Top 10 Cults
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A “cult” typically refers to a social group devoted to beliefs or practices that the surrounding population considers to be outside the mainstream. Cults usually expect a large amount of time and money to be devoted as well. And sometimes a cult will ask the ultimate price, your life. Here are 10 cults that have changed the way the world looks at cults.
10. Scientology
Scientology may not be considered a true “doomsday” cult as most others on this list are, but it still has a stronghold all over the world, and its fair share of detractors who tell stories of mind control, financial devastation, and criminal activity leading to the deaths of those trying to escape the religion. Created by L. Ron Hubbard in 1947 in his first office on La Brea and Sunset in Los Angeles, Scientology is a religion based on the idea of clearing the “thetans” of outer space entities from the human psyche, with intense therapy sessions that rely on the use of a crude lie detector test, known as an E-Meter. Followers: Beck, Tom Cruise, Priscilla Presley. Scientology runs centers all over the world, but its best known is the Celebrity Center in Los Angeles, where many of its most renowned members come to “get clear”.
9. Hare Krishna
Founded in 1966, the Hare Krishna cult was a fixture in the seventies, with yellow-robed disciples panhandling at every major airport and intersection. The epitome of hippie idealism, Krishna followers believed utterly in the God “Krishna” who was actually a character created for a novel, Mahabaratha. The distinctive, relentless chanting practiced by followers of this cult actually meant “the energy of the Lord”. Krishna followers lived a hardscrabble, Spartan existence, with the barest level of sustenance, and very little sleep: they suffered for their religion, believing that they would be rewarded by ascension to a spiritual paradise after many reincarnations. However, not every member of the Krishna organization suffered: the higher echelons were well fed, housed in luxury, and surrounded by women catering to their every need. Although the Hare Krishna’s may also escape “doomsday cult” status, there are dark tales of disciples willing to do anything for their religion, including robbery and murder. Famous Followers: The Beatles, for a time.
8. The Unification Church
Better known by the mocking nickname, “Moonies”, the disciples of Sun Myung Moon believe that Moon himself is the divine being, or Messiah. His status as the second coming of Christ allows him to live in royal fashion, supported by his many followers all over the world. Moon was unwelcome in Germany, being banned from the country, along with his wife, as a potentially dangerous influence on German youth: they were not allowed to enter Germany until 2006. It is believed that the cult lures in young people and separates them from their loved ones by making them feel a part of a new and more loving family. Moon expects to be treated as God, because he believes he is God, or so he has led his many followers to believe. Other belief systems of the Moonie cult are that an actual kingdom of heaven exists on Earth, not solely in the afterlife, as Christians believe. Korea is the chosen realm of this kingdom, according to Moon, who has earned millions and millions of dollars from Koreans, his chosen people, while preaching that Christian churches are the devil’s instruments.
7. Children of God
A seriously twisted cult that delivered an evil message that sex with children was natural and right, The Children of God cult was also known as the Family and was founded by David Berg. Known for turning female cult followers into prostitutes who used sex to entice men into the cult, they were the purveyors of “The System”, a doctrine that included belief in the Apocalypse. Actress Rose McGowan of Charmed was raised in the cult, and so was River Phoenix, who later died after an overdose in front of Johnny Depp’s Viper Room. The cult’s system of sexual abuse and “flirty fishing” (the use of sex to lure new members) makes it a particularly nasty addition to our list.
6. The Ku Klux Klan (or KKK)
Spawned from the intensely racist Christian Identity Movement, The KKK practiced cold-blooded acts of murder during their reign of terror, at its most potent during the time after the Civil War. But their activities, born out of a desire for white supremacy, did not stop there. Famous for the meetings they attended, fully hidden by white robes and hoods, and the burning crosses they would erect to frighten those they despised, the KKK membership swelled to almost four million at its peak in 1928. The KKK had many enemies, looking down not only on the entire black race, but also on Catholics, Jews, and other non-white races
5. The Manson Family
One of the most notorious cults of the modern age, the Manson Family was small, but deadly. Led by charismatic leader Charles Manson, a juvenile delinquent who sodomized other boys while in detention, Family followers believed in Helter Skelter, a massive retaliation by the black race against, in their own words, “whitey”. They also shared Manson’s belief that the Beatles’ White Album was sending them messages about how to participate in Helter Skelter. Songs like Piggies”, from that album, inspired drug-addled murderers like Charles “Tex” Watson and Patricia Krenwinkel to go into the Hollywood Hills and commit the gruesome murders of successful, rich members of the upper classes. When Roman Polanksi’s pregnant fiancée, the stunning actress Sharon Tate, begged for the life of her unborn baby, she was told, “I have no mercy for you”.
4. Heaven’s Gate
A true doomsday cult, Heaven’s Gate followers believed in UFO’s and that the Earth (and everyone on it) was about to be “wiped clean” and “recycled”. The only chance of escape, preached leaders Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles, was to get off the planet – immediately. Such teachings were the harbingers of mass suicides, and the followers were prepared with instructional videos and teachings, to leave their “flesh bodies” behind, and ascend to a new level of being. When the Hale-Bopp comet appeared in 1997, Applewhite had the sign he needed. Convinced that a spaceship was waiting just beyond the comet, to rescue his followers, he ordered the suicides of 38 followers, who believed it all. The 38 followers, and Applewhite, were all found dead in a beautiful house in San Diego in 1997.
3. The Solar Temple
Another cult with a charismatic leader, Luc Joret, the Solar Temple also preached the message of Apocalypse, claiming that it would come through natural disasters. Only Solar Temple converts would escape the fate of mankind: since they were the faithful, they would be spared. The Solar Temple devotees believed that suicide was actually salvation, and that they would be really be going on a journey to a star called Sirius. These beliefs were so strong that, in 1994, 53 members of the cult were found dead of suicide in a compound near Geneva, Switzerland. Joret, having earned more than 93 million dollars instilling this doctrine in his followers, was one of the dead in Switzerland, apparently also on a “death voyage” to a distant star: Joret started out as Gestapo officer during World War II.
2. Branch Davidians
David Koresh was a charismatic leader who taught his followers that the United States Government was the enemy of God. Also preaching the now-familiar refrain of apocalyptic terror and destruction, Koresh installed all of his followers at a compound in Waco, Texas, with some serious weapons, and instructions to fear and fight the authorities that “threatened” their life at the cult. Koresh enjoyed the bodies of his young female followers, while painting himself as the Messiah. In February of 1994, the ATF went out to the compound, to investigate allegations of the sexual abuse of children as young as twelve, and the illegal hoarding of weapons. A famous standoff ended in tragedy as canisters of tear gas were tossed into the compound by the ATF, resulting (maybe?) in fires that caused the death of 76 members. There is much contention about whose fault the tragic fire was: the controversy continues to this day.
1. The People’s Temple
Jim Jones, the leader of The People’s Temple, was an odd child who was intrigued, at a very young age, by religious zeal and a strong interest in “death”. From these abnormal beginnings, Jones rose to become a macabre symbol of mind control and brainwashing. Jones cloaked his darker interest in death beneath a veneer of Socialism, believing that true religious consciousness would lead to a socialist viewpoint. He felt that the Bible was ridiculous; a sort of joke or fairy tale, and his followers grew in numbers as he refined his own doctrine. Eventually, Jones and his disciples had to flee the United States, as they were pressured by the government regarding charges of violence, abuse of followers, and illegal cult activity. They escaped to a settlement in Guyana, which Jones named (naturally) Jonestown. This is where the largest mass suicide in cult history was played out, the result of Jones convincing his followers that they were being pursued by foreign governments who would torture them and hurt their children. Gripped with terror, 909 followers (including many children) drank the infamous Kool-Aid and gave their lives over to the cult, forever.
By Heather Matthews. Please help Heather’s career as a writer and order her new book, Carolina, today.
Related top 10 lists
I really enjoyed the Heather Matthews article on Cults. Great research, and well crafted!
Thanks so much! I love writing and I really care about what I write. Your nice comment made my day and I hope to add more lists in the future
Heather
Very informative list. I’d like to suggest Aum Shinrikyo (sp), another doomsday cult.
I remember hearing like a jillion times the Kool-Aid was actually Flavor-aid.
Cheap jerk! Everybody knows you gotta get brand-name!
one word for you – HALO – 15 million strong and growing
What about Christianity and the catholic chuch???
Mormons? Jehovah’s Witnesses? And anyone else who shows up on my doorstep uninvited to preach “the word.”
@ dano: here’s a tip that worked for me (off topic,kinda…) two men came to my house and were not pleased that i wouldn’t welcome them inside. i explained that i was not a church-goer, but i didn’t come to THEIR houses, interrupting THEIR day, to tell them, hey, I don’t go to church and i don’t think YOU should, either. Word got around, evidently, because i had no more visits from jehovah witnesses, baptists, mormons, etc.
Small correction to the Jim Jones entry… the government was indeed going to come get them for the murder of Congressman Ryan. He and two others were gunned down at the Georgetown airport by members of the cult. Ryan had been there to investigate the cult’s activities for the US government. Shortly after this Jim Jones realized he was out of options because you can’t kill a congressman and not expect severe consequences. Being the lunatic he was he led a ritualistic mass suicide of the cult.
Very good article. Only suggestion is to cite some sources for numbers and such… gives your piece more credibility. Great read though!
You forgot the biggest cult in the world, Religion. I mean come on, everyone knowns the bible is just a book, as are all the other “sacred” texts. Seriously, get you facts right.
Hi,
There are many religions: for example, Buddhism would never qualify for cult status, as it is a cheery, peaceful religion. I can certainly understand that religion has led to terrible violence i.e. The Crusades and other efforts to convert people who should have been left alone. Nonetheless, I was focusing on cults with a strange or bizarre twist, and I knew if I put Catholicism on this list I would offend many people. I wanted to list the top ten as it exists in my own mind. We all have our our mental top ten lists
Everything is open to interpretation and argument, and I appreciate the feefback.
I agree that Christianity should be listed as a cult, but if not then definately some of it’s offshoots like the Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons.
Too bad there was no mention of The Church Universal Triumphant / Summit Lighthouse. They are far bigger today than a lot of these organizations are.
And no Church Of The SubGenius?!
saying that the Mahabaratha is a novel is like saying that the Bible is a novel and Jesus is one of the characters….fyi
It just depends on your beliefs, I guess: many people don’t believe that Vyasa dictated the book to the elephant god Ganesh, which is also part of Mahabaratha lore. Many people I know don’t believe the Bible is a sacred text, either: religion is such a personal issue, isn’t it? I’m sorry if you were offended, and thank you for the feedback.
i would like to thank evrey one for not
picking on atheists:)
Add to the list: Atheists. LOL.
The FLDS should have made this list. They are the most recently mentioned “cult” in the news.
When I made the list, I was focused on people who live together in the same compound, who’ve given over their whole lives to their beliefs. I guess the KKK is the only cult on my list that doesn’t meet this criteria, but they are so evil that I felt compelled to add them here. I would have to agree with a lot of your comments about certain other religious organizations qualifying for cult status – sorry there was not room for everything
Most don’t know that Moon of the unification church was actually crowned King of Peace by members of the United States Congress along with many main-stream Religion leaders, in a US Senate building. You can find it on the web-it’s real! As goofy as it sounds. Bear in mind, the video is, I believe, some of the Moonies’ propaganda, but the footage is real.
Ukelelemike – thanks for the info. That is really something – I was shocked
I’m having a little trouble with your definition of a cult. From your responses in the comments section, you seem to believe that cults are “evil” or prone to doing bad things. That’s not the case. From a sociological standpoint, a cult is a religion or sect that is considered extremist or false usually under the guidance of a charismatic (often authoritarian) leader.
For that reason, Christianity is not a cult (it’s not extremist, nor is there an authoritarian leader), but offshoots of Christianity can be (Branch Davidians, for instance, as well as some of the more extreme branches of Mormonism).
The KKK is not a cult since it’s not a religion. It’s a white supremacist organization, a hate group. As twisted as it sounds, the members are almost exclusively Protestant Christians.
A better inclusion on this list would perhaps be the Rajneeshpuram in Oregon in the 1980s or the Aum Shinrikyo that someone mentioned in a comment above.
I don’t think most people here would question that the groups included on my list are cults. I do beleive that cults are generally a bad thing – absolutely. I also never said that Christianity should qualify for cult status, and I didn’t put it on my list. The KKK practices all the most negative characteristics of a cult, and I think they belong here: they have killed people who don’t fit in to their tightly constricted ideas about who belongs in society.
This wasn’t meant to be the definitive list of all time: rather, it was meant to entertain and educate people about the cults that were most interesting to me. I hope you enjoyed reading the list, even if you don’t agree with my choices.
Sorry for the confusion…the Christianity comment was a response to others in the comments section that thought you should include Christianity, Catholicism, or religion in general in your list.
Two points, though:
Cults are not inherently bad (although a follower of any other religion may immediately brand them so simply due to a difference in beliefs, but that’s a different discussion altogether). The major religions began as cults. Christianity began with a man and twelve disciples and grew/evolved to what it is today. And for all the problems that religious conflict has caused (and is still causing), the promotion of peace, goodwill, and tolerance is never a bad thing.
Inclusion of the Ku Klux Klan in a list of cults because of their negative characteristics and their killing of others that don’t fit their ideas opens the door to any number of hate groups or gangs such as the Aryan Brotherhood, Hell’s Angels (and other biker gangs), Bloods, Crips, and Latin Kings.
Again, I think it’s just a difference in our definitions of the word “cult.” But, in either regard, it’s a fascinating topic, and your list was very interesting and informative. I enjoyed both reading it and the subsequent debate.
Thanks
It’s a fascinating topic, isn’t it? I really do enjoy debating the whole thing, and I appreciate your thoughts and feedback. 
Cult is generally used to describe a negative group. The Backstreet Boys are a nice group. The Jackson 5 were a cult lead by the evil Joe Jackson. The logic is rock solid. We all have our own opinions which is what this excellent top ten list brings out. I am a master debater!
bigbottom, where does The Cult fit in?
What about Mormons?
It wasn’t Kool Aid they drank in Jonestown, it was Flavor Aid
I really enjoyed your list, but I feel that your comment about Buddhism being a ‘cheery, peaceful religion’ is misplaced. All religions have militants and fanatics. Buddhism is no different.
Krishna is a Hindu god, although in some sects merely relegated to an avatar of Vishnu, there are many other Hindu sects in which he is the main god. The Mahabaratha is not considered a novel but a Hindu Religious text or epic myth. He has been worshiped since at least the 4th Century BCE. He represents virility and creativity, and is often depicted surrounded by adoring women or playing a flute. Rock star.
thanks for the information about Krishna. I believe our culture and upbringing have a great effect on what we do or don’t believe is sacred. It’s a very personal thing, tied up with our family’s values, and our ancestry. I always appreciate reading the thoughts and views posted here
Some of these comments remind me of Emo Phillips’ stand-up when two people meet, go through five or six levels of their churchs’ histories and finally arrive at a difference. “Die, heretic!” cries Emo. If you’d like a decent reference, there’s a book caled “Kingdom of the Cults”….
Actually, Sharon Tate was married to Polanski for a year and a half when she died.
thanks Jim.
I think Scientology should probably be looked at as a little bit more dangerous than it was in this article. http://www.whytheyaredead.net
I understand that Scientology is dangerous. I’ve watched those videos as well. However, when you get into accusations of murder etc. on an entertainment website, based on Web videos, it’s a little sketchy. Believe me, I’m no friend of Scientology. Thanks for your feedback.
why my reply aint on here?
I remove all comments that have vulgar or abusive language, even when disguised with alternate spellings. You are free and encouraged to have your own opinion, but state it with respect. This is a PG rated site.
I think you should check your facts on how Krishna was introduced. I am a religious studies major and can verify that the statement regarding Krishna originating from a novel is false. In the Vedic Religions (also known as Hinduism) Krishna is a very well-loved demi-god who is mediator in many stories and parables. This religion has been around longer than Buddhism, dating back over 2000 years. So if you’re going to write about a religious cult, just make sure that you note in this case that Hare-Krishna is a branch off of the original Vedic Religion of the far east.
Jean, thank you for this information on Krishna. Your comment, knowledge and expertise are appreciated.
Why all the talk about adding Mormons into the top ten list of cults? I can see how back when it began it could be considered one, but nowadays the LDS Church preaches nothing but goodwill and love and families. It doesn’t treat it’s members bad and it doesn’t kill people in the name of christ… It is more extreme than basic Christianity only because it offers more teachings. Not different necessarily, but more! Just because you hate it does not mean that it has to be a mean and evil cult.
There are positives to having faith. The sense of community and the ideals of certain religions can be inspiring. My grandparents were devout Christians and they were the kindest people you would ever want to meet. Fanaticism is the problem with some cults: member lose perspective and tolerance. If Mormonism is positive for you and your life, then that’s great. When religion separates, it can be very negative.
Great list. Very informative. It’s fun to look back at these hall of famers. Kinda expected to see Amway or the Girl Guides in there somewhere, but there can be only 10 in a top 10.
Only sad my Common Sense based group, Dawn of the Annointed Awakening, didn’t make the cut this time around. But this list reminds us of why we got into the business.
http://www.sourceoftheword.com
My attempt to explain how one defines CULT. And how YOU may be willing to join one!
As a converted Mormon (plus eight years now), my opinion is that “the Church”–such is how it is called by its “members,” itself another common appelation among the LDS to refer to those on the rolls of the Church–is cultish at the least.
Note: Jan Shipps, one of the foremost non-LDS historians of the LDS Church, also refers to it in its origins as a “cult” (Shipps, Mormonism, pp. 47-51). Unfortunately, Shipps’ definition of “cult” is entirely academic, sociological, and external: She sees successful cults as those that develop and become dominant or mainstream traditions, a fate she sees as shared by the LDS Church. Thus she refuses to judge her subject and proceeds with her narrative with archival pleasure and ambition.
However, living the faith is another matter: The prospect of living in a “part-member” family really brings the cultish character of the faith into relief. If children are involved, then one parent not being “active,” i.e., going to church regularly, can easily end a marriage and divide a family. (This seems more destructive to me than what one finds in mainstream religions.) The whole emphasis on being “sealed for all time and eternity” to one’s spouse and children, and the heavy indoctrination of youth through all manner of expected activities outside of the three regular Sunday church hours, lends great force to the bind that the Church keeps “weak” members (those in need of “strengthening”) in: to split from the Church creates a serious threat to one’s family and great pain and confusion to one’s children for not having a parent of “integrity” (I’m quoting all the buzz words here.)
Add to this the expected annual “tithing settlement” with the Bishop (he–always he–is like the head preacher of a given “ward” or church community–usually numbering from 300-400 people). One must go with one’s family to answer the Bishop’s question, “Do you pay a full tithe?” As invasive as this may sound to mainstream protestants, this “interview” setting is quite common in the Church, extending to regular “worthiness” or “Temple” interviews with youth and adults. Waywardness is watched for vigilantly, and to me this seems cultish. In fact, now the Church puts barcodes on “Temple recommends” and the Bishop of each ward gets a weekly report of who in the ward has been faithful in going to the Temple (another expected outside-regular-Sunday-Church-meeting activity of “faithful,” “valiant,” “worthy,” “active members”).
Connected to “Temple worthiness” (imagine being a member of a church where you are formally considered a less worthy member than someone else), there also are levels of acceptance and prestige in the Church as well: If one has a genealogy that goes back to the original members of the Church (1830s), that is quite special. If one has ancestors who were part of the 19th century “Pioneers” who traveled across the US to Utah, then one is certainly pedigreed. Being a relative of one of the Church leaders in Salt Lake is certainly a way into the Church aristocracy, and there are various other ways to ascend in this informal Church hierarchy, including perhaps most importantly the attending of BYU or one of its satellite campuses in Idaho or Hawaii.
I don’t have time presently to talk about the importance of “sacrifice” and “service” in the Church. Suffice to say that the emphasis on these can be quite overwhelming in terms of (voluntary) time commitments from the faithful.
Hi Phyllis,
Wow. Thanks for that information. I appreciate your taking the time to share all your experiences and insights. It is certainly interesting to read about these faiths from an insider’s perspective.
what about the Illuminati
I disagree with people who call ISKCON a cult.They just want to give ISKCON a bad rap.
I disagree with people who call Scientology a cult.They are just trying to give Scientology a bad rap.
Hi CJHD,
I do see both ISKCON and Scientology as cults, I’m sorry you don’t agree – particularly with regard to the Church of Scientology, which requires grave financial sacrifices on the part of its converts, and tends to seal members off from non-Scienos (even their own families, in some cases). Thanks for your comment.
9 position hare krishna was wrongly writen without much research. krishna is a very famous hindu god. and it is not known as “a character created for a novel, Mahabaratha”. mahabharat is also not a novel.
thanks for the info. Sorry for any misunderstandings about the writeup on Krishna. The sources I checked all gave the same information, but I should have checked more. I appreciate the feedback.
The United Nuwaubian Nation Of Moors had a larger following than the Branch Davidians, and people will still to this day will tell you that the word of their leader, The Supreme Grand Master Dr. Malachi Z. York, is the truth. Here’s an old article written before the demise of York. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,27708,00.html?iid=chix-sphere
Thanks for posting the article, I look forward to reading it in the near future
Have a great day.