I wanted to catch him and Windsong while they were feeling elated an in control. So before he could get a chance to disappear back into his bedroom I cut in the conversation with "I like the idea. Don't get me wrong but we are going to need some seed money." Yeah. That definitely got his attention. Especially as Windsong had been boasting up all the money pouring in now just a few minutes before. BIC lost that happy face and guardedly replied, not before shooting Windsong a quick look I noticed, "So what are you saying Mover?"
Afterward I looked back on this as a pivotal moment for myself and what came after. I always got a Happy Face feeling from it to. Why? Because I made it all up as I went along. I don't like doing that as a rule. I like a solid well thought out plan instead just bouncing around with decisions based on intuition. The Burners ended up with a reputation for "Listening to the Spirit." That was bullshit -- an opinion I kept to myself.
"This is what I have in mind. A school, actually a monastery, organized along those lines for people to learn a new way of life. The curriculum will be based around you and Windsongs writings." I paused to gauge their reaction. Yeah. They loved it. Just to make sure I looked at Windsong and said "I would really like your help on putting this part together." She hit that like a hungry large mouth bass would a night crawler. Yep. This was a done deal except for the details. I continued "I want to get it religious status in the eyes of the IRS. It will help with taxes and make the fed's back off a bit if they become interested in us. I doubted that but it sounded good. I added "We can also recruit from them the people we need for ops"
"So how much do you think you will need." Windsong asked.
I had no idea really. I just went with a number based on what my guess was in the bank account now. "Ten thousand dollars should be fine for us. I think we can be self sufficent in three months and tithing 10% back to you in a year. " I told her. She liked that.
BIC asked me before she could answer "Whose this 'We?'"
"Me and Fire. Maybe Eye if we need video work...at least until we find someone."
He looked at me, opened his mouth to "What about..." and then closed it. I knew who he was going to say and I know why he changed his mind. BIC liked having followers. Especially one who helped him out once in awhile when Windsong wasn't around with his stress levels. He nodded, then told me "Sounds good."
Windsong added "The best we can do is 7k. BIC and I are planning on opening a headquarters."
"Really! Outstanding idea." Actually I could care less but one has to be a team player. " The 7k should work for us." I told them.
BIC had something else he wanted to say "You know I like the curriculum idea a lot." He laughed an added "My new book can be the bible." He was trying to pass it off as a joke but I knew he was dead serious.
"Sure. Why not?" I replied.
Burner Bible, Book of Heat, Kindling, Word.
ReplyDeleteThe fire dancing reminds me of Druids, but if the Book becomes important, there might be more reading and less burning. Perhaps only special burning priests can interpret the Word correctly.
Cheers.
I always wondered how these power plays worked. It's intriguing figuring out who is really pulling the strings. I'm thinking North Korea where it's hard to get information on what is happening and most of what is heard is propaganda. Most outsiders assume occults are full of wackos but it's really just people who want to belong in my opinion. They are only defined as an occult by those outside their group who don't understand them. This is more of my train of thought stuff that comes to mind as I'm reading this.
ReplyDelete@fro
You might be interested in checking out Dereck Daschke and W. Michael Ashcraft, two of the foremost scholars on New Religious Movements in North America (they literally wrote the books).
ReplyDeleteThey detail why they come about, and what factors cause them success and failure. I took a seminar on it in college, writing my thesis about the economic factors and the impact of their success.
-thedreamer
pdxr13,
ReplyDeleteIsn't that the way it always ends up? Only the chosen can correctly understand the word?
@fro,
Yeah. The dynamics of how it really happened v. the reality has always interested me.
thedreamer,
Excellent recommendation. I wouldn't mind reading your thesis either.
I have to go back and re-read, but are Windsong and Shellie the same person?
ReplyDeleteMerote,
ReplyDeleteNo. Windsong is different. Similar in the red hair, which was a Burner thing. Shelli was also a Burner tho not at this level. Think the woman that G and Max do the trade of the medicine for before they leave Fairfax.
Nova,
ReplyDeleteIf I can find my thesis I'll send it your way. The basic premise was the comparative study of economic organizations of new religious movements, and that economics is THE defining factor of a groups success.
I compared the Nation of Islam (which was world denying, mildly apocalyptic, and reactionary) who gathered up a bunch of urban followers, and lead them to Georgia in an attempt to establish a rural utopia. Unfortunately none of the people had any idea about farming, and ultimately (despite being tax free) they could not financially maintain afloat because all their group was engaged in learning agriculture. They withered and are still around, but unsuccessful (There goal was the creation of a black state in America). I believe they have attempted this three times, each ending in failure.
I compared them to the Theosophists, who were occultists, urban, slightly world denying, and vaguely apocalyptic (prepare yourself in the event of a spiritual war) and attracted many wealthy people with their secret knowledge and personal spiritualism and ritual. They also had a belief in the return to the land, but they established instead a retreat type scenario, where you could pay to live and work on one of their many farm/resorts. This allowed access to the City (with it's capital and labor and productivity) as well as accomplished their goal of a monastery. It also kept the followers /working/. The theosophists are still around today, with their monasteries and classes still going, which I believe you can take some for free online.
-thedreamer