Comments on: Cult or Not?

Question: Cult or Not?

jpburns — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:42:59 -0800

I just saw a group of folks at the cafeteria in the DeKalb Farmer's Market in Atlanta, and I'm trying to figure out... are they a cult?

A group (maybe 10) of men and women, with children and teens. Mostly white but one black woman. The weird thing that caught my eye was they they were all wearing hempy-natural-fiber looking simple shirts or long dresses over t-shirts and "normal" clothing.

I shoulda walked over and asked, "Pardon me, are you a cult?," but something told me that might be rude.

So... were they?

Thanks in advance.

By: mudpuppie

mudpuppie — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:54:51 -0800

They were a group of people who were eating together while dressed in similar clothing. There's no way of telling from that, or from any response you'll get here, whether there's a controlling, charismatic leader waiting back home for them.

By: phearlez

phearlez — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:55:20 -0800

What would have been wrong with "that's an interesting shirt, did you get it here at the market?"

By which I mean to answer - you sure they didn't just buy these garments there and have an epiphany that wearing was easier than carrying?

By: deadmessenger

deadmessenger — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:55:41 -0800

Yeah, I've seen them there a couple of times, and wondered the same thing. From what I could gather, I think they're members of a commune somewhere out I-20 East that comes into town for staples every few weeks or so.

By: wfrgms

wfrgms — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:57:08 -0800

While I haven't heard of them in Atlanta, they could be folks from the Zendik Farm. The talk page there at wikipedia is pretty telling...

When they were based near Asheville, NC they would come down to Greenville, SC (where I was living) and sell their "art" (using the term very loosely here) on the streets.

They are the walking, breathing stereotype of "dirty hippies" but with a cultist flair. Probably one of the true last surviving communes left on the country.

Here's another article. Dirty hippy sex... ew...

By: robtf3

robtf3 — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:25:05 -0800

Maybe members of the Twelve Tribes Community? They have a community in Savannah and Brunswick.

By: Ironmouth

Ironmouth — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:43:50 -0800

Zednik people used to be in DC too. did they have t shirts that said "stop bitching and start a revolution?" Were they selling comic books? That's them.

By: jenlyn1123

jenlyn1123 — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:23:09 -0800

Seconding Twelve Tribes. They were up in my area last summer and I thought of them instantly.

By: czechmate

czechmate — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:04:05 -0800

I'm with deadmessenger. There's a commune (even a sign for it) off of Hwy 124 near I-20, called Promised Lands or something like that?
Also.. found a link for some communes, and there's plenty in Decatur

By: Morrigan

Morrigan — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:25:47 -0800

I thought of Twelve Tribes as well. Were the women all in skirts or dresses?

By: jpburns

jpburns — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:33:39 -0800

Thanks for the responses.

Maybe it was the Twelve Tribes folks... it's hard to tell. The women wore dresses. The weird thing is that they were wearing these shirts or dresses over what appeared to be "normal" clothes, as a second layer. It was unusual looking...

Next time I'll ask them.

Funny to see the info about communes in Decatur. We always mutter "potheads" at the Lake Claire one when we drive by on DeKalb Avenue, mainly because they're... uh... potheads.

Thanks again.