But hey, $20… what’s that in real money?
About a million ISK, give or take a few.
Oh, sorry - you mean really real money.
And now of to read the linkys above.
Yep. I know a ritualistic cannibal cult that promises the opportunity for *eternal *life if you give them 10% of your earnings for life, too. Their book is list priced at $49.99, but you can get it on Amazon right now for $31.49.
I love you.
Moving religious thread from IMHO to Great Debates.
Great.
Now that we’re here, let me do a little pedantry preempting and point out that I know most Catholic churches don’t currently tithe, and that most (tithing) Protestant churches don’t couch with transubstantiation. It was an MPSIMS worthy joke, not a Great Debates’ assertion of facts.
Well, as member of such a cult, I am pretty sure we don’t require payment of any fees up front as a condition of salvation. And you can get our guide to living forever by sucking the life energy out of people is available for free.
And you can join a website to discuss it, also for free.
Vampire cults? Not so much.
Regards,
Shodan
So information that you have to pay for is inherently less reliable than information that comes for free?
I guess I would say that the promise of eternal life, no matter if its Jebus’ free gift or you have to pay $29.95 to Crown Prince of Darkness Eric, makes them both inherently bullshit. That’s just me though.
Having read the Vampire Bible, though I did not choose to join, I have to say that I find this topic continuing a bit uncomfortable. Illuminatiprimus cannot respond, as he is restricted from giving out information on the innerworkings of the ToV. He answered what he could answer and I don’t believe any further information will be forthcoming.
It’s not really fair to discuss someone’s religion when he can’t respond, is it?
Hasn’t stopped many from discussing the good and the bad of Scientology. Besides, my comment was directed towards Shodan.
Also, if you’ve read the Vampire Bible, but decided not to join, what’s to stop YOU from revealing the secret to eternal life? Or at least some of the basics of the Vampire Doctrine? For free. You might have a convert or two. People LOVE free gifts!
I tend to agree with you since it’s basically a thread asking him to respond to questions that he is not able to. The comparison to Scientology threads doesn’t really hold up because we don’t have any scientologists who have come in and said they can’t discuss it.
It would be unfair to conclude from his silence that he has no response. But it is entirely fair to discuss the website generally. If he didn’t want it discussed, he didn’t need to link it to his SDMB posts.
Since this board is pretty skeptical of “The Secret”-style shenanigans, not to mention mainstream religion, it would be pretty hypocritical to declare that this should be off limits from criticism.
No, I was pointing out that the characterization of the parallels between this vampire cult and Christianity is inexact.
If someone makes grandiose promises and requires payment up front before you get to know the secrets, then this is inherently more likely to be a scam.
I will also point out that the probability that any religious thread in GD will inevitably migrate towards bashing Christianity approaches unity as a limit.
Accordingly, have at it.
Regards,
Shodan
That’s why it holds up. We have discussed it WITHOUT the input of members.
I would understand if everyone agreed that a new thread was in order, though. One without Illuminatiprimus’ name in the title.
Seems to me to be just another hipper-than-thou secretive joke religion, masked in intentionally obscurant and contradictory text.
And if you have inside information that it’s not: cite?
That I would have no issue with. (Not that anyone cares of course) I just think it’s a bit wrong to press someone on something that they are not able to respond to. Discussing what is on their website could be interesting, but it strikes me as a little unfair to say “Hey, why are you involved in a scam that you can’t talk about?”
What about someone making grandiose promises if you spend your life doing exactly what a dead guy said?
You were the one that compared your religion to his.
I merely said that, whether you like it or not, they’re most likely the same in all relevant senses. Untestable, unprovable, and followers are promised eternal life as long as they do x.
The only problem is that information about his beliefs are not forthcoming.
BTW Shodan, you’re paying up front too, and it’s costing you a lot more than $29.95.
Believe in this, and follow all these rules, and you will be saved and live forever in Jesus Christ!
Seems like you started it. 
Since I have no affiliation with the Temple, I have no desire to gain it converts. I’d prefer not to answer any questions about the Vampire Bible for a few reasons, though. First of all, out of respect for privacy, but also because I only read one book. That doesn’t make me an expert or even particularly knowledgeable, and so it would be highly likely that I’d relate inaccurate or factually incorrect information, which the actual ToV member would be incapable of refuting. And so I, and anyone who read what I wrote, wouldn’t even know how wrong I was. Even if no one else cares about the potential for increasing ignorance, I’d be embarrassed at my potential public idiocy. Without others having access to the book, it’s an uncitable cite.
A new topic that isn’t personally calling Illuminatiprimus out might be a good idea.
He can respond, he just chooses not to, so there is no unfairness. Restrictions of that kind in religions and other groups are designed to get people to join and (usually) pay money. It’s supposed to make membership seem more exclusive and valuable. In other words, it’s a marketing ploy.
It introduces an immediate profit motive on the part of the person giving out the information, which might make them less trustworthy. Hey, after all, what does God need with [del]a spaceship[/del] money?
Or in this case, if the vampire temple is so secret and exclusive, why are they selling rings, lapel pins, pendants and medallions? Far be it from me to knock what people do to feel better about themselves when nobody is being harmed, but if people feel the need to pretend they’re immortal vampires because they understand life is harsh and the conquest goes to the bold - which is them, not everybody else - it’s pretty silly. Whatever the teachings are, all the Gothy trappings on the site are ridiculous.