This is a list of predictions about the end of the world which, clearly, never came true. For the sake of fairness I have included five predictions based on religious beliefs, and five based on science or pseudo-science.
Montanus was an early “heretic” in Christianity who predicted that the end of times were upon the world. Joined with two “prophetesses”, Montanus claimed to be the embodiment of the Holy Spirit and began to preach a third testament. Montanus’ beliefs became fairly widespread and caused a great deal of confusion and dissent within the early Christian church. Tertullian, the Christian writer (pictured above) rejected mainstream Christianity and converted to montanism. Montanus was eventually condemned at the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD.
Interesting Fact: Montanus taught that Turkey would become the “New Jerusalem” and that all of Christianity would settle there before the final judgement.
Charles Wesley, one of the founders of the Methodist church believed that the world was going to end in 1794. This view concurred with that of the Shakers who also predicted that year as the end. Despite his error, Charles’ brother John also later made a prediction of the end times; John predicted that 1836 would be the year that the Great Beast would come to earth, marking the beginning of the end.
Interesting Fact: Despite being a founding member of Methodism, Charles Wesley begged an Anglican minister to bury him in an Anglican graveyard, stating: “Sir, whatever the world may say of me, I have lived, and I die, a member of the Church of England.”
The Jehovah’s Witness religion has made a number of predictions about the end of the world. The first was 1914 – they based their prediction on prophecies from the Book of Daniel. After the end did not come, they changed the meaning of the prediction and stated that it was the date that Jesus would begin to rule invisibly (yes – invisibly). Some other years that the group have predicted the end of the world to come are: 1914, 1915, 1918, 1920, 1925, 1941, 1975 and 1994, etc. One member of the cult actually built a house for the Jewish prophets to live in when they returned to earth as part of the end times.
Interesting Fact: Charles Taze Russell (pictured above pretending to understand Ancient Greek or Latin) – the founder of the cult sold “Miracle Wheat” at extremely inflated prices, promising wheat of miraculous proportions.
Between the years of 1831 and 1841, William Miller (a Baptist minister), predicted the return of Jesus and the end of the world based on prophecies in the Book of Daniel (Daniel 8:14). “My principles in brief, are, that Jesus Christ will come again to this earth, cleanse, purify, and take possession of the same, with all the saints, sometime between March 21, 1843 and March 21, 1844.” The day came and went and the Millerites kept their faith. After further discussion, the date of the end of the world was changed to April 18th. Again the day came and went. Again the date was changed – this time to October 22, 1844. Miller continued to wait for the end until his death in 1849.
Interesting Fact: The Millerite religious movement eventually became the Seventh-day Adventist Church. They believe that the prediction was correct, but that it referred to an event in Heaven not on earth. They continue to believe that to this day. Members of the Bahá’í Faith also believe the prediction – they think it referred to the coming of a forerunner of their own religion, the Bab.
Joanna Southcott was a self-proclaimed English mystic, born in 1750. She was originally a Methodist, but she became convinced that she had supernatural powers and declared herself the woman spoken of in Apocalypse — in the King James Version, Revelation 12:1-6: “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars”. Joanna predicted that she would give birth to the Messiah – hailing the end of the world, on 19 October, 1814. The world didn’t end on that date, but two months later it did end for Joanna who died. Her followers kept her body for some time in the hopes that she would raise herself from the dead. They finally handed her over to authorities when she began to decay.
Interesting Fact: Joanna left behind a sealed box which she claims contained a series of prophesies. The box is not to be opened until 24 Anglican Bishops gather together for that purpose. Will the secret of Joanna’s box every be revealed?
Even though Haley’s Comet had been visible many times before without any reported deaths, the passing of the comet on May 18, 1910 was thought to be a deathly threat to people because of poisonous gas coming from its tail. It is not only religious misapprehension that can cause apocalyptic panic. This may have been the first time science caused this grave fear.
Interesting Fact: Mark Twain was born in 1835. Haley’s comet had made an appearance this same year. He has been quoted as having said he would “go out with comet.” Mark Twain died in April of 1910.
Respected meteorologist Albert Porta predicted that on December 17, 1919 a conjunction of six planets would “cause a magnetic current that would pierce the sun, cause great explosions of flaming gas and eventually engulf the Earth.” This prediction led to some mob violence and a few suicides. It also caused Albert to lose his job as a “respected” meteorologist and he ended up working for a local paper writing the weather column.
Interesting Fact: The study of meteorology dates back to Ancient times with the first book on the subject being written by Aristotle in 350 BC. The book was called “Meteorology”.
The Jupiter Effect came out in 1974 and was written by two astrophysicists, John Gribben and Stephen Plagemann. It was about all nine planets aligning on March 10, 1982 to create a gravitational pull that would cause a huge increase in sunspots, solar, flares, and/or earthquakes. Many credophiles took this as a prediction. Although author Gribben even came out and said it was a theoretical “what if” festival without much of any real substance behind it, people believed it was going to happen and would not be deterred.
Interesting Fact: While the effect did not cause major catastrophe, there was some influence by the planets, with high tide calculated at 0.04 millimeters higher than normal.
The comet Hale-Bopp was visible to the naked eye for a record 18 months. Amateur astronomer, Chuck Shramek “observed” a companion object following the comet. He then called the Art Bell radio show to report his findings. This led many to believe a variety of “end of the world” theories. The internet helped spread the word even faster. The Heaven’s Gate cult felt this was their signal to commit mass suicide in March of 1997. The cult believed the companion object was a spaceship coming to pick them up only to be reached by leaving their Earthly vessels behind.
Interesting Fact: You can watch a fascinating video clip of the Heaven’s Gate cult on youtube. The video is here.
Nostradamus, arguably the best-known seer of all time predicted July of 1999 to be the chosen date of Armageddon. A “great King of Terror” was to descend from the sky. When that didn’t come true the doomsayers began spreading rumors that the Cassini space probe was going to crash on Earth. The Cassini probe was filled with radioactive fuel. If this was spilled in a crash it would fulfill the prediction in Revelation 8:11 “And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.” And of course, no one can forget the years leading up to 2000 in which doomsayers the world over predicted catastrophe for man due to the Y2K bug.
Interesting Fact: Nostradamus was, by profession, an apothecary – which, in modern terms, is a pharmacist.
Contributing and Editing: JFrater, JwJwBean
I’m so disillusioned!
segue – there’s some sick puppies out there. At least it’s funny…
I’ll grant you it’s funny, kiwiboi, but I always had such high regard for him!
I once drove 4 hours through a blinding rainstorm just to see him speak for an hour, and I had to turn around and drive right back because I was in the middle of a shoot!
I’m disappointed, I guess, that he turned out to be just like everyone else underneath all that brainpower.
But *that* is my problem, not his.
Atwork, I am not attacking you personally … I am merely noting all the loonies running around predicting the end of the world in 2012. Touchy, touchy.
Have a nice day
I’d like to support Brickhouse here, I am very familiar with Jehovah’s Witnesses and their teachings. They should not be labeled as “cult” in any case.
If you think they should, then please label the others too..
I agree with several others on this topic. Jehovah’s Witnesses are definately not a “cult”. They do not have one person leading the organization. But whoever put together this list is certainly a slanderer.
For as long as the world has been here, people have been convinced that the end is Nigh. The truth is that the world will not end…someday it will when the sun burn up all of it’s hydrogen fuel and expands to it’s next stage. It’ll take Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. And possibly ignite Jupiter and Saturn.
krchuk, you are on the wrong site you need to come to http://2012-comet.com/phpbb/viewforum.php?f=1 and have fun ridiculing the ” loonies” come on its fun, lol
well i sure hope it’ll fail as a prediction, but it isn’t out of possibility that the U.S, will be attacked while the economy is in a slum and if McCain becomes prez and dies within days of the attack, because he’s like almost eighty, and Palin takes over and everyone says, “OOPS” and all her friends are in power too, and they all say “OOPS”
anyway, it’s not MY prediction but could be a plausable possiblity anyhow.
Is the Jupiter Effect what happened in the movie 2001? I can’t remember. And the Dark Slab aligns to broadcast?
The world will end when I die. For me, anyhow. The rest of you might keep living but I’ll have no way to know for sure. Fortunately, I’m only in my 20s so I should have quite a few years left.
Only GOD knows when the world is gonna end. When the only way to survive in the world in to have the 666 mark of the beast implanted you know its gonna happen soon afterward. If that starts to happen pray to GOD to repent and Jesus will come down right before the rapture/apocalypse and save all who have repented. Heaven will be great beyond your wildest dreams!
October 14th this year?Oh no, thats three days before my 16th bday!:( *no that i believe such things:)
I’ve also heard that the world was supposed to end on 6/6/06.
And it continues today..
Supposedly the world is supposed to end in the year 2012 or 2021.
And aliens are supposed to come to earth this year, October 14, 2008.
haha.
Re: Halley’s comet.
You state “This may have been the first time science caused this grave fear”
This is completely wrong. Science didn’t create the fear, superstitious and irrational pundits created the fear.
4 years from and the calendar ends.
I stumbled upon the mayan calendar. The Mayans calendar ends Dec 12, 2012. I didn’t know Mayan was in my blood until i asked about my mom’s heritage. My mom is from Guatemala, her family has always lived in Guatemala thus making her and me a % Mayan. She said a 4 hour distance between her home and the ancient ruin temples where the prophecy is contained. My dad’s birthday is Dec 12, 1964. This apocalypse is my Natural Heritage. I believe the number 4 has a significance, a lot of significant dates and years have the number 4 pertaining to change (an apocalypse can be a good thing. It can stand to be a beginning of CHANGE from the norm not the bringing of a disaster or an END).
Am I the bringer of the apocalypse?
4 months from now and the calendar ends. It’s called “New Year’s Eve” and the next day is called “New Year’s Day 2009″. Time will go on, the world will go on, my heart will go on, despite the fact that a certain, arbitrary, human-devised measure stops at that point. See you on 21 Dec 2012, probably with a hangover.
One successful Apocalyptic Prediction: The financial market of the United States will collapse, and the citizens will have to foot the bill to bail it out.
The government is buying out (supposedly) the financial institutions to the tune of upward of $7 Billion, but that money come from the tax-payers (me and everyone else in the country).
There is a (supposed) guarantee that the tax-payers will be paid back in 7 years, but don’t hold your breath.
It looks as if free-financial market economy, as we’ve had for decades and decades, is probably dead.
Randall, I’m sure you can tell me why I’m wrong. Please.
wow we all should be dead by now ! Lol i bet god is playing some joke and that every time a perdicton is made god is making sure its not on that day. So keep making the predictions people ! lol
Oh yeh lets all make fun! well the aliens “are” coming october 14th…..or is it 16th? anyway i got proof as i took this photo of a cigar shaped ufo only the other day http://www.thehomegrown.com/gallery/3/pipe.jpg
yeh yeh i know! i meant pipe shaped! lmao. Or is it the wrong photo? the truth is out there
To those objecting to the use of the word “cult” when referring to the JWs – Regardless of its exact dictionary definition, the word has come to be applied to just about any church whose teachings differ from what the Bible and the Bible alone teaches (apparently God can’t stand people adding to or subtracting from his word). The JWs could be said to be a perfect example of this, considering the fact that they use their own special translation of the scriptures!
Then again, what exactly DOES the Bible teach? It depends upon which denomination’s interpretation you choose to believe, I suppose.
I have asked many people if they think Obama is “hot” and they say yes.
People follow Obama for no particular reason.
2012 is next election year.
December 21st is around election time.
If Obama wins 2008 election … He Is The Anti-Christ!
He will win our trust and then BAM right smack down all Hell
breaks loose.
just letting you know.
Want some koolade?
0 0
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141. Charlie: Take a good, long, look at the title of this list. Let the meaning seep into your brain.
Understand it now?
Okay.
You, by dint of the very title of this list, have just offered us a prediction which has to fail.
Just letting you know.
Hey Segue, this is not a complete predection. It is just what may or may not happen. Also, it is not a “predection”
of the end of the world, it is simply a “predection” of what may happen in the “new” age. I simply don’t believe 2012 is the end. Simply because nobody can predict the end of the world.
and i was just kinda messing around 2
two more notes…
Segue is awsome.
#142 Hello Kitty – What is that?!
Charlie, you did get that I was teasing, because you were so obviously teasing, right?
Well it’s now October 15, where are the aliens?
Seems i have been mis-lead by Blossom Goodchild about the alien invasion. I have sold my house and all my worldly goods because of this, i dont suppose she could refund me? Blossom, if you are reading this send a cheque to me for £250,000, that should cover it, thanks in advance!
P.s when are we expecting the alien mothership next?
I’m American, my Mum was an Australian who never changed her citizenship; hence, an alien.
When I was in Uni, there was a lot of UFO stuff going around, people really believed they were being abducted, or some of the world leaders were aliens in human disguise. I’d get a huge kick out of telling these gullible souls that my mother was an alien.
They’d get all bug-eyed, and say, “Really?”
“Oh, sure.”, I’d say
“So, like, you’re half alien?” they’d ask in horror.
“Uh huh”
“Do you have any…powers?”, was a usual question.
“I can move from one place to another”, I’d answer that one.
“Hhhow?”they’d stutter.
“Drive, of course.”
Then I’d give it up, but I had fun first, and no one ever got angry or got their feelings hurt.
145. Segue yeah I got it. haha
space Aliens are failed human clones (just my belief)
what about the year 2000 or 6-6-6?
Are you including the latest predictions of the world’s end? Harold Camping who only suggested 1994 as a strong possibility has now removed the question mark entirely and is absolutely 100% sure based ONLY on the Bible and nothing else that Christ will return on May 21, 2011. 1994 it turns out was the date when the gospel would commense to be more fruitful than ever before. He says if he understands one passage correctly in Revelations that the total number being raptured on May 21, 2011 will be 200 million and all the others yet alive after that date will enter into the “Day of Judgemnt” lasting 5 months. It will be HELL on earth with plagues destruction and death ending with the whole universe being destroyed. The good news however is that 86 year old Camping now believes that there is no eternity in hell awaiting any of the unsaved. He like nearly all conservative Bible teachers had believed and taught that doctrine his entire life until just a few months ago when his eyes were opened by God to this and several other new understandings previously “Sealed” to being understood by teachers of Scripture. He sites verses like in Daniel where God said “seal up these words until the end” and others that indicate that God’s people will understand booth time and judgment. Think what you like …myself? I ordered a free copy of the booklets “We are almost there” and “To God be the Glory” and so far I am shaking in my boots with fear! Proof after intertwined proof cause me to think “this HAS GOT to be of God! There is no way this all can be be simply an amazing bunch of coincidnece … that would be IMPOSSIBLE! And in the Bible God plainly stated that he would do nothing except he revealed it to His servants the prophets. So the information has ALWAYS just been sitting there waiting ….”
Doug, I find it odd that you would be “shaking in my boots with fear!”, if you believe you are right with God.
That seems hypocritical.
Of course, it all sounds like craziness to me. Harold Camping seems a candidate for a rubber room and and anti-psychotic medications…but maybe that’s just me.
The JW thing is untrue and pretty much slander, but everything else is accurate.
2012 should be included here. they take interpretations of ancient mayan culture too literally. this list demonstrates both extremes of people afflicted with messianic complex and gullibility coming together. besides, whenever the end DOES happen, obviously no one will know; they’re not going to be famous.
December 12th, 2012.
I can tell you all the date of the end of the world it will be on the 21st of March in the year 5000000000. That’s when the sun super novas.
If that doesn’t kill the earth nothing will!
Sigh, this list just goes to show the ignorance of some Christians. Might I ask that when Christ does come back on earth, how will he judge the countless more buddhists, hindus, muslims, etc.? It should be more like the end of the Christian world to me.
Doug, i think you may just be gullible. If you are right, then I’ll explain to Jesus how hundreds of other nutjobs have tried to predict his second coming and failed. Making me doubt any apocalyptic prediction. Hopefully he’ll still admit me to heaven.
*****ers will believe anything
Obama isn’t doing too well in office. I guess that my prediction was wrong(#141). And I spent a whole 3 minutes on the dagblasted thing! Hrump. >:(
159. Charlie: The man has been in office 3 weeks!
How well had you done when you’d gone from cubbyhole worker to CEO of your company after only 3 weeks?
omg! didn’t realise i wrote 157.
Charlie: give the man some time, fixing a nation takes months. He’ll prove his worth at the end of his term in office.
Oh, and I believe many people believe in Obama because of his ideals and psychology. Why? Because it allows us to know how he’ll respond to an unknown oncoming dilemma. Specifics is something that can be hammered out later. As long as I know how he’ll respond, then I’ll be happy having him in office knowing he will make wise decisions.
I absolutely hate people who get caught up with ideologies, left or right, conservative or liberal… they disgust the heck out of me. It’s like they don’t have a mind of their own and need someone to tell them where they ought to be and how they ought to think, which they end up translating into the world, making the world a more polarised place.
Don’t forget this one.
http://www.theforbiddenknowledge.com/hardtruth/bibleprophicies.htm
Oh yeah. About the Obama thing … Well the reason I said that was because he said, “I screwed up.” It had something to do with taxes. I was just exxaggerating it a little bit. He does have a big job ahead of him. With the world ending and all. @$#% Nazis.
some of this talk of 2012 sometimes makes me think about if the the world gonna end or not! ive heard so many different stories ive came up with my own theory, i dont think the world gonna end, but it gonna change in som respects! i know it might sound crazy but it all to do with the magnetic field around the earth, that is what of course makes us alive and the way we use our brains, also liked to pressure points in our body!
The magnetic field around the earth, north pole and south pole, all this conntrolled by the flow of magma under our earths crust. This flow is gonna change. when? 2012.
why do i think this u ask.
what do we dig up out of our earths crusts for many years now and that they say is nearly running out? oil.
i see oil maybe as a coolant for the earth or some sort of way the heat doenst get in or escape the earths crust.
but when it does run out who says the the flow not gonna change. it has to affect the magnetic field.
So to my conclusion, i belive the world not gonna end, but maybe our way of thinking will change or we will somhow jus sort of wake up! or even maybe different dimensions! sounds crazy! could mite be! u dicide. let me know what u think guys.
Great article, I wrote myselfs on that subject (in french) at
http://www.la-fin-du-monde.fr/
we wont die
Anyone who tries to predict the end of the world is an idiot.
Only God exactly knows when this earth will end.
Article on sunspot cycles. Doom, Doom, Doom, Doom, Doom, Oh pretty, Doom.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090508/ap_on_sc/us_sci_space_weather_3
Enjoy
MIRACLE WHEAT
Foes of C. T. Russell used not only his domestic affairs but other “weapons” against him. For instance, his enemies have charged that he sold a great quantity of ordinary wheat seed under the name of “Miracle Wheat” at one dollar per pound, or sixty dollars per bushel. They have held that from this Russell realized an enormous personal profit. However, these charges are absolutely false. What are the facts?
In 1904 Mr. K. B. Stoner noticed an unusual plant growing in his garden in Fincastle, Virginia. It turned out to be wheat of an uncommon kind. The plant had 142 stalks and each bore a head of fully matured wheat. In 1906 he named it “Miracle Wheat.” Eventually others obtained and grew it, enjoying extraordinary yields. In fact, Miracle Wheat won prizes at several fairs. C. T. Russell was very interested in anything related to the Biblical predictions that “the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose” and “the earth shall yield her increase.” (Isa. 35:1; Ezek. 34:27, AV) On November 23, 1907, H. A. Miller, Assistant Agriculturalist of the United States Government, filed in the Department of Agriculture a report commending this wheat grown by Mr. Stoner. Throughout the country the public press took note of the report. C. T. Russell’s attention was drawn to it, and so in Zion’s Watch Tower of March 15, 1908, on page 86, he published some press comments and extracts from the government report. Then, in conclusion, he commented: “If this account be but one-half true it testifies afresh to God’s ability to provide things needful for the ‘times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began.’—Acts 3:19-21.”
Mr. Stoner was not a Bible Student or an associate of C. T. Russell, and neither were various other persons who experimented with Miracle Wheat. In 1911, however, Watch Tower readers J. A. Bohnet of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Samuel J. Fleming of Wabash, Indiana, presented to the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society the aggregate of about thirty bushels of this wheat, proposing that it be sold for one dollar per pound and that all the proceeds be received by the Society as a donation from them, to be used in its religious work. The wheat was received and sent out by the Society and the gross receipts from it amounted to about $1,800. Russell himself did not get a penny of this money. He merely published a statement in The Watch Tower to the effect that the wheat had been contributed and could be obtained for a dollar a pound. The Society itself made no claim for the wheat on its own knowledge and the money received went as a donation into Christian missionary work. When others criticized this sale, all who had contributed were informed that if they were dissatisfied their money would be returned. In fact, the identical money received for the wheat was held for a year for that purpose. But not one person asked for a refund. The conduct of Brother Russell and the Society in connection with Miracle Wheat was completely open and aboveboard.
Because Charles Taze Russell taught the truth from God’s Word, he was hated and maligned, often by the religious clergy. But then, Christians of modern times expect such treatment, for Jesus and his apostles were dealt with similarly by religious opposers.—Luke 7:34.
Correction of Viewpoint Needed
Prior to the latter part of the year 1914, many Christians expected Christ to return at that time and to take them away to heaven. Thus, in a discourse given on September 30, 1914, A. H. Macmillan, a Bible Student, stated: “This is probably the last public address I shall ever deliver because we shall be going home [to heaven] soon.” Clearly, Macmillan was mistaken, but that was not the only unfulfilled expectation he or his fellow Bible Students had.
Bible Students, known since 1931 as Jehovah’s Witnesses, also expected that the year 1925 would see the fulfillment of marvelous Bible prophecies. They surmised that at that time the earthly resurrection would begin, bringing back faithful men of old, such as Abraham, David, and Daniel. More recently, many Witnesses conjectured that events associated with the beginning of Christ’s Millennial Reign might start to take place in 1975. Their anticipation was based on the understanding that the seventh millennium of human history would begin then.
These erroneous views did not mean that God’s promises were wrong, that he had made a mistake. By no means! The mistakes or misconceptions, as in the case of first-century Christians, were due to a failure to heed Jesus’ caution, ‘You do not know the time.’ The wrong conclusions were due, not to malice or to unfaithfulness to Christ, but to a fervent desire to realize the fulfillment of God’s promises in their own time.
Consequently, A. H. Macmillan explained later: “I learned that we should admit our mistakes and continue searching God’s Word for more enlightenment. No matter what adjustments we would have to make from time to time in our views, that would not change the gracious provision of the ransom and God’s promise of eternal life.”
Indeed, God’s promises can be trusted! It is humans who are prone to error. Therefore, true Christians will maintain a waiting attitude in obedience to Jesus’ command. They will keep awake and ready for Christ’s inevitable coming as God’s Executioner. They will not allow false predictions to dull their senses and cause them to ignore the true warning of the world’s end.
‘Fact: Montanus taught that Turkey…’ — wrong word used? Maybe you meant thought.
I hope i won’t be around or long gone when the end of the earth comes.:)
Some fool dressed like a *****, holding a bible, knocked on my door yesterday morning like I would really let him in when I didn’t know him….I crooked my side eye so hard on him I do believe he thought the world did end and he scurried away.
On that note I am ready for the world to end as I am pretty much sick of people anyway.
@Aj (173): I hope i won’t be around or long gone when the end of the earth comes.
This sentiment makes no sense. Why do you think that dying on just some other random day is better than dying on the earth’s last day? It’s the same net result for you either way.
I have read your comments, brothers and sisters. Let me tell you a joke about the end of the world.
A guy meets another.
“You know, Joe. I’ve just heard on the radio that the sun will end in 3 billion years”.
“How many years, you say?”asked Joe in disbelief.
“I said 3 billion years,” his friend replied.
“Oh, I am so relieved,” Joe said. “I thought you said 3 Million years.”
it’s not that people make these idiotic predictions but the disturbing fact that they gain followers. Morons, all of them.
172 – No. As in he taught people that Turkey etc etc.
2012 PFFT if all of them dates didnt come tre what makes people beleive that this 1 event will
also if that dosent happen there is always 2021
thats funnie bacause bolth family guy and the simspons made fun of the y2k and the end of the world no poeple that believe that thats good but poeple how take it to fare damn thats dumb
@ Ghidoran:
“He said that a religion teaches you how to be in the world, while a cult tries to take you out of the world. He explained that a religion gives its members guidance and support in how to survive and get along out in the world. And then he pointed out that cults always try to isolate their members from the world. Cults want their members to live together, usually in isolation, and break off all contact with friends or family who aren’t also members of the cult.”
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/4532