The Living Community: Core Principles

[_why me]

What specifically is cultish about it?

The name. It sounds creepy and new age cultish. But like I said on page one of this thread, the organization will fail as more people join and have power clashes and envy. Unless of course, it does become a cult with john and his wife as cult leaders demanding absolute loyality to the leaders. But the name sounds cultish and compoundish.

[_John Larsen]

You cannot just "create" a community, John. They are naturally formed by geography, or by affiliation with groups (religions, groups with similar interests, etc.).

You are right. The community already exists. We are just formally organizing.

[_John Larsen]

What specifically is cultish about it?

The name. It sounds creepy and new age cultish. But like I said on page one of this thread, the organization will fail as more people join and have power clashes and envy. Unless of course, it does become a cult with john and his wife as cult leaders demanding absolute loyality to the leaders. But the name sounds cultish and compoundish.

Your point is true. That is why all of our work (and I have 3 lawyers involved) at this point is around setting up a legal structure to keep the organization democratic and avoid such problems. This isn't my first first non profit, nor business. Sometimes some of those thing you learn in graduate school come in handy.

[_Simon Belmont]

Your point is true. That is why all of our work (and I have 3 lawyers involved) at this point is around setting up a legal structure to keep the organization democratic and avoid such problems. This isn't my first first non profit, nor business. Sometimes some of those thing you learn in graduate school come in handy.

Okay... but why do you need a community?

[_John Larsen]

Your point is true. That is why all of our work (and I have 3 lawyers involved) at this point is around setting up a legal structure to keep the organization democratic and avoid such problems. This isn't my first first non profit, nor business. Sometimes some of those thing you learn in graduate school come in handy.

Okay... but why do you need a community?

One of our primary needs is space.

The other driving concern are programs for children and teens.

There are others also.

[_Simon Belmont]

One of our primary needs is space.

One could have more space -- both physical and psychological -- by not belonging to a community.

The other driving concern are programs for children and teens.

In lieu of the already established social and educational communities they belong to? Are you going to insist that they quit school to join your community?

There are others also.

No doubt.

[_sock puppet]

Your point is true. That is why all of our work (and I have 3 lawyers involved) at this point is around setting up a legal structure to keep the organization democratic and avoid such problems. This isn't my first first non profit, nor business. Sometimes some of those thing you learn in graduate school come in handy.

Okay... but why do you need a community?

Okay... but why do you need a church? Isn't your SkyPilot there listening to your prayers without a church?

[_John Larsen]

One of our primary needs is space.

One could have more space -- both physical and psychological -- by not belonging to a community.

The other driving concern are programs for children and teens.

In lieu of the already established social and educational communities they belong to? Are you going to insist that they quit school to join your community?

There are others also.

No doubt.

I have no clue what you are trying to ask me.

[_Yoda]

Wow...just noticed that you relocated to Lehi, Utah, John.

Sorry we never got to meet while you lived in NC.

[Guest]

Do you know how to recognize secret combinations? They have secret handshakes and passwords. My community doesn't have any of those. Does your church?

Clearly you don't have a very good grasp of the concept "secret combination" as understood in LDS doctrine and scripture.

I think that perhaps you may be confusing certain historical "secret societies" with secret combinations, or individuals, organizations, groups, political entities etc. who combine against righteousness and to fight against Christ (as elucidated in the Book of Mormon) in one manner or another, and who do so furtively so as to mask the core of their true intentions and vision. Secret societies of various sorts could, of course, be a part of such "combinations," but they are neither sufficient conditions of or required by the concept.

As the Church is clearly not a secret society, and especially not one seeking political power or mass social change through political/collective societal action, your implied analogy is irrelevant.