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Noyes’ maintained and preached a radical view of sin for his time. Rather than follow the standard millennial trend, Noyes claimed the second coming of Jesus Christ had already taken place in the year 70 CE. As such, there was no need to look to the future for Jesus’ reappearance on Earth and the resulting perfection of man. Instead, man was eligible to attain a state of sinless perfection according to God’s Grace in this life. This understanding was called the doctrine of Perfectionism and grated against the dominant theological interpretations of the time.

Noyes sought to emulate conditions described by Christ in the Kingdom of Heaven where there is “neither marriage nor giving in marriage.” Noyes, charged one man's possession of one woman with propagating individualism and self-seeking. In order to abolish the private ownership of women--as Noyes saw monogamous marriage--he instituted the practice of complex marriage wherein each individual of the Community was married to each other.

It was common during the time for outsiders to call Community members “free lovers” (a term coined by Noyes himself), but there is no evidence of unbridled sexual activity within the community. Rather, sexual relations were tightly regulated. Noyes insisted that such relations among the Community were less licentiousness and more responsible than within worldly marriages.

Critic No. I -Mr. B.'s earnestness and strength of character make him a valuable member of society, but he needs cultivation and refinement.

Critic No. 2.-Mr. B. has all the solid qualities, firmness, uprightness and sincerity. He intends to deal justly with every one.

Critic No. 3.-He is warm-hearted, and a man of tender, delicate sensibilities. He is governed by the spirit of truth more than most men. But his mind and manners do not fairly represent his heart.

The Oneida Community members held all property in common in imitation of the Primitive Christian Church--a conception of the early communal society established by Christ's disciples following his death.

Portions of the Bible, such as Acts of the Apostles, were used to justify a communist society, "And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need." Acts 2:44-45

Without the constant demand and desire for individual wealth, Community members were freed to lend their time to the collective establishment of their Community and its spiritual development.

Once the community was self-sufficient and prosperous enough to care for more children, Noyes developed a scientific breeding program to produce children within the Community. Creating a superior generation became the most important intention and business at Oneida. Before the practice of eugenics emerged, Noyes coined the word stirpiculture, based on the word “stirps”--a line of descendents with a common ancestry.

Learn more about Stirpiculture on the following pages of this site.

Perfectionism

Stirpiculture

Oneida

Community

Beliefs

Complex Marriage

Christian Communism

Example of Mutual Criticism

Free Love?

Mutual Criticism

Without any organized government system or oversight, the community was maintained through mutual criticism--“a restraining and co-ordinating influence.” Members of the Community who were perceived to be morally or spiritually flailing were publicly criticized in order to improve their character or conduct. Because members had the opportunity to openly confront each other, some members felt "backbiting and scandalmongering" was absent from Community life.

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