Cult is a term, considered pejorative by some, for a relatively small group which is typically led by a charismatic and self-appointed leader, who excessively controls its members, requiring unwavering devotion to a set of acts and practices which are considered deviant (outside the norms of society). The meetings that they held were centered around trying to contact aliens. A Anti-cult movement (7 C, 19 P) Apocalyptic groups (21 C, 49 P) C Cargo cults (10 P) Chinese cults (2 C, 17 P) Cult leaders (1 C, 77 P) J Jewish cults (2 P) L LaRouche movement (2 C, 49 P, 2 F) N Nation of Islam (2 C, 35 P) NXIVM (1 C, 7 P) P Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie. They often worked as prostitutes in escort agencies. The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was a polygamous cult founded by Warren Jeffs, a charismatic Mormon leader. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is based loosely on the Cult of Kali. Where did we get this stuff? [23] In addition, many anti-cults activists, associations or watchers said they had not noticed cultic deviances in this group. What remains largely under speculation is why so many Muslims joined the Thuggee, when Islam explicitly affirms the oneness of God and is incompatible with the polytheism of Hinduism. When the founder died, he gained control of the entire group in Waco. 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. 1. For example, "Moonies," as adherents are jokingly . in Austria, the groups included the Church of Scientology, the Divine Light Mission, Eckankar, Hare Krishna, Osho movement, Sahaja Yoga, Sai Baba, Sri Chinmoy, Transcendental Meditation, Fiat Lux, Universal Life, and The Family International.[6]. 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. 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. 2 Eastern Cults. 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. Aum Shinrikyo is one of the most famous Destructive Cults; not suicide based, but leading to the harm of other people, places, and things. 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. Father Gesy espouses the . YouTube/Allthatsinteresting.com. If anything, this may be the entirety of why Tom Cruise became a Scientologist: attention, even in its negative forms. The People's Temple was one of the first examples in modern history of how deadly the effects of cult brainwashing can be. Next listed were "Pagan cults". 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. "[27] Similarly, the French sociologist Rgis Dericquebourg, who deeply studied the religion, concluded that Antoinism is not a cult: it "has no totalitarian influence on its members, and do not dictate their behaviour to get in the world; it is not exclusive [and] shows no hostility towards social systems". In 1993, Interpol and the CIA finally began investigating the allegations of sexual abuse made against David Berg. Belgium,[4] 1. The list below contains some of the most jaw-dropping stories about cults that I've encountered the extreme, wacky, and the murderous. The order was led by a grand imam, as it was first a religious order, though they largely deviate from the mainstream teachings of Islam. The mass suicides continued for three years. The origins of the Illuminati, however, are a bit less dramatic than the modern perception. Scientology Image source The infamous Church of Scientology was formed in 1953 by the writer L. Ron Hubbard. Jones also facilitated the development of a Commune in Guyana called Jonestown. Director: Stanley Kubrick | Stars: Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Michael Bates, Warren Clarke. However, after two murder cases, Charles Manson and several of his followers were arrested and charged for the murders. This cult, which will eventually lead to over 900 of its members committing suicide, was first introduced simply as a religious movement linked to Christianity; not as the Communistic society that Jones had in mind. The challenge is in the crimes throughout history that seem to be somehow linked to the Freemasons. Cult experts believe that Adolfo may have inherited this fascination from his mother, who was also a priestess in the Santeria religion. Religious Cults Religious cults claim to be religious movements and are predicated on religious doctrine. [25] Similarly, in 2013, the Interministerial Mission for Monitoring and Combatting Cultic Deviances (Mission interministrielle de vigilance et de lutte contre les drives sectaires, or MIVILUDES) made this comment: "We have never received reporting from Antoinists. 1 The Twelve Tribes Here are all the modern-day cults that are the definition of creepy. 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. Even with a lack of any sort of substantial evidence, the government of the state of Texas was allowed to take the children into its custody, simply on the grounds of public fear. Many of his followers swore such a high level of allegiance to him that they strapped themselves into glider-like planes and dive-bombed into American warships stationed in the Pacific. In 1954, he formed the Unification Church in Seoul, South Korea. He added that antoinism had always been allowed to receive bequests or donations, which meant that its religious nature was never challenged. March 18, 2019. The Westboro Baptist Church SOME OTHERS: FINAL SUMMATION ON CULTS; BIBLICAL PROOF: RELIGIONS THAT ADD, CHANGE, DISCREDIT, OR TAKE AWAY FROM THE BIBLE (NO MATTER WHAT THE SOURCE) ARE NOT FROM GOD (See #7) The 7 Most Disturbing Cults From Around The World Table of Contents [ Show Table of Contents] 1) The Vampire Clan - Murray, KY viralnova.com 16 year old teenager Rod Ferrell was a fan of vampires and other dark themes, but he went further by telling people that he was actually a 500 year old vampire - called Vesago. Cultwatch's founder and director compares the fiction with the reality of cult existence. Members strongly opposed all forms of superstition and organized religion. 1 Cults are usually headed by a powerful leader who isolates members from the rest of society. Of all the famous cults in American history, the United States has only been heavily influenced by two. Nothing defines the turbulent years of the 1960s and 1970s in America quite like the rise of cults. Adolfo relocated to Mexico with sufficient training, where he lured drug lords and other Mexican crime syndicates. Eighteen male members went as far as volunteering to be castrated surgically. In 1833, John Quincy Adams wrote, I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils under which the Union is now laboring. Conspiracy theories suggest that Freemasonry is associated with the occult, that it engages in mind control or other similar activities, and that it is satanic. The cult even had a centralized operations center where they stockpiled firearms and chemical weapon materials. It also represents how, even if the members of a cult are brainwashed, violent force may be necessary for your followers to follow you. With little chances of success with the founders wife, he set his eyes on an underage girl who consented to become his wife. Alternative Considerations of Jonestown & Peoples Temple. The Children of God grew to over 130 communities across the globe and had over 10,000 dedicated members in the 1970s. "There is no God, thus Jesus is not the Son of God." Find out more about the dangerous practices and . FLDS Temple in El Dorado, Texas. The group promotes actions of compassion and understanding while also encouraging a . His comments focus on a few main areas: his (then just budding) love interest, Katie Holmes; his (oftentimes rude) opinions of Brooke Shields use of anti-depressants, and a small bit on his membership in the Church of Scientology. Aum Shinrikyo (now known simply as Aleph) was founded. This interview is very significant, for one reason: it shows how a celebrity can use his fame to his (or her) advantage (or perhaps in the case of Mr. Cruise, disadvantage). The leaders set new dates for when the end of the world would come, but it still didnt happen. This religion, most notable for its many celebrity members (ie. The Church of Scientology Here's a list of 10 famous cults around the world. Adam Weishaupt, founder of the Bavarian Illuminati. He soon gained control of the whole group after the founder died. ThoughtCo. Life after a sex cult: If Im not a member of this religion anymore, then who am I? by Sophia Tewa. Cults operate under a system of control and intimidation, and new members are often recruited using deceptive, manipulative tactics. He used his fame to support his argument of Scientology, as well as to vent his anger at Brooke Shields. Offshoots of Korean Christian new religious movements: Au Cur de la Communication (At the Heart of Communication), Dianova (Ex-Le Patriarche) (Dianova (formerly: the Patriarch)). Some of the people who followed him found that they were becoming powerful within their cartels, and he tried to extract more money from them, as well as positions of power for his own self. This category has the following 15 subcategories, out of 15 total. On the same day, Jim Jones managed to talk his followers into suicide. 2. In mid-March of 1997, 39 of the group members in matching attire committed suicide in a mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, California. This group would eventually change twice more: once into Total Overcomers Anonymous in 1993, and finally into Heavens Gate (the most recognizable name for the group) after the cult moved into the San Diego, CA area. However, due to constraints of the world around them, no person other than someone who follows Hubbards teachings exactly is able to fulfill this pleasure completely. Members continued operating under the radar of authorities, and many people believe the Illuminati orchestrated the French Revolution in 1789. They were responsible for as many as two million deaths over at least 450 years of their existence. NRMs may be novel in origin or they may be part of a wider religion, in which case they will be distinct from pre-existing . They engaged in disturbing practices such as exhuming dead bodies in an attempt to restore life in them. 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. Membership peaked at about 40,000 worldwide (9,000 in Japan) in 1995; currently, the total worldwide membership is at about 1,650 people. Wikimedia. In short, he knew that the vast majority of the viewing public found him to be (at the time, if not now) a joke. Most of the cults followers were former members of the Catholic denomination of Uganda. 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. is known for their highly provocative protests and picket signs. When people refused, they would mysteriously disappear. 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