FREQUENTLY
ASKED
QUESTIONS
Q: What is Utopian Survivalism?
A: Utopian Survivalism is an ideology and an organization that promotes knowledge, science, empathy, compassion, human rights, continuity of the human species, preservation of our habitat, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness.
Q: What is the meaning behind the name Utopian Survivalism?
A: The root words are utopia and survival, the meaning for utopia is that we are trying to attain the best quality of life possible, not just surviving, but thriving. With that said, survival is our highest priority just like any other living organism; we all share that in common. However, it's not about just surviving, but living well, hence the utopia aspect.
Q: Is Utopian Survivalism a religion?
A: While Utopian Survivalism could be defined as a religion, that language is not preferred in describing our beliefs due to the negative connotations of that term. Ideology is the term we prefer.
Q: Is there dogma in Utopian Survivalism?
A: Yes and No. Yes, in that we do have a set of principles that we believe to be true. A part of our belief system is that we are still pursuing knowledge and the truth of all that exists, so at the core of our beliefs while we do believe certain aspects to be true, we cannot make the claims that they are incontrovertibly true, as that goes against the concept that we are still learning as we are not omniscient. No in that there is no typical religious dogma, as in we are not claiming to know the absolute truth.
Q: What are people that practice Utopian Survivalism called?
A: Utopians or Utopian Survivalists
Q: Does the Utopian Survivalism organization go by any other names?
A: Yes, it may be referred to as the Utopian Survivalist Federation, or the organization.
Q: Do Utopians believe in a God?
A: The official stance that Utopian Survivalism has on God is that of an agnostic perspective. We do not know if there is or is not a God at the present time with our current knowledge/information. But one way of thinking about God that we think is rational is that God is everything. The entire existence as we know it. So you are a part of God. An atheist perspective is something we are not against. We do think it’s largely a personal choice whether someone believes in God or not, using rational thought or emotionally based conclusions. One must first define God before one can make the assumption that there is not one. However, even if an individual does not believe in God, it does not mean our reality is any less significant.
Q: Do Utopians believe that Jesus was the son of God?
A: Most Utopians will likely not believe that Jesus was the son of God. However, we do accept and encourage that members make up their own minds about what they believe. The general current Utopian Stance is that Jesus was not the son of God. Since our perspective on God is agnostic, we do believe that God, if viewed as the entirety of the universe, likely functions by specific laws, and that making a human or other entity through immaculate conception as a God is just not how the God/universe works. It is more rational to think that Jesus' story was greatly embellished, and perhaps a magician or even extraterrestrial than the son of an entity that has no evidence of existing, let alone a God meddling with human civilization.
Q: Do Utopians believe in religious faith?
A: No, Utopians are different from those of other religious beliefs in that we do not believe things without having enough reason to do so.
Q: Do Utopians have a prophet or an idol?
A: No
Q: Do Utopians believe in prophets in general?
A: No, not in the literal sense of the word, as in there is no evidence to suggest that human beings can have direct communication with God, and or be the chosen one of God. This is not to say this is completely out of the realm of possibility. We do think that people can achieve a level of mental enlightenment where they are more aware/connected/conscious of the universe/life/spirituality, and through that can gain access to great understanding, and as a result, have useful information to share with others. There seems to be many ways that people can achieve a higher level of consciousness, from self-education, meditation, music, various life experiences, remote viewing, micro-dosing, etc.
Q: Is Utopian Survivalism compatible with other religions?
A: Yes, with respect to getting along and not having conflict. The organization is not looking to convert people who believe differently from us. We are not looking to create a conflict of any kind. We do however express our thoughts on the beliefs of other organizations for the sake of learning and understanding. While that may seem like a verbal attack from another religion’s perspective, it’s merely constructive criticism. Opinions such as these would likely only be shared if we felt that the beliefs of another religion were interfering with our beliefs.
Q: Can someone be a Utopian and embrace another religion simultaneously?
Yes, it is certainly a possibility. It is up to the individual as to what he/she believes/embraces. We believe that every religion to some degree has some truth and knowledge within it. That all religions have some inherent value on some level, and certainly we share aspects in common with other belief systems. However, it's likely that one principle of ours may contradict that of another belief system, which naturally creates a dilemma for the individual. A religion that may be the closest in shared ideas and principles is like that of Unitarian Universalism and the philosophy of Jediism. With that said, there might be more differences than similarities.
Q: How does someone become a Utopian?
A: Anyone can embrace the Utopian Survivalism ideology, but to be an official member of the organization to have access to community centers and other services, a person must apply through our website.
Q: Is Utopian Survivalism an elitist organization?
A: No and Yes. No in that we will accept just about any person as a member unless he/she has a history of violence, manipulation, exploitation, and general toxic behavior. Yes, in that we believe that only the most educated, disciplined, accomplished, and good-hearted people should be in positions of power and leadership. Our view of elitism is promoting a good person trying to become better. It is not in any way related to discrimination for any reason including but not limited to race, sex, gender, mental and or physical disabilities.
Q: Is Utopian Survivalism a cult?
A: The term cult is not so clearly defined, but for the sake of answering this question, I’m using the term cult to describe a group of people that are manipulated and exploited using religion or spirituality. To answer the original question, we are not a cult, but a cult would likely say it was not a cult, as talk is cheap. With that said, many religions feel somewhat cult-like in their practices. We want to be the furthest thing from a cult. Aspects that go against the concept of a cult are that we promote critical thinking and individualism, we are not forcing anyone to be a part of the organization, we also don’t ask for any money, and no tithing. There are no rituals, no repetitive mantras, words, statements, music. Participation is voluntary.
Q: What is the application process like?
A: The application process would be done online through our website or mobile application, on paper, in person, or through the mail. The process would be comparable to a job application in length. The main idea is to confirm the identity of a person and to have a basic understanding of who he/she is, and if there are any potential issues that may result from that person becoming a member. The application process does include a basic nondisclosure agreement (NDA) in order to protect other members’ identities.
After submitting the application and signing the NDA, the organization will do a background check with proper due diligence. This may include follow-up interviews.
Q: Is there any type of person that Utopian Survivalism turns away from joining their organization?
A: Yes, just because someone applies does not mean that he/she automatically becomes a member of the organization. The safety of our members is of the highest priority, if someone has a history of violent behavior he/she would not be able to participate as a member. In other cases, if someone has demonstrated consistent negative actions and behaviors, lying, manipulation, greed, etc, he/she would be excluded from being involved. If someone is employed by any intelligence agency and does not state that on the application, lying and deception will not be tolerated by any prospective or current members, he/she would also not be able to be involved in any capacity. It is understood that people make mistakes, and while we do believe in rehabilitation and growth, if an applicant shows potential for harming people in general, their membership application would be denied.
Q: Does the organization have a priest?
A: No, but we do have leadership.
Q: What is the organization's leadership like?
A: While we encourage that every member be a leader, there is a definite leadership structure within the organization. There are people who manage the day-to-day operations of our local community centers. For the entire organization, there is another group that is nominated by members based on merit. There is a President, a Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer followed by an advising committee of nine individuals that make up the Board. The organization will be a nonprofit organization, so will be required by law to be governed within those expectations.
Q: Is the Utopian Survivalist organization a United States organization?
A: While the organization was founded in the United States by a U.S. citizen, it is considered an international organization.
Q: Can people be members while in other countries?
A: Yes and no, if the country is tolerant of freedom of religion, then yes. But if not, then no in regards to active involvement; we do not want to risk the safety of an individual as a result of their country's oppressive rule. However, he/she can certainly embrace the ideology in private.
Q: Are members required to tithe and or donate to the organization?
A: No, there is no expectation to make any kind of financial donation. It would be appreciated, as we certainly need proper funding to sustain and grow our organization, but at no time would the organization pressure anyone for donations. We would communicate the need for funding, but not in a repetitive way, it would likely not be done in a direct verbal way, but more through a donation option on our official website, or something of that nature.
Q: What is expected of the members?
A: The expectation is that all members follow our rules and principles, essentially treating people with kindness and respect. Our other expectation is that each member serves at their local community center. Since we do not ask for donations, we do ask that people help out with various necessary tasks. For example, serving food to the homeless, giving an elderly member a ride to or from the community center, helping in our community garden, and so forth. There are many tasks and duties that need to be performed. The member has the option of choosing what they want to do, but tasks are assigned as needed. Most people will do a variety of different assignments. This would be done in a way that is not too demanding and can work around someone’s work schedule and personal life. This will likely be a couple of hours every week or two and is done when the individual is planning on spending time for leisure at the center. It is meant to be fun, social, and rewarding, and not feel like a second job. In some cases, members will not be able to contribute due to other obligations, hardships, medical issues, maintaining a private lifestyle, etc. This is acceptable; we just ask that when you are able and willing to contribute one way or another, whether local or remote, that you get involved in helping the organization.
Q: Do Utopians actively recruit members?
A: No, we don’t actively recruit members, it’s something that we want to happen voluntarily. We will advertise what we are about largely through our website, but that is merely to communicate to those who are interested in learning what Utopian Survivalism is all about.
Q: Does Utopian Survivalism have something like the Bible?
A: The organization plans on having publications, but mostly our beliefs are available in a digital form. Because we are pursuing knowledge, our documentation is something of a living document. As we learn more, as science makes further discoveries, some aspects of our beliefs may change as a result. This book might be the closest thing to a “Bible” for Utopian Survivalism at this time. It is primarily meant to communicate the ideas for educational purposes and to help network Utopians in order to take the next steps in growing the organization.
Q: Does Utopian Survivalism have transparency? Or is it a secretive organization?
A: Yes and No. We very strongly believe in transparency; you cannot have trust and integrity without clear communication of our operations. While the public might have limited access to the entirety of what we do, our members will know almost everything we are doing. The only aspect that members might not be 100% aware of are the specifics of projects we are pursuing. An example would be, if we have a research and development operation, members will know what we are studying and trying to do. But they may not in some cases know the exact details of that operation as some of it is on a need-to-know basis due to it having a possible connection to national security. By national security, it would refer to the general idea that people can be irresponsible by sharing information with the general public that could have some adverse effects. Utopian Survivalism has membership levels based on time and volunteering efforts made within the organization, the longer a person has served the more information becomes available to them. At the highest level of membership, all information becomes available.
Q: Does the organization require or ask for “Confessions”?
A: No. The closest thing to this would be if someone needs or wants to talk about something that is troubling them. Depending on the situation, we might suggest a support group, in other cases would provide a licensed therapist, preferably a member of the organization, but might be someone outside of the organization if they prefer. We would also try to provide any other resources that he/she might find helpful, in short, all the options we see that might be of value to them.
Q: Is the organization above the law?
A: No, we respect the notion of law, and in almost all cases support the U.S. legal system. It is not a perfect system, by any means, but it needs to be respected unless it is clearly wrong as has been the case in the past in regard to human rights. If someone breaks the law while at our community centers or outside of the centers that we are aware of, we will report it to the proper authorities. If someone breaks our rules, the worst-case scenario is that we ban them from ever being a member again. In less severe cases, conflict management and or mediation would be largely the solution.
Q: Do Utopians wear clothing that is unique to the organization?
A: No, members will wear what they would regularly wear in public. We do have a basic common sense dress code, nothing offensive or too revealing. In some cases for specific projects or activities, we might have special uniforms. The leadership would have something of a business dress code, similar expectations of what you would see in the United States Congress.
Q: Does Utopian Survivalism believe in prayer?
A: Prayer is something that we think is a personal choice, it is neither encouraged nor discouraged by the organization.
Q: Do Utopians believe in sin?
A: We do not use the term sin, but we certainly believe in the negative acts and behaviors of people.
Q: Do Utopians believe in angels and demons?
A: There is not an official position on whether or not angels or demons are real. There are many aspects of our world we have yet to discover and understand. Utopian Survivalism promotes freethought, thus if a Utopian believes in angels or demons it’s the result of critical thinking on the subject.
Q: Do Utopians have mass or religious ceremonies?
A: Utopian Survivalism does not have mass gatherings of worship or what would be considered religious ceremonies. At the community centers, there are various activities, workshops, and programs. The closest thing that we would have to a religious ceremony is an educational workshop like a TED talk, followed by some live music. If there is something very important for the organization to communicate to members, it would in many cases be done digitally.
Q: Do Utopians believe in spirituality?
A: Utopians think of spirituality as the greatest appreciation of life and existence. We believe that everyone experiences that differently. Some people like to be in large gatherings, singing, prayer, meditating, exercising, etc. We support members' spiritual journeys, and as a result, hope to offer many services at community centers to help with the individual’s needs.
Q: Do Utopians have friends, significant others, business partners who are not Utopians?
A: Yes, we don’t discriminate. People are going to believe different things and that is permitted, unless harmful to others. We certainly want to create opportunities for Utopians to meet, connect, and work with other Utopians, but not in a way that excludes people who think differently. We believe in trying to be as inclusive as possible, within reason.
Q: Do Utopians have songs?
A: Not currently, but very likely many songs will be created by the community. While we promote the arts, live music, we will stray away from what is often practiced in churches where the music feels more like a ritual. There is also a wealth of amazing music already in existence that we can enjoy together, if we like.
Q: What do Utopians do for work?
A: Utopians will largely do what is seen in most communities. There are certain jobs/occupations that are not encouraged, in that they are inherently unethical and go against our core values/principles. The organization will promote various opportunities for employment, from finding work to building new skills for a career. The main idea is that members like what they do, they feel good about it. Ideally, they have a sense of purpose outside of just making money to survive and taking care of their family. We do value occupations that have inherent value in making society better, but due to our global economic situation, that is not always as realistic to attain especially with all the above-mentioned aspects.
Q: Do Utopians do business together?
A: Yes, doing business within the Utopian community is highly encouraged and a constant priority and activity that will be ongoing at the community centers.
Q: What services does the Utopian Survivalist organization provide?
A: Our goal is to provide a suite of services primarily through the community centers we hope to build in the near future. This is specifically addressed further in a chapter on Community Centers.
Q: Does Utopian Survivalism have a symbol that represents it?
A: Yes, the symbol on the cover of the book is the primary symbol that represents Utopian Survivalism. The symbol represents a continuity of human society and our home planet as well as the goal of being a multi-planetary species. The infinity sign that wraps the planet is the goal of continuing our existence for as long as possible. The gold lining of the infinity sign represents prosperity, the silver lining represents technology. The blue and green of the planet represent water and life.
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For more information about Utopian Survivalism read the free eBook available here