The weirdest and most shocking cults in history

When Congressman Leo Ryan traveled to Jonestown to investigate, members of the group shot him, triggering an incident that would kill nearly 1000 people. Jones convinced his followers that if they didn't take their own lives, the Temple would be dissolved. In total, 909 people died from self-inflicted cyanide poisoning.

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Raëlism - Frenchman Claude Vorilhon, who later changed his name to Raël, started this cult in 1974. He claimed aliens once handed him a Bible and told him humans were the future.

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Raëlism -

For years, they were seen as innocent alien-believers and amassed a huge following. Then in 2002, things took a weird turn when a Raëlian-owned company claimed to have cloned a human.

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Raëlism - The whole situation became so controversial that even the White House weighed in. To this day, no actual evidence of the clones has surfaced, but the company is still selling a US$9,000 "embryonic cell fusion device."

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The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - The FLDS Church is a Mormon fundamentalist organization formed by leader Warren Jeffs.

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The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - The spiritual leader is considered a prophet of God and is the only person in the community who has the power to perform marriage and reassign women and children to other men.

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The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - The community practices polygamy, and underage women are often forced into marriages with older men.

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The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - In 2011, Jeffs was convicted of child sexual assault, and is currently serving a life sentence in federal prison. He was also convicted for accomplice to sexual assault for arranging marriages between older men and underage women.

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Aum Shinrikyo - The Japanese doomsday cult was responsible for the sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway in 1995, and a few other domestic terrorism acts as well.

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Aum Shinrikyo - Many of the leaders were sentenced to death following the attacks.

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Aum Shinrikyo - In 2007, Aum Shinrikyo was split into two followings: Aleph, which retained much of the original membership, and Hikari no Wa, the more peaceful successor.

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The Westboro Baptist Church -

The church was founded by Fred Phelps in Topeka, Kansas, and is known for extremist beliefs and provocative protests that aim to slander and disrespect others.

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The Westboro Baptist Church - They travel around the country picketing military funerals and holding anti-homosexual protests.

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The Westboro Baptist Church - Widely known as a hate group, the church believes that God hates homosexuals, politicians, soldiers, and other religious organizations.

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The Twelve Tribes -

The group started in 1972 in Tennessee as an offshoot of a teenager prayer group who broke off from their Presbyterian church. They have since gathered an international presence.

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The Twelve Tribes -

Among the things they teach, the Twelve Tribes claim that Jews were responsible for the death of Jesus Christ. This hippie-like cult has been accused of exploiting their children for slave labor and tax evasion.

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Branch Davidians - Formed by David Koresh in 1959 in the US, the group united over the belief that the end of the world was nearing.

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Branch Davidians - Members stockpiled guns, preparing for an alleged apocalypse. In 1993, federal agents caught wind of the group's activities and raided the compound.

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Branch Davidians - The raid caused a 51-day standoff that escalated into a gun battle and an eventual explosion set off by members of the organization. In total, 76 people were killed.

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Nuwaubian Nation -

Previously known as the United Nuwaubian Nation of Moors, this personality-based cult revolves around leader Dwight York, who convinced people that aliens were coming and humans should prepare for a battle with Satan.

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Nuwaubian Nation -

Following York's instructions, followers bought land in the state of Georgia and built the Egyptian-themed compound Tama-Re. York was eventually sentenced to life after it was discovered he was running a huge child molestation ring.

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Heaven’s Gate - Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles founded the cult in 1975, at the time called Human Individual Metamorphosis. The group traveled to the Colorado desert to await the alleged arrival of a UFO.

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Heaven’s Gate - After the UFO did not arrive, the group moved to San Diego, CA, and changed their name two more times before settling on Heaven's Gate.

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Heaven’s Gate -

In 1997, 39 group members were found dead in matching clothes from cyanide poisoning.

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The Church of God with Signs Following -

Possibly one of the wackiest cults ever, the CGSF are also known as "snake handlers."

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The Church of God with Signs Following - They believe snakes are a manifestation of demons, so they pick the animals up and let them slither all over their bodies as a demonstration of their faith.

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The Church of God with Signs Following -

As it would be expected, dozens of snake handlers have died from poisonous bites, which they don't even treat because they believe God will get rid of the poison.

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Supreme Master Ching Hai - The self-titled Supreme Master Ching Hai, who was born in Vietnam in 1950, claims she can channel "God's inner light." She has over 20,000 followers and an international business group that finance her flamboyant lifestyle.

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Supreme Master Ching Hai -

The Supreme Master also preaches environmentalism, although she built an artificial island in a protected mangrove reserve in Florida, which ended up being seized by the federal government.

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The Manson Family -

The commune was established in California in the 1960s.

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The Manson Family -

Led by Charles Manson, the group was ultimately responsible for the murders and assaults of several people.

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The Manson Family - Manson and his followers were apparently inspired by The Beatles' music, which sparked their plan to start a race war and prepare for an imminent apocalypse.

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The Manson Family - The cult gained fame and created a nationwide sensation in the United States after murdering actress Sharon Tate, who was eight months pregnant.

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Happy Science -

The Japanese cult was founded in 1986 by Ryuho Okawa, who truly thinks he is the human impersonation of a supreme being.

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Happy Science - The cult is basically a mix of world religions, New Age hokum, and far-right nationalism. Ryuho Okawa even went as far as to found a political wing, the "Happiness Realization Party."

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Happy Science -

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Peoples Temple -

Founded in 1955 by Jim Jones, the Peoples Temple of the Disciples of Christ gained followers by promoting itself as a religious movement tied to Christianity.

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Peoples Temple - In 1977, after years of gaining followers and alienating them from society, Jones created a settlement for his cult in Guyana, which he called Jonestown.

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Peoples Temple -

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Raëlism - Frenchman Claude Vorilhon, who later changed his name to Raël, started this cult in 1974. He claimed aliens once handed him a Bible and told him humans were the future.

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Raëlism -

For years, they were seen as innocent alien-believers and amassed a huge following. Then in 2002, things took a weird turn when a Raëlian-owned company claimed to have cloned a human.

Getty Images

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The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - The FLDS Church is a Mormon fundamentalist organization formed by leader Warren Jeffs.

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The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - The community practices polygamy, and underage women are often forced into marriages with older men.

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Aum Shinrikyo - The Japanese doomsday cult was responsible for the sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway in 1995, and a few other domestic terrorism acts as well.

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Aum Shinrikyo - Many of the leaders were sentenced to death following the attacks.

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Aum Shinrikyo - In 2007, Aum Shinrikyo was split into two followings: Aleph, which retained much of the original membership, and Hikari no Wa, the more peaceful successor.

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The Westboro Baptist Church -

The church was founded by Fred Phelps in Topeka, Kansas, and is known for extremist beliefs and provocative protests that aim to slander and disrespect others.

Getty Images

21 / 39 Fotos

The Westboro Baptist Church - They travel around the country picketing military funerals and holding anti-homosexual protests.

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The Westboro Baptist Church - Widely known as a hate group, the church believes that God hates homosexuals, politicians, soldiers, and other religious organizations.

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The Twelve Tribes -

The group started in 1972 in Tennessee as an offshoot of a teenager prayer group who broke off from their Presbyterian church. They have since gathered an international presence.

Getty Images

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The Twelve Tribes -

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Branch Davidians - Formed by David Koresh in 1959 in the US, the group united over the belief that the end of the world was nearing.

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Branch Davidians - Members stockpiled guns, preparing for an alleged apocalypse. In 1993, federal agents caught wind of the group's activities and raided the compound.

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Branch Davidians - The raid caused a 51-day standoff that escalated into a gun battle and an eventual explosion set off by members of the organization. In total, 76 people were killed.

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Nuwaubian Nation -

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Nuwaubian Nation -

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Heaven’s Gate - After the UFO did not arrive, the group moved to San Diego, CA, and changed their name two more times before settling on Heaven's Gate.

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Heaven’s Gate -

In 1997, 39 group members were found dead in matching clothes from cyanide poisoning.

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The Church of God with Signs Following -

Possibly one of the wackiest cults ever, the CGSF are also known as "snake handlers."

Shutterstock

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The Church of God with Signs Following - They believe snakes are a manifestation of demons, so they pick the animals up and let them slither all over their bodies as a demonstration of their faith.

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The Church of God with Signs Following -

As it would be expected, dozens of snake handlers have died from poisonous bites, which they don't even treat because they believe God will get rid of the poison.

Shutterstock

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Supreme Master Ching Hai -

The Supreme Master also preaches environmentalism, although she built an artificial island in a protected mangrove reserve in Florida, which ended up being seized by the federal government.

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The weirdest and most shocking cults in history

From Charles Manson to Jim Jones, learn about their enigmatic and dangerous leaders

22/10/24 | StarsInsider

LIFESTYLE Cults

As humans, we tend to have a fascination with cults, as they initially attract people with ideals of a utopian community. However, what usually starts out with an enigmatic and charismatic leader wanting to unite a group of people often turns into a tyrannical dictatorship with disastrous consequences. Many of them escape notice for several years and even decades, while others are at the center of media attention and continue to exert influence over millions of people.

The world has a long history of terrifying and gruesome cults that took things too far and continue to shock us even today. Take a look at a few of them in this gallery!