[poke53281]

(Ex-CAW member here; have been out of it for more than a decade. Posting anonymously for professional reasons, but I used to be personally well-acquainted with both the founders of Church of All Worlds and Robert Anton Wilson.)

Church of all world still nominally exists, and has been through several incarnations during the 60s. Although its foundational premise was indeed deeply silly, it was self-consciously so: an act of intentional myth-making. It encouraged its members to explore other spiritual paths as well as to create their own; and there were many CAW members who were committed Buddhists, Jews, atheists, etc.; a large majority counted themselves as Discordians. The only principles held as official dogmas were things like "Nature is Good", and "Be Excellent to Each Other" (because why the fuck shouldn't Bill & Ted be part of your mythos?). So it was all in rather good fun.

This is not to say that the organization didn't have its problems. Chiefly, it was frequently subject to nasty internal politicking -- personality-driven power-plays of the sort that are unfortunately quite common in idealistically non-hierarchical organizations. But when measured against typical metrics for cults, eg[1], it fails on every single count.

Anyhow, just a gentle reminder that not every new religious movement is a cult (in the conventional modern pejorative sense of the word).

[edit: fixed link.]

1: http://www.icsahome.com/articles/characteristics

[throwanem]

You're not wrong, of course; my use of "cult" here was mainly just a cheesy potshot because I think it's silly and I don't think it thinks it is, at least not the way you describe - but perhaps that's only because I've never seen it save from the outside.

("Nature is Good" strikes me as lacking nuance, though. I see what you're going for, but toothache is natural, too.)

Judging by his written works, Wilson seems like he would've been quite a man to know. I'd like to be able to say I'm not so small a person as to envy you that opportunity just a little, but honesty compels me otherwise. He was kind of a minor hero to me in my youth and early adulthood, seeing as Illuminatus! helped me gain the perspective to get through some very difficult times in my life; if nothing else, I'd have liked the chance to thank him for that.

[poke53281]

I agree with you re: the "Nature is Good" dogma. In spirit, it was meant to convey respect for the cycle of life, diversity of the biosphere, etc. Gets seriously problematic if extended to, I dunno, the Polio virus and asteroid impacts. In any case, that particular dogma dates to the the 1960s, when nuance wasn't exactly the flavor of the decade. And arguing about stuff is good, too!

And yep, Wilson was the real deal. His work had also been a huge influence on me at the time that I met him. I still evangelize Quantum Psychology to anyone who I think can handle it.

[throwanem]

Thanks for reminding me of that one! I need to dig it out of my bookshelf and read it again - it's been years.