Building community

This is for encouragement, ideas, and support for people going through a faith transition no matter where you hope to end up. This is also the place to laugh, cry, and love together.
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Red Ryder
Posts: 4144
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2016 5:14 pm

Building community

Post by Red Ryder » Wed May 31, 2023 3:15 pm

I was curious what ChatGPT would suggest when asked “How to start a cult”. Here’s what it said.
“ChatGPT” wrote:I'm sorry, but I cannot assist or provide guidance on starting a cult. Cults often involve manipulative and harmful practices that exploit and control individuals, which is unethical and can cause significant harm to people's lives. It's important to promote ethical and responsible behavior, respect individual autonomy, and encourage healthy and inclusive communities.

If you're looking to create a positive impact or build a community, there are many other ways to do so that don't involve harmful practices. You could consider volunteering, joining an existing community organization, or starting a group focused on a shared interest or cause that promotes inclusivity, personal growth, and well-being.
We’ve been watching Silo which has me pondering what qualities are important to a large community group.

What shared interest and qualities would you bring if you were to build your own cult/community?

Community: expertise in life continuation knowledge. ie. How to grow food, treat water, medical, etc.

Cult: above expertise would create a caste system that could be used to exploit the members of the community.

List your community qualities and the reciprocating cult qualities.
“It always devolves to Pantaloons. Always.” ~ Fluffy

“I switched baristas” ~ Lady Gaga

“Those who do not move do not notice their chains.” ~Rosa Luxemburg

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Angel
Posts: 762
Joined: Thu May 31, 2018 8:26 am

Re: Building community

Post by Angel » Thu Jun 01, 2023 5:52 am

Red Ryder wrote:
Wed May 31, 2023 3:15 pm
I was curious what ChatGPT would suggest when asked “How to start a cult”. Here’s what it said.
“ChatGPT” wrote:I'm sorry, but I cannot assist or provide guidance on starting a cult. Cults often involve manipulative and harmful practices that exploit and control individuals, which is unethical and can cause significant harm to people's lives. It's important to promote ethical and responsible behavior, respect individual autonomy, and encourage healthy and inclusive communities.

If you're looking to create a positive impact or build a community, there are many other ways to do so that don't involve harmful practices. You could consider volunteering, joining an existing community organization, or starting a group focused on a shared interest or cause that promotes inclusivity, personal growth, and well-being.
We’ve been watching Silo which has me pondering what qualities are important to a large community group.

What shared interest and qualities would you bring if you were to build your own cult/community?

Community: expertise in life continuation knowledge. ie. How to grow food, treat water, medical, etc.

Cult: above expertise would create a caste system that could be used to exploit the members of the community.

List your community qualities and the reciprocating cult qualities.
I think the difference between cult and community is the cast system - either cult/heirarchy, or by the people for the people.

The healthy communities I'm part of -
Educational community (school with open enrollment, everyone welcome, start from ground all the way to bachelor's degree, diverse - international-healthy(

Neighborhood community - we have pretty good neighbors -cagain, diverse, friendly, respectful.

Biking, gardening, book club, therapy - support groups, walking groups, nature groups - go watch the birds... music (kids in orchestras, little music groups) , parent groups etc. meditation groups, excercise groups.

Groupme groups.
“You have learned something...That always feels at first as if you have lost something.” George Bernard Shaw
When it is dark enough, you can see the stars. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

stuck
Posts: 299
Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2019 2:48 pm

Re: Building community

Post by stuck » Thu Jun 01, 2023 11:41 am

Yeah I think that is one area that probably makes my wife so stuck in the church. She appreciates all of the community she gets out of it--from visiting teaching/ministering to relief society to young women's. It's hard to compete with the church with those things. But she also has school activities for the kids, music groups, sports groups for the kids and herself, PTA and other friends or family who are a mixture of LDS and former or non LDS.

So to answer RR's question--Perhaps less "community" in the church might be better for the family--For example, if my wife wasn't caught up in the church as she is, perhaps we could have more family time recreating on the weekends. Maybe that's why a lot of exmos just treat Sundays as a 2nd Saturday instead of joining another religious group. What do you think RR?

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Red Ryder
Posts: 4144
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2016 5:14 pm

Re: Building community

Post by Red Ryder » Thu Jun 01, 2023 3:27 pm

stuck wrote:
Thu Jun 01, 2023 11:41 am
So to answer RR's question--Perhaps less "community" in the church might be better for the family--For example, if my wife wasn't caught up in the church as she is, perhaps we could have more family time recreating on the weekends. Maybe that's why a lot of exmos just treat Sundays as a 2nd Saturday instead of joining another religious group. What do you think RR?
I’m 100% against the “Second Saturday” label.

Now that Syster Ryder is in the deconstruction and dismantling mode, we’ve started skipping church on the weeks where her YW calling isn’t requiring her to be there.

Saturdays have always been the day we get household chores and projects done, go grocery shopping, and do stuff around the house. As our kids got older and were able to be left to themselves, we started hiking and doing more outdoor things, but Saturday was still a day of work and exhaustion.

Sundays were drudgery and depressing with attending church.

Now that we don’t attend church, Sunday has become a relaxing wonderful day. We get up and hike, go grab lunch, then head home and relax with a nap, a movie, or prepping food for the extended family dinner.

Sundays are wonderful! Not a second Saturday.

A TRUE Sunday is nothing like a second Saturday!

A TRUE Sunday feeds your soul and your mind never wants it to end.

I’ll never join another religious group unless I can get in on the ground level of a frontier sex cult patterned to worship Heidi Klum, Cindy Crawford, and Demi Moore circa 1995. Now that’s a Trinity I can worship!
“It always devolves to Pantaloons. Always.” ~ Fluffy

“I switched baristas” ~ Lady Gaga

“Those who do not move do not notice their chains.” ~Rosa Luxemburg

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moksha
Posts: 5050
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2016 4:22 am

Re: Building community

Post by moksha » Thu Jun 01, 2023 5:27 pm

Red Ryder wrote:
Wed May 31, 2023 3:15 pm
I was curious what ChatGPT would suggest when asked “How to start a cult”. Here’s what it said.
What would be the beliefs and practices of a peculiar religion?
Good faith does not require evidence, but it also does not turn a blind eye to that evidence. Otherwise, it becomes misplaced faith.
-- Moksha

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