Could a cult/religion start as a joke?

[adc069975]

Church Of Elvis

No, there is no joke--it couldn't be more essentially religious. Taking Elvis as its object of worship, it returns deity to its most original form: the fetish. IMO, the Church of Elvis represents a site of modern anthropology.

 

[samk]

Ones life would have to have been pretty bad to fall for that heap of guff.

Bad like the lives of dozens of hollywood stars?

 

[KeyboardJockey]

Bad like the lives of dozens of hollywood stars?

Hello first venture into the philosophy corner.

I do wonder what drives people who have so much to fall for something that is so transparent. These stars are savvy enough to hire the brains that they may not have themselves, their advisors and accountants see that they maximise their incomes and profiles.

So why is it some form of messiah complex where they are spun a line about being 'special' and some form of higher being over and above the hoi polloiu and appealling totheir egos. Or is it just peer pressure. The Scientologists do seem to keep their adherents longer than IIRC some other cult type groups like the late 60's to 70's gurus and cult leaders. They seem to go for a particular type of person as well.


Nasty stuff I reckon.

I've just been introduced to a philosopher called Martin Buber and he said that you won't find God unless you want to and have the all your heart desire to. Maybe these celebs lifestyles are such (ambition, selfcentredness, venality and egotism comes to mind I'm not considering any other aspect of their lives at the moment) that so many people say yes to them that they have forgotton the power of someone or something saying no occasionally.

 

[kyser_soze]

I hope so since it's on my 'Plan to get rich in '08' strategy...

KJ - slebs fall for culty guff all the time because ultimately they suffer from the same insecurities and spiritual hollowness as many other people, only they have the time and money to ignore or indulge themselves...

 

[danny la rouge]

slebs fall for culty guff all the time because ultimately they suffer from the same insecurities and spiritual hollowness as many other people...

I think it's possible they suffer from more "insecurities and spiritual hollowness". Just thinking off the top of my head, but it is well documented that we construct The Self (our internal self image) from the feedback of others, with the proviso that we believe that feedback to be trustworthy and accurate. If a celebrity feels they are not worthy of the adulation of millions, then they must therefore have a pretty shaky Self. Not many people have the adulation of millions, so not many have to construct a Self which takes that into account.

Just thinking aloud, but I don't see what's wrong with my musings.

 

[skyscraper101]

Jedi Knights has officially been recognised as a religion in Britain as of November last year

Linky*

and Linky


*Daily Mail warning

 

[gorski]

My most severe condolences!!!

 

[Doctor Carrot]

Be honest though, pastafarianism can't exactly be called a "serious religion" since the whole point of it is that it IS a joke ...

You are totally wrong, the flying spaghetti monster is real, there's evidence, he's been spotted here:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vL7FcvEydqg

here http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=U9nTUZBR_kk

and even in Russia in 1957, http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=b1PW596ZlGk

his existence has been scientifically proven here http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nIBfNsPDw1I

Our DNA structure even proves we are created from his noodly goodness

Still think it's a joke hmm?

 

[frogwoman]

Yeah I do lol, the whole point of it is that it takes the piss out of other religions

 

[Doctor Carrot]

Yeah I do lol, the whole point of it is that it takes the piss out of other religions

Then may you go to hell where the beer is stale and the strippers have VD, you spagnostic heathen

 

[Doctor Carrot]

Yeah I do lol, the whole point of it is that it takes the piss out of other religions

In fact the reason it started wasn't to take the piss out of religion, it was to highlight the ridiculousness of teaching creationism as a science. The original letter said pastafarians have just as much scientific evidence that the flying spaghetti monster created the world as the creationists have that god did it, and they do. I think it's great, it's not only highly amusing but it has raised some very important questions. I was reading about a boy who got sent home from school for wearing full pirate gear on a friday, this is something pastafarians are required to do by their religion, his argument is it's unconstitutional as it violates the freedom to practice any religion of their choosing.