While Thiel's recent Antichrist talks could come to mind, this could just as easily be business speak, like in the Collins/Porras "Built to Last" where one of the points of great companies is "Cult-like culture".
Yes. There are companies which want "passion", which is really about employee motivation. Zappos, which is a shoe store, has been laughed at for this.
I guess if you think you're meeting is a secret then you can just say what your agenda is out in the open.
I mean there's no question these guys are the baddies, right? Look at every reason Peter Thiel has been in the news for the last year