Thursday, June 26, 2008

Cults and Concerts

Last weekend I encountered a group who call themselves The Twelve Tribes. It was Saturday afternoon and we were walking along the waterfront on Martha's Vineyard. They were playing music and folk dancing. All the men had moderately long hair tied back in a low pony tails, all the women were long dresses with sleeves to their elbows and high necklines. They too had long hair pulled back in braids.

I will be brutally honest, cults FASCINATE me. I picked up a piece of their literature and started reading about Yeshua their saviour, my first thought was Jews for Jesus. But they weren't awkward like the mumbling Jews for Jesus handing out flyers from their fanny packs on the street corners. The reading also stated they celebrate the Sabbath each Friday by coming together for a large communal meal, song and dance. I speculated with Brian, and our friends Michael and Jessica we were visiting with. I was challenged to take my curiosity a step further, and I did, I went up to a group of young women sitting on the lawn and started up a conversation. I don't know who was more intrigued, me or them. They had Hebrew names, Sarah, Eliana etc... and were a little taken a back when I mentioned I grew up in an Orthodox Jewish community. Of the 5 women who were there 4 of them were born into the Twelve Tribes. The other became a member of the community after frequent visits to one of their coffee shops. The Twelve Tribes has a variety of Coffee shops set up across the U.S. We chatted a bit about the similarities of their mission "living in a conscious community with all income shared" and Kibbutz life. One girl mentioned her father had spent time on a Kibbutz years ago. Israeli folk dancing is incorporated in their community dancing. Women dress modestly, they believe in Jesus but that Jesus did not do away with Old Testament Law. They are Christians and they formed their community in the 1970's. I walked away thinking, hey maybe they really are just choosing to live an alternative lifestyle, maybe its not a cult....Until I came back to Boston and checked out their website. The one defining line for me is that members must cut off ties with non-believers of their past. Although they do have a section reading why they are not a cult, this is what defines it as one for me. I may still take them up on their invite to their coffeehouse in Dorchester though....rumor has it the punch is quite good!

On Tuesday night Brian and I went to go see The Dave Matthews Band. The last time I saw DMB was just about this time 9 years ago. I was with Rami Berner, Daniel Horn and Ariella Joel. It was our first big trip as High School grads. We road tripped up to NY, ate at Dougies, left Ariella's number on the tablecloth for the waiter (unbeknown to her, and not widely received when the waiter actually called), dug through the trash after Daniel left the tickets on the table we walked 3 blocks and realized the mistake, and had an amazing time. There were many high school grads at this concert as well, most of them scantily clad and very drunk. The show was great, Tim Reynolds was a pleasant surprise. Some people may call the followers of Dave Culty themselves. Amongst the half naked teens and droves of college students there were some older fans as well. Some who have seen Dave everytime he or DMB have come to town, others like myself who have just been fans of the music for a long time. They have not come out with a new album in a few years now so the show itself was a nice mix of everything he has done. Among the songs found on the playlist: The Stone, Tripping Bilies, Dreaming Tree, Grey Street, Crush, Grave Digger, and Ants Marching. Like the last concert, I was a bit bummed that he didn't play #41 nor did he play a new favorite Stay or Leave.

1 comment:

  1. Dear Shirah,
    I hate to tell you, but you are no longer in your mid-twenties.

    If you go to Dorchester,don't drink the Kool-Aid.

    Your friend,
    Mr. Buns

    ReplyDelete