Kerista accumulated a codified social contract over its history with which all members were expected to agree and comply, at all times. That policy was overturned a year before the New Tribe ended. A more controversial policy was men being required to undergo a vasectomy in order to join. By 1987 there was no celibacy period, but three months of transitional safer sex and quarterly HIV testing for the duration. Starting in Fall 1986, it included screening for AIDS/HIV before joining a sleeping schedule. This intense mutual-selection process included months of transitional celibacy. Potential members were expected to attend the Growth Coop for several months, interact with other Keristans at potluck volleyball and during newspaper distribution, and socialize with various BFIC families. Entrance to the commune was extremely selective. The commune developed an entire vocabulary around alternative lifestyles for example, the term "polyintimacy" in their literature was similar to the term " polyamory" popularized years later. ![]() The terms polyfidelity and compersion were coined at the Kerista Commune. When it was active, Kerista was a focal point for those interested in alternative and non-monogamous lifestyles. The Keristans maintained a very high profile that included publication of a popular free newspaper and several national media appearances. Jud's pro-military beliefs were unpopular in leftist circles, and regularly surprised visitors who expected Jud to be left-of-center.įrom 1971 until 1991, the community was centered at the Kerista Commune (not a single physical building), founded in the Haight Ashbury district of San Francisco, California. However, the vast majority of the Old Tribe were anti-war. Jud was a patriotic WWII ex-soldier, and he supported US military intervention. One division occurred in the Old Tribe over the Vietnam War. In addition, Old Tribers began the use of a Ouija board for wisdom and guidance, and use of the "alphabet-board" continued in the New Tribe. The main tenets of the Old Tribe embody the hippie ideals of 'good vibes' and the 'righteous high', racial and sexual liberation, and a strong tendency toward dropping out of the default/mainstream world and living a non-conformist life of idealism, spontaneity, and fun. The ideology shared by the Old Tribe was remarkably simple: 'Wash your own dish', 'No one belongs to anyone else', 'Kerista is freedom and love'. Kerista-inspired storefronts and communal houses existed in New York, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area throughout the 1960s, and were moderately popular. After time spent in New York in the 1950s, and several island experiments in Dominica, Honduras, and Belize in the 1960s, Jud settled in San Francisco at the end of the 1960s. Kerista was founded by John Presmont after an auditory hallucination telling him that he was the founder of the next great religion of the world. Kerista underwent several incarnations that later became known as the "Old Tribe," which was associated with a fairly large, but fluid membership. Throughout much of its history, Kerista was centered on the ideals of polyfidelity and creation of intentional communities. Kerista was a utopian community that was started in New York City in 1956 by John Peltz "Bro Jud" Presmont. ![]() ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) ( January 2011) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. ![]() This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations.
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