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The Twelve Tribes / Yellow Deli: Hiker Haven, Creepy Cult, or Both?
I arrived at Bears Den Lodge, just past the 1,000-mile mark on the Appalachian Trail, at high noon on July 2, 2016, a pleasantly warm, sunny day. To my dismay, I found that I would not be able to pick up the box I’d mailed to the hostel until 5 p.m.
Grumpy about missing out on the perfect hiking weather, I offloaded my pack, “showered” under an outdoor pump, and fell asleep on the couch in the hostel’s unlocked basement. At around 4 p.m., I woke to the creaking of the screen door and saw a familiar hiker, followed by a much older man, bearded and solemn.
Bears Den Lodge, VA. Via
“Hey, Pony!” said the kid, tall and almost angelic in appearance, with a tumble of curly blond hair, a feathery beard, blue eyes, and long lashes. “You remember me? I’m Joker*. We met in Damascus.” (*Not his real trail name.)
“Hey, man,” I said. I was puzzled to see him, since I’d just gotten back on trail after an enforced five-week break to take care of work and family obligations. He should have been hundreds of miles ahead.
Turning to the man, who was dressed in grungy work clothes, Joker said, “I’m going to come back when I’m finished. I mean it.” They exchanged a long embrace before the man drove off in a grumbly, battered pickup.
‘They’re All About Love’
The Yellow Deli restaurant in Rutland, VT. A.J. Matthews/The Trek.
When I asked how his hike was going, Joker told me he’d injured his ankle and spent the last month working at the Stony Brook Organic Farm in Hillsboro, WV, run by a religious group known as the Twelve Tribes. The group is well known among AT hikers for offering cheap (even free) lodging at the farm and its hostel in Rutland, VT, and for the food at its Yellow Deli restaurants.
“It was such an amazing experience,” Joker said dreamily. He hesitated a moment before adding, “They’re just… they’re all about love.”
I heard later (but was unable to confirm) that Joker wound up spending many weeks at the group’s hostel in Vermont as well.
Having encountered Twelve Tribes members in my hometown, Boulder, CO, I had a feeling I knew more about the group than Joker did.
Apocalyptic Christian sect
Founded in 1972 by Elbert Eugene “Gene” Spriggs, aka Yoneq, in Chattanooga, TN, the Twelve Tribes is an apocalyptic Christian sect rooted in the Jesus Movement of the ’60s, which teaches that Christianity is “the whore of Babylon” and all other denominations and sects are false. Members live communally, attempting to follow Mosaic law from the Hebrew Bible (aka Old Testament) and preach that Jesus will not return until the “true church” is restored, as described in Acts 2:32-37, which states in part that, “no one claimed any of his possessions for himself, but everyone shared everything he had.”
“Most, if not all, of their beliefs are well within traditional Christian doctrine. They expect Jesus to return imminently,” Rebecca Moore, emerita professor of religious studies at San Diego State University, said in a 2013 interview. “The difference between them and other evangelical Christians is that they take their belief to the next level. … They are living the life that they believe will have people ready when Jesus returns, so that they can be part of the anointed, or chosen, people. They take their interpretation of the New Testament to a different level. They have to live it out, quite literally.”
Elbert Eugene “Gene” Spriggs, aka Yoneq, founder and leader of the Twelve Tribes religious community. Via
For many years, the group has practiced a kind of passive evangelism, setting up businesses—hostels, organic farms, Yellow Deli restaurants—in 13 countries, focusing on locations where it will attract young, often wayward, people, including the AT (Rutland, VT; Lancaster, NH; and Hillsboro, VA); Continental Divide Trail (Abiquiu, NM, and Boulder, CO); Pacific Crest Trail (Valley Center, CA) and the Camino de Santiago (Spain).
The website hikershostel.org promotes their services but makes no mention of the Twelve Tribes. Many hikers have enjoyed the hostels’ friendly overseers and optional-pay lodging and aren’t concerned with the group’s beliefs. “Volunteers and work trade is requested,” the website announces, “but come as you are!”
“The Yellow Deli never tried to convert me, or even discuss religion with me,” says David Alan Lane, aka Squarepeg, who hiked the AT in 2016. “I loved their hospitality and warmth and will stay with them again when I next thru-hike the Appalachian Trail.”
Turkey near the AT in Shenandoah National Park. Just because. Clay Bonnyman Evans.
“Overall I thought they were kind and generous people,” says Lisa Maher, who also hiked the AT in 2016. “They were so inclusive of us and curious about our hikes.”
There’s no way to know how many recruits, if any, the Twelve Tribes has gleaned from its hiker-outreach efforts.
Controversial Teachings
But the group’s interpretation of scripture, as translated by Spriggs, has led many critics to label it a cult. Among Spriggs’s0 more controversial teachings:
- Women should be subservient to men; their primary purpose is child-bearing and -rearing.
- People of different races should not marry. “Our solution to the race problem is not to intermarry everybody,” one member told a reporter in 2011. “Our goal is not to create one gray human being.”
- Slavery is not just acceptable, but biblically sanctioned. In a 1988 teaching, Spriggs wrote that “Paul and Yahshua (the group’s name for Jesus) didn’t rebuke anyone who had slaves, so it is alright by principle to have slaves. Slavery is the only way for some people to be useful in society” and “If the (American) slaves were mistreated, it was the fault of the slave.”
- Corporal punishment is essential to raising children. “The rod expiates — takes away the guilt from a child’s heart,” Spriggs wrote in 1990.
- Lying is permissible for Twelve Tribes members.
The group, which claims a worldwide membership of “somewhere between two and three thousand,” has been subjected to police raids in Germany, Vermont, and elsewhere, following allegations of child abuse and violation of child-labor laws, and individual members have been arrested for child abuse, pedophilia, and even child murder, notes Joe Hawkins, who briefly attended meetings of the group in Winnipeg, Canada, with his wife, who soon left him to join the community.
“I thought they were simply Christian, hippy, pot-smoking people,” says Hawkins, a chiropractor who has posted his research on the group on question12tribes.com. “I didn’t know it was a half-billion-dollar organization and 13-country empire that has changed its name five times.”
The group defends itself as simply following the dictates of the Bible: “When a person uses the word cult he usually means some group he fears or dislikes. While we are, from time to time, called a cult, we are not false, unorthodox, or extremist,” according to a Q&A on the group’s website. “We do nothing other than what the words of the Bible have always called for as a reasonable response to God’s love in sending His Son.”
Subservient Women
But many hikers, particularly women, have come away feeling uneasy about what lies beneath the hospitality under a Twelve Tribes roof.
“They were just very pushy with us, kept trying to get us to stay with them. … We had to say no at least three times,” says Kiba “Goner” Drattler, another ’16 AT hiker. “I was trying to talk to one of the women … and she would barely speak. She kept looking at the dude who was there with her, like she was getting his approval. As someone who’s a trained advocate for victims of domestic violence, and has been through that myself, alarm bells were going off in my head. I just got terrible vibes from them all around.”
Tonia Alford, aka Tambourine, who hiked the trail in 2007, stayed at the group’s Rutland hostel.
“The food was amazing but… I’m a welder by trade and they insisted that was not a woman’s job,” she says. “Female hikers had to wear their attire and male hikers got to wear regular clothes. …The women act like they’re terrified there, to me, like they’re in some kind of trance. And it seems like they prey on weak hikers that aren’t close to family or have close friends.”
Beth Robinette, who hiked the AT in 2014, “did not feel oppressed,” but did feel pressure to join up: “I felt they were looking for the hole in my life. …And of course, the women are subject to the ‘wisdom’ and authority of the men. Women can only have authority over other women and children, not men.”
In the era of #MeToo and an ever-widening partisan chasm, many Americans, at least, have become comfortable with boycotting businesses or organizations whose owners or leaders don’t comport with their ethics, morals or beliefs. But many hikers clearly take an agnostic view of the group, judging it solely on their personal experience at a hostel, farm or restaurant.
“I can’t understand why hikers of the Appalachian Trail support this sinister, dark organization. …They prey on lost souls,” says critic Hawkins. “But it’s like all the problems of the world: Everybody is passing the buck. If it’s not affecting me personally, I’m not interested.”
But others say the group is not only free to practice its beliefs, but is also not that different from many more mainstream religious groups.
“This is America, and we have the principle of religious freedom. There are many fundamentalist Christians, or Muslims, or Mormons that share belief in a patriarchal society,” Moore, the former religious studies professor, said in 2013. “Unfortunately, at least in my personal opinion, that is not unusual. We can say, ‘This is not my cup of tea, but people can and will believe what they want.’ ”
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Comments 25
During my hike in 2017 I stopped by their place in Vermont. The food was excellent. I only stayed a few hours before getting back on the bus back to the Long Trail Inn. They were very interested in my staying and I talked to one gentleman for about 45 minutes about all the locations they had. I also talked to the lady behind the bar making drinks. They were very friendly but they had a very strange vibe. That being said I am thankful to ANY organization who offers thru hikers a low price or free place to stay and services.
You can do anything you want in this country as long as you do it under the guise of a religion. I don’t think it should be that way, but it is and therefore I think this sentence sums up the subject very well: “the group is not only free to practice its beliefs, but also not that different from many more mainstream religious groups”
Good article.
I’d be interested to hear what reasoning is used by tithing Catholics or Mormons or Muslims (or really anyone with silly beliefs who uses those beliefs in ways society disagrees with) who are against the Twelve Tribes.
Mr not I do not fully agree with you on your argument
1. This group is a mockery to legitimate Christian denominations
2. The Christian hippy movement of the early 70’s
Was a failure it did not really move that many hippies to renounce
Their unbiblical practices and embrace a relationship with Jesus
3. You say you can do whatever you please under the guise of religion
Religion is a man made organization and system what real biblical
Christianity is having a personal faith in our savior Jesus Christ
4 if the 12 tribes are a cult and must sell all their belongings and live
Communal and have all these strange teachings and you can never leave
And it sounds like they are a prophetic doomsday cult they might try to do something
Extreme to speed up events like take their own lives
Like. Jim Jones in guayana in 1978
I would avoid this group at all costs
Could you possibly present your arguments in clear English, so that any reader can comprehend the points you are trying to make?
That’s an extremely lazy and insensitive response. Were you just trying to offend because Mr. Joseph may have a learning disability, or English may not even be his/her first language? Very ignorant. Or, did you just not want to respond to his arguments? And instead used a personal attack?
Please think before you comment!
Agree 100%. I came to know and follow Jesus in 1973 while in a Navy Seabee school in California. I got sucked into The Way International, a cult while stationed in Sicily. There are many false gospels out there as I have learned through experience, praying, reading God’s Word and discernment. Many wolves in sheep’s clothing. Blessings to you in your walk.
Isn’t it funny how most organizations like this are founded and run by men?
It’s almost like they’re creating complicated societies to support their egos and baser selves.
Nah. That couldn’t possibly be it.
Great article. I am a hiker, trail angel and general avid AT enthusiast. I encountered a bunch of these folk while providing trail magic 2 years ago. They offered tea to hikers while I had soda, water, candy, fruit, phone charging, chairs, water, and free socks. They did little business and seemed upset that I was stealing their thunder. The Thrus knew who they were and stayed away. They were friendly in a nonfriendly way. They left as soon as they realized they could not compete.
Cults are just religions before they have enough members to be called religions. Christianity was considered a cult for many years until they reached the numerical threshold and could be called a religion.
I am still waiting for irrefutable evidence of a god, any god, to be presented. Until then I do not believe any of them ever existed.
I am cautious of do-gooders that do good, not because it is the right thing or good thing to do, but because some mystical magical sky fairy approves.
Beware hidden agendas.
Cheers
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This is the actual truth of existence. hence you will start to learn where all other beings in the universe live.. and what is very CORRECT and very INCORRECT about the Bible. An example of the detail is this: SOUL –(gold cord)–SPIRIT-BODY—(silver cord)—MATERIAL-BODY. Your parents created the 2 bodies and then you, a soul, came in and connected to the the two bodies at conception.. thus providing the vital source energy for their continued growth. They are merely your 2 vessels for experience of different dimensions so that your soul can learn how to use their FREE-WILL.
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All information
I am with you…..the reason for most trail magic is to promote some religion….and as such it seems better to allow small businesses to set up and sell food and such…..
I am very concerned about your lack of actual research. I lived in a Twelve Tribe community for 2 years. Your publication on your controversial teachings is absolutely false and could be taken as slander, especially since these communities run businesses. What you have published is clearly biased and would love to see the proof you have about these teachings. Take this publication down.
I got hurt on the trail and stayed. They are wonderful people and only want to help. Everyone has their own opinions on things they should be allowed theirs. They take in wayward youth and others that have no where to go, but also businessmen, businesswomen, whoever wants to stay. Also they are letting you stay….. Its their house. Some individuals stay for a long time and they only thing they are asked is to abide by their rules and help out by working… That is not hard..
Some of what your listing in this publication is 40+ year old information. Much of which is absolutely not true now. How about you get real facts and go talk to them before your so willing to slander them and their businesses…?
Hi, Darrell. I am the author of the piece.
As I’m sure you noted while reading the story, there are a number of links to writings by the founder and leader of the Twelve Tribes group, Elbert Eugene “Gene” Spriggs. According to well-documented research, Mr. Spriggs’ teachings are the basis of the community’s beliefs.
Hikers and others who encounter the group are not necessarily exposed to all of its ideas, but there is substantial evidence that the group does indeed hold those ideas. I know many hikers who have stayed with the group, and they have not all come away with the same perspective.
I’m sorry you found the story unbalanced. I always strive to include different perspectives, including in this story.
I was raised in 12 tribes and praise God every day I got out. The abuse conducted under the guise of religion is sickening.
Are people really so self centered that they would be willing to patronize a group that is clearly misogynistic with such sociopathic, barbaric beliefs simply for a days food or rest? Do we not owe it to our sisters, mothers, daughters, and all the women of this world to refute this type of paternalistic subjugation and lift them from their downtrodden state in our society? How many cents on the dollar does a woman make compared to a man in America today? Why do we have laws that tell a woman what she can or can’t do with her body but not similarly men? I strongly encourage anyone who patronizes their business to think about what that money or work in kind for the Twelve Tribes is doing. It’s propagating a misogynic movement more like “The Handmaid’s Tale” than modern civilized society. Please let these ideas and practices die in the dustbin of history and lets have a world of greater equality between the sexes regardless of what people thought over 2000 years ago.
Hi ProtonDecay,
Women make less money than men for a variety of reasons. Please think about these before blaming it all on systemic discrimination.
I stayed 2 days at the yellow deli hostel, and found them all very friendly and intetesteing to talk with.
A very good overview on this subject. There’s non-stop discussion of this group on the trail, but every year newbies need to get the story. It was interesting to see that Tribes members are officially allowed to lie to outsiders. That was a new one to me.
You overcome suffering, it is your wealth; suffering overcomes you, it is your humiliation
I’m glad you write this. Saw the van in Atlanta and googled them. Outside a article they wrote about how the bus was made, this was the first article they didnt write 1
Apparently my brother has just joined this cult.
He has sold or given away most of his possessions and is probably there by now.
He won’t return my texts and he has a very, VERY odd message on his phone when I tried to call him just now.
It sounds like word salad.
I don’t know what to do.
I met the group in Rutland,VT when I came off trail. I have been to both their closer farms. I was in the beginning stage of finding a place to live and work. All Total I spent 6 weeks with these folks. Although they wanted me to join they understood that I was not “ready.” It did not matter to them. They housed and fed me, gave me a sense of community, family, love and support. To this day (5 years) later I am welcomed to visit in their private residences, to join them in their celebrations and meals. In my book, these folks are the truest “Christians” out there. They offer friendship, love, support, community and more. They interact with and within and without all societies world-wide. Judging them thru your own eyes, thru what you deem to be “the rules” only allows you to know and share ultimately your own prejudices.
I had many encounters with them at their Oneonta Yellow Deli location for over 15 years. They have wonderful delicious food and are truly friendly people HOWEVER they tried to recruit me and were disappointed to find that I was not the rube they could net. I realized how evil they were when they nearly flipped out on me when I argued back and said GOD loves all people and my family was biracial and we had Gay members in our family. When they met my husband ( retired military) they really understood shit wasn’t going to fly – he told them that our household was run 50/50, not male dominated but equally respected parties. We weren’t much welcome after that lolololol
My girlfriend is a through hiker and they tried to recruit her for sure
Thanks, Clay. I’m a Christian who is not affiliated with the Twelve Tribes organization, and I’m doing some research. One concern that I have with this article (again, thanks Clay) is when you quoted a single member’s opinion concerning this sect’s view on miscegenation. Likewise, concerning the allegations of drug use as a matter of policy and normal practice. Opinionated statements are not necessarily representative.
However, there does seem to be some concern about doctrine and practice. That does not mean that the perspective of the common culture is correct. After the passing of the founder, Mr. Spriggs, there may be some room for improvements, as, unlike establishment religion, a non-mainstream movement is not as inflexible. I hope that they do not flex in the wrong places, as there appears to be much in this movement which is well, from a Biblical standpoint. Historically, we live in a Christian nation, which is very tolerant of other reasonably moderate points of view, especially Jewish and Islamic. It is important for people, especially people in authority, to remember that we do not have a monoculture in the United States, even though e-plurbus-unum and “justice for all” is the establishment view. Attempts to force perverse orthopraxy upon Christian people will not go well. The sign of the cross is displayed as a symbol of welcome for all who will find solace there, but is is also a sign of warning to all those who would try to do harm to those who are God’s children by faith.
The evidence that God exists is found in His creation, for as Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz said, “Why is there something rather than nothing?”. The evidence for the soul is found in the double-slit experiment, and in psi phenomena and statistics. Since God is intelligent, and man is intelligent, and man has the innate propensity towards decrepitude (spiritually dead and naturally depraved), God has communicated His methodology for spiritual salvation, and also for a healthy and stable civil society. The foundation of civil society rests upon a man’s relationship to God in Jesus Christ (who is veiled to some folds), and by a woman’s relationship to a godly man, and by the proper education and discipline of children. Though the ceremonial aspects of the Law are no longer applicable, the moral aspects of the Law will always be applicable. Spiritual Life is the heritage which is the only thing in this world which is worth attaining. The only alternative is spiritual death, that’s final perdition.
We incarnate as mortal souls after the breaking of our spirit Bodies, and the rendering of our engendered souls. We are here to suffer unto eternal death, unless we accept spiritual Regeneration in the way of the Lord. The suffering of the abuse of the world is always much greater than any abuse, or perceived abuse, which may occur among the brethren. The world will always mischaracterize, and attempt to lead astray, those who are weak in the faith, or are foolish. Therefore, with all thy getting, get understanding, and to the extent that you rightly may, be your brother’s keeper. Be blessed, be well.