Download or read book Dangerous Cults In History written by L G Lazarus and published by Independently Published. This book was released on 2023-04-05 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Throughout history, individuals have sometimes found themselves joining destructive cults, in which a powerful leader is often held up as being divinely inspired. It's estimated that tens of thousands of people may be involved in cults of various sorts today, many of which lead to terrible suffering and tragedy. Let's take a look at some of the most dangerous cults in history. The Branch Davidians, led by the charismatic David Koresh, is probably one of the most famous cults of all time. This group was based out of Waco, Texas, and had several thousand members across the United States and other countries. The cult began to attract attention from the public and authorities when reports of child abuse and animal cruelty began to surface. The group stockpiled weapons and fortified their compound, which led to a 51-day standoff with the U.S. federal government which eventually ended in the deaths of Koresh and 80 of his followers. The People's Temple, led by Jim Jones, is another infamous cult. Jones began his ministry in Indianapolis, Indiana, and eventually relocated the church to a compound in Guyana, where it grew to over 1,000 members. In 1978, Jones orchestrated a mass suicide of more than 900 followers, leading to one of the greatest tragedies in cult history. Other dangerous cults include Aum Shinrikyo, based in Japan, which became notorious for its deadly gas attacks against innocent civilians. The Manson Family was another infamous cult, led by the charismatic Charles Manson. Though the group was eventually disbanded, Manson and his followers caused a lot of terror and chaos and led to the murder of several people. There have been countless other destructive cults over the centuries, and many of them have ended in tragedy or suffering for their members. Thankfully, through education and knowledge, we can help better protect people from becoming involved in these cults and help them see the truth behind the lies.
Download or read book Killer Cults written by James J. Boyle and published by St. Martin's Paperbacks. This book was released on 1995-05-15 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Deranged messiahs...brainwashed devotees...deadly consequences. Descend into the harrowing world of the Killer Cults. See for yourself how bands of self-proclaimed "angels of death," fueled by lust, power and the thrill of death, committed unspeakable acts of violence. Now, for the first time, author James J. Boyle takes you inside the inner sanctum of: The Manson Family: They prayed to their own warped vision of the Holy Trinity-- sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll. Under the spell of Charles Manson, a two-bit ex-con they worshipped as a god, they butchered nine people in their 1969 Hollywood killing spree, including beautiful actress Sharon Tate and her unborn child. The People's Temple: Reverend Jim Jones offered his congregation a vision of heaven and earth. Little did they know that following him to the South American jungle to await the Apocalypse would put them on the path to Hell. Luc Jouret and The Solar Temple: Belgian spiritualist Luc Jouret warned that the world would end in environmental armageddon. For Jouret and 53 followers of his secretive New Age cult, the end would come all too soon-- in a fiery mass-death ritual that shocked the world, and shattered the peace of an idyllic Swiss Alpine community. With 8 pages of harrowing photographs!
Download or read book Deadly Cults written by Robert L. Snow and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2003-11-30 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How does a Vampire Cult differ from a Satanic Cult? How do seemingly normal or ordinary citizens suddenly find themselves committed to a group whose leader promotes criminal activities and isolation from families and friends? What should you do if a loved one becomes indoctrinated by a potentially dangerous cult? This book focuses on various cults and their often criminal belief systems. Most readers are shocked by stories of mass suicides and ritualized cult killings, but few understand how such crimes come to be committed. Snow, a seasoned police officer with experience working on cult crimes, examines those cults that commit offenses from murder and fraud to kidnapping and sexual assault. By providing specific accounts of dangerous cults and their destructive acts, Snow illustrates how seemingly innocent groups can turn pernicious when under the sway of a charismatic leader with an agenda, or when members take things too far. He offers advice on how to avoid falling victim to cult indoctrination, concluding with chapters on how to identify cults, how to protect yourself and your family, and what to do if a loved one is ensnared by such a group.
Download or read book Cults Sects and New Religions written by M. M. Eboch and published by . This book was released on 2019-12-15 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Recently, cults have been a source of fascination, with various television shows, movies, and books portraying them in lurid detail. However, cults have existed since ancient history, and many new religious movements have proven to be harmless. What distinguishes a cult from a sect, and how do these new religious movements become accepted? What strategies are in place to prevent dangerous cults from forming, and how do these cults recruit members to begin with? Should cults and sects be granted the right to religious freedom? This volume explores the history of unorthodox religious groups and the debates surrounding them.
Download or read book The 5 Most Dangerous Cults In America written by Hamish Hassand and published by . This book was released on 2024-02-09 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Delve into the shadows of American society as a former cult member exposes the psychology, impact, and danger of the five most perilous cults in "The 5 Most Dangerous Cults In America."
Download or read book CULTS AND TERRORISM written by Frank MacHovec and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2009-01-09 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Describes the psychology of cults and terrorism with examples from ancient and modern history, the psychological concepts involved, how to detect and prevent them and treat its leaders and member-victims.
Download or read book Cultish written by Amanda Montell and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2021-06-15 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The author of the widely praised Wordslut analyzes the social science of cult influence: how cultish groups from Jonestown and Scientology to SoulCycle and social media gurus use language as the ultimate form of power. What makes “cults” so intriguing and frightening? What makes them powerful? The reason why so many of us binge Manson documentaries by the dozen and fall down rabbit holes researching suburban moms gone QAnon is because we’re looking for a satisfying explanation for what causes people to join—and more importantly, stay in—extreme groups. We secretly want to know: could it happen to me? Amanda Montell’s argument is that, on some level, it already has . . . Our culture tends to provide pretty flimsy answers to questions of cult influence, mostly having to do with vague talk of “brainwashing.” But the true answer has nothing to do with freaky mind-control wizardry or Kool-Aid. In Cultish, Montell argues that the key to manufacturing intense ideology, community, and us/them attitudes all comes down to language. In both positive ways and shadowy ones, cultish language is something we hear—and are influenced by—every single day. Through juicy storytelling and cutting original research, Montell exposes the verbal elements that make a wide spectrum of communities “cultish,” revealing how they affect followers of groups as notorious as Heaven’s Gate, but also how they pervade our modern start-ups, Peloton leaderboards, and Instagram feeds. Incisive and darkly funny, this enrapturing take on the curious social science of power and belief will make you hear the fanatical language of “cultish” everywhere.
Download or read book Secret Societies and Crazy Cults written by Jonathan J. Moore and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The World s Most Infamous Cults of All Time written by Conrad Bauer and published by . This book was released on 2020-08-11 with total page 76 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover the most infamous cults throughout history and how they left their mark on our World. Since the beginning of recorded history, there have been cults-shadowy organizations led by figures who rose up to teach beliefs that went against the mainstream and then, through sheer charisma and power of personality, managed to accumulate a group of fanatic followers. From ancient acolytes of syncretic religious systems such as Manichæism to more recent cults such as the People's Temple and Heaven's Gate, people have lived and died for belief systems that most of us view as being flawed-if not downright dangerous, deadly, and diabolical. How do these cults get such dedicated disciples? How are they so tightly organized and controlled? Just what is it that makes a cult-a cult? Come along with us as we answer these questions and many more. Get ready to be mesmerized, stupefied, and bewildered, folks, because here in this book we will take a look at some of the world's most infamous cults. Scroll back up and order your copy today!
Download or read book Cults That Kill written by Wendy Joan Biddlecombe Agsar and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2018-12-18 with total page 161 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A true crime author explores what happens when cults cross the line in this anthology of false prophets, true believers, and tragic consequences. Thousands of religious, political and self-improvement cults are active around the world, and an estimated two to five million Americans have been involved in a cult at some point in their lives. While not all cults are destructive, these stories demonstrate how unwavering faith in an infallible leader can lead lay the groundwork for criminal acts a heinous as murder or mass suicide. True crime author Joan Biddlecombe Agsar uncovers what really happened inside some of modern history’s most notorious cults, including: • The Manson Family Hippie devotees turn violent to manifest God’s race war • The Peoples Temple Hundreds of utopia seekers meet their end in the Guyanese jungle by ingesting a cyanide-laced drink • The Vampire Clan Teenagers consume blood and bludgeon an unsuspecting Florida couple to death • Heaven’s Gate Nike-adorned disciples commit suicide to transport onto a spaceship approaching • Earth Silvia Meraz Moreno’s Santa Muerte Cult Members collect sacrificial blood by slicing open victims’ veins while their hearts are still beating
Download or read book Cult Following written by J. W. Ocker and published by Quirk Books. This book was released on 2024-09-10 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A must-read for those with a taste for cult narratives.”—Publishers Weekly From the author of Cursed Objects and The United States of Cryptids, an eye-popping compendium of the 30 most infamous, audacious, and dangerous cults in history Have you ever wondered how ordinary people end up enmeshed in extreme cults? Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about history’s most notorious cults—and the psychology of the people who join them—is packed into this accessible, engaging volume. Walk in the footsteps of those who were lured into such sinister groups as: Branch Davidians: This cult was waiting out the apocalypse when the FBI infamously raided their compound in Waco, Texas. Los Narcosatánicos: This group of drug traffickers in 1980s Mexico committed human sacrifice and believed their leader had magic powers. Breatharianism: Breatharians believe that humans can live on air alone, and their founder claimed to have gone without food for seventeen years. NXIVM: This twenty-first-century cult attracted Hollywood actresses and engaged in sex trafficking, forced labor, and racketeering under the guise of personal development seminars. Heaven’s Gate: The Heaven’s Gate UFO cult ended in the suicide of thirty-nine members who believed they would ascent to a spaceship after death. In this fascinating collection, weird history expert J. W. Ocker sheds light on the terrifying attraction of cults, demonstrating the elasticity of belief, the desperateness of belonging, and the tragedy of trust.
Download or read book Cults written by Nigel Cawthorne and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2019-08-08 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The inside story of the world's most notorious cults. The strange and sinister world of cults is a source of endless fascination. Their secrets, rituals and shadowy hierarchies make for some of the most disturbing and shocking revelations in history. Most chilling of all is the fact that many of their followers forfeit all independence in order to carry out the often sadistic bidding of a mysterious master manipulator - and continue to defend their leader to this day. From Charles Manson, who instructed his followers to murder seven people, including a heavily pregnant Sharon Tate, to Aum Shinrikyo, the Japanese doomsday cult that carried out deadly terror attacks, and the People's Temple, these cults and their leaders transfix us with their extreme ability to commit savage acts of cruelty and depravity in the name of a self-appointed higher power. Many shocking and international cults are brought to life, including: - The Manson Family - People's Temple - Colonia Dignidad - Thuggees - Aum Shinrikyo - Skopsty - Raëlism - Heaven's Gate
Download or read book Warrior Cults written by Paul Elliott and published by Sterling Publishing Company Incorporated. This book was released on 1998 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Today's terrorists are not new. Terror, murder, and stealth have always flourished in close-knit, blindly obedient cults. In fact, the very word "assassin" has its origins in a medieval warrior cult of the Middle East, while the original Thugs were a secret band who terrorized India in the 19th century. Here is the whole gruesome history of groups that have used loyalty to commit murder and spread terror. Start with the mystery cults of ancient Greece and the secret Roman religion of Mithras with its bloody initiations. Follow the sinister Knights Templar, the Japanese Ninja and Triad clans, and the Chinese Boxer cult that led the famous uprising against the British. Each of these warrior cults had its own strict codes and rituals, yet its motivations may seem strange to modern minds. Today it's more urgent than ever to try to understand, as we attempt to protect ourselves against today's versions, made far more dangerous with the possession of biological, and even nuclear, weapons.
Download or read book Cults written by Natacha Tormey and published by Fonthill Media. This book was released on 2017-05-17 with total page 287 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Throughout history there has always been one thing that has influenced the way people lived and how they interacted: religion. Not only has religion been a source of peace and prosperity, it has also been the cause of many wars, murders and destruction. We begin with Joshua’s wars in 1500 BC when he led the Hebrews to their Promised Land, leaving a trail of carnage behind them. We continue our journey through time to the Zealot riots in Jerusalem, the Crusaders and the Inquisition, finally reaching the stories of cult murders and suicides in the last century. Throughout our journey we will attempt to find answers to the many questions that surround such incidents. How can an ordinary person or group of people be manipulated to such an extent that they willingly murder another life or take their own? What drives the leaders of such movements to turn their followers into war machines or killers? Is religion in itself to blame or are the culprits the interpreters of religious doctrines? Will society ever reach a point where religion is a personal belief or will it always remain a tool that is used to gain wealth and power? And lastly, when will it end? The author, who was abused as a child by the notorious sex cult, The Children of God aka The Family International reveals all in Cults: The Bloodstained History of Organised Religion.
Download or read book Cults written by Max Cutler and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2022-07-12 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mystery. Manipulation. Murder. Cults are associated with all of these. But what really goes on inside them? More specifically, what goes on inside the minds of cult leaders and the people who join them? Based on the hit podcast Cults, this is essential reading for any true crime fan. Cults prey on the very attributes that make us human: our desire to belong, to find a deeper meaning in life, to live everyday with divine purpose. Their existence creates a sense that any one of us, at any time, could step off the cliff’s edge and fall into that daunting abyss of manipulation and unhinged dedication to a misplaced cause. Perhaps it’s this mindset that keeps us so utterly obsessed and desperate to learn more, or it’s that the stories are so bizarre and unsettling that we are simply in awe of the mechanics that make these infamous groups tick. The premier storytelling podcast studio Parcast has been focusing on unearthing these mechanics—the cult leaders and followers, and the world and culture that gave birth to both. Parcast’s work in analyzing dozens of case studies has revealed patterns: distinct ways that cult leaders from different generations resemble one another. What links the ten notorious figures profiled in Cults are as disturbing as they are stunning—from Manson to Applewhite, Koresh to Raël, the stories woven here are both spellbinding and disturbing. Cults is more than just a compilation of grisly biographies, however. In these pages, Parcast’s founder Max Cutler and national bestselling author Kevin Conley look closely at the lives of some of the most disreputable cult figures and tell the stories of their rise to power and fall from grace, sanity, and decency. Beyond that, it is a study of humanity, an unflinching look at what happens when the most vulnerable recesses of the mind are manipulated and how the things we hold most sacred can be twisted into the lowest form of malevolence.
Download or read book Killer Cults written by Stephen Singular and published by Union Square & Co.. This book was released on 2021-06-29 with total page 279 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What’s scarier than a murderer? Someone with the charisma to compel others to kill for them . . . or to kill themselves. Meet these cult leaders—and get an inside look at their beliefs and how they controlled others. Some cults, led by leaders like Charlie Manson, Jim Jones, and David Koresh, are notorious. But others are less well known, such as Shoko Asahara and his doomsday cult, Aum Shinrikyo, who orchestrated the sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway. Or Joseph Di Mambro and Luc Jouret, who founded the Order of the Solar Temple, a doomsday cult that led to the death of 51 members by murder or suicide. Then there is Marshall Applewhite, leader of Heaven’s Gate, who, along with 38 followers, killed themselves in the belief that the Hale-Bopp comet signaled the arrival of a spaceship that would transport them to a higher plane of existence. What makes cult leaders so compelling is their often-unfathomable power over their adherents. Why do people kill others or themselves for a questionable set of beliefs? Killer Cults tells the stories behind both famous and unfamiliar cults, and the people behind them. Across a series of profiles, we learn the jaw-dropping truth behind some of the most mystifying and deadly cults, and their leaders, all of whom led their followers down a dark, murderous path.
Download or read book Cults and New Religions written by Douglas E. Cowan and published by Wiley-Blackwell. This book was released on 2008 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An overview of the development of new religions and the controversies surrounding them in late modern society. A stimulating, course-friendly overview of the history and development of new religious movements (NRMs) in the late twentieth century Explores eight cults and NRMs, including the Church of Scientology, Transcendental Meditation, Unificationism, The Family International, the Ramtha School of Enlightenment, the Branch Davidians, Heaven’s Gate, and Wicca Each chapter reviews the origins, leaders, beliefs, rituals and practices of a NRM, highlighting the specific controversies surrounding this group Covers debates including what constitutes an authentic religion, the validity of claims of brainwashing techniques, the implications of experimentation with unconventional sexual practices, and the deeply rooted cultural fears that cults engender.
