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Post by Shaz'rahjeem on Nov 21, 2008 17:58:40 GMT -6
I would love to be part of the CoC inc. (or what ever we are abbreviating it to, ), if you'll have me. You should already have my details, but I will pm them to you just in case.
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Post by I AM the Way on Nov 22, 2008 10:42:58 GMT -6
i just want you to know that i value everyone's opinion, not just those who are currently official members. and soon, there will be less obstacles to becoming a Cultist; however, the CoC will need something like an active status which will require a detailed application questionnaire.
that is a great point. although, i think survival is less of an issue with a non-profit. the CoC is, at this moment, a slight drain on my finances. this move will hopefully alleviate my financial burden and allow us to focus on the mission statement.
VS
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Post by fahy92 on Nov 22, 2008 12:29:07 GMT -6
i want to personally thank everyone who participated in this thread and everyone who used alternative methods to contact me about these issues.
it's extremely disheartening to realize that the most inconsequential, vacuous trash like those stupid vampire novels and holiday blockbuster movie (i'd speak it's reprehensible name, but then of course our beloved forum would get inundated by advertisements of such) gets thousands upon thousands of comments by devoted enthusiasts all over cyberspace while the only feedback the CoC can generate is... this.
it's no wonder we're on the losing side of the war. just sad. what can i say except, fuck this world!
VS Fuck me, I know! Everbody is going to Forks, WA right now. It's terrible. That town is seriously, like, a 2 mile street. That's it. The only reason why that fucking author used that town is because it's the rainiest in the state. I'm really excited for this though. I think that this will help us get a word out that we're not just a bunch of freaks, but we're really trying to get our word out there.
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Post by sekerofmemphis on Nov 22, 2008 20:04:32 GMT -6
Even though I am fairly new to this fellowship; I must say I am truly excited about talk of non-profit status for the Cult of Cthulhu. What I have to say is really just reiterating what has been already said in this thread. Putting the right people in place is imperative to make sure that the CoC is run well and also never loses sight of your mission statement.
IA IA CTHULHU FHTAGN! HAIL SET LORD OF THE NILE! HAIL SEKER LORD OF NECROPOLIS AND PATRON GOD OF MEMPHIS! (I hope my naming three different gods over one joyous act isn't too annoying.)
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Madguten
Moderator
CoC forum moderator
Woe, to he who hears the howling
Posts: 2,785
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Post by Madguten on Nov 23, 2008 17:36:23 GMT -6
Never! ;D More gods i say! lol IA IA CTHULHU FHTAGN! HAIL SET LORD OF THE NILE! HAIL SEKER LORD OF NECROPOLIS AND PATRON GOD OF MEMPHIS! HAIL AMMUT WITH TEETH THAT TEAR AND THE HOLY SOBEK WITH JAWS THAT DEVOUR! HAIL THE CRAWLING CHAOS THAT IS ALWAYS DRAWING NEARER AND HAIL THE DEMON DRUM TO WHICH THEY DANCE THERE! IA! YOG SOTHOTH IA! AZATHOTH! ;D ;D ;D It IS a joyous act
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Post by sin on Nov 24, 2008 13:41:57 GMT -6
Body count? Do we have a body count of official members?
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Post by I AM the Way on Nov 24, 2008 14:23:15 GMT -6
we have approximately 100 official CoC members.
VS
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Post by sin on Nov 25, 2008 14:48:01 GMT -6
we have approximately 100 official CoC members.
VS That's good to know. It's a growing interest. Quality over quantity.
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Post by iandiabhal on Nov 28, 2008 14:38:15 GMT -6
I agree 100 members is good. Quality over quantity. Has any decision been made about the Board of Directors. I am interested still. I believe in this Organization. Have since its inception. Its an idea whose time has come. Its just a matter of getting it through the initial growing pains and getting a solid base set up.
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Post by I AM the Way on Nov 28, 2008 18:48:46 GMT -6
yes, i came up with a short list of people i've been working with recently. although, those positions may change depending on the desires of those filling them and their performance.
we still need a powerful backbone of active Cultists to keep things going in the right direction. the shift in status should open our religion up to the masses without being watered down. we could debate the success of "private" groups like the CoS, ToS, OTO, IOT, etc. all night, but if we look at all the public religions and see how well they are doing... i think it's clear who has more power. although, i'm happy to argue the merits of either system.
update... gave legal zoom all the personnel info on Nov. 24th. i received a confirmation phone call on the 26th that everything was approved and sent off the day before. fortuitous, i think everyone will agree. i should know about the Cult's status in 30 days. as soon as i get word, i'll post about it on the forum. can't think of any reason why the CoC would be rejected non-profit status. the legal zoom questions just required the checking of many boxes.
VS
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Post by glade on Dec 4, 2008 23:13:20 GMT -6
i'm not an official member, as I don't have the jack to pay the dues just now. Will though when I stifend comes in. I'm interested in the COC going non-profit.
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Post by I AM the Way on Dec 5, 2008 7:22:35 GMT -6
well, that will be one of the advantages to being a non-profit. it won't cost anything to become an official member... not money anyways.
VS
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Post by iandiabhal on Dec 6, 2008 3:03:44 GMT -6
"it won't cost anything to become an official member... not money anyways."
Ian> Heh, heh...I like that. It may cost some ichorous fluid...or your soul.
Thats right once we get the non-profit status then we will worry about collecting the propitiating sacrifices and harvesting souls in service to the mighty and terrible Cthulhu and his avatar Yog Sothoth the Keeper of the Gates.
Sounds good Magus Satanis. Good work as usual. You know my email.
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Post by I AM the Way on Dec 6, 2008 10:27:20 GMT -6
thanks Ian. i will be contacting you shortly. there's a lot to be said for interpretive statements. i like to leave things open and have my ideas touch upon different levels of understanding.
aside from that, i'm just patiently waiting for the incorporation paperwork to come back to me. but until that foul night arrives, let me hear some ideas if anyone has any. maybe the beginnings of a Cult of Cthulhu outreach program?
i have no idea how easy or difficult it will be to find grants and tax deductible donations, so i don't want to rely on that exclusively. in this age, organizations need money. so, the CoC needs to make money to support itself and spread slimy green love. i'm all for providing value; besides books and pendants what do people want? the trick is to find a suitable compromise between the lowest common denominator and man's noblest aspirations. or to utilize a concept with elements of both. something to think about...
Venger As'Nas Satanis Cult of Cthulhu High Priest
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Post by iandiabhal on Dec 6, 2008 18:53:02 GMT -6
Well in my own experience with marketing you have to make it as easy as possible for a potential donor or funder to give. If there are any complications or difficulties then people tend to say "ehh, well I will just wait or spend the money on something else". In this respect too much thinking and contemplation isnt good.
I would also recommend a "marketing detailer" - a simple "sales" pitch piece. It is what a advertising agency would recommend among other things.. It should be a brief description of Cult of Cthulhu, and its mission.
The questions that should be answered from a strictly marketing perspective are this:
1. Whats in it for me? Think benefits 2. How can I get what I want? Think features. 3. How much is it? Are there deal sweeteners or ancillary goodies?
Needs to end on a "call to action". Close the deal, clinch the sale. Do it now. Cthulhu and black sorcery and your will and the fulfillment of desire waits to be awakened within you. Don't wait or hesitate, your just cheating yourself of your destiny..its easy.
I would like to see a fully fledged Cult of Cthulhu storefront - much like CoS has. One stop shopping. Ritual tools, selected books and materials in one place. T shirts, advertising Cult of Cthulhu. Statuary, candles. You wouldnt need a lot of stuff, just a nice and decent selection that is topical to the Cult. I suspect though you would have to run this through someone not attached to the organization so as to protect the non-profit status.
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Post by I AM the Way on Dec 7, 2008 12:30:55 GMT -6
good show! i knew most of those, but it's easy for important concepts to get buried. thanks for putting them in the forefront.
i'll try to make the marketing pitch sound less like a used car salesman. unfortunately, the Work we are involved in, by its very nature, can not be attained easily. only by overcoming many obstacles will our esoteric knowledge be transmitted. that is the way of things.
as long as one person doesn't keep all of the Cult profits for himself, but instead pours CoC funds back into the organization, there's no problem with the non profit end of things. additionally, i've already found a company that makes taking tax deductible donations extremely easy to use. there will be a button on the site which people can click.
VS
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Post by iandiabhal on Dec 8, 2008 20:38:16 GMT -6
If you want send me a draft of the detailer and I can pass a critical editing/marketing eye over it.
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Post by I AM the Way on Dec 10, 2008 11:08:41 GMT -6
yes, i definitely will. thank you, Ian.
i was also going to ask if you would again create a website image/symbol kind of like your personal ning one i commented on a couple months ago and also like the forum button you already created for us. you do that extraordinarily well, and the upcoming content would benefit from a new design.
ok, an update! i received the IRS letter which officially gives us non-profit status as of 12/08/2008... hang on, don't get excited yet. apparently, legalzoom.com was less than clear about an important detail. the non-profit incorporation does not guarantee tax exemption. that was another whole phase which i struggled through yesterday, at additional expense of course. why there's even the option of a non-profit without the 501(c)3 tax exemption is beyond me. that means we would have a corporation which can't make a profit yet doesn't receive any tax benefits. ridiculous!
after it's all said and done, this will probably take another month if everything goes well, i'm going to inform the Better Business Bureau so legalzoom doesn't screw anyone else. might even get some of my money back.
looks like we're half way there. let's keep our tentacles crossed.
VS
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Post by iandiabhal on Dec 11, 2008 0:42:08 GMT -6
Well send the detailer and I will gladly review it and offer my own comments. I already knew getting the tax exempt status was subject to review, and is not guaranteed. It is tricky with the law, but the ostensible point is so some clown cant just call himself The Church of Joe Bozo and then get tax free status, when it is an obvious sham.
What sort of logo did you have in mind? Logotype? Cartoonish? Illustrated?
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Post by I AM the Way on Dec 11, 2008 12:01:09 GMT -6
definitely logoish. the CoC need a corporate logo. something with hard angles, maybe tentacles, familiar, but nothing that anyone has ever seen before. yeah, i know that's a tall order...
VS
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Post by xenosapience on Dec 11, 2008 19:38:07 GMT -6
perhaps "lunatic asylum" is a better name for a CoC temple than "church." fits the mythos better. 100 members is quite good; more than i expected. Cora'sahn - i completely agree that a 501c3 is actually more of a hindrance than it's worth and that it places the cult at the mercy of the bureaucratic rule-makers. at the same time i can absolutely see how it conveys a certain respectability upon the cult! especially in the eyes of folk who may not have a detailed understanding of how such bureaucratic monstrosities actually work. it is possible to reach a compromise, i believe - and why not? maintain the 501c3 as an organ of the greater cult, a subsidiary division. not all CoC activities need to be overseen by the incorporate entity VS has created with the state. keep the activities and scope of the the 501c3 limited and easy to handle, while continuing to expand the scope and activities of the cult itself as a religious order. this way the 501c3 can continue to serve as a "badge" of status, for those concerned with such things, and may serve a few specific functions within the cult, while not restricting the visions VS has for this order. quarterly minutes can be knocked out in 15 minutes if there's nothing new to discuss, and agendas can be mostly rubber-stamped until something new is brought into the scope of the 501c3 entity. let the 3rds handle the tedium under the quality-control supervision of VS or someone he feels he can entrust with that responsibility - it'll give them experience with the vicissitudes of running an organization and maybe they can take it somewhere. their experience will also give them an understanding of how other such organizations in our society operate, which is an invaluable asset in a fundamental "art of war" sense. it can be a ground for training and experimentation (all magi should seek experiential knowledge of such practices eventually, since they are useful to us - how perfect that now one exists within the cult). the not-for-profit exists now, might as well put it to work but without letting the tentacles of the state infect the entire cult and keep everyone, as noted above, "on eggshells" over the obligations and vulnerabilities built into the 501c3-entity. it's a good thing to have in the toolbox as long as it doesn't encompass the whole movement or become too time-consuming for the cult leadership. at the end of the day it's just another tool>
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Post by xenosapience on Dec 11, 2008 19:41:27 GMT -6
VS - i sent a note to my artist friend about you having some art ideas that could be fun to work on. she may or may not get back to you; she keeps very busy.
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Post by I AM the Way on Dec 11, 2008 20:15:58 GMT -6
i'm partial to the term Temple, but am open to suggestion. it differentiates itself from a Grotto which is a smaller localized group within the Cult of Cthulhu.
again, more food for thought. i see the Cult of Cthulhu using the same organizational model as christianity. eventually, to see the CoC as going in a single direction would be like seeing all the many denominations of christianity as going in a single direction. as they go, we shall go. as they cover the earth in all manner and form, so shall we. our diversification will mirror theirs.
this is the first step of globalization.
Venger As'Nas Satanis Cult of Cthulhu High Priest
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Post by xenosapience on Dec 11, 2008 22:55:53 GMT -6
to see the CoC as going in a single direction would be like seeing all the many denominations of christianity as going in a single direction. as they go, we shall go. as they cover the earth in all manner and form, so shall we. our diversification will mirror theirs. well put!
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Post by I AM the Way on Dec 18, 2008 15:26:17 GMT -6
i like this, not so Church of Satan obviously, but something green, glowing, delicate, angular, strong, and deadly with flowing Cult of Cthulhu words in the foreground. maybe including an eye or many eyes? definitely tentacles of some sort.
this is open to anyone, really. i just thought that Ian's design work has always been strong and he'd make something great. but anyone can take a crack!
VS
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Post by Shaz'rahjeem on Dec 19, 2008 5:18:21 GMT -6
that is indeed an awesome banner. I like the one from the ning. site. Something like that would be sweet. But the crisp colors in this are excellent.^^^
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Post by sol on Jan 1, 2009 0:10:17 GMT -6
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Post by I AM the Way on Jan 1, 2009 11:35:09 GMT -6
wow, that looks really great! is this something you'll let the CoC use? i love it!
VS
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Post by I AM the Way on Jan 1, 2009 11:59:01 GMT -6
... how about adding "Cult of" to the Cthulhu? you can make it all lower case though, i kinda like that.
thanks,
VS
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Post by sol on Jan 1, 2009 19:26:25 GMT -6
thats why i made it.
alteration made. ill email it to you venger
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