What do you make of Spiral Dynamics?

Recently, a friend recommended Spiral Dynamics® to me as a path to “Enlightened Spirituality.” I was skeptical and, from his point of view, overly harsh in my criticism. So as not to prejudice the discussion, I won’t get into the particulars of those criticisms here; but here is a site where the Spiral Dynamics folks answer their Frequently Asked Questions. (Please read before answering.)

Douglas Hofsteader in “Metamagical Themas: Questing for the Essence of Mind and Pattern” has an essay which poses the question, “Suppose a Martian fell to Earth, how would he tell the difference between a scientific journal and, say, the National Enquirer?” How would he tell science from pseudoscience?

In this case, the problem is a bit more subtle: how does one tell the difference between an authentic spirituality from intellectual bullshit?

This, of course, depends on the assumption that you can have an authentic spirituality without a belief in gods or spirits. Let’s, for the sake of discussion, assume that you can. After all, Buddhism, Zen, Taoism, and Unitarianism don’t necessarily require that you believe in gods or spirits in order to consider yourself “spiritual.”

One of the questions that Spiral Dynamics answers is “Are they a cult?” Do you find their explanation satisfying? Where, indeed, does philosophical investigation end and cult-life begin?

They also address the question of whether or not they are a path to “Enlightened Spirituality.” Again, what do you make of their answer? Is it?