Why we call FcNext a cult
Copyright 2008 by Nexteritis. All rights reserved. For permission to use, write to:
Nexteritis-owner@yahoogroups.com
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Why We Call FcNext a Cult
Paul Hurteau, operator of FreeCycleEarth.org (FCE) and one of the longtime leading Nextercultists, says about us, “And to call fcnexters a ‘CULT’ just goes to show they have no idea what constitues [sic] a cult!”
This deserves some explanation, and we’ll enjoy adding some commentary.
First, a note of appreciation to Paul for using his unmoderated status to post in FcNext a link to our Nexteritis blog, especially given that FcNext moderators normally censor out any strong, genuine, consistently cogent opposition to their cultic mindset.
Quoting with gratitude from our favorite dictionary, Merriam-Webster’s:
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CULT
Etymology: French & Latin; French culte, from Latin cultus care, adoration, from colere to cultivate
5 – a: great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially: such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad – b: the object of such devotion – c: a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion
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We note with interest that the other definitions of “cult” typically involve religion or religious-type behavior and thought. Some of the leading core Nexters have distinctly religious mindsets, even calling themselves “of the cloth,” (Paul Hurteau, for example) “pastor” (Ken Hedden, for example), “evangelist” (Andy Swarbrick, for example, in this case in his activism for Grouply.com throughout the freecycling group world), etc., or have otherwise demonstrated that they are adherents (or at least lip-servants) of religious convictions of types whose best founders, avatars and inspired writings have always opposed the general trend of FcNext-type cultish behavior and attitude. The hypocrisy typical of a radically religious mindset is a common type of human stupidity. It has a strong hold on multiple leading, core Nextercultists.
It is typical of radically religious-minded people to be virtually incompetent of anything but cultic thinking, especially those who glorify themselves for their self-appointed roles in religious activism outside the mainstream of responsible spiritual institutions having internal systems of holding their activists and adherents accountable for their behaviors. Irresponsible, hypocritical, radical religious fervency is a common type of human stupidity having a grip on the mindset of some leading core Nextercultists.
(It is easy to sympathize somewhat with atheism activist Sam Harris, who said that if he could magically rid the world of either religion or rape, he would eliminate religion because it does more damage to civilization.)
FcNext is not by design or definition a religious cult, but it has a cultic mindset similar to radical religion in some ways. In the hypocrisy typical of religious fanatics, they violate the principles of their own personal religions (and pseudo-religions) in their aberrant and deviant behaviors, and abrogate the purported principles and policies of their own FcNext group, not just now in recent FcNext activity, but consistently for years in a variety of online venues that have fed into establishment and cultivation of the FcNext cult, like tributaries into a river.
In the case of FcNext, the cultic trend is grounded not only in devotion to their pseudo-intellectual (harebrained) hypocrisy in lip-service to themes such as free speech, respect for cogent dissent, and lightly moderated discussion and debate, but more significantly, their cultism derives from, focuses upon, and actively cultivates abject hatred of Deron Beal, The Freecycle Network, Inc. (TFN), and anyone who resists the FcNext cultish group-think, calling them “deronites,” servants or aspirants of favor with the “emperor,” etc. , even when such FcNext resisters have no relationship or connection with Beal or TFN, and do not participate in TFN or support it.
Basically, if it does not support hatred of TFN, core Nexters despise it and attack it, reflexively, reactively, irrationally, like mad dogs. The devotional aspect of their cult is less a matter of devotion to a movement of their own (a deceptive shell masking corruption; something like what Jesus called a “whited sepulchre”), more a devotion to hatred and condemnation of anyone who does not agree with or opposes their style, beliefs, tactics, and hate-based dogma. This is typical of a cult that has nothing to offer but opposition to something else, and cultivation of hatred as its primary strategy. Devoid of substance of its own, it derives its being from the labor of demonizing others. It is part of the same kind of human stupidity typical of radical religion.
We note with care that this is not likely true of everyone holding membership in the FcNext group. Their membership count varies between about 450 and 500, but only a few dozen of them actively advocate the cultish mentality of the much smaller cadre of highly vocal cult leaders and advocates.
It is hard to estimate accurately how many freecycling-type groups there are in the world. This is partly because so many “groups” listed in directories like Freesharing.org (Eric Burke) and SharingIsGiving.org (Ken Hedden) are not really viable or active groups at all, or are not true freecycling groups, along with dead/inactive links, etc. Many listed there never were real groups of real people in local communities joining the freecycling movement. They were just empire-building zombie groups created by Ken Hedden to fatten his directory, like others pursuing that kind of decptive activity to perpetuate a false notion that there are many groups offering an alternative to TFN, making SIG just another pretty and petty shell devoid of substance (or honesty).
By educated guess, there could be as many as five thousand legitimate freecycling groups worldwide, with millions of members. Many of the groups have multiple moderators. There may be ten thousand or more moderators in freecycling groups. Among them, less than five hundred hold membership in FcNext. Among those five hundred, not more than a few dozen are active FcNext cultists. Among those, only about a dozen or so are highly vocal in their cultic behaviors and attitudes.
Yet this tiny sick band of cultish miscreants make more noise about their hate-filled agenda than all the other freecycling moderators combined, and attack like rabid wolves anyone who takes a position contrary to their warped cultic hypocritical notions of truth, decency, civility, honesty and honor. Their tactics are akin to terrorists, having no other means to impose and perpetuate their cultic will.
They have become worse than the worst characterizations they issue about TFN. They are the things they hate. It is inevitable that if you immerse yourself in such cultic devotion to a hate-based agenda long enough, you become blind to your own image, which is nothing more than a dark and dismal reflection of your own hatred and the character sustaining it.
Does Nexteritis hate FcNext? Yes, in the way that one hates violence, corruption, hypocrisy, slanderous rhetoric, unconscionable behavior, and cultic blindness to realities beyond a cult’s closed worldview and narcissistic self-view, and the damage these things do to a positive civic movement like freecycling.
Unlike FcNext, the Nexteritis group has no need to stay active indefinitely. We seek to expose FcNext hypocrisy, corruption, and cultism, propagate the information widely to the public, and let it serve as a red flag to anyone inclined to fall into the style of the FcNext cult. We also hold some small hope that some current cult members or fringe members will see that there is more to reality and available perspective than the FcNext hate-based agenda, propaganda and tactics. Still, there is only so much one needs to prove about what FcNext really is before the job is done.
We are not done.
We appreciate the support and assistance coming in quietly from people who have dealt with FcNexters (in the FcNext group and elsewhere since 2004) and have shared information and insights. Thank you.
There was a time when leading Nexter-types embarked on a movement for “truth and reconciliation” regarding their troubled past with TFN and even with each other as individuals. That has been drowned out, dismissed, and driven into extinction by the current cultic way of FcNext.
There may be room still for certain kinds of reconciliation effort. We may propose a safe ground for such an opportunity soon, but not before we finish documenting some things that need to be known by interested parties, and need to be exposed for the sake of uprooting trends antithetical to civility, decency and honesty in the freecycling movement.
Nexteritis is not affiliated or associated in any manner with The Freecycle Network, Inc. or any of its leaders, servants, activists, moderators or members, but we welcome their involvement in our mission to cogently answer the cultic stupidity of FcNext.
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Copyright 2008 by Nexteritis. All rights reserved. For permission to use, write to:
Nexteritis-owner@yahoogroups.com
