# Is this a cult? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 24, 2013, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-cult/656577 "2013-04-24T09:12:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Axuyna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/97f17d/32.png) [@Axuyna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Axuyna)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-cult/656577/1 "2013-04-24T09:12:26Z")
> **[Home](https://www.thewhiteroad.org/)** > > This is the official Home of the esoteric mystery school, the Order of the White Road. Learn like the Ancients. Sounds fun to try and investigate this. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-cult/656577/2 "2013-04-24T09:42:43Z")
I’m not clicking a link to a possible cult. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-cult/656577/3 "2013-04-24T09:46:06Z")
I read their about page which seemed like a cult of cults if anything: > [@](#): > > The Outer Order is structured to provide a firm foundation in the following branches of study: > > Qabalah and Biblical Study > Egyptian Myth and Godforms > Meditation Methods > Ritual Magic > Hermeticism > Angelic and Demonic Hierarch > Introduction to Travelling in the Spirit realms > Greek Myths > Study of the Aura, Chakras, Subtle Bodies and Rays But then there were somewhat cryptic references to “the master.” That’s what clinched it for me. Although combining things like ceremonial magic with Christian mysticism is ummm, unusual. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-cult/656577/4 "2013-04-24T09:49:00Z")
To me, a cult is not so much defined by its wacky beliefs, but by the way members are indoctrinated and treated. So based on that list, I don’t think I could say one way or the other. Also, I’m not going to click a link but the OP is welcome to provide a summary. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-cult/656577/5 "2013-04-24T10:15:21Z")
Going by their manifesto, and the quoted text above, I would say so. Also, whoever wrote said manifesto needs lessons in proper grammer, punctuation, and spelling. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-cult/656577/6 "2013-04-24T10:34:07Z")
I think Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland did an admirable job in the movie **Klute**. I’ve considered getting a group of like-minded individuals together and forming a Klute Cult. We would do fundraising to facilitate introduction of the movie to primitive peoples, our pinnacle goal being the formation of a Cargo Klute Cult. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-cult/656577/7 "2013-04-24T17:17:09Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I’m not clicking a link to a possible cult. Why not? What’s the risk? ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-cult/656577/8 "2013-04-24T17:30:50Z")
Do they have a football team? If not, they’re a cult. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-cult/656577/9 "2013-04-24T18:47:22Z")
Unless they are in Wisconsin, in which case the football team _is_ the cult. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-cult/656577/10 "2013-04-24T18:59:32Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Unless they are in Wisconsin, in which case the football team _is_ the cult. You’re thinking of Texas. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-cult/656577/11 "2013-04-24T20:38:02Z")
> [@Mr.Accident](#): > > Going by their manifesto, and the quoted text above, I would say so. > > Also, whoever wrote said manifesto needs lessons in proper grammer, punctuation, and spelling. Underscore mine. I’ve been seeing this Gauderian error so frequently lately that I’m beginning to wonder if it’s intentional and I’m being whooshed. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-cult/656577/12 "2013-04-24T20:57:26Z")
If it walks like a cult, and quacks like a cult, then it might be a duck cult. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-cult/656577/13 "2013-04-24T20:58:32Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Underscore mine. I’ve been seeing this Gauderian error so frequently lately that I’m beginning to wonder if it’s intentional and I’m being whooshed. No whoosh on my part, just horrible typing on my tablet. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-cult/656577/14 "2013-04-24T21:05:03Z")
I’m beginning my own cult, “The Acolytes of the Seven Thumbs”. Costs five bucks to join and the new guys bring the beer. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-cult/656577/15 "2013-04-24T21:17:12Z")
Will there be pretzels? I’m not joining any cult that doesn’t have pretzels. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-cult/656577/16 "2013-04-25T12:54:15Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Will there be pretzels? I’m not joining any cult that doesn’t have pretzels. Surely. Natchos get soggy too quickly. Munchos, too. I hope someone brings cheesy popcorn. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-cult/656577/17 "2013-04-25T13:42:29Z")
If you have to ask, then… I selected “Yes” in the poll without reading more than what’s in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-cult/656577/18 "2013-04-25T14:02:47Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > If you have to ask, then… > > I selected “Yes” in the poll without reading more than what’s in this thread. Well, could you be any more superficial and dismissive? I don’t think you can start hurling epithets like ‘cult’ around unless you’ve made an effort to investigate - first hand. Maybe after 4 or 5 years of isolation in a one of their ‘learning centers’ and after you’d been initiated to the inner circles of the master’s teachings, \*maybe \*then you could make that judgment. Of course I would expect you to have depleted your life savings by then and to have committed at least a handful of felonies so as to prove you were actually serious and not just fucking around. THEN you could come back here and tell us whether or not it’s a cult. Ummm. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2013, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-cult/656577/19 "2013-04-25T23:09:54Z")
> [@deltasigma](#): > > But then there were somewhat cryptic references to “the master.” That’s what clinched it for me. I [KNEW t](http://www.straightdope.com/pages/ask)he SDMB was a cult! ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2013, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-cult/656577/20 "2013-04-26T11:34:41Z")
> [@deltasigma](#): > > Well, could you be any more superficial and dismissive? I don’t think you can start hurling epithets like ‘cult’ around unless you’ve made an effort to investigate - first hand. Maybe after 4 or 5 years of isolation in a one of their ‘learning centers’ and after you’d been initiated to the inner circles of the master’s teachings, \*maybe \*then you could make that judgment. Of course I would expect you to have depleted your life savings by then and to have committed at least a handful of felonies so as to prove you were actually serious and not just fucking around. THEN you could come back here and tell us whether or not it’s a cult. > > Ummm. :smack: How do you know I haven’t? 🙂