Top 10 Cults
Published on September 15, 2007 - 111 Comments
Cult roughly refers to a cohesive social group devoted to beliefs or practices that the surrounding culture considers outside the mainstream, with a notably positive or negative popular perception. Many cults are destructive or suicidal though others, whilst being controversial, do not commit extreme acts. This is a list of the top ten cults. In no particular order:
1. Church of Bible Understanding
Stewart Traill
The Church of Bible Understanding (formerly known as the Forever Family) is a destructive cult started in 1971 by former atheist and vacuum repairman Stewart Traill in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The cult targeted teens as young as 13 by drawing on their weaknesses. Throughout the 1970s, the cult expanded to many other parts of the United States.
Traill, born in Quebec in 1936 is the son of a Presbyterian minister, who teaches that he is the reincarnation of Elijah, and that he knows the date of the return of Christ. Members of the cult live in a commune and donate 90% of their income to the cult. Traill amassed a fortune and owns four planes and a half million dollar mansion. According to former members, Traill controls every aspect of members’ lives through harsh criticism, shame, and public humiliation.
Ron Burkes, a staff member at a residential treatment center for former cult members says this:
“[Traill] has one of most effective means of shutting down critical thinking I’ve ever seen. Of the hundreds of people I’ve treated, COBU is definitely in the top five in terms of harm and psychological damage.”
The cult also runs a mission in Haiti, where some former members claim Haitian children are indoctrinated in exchange for food and clothing. According to an article originally appearing in the Manassas Journal Messenger, COBU receives government funds for its Haiti Mission as part of President Bush’s Faith Based Initiative.
Play / Download audio of Stewart Traill
2. Manson Family
The Manson Family was a cult started by Charles Manson. Manson was born to Kathleen Maddox, an unwed sixteen year old girl, in 1934. It is said that his mother, an alcoholic, sold him to buy beer. When he was returned to her she had him sent to a boarding school. After a number of years living with his religious aunt and uncle, he returned to his mother who rejected him. After a number of robberies, he was put in jail for the first time. One month before his parole hearing in 1952, he raped a boy in jail by holding a razor to his throat. Two years later he was paroled. Manson began to pimp a young woman he met and eventually took her, and a second woman to New Mexico to work for him as prostitutes. He was caught and tried under the Mann Act (a 1910 act that prohibited white slavery and trafficking for immoral means).
In 1967 he was released (having spent more than half of his life in institutions). Upon release, he requested permission to move to San Francisco which was granted. When he arrived he became part of the Hippie movement centered around the Haight-Ashbury region and he set himself up as a guru. He moved in with 23 year old student Mary Brunner and convinced her to allow other women to join them. Eventually eighteen other women were living with them - this was the beginning of the family.
By 1968, Manson had established a home for the “family” at a ranch owned by George Spahn. Manson convinced one of the family members, Lynette Fromme, to sleep with Spahn in order to get free rent. Manson began teaching his followers that social uprisings were coming - using the assassination of Martin Luther King as evidence. He also told them that the social turmoil he had been predicting had also been predicted by The Beatles. The White Album songs, he declared, told it all, although in code; in fact, he maintained, the album was directed at the Family itself, an elect group that was being instructed to preserve the worthy from the impending disaster.
In 1969, on August 8, Manson told Family members at Spahn Ranch, “now is the time for Helter Skelter.” That evening the family, under the direction of Manson, would commit the famous murder of Sharon Tate, leading to other murders over the two day period.
3. Aum Shinrikyo
Aum Shinrikyo, is a Japanese religious group founded by Shoko Asahara. The group gained international notoriety in 1995, when it carried out a Sarin gas attack in the Tokyo subways. In 2000 the organization changed its name to “Aleph” (the first letter of the Hebrew and Arabic alphabet), changing its logo as well. In 1995 the group had 9,000 members in Japan, and as many as 40,000 worldwide. As of 2004 Aum Shinrikyo/Aleph membership was estimated at 1,500 to 2,000 people.
The movement was founded by Shoko Asahara in his one-bedroom apartment in Tokyo’s Shibuya ward in 1984, starting off as a Yoga and meditation class known as Aum-no-kai and steadily grew in the following years. It gained the official status as a religious organization in 1989. It attracted such a considerable number of young graduates from Japan’s elite universities that it was dubbed a “religion for the elite”. Aum’s PR activities included publishing. In Japan, where comics and animated cartoons enjoy unprecedented popularity among all ages, Aum attempted to tie religious ideas to popular anime and manga themes - space missions, extremely powerful weapons, world conspiracies and conquest for ultimate truth.
Aum Shinrikyo had started as a quiet group of people interested in yogic meditation, but later transformed into a very different organization. According to Asahara, he needed “to demonstrate charisma” to attract the modern audience. Following his decision, Aum underwent a radical image change. The rebranded Aum looked less like an elite meditation boutique and more like an organization attractive to a broader, larger population group. Public interviews, bold controversial statements, and vicious opposition to critique were incorporated into the religion’s PR style. The cult started attracting controversy in the late 1980s with accusations of deception of recruits, and of holding cult members against their will and forcing members to donate money. A murder of a cult member who tried to leave is now known to have taken place in February 1989.
At the end of 1993 the cult started secretly manufacturing the nerve agent sarin and later VX gas. They also attempted to manufacture 1000 automatic rifles but only managed to make one. Aum tested their sarin on sheep at a remote ranch in Western Australia, killing 29 sheep. Both sarin and VX were then used in several assassinations (and attempts) over 1994-1995. Most notably on the night of 27th June 1994, the cult carried out the world’s first use of chemical weapons in a terrorist attack against civilians when they released sarin in the central Japanese city of Matsumoto. This Matsumoto incident killed seven and harmed 200 more. However, police investigations focused only on an innocent local resident and failed to implicate the cult. 11 cult members have been sentenced to death, although none of the sentences have been carried out, nor the time and date for the executions to take effect has been publicly established.
4. Restoration of the 10 Commandments
The full name of this cult is the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God. The Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God was a breakaway group from the Roman Catholic Church that formed in Uganda in the late 1980s. As the name implies the group strongly emphasized the Ten Commandments. This emphasis meant they even discouraged talking: out of fear of breaking the commandment about giving false witness. They also believed that their strict adherence to the Ten Commandments would be advantageous after the apocalypse.
This proved significant as the group had a strong emphasis on the apocalypse, highlighted by their booklet A Timely Message from Heaven: The End of the Present Time. New members were required to study it and be trained in it, reading it as many as six times. They also taught that Mother Mary had a special role in the apocalypse, and communicated to the leadership. They saw themselves as like Noah’s Ark, a ship of righteousness in a sea of depravity.
The group tended to be secretive and as mentioned above, was literally silent. Therefore it was relatively unknown to the outside world until 2000, although in 1998 the school they ran was sanctioned by the government due to unsanitary conditions and violation of child labor statutes.
In March of 2000, around 300 followers died in a fire in what is considered a cult suicide. Investigations conducted after the fire discovered mass graves, raising the death toll to over 1,000. This may mean it was larger than the Jonestown murder/suicide in 1978, but some speculate the death toll was around 800. There are also allegations that the event was more of a mass murder by the leadership.
5. Raëlism
Founder, Claude Vorilhon (right)
Raëlism or Raelian Church is a UFO religion founded by a purported contactee named Claude Vorilhon, who is known recently for supporting Clonaid’s claim that an American woman underwent a standard cloning procedure, which led to the birth of her new daughter Eve in December 26, 2002. National authorities, mainstream media, and young adults have increasingly investigated the church’s activities as a result of controversial statements by Clonaid’s head Brigitte Boisselier the day after.
Members of the Raëlian Church consist of people who have been baptized by Raëlian clergy in quarterly ceremonies, and among the converts are members of Raëlian-founded free love groups such as the Order of Angels and Raël’s Girls. The organization—which preaches a sensual philosophy and a physicalist explanation of the origin of life—could have as many as sixty-five thousand members.
Raëlians emphasize secular and hedonistic ideas, rather than worshiping a supreme metaphysical deity.[30] The Raëlian Church members follow a UFO religion that favors a strong version of physicalism - the belief that everything consists only of physical properties. Raëlians deny the existence of the ethereal soul and a supernatural god, and believe that the mind is a function of matter alone. This ties into their belief that mind transfer is possible and that it will be possible to create an identical human clone in terms of mind and personality—as long as the clone and the original are not alive at the same time.
Play / Download Vorilhon Singing
6. Scientology
The Church of Scientology is a cult created by L Ron Hubbard (Elron) in 1952 as an outgrowth of his earlier self-help system called Dianetics. Scientology and the organizations that promote it have remained highly controversial since their inception. Journalists, courts and the governing bodies of several countries have stated that the Church of Scientology is an unscrupulous commercial enterprise that harasses its critics and abuses the trust of its members. Journalists, governments, religious groups and other critics worldwide have often referred to the organization as a cult.
Reports and allegations have been made, by journalists, courts, and governmental bodies of several countries, that the Church of Scientology is an unscrupulous commercial enterprise that harasses its critics and brutally exploits its members. In some cases of US litigation against the Church, former Scientologists were paid as expert witnesses and have since stated that they submitted false and inflammatory declarations, intended to be carried in the media to incite prejudice against Scientology, and deliberately harassed key Scientology executives, by knowingly advancing unfounded opinions, either to get a case dropped or to obtain a large settlement.
Although Scientologists are usually free to practice their beliefs, the organized church has often encountered opposition due to their strong-arm tactics, directed against critics and members wishing to leave the organization.
7. Order of the Solar Temple
Joseph Di Mambro
The Order of the Solar Temple also known as Ordre du Temple Solaire (OTS) in French, and the International Chivalric Organization of the Solar Tradition or simply as The Solar Temple was a secret society based upon the new age myth of the continuing existence of the Knights Templar. OTS was started by Joseph Di Mambro and Luc Jouret in 1984 in Geneva as l’Ordre International Chevaleresque de Tradition Solaire (OICTS) and renamed Ordre du Temple Solaire. It is believed that other members were also involved who have remained unknown to the public.
In October 1994 Tony Dutoit’s infant son (Emmanuel Dutoit), aged three months, was killed at the group’s centre in Morin Heights, Quebec. The baby had been stabbed repeatedly with a wooden stake. It is believed that Di Mambro ordered the murder, because he identified the baby as the Anti-Christ described in the Bible. He believed that the Anti-Christ was born into the order to prevent Di Mambro from succeeding in his spiritual aim.
A few days later, Di Mambro and twelve followers performed a ritual Last Supper. A few days after that, apparent mass suicides and murders were conducted at two villages in Switzerland, and at Morin Heights — 15 inner circle members committed suicide with poison, 30 were killed by bullets or smothering, and 8 others were killed by other causes. Many of the bodies when found were drugged, possibly to prevent the members from objecting. The buildings were then set on fire by timer devices, purportedly as one last symbol of the group’s purification.
In western Switzerland, 48 members of a sect died in another apparent mass murder-suicide. Many of the victims were found in a secret underground chapel lined with mirrors and other items of Templar symbolism. The bodies were dressed in the order’s ceremonial robes and were in a circle, feet together, heads outward, most with plastic bags tied over their heads; they had each been shot in the head. It is believed that the plastic bags were a symbol of the ecological disaster that would befall the human race after the OTS members moved on to Sirius.
A mayor, a journalist, a civil servant and a sales manager were found among the dead in Switzerland. Records seized by the Quebec police showed that some members had personally donated over $1 million to the cult’s leader Joseph Di Mambro. There was also another attempted mass suicide of the remaining members which was thwarted in the late 1990s. It is believed that The Solar Temple group continues to exist, with thirty surviving members in Quebec at the St-Anne-de-la-Pérade center, with from 140 to 500 members remaining worldwide.
8. Heaven’s Gate
Heaven’s Gate is a destructive, doomsday cult centered in California. 21 women and 18 men voluntarily committed suicide in three groups on three successive days starting on March 23, 1997. Most were in their 40’s; the rest covered an age range of 26 to 72. Two months later, two additional members, Charles Humphrey and Wayne Cooke attempted suicide in a hotel room a few miles from the Rancho Santa Fe mansion; Cooke succeeded. Humphrey tried again in the Arizona desert during Feb 1998 and was successful.
They followed a syncretistic religion, combining elements of Christianity with unusual beliefs about the nature of UFOs. They interpreted passages from the four gospels and the book Revelation as referring to UFO visitation. In particular, they emphasized a story in Revelation which described two witnesses who are killed, remained dead for 3 1/2 days, were revived and taken up into the clouds. They look upon earth as being in the control of evil forces, and perceived themselves as being among the elite who would attain heaven. They held a profoundly dualistic belief of the soul as being a superior entity which is only housed temporarily in a body. Applewhite said that bodies were only “the temporary containers of the soul…The final act of metamorphosis or separation from the human kingdom is the ‘disconnect’ or separation from the human physical container or body in order to be released from the human environment.”
Members called themselves brother and sister; they looked upon themselves as monks and nuns; they lived communally in a large, rented San Diego County (CA) home which they called their monastery. Most members had little contact with their families of origin or with their neighbors. Many followed successful professional careers before entering the group. Some abandoned their children before joining. They were free to leave at any time. They dressed in unisex garments: shapeless black shirts with Mandarin collars, and black pants. They were required commit themselves to a celibate life. Eight of the male members, including Do, submitted to voluntary castration. This seems to have been a form of preparation for their next level of existence: in a life that would be free of gender, sexual identity and sexual activity.
Thirty-eight group members, plus Applewhite, the group’s leader, were found dead in a rented mansion in the upscale San Diego community of Rancho Santa Fe, California, on March 26, 1997. The mass death of the Heaven’s Gate group is said to be one of the most widely-known examples of cult suicide. In preparing to kill themselves, members of the group drank citrus juices to ritually cleanse their bodies of impurities. The suicide was accomplished by ingestion of phenobarbital mixed with vodka, along with plastic bags secured around their heads to induce asphyxiation. They were found lying neatly in their own bunk beds, with their faces and torsos covered by a square, purple cloth. Each member carried five dollar bills and a few quarters in their wallets. All 39 were dressed in identical black shirts and sweat pants, brand new black-and-white Nike tennis shoes, and armband patches reading “Heaven’s Gate Away Team”. The suicides were conducted in shifts, and the remaining members of the group cleaned up after each prior group’s death.
9. Branch Davidians
The Branch Davidians are a religious sect who originated from a schism in 1955 from the Davidian Seventh Day Adventists, themselves former members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church who were disfellowshipped during the 1930s. From its inception in the 1930s, the splinter movement inherited Adventism’s apocalypticism, in that they believed themselves to be living in a time when Christian prophecies of a final divine judgment were coming to pass. They are best known for the 1993 siege of their Center near Waco, Texas, by the ATF and the FBI, which resulted in the deaths of eighty-two of the church’s members, including head figure David Koresh. However, by the time of the siege, Koresh had encouraged his followers to think of themselves as “students of the Seven Seals” rather than as “Branch Davidians,” and other Branch Davidian factions never accepted his leadership.
Some former members of Koresh’s group alleged that he practiced polygamy with underage brides, physically abused children, and stockpiled illegal weapons, legal authorities investigated these charges. On February 28, 1993, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) conducted a raid on Mount Carmel, a property of the Davidians. The raid resulted in the deaths of six Davidians and four ATF agents after a firefight broke out. Following this confrontation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) laid siege to Mount Carmel for 51 days, during which time the FBI and ATF conducted around-the-clock operations including psychological warfare (psyops) on the occupants of the complex.
The government’s siege on the Branch Davidians ended on April 19 when federal agents released CS tear gas into the compound. During the assault, several fires broke out and spread quickly through the buildings, killing approximately 79 Branch Davidians, 21 of whom were children. Autopsies confirmed that many of the victims, including David Koresh, had died of single gunshot wounds to their heads.
The government put some of the survivors on trial. All were acquitted of conspiring to murder federal agents but some were convicted of aiding and abetting voluntary manslaughter.
10. Unification Church
The Unification Church (Mooneyism) is a new religious movement started by Sun Myung Moon in Korea in the 1940s. The beliefs of the church are explained in the book Divine Principle and draw from the Bible as well as Asian traditions and include belief in a universal God; in the creation of a literal Kingdom of Heaven on earth; in the universal salvation of all people, good and evil as well as living and dead; that Jesus did not come to die; and that the Lord of the Second Coming must be a man born in Korea early in the 20th century who must marry and have children.
In the United States in the 1970s, the media reported on the high-pressure recruitment methods of Unificationists and said that the church separated vulnerable college students from their families through the use of brainwashing or mind control. Moon dismissed these criticisms, stating in 1976 that he had received many thank-you letters from parents whose children became closer to them after joining the movement. Moon and his wife were banned from entry into Germany and the other 14 Schengen treaty countries, on the grounds that they are leaders of a sect that endangered the personal and social development of young people. The Netherlands and a few other Schengen states let Moon and his wife enter their countries in 2005. In 2006 the German Supreme Court overturned the ban.
In 1993, Chung Hwa Pak released the book Roku Maria no Higeki (Tragedy of the Six Marys) through the Koyu Publishing Co. of Japan. The book contained allegations that Moon conducted sex rituals amongst six married female disciples (”The Six Marys”) who were to have prepared the way for the virgin who would marry Moon and become the True Mother. Chung Hwa Pak had left the movement when the book was published and later withdrew the book from print when he rejoined the Unification Church. Before his death Chung Hwa Pak published a second book, The Apostate, and recanted all allegations made in Roku Maria no Higeki.
Bonus. Jonestown
On 18 November 1978, more than 900 people died in the largest mass murder/suicide in American history. Most of the deaths occurred in a jungle encampment in Guyana, South America, where members of a group called Peoples Temple lived in a utopian community and agricultural project known as Jonestown. Most died after drinking a fruit punch laced with cyanide and tranquilizers, although some may have been injected; two residents died of gunshot wounds. Earlier that day a few other residents of the group had assassinated a U.S. congressman along with three members of the media and a departing Jonestown resident. And in Guyana’s capital city of Georgetown, yet another member of the group killed her three children and then herself after receiving word of the deaths in Jonestown. In all, 918 Americans lost their lives that day.
Since that time, Jonestown and its leader Jim Jones have entered American discourse as code for the dangers of cults and cult leaders. The expression “drinking the Kool-Aid”—which means both blindly jumping on the bandwagon, and being a team player—is one manifestation of this. The story of Jonestown, and of its parent organization Peoples Temple, however, is more complicated than sound-bites comparing strict parents to Jim Jones, or pundits relating religious violence (such as the suicide air strikes of 11 September 2001) to Jonestown. Instead, Jonestown serves as a lesson in how a combination of media, government, and citizens can create a climate of persecution and fear. It also provides an example of how uncritical acceptance of the status quo and social and geographic isolation can lead to violence and even death.
Notable Exclusions: The Children of God, Mormonism, Jevhovah’s Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists
Sources: Wikipedia, Youtube, Google Videos
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1. JT - September 15th, 2007 at 5:21 am
Good list, but it is sorely missing the Children of God (or The Family). I saw a documentray on them and they openly practice paedophilia, including daughters being raped by mothers, orgies involving 5 year olds. Absolutely disgusting stuff. The sad thing is the way they actually hi-jack christianity to justify their beliefs and claim that Jesus promoted such acts.
2. jfrater - September 15th, 2007 at 5:38 am
JT: Thanks for mentioning them - I have added them to the notable Exclusions list.
3. oldfart - September 15th, 2007 at 8:00 am
You forgot to mention these are all branches of the largest cult of all: the Roman Catholic Church and its many subcults (Lutherans, Baptists, Methodists, etc)
4. jfrater - September 15th, 2007 at 8:55 am
oldfart: I didn’t, but I am glad you have had the chance to say so yourself
5. Kelsi - September 15th, 2007 at 8:59 am
Good list, I enjoyed reading it. What qualifies as a cult, since we’re on the topic? A belief system outside the mainstream? What about the amish?
6. joe smith - September 15th, 2007 at 9:01 am
Shouldn’t christians be in there somewhere? They are a group who believe that a jewish man who lived a couple of thousand years ago was god. They also have adopted as the symbol of their religion a device of torture.
7. Sickmind Fraud - September 15th, 2007 at 9:40 am
I actually consider political parties and other similar organizations to be cults. This opens the door for organizations like Hilter’s Nazi Party, Stalin’s Communist party, Bin Laden’s Al Qeada. Torqumeda’s Spanish Inquisition
All of which leave the organizations listed in the original post as very minor league players.
You would have to be responsible for hundreds of thousands, if not millions of deaths to qualify.
8. zombiejorge - September 15th, 2007 at 10:24 am
wow. in the case of scientology. Images speak louder than words.
9. LI_Mom - September 15th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
I second what Sickmind Fraud says & would mention groups such as the KKK, White Supremacist factions and gangs themselves.
10. christian - September 15th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
hey great man, I remember mentioning this as a possible subject some time back. I was doing my own study on the leaders of a number of these cults along with “false gurus” and the diferent factors of authoritative powers. a facinating field.
11. Molly - September 15th, 2007 at 7:05 pm
why does it go 1,2,3,4,5,,6,5,4,3,2,1?
12. stugy - September 15th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
I saw your previous lists with mentions of Scientology. I found this Time article a few years ago, and if anyone has the time, I would highly recommend reading it. It will probably give you a new-found disgust for the cult.
http://www.zipperfish.com/rants/time-article.php
Your site is probably the greatest time-killer ever. Keep up the good work.
13. Joe rosson - September 15th, 2007 at 7:52 pm
I think it all boils down to people wanting to be accepted and “taken it”, people are forever looking for the reason as to why we are here and will resort to some pretty f’ed up thoughts and deeds to feel they are on the right path.I still go with the age old saying of live and let live. I go to work come home, pay my bills, go out to eat on occasion, enjoy my programs, have some close friends over,love my wife and kids and call it a life.
14. jfrater - September 16th, 2007 at 4:05 am
Molly: Thanks for pointing that out - I have corrected the ordering.
stugy: thanks
Joe: I think you are right about that.
15. inanytime - September 16th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
nice list.
16. roger gonnet - September 17th, 2007 at 1:04 am
Well, the first and fifth cults named are not as dangerous as the sixth… but it’s a good idea to make such pages. Bravo
17. Andre du Plessis - September 17th, 2007 at 3:51 am
Manson video is brilliant. It is a perfect example of how people need to believe in someone or something. There were people that gave their lives away for him and he admits to being a perfect idiot. Unbelievable. That video should be mandatory viewing for the public, I tell you.
18. Mr Ed - September 17th, 2007 at 5:29 am
You can take Raëlism right off the list. About 10 years ago some friends and I saw an advertisement for UFO Land, so while up in Montreal we went to see it. After the tour there was a sign up list to become more involved, the Acolyte how had taken us around took it away from us and said it wasn’t for us. Rejected.
19. jfrater - September 17th, 2007 at 6:08 am
Mr Ed: really? That must be a first for a cult!
20. Mr Ed - September 17th, 2007 at 10:27 am
jfrater Really. I tried to be respectful because I realized that this is what people really believed but maybe I didn’t do a good enough job.
21. jfrater - September 17th, 2007 at 10:30 am
Mr Ed: it is definitely not stereotypical of cults that’s for sure.
22. hgaratie - September 17th, 2007 at 11:07 am
Wow! Fascinating list! The scientology video is amazing on how Tommy ( I think that was his name ) just pops up all over the country where ever that reporter was! I wonder what all they are hiding! And I agree with Joe Rosson…sad lonely people looking for acceptance. Or just plain insane.
23. The Beautiful Kind - September 17th, 2007 at 11:47 am
All religions are cults - burning bushes? Eating and drinking the flesh and blood of Christ? Thinking doomsday will occur and the good people will ascend to heaven and the sinners (including babies who haven’t been dipped in water) will burn in hell?
Orthodox Jews religion interferes with their ability to function - on Saturdays they can’t turn on their radio or run their dishwasher - their habits are definitely outside of mainstream.
And finally, Mormonism. Oh geez and Jehovah’s Witness - they deny themselves medical treatment.
24. dagroo - September 17th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
Jehovah’s Witnesses do not deny themselves medical treatment. They do not have blood transfusions, instead opting for bloodless surgery techniques and treatments that many mainstream doctors are advocating as a safer alternative, due to the risks involved in using blood (such as trasmitted disease, etc). …It’s always good to know the details before generalizing on stuff like that.
25. Frosty7530 - September 17th, 2007 at 2:06 pm
This was very good. I have been interested in subject of cults/sects for many yrs. I would have added the benign appearing group of Dr. Depak Chopra & the folks in IOWA affiliated w/the Maharishi Meditation groups (scuse spellings). Their spa/resort, The Raj is a fascinating place. Dr. Chopra has left the Iowa group; but his influence is felt. Chopra has gotten into some mighty deep controversy. He was so popular, it’s a classic example of when a cult gets mainstreamed into being a non-controversial religion.
26. Jason Brower - September 27th, 2007 at 4:09 am
I never thought Mormon’s were a cult. What wrong thing have we done? I guess being one of the fastest growing christian religions could make use one. But the definition of a cult doesn’t really state that does it. http://www.google.com/search?h.....p;ct=title
has a good set of definitions. I could see a lot of religions that fall into these frames.
27. flower - September 30th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
Osho and HARE RAMA HARE KRISHNA shoulda been here. But then, Rafter is probably Australian, if he was an American, OSHO would have got all the limelight!
28. Jim - October 7th, 2007 at 7:12 pm
The biggest cult of all was left off. You forgot to mention the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
29. Elizabeth - October 25th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
Why are Seventh Day Adventists listed in the notable exclusions? I was baptised at 16 after joining the church once I was able to understand the teachings. I know they have some different views but none of them are cult-like in my opinion. They follow the bible… Too bad that Waco, Tx had to drag their name into all that…
30. Hunter - November 2nd, 2007 at 10:18 pm
Regarding the LDS church, I live in the heartland of the mormons and they are the largest group of hippocritical,judgmental, and otherwise strange people you’ll ever meet.(note this is a generalisasion and you can find mormons that can think for them selves, but its rare.)
secondly no one has mentioned Paul Schäfer Schneiderthe german pedofile who started a cult in chile or argentina im not sure exactly. the cult was called Colonia Dignidad (”Dignity Colony”)—later renamed Villa Baviera. It was like a religous based work camp and the man used electric shock as punishment for adults and as a sick form of sadism on the private parts of young boys and girls. the twisted perversions of this man make him one of the worst cult leaders ever I think.
Sorry its so long but I hope you take the time to read the whole thing
31. jfrater - November 3rd, 2007 at 1:59 am
Hunter: thanks for the comment - I will certainly do some research on the cult you mention - I have not heard of it before.
32. Marvin - December 6th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
nice work. Pretty educative and cautionary.
33. jfrater - December 7th, 2007 at 1:49 am
Marvin: thanks - people need to well aware of the dangers of these groups.
34. Menynten - December 14th, 2007 at 8:41 pm
yea, Schafer is a messed up guy, he was a child molestor who established a South American orphanage to fulfull his needs. And had a compound in which people were basically held as prisoners.
35. Lindsay - December 19th, 2007 at 1:46 am
Okay, Mormons may be strange, judgmental, hypocritcal, and a lot of other things…
But they are not a cult! If Mormonism (LDS) is a cult, then Christianity is. They’re a valid religion who worship God and the Savior.
36. Hunter - December 19th, 2007 at 4:26 pm
http://www.godandscience.org/cults/mormdiff.html
here is one of many sites explaining the differences between christians and mormons
37. Mystern - December 21st, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Wow. Here I am twice on the Notable Exclusions. I was born and raised LDS (Mormon) and my wife was born and raised 7th Day Adventist. I’ve never found anything too cultish about either of them, not more than any other religion that is. I think the confusion comes from the lackadaisical attitude of most religions’ doctrine versus the mandatory adherence of strict (nonstandard) doctrine in those two religions. In both SDA and LDS religions there are many hypocritical members who look down upon nonactive/non-practicing members thus leading to much resentment and eventual exodus from the religion.
Mormons consider themselves “Christian” in that they worship Christ.
The claim that the LDS religion is “the fastest growing religion in the world” is complete and utter bullshit, but it should be noted that it has increased dramatically in popularity recently. It currently counts it total members at about 15 million worldwide though only 40-60% of those are active.
I will be the first to admit that there are some odd doctrines in LDS theology (i.e. no coffee/tea/drugs, God having a physical form, living prophets), but no more so than, say, Catholicism (i.e. the Godhead, prayers to saints, forgiveness granted by priests), or SDA (most notably, belief in following the laws of the old and new testaments).
Yeah, I no longer practice any specific religion but I’d still be wary of putting the LDS and SDA religions into the cult category. The only thing cultish about either of them is the mandatory adherence to strict doctrine. But if you think a mandatory 10% tithe (Mormon) or no activities on Saturday (SDA) is harsh, then you should lump in not eating unclean animals (Jews) and tithes paying clergy (Catholicism, Lutheranism, SDA, dozens of other religions)(Mormons are an exception to this as no Mormon clergyman is paid, not even the prophet).
I’d also like to note that the majority of hypocritical Mormons are found in Utah and Idaho. Everywhere else they are pretty accepting.
As a last word there are always break-off groups who give various religions a bad name, try studying their doctrine before labeling them as a cult. You’d be surprised how your doctrines are viewed to them.
I think I’ll make a few lists of the top 10 religious misconceptions for various religions.
38. God - December 25th, 2007 at 4:54 pm
Ye humans are weird.
Did I really createth thee?
Musta’ been busy and y’all just kinda’ snuck in there.
Will be more careful next time.
39. Anya - December 26th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
International Churches of Christ is also a possible contender, having been banned from over 200 college campuses worldwide.
By the way, ICoC contracted a professor from a Texas university (both the name of the prof and the uni escape me at the moment) to try to prove they aren’t a cult. He set about administering personality tests and concluded that they *are* a cult, largely in part because in most mainstream religions, adherents display diverse personality types. In cults, however, members tend to change their personalities over time until the types all converge into one type - usually that of the cult leader’s. Say what you will about organized religion, but most mainstream religions don’t do the psychological damage that cults do.
40. ANEW - January 2nd, 2008 at 12:07 am
Anya : ” Say what you will about organized religion, but most mainstream religions don’t do the psychological damage that cults do.”
I forget what channel its on but there is a t.v. documentary/mini series called gods children or somthing to that effect, anyway its this lady training kids to be gods army. crazy $#!% if you ask me.
41. Anya - January 3rd, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Anew: I have heard about it, and it [i]is[/i] frightening. For what it’s worth, though, I did qualify my statement with the words ‘most’ and ‘mainstream.’ There are always zealots and extremists who will corrupt a theology or doctrine for their own purposes. My main point was that it is possible to quantify what makes a cult, and as far as I’m concerned, people will have a hard time convincing me that [i]all[/i] organized religions do as much damage as cults do.
I am biased, of course - a very close friend of mine committed suicide after being severely undertreated for schizophrenia and becoming involved with ICoC.
42. Anya - January 3rd, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Poop. I guess I can’t html in comments.
43. Anya - January 4th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Poop. I guess I forgot the difference between square brackets and angle brackets. *sigh*
44. fishing4monkeys - January 17th, 2008 at 6:33 am
Scientology and Heavens Gate should be #1 and #2 in my opinion…
45. Hunter - January 17th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
“This is a list of the top ten cults. In no particular order:”
46. sue - January 21st, 2008 at 3:16 am
i’m ugandan,so no.4 in particular creeps me out.i remember that story vaguely,it caused quite a stir in my country.
47. Tardly - January 23rd, 2008 at 9:09 am
Fun fact about mormomism : They believe that the angels who fought against god became demons, that the angels who fought along side god became white aryans, and that the angels who didn’t fight at all became black people. Oh yea, they also believe that Jesus hung out with the native americans.
48. jfrater - January 23rd, 2008 at 9:12 am
Tardly: the “Jesus lived in America” thing is hilarious.
49. Mystern - January 23rd, 2008 at 9:19 am
Tardly: Woah. Don’t go spreading hearsay about Mormons just cause it makes a good story. Technically, they believe angels to be spirits. The spirits who fought alongside God were given bodies and sent to earth (i.e. you and me). The spirits who fought against God were cast down to the earth without bodies (along with Lucifer). And the mark that was placed upon Cain and all his descendants was dark skin.
As for hanging out with the Native Americans, yeah, they do believe that. But only during the time after the resurrection.
50. SocialButterfly - January 23rd, 2008 at 9:30 am
Wow, I had no idea that the mormon religion was based on such racist claims!
51. Mystern - January 23rd, 2008 at 9:40 am
You want to talk about Mormon racism? Let’s talk about the fact that black men were not allowed to have the priesthood until 1978.
Tardly: I owe you an apology, you are correct that Mormons claim those who were “less valiant” in the “pre-existence” were born black people. But they also believe that there were no bystanders in the war in heaven.
52. SocialButterfly - January 23rd, 2008 at 10:05 am
I never said that other religions are not or were not racist what I said is that I had no idea that the Mormon religion was as well… that is ALL I meant.
See this is exactly why I do not believe in organized religion…
53. Mystern - January 23rd, 2008 at 10:13 am
SocialButterfly: Sorry for the tone of my comment. It was not directed at you. And I can see how that could be misinterpreted. I meant that Mormon black men were not allowed the Mormon priesthood until 1978
54. SocialButterfly - January 23rd, 2008 at 10:27 am
Oh… I am very sorry Mystern. I thought you were defending Mormonism.
Please accept my apologies.
55. Mystern - January 23rd, 2008 at 10:41 am
I don’t know why you’re apologizing. It was my fault. Just so we’re on the same page I’m very disillusioned by religion in general right now and especially the Mormon religion. If you insist though, apology accepted.
56. Hunter - January 23rd, 2008 at 4:46 pm
anyone ever hear of the F.L.D.S.? they are the shiites of the mormon religion. Warren Jeffs is insane, he was recently arrested for his outlandish beliefs.
57. Satori - January 30th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
Good point Hunter! And that’s pretty recent too.
58. Hunter - January 30th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
speaking of the mormons they recently lost their president Gordon B. Hinkley.
59. Rayvin - January 30th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
and they lowered the american flag for him
60. Melissa Kay Beeline - January 31st, 2008 at 2:28 pm
I like the list, I think it makes for great conversation … but I gotta make a suggestion: what if there were TWO lists: one for religion-based cults and one for non-religion based cults? As in “Human Potential” groups like ESP/NXIVM, Landmark, Sterling, PSI, etc. Some would say Scientology falls into that category except for the fact that they SAY they are a religion, I guess Dianetics is the Human Potential part of it?
Anyway this is just a suggestion! And check out
www.rickross.com (I am in no way affiliated with the website, just have learned a lot from it) for LOTS of info on all types of cults!
61. Polly Odyssey - January 31st, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Hey, my best friend is Mormon.
I don’t consider Mormons cultists.
62. Mystern - February 1st, 2008 at 6:19 am
Polly: I was a Mormon. They may not be a cult but they come close.
Melissa: I went through Landmark. I will certainly say that it is a cult. But at the same time I don’t really regret it (ties though it may have to CoS)
63. xoxo - February 1st, 2008 at 8:15 pm
i dont think you can consider one mainstream, or not mainstream, religion i guess, to be a cult without considering them all a cult. if mormons are, then so are christians, its the same damn stuff in a different package. all religion is a cult in one manner or another. all of it. it doesnt matter if they preach love and peace, people still join it to feel needed and loved, which is the same thing that those who joined these top 10 needed.
64. Hunter - February 2nd, 2008 at 12:09 am
I agree without a shadow of a doubt
65. Vodie - February 6th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
I smell a sequel! You did well, JFrater, and Mormonism, Roman Catholicism, Freemasonry, any Amish and Amish-like ‘religion’, and Pentecostalism (e.g. ‘Jesus Camp’) should be in a future list. (That is, if you plan on making one)
Cults are just extreme forms of mass indoctrination.
Regarding the moonies: My friend’s going to Korea for a year to teach English…I should tell him to beware of them.
66. Schiesl - February 13th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
how about Dr. Bob Dobbs “Church of the Subgenius”?? that one is weird
67. Stratus - March 14th, 2008 at 7:11 am
just reading through all the “well if THIS is a CULT, then surely THIS should be one” comments.
I think people are comparing the broad definition of New Religious Movement with the more specific definition of Destructive Cult.
Destructive Cults are often incredibly authoritarian, use psychological coercion techniques to control the behaviour of members, employ high secrecy about the inner workings of ‘the organisation’, promise dire consequences for anybody wanting to leave… and are.. well.. destructive - you know.. Charles manson.. not a nice guy.. jim jones - 900 followers dead…
I think people should be allowed to believe in and give their money to any old weird thing they like - The flying spaghetti monster creating the world with the touch of His Noodly Appendage is no weirder than any of the hundreds of other beliefs in even the most popular and recognised of world religions.. but neither the Church of the Sub Genius nor the Pastafarians meet the criteria for destructive cult. (And in the case of the church of the FSM, they start out by stating their ‘religion’ is satirical protest
)
h-stratus
68. messiah - April 3rd, 2008 at 2:01 am
Everyone should be aloud to believe what they desire, although in my opinion there are no leaders or rulers, we were put here for a reason, but what that is we do not know. but isn’t that what makes it so interesting.
However i don,t condole cults that are based around murder or rape. these acts are a violation of our human rights. And yes everyone has rights. BELIEVE WHAT YOU WANT TO BELIEVE, BUT DO IT WITHIN THE LAW.
69. Stratus - April 3rd, 2008 at 2:38 am
messiah - I agree.. believe as you like.. but do it within the law..
Where this starts to get a bit less straight forward is beliefs are in direct conflict with local laws. For example - some cultures believe in arranged marriages and both partners are not always willing - when does this become forced servitude/slavery or rape??
What of all the religions who talk and teach openly anti-gay beliefs - how loud do they have to get before local hate-crime, or anti-discrimination laws are broken.
But it’s easy to see how difficult it gets - I’m glad I don’t have to write the laws -
70. stayFITbikeco - April 10th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
christianity
71. ATN - April 14th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Hi jfrater
Interesting set of choices for a top ten list. And to list
COBU first was curious to me. Were you ever part of COBU?
You surely must have had a personal run-in of some sort to
even know who they are. COBU was not well recognized, I think.
72. Hunter - April 21st, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Have you guys been keeping eye on Texas lately? If not all of mormoninsm I think that the FLDS or fundamentalist church of jesus christ of ladder day saints,needs to be another honerable mention. The church’s ranch was recently raided and the kids taken away because of a girl calling on a child abuse claim. The police then discovered beds near the alter of the temple for get this “deflowering” (when a young girl hits puberty the older members of the church would deflower her infront of the other members.
73. Steve2 - April 24th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
a couple of others that are on the wacked out list:
Strong City
The Roberts Group
There could be a whole lot more added, sad to see so many people so unhappy and weak-willed to be taken in by so many cults
74. Cath - May 15th, 2008 at 9:20 am
Hunter, just to mention that the FLDS church is not the same as, or have the same beliefs as the LDS church. it is a break off group, and I, being an LDS member, am disgusted by what those men have done. as is everyone im sure.
and about what Tardy said:
“47. Tardly - January 23rd, 2008 at 9:09 am
Fun fact about mormomism : They believe that the angels who fought against god became demons, that the angels who fought along side god became white aryans, and that the angels who didn’t fight at all became black people. Oh yea, they also believe that Jesus hung out with the native americans.”
Just because you saw a silly “banned” cartoon on youtube, doesn’t make what its saying true. we DO NOT, i repeat DO NOT believe that “the angels who didn’t fight at all became black people” that is just a whole load of rubbish. if you are going to post something like that, please be more informed than something you saw on youtube. most of that cartoon is untrue, just like most of the anti-mormon stuff, little bits of truth with a whole load of lies. it is not fair to make false comments like that. say as many nasty things as you want, just make sure its the truth.
75. Hunter - May 15th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
yes I am aware of the difference notice I said “if not all mormonism” perhaps I should have been more clearon what I meant. By the way did you notice they escorted the children out on Baptist buses, I found that quite entertaining
76. Riya B. - May 15th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Ok, whoever said flds isn’t a cult really hasn’t been watching the news lately…
77. Reyairia - May 29th, 2008 at 4:36 am
Lawl, sorry mormons, but I’m pretty convinced that you started out and still are to a degree, part of a cult. It’s quite clear if you know how cults work. Just because it’s been a few hundred years since a leader dies does not mean that it isn’t harmless anymore and that’s what pisses me off; people seem to think that any religious movement that hasn’t been around for 2 centuries is a cult, moreover anything that has been around for more than two centuries cannot be a cult.
78. Mom424 - May 29th, 2008 at 5:37 am
Hunter; I hate to split hairs, but geez. Its Latter Day Saints not ladder day. What they’re firemen? or they play internet games? Latter, like following. or later.
I’m getting a headache. Slamming my head against the wall with incredulity.
79. Hunter - May 29th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
lmfao
80. dark mage - June 5th, 2008 at 11:23 am
you forgot the Skull and Bones society.
81. Teacher - June 10th, 2008 at 10:08 am
How the hell could you not include the lyman family??or the process church of the final judgment??come on man!
82. Road Runner - June 10th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Great list! But you failed to include the most devastating three cults of all: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The world would’ve been a much happier place if they never existed! Well, you can thank the “Hebrews” for planting the seed and there so-called messiah and for destroying the world…
83. Lizzy - June 10th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
If Christianity is a cult then so is paganism.
84. Hunter - June 10th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
they both are… cults are an aspect of everyday life. just some are more extreme and therfore draw more attention and negative feedback
85. excult1972 - June 17th, 2008 at 3:01 am
Great reporting and thoughtful questions. My opinion about cults is that the word has too many meanings which could be applied to any sub-CULTure…
But, when I think of a destructive cult, what I am thinking of is the groups that 1) use mind control techniques, 2) discourage or limit contact with outsiders and 3) believe themselves to be the ONLY way to heaven or peace or truth, etc.
I was in the Boston Church of Christ, International Churches of Christ, etc…. whose leader, Kip McKean has now broken away from to form the Los Angeles City of Angels International Christian Church. It is a damaging group- although no murder-suicides- but damaging in that it discourages members from thinking for themselves and believes itself to be the ONLY way to heaven. Which means that members can only leave by losing all their friends in the church and believing that to leave means going to hell. Therefore they will put up with just about any abuse from church leaders for fear of going to hell otherwise. It’s sick, actually.
86. geo - June 21st, 2008 at 6:32 am
where are the mormons? talk about mind control! and old joe smith not any different then the crazies mentioned above! Men 10 ft tall wearing amish clothing on the moon! or my favorite kolob the planet of god himself! and the magic garments! what a f–king joke
87. rushfan - June 21st, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Did you ever wonder what makes someone so gullible that they can be lured into a cult? I like to think my BS detector is strong enough to keep me out of a situation like these, but think about it, relatively smart people can end up in totally rediculous cults. Is it the alure of being part of something unique and mystical? Or is it a testament to the abilities of the cult leaders? I think it’s a great reason to try to raise free thinking children so they won’t be vulnerable to shit like this. If you raise kids to never question authority, they’re more vulnerable.
88. MPW - June 21st, 2008 at 10:07 pm
the need to feel needed or a smooth talkin cult leader
89. rushfan - June 21st, 2008 at 10:11 pm
hey, buddy. good answer. go to the forums!!! i’m bored!!
90. joseph - July 6th, 2008 at 7:06 am
you forgot the end of the world cult you also forgot westborobaptist church and the worst of them all SATANISM
91. Hunter - July 7th, 2008 at 12:31 am
satanism isn’t so much of a cult as it is a mockery of christianity.
92. sdggrant - July 7th, 2008 at 1:15 am
Do you even know what Satanism is, Joseph? It is a belief (religion, as you might call it) that we as human beings should take full advantage of our lives on earth because it is all we have. I am not an official member of the Church of Satan, but I am a firm believer in the words of Anton LaVey, and the Satanic Bible puts to rest all preconceived notions you might have of “Satanism.” I suggest you pick up a copy of the Book and read it before you put down a belief that isn’t nearly as violent or destructive as Christianity.
93. joseph - July 7th, 2008 at 8:24 am
sdggrant you are an idiot here is my email and i will PROOVE TO YOU that levay worships satan as an entaty i herd this “satanists dont belive in anything” shit before anton was a devil worshiper he worshiped satan and did some things bad things anyway my email si josephk_@hotmail.co.uk
ALL BUT THE 3 ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM ARE CULTS ONLY THESE 3 RELIGIONS ARENT CULTS
94. coolvibe - July 7th, 2008 at 8:29 am
Joseph, you are the idiot here. And sdggrant, you are right. And yes, all the abrahamic faiths are cults. The older cults get, the more socially acceptable their delusions become.
95. Hunter - July 7th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
I agree with coolvibe and sdggrant, joseph are you positive in what you are saying or is it what you were trained to say through years within the influence of your religion and popular media
96. sdggrant - July 8th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
You need a chill pill, Joseph. Would Jesus appreciate you calling me an idiot?
I did NOT say that LaVey didn’t believe in Satan. Please quote me where I said that? I said that Satanism is the belief that humans should take full advantage of their time on earth. Also, near the end of LaVey’s life he clarified that he believes in a “Satan” that is not an entity or individual, rather, he believed that “Satan” is a force or somesort of power that just Exists. And also, the only reason he named his new ‘religion’ “Satanism” was because it was the only name that would case the water to boil, if you know what I mean. Here is a quote from The Devil’s Notebook, a collection of essays written by LaVey.
“I have termed my thought ‘Satanism’ because it is most stimulating under that name….Satanism means ‘the Opposition’ and epitomizes all symbolsof nonconformity. Satanism calls forth the strong ability to turn a liability into an advantage, to turn alienation into exclusivity. In other words, the reason it’s called Satanism is because it’s fun, it’s accurate, and it’s productive.”
That was taken straight from the Foreward of the book.
I’ll dig through my books later and find the quote of LaVey stating he doesn’t believe in Satan in the biblical sense. Also try to be certain you are correct before you name call, otherwise you just sound like a jackass.
97. sdggrant - July 9th, 2008 at 1:35 am
For you, Joseph
“we have made no grandoise promises of infallible enlightenment and emphasized that each must be his or her own redeemer. The the extent of one’s superiority(if any) is governed by one’s human potential. That “Satan” is a representational concept, accepted by each according to his or her needs. That is the way it was in the beginning, that is the way it is now.”
“We have defied categorization, confounded labelers, knowing that the one label we bear -Satan- is controversy in itself”
Straight from an essay written by Anton LaVey. The name of the essay is ‘The Church of Satan, Cosmic Joy Buzzer,” just incase you wanted to check it up yourself.
98. Flag - July 22nd, 2008 at 4:41 pm
It’s flagging time!
Church of Scientoloonies have a new youtube account. Aww!
Tell them what you think of them by flagging their videos. I suggest flagging them under “harmful, dangerous content”, that sounds about right. Enough flags will get the account deleted.
http://www.youtube.com/user/ch.....ology?ob=4
99. Martin - July 23rd, 2008 at 3:33 am
Interesting. Please include Jehovah’s Witnesses. Was with them for 13 destructive years after being procured aged 13 which left me with my brains scrambled.
100. Alex - August 10th, 2008 at 10:14 am
You can clearly see the direction of which different cults are heading by seeing the fruits they bear. Murder/suicide, sexual abuse, sexual immorality have been a result of these most notorious ones. By getting to know the members of whichever group of people you meet, you will clearly see what kind of lives they live.
The Unification church, without a doubt in my mind, has made it so very clear that there is only true love between one husband and wife for each other. Premarital sex or adultery is the most terrible thing to destroy real, true devoted love. And think of the children born from irresponsible sexual practice. Youth should keep their sexual purity for the sake of marriage later. I have seen so many Unification members leading a life on these basic, and yet vital morals and principles that strengthen the family. Living for the sake of others, as brothers and sisters under God, no matter what religion or race you’re from, is another.
The Unification church upholds these morals and ideals. There is nothing wrong with that. Anyone is capable of practicing these morals. It’s those who do and who don’t, in which you can see the difference.
So I say one should meet the members of a group or cult and see for themselves, by the way of life they lead. Follow your God-given conscience. Also, look at the fruit which it bears. Then you’ll have a better idea of what it is.
101. Christianbeliever - September 6th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
“thanks” to everyone who calls Christianity a cult!
I am a Christian, and it doesn’t matter about your religion but about your relationship with Christ. There’s a big different. In true Christianity you don’t HAVE to go to church or anything, you just have to believe and have faith. It’s none of this ritual stuff that people keep talking about, and it is NOT a cult. I have tried relgion before and it didn’t work out, but now that I have a relationship with Christ, it’s pretty amazing.
102. toriie - September 14th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
What is the cult name that some of the presidents are known to have been in, including George Washington?
103. jfrater - September 14th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
toriie: it is a secret society called Skull and Bones. It is on the top 10 secret societies list.
104. Sarah - September 20th, 2008 at 8:03 am
Ive noticed that alot of these discussions and comments seem to be about mormonism. So as someone who grew up in a mormon family please let me knock some some sense into some of you ignorant people who obviously dont have the decency to actually get the whole story before assuming stuff. First of all if any of you watched the banned cartoon on youtube and actually think mormons believe that your stupid. Its a load of crap. They dont wear magic underwear yes they are allowed to use technology. Mormons do not worship seagulls or kill cats. These are just some of the crazy things ive heard..yes they dont drink coffee or tea or do drugs or drink they dont have sex before marriage but honestly is there ANYTHING cultish about that? If taking care of your body and having some self respect is cult like then i guess mormonism is a cult…but its not. I mean they have never committee mass suicide/murder, burned down churches, committee any illegal and heinous sexual acts. There are so many other religion out there that could be considered cults. Have you ever heard anything about mormon bishopric or prophet engaging in sexual acts with minors and the money mormons pay for tithe actually goes to what its supposed to go to. Oh yes mormonism has its share of inactive members who claim to be member but dont follow the rules JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER RELIGION! Please before you make any assumption just cause you dont agree with someones beliefs get your head out of your butt actually take the time to learn and dont go around bashing someones beliefs. Its childish and very rude. P.s uh Cath..thank you for being one of the few people on here to defend THE RELIGION not the CULT mormonism
105. Anna - September 20th, 2008 at 10:35 am
You know my mom taught me that two things you should never discuss are politics and religion. After reading some of these comments i must say i am appalled. Yes you are entitled to your opinion but some of those opinions should be kept to yourself. Going around bashing other religion is just awful. People should be able to believe what they want without others saying its wrong.
106. beldew - September 27th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
I am glad someone mentioned the International Church of CHrist. I was sucked in by them when I went to California all by myself and didn’t really know anyone. I was trying to get away from my boyfriend and he found me and was abusive. I knocked on doors in my apartment building and the only people that would help me were members of the church. They seemed nice enough and invited me to their Easter celebration. I was raised catholic and the Christian, so I thought it would be no problem. Fast forward about 3 months and they were baptizing me, telling me all of mys hsirts had to cover my bottom and I couldn’t date anyone outside of the church. Theya lso would show up at my apartment at 6 am so I could go to bible study at starbucks. Finally they told me that I should leave my apartment and move in with other sisters from the church. I got out of there quick. i moved to another town. They found where I was but by then I was in Berkely, bartenting and was able to tell them to shove off. I had found a great group of firends to hang with and I didn’t feel lonely. One of them was my maid of honor in my wedding two years ago and is my son’s godmother. I credit her friendship for keeping me away from this crazy group of people. They truly are a cult.
107. Jon - October 21st, 2008 at 5:52 am
I believe in enlightenment, and that any religion that teaches otherwise is a cult, because it is only through the light that God can be understood.
108. FACTS56 - October 27th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Reading thru various coments about other churches branded as cult ets, I have come to one conclusion.
You people dont know at all what you are talking about.Has any of you ever asked God what is cult? Do you people TRULLY PRAY?
Why do go around asking for opinions about God’s churches? However, I agree there are out-right bonafide cults out there.But what about churches that truly preach about God,Jesus and the Holy Ghost(eg the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints)?????
Most people run-with-the-pack and criticise because they can not keep up with God’s laws of life.They dont pray,dont go to church-they are confused about life.
Let me give you advice:Do not put yourself in direct confrontation with God by blindly criticising churches that endeavour to save lives.Ask yourself this: Why are there so few critics about people who carry knifes and guns??
Also answer this:There is a lot against christians and churches than against drunkards and drug users-why???
lets grow up and teach our children about God.
If you dont understand it, ask God not me.
109. Hunter - October 29th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
. FACTS56
my answer to your questions
one: There are few critics to those who carry tools. many people who have knifes use them for every day use or even to make a living. others use knifes and guns for self defense only.
granted there are those who brandish these items only as weapon and with malicious intent.
the reason this issue is less pertinent than that of cults is that cult are actively seeking individuals to harm, where as the gun carrier is an individual entity and not a large organized group.
Secondly where the fuck are you getting that information dude?….http://www.gunowners.org/fs0302.htm here is a list of anti gun groups celebrities and organizations all of which criticize these people. oh and have you ever heard of a movie called bowling for columbine?
2: again individuals vs. groups and yes there are groups out there that criticize these actions as well… MAAD one prime example
110. cult-uralist - November 13th, 2008 at 12:12 am
What is it with Texas, the Branch Davidians, the FLDS compound and I just heard of the House of Yaveh, a group of polygynists who are jewish-christian, belive the world was going to end in june 07 by nuclear war, and the guy is obsessed with STDs. One more thing, as a woman I am pissed that most cults are anti-women, and that is most noticable in the way they dress women, long dull skirts, boring shirts, no cutting hair and no make-up. Come on, if they’re going to opress women, at least let them look nice.