Hospitality and Complicity

[ShelterLeopard]

Hmmm- after reading this full thread, I do have to say that I don't think religious discussions have a place here on whiteblaze. You really shouldn't even have had to ask the question <<When is accepting hospitality a problem when you stay, as with "The Twelve Tribes" in Rutland, a known cult? Is it better to spend the $$ instead of staying with a person(s) who has ulterior motives?>>. You should be able to answer this yourself, and I think you really want to talk about religion and cults.

And to frosty- maybe you should meet these people before you pass judgement about them. Websites that say a religion is a cult may be slanted. So may be the site made by those of the religion. Don't just jump to conclusions based on one given site. They really are very tolerant and very nice.

And Mowgli, as to not tipping, true, it is your choice. But it is also their choice to belong to a commune- they share everything, so I'm not surprised that tips go into a communal fund. (Unless of course, people from outside of their commune work there- in which case, they really should be receiving their tips- but I know that isn't the case in Rutland. Only members of the commune work in the cafe.)

Quite honestly, Ridgewalker, you sound like a tiny bit of an extremist yourself.

[weary]

I'm telling you the truth.

You're telling what you believe to be the truth. Having spent a lot of time over 65 years reading, thinking and studying such matters, I can say with some certainty that the evidence that your truth is true is a bit flimsy.

Weary

[Reid]

You're telling what you believe to be the truth. Having spent a lot of time over 65 years reading, thinking and studying such matters, I can say with some certainty that the evidence that your truth is true is a bit flimsy.

Weary

Did you mean to leave prayer off of that list?

[Alligator]

Time to move back to the question in the opening post.

[ShelterLeopard]

True gator- and I like your tag line poem/ quote.

[white_russian]

I stayed with the 12 tribes for six days. I did work for stay and they treated me great.

There was one time where I was somewhat given a "sales pitch" about their group by a guy that was trying to join. Later on I found out they were having problems with that guy and not going to let him join. None of the real members said a word about their faith without me asking out of my own curiosity and even then they talked in a descriptive and not a persuasive manner.

They invited me to their sabbath gathering and I was curious so I attended and observed. They sung and dances and discussed their faith in a manner more authentic than most Christian worship services. The was they did communion was a bit strange, but still honored Jesus. I do have questions about what goes on behind closed doors. The women seem very submissive and the age gap between their husbands was huge. The children do seem out of touch with the outside world as well. Even with these questions I still believe that they have a few things that Christianity could learn from them. They have some good and some bad and hopefully eventually what they do have that is good can be taken and applied to further advance other people's understanding of how God wants us to live. They are at least trying to live their faith, they may have seriously screwed some aspects up, but they are trying harder than a lot of Christians that don't do much more than worry about their "fire insurance" policy.

[ShelterLeopard]

Honestly, for the purposes of this thread and site, all any of us needs to know is that they are kind, very hospitable, provide a safe and comfortable place to stay and never, ever tried to press their beliefs on anyone (as far as I've heard and experienced myself).

[superman]

This is a complicated problem that I am looking for help in thinking through. When is accepting hospitality a problem when you stay, as with "The Twelve Tribes" in Rutland, a known cult? Is it better to spend the $$ instead of staying with a person(s) who has ulterior motives? I would appreciate feedback on this issue, especially with the current economic crisis, we can't always we moral purists in deciding whose hospitality we accept. However, there is a saying that the cheapest accomodations are sometimes the most expensive in other ways.

It's real simple. Bring enough bucks to hike your own hike. Most folks only get to thru hike once in their life...if they're lucky. Bring enough bucks to have no regrets. I try to not even look at hostiles and the cheap Charlie places. I look for a reasonably nice hotels and restaurants. My AT hike could be described as the quest for the perfect prime rib. I'd go back to the trail rather than listen to a bunch of cult drivel.

[weary]

It's real simple. Bring enough bucks to hike your own hike. Most folks only get to thru hike once in their life...if they're lucky. Bring enough bucks to have no regrets. I try to not even look at hostiles and the cheap Charlie places. I look for a reasonably nice hotels and restaurants. My AT hike could be described as the quest for the perfect prime rib. I'd go back to the trail rather than listen to a bunch of cult drivel.

Some of my best memories of my long walk in 1993 involve time spent in what you might call "cheap charlie places." My handful of motel stop memories have long since faded away, along with the occasional prime ribs.

I do remember vividly the pancakes fashioned out of a 50 pound bag of pancake mix and cooked on a wood stove at Rustys and the dinners and breakfasts at hostels here and there along the trail. And even a Sunday lunch at a Pennsylvania Church.

I wasn't restrained much by funds. I did want to experience the trail in all its aspects. Somehow, motels and prime ribs didn't loom very high in that priority. Those are available everywhere and at anytime.

Weary

[ShelterLeopard]

Some of my best memories of my long walk in 1993 involve time spent in what you might call "cheap charlie places." My handful of motel stop memories have long since faded away, along with the occasional prime ribs.

I do remember vividly the pancakes fashioned out of a 50 pound bag of pancake mix and cooked on a wood stove at Rustys and the dinners and breakfasts at hostels here and there along the trail. And even a Sunday lunch at a Pennsylvania Church.

I wasn't restrained much by funds. I did want to experience the trail in all its aspects. Somehow, motels and prime ribs didn't loom very high in that priority. Those are available everywhere and at anytime.

Weary

Well said.