In fact, if you want to live longer you're usually better off not joining a cabal at all. This was especially true for me once I hit hero with my first character. At the hero range levels most of the game is centered around cabal raiding. If you're part of one of the cabals that's a part of this, which is every cabal except Herald, your chances of dying in PK are increased.

If you're thinking well hey I just want to have allies on my way to hero, then you're still usually better off not joining a cabal. Because again as long as you're part of a cabal if there's someone during a raid or counter-raid who is in your PK range, you're expected to come deal with that person. Unless you're seriously outnumbered. And even if there's no one in your PK range from the opposing cabal, you can bet that some random dude in your PK who's checking out the cabals for raids will show up out of nowhere just to PK you.

In short, if you're part of a cabal it makes it that much easier for your enemies to find you. In my opinion you're usually better off making allies outside of being in a cabal. This is obviously a lot easier as a good-aligned character. But you can do it with neutral and evil as well. Like the people who you form groups with.

The only cabals that are really hard for a new player to join, imho, are probably:
Battle (PK requirement + recommendations + Battle history knowledge + whatever other hoops they got)
Scion (10 player limit + game knowledge/competency)
Fortress (Maran (PK requirement))

But that still leaves you with Tribunal, Outlander, Empire, Herald and Fortress (Acolyte).

Empire, Tribunal, and Outlander have ethos/alignment restrictions. Tribunal is Orderly only. Outlander is any ethos/align except for Orderly. Empire is Orderly Evil but taking the bloodoath from any PC automatically changes your ethos/alignment to the correct one for the cabal. Herald will take anybody. Being evil makes it harder to get in though.

EDIT: It should go without saying that Fortress has an alignment restriction in that GOOD ONLY.