For all of the groups that have popped up in cryptocurrency communities, very few of them have anything to do with religion. The Order of Ethereum, on the other hand, is trying to do things differently. Although it is very likely this is a mere joke, the concept is rather troubling.
The Order of Ethereum is a Cult?
The Order of Ethereum’s webpage shows that the team behind this project has a plan in mind. What that plan is remains to be clear at this time. They are somehow trying to mix a religious angle with blockchain technology and Ethereum. While that may sound like a good idea to some, others will see it as a cult.
Claiming how all people “need forgiveness” is a very common religious theme. While other religions require users to pray or attend services, The Order of Ethereum allows users to free themselves of the weight of their cryptocurrency. In fact, they can do so to secure their spot in the afterlife. This is another clear sign of cultish behavior. After all, every cult wants your “earthly belongings” which need to be “sacrificed for the greater good.” It is also reminiscent of selling indulgences in 16th century Catholicism.
Stating how users can buy themselves out of guilt will create backlash. Those who make “larger contributions” will achieve a bigger status in The order of Ethereum. One can even become a saynt, prophyt, or savyor, depending on how much money you are willing to throw away. This shares some similarities with other recent ICOs we have seen without a real purpose.
Achieving this elevated status will not come cheap. Becoming a saynt requires at least 10 Ether, whereas prophyts need to cough up 100 ETH. Becoming a savyor is the most expensive of all, of course, as it requires a 100 KETH contribution. That is equal to 1,000 Ether. It is also possible to buy off one Syn for the price of 0.01 ETH. A very elaborate structure, but it is far more concerned with financial gain than any spiritual enlightenment.
This is another example of how people are trying to capitalize on the cryptocurrency ICO hype right now. Anyone in the world can create their own crowdsale and hope to raise a lot of money from doing so. Launching something which closely resembles a cult is one way of doing so. However, it may also offend quite a few religious people in the process. The order of Ethereum should not be taken seriously under any circumstance, nor should anyone send them any money.
There are some people making small contributions to the crowdsale address already. Several people are trying to atone for their syns by sending by 0.01 ETH. Although projects such as The Order of Ethereum are clearly a joke, they will give cryptocurrency ICOs an even worse name by the look of things. It will be interesting to see how much money this project raised at the end. The website is designed quite nicely indicating the person responsible for it has put in some effort.
