The Gold Cult

Cult  -

1.) a religious group which promotes worship of a human leader and devotion of one's life to a specific purpose.
2.)  A misplaced or excessive admiration for a particular person or thing

Cult of Personality -

1.) Intense devotion to a particular person.

Writing this short treatise brings me no particular pleasure but rather sadness. Sadness that some whom I count as friends have become trapped in this prison and cannot see it.

I have chosen in the past, and do so now again, to describe a certain portion ( I want to be clear that I am not lumping all under the same heading ) of the pro-gold or honest money camp as being cultish in nature. The similarities between their comments, writings and blind adherence to an inanimate object and those trapped in a religious cult are striking.

Having had some personal experience in dealing with people trapped in religious cults, it is not hard for me to see the same symptoms in those who have been swallowed up by the cult of gold. The most obvious of such symptoms is the inability to see reality as it is. Statements of fact, logic, sound reason, empirical evidence - all are easily dismissed by those snared in the cult if such things happen to contradict the centrally held tenets. Those who speak against the cult are viewed as unenlightened or uninformed at best, and inimical to truth and therefore enemies at worst.

Generally speaking, a cult also has either a charismatic leader/(s) whose authority is beyond questioning. Those who would challenge the statements of such leader are immediately ostracized if such a challenge arises from within the cult, or ridiculed and held in contempt, if the challenger is outside of the cult.

These leaders more often than not, claim to possess an esoteric knowledge, a sort of key to the mysteries of the universe, which lesser gifted humans are not capable of receiving. They tend to reinforce this as often as possible so as to lend further credibility to themselves among their followers. This special insight into things either divine, or in the case of gold, economic in nature, is claimed so as to strike a sort of awe bordering on the realm of reverence.

Free thinking is discouraged if not outright forbidden as the members are expected to fall into line behind the prescribed belief system.

As you note these characteristics, ask yourself if this is not what we are seeing in some segments of the hard asset community?

Let's be brutally honest here - both gold and silver have been in bear markets for some time now. Silver, three years ago this month, had an epic collapse in price from just below the $50 mark to near $33 in a single week. It never recovered that level, moving up to near $44 before imploding. Gold peaked at over $1900 in August 2011 and while it managed to recover to near $1800 three months later, it has not been able to clear that level again, even after making two tries at it, the first in February 2012, and the last in September 2012.

Both metals have been trending lower since that time having managed to bounce slightly but still remaining well off their peak levels set over two years ago.

An open-minded, serious and conscientious investor/trader looking to maximize his or her return on monies, would have taken notice of this some time ago and acted accordingly. Common sense/prudence dictates that investors put money to work in those areas where they can capture the maximum amount of returns, risk factors considered.

In spite of this, for more than two years, we have been regaled with one outlandish claim after another for both gold and silver. In gold, we have had theory after theory, breathlessly advanced as to why the price of the metal is going to soar "any day now". Among these were backwardation claims, negative GOFO, JP Morgan cornering gold on the long side, Comex defaults, China buying that raided the gold ETF, etc, etc.,etc. In EVERY SINGLE CASE, those who proposed these theories and those who subscribed to them, were left holding the bag looking like dupes at best and like charlatans/hucksters at worst.

Yet for some bizarre reason, many of those people who follow the "advice", prognostications and predictions of these "experts" continue to dote on their every word, every interview and every speech in spite of the fact that many are losing their life's savings by so doing. How else to understand this phenomenon except to deal with it as a cult.

One would think that the severity of the financial losses that they have endured would have awakened them to the reality of what is taking place. In some cases, fortunately, it has. But tragically, in far too many instances, those who are trapped in the gold cult just dig in further, awaiting the inevitable rocketshot to the moon during which they all hope to become rich.

It reminds me of many evangelical prophecy hucksters each claiming to have a special revelation that Jesus was coming any day now. Some, like the famous book " "88 Reasons that Jesus is coming in '88" ( that was 1988) could not have been more wrong. Yet that did nothing to dissuade them from coming out with the next prediction. All they had to do was admit that they have miscalculated somewhat but this next prediction would be spot on.

I personally know of two families, who sold their homes, cancelled their life insurance policies, etc,. while they waited for the heavenly rapture to take place. Needless to say, their lives were wrecked as a result. That however did nothing to impact those "prophets" who issued their predictions - life went on as usual for them, if not better as they reaped the profits from their books which they of course promoted to these poor, but sincere victims. Some of them are still out there plying their deception even now.

I find it remarkable that men, whom God has given a sound mind to and the ability to think, reflect, ponder, analyze, interpret, etc. can be so gullible and continue to allow themselves to be taken advantage of and serve as willing dupes to those who do not have their best interests at heart. The willingness of human beings to allow self-inflicted pain to continue coming their way is an astonishing thing to behold.

Let me just close this by saying, if you are an advocate of honest money, good for you. I like to think that I am. But do not allow your convictions on these matters to cloud your judgment as an investor/trader. Recognize that until the vast majority of investors see things in the same manner as you do, yours is going to be a lonely, lonely habitation. Cast aside subjectivity and let your own senses and sound judgment be a guide to you. Be objective, especially in regards to market action but even more specifically, in regards to a shiny yellow piece of metal.

Gold is an element. Yes, it is rare but it is an element. It is not a god, nor are those who preach it divine or privy to any sort of esoteric knowledge. Judge their predictions and if found to be false, reject them. Gold is an asset class; nothing more, nothing less. Remember that.

Here is hoping that some who read this come to their senses and escape the snares of so many charlatans and wrong-headed prophets. Think for yourself!