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28: Top 3 Cults I Could Be Swindled Into Joining - Part 1
62 Plays8 months ago
Some of us had an easier time than others thinking of cults we might just join. But we're not examining what that means! We talked about cults for so long, we had to break this episode into two parts. Broached topics include: Alien Scientists, Our Cult Family Name, Can You Trust PETA's Website, Running for the Hills Naked, and iPhone vs. Android.
Follow us @MyTopEverything on Insta for updates! Email us at mytopeverythingpodcast@gmail.com with topic suggestions, comments, or questions.
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Transcript
Ant Lifespan Myths and Realities
00:00:00
Speaker
Okay, well, worker ants live for roughly seven years, and a queen ant lives for up to 15. That's kind of crazy. I mean, there are many types of ants in many different places. Like, I bet the ones in Minnesota don't live as long as the ones, like, on the equator.
00:00:16
Speaker
I don't know. There's a type of ant that lives that long unless you are a reproductive male. That's the ants that have the wings and they only live around two weeks.
Was Woodstock a Cult?
00:00:33
Speaker
Somebody asked one of the top Google questions is can ants live up to 100 years?
00:00:39
Speaker
Was Woodstock a cult? Just trying to segue here. Nice. Like maybe a minuscule in time cults. I mean, maybe because you could say wood cult. Wood cult. Wood cult was a really spiritual experience and not really like one of those Jesus cults, but. Yeah.
00:01:01
Speaker
Speaking of, how are we defining cult?
Defining 'Cult' with Humor
00:01:03
Speaker
Wait, wait, wait, wait. Oh, hey, Mara, by the way, Woodstock, the movie came out in 1970. Is that helpful? Maybe that's what you're thinking. Yeah, it is what I. Yeah, for sure. Wow, they only waited less than a year to make a movie. That's ridiculous. Yeah, that's that's Hollywood, baby.
00:01:31
Speaker
Welcome to My Top Everything. I'm your host, Marion. I'm Kara. And I'm Mara. And we are three sweet, angelic best friends who argue about anything and everything in a very God approved way, I've decided. And God decided.
00:01:54
Speaker
And we believe in God, apparently. They exist. God's a woman. Yes. I just wanted to start it off controversial right from the beginning, you know, like, prep people for what we're about to get into today. This episode's topic is top three
Modern Groups with Cult-like Traits
00:02:07
Speaker
cults. I would be swindled into joining. And Cara, you, before we properly introduce the podcast, you were asking
00:02:15
Speaker
How are we defining cult? Which I have Mary Webster and I would like to go first. That's interesting because for one of the first times ever, I did not feel like I needed to define it. I didn't feel like I needed to look it up. I felt like I had a good understanding of what a cult is. I feel like that makes sense because you've, you've read a couple of books. I mean, I love cults. Yeah. So the definition I have in front of me is a cult refers most often to a group of people.
00:02:45
Speaker
with usually atypical beliefs living in relative isolation from the world. And then the other definition I found gets into the religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister. Hmm. Okay. That's good. Is that similar to you?
00:03:06
Speaker
Yeah, Merriam-Webster has five definitions, but I'm just going to say the top two. So number one is a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious. And then number two is a great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work. I'm working under definition two.
00:03:25
Speaker
just to preface this. I mean, we talk about cults back in the day, like way back in the day, thousands of years ago. And those are just like religious sects, basically, like they're not even super culty. So I think number two is kind of where I was working from to the idea that it's a group of people who are following a certain person, charismatic person, certain ideas.
00:03:54
Speaker
I would say a cult bleeds into your lifestyle and usually has its own set of terminology and rules for living. That's how I would probably further define a cult is like when you're in a cult, it's not just like you like the thing. It's not like a fan club like a Pokemon fan club.
00:04:13
Speaker
versus a Pokemon cult. Like if there were a Pokemon cult, I'd say probably the things that needs to have one, some type of like really charismatic leader who probably goes by like the almighty ash or something. Two, it would have rules like
00:04:30
Speaker
catch them all, evolve, continue to evolve, you know, some that, you know, other plays on Pokemon. That's a really good off the cuff. Thank you. And three is probably you would have like.
Exploring Cult-like Organizations
00:04:44
Speaker
Um, you know, uh, what do they call those things? Um, a familiar, a familiar Pokemon that you would like have to like tattoo onto you somewhere. You'd have to like tattoo. If it was like Pikachu yellow and brown stripes on you somewhere, like, you know, something I, I, you would, colds, definitely you're supposed to live your life a certain way based on the rules of the cold. I think that's an important.
00:05:11
Speaker
part of it. Yes. Um, when Grayson and I, uh, were talking about this beforehand, uh, because I had, I only use like 45 minutes to prep, we were doing a lot of like, he was like posing religious ideas. And I was like, I don't feel like that's the definition of cult that I work under. I think that cults tend to be the majority of the population doesn't see their belief system as normal or viable or
00:05:38
Speaker
whatever. And then two, I usually feel like cults do some sort of destructive act, whether or not that be on themselves and their property or somebody else's property, objects, body, whatever. Like I feel like there's usually like a destructive element of some sort.
00:05:53
Speaker
I don't know. I think that that is something that we've been taught is that like cults are bad because there are a lot of bad cults and a lot of cults that involve brainwashing or harmful. Just using the patriarchy to keep us in line once again, trying to make money off of us. But I do I do think that there are there is the possibility for positive cults. It's just usually we don't recognize them as cults at that point.
00:06:21
Speaker
you could almost like put I thought about this because but this is from one of the books I read so I felt like it was cheating but like CrossFit has like all the makings of a modern cult doesn't mean it's negative or like bad necessarily but it has like all of the kind of things like they have their certain terminologies they have their rules you have this kind of peer pressure and like getting members and becoming a member and so CrossFit's kind of like a modern cult but I wouldn't necessarily say
00:06:52
Speaker
that CrossFit is bad. It's not harming anybody necessarily, as far as I know, disclaimer, disclaimer. So you do think that harm is part of the definition? No. No, I would say you could consider CrossFit a cult, and I would say you can consider it a cult, but creating harm is not necessarily needed to be a cult. Would you say the common definition that most people would use, though?
00:07:16
Speaker
I feel like you have a nuance view, I think, because you've done more research and you're more... I feel like people would... I don't know, there's something weird about those cross-fetters, man. Totally. Eeriness or weirdness to the dedication, I think that's a part of the cult, is it seems to extend beyond, like, regularly. But at the same time, like, sometimes I look at very popular religions and have some thoughts. So it's hard to say, like, where... Which one of us is going to be brave enough to put a certain religion on?
00:07:46
Speaker
Cults I'd be swindled into joining. Not cults you've been in, right? Yeah. Nice. Does somebody want to go first? Or I haven't gone first. I can go first. Send it.
00:08:03
Speaker
Okay, my first one is one that actually a cult I perceive that I feel like I got out of before I got really culty and that we have a couple members of ourselves. And that is the cult of iPhone. I feel like one day I could be swindled into joining it again. But at this point in time, I'm very much.
00:08:23
Speaker
an anti-iPhone believer. iPhone is a cult for the following reasons. One, this company has done an absolutely stellar job at creating peer pressure to be an iPhone member or user. We're going to interchangeably use the words user and member here, but basically people pay
00:08:48
Speaker
more money for an inferior product and then when their inferior product doesn't work properly because the inferior product is inferior because it's punishing you for interacting with non iPhone users members. You blame the non users. You don't blame the people who created it and are keeping you in the cycle of an inferior product. You blame
00:09:16
Speaker
the people who aren't in the cult with you. I feel like I've experienced this as a poor enlightened Android user. I am constantly being told from people, if everybody has an iPhone, they're like, oh, you're going to ruin the group chat. Oh, you like you make it so much harder. But like the reality is, is these people have bought a product that they know
00:09:41
Speaker
excludes people purposefully. The technology is there to make it inclusive. We know this because if you have an Android, you can Wi-Fi text anyone, Apple, other Android users, anybody across the board. When you are an iPhone, you can only iMessage aka Wi-Fi text.
00:10:00
Speaker
other iPhone users. They hold the technology from you. You can't name a group chat. We can name our group chats privately with anyway. I think for a while you guys had this problem. Tell me if you still have this problem. If somebody likes something in a group chat with an Android user, does it say the words liked the message or did they finally get the emojis figured out so that you just see the emoji?
00:10:24
Speaker
It's the annoying one where it says X person liked message. I thought that was kind of like a retaliation. It was. Google put out us little Android users used to get liked a message and get a response every time, but now they get it and we don't because it's on your Android did it. Hell yeah. OK, well, then another one is that you guys can only FaceTime other iPhone users.
00:10:51
Speaker
Android has a thing called duo where you can like FaceTime anybody and also it's turning into meat now. So it's basically like
00:11:00
Speaker
You're basically Google meeting with somebody when you do it. At least for me, for Google, I'm able to FaceTime, Wi-Fi FaceTime with anybody. A couple of days ago, somebody tried to include me in an iPhone photo album, and it's not available on my device. They made it so that non-iPhone users can't access the iPhoto cloud, whatever. I'm not saying that right, the iCloud.
00:11:28
Speaker
photo albums anymore. But if I create a Google album with all my photos, all anybody needs is a link. And they can add and look. Yeah. And they don't need to create an account or anything. Like it's just anyway. So that's my tirade on how iPhone's a cult. And I'm just tired of people telling me that I'm the problem when they went
00:11:54
Speaker
and bought an extremely outrageously expensive phone that intentionally punishes you for interacting with anyone who's not an iPhone user. Yeah. I will define myself and say that I buy the version that's like $200 every time. That's my only difference in this situation. So your phone is like 12 versions behind them. Yeah, it is.
00:12:19
Speaker
It's the oldest version because I refuse to. I think that. Have you looked into the cheap Android versions or have you always just stayed with iPhone?
00:12:29
Speaker
I am a person that is stagnant until I'm basically forced to change my ways. And so because I don't care enough, I won't probably change, but I'm not, I'm not culty about it. I, I feel like you're deaf. I don't disagree, but I feel like it's a soft cult. Um, that's why it's number three. Yeah. It's a soft cult, but there are people who are super into iPhone.
00:12:54
Speaker
Yeah, no, there are. I'm on the lowest spectrum, but I do interact with people. You're barely in it, but there are people. I remember at one point, Amanda tried to get out of the Cultivi phone, and she was trying to convince other people that it was good out there, and then she went back in. She was like, the pressure was too much.
00:13:14
Speaker
Uh, yeah, I do. I have considered getting an iPhone, um, like more than once
Introduction to 'My Top Everything'
00:13:18
Speaker
in the past couple of years, just cause their privacy settings and like their data sharing is also, they're very strict and it's not like Google. So yeah.
00:13:29
Speaker
There's a mass shooting. I don't remember what the situation was, but the mass shooter had an iPhone and the police asked to like they wanted to get to the messages and figure out why this person did it where if there's another thing coming, blah, blah. They got the iPhone physically, but they couldn't get in and they couldn't analyze any of the data. And they asked Apple to have access. And Apple said, that's not part of our user.
00:13:51
Speaker
contract clause, whatever, so no, you don't get access to this person's personal information. So they didn't give. Damn. Are you giving, this is, you're like, this is good. No, I'm supporting Mara's
Transitioning Between Topics
00:14:04
Speaker
argument that they have very strong data privacy. I was referencing when you go to different websites or you can shut it off so Instagram doesn't get your data.
00:14:16
Speaker
Oh, no, Apple does ask me every time I get a new app, they say, do you want this to share your location and your information and all this stuff? And I get like it pops it up and it makes me choose. Well, mine does that, too. It's like allow. It's like allow while using the app. Don't allow at all or allow all the time. Yeah, but I don't know what's normal because I've always had my phone. If I say don't allow at all, like part of the app doesn't work. Yeah, that's true. All right. Well, that's my third solid fall into it.
00:14:52
Speaker
You go, Kara. Okay. Um,
Personal Cult Experiences
00:14:55
Speaker
my number three is PETA. Um, I researched because I basically, no, I can't say I'll say to the end, but, um, I feel, okay. So I've been vegetarian since I was 13 vegan for the past like six years for people listening. Um, and I have gone through eras of my vegan vegetarian life where I have been very opinionated and judgmental and
00:15:06
Speaker
You want to go? Go? I don't care. Okay.
00:15:22
Speaker
um, feel, felt, uh, feel a certain way about the way the animals are treated. And I feel like if people knew, then maybe they wouldn't do the things that they do. And I feel like it would be pretty easy actually for me to get swindled into PETA. Um, and I found a, an article where a previous employee talks about how cult like it is. Um, and she talks about how
00:15:49
Speaker
like new PETA employees are blooming active animal active rights people from college and they take these like low paying jobs and PETA's indoctrination is super successful and they soak it in like a sponge because they're 21 years old and then they like
00:16:04
Speaker
spout the organization's sound bites all the time and they can't even see why this is ridiculous or why it's crazy. And also the more I researched this, the more I came to realize that PETA is actually a fucking terrible organization sometimes because they actually kill a ton of animals and all the stuff and they're very aggressive in their tactics. Why do they kill the animals?
00:16:28
Speaker
The why eludes me a little bit, but I do know that the PETA organization doesn't
Sponsorships and Fictional Cults
00:16:33
Speaker
believe that anybody should have
00:16:36
Speaker
own or control an animal in any way. So if they have like a PETA shelter, they will kill the animals because they don't think that anybody should like own them. And this employee in this article talks about it, like they talk about how they believe that there's rights and autonomy of each animal. And if euthanasia was the best thing for the animal, then they make the decision that this is what's going to happen essentially. And if not, then if the employee chooses not to, then they're booted from the tribe.
00:17:06
Speaker
I could see that before my brain was fully developed at 25 and I was in my more aggressive vegan phase, I could definitely see easily talked into doing some crazy shit. And I'm sure that I probably spoke like some PDA activists. I just
Inside the Fictional Cult
00:17:25
Speaker
don't have the strength to be a part of a cult. I think it's probably.
00:17:28
Speaker
This is a good one because when I started my little vegetarian journey, I is because of a philosophy class called the ethics of eating animals. And that the beginning of it was very difficult for me because it did feel like all the thinking felt very extreme. And I still think some of it is very extreme. But what is Peter's stance on pets? They don't think we should have pets.
00:17:57
Speaker
I think it's extremely immoral. Okay, because that's not what PETA says on their organization website. What do they say about pets? Minus half point for Charis stating things that she hasn't even looked up.
00:18:12
Speaker
I don't know who wrote that article, but they didn't check their facts. At PETA, we love and respect the animal companions who share our homes. Contrary to myth, PETA does not want to confiscate beloved, well-cared-for companions and, quote, set them free, unquote. What we do want is to reduce the tragic overpopulations of dogs and cats through spaying and neutering, and we are opposed to all breeding.
00:18:37
Speaker
Grayson's going crazy in the chat. He said he has abducted pets from people's yards. He said he would literally be screaming right now. Also, there's a guardian website that pops up that says PETA says sorry for taking girls pet chihuahua. So I think maybe they part of. I think if they perceive you as not being a good pet owner,
00:19:05
Speaker
they will steal the pet for sure. But I don't think they're against some organizations have the front side of what they say, and then they have actions on the back end. So I'm thinking maybe they don't all organizations. Yeah, so saying it does not oppose kind people. So as long as you're doing it right, which is what how do they define that?
00:19:28
Speaker
You know, people who aren't kicking their dogs or starving them or leaving them outside. I assume that's I mean, I'm not saying that every stolen pet by PETA has been correct. Obviously, I think as a family, as a person who has been affected by somebody thinking a pet.
00:19:47
Speaker
wasn't being taken care of and so they took the pet and then we didn't know where the pet was for two weeks and then they came back and they're like hey your pets like terminally ill and there's nothing that can be done about it also here's $2,000 in vet bills and my parents being like yeah we know we already went through that like I'm not saying like oh yeah it's good to like take pets from other people
00:20:11
Speaker
But I do see the like, you know, there are lots of stories of, oh, I watched this dog get abused or left out in the rain in the cold, blah, blah, blah. So I took the pet. I think that's what PETA is saying. They also are opposed to seeing eye dogs, too. So like, I think that what there's like why because they're being used. So I think that there's like the PETA website. And then there's like all of these things that I've been reading and seeing on videos about what
00:20:41
Speaker
PETA people do. You went deep, dude. I felt like I had to defend myself on this one. I was surprised at how well this one actually. This one. OK, they say.
00:20:53
Speaker
They don't it's not because the dogs are being used. I think I think I'm going to keep with my negative point five to you because it seems like you didn't actually look up your PETA law or why they do the things because PETA basically is saying that they don't like it because they think they're equally intelligent dogs in shelters that could be used for these programs. But the programs prioritize breeding to get these dogs for the seeing eye programs and they don't like that.
00:21:21
Speaker
They want them to go out there, find toast, and be like, toast, you are intelligent enough to be a seeing eye dog. And put tons of money and time into a dog bag. Maybe intelligent enough, but may not be suited for the job.
00:21:39
Speaker
Um, my, I will just point out to you that that's false because, um, it works for an organization that they train dogs for PTSD, like for veterans and the veterans that have PTSD. And it's like a 1% pass rate. Like it's crazy how few dogs are actually able to do jobs like that.
00:21:57
Speaker
Um, I'll take the negative half. I'm fine with that. I didn't expect to win this. Um, I came in very tired, but I'm very proud of my thinking and I think, I think PETA counts. I think PETA counts for sure. Mostly because the, the really intense, I remembered the like.
00:22:13
Speaker
intense PETA boats, something with whaling. Do we all remember that? The pictures of the PETA people like sailing around the world like pirates. I tried to find that organization because I was going to put that on my list, but I can't find it because I would 100% now here, Kara, 32 years old, I would totally do that.
00:22:30
Speaker
because I think wailing is extremely horrible. See, I'm already like, you are so close. Yeah. Yeah. Maybe this is where the destruction comes in. It's just my, my motive. Uh, I feel that because I went a very different route so far, just based off of your first two,
00:22:52
Speaker
answers. You're like, you're like, give me some of that Kool-Aid Jim Jones. I didn't even think about modern day cults.
00:23:04
Speaker
My number three cult I could see myself getting swindled into is a cult called Happy Science, formerly known as the Institute for Research in Human Happiness. It's a new religious movement in Japan, and it's not very small. It has 11 million followers, which is huge. It was founded in October of 1986 by a former Wall Street trader.
00:23:28
Speaker
right, oh, oh, Kawa trick. So and honestly, off the bat, don't trust him right away. Wall Street people are the worst. But their aim is to bring happiness to humanity by spreading truth. And their basic teachings are the exploration exploration of the right mind, the foretold path, and they believe in
00:23:53
Speaker
like reincarnation and they're like leader or overall God that they pray to is El Cantare. And even though this was founded like 37 years ago,
00:24:05
Speaker
They believe that El Cantore is a deity who is the highest god on earth, the Lord of all gods. I got all this from Wikipedia. I researched this one too. They believe that the being was first born on earth 330 million years ago, and that is the same entity that's been worshiped at different times. And they think that that entity has been Odin or Hermes.
00:24:32
Speaker
Yes, I thought one said God Abe Lincoln, my bad. The thing that I like is their little catch. Like this is in quotes, so it's from their little scripture. But the aspiration and discipline to seek the truth and actively contribute to the realization of love, peace and happiness on Earth. They believe in reincarnation, angels, demons, heaven, hell and aliens. The negative is
00:25:02
Speaker
that during COVID they were falsely selling spiritual vaccines that they claimed to prevent and cure COVID that they made millions of dollars off of. So would have had a little spiritual awakening during COVID and gotten myself out of there.
00:25:20
Speaker
He's been like, this isn't so happy anymore. When I was researching this one, what I really appreciated was that this deity that has been around, what'd you say? 300,000 years? No, it's 330 million. Yeah, OK. That this creature had been reincarnated to so many different important things, and now it's in this guy, just that happens. I know, it's like this guy. What a convenient story.
00:25:48
Speaker
inflate itself. I definitely could see myself getting into that one too. I was like pretty close to putting that on my list because I feel like the root, like, yeah.
00:25:58
Speaker
The base idea I'm into, I feel like I could be like, yeah, I do seek happiness. I do want it. I want truth. I don't want to be lied to. I could totally see that working. Typically, there's an entry-level version. And then the longer you're in there, the more you learn and the more fucked up you get. But now you're invested. And now you're like, you have no other options. And people, you've left your family members, whatever. So I feel like that one I could see slowly dipping into. And then once it's too far, that's when you learn the truth.
00:26:27
Speaker
Yeah, because they also do like teachings where you can go and they do little classes on things. Which we love. We go to do those all the time.
00:26:40
Speaker
Okay, my number two is an organization I just found out about because I was doing this research. It's called Just Stop Oil. It is an organization in the UK and their goal is to stop approving new fossil fuel projects on behalf of climate change. It is majority like young privileged white people in the UK that do very public
00:27:10
Speaker
disruptive displays to call people's attention. They claim that they already tried to work with parliament. They tried to do it the non-destructive route, but somebody tied their neck to a soccer goal during the middle of a very intense match. One person
00:27:32
Speaker
sprayed the, during like the snooker championship, they like sprayed powder all over the like building. So the person, like the group had to stop playing. They've like blocked roads is their big thing. Like they'll walk super slowly because technically they're walking. Um, and they'll stop oil trucks from going places. They'll like release the tire air pressure, like from tires so that the oil trucks can't move, et cetera, et cetera. Um, and it's a very like tight knit group of people that have a very strong belief in
00:28:03
Speaker
the continuation of using fossil fuels as this super harmful act. And I don't disagree with them. Is this the group that has ruined a couple of paintings? I think it's a different group technically, but they do stuff like that. So I think that that would be something that would be in their repertoire. Yeah.
00:28:28
Speaker
I'm just there's been a couple articles about young people throwing like cans of SpaghettiOs, essentially. Oh, it was them. Oh, OK. Cool. Yeah. My article, it says so. Yeah. They during the butcher this lace miserables. Hell yeah, brother.
00:28:47
Speaker
Did I do it? Okay. Um, the, they like interrupted this very intense, um, performance of that at Royal Albert Hall. You can just say Les Mis. I think Les Mis would have been better. Started again so that nobody else would hear you say that. They interrupted a very prominent, uh, play Les Mis in the middle of like this big London
00:29:11
Speaker
performance and they were the ones that threw tomato soup on Van Gogh's sunflower painting at the National Gallery. What? Yeah. Why did they do that? To bring awareness to climate change. They're trying to get people to be aware of it and to make changes. I read that and I saw that in the news and I was both upset and kind of like good for you.
00:29:38
Speaker
So he also he painted a bunch of different sunflowers, you know, there's got to be another one. Yeah, just make more. Yeah, so I do have very strong beliefs about the way that we're dealing with climate change. And I do think that we're making a lot of irreparable damage and not making change quick enough. And so in the right mindset, I could see how I would be somebody that would call. I probably wouldn't do something destructive to
00:30:08
Speaker
super, you know, important art and things like that. But I could see like, you know, blocking a street or something a little less like destructive. Um, but also there's a lot of articles in the UK about how like, I think somebody stopped a Heathrow plane at one point and then somebody missed their kids, like wedding or graduation or something like that. And what are these guys called? Just stop oil.
00:30:30
Speaker
Also, they're going to miss a whole lot more than a graduation or wedding coming up due to climate change. That's what they say. That's literally like when they respond to the articles and stuff. They're like, oh, yeah, we'll see how it is in 10 years. Are they even going to be planes? Yeah, dude. I think I would join this cult hands down. What makes them a cult? It's a strong. That's why I looked at the definition.
00:30:58
Speaker
It is a great devotion to a movement and it's a very similar group of people that have similar belief systems and tactics and they're willing to go to great lengths and get arrested and things like that. Hmm. Hmm. They got that young little mindset that people find unnerving and most people don't agree with. Yeah. Most people are pissed in all the videos that I watch. Yeah. Obviously.
00:31:27
Speaker
I mean, these are my belief systems just heightened. My number, my number one's a little different. It's like, that's not on this one. I'm a little less convinced. I see how PETA kind of takes over people's lives. I'm not so sure about the just stop oil people. I guess that's where I'm landing. That's fair. That's how you're faced.
00:31:48
Speaker
My number two cult that I would be swindled into joining is they go by many name. They don't exist anymore. I did kind of bring them up at the beginning of this podcast, but it is the female cult of Dionysus back in the day. They were called
00:32:05
Speaker
the Bacchae or the Bacchae, depending on who you ask, or the Maynads. They were an example of what happened to women when there wasn't a male influence and what would happen to these women. Dionysus would usually do this as like a punishment if a city wasn't worshipping him correctly or if somebody offended him. He would turn the city's women
00:32:29
Speaker
Mad and they would all run away to the mountains put flowers in their hair They would wear panther skins and fawn skins and they would basically party all day party all night Drinking dancing just the women if men ever came over To try and tell them what to do They would literally like rip them apart limb from limb
00:32:53
Speaker
They were super strong because they had Dionysus, you know, behind them. And this to me was just it's super cool cult. I definitely if I were an ancient Greece living as a woman, you bet the minute somebody was like want to run away to the mountains and just like.
00:33:11
Speaker
forget all this, leave all this behind. If a man comes, kill him. You want to kill him? I'm the new priestess, let's go. I feel like you would have started it. I know. I would have started out as flower breeding and
00:33:32
Speaker
like camping in the woods and we just go from there. That sounds wonderful. Also, there was like the Bacchanalia, which is like a big festival for Dionysus, Bacchus. And it started out as a three day event for women only. Like women only went to this event and like had a festival and I'm like, what else are you going to get a woman only party where you can like get drunk and feel safe because like
00:33:59
Speaker
There's no men around. They're not allowed. They would be getting sued in Australia right now. What? Why? Oh, because this woman artist opened up this gallery and inside of it she has a woman only
00:34:17
Speaker
like party or club, essentially. And so this guy is suing her because he was like, I wasn't able to fully experience the whole art gallery. I paid money. And she was like, yeah, that's the point. Like, you don't allow us in a certain spaces.
00:34:37
Speaker
So, yeah, she's going to take it to the Supreme Court over there. Fuck yeah, dude. Yeah. Yeah. And instead of allowing men in there, she's closing it because she's like, no, women only love that. I do wonder what's going to happen at the Supreme Court level, though, because I do think that's going to be not on our side. No, I know. She wants them to say it's unconstitutional because if they say it's unconstitutional for her to not allow men in there, then men have to allow women into their men only clubs.
00:35:04
Speaker
Oh, nice. So she's like, let's do it. She's calling his double bluff. The government also got involved in bacchanalia back in the day. Basically any women who participated in it were short of secrecy and you know, it was like members only. So they couldn't talk about what happened, you know, like.
00:35:23
Speaker
what happens in bacchanalia stays in bacchanalia. And basically the Roman Senate was like, that's effed up. We're men. We want to know what you're doing. You women are probably planning a revolt now with your super strength and your blood lust for men. And so the Senate changed a bunch of rules. So that way they had to tell them what they were doing, which completely like restructured the cold, basically, because then they had to get permission from the government every time they wanted to do something in bacchanalia. Big bummer.
00:35:53
Speaker
That's good. I like that one. That's 100%. Like if that still existed today, I'd be in it. There are like certain running clubs where you kind of drink and have a good time while you're running and you make jokes and you follow like a scavenger hunt, I want to say. What are those running clubs called?
00:36:12
Speaker
I don't know. We did one in I was a part of one in Australia when I was there. I can't remember. You could walk or you could run. Yeah. And everybody had like nicknames like camp. Yeah, they all had. They all have nicknames. Yeah. And it was more of just like a fun. It was kind of culty, honestly, but like in a good way, it was really fun.
00:36:30
Speaker
Yeah. Um, you know that you could just start bacchanalia 2.0. You know how many, you know how fucking successful, you want to make money, dude? Bacchanalia 2.0. Bacchanalia 2.0. I could be the next fire festival. It'll be organized by women. So it'll be a nice six. So it'll be amazing. Perfect. And not fraud. And not fraud. It was a great number two. Yeah. My number two cult that I could see myself getting swindled into as another oldie. Um,
00:37:01
Speaker
It's called the Ra-Alien movement. I've heard of this one too. R-A with the two dots above it, E-L-I-A-N. The things I'm about to say are akin to going to one Mass and then being like, I can tell you the whole history of the Catholic Church.
00:37:18
Speaker
They've been around for a really long time and there was a ton of information. And so I really only have a couple like big bullet points, but they believe the aliens one. Yeah. OK. There's a lot of cults that like have aliens a lot in the lore. It's actually wild. Yeah. They believe that life on Earth, as well as many religions of the world,
00:37:43
Speaker
were the work of extraterrestrial influence. They believe that these were scientists and that the ancient people saw them as gods and gave them the name Elchon.
00:37:57
Speaker
Um, but they're very sexually free and they do, they are huge activists kind of for the left wing party. Um, they protest in favor of the right to choose like for abortion. And then like they're activists for getting rid of the negative legislation, persecuting freedom. Yes. Ironically freedom. And they want the right for women to go topless. Yeah. If men can go topless and show their nipples, so should women. I don't fucking understand that. That's what they say.
00:38:27
Speaker
Listen, I'm in the cult. You did it. You turned her. Yeah. But they have like little alien mascots and they have this pretty cool symbol. Wow. Grayson asks you to describe the symbol. Oh, man. Fuck off. Can you Google? Oh, it does. So their symbol does look a little bit like the Star of David. And? And.
00:38:53
Speaker
And what? The swastika. Oh, shit. Before, before 1991. Yeah. There was, it's the Star David plus the swastika. Yeah. Yikes. Star David, it's an interesting combo to choose. Well, you know. In an era after World War II. The swastika is also seen in Buddhism. I know.
00:39:17
Speaker
I know, but no one sees it that way. Yeah, that's not how it's perceived in current day. Yikes. I did look at it and think, huh, that looks like the Star of David. I think it is. But again, going to one mass and knowing the whole history. But Yikes. Yeah, the symbol we've got some issues with. Yeah, for sure. I don't I can't get behind the whole aliens thing. I looked into a couple of them. I was like, I don't.
00:39:47
Speaker
And I'm reading the whole Ender's Game series. There's theories about that in the books and stuff. I've thought about it. It's kind of like how, no offense Christians, we don't believe in evolution. It's like, okay, so we're just going to scrap the idea of revolution for either a Jesus or an alien?
00:40:07
Speaker
Well, the aliens are scientists, Kara. We named them Yahweh. We named them Elohim, which I think is what you meant to say, Kamara. Yep. I've heard it both ways. Which is the Old Testament word for God. They're just a scientist from an advanced place. Did they drop water and amoebas and then evolution happened in the theory?
00:40:31
Speaker
You know what, I don't know that, but I do wonder if Battlestar, the ending of Battlestar Galactica was based off of this because, spoiler, it's been out for almost 20 years, so fuck you guys. But at the very end, so their planets all get demolished, and then these people travel, and they end up on Earth, and then all of their technology breaks, and they basically crash land to Earth.
00:40:55
Speaker
They're the people that populate Earth. They would be aliens. Yeah. Are you interested in this cult because of the sensual meditation aspect? Yeah.
00:41:15
Speaker
I don't want to take the bait. I didn't even want. I had so much trouble picking more than two cults. Um, you're like, I didn't want to put this one. This was my throw away. I guess this probably should have been my number. Yeah. Why is it you're number two minus half point two five? Sensual meditation.
00:41:37
Speaker
What does that even mean, Orgy? No, it's a relaxation exercise known as harmonization with the infinite. And you do oxygenation, which has some deep breathing apparently, and you're going to relax and you're expanding until yourself becomes a speck within the universe.
00:41:58
Speaker
And you're supposed to basically have sexual arousal during it. There it is. And that's interpreted as evidence that you're in telepathic contact. Oh my god, shot with Elohim. With the aliens? Yeah.
00:42:16
Speaker
Why are the aliens causing sexual activity? The goal of the sensual meditation is to achieve, quote, a cosmic orgasm. They also believe that they encourage like masturbation and whatnot. And they also encourage you to think about like God doing the dirty to you. Wait, what?
00:42:47
Speaker
Okay, but also they're aliens. It's not God, it's aliens that are doing the dirty to you then. It's like, this is wild. This is a great discussion. I don't know, maybe I'm complaining other ones. I read so many. Yeah, there's a lot of aliens. I love that you brought it up. I'm here for it. But also, this guy, Ryell, or whatever, he married a 16-year-old.
00:43:07
Speaker
at one point in 2001. Cult leaders, they've got a theme. Yeah, I had to work really hard to make sure to find cults where it didn't have these nefarious undertones. Yeah, it's negative two to me for even mentioning it as well. Sensual meditation seems pretty positive. It seems like a pretty sex-positive place. Yeah, and they do...
00:43:33
Speaker
actively go to protests, but who knows, since their symbol was like a swastika in the Star of David until 1991. Also, what changed in 1991? Oh, man. I was born. I am the God. Shit. I know. Now you just got to convince people. Mostly, I do like, I was attracted to this one for the aliens. You're attracted to the aliens. It's already happening. Yeah. You know, it's been in my lore already.
00:44:03
Speaker
All right, let's go to our sponsors. Our number three sponsor this week is Grayson. Sizzle. Thanks for everything you do, bud. You know what you do.
00:44:23
Speaker
I don't think I like that. Nice. He has been messaging just so you know, the entire time. I know. And he's actively involved. Number two. Is going to be summer camp. Summer camp is kind of like the gateway cult, isn't it? Yeah, there's something about it. Summer camps. You weren't already born into a religion.
00:44:52
Speaker
Yeah, it's like you go there, you get a new name, you learn this lingo, C-I-T's. There's other ones. I can't remember it anymore. Purple bandana. Yes. There's an outfit. There's chants. There's songs. Black magic. You're leading children. Yeah, there's a lot going on there. A lot going on.
00:45:18
Speaker
You're leading children. Do they follow you? They want to be all up on you. Get off me.
00:45:24
Speaker
Yeah, they give you a taste of power. There's a hierarchy. There's a camera. Yeah. Yeah. That's a pretty good one. And our number one sponsor for this episode is our own cult. The pride. Donna Lishker. Our Jews are at. She knows that's so good. But she can't. No. Right. Donna Lishker. For our Jews are at. You're missing so many. I'm missing so many.
00:45:52
Speaker
Yeah. I don't ever say it. Grayson had to memorize it, didn't he? No, that was Maddie and Tom. Yeah. I want to know, though. Pro Donnelish. Kirkney Farduzarat. Anyway, for our listeners, we made up our own last name.
00:46:09
Speaker
Some of us traveled to Italy and we hired a photographer and we got into special dresses and we married each other. With rings. With rings.
00:46:26
Speaker
So our own cult. Yeah. We had little flowers, a reception. It was great. We call each other the Frouses. Yeah. Friend spouses. We got a tattoo in a mall. Oh, yeah. It's very culty. It's very culty. Matching. Matching tattoos. I feel like we need to make that clear. They're matching. Well, complementary matching. Yeah. But Sevilla and I have matching matching, which I love. Mm hmm.
00:46:56
Speaker
Mm hmm. Here and I have matching matching, basically. Also, we print our name on clothing about once a year. We distribute gear where we have our name repeated over and over and over again, just so people could really love explaining it. It's on the photo above the computer, Kara. Oh, it's so tiny. Hang on. One moment, please. Pray Donna Lish.
00:47:25
Speaker
Ker-far-bush-knee-doo-zerat. Okay, so it's ker-far-bush. That's the part where I ask it. Ker-far-bush. Ker-far-bush. Per-don-o-lish, ker-far-bush-eezerat. Oh my god, we can't do it at the same time. Say it again.
00:47:43
Speaker
Pray Donna Lishker, Far Bushknee, Druzerat. Pray Donna Lishker, Far Bushknee, Druzerat. I think Druzerat goes so nicely. So does the beginning. Pray Donna Lishker. It's the Far Bushknee that we needed to work on.
00:48:04
Speaker
Like we can rebrand, whatever. Or we could just like cut them out and then. Yeah. See what happens. Yeah. Stir the pot. Make the next swag without that middle part. Pro-donna-lish-ker-drews-a-lot. Just shouldn't even notice. Only because we put it in the podcast.
00:48:28
Speaker
Yes, we just love cults. We're probably gonna have to take a little Pausey Wasey. We'll be back next time for the, what? What's wrong with Pausey Wasey? I just, so baby. It's so baby. I'm trying to think of another time I've heard you say that. I was just surprised. I do it a lot, honestly. Damn. Yes, you do. I'm doing that a lot these days. This is my new thing. If we were still living together, you would have taken it up. I'd be saying it.
00:48:57
Speaker
It's crazy that out of the three of us, you have been least drawn into cults when I feel like you probably have most cult minds. I feel like you would be the easiest to get in here, you know? I do too. I'm a young man. And this is why we have two parts this week. It's because of this exact situation. Right. Right. The two parts. And we will be back next week to continue wherever we left off. Because we know where we left off. We're not recording this after the fact because this looks so long. OK.
00:49:26
Speaker
We love you. See you in part two. Yep. I love you. See you in part two. Follow us on My Top Everything, Instagram, Facebook, Slide Into DMs, email us, mytopeverythingpodcast.gmail.com. Try and sponsor us. Make us an offer we can't refuse. Great.