a lovely CD of The People's Temple's gospel album which ends with that tape in full. Also have a rare Charles Manson one-sided prison recordings LP with etchings by Charlie and sheets of poetic ramblings.
Scientology has been rather overdone as a topic by anonymous imageboards to say the least, but this recently leaked UK video tickled me: http://vimeo.com/77296019
For the strange and WTF conspiratorial side of CoS, there is an extraordinary blog by some ex-scientologists at http://mikemcclaughry.wordpress.com/ - the website is difficult to navigate, requires a fair bit of prior knowledge on eg MK Ultra, the history of LSD, ESP research and scientology in general, and there are times when the authors appear plain paranoid, but it contains startling and illuminating material for anyone interested in how cults and intelligence agencies work together.
Links off the top of my unmedicated head. There's also an interesting book "I Could Tell You But Then You Would Have to be Destroyed by Me" which displays patches from the Pentagon's blackops units of more recent years. Remember those psyops guys mentioned in the defence testimonies of Lynndie England and Charles Graner? Do you know the definition of cult-like behaviour?
A long time ago ITT there was also mention of Chinese Intelligence and the New Kadampa Tradition.
I agree that the McClaughtrys' site is badly designed and occasionally nuts but there is a huge amount of circumstantial evidence that scientology has worked in cahoots with the CIA since the 1950s and tinfoil jibes aren't going to change my mind about this, any more than people telling me I was nuts for talking about Echelon and Menwith Hill fifteen years ago changed my mind. Suggest a reason why it's implausible that intelligence and military agencies would be interested in cults if you want to argue.
>>2693 The lengthy history of petty rivalry and non-cooperation occasionally erupting into all-out war between the CIA and the FBI makes Snow White fit right in with the theory.
Right, I'm afraid that I can't really contribute further to this thread, as my experience in the topic will be discounted. And fairly so, given the amount of tryhards you find on the internet. I agree to disagree.
But keep up the good work, I look forward to watching this thread expand. It has been far too long since we had a good /boo/ thread,
>>2695 >my experience in the topic will be discounted
Obviously that is intriguing and I would be interested in hearing about your experience.
Scientology is the elephant in the cult room we have avoided in this thread, and it's something very difficult to discuss rationally. I was never involved in chanology, nor am I an apologist for the more obviously egregious behaviour of CoS.
My scientology story: in 2010 I had some brief and fairly amicable email contact with a major figure from one of their front organisations. In 2013 I mentioned the Church of Scientology using a personally identifiable web profile and with a tone of, let's say, indulgent mockery - it certainly wasn't a vicious attack on them. Within a week I had an email in my inbox from someone who might have been either OSA or a lowly employee - 'hey, just found your name on our records, did you get that business in 2010 sorted out?'
Could have been coincidence, more likely their immense control freakery tentacles.
Just to make it clear, I am not talking about experience with Scientology (although iver the years I have indulged in a fair bit of web based research). Let's just say that I work in the shadows. I'm not a spy, but I know many. OH HI EMILY, YOU LEFT THE DOWNSTAIRS LIGHT ON AGAIN LAST NIGHT
>>2697 Я не знал что вы все таки полиглоты обалдеть можно! Свинья у нас такой чувствителный сложно поверить. Надо вообще извинятся кретин блядь! Он сейчас обидется и изчезнет на хрен отсюда! Будь на чеку, в такие дни подслушивают стены. Не далеко от болтовни и сплетни до измены. НЕ БОЛТАЙ
- possible Box 500 comment left on Tomlinson's blog back in 2006. The other main comments section contributors were Emily, aged perv 'Romeo spy' Symonds, a pleasant old gay chap living in Catalonia, myself and a few entertaining usenet cranks.
>>2701 >I didn't know you lot were so good at languages, fucking hell! Our piggy is so sensitive, I just can't believe it. You should beg pardon, you fucking imbecile. He might take offense and fuck right off! Be on guard, these days they bug walls. What starts as simple chinwag can turn into high treachery. KEEP YOUR SILENCE.
Ok, what?
>>
No. 2703Anonymous 7th November 2013 Thursday 11:25 pm2703http://fr.linkedin.com/pub/richard-tomlinson/b/422/ba7
>>2702 Special Branch had stolen his computers, SIS were still trying to stop him writing and blogging, he knew he had to give evidence soon at Operation Paget about Diana, he had spies and nutjobs leaving comments in every language imaginable, and he had Are Em writing every day as the cherry on the turd. Sage for lack of cults discussion.
I used to enjoy reading the Jesus Army's newspaper. A great deal of the articles were along the lines of "I was into LSD and smack, I was part of a biker gang, I was in mental hospital then homeless...then Jesus appeared".
>>2722 Urban 75 forum posters actually first figured out the organisation and names from the police-sanctioned hints given in the Telegraph last night, blogs had it by this morning, newspapers late this afternoon.
And that is supposed to be remarkable? I knew three fucking days ago who they were, to 99.5% certainty. Although I guess it helps I used to live in Brixton.
>>2723 >newspapers late this afternoon
No, the newspapers had it long enough ago to be able to write about it last night, you dullard. The name came outearly this afternoon, presumably after the embargo expired. In order to be able to announce these things properly, the police will feed that sort of information directly to the press (embargoed, naturally), just to make sure that they don't accidentally spoil the surprise with a good bit of hackingbribery investigative work.
>>2727 I am surprised anyone who visits .gs wasn't aware of Urban 75, whatever people might make of it it's one of the biggest and longest-running general interest UK forums (and less irritating than mumsnet and digitalspy at least).
>>2726 You're wrong. The newspapers were umming and ahing over how much info to release from the little they had due to the possibility of sexual abuse and legal restrictions. Bloggers and researchers forced the issue and it's become more of a silly story than a horror story anyway.
>>2732>>2734 It's a non-story really and being pushed due to trafficking hysteria and loony left demonising.
>>2735 >You're wrong.
Bollocks. How do you think details of all those anonymous injunctions came out? The media are briefed on this stuff all the time, precisely so they don't reveal details that may be sub judice.
>>2737 Well I bow to your superior knowledge then, Mr Annoyed Media Expert. I guess the small details that allowed the internet to name the cult were deliberately leaked by the Telegraph on Sunday - I don't really know how these things work.
It's a story full of spin where the police and media are congratulating themselves for making the lives of people in a fucked up cult unimaginably worse if only temporarily, where the 'Freedom' NGO in question is blatantly grant-grabbing and hyping itself, and where the shadow of a forthcoming modern slavery/anti-trafficking bill lurching towards Parliament lies long over the reportage.
More obvious and distressing cases of modern day slavery (discounting everyday work conditions in Africa and much of the far east) are the curious stories of Irish gang bosses exploiting the mentally frail that have cropped up repeatedly. If these 'victims' are to be regarded as trafficked or slaves, you could say the same for many other members of fringe political or religious organisations/cults extant in the UK. This case is about mind control and its effects.
Well I have just read the Vice article. I will say that the Jesus Army is not for me, and I have stayed with them as a visitor.
I do not believe in god.
One thing that strikes me in the article is the bloody moaning about people having to hand over their money or work for "free". As I said, the JA is not for me, but the people that live there do not work for free. You get a place to live, which is normally some type of multi million pound property in a very nice location. Transport to and from your place of work. Use of a vehicle with a fuel card if you have a driving license. All meals provided, and if you are male, all your washing and cleaning done for you whilst you are out at work. How this equates to working for free just beats me. You get plenty in return for your work, plus the fact that you do not have the worry of maintaining the roof over your head or doing the shopping etc, it is all done for you.
They do however hassle you to go to bloody church every Sunday. When I stayed with them as a visitor for a month or two I was constantly having to tell them to fuck off every Sunday when they would try to get me to go. When they asked me why not, I simply said, what's the point, I'm not a Christian and I'm not interested?
And for the record they do not kidnap anyone or stop anyone from leaving, and if you are fucking stupid enough to hand over your life savings then you're a mug. I know of an elder in the church who stays at the Cornerstone house in Rednal, who earned £100k plus, he is a Dr, retired now, and he contributed his wages every month and still contributes his pension which I am sure is also quite substantial.
"Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work."
How does this equate to slavery?
What do people expect these days? To have their cake and eat it? So do you think they should get their bed and board for free and contribute fuck all out of their wages?
Let's have a reasonable discussion about this. I in no way advocate the Jesus Army. I fucking hate the place.
How did your brother and dad get into the Jesus Army? How long have they been there and is it easy for you to get in touch with them? How often are you in touch with them?
When they were asking you to go to Church and you said you weren't Christian, how did that work? Did they know you don't believe in God? I'd have thought that might have been something they'd want you to be at least open to. Did it cause any tension?
Why do you now hate the place so?
I've got a point to make on the slavery comment but will post that separately.
My brother has his own mobile phone, so I can contact him any time I like. In fact he has just married a fellow church girl, and the church have provided a house for them.
My Dad lives at "Living Stones" and generally dosses about but does the odd bit if joinery work. He inititally joined purely for the benefits of having an easy life in a frankly exclusive location.
I am in touch with them both fairly regularly.
I hate the place because thet are like any other religious fanatic, constantly trying to ram their brand of it down your throat. My not going to church, even though I was only there as a visitor, caused more problems for my brother than it did for me, as he told me the house leader was hassling him to get me to go, so I finally did end up going just to be nice and ease things a little for my bro. It was just a general evangelical meeting, but once there I kept getting asked if I had "found god" and when I said I hadn't I was pushed into finding "him".
That's why I dislike the place, I suppose hate is a little strong a word to describe it. but you do have a choice, no one is keeping you there after all.
And on the slavery point again, it's like staying at home with your parents as an adult. Why should you not contribute something to the communal pot when you have access to everything you need? And I really mean everything. Also, you do get an allowance every week to buy fags and other sundries even though they do encourage you to give up smoking, they will still give you the money to do so.
ABSOLUTELY no drinking or drugs allowed though. I used to drink there on the sly, no one said anything about my beer breath though as I was only a visitor. There was a guy called Roy who used to leave a window unlocked and go out and get leathered and sneak back in later. Made me laugh that.
Very interesting. Would you consider it a cult? From what you said and what the Vice article stated it doesn't seem like one to me on the surface.
Regarding the slavery, it's not the strict word definition that I think 2805 was getting at. Obviously no one's implying that these people are being bought or sold, however they are effectively working without pay.
I appreciate your comment about how they get food and board but so did the folks who built the pyramids. Granted the conditions are a lot better and they aren't being forced to work but keep in mind that's the angle people are coming from with that word.
The greatest problem I have with that arrangement, is that it's a cycle that could easily trap people. You don't need guards if they feel they can't leave. Yes, it sounds like it's a better place than the streets and obviously some people will get clean from being there but how are they meant to get back into the world?
If they leave they have no money, no food and no roof, so there must be a fair few people there who feel like they don't have a choice but to stay. Catch 22 I suppose.
I don't feel like I've worded that very well but hope I've made whatever point I was trying to make.
But you do have money if you decide to leave. For example my brother has left the community and they provided him with a house. It belongs to the church but they have given it to him fully furnished in return for his work.
Roy, who could not stop drinking decided to leave and they set him up with a bed sit. In fact anyone that decides to leave gets help to set themselves up.
Also, the vice article seems to focus on the farm labour type jobs when in fact there are a wide variety of jobs that you have to apply for just like any normal job. You can be a delivery driver, a warehouse person, work in management at one of the TBS building supplies places, or be a joiner like my brother is. He makes doors and shit for sale at Good Timber. You can even work outside of the church if you like.
Also, if you are unable to work due to sickness you are fully entitled to just stay at home and you won't have to do a thing as the "sisters" do it all. It is however a condition that if you are able to work you must do so, which is fair enough I suppose.
Bear in mind that my point of view is neutral and the fact that I quite dislike the place lol but it does have its benefits. Not everyone there comes from a down and out lifestyle there are a broad spectrum of residents.
The thing about slaves is that they work, but neither get to decide what work to do or how to do it, and they don't get to keep the produce of their labour. If you leave the Jesus Army, you leave with nothing. Its members aren't threatened with a whip, they're threatened with abject poverty. The difference between being poor and not being poor is that if you get hungry and take food to eat, you may be beaten and imprisoned for it. In other words, the Jesus Army threatens with violence, but it is the violence of the state that they threaten with, not their own violence.
We are familiar with the idea of slaves being treated as property. This has little subjective relevance to the slave; the experience is the same. If slaves are treated as property, it dictates the behaviour of the slave owners, not the slaves. Slaves do not necessarily need to be treated as property, just as land does not; it may be treated as a common, for example. What people decide to treat something as has no physical effect in itself upon the object, but dictates the behaviour of the people who treat it.
Slaves must be cared for. This has always been the case, and it seems that Jesus Army members are treated relatively well. The question is; is this a product of the virtue of the organisation, or a product of generally far living conditions in Britain? A few centuries ago, a "free" peasant had to endure horrendous conditions. You'd expect slaves to be treated worse, but still cared for as one would care for any owned object. If slaves had been treated better than peasants, placed in fancy houses and fed well, the peasants would likely have jumped at the chance to become a slave; consider the superior treatment received by American house slaves.
Now, I'm not saying that members of the Jesus Army are slaves. I'm saying it sounds like slavery to me; I have only just heard of the Jesus Army, I'm not intimately familiar with them. I will say, though, that contemporary slavery will often take rather unfamiliar forms compared to the historical framework that we are used to. Consider the government's workfare schemes; these are beginning to approach slavery. If in lieu of benefits workers were given government or corporate-owned domiciles to live in "for free", and similarly fed "for free" from a canteen, it would represent actual slavery.
I've also nothing against communes. A commune ought to organised democratically, though.
The govt workfare scheme would be FAR FAR worse than what the JA have on offer. Like I said you get a choice as to what work you want to do and how you want to go about it.
I also said my dad tends to doss about doing the odd bit of joinery and my brother happily makes stuff out of wood for Good Timber. In return he and his wife get a house.
Whereas I slave my bollocks off in "normal" life and can barely make ends meet. Do I get a vehicle with a fuel card? Do I fuck. Do I get my food provided for me and delivered as needed? No. Do I get a spending allowance to spend on luxuries? Only if I work for it.
My brother is better off than I am, and he lends himself to slavery?
Lol yes plenty, but OMG I remember one in particular, her name was Juliet, she was a very beautiful girl. Then we went swimming together and I noticed she was COMPLETELY unshaven D:
My brother however, has scored himself a very hot chick, but wedding arrangements are complicated. If you want to "get with" someone, you have to approach their "house leader" and then it's all arranged to a degree from there.
My brother swears he had no sex before marriage, and I didn't believe him until we were having a drink at the pub (paid for by the church) and I asked him to be straight with me, and he told me he had in fact abstained.
He was allowed to take me for a couple of drinks on church money seeing as he was entertaining his outsider brother.
It's like anything in life I suppose, there are rules and restrictions, and there are ways around them.
Oh, and of course you do get people sneaking off and shagging like rabbits in the rather expansive grounds and outhouses of the properties.
People that live in-community have children that live completely normal lives and come home absolutely bladdered at the weekends but its kept a bit hush-hush.
My brother describes it as being his idea of communist perfection.
In actual fact, from what I saw of the place the only thing you are really really forced to do is go to bloody church and worship an imaginary man in the sky.
Yeah, alright. It sounds good for your brother, if you have a degree of control over your life you could do far worse. I reserve judgement until I'm better informed.
For the record, I'm critical of wage slavery, which is the 'freedom' we are afforded. Some people defend slavery by pointing out that wage slavery can in many ways be worse. They're mostly reactionaries, and you have to dismiss their goals, but unfortushopy not all of the arguments are so easily dismissed. After all, why build your workers a house and feed them when you can make them pay rent and get their own food from a shop?
I've become fascinated with the Jim Jones' People's Temple and the Jonestown Massacre. Such an interesting yet terrifying series of events, and up until 9/11 it was the largest loss of American civilian life in a deliberate act, with 918 deaths.
It's scary that a lot of the people who joined the temple were well educated liberal people. Jim Jones was a socialist, and his church was one of the few racially integrated ones in the era where blacks had their own churches, so a lot of the church's members were left wing people who cared about equality. Ended up with people poisoning themselves and their children on Jones' command, and those who refused were forcefully injected with cyanide.
>>2824 There were a few unwilling suicides at Jonestown from the sound of the screams in the background on the infamous last tape. Not watched this particular documentary, but you know there's a conspiracy theory that the whole thing was an extended CIA mind control experiment in seeing how far he would go? The smoking gun for that among other things is one final tape recording after everyone's dead of two unidentified men watching the news coverage before the clean-up started.
>>2871 The victims were almost all USA nationals and a few Europeans who had gone to the backwoods of South America a couple of years previously to create their dystopia.