The cult was led by self-appointed mystic Anne Hamilton-Byrne who, with the help of LSD, convinced followers she was female reincarnation of Jesus Christ. The following 116 pages are in this category, out of 116 total. In 1988, when Moon married 6,516 people in one mass ceremony, he entered the Guinness Book of World Records. An irreverent look at the show featuring insights about how cults operate in the real world. Here are 10 of the most insane sects you've probably never heard of. You can't. Such a list would presume that all potentially-cult organizations have been compared. Order of the Solar Temple aka Suicide Cult Via: The Secret Sun It commenced in 1984 by Di Mambro and Luc Joret in Geneva. He foresaw a violent war between whites and people of color. Aum Shinrikyo is known for their highly provocative protests and picket signs. It integrates all aspects of man, whether physical, mental or spiritual, without charge or austerity or penance or self-negation". Everyguy~commonswiki. Although cult experts and everyday people still differ in what makes a religious group a cult, most definitions of cultor new religious movements, as sociologists call themare either too narrow or too general. Members of the unification church are also known as the Moonies. As they were one of the most notable cults of all time, this group helped to pave the way for newer, more extremist religious movements of the future. The Bhagwan infuriated American Christians when he declared the Christian God to be false. This is why some people join cults, in fact: for the sheer knowledge that people disapprove of (or at least know of) what one is doing. 1 Cults are usually headed by a powerful leader who isolates members from the rest of society. The group was founded in Bavaria in 1776 as a consortium of Enlightenment thinkers who opposed the abuses of the monarchy, the control that religion had over the masses, and all forms of superstition. ThoughtCo. From well-respected news channels to the Comedy Central animated series South Park, Scientology is passed off as a novelty cult. Fr. The challenge is in the crimes throughout history that seem to be somehow linked to the Freemasons. Its unclear if these conspiracies have any substance, but even if the Illuminati cannot in itself be considered a cult, it has gathered a cult-like following of conspiracy theorists. 5 Notorious 20th-Century Cult Leaders. Many believe that its members are compelling people who are behind every major event that happens in the world today. This term is also used for a new religious movement or other social group which is defined by . The following year, Berg died, but the group continued as The Family International until 2010. He used his fame to support his argument of Scientology, as well as to vent his anger at Brooke Shields. Congressman. But how does it compare to the real thing? Renamed Jehovahs Witnesses in 1931, this cult has gone on to be one of the most well-known religious organizations of all time; not to mention, it is still in existence to this day. All other paths lead to Hell There are many more out there and I'll add names in here as time goes on. A very subtle, spiritual deception started in 1830 by Joseph Smith. The group believes in living communally and giving up all worldly possessions to be one with God and live more like the Christians of ancient days. The cult group was led by Cecilia Steyn, and was a breakaway from a church group called Overcomers Through Christ, Sunday Times previously reported. Cults and Sects of Islam. When people refused, they would mysteriously disappear. A very subtle, spiritual deception started in 1830 by Joseph Smith. Peoples Temple Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh Cult. Adam Weishaupt, founder of the Bavarian Illuminati. barbexaclone 1. Koresh soon lost interest in her and set his sights on a 14-year-old girl, who consented to marry him. The groups teachings blended ecstatic worship of Jesus Christ with promiscuous sex. The materials, including the calling of Falun Gong a "cult," were identified as having breached the Criminal Code, which bans the wilful promotion of hatred against identifiable religious groups. Admittedly, Conway and Siegelman are cult researchers, not scientists, and their thoery can be criticized as pseudo-science. The CIA and Interpol began investigating sexual abuse allegations made by members against Berg. In June of 1964, Montana had one of the worst floods in its history. Dr. Steven Hassan's excellent 9-module course, Understanding Cults: A Foundational Course for . However, in 1890, the Mormons officially disavowed polygamy and, in 1935, excommunicated clergy who still advocated it. 5 Psychotherapy, Human Potential, Mass Transformational Cult. Here we have tried to jot down 15 such insane religious cults that are still being practiced around the globe. It discouraged children from attending any form of formal schooling since they believed the apocalypse was imminent. Children of God Just. Members strongly opposed all forms of superstition and organized religion. Not to mention the large amount of money their members put into the church. Located in central Chile, Colonia Dignidad was an isolated cult of German and Chilean people founded by Paul Schfer, a former Nazi-era army medic, in 1961. American Atheist Center - Founder: Madalyn Murray O'Hair . The new council listed 80 large sects which it considered potentially dangerous to Russian society, and mentioned that there were thousands of smaller ones. March 18, 2019. The church was set on fire by Kibweteere, and 530 people died. The Santeria religion was a blend of Roman Catholicism and Voodoo. Due to the increasing strength of the mainstream religions of the world (namely Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hindu, Buddhism), cults have become something of a rarity in the modern world. [38] The purpose of strangling was to make sure that not a drop of blood would be spilled so that all of it could be offered to Kali. [8], The General Office of Ministry of Public Security of the People's Republic of China maintains a list[citation needed] of "heterodox teachings," () entitled "Information Regarding Organizations Identified as Cults e.g. They punctured the bags, and within seconds, people on the subway began vomiting and choking. What made the cults beliefs deviate from mainstream religion was its fine blend of promiscuous sex and worship of Jesus Christ. Adolfo Constanzo. Adolfo Constanzo's Santeria Cult Adolfo Constanzo was born in Miami in 1962 and grew up with a traditional Roman Catholic religion. He spent most of his youth in and out of prison and reformatories. Ehh many cults/groups say exactly that and yet there's been many survivor stories from HKs. 1. He charged the leaders exorbitant prices thousands of dollars to perform Santeria rituals that would guarantee their safety, particularly from their enemies and the police. The cults members later tried unsuccessfully to release hydrogen cyanide into crowded subway stations. He then joined a growingBranch Davidiancult in Texas. Although it has lost most of its strength as a cult, a religious movement, and a political organization, the Ku Klux Klan has not only remained alive (if only just barely), but has inspired other groups (for example, the Neo-Nazis) as well. The darker side of Children of God was that this promiscuous sex was not limited to consenting adults. [15] The list of cults was based on the criteria defined by the Renseignements gnraux, but without specifying which of their practices are specifically criticized. The Moonies were followers of Sun Myung Moon, who claimed that Jesus had invited him to finish His mission on earth by arranging mass weddings among complete strangers to create pure families. Children of The Family Cult. David Berg formed one of historys most infamous cults, The Children of God, in the 1960s. Although Manson wasnt present at any of the killings, he was convicted of leading a cult in which impressionable young people were coerced into acts of violence. Those are some of the most famous cults in the history of the United States, but there are still other modern cults that have active members. Cults are notoriously tricky to define. The Ten Commandments figured heavily into the groups ideology, as did the apocalyptic belief that the world would end at midnight on the dawn of the year 2000. They were responsible for as many as two million deaths over at least 450 years of their existence. [12], In 1995, a parliamentary commission of the National Assembly of France on cults produced its report[13] (in French: compare an unofficial English translation). Rev. [20][21], In France, Antoinism was classified as a cult in the 1995 parliamentary reports which considered it one of the oldest healer groups. 1. The late actor River Phoenix grew up in the cult, and he claimed that the first time he was forced to have sex, he was four years old. 1955: The group operated its own research and development center, where its members amassed firearms and prepared chemical weapons. poorwilliam. They even purchased alien abduction insurance, which would cover up to 50 people with $1 million each. They would hide during the war and only emerge when the war was over. Cults are having a cultural moment. This aggressively evangelistic group contends that it is the only true Church, and that all Christians outside Mormonism are following a deficient Gospel and a false Christ. abcnews. This is why cult leaders have an easy time recruiting unsuspecting members into their religion-masked followings. Socialist beliefs and liberation theology had a significant influence on his teachings. [26] In 2002, the national service "Pastoral, sects and new beliefs" ("Pastorale, sectes et nouvelles croyances"), which analyses new religious movements from a catholic point of view, wrote about Antoinism: "Although listed among the cults in the 1995 Parliamentary Report, it has no cultish feature. Heaven's Gate UFO Cult: The largest mass suicide in US history. In short, they are a prime example of a cult that does not have a mission; rather, from their tasteless signs (God Hates Fags, Youre Going to Hell, Thank God for Dead Soldiers) to the URL of their website (https://www.godhatesfags.com), they simply aim to slander and disrespect others. C ults have a horrific history throughout the world and have brought tragedy and isolation to its members and their loved ones. 20. Some groups committed suicide in chapels that were adorned with symbology of the Knights Templar, suggesting that the mass suicides were rituals ordered as part of the cults religious beliefs. You may not have heard of the Unification Church, but you have probably heard of a group during the free-wheeling 1960s and 1970s called the Moonies. In ancient Egypt, the pharaoh was worshiped as a god, believed to be a reincarnation of the son of Iris and Osiris, the god Horus. A destructive cult, most noted for releasing sarin gas into a Japanese subway system in 1995 killing twelve Aum Shinrikyo was founded on principles of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity. It evolved over the next few years as members of the church moved to South America to continue living out their social justice dreams. Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles found their first cult, Human Individual Metamorphasis. Their group traveled into the Colorado desert, to await a UFO, but it never came. [28], In France, the 1995 parliamentary report listed the Shri Ram Chandra Mission[citation needed]. This incident represents how, with cults, the government (and the citizens) naturally tend to assume the worst of those affiliated. The Cult - TV Drama Blog. List of Cults and non-Christian Groups. These range from the major branches (equivalent to Christianity's 'denominations'), alongside the mystic Sufi movement, to cults (in the theological sense of the term) like Ahmadiyya, Baha'i, and the Druze. People's Temple Jonestown Massacre, Guyana. Masonic conspiracy theories. Wikipedia. His teachings were something of a mixture of apocalyptic, Hindu, and Buddhist beliefs. Peoples Temple members attend an anti-eviction rally at the International Hotel, San Francisco, January 1977. He has been a guest speaker on numerous national radio and television stations and is a five time published author. Some of the marriages were between individuals who might have never even meet each other, such as one between a 71-year-old Catholic archbishop from Africa and a 43-year-old acupuncture from Korea. The compound caught on fire, and 76 people were killed. The church grew quickly under the premise that its members were social justice activists; even the members themselves had no idea that they were part of a much more sinister agenda. In other words, a small religious group that professes Christian beliefs that are in keeping with mainstream Christian beliefs wouldnt be classified as a cult. Rec. In October 1994, one of the cults leaders, Joseph Di Mambro ordered the murder of a three-month-old boy because he believed that the infant was the antichrist, born into the group to keep Di Mambro from becoming the leader. Moon performs a mass wedding. The visions consisted of things like the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ; besides, Kashakun reported sights of his deceased daughter. [34] It underlined the non-exhaustive character of its investigations, seeing them as a snapshot at a point in time and based on information available.[35]. A new religious movement (NRM) is a religious community or ethical, spiritual, or philosophical group of modern origins, which has a peripheral place within its nation's dominant religious culture. The non-believers, that is, people who were not members of the cult, could only receive salvation if they died. Scientology runs centers all over the world, but its best known is the Celebrity Center in Los Angeles, where many of its most renowned members come to "get clear". Because almost all people either have strong ties with a religion (or lack of one), or find the idea of a cult to be scary, silly, or simply annoying, almost all new religious movements simply are unable to generate enough membership to function, let alone prosper. Read the latest Official Cult List 2022: https://tinyurl.com/CultList2022 Definition of a CULT: a system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object. 6 Commercial, Multi-Marketing Cults. BothNettle and Applewhitebelieved that they were the two witnesses that the Bible referenced in the book of Revelations 11. Hare Krsnas aren't a cult, there's no brainwashing, you can join in as much as you like and leave if you like, they preach love, compassion and kindness and they're teachings come from ancient texts that preceded Buddhism. The influence of these men led to deadly consequences around the globe. Charles Taze Russel founds a Bible study group, as well as a magazine he will begin to publish. In March 1997, the group made national news when they conducted one of the largest mass suicides in history. The state of Texas has as well. A few years later, she was arrested and imprisoned for robbery with violence. RELATED: Remaining Church of . Large sects listed included: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, and what the council called "neo-Pentecostals". Those involved in the murder were sentenced to life in prison. Rate. All Thats Interesting. August 1, 2018. The United States has seen its fair share of cults and cult-like organizations in the 20th and early 21st century. He reinvigorated the Shinto belief that the emperor was the connection between heaven and earth and a descendant of the goddess Amaterasu. Written down, the signs seem clear: 1 . They, however, had some strange and horrific practices. The group gained a lot of followers, and the churchs founders demanded that all followers of the cult rid themselves of sexual thoughts through a master cleanse diet. Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, the founder and an early leader of Mormonism, believed that polygamy was necessary to produce as many offspring as possible. The list below contains some of the most jaw-dropping stories about cults that I've encountered the extreme, wacky, and the murderous. This has been criticized by lawyer Lawrence Hincker, who said that "this system of meditation, called Sahaj Marg, does not lead to a life away from the world. One belief held by many who are not Freemasons is that Freemasonry requires allegiance to a Masonic god, one that falls outside of the mainstream of religion. Manson ordered the murders of white people so that black Americans would be held responsible. The idea has been burned into our collective subconscious: When the public thinks of cults, it thinks of Southern California. However, he had a fascination with the Santeria religion - a syncretism of Voodoo and Roman Catholicism - that he may have inherited from his mother and grandmother, both believed to be Santeria priestesses. After training with a Santeria sorcerer, he moved to Mexico City and established himself with the local drug lords and crime syndicates. She told Applewhite that aliens had said to her that they would meet and concluded that he had a divine mission to fulfill. It was disbanded in 1870, and again in 1944. Marco Polo had actually misunderstood the word assassins and interpreted it as being hashishin, referring to hashish, more commonly known as marijuana. Where did we get this stuff? Shoko Asahara, leader of the Aum Shinrikyo, pictured in 1990. Worst. The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was a polygamous cult founded by Warren Jeffs, a charismatic Mormon leader. Movement villagers were horrified at the mass murders committed by the leaders of The Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God. The Cult Education Institute (CEI), formerly known as the Ross Institute of New Jersey, is a nonprofit public resource with a vast archive that contains thousands of individual documents. Other governments and world bodies also report on new religious movements but do not use these terms to describe them. 39 members of Heaven's Gate took their lives in 1997 believing it would help them survive an oncoming apocalypse. At extremes it might include keeping people . These documentaries about cults are available to stream on Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime and more. One of the most notorious cults of the modern era, Ralism began in 1974 with a Frenchman named Claude Vorilhon. Would presume that all potentially-cult organizations have been compared it as being hashishin, referring to hashish more! Made by members against Berg not use these terms to describe them list of cults. 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