This essay will take a shift in the writings of Leopard Queen; here we shift focus from the Individual, to the Group - and back to the Individual. The Individual relation to the Group must be addressed.

The cult mentality is rather too prevalent. People generally tend to associate cults with either religious movements, or otherwise "organized" coalesced groups with distinct motives and plans - covert or otherwise.

We say that the cult mentality is more subtle than that, and far more insidious. Often, people do not perceive cults as "threatening" until individuals are signing over their material and physical relationships, and cutting off their families, etc. We feel that such obvious signs of cultism are signs that things have gone too far - but that the roots develop long before. Cultism is little more than the manifestation of a previous condition of weak Will.

We are not addressing religious-based groups - they are obvious, when they are wrong, and already have plenty of watchdogs looking over them.

What we are addressing is cultism on a daily level - whether it is a TV show, a rock band, or any other form of idolatry that goes beyond mere appreciation, and begins to cross the line into deification.

Some people "worship" their jobs; they feel for their jobs to be secure, they must sacrifice their small desires and beliefs into the group consciousness. They give themselves over to be a "company man" - heaven forbid someone might perceive that an employee is disloyal - and not 100% committed to the company plan - no matter that the plan has an absolute lack of regard for the individual.

Other people worship their relationships - to disagree with a loved one is to question the integrity of their very existence. This need not be so.

In rock bands, we have groupies. These are, very often, women who adore the musicians, and are prepared to sacrifice themselves, physically and emotionally, for the material pleasure that may be gained, and the validation that (seems to) go with it.

In all similar cases, what we have is a group of individuals surrendering their Wills to the Group, rather than retaining their Wills and operating independently and collectively within the Group.

Our definition of "cult mentality" would include every instance in which an individual seeks a solution from the Group, rather than from themselves.

This is very insidious, and is so prevalent that it should be SCREAMING IN OUR FACES, but is not, because Society as a whole has been taught to step away from this recognition.

We are not against belief; we are not against the fact that a group of individuals would all have common beliefs; what we are against is when an individual sells out his own belief for the sake of the Group.

It is our belief that if every human were to truly take care of himself, he would take care of the group, by doing his part. An amoeba in a cell does not consult with another amoeba to make sure they are both proceeding correctly or in synchronicity. Amoebas - unlike humans - do not seek validation from, or through, other amoebas.

We say, there is no difference. Yes, we understand that Humanity works with a different Consciousness energy - yet we also say that Universal Truth has not changed - and is interchangeable, whether we refer to humans or to amoebas.

Humanity, at this time, is still very much in the amoeba stage - yet they have a lot more power, but refuse to take it, or use it. They take the power they have and give it away.

This is the root of cultism - to take one's recognized individual power, and to give it up, to place it on someone/something else's altar, and to deem that one more worthy, or more knowledgeable, or powerful.

Too many people are looking to someone, anything, else which seems to offer a solution, if only for a little while.

You're not an amoeba. You are a Human. You can accept your Divinity, or you can hand it over to somebody else. The choice is yours.

The group will not prevail - only the individuals will. The individuals must choose; they must declare themselves, and no longer seem as advocates for whichever side is winning. Humans ARE different from amoebas - they have a Choice.

It is time to make that Choice.

Love, Galadriel
Esoterica/cult.html
05/30/04