Cults

Cult - A particular system of religious worship with reference to its rites and ceremonies. There are many kinds, but the majority fall under four categories; religious, commericial, political, and self help. A cult is considered an extreme ground for a counter culture or religion. Throughout history, cults have been used manipulatively to recruite armies. For example, Hitler's people in WWII were considered to be in a cult because of the values, norms, and beliefs brought on them. Cults that use a belief system as their base are very common. Their belief system could be for religions such as Christianity, Hinduism, Islam or any other of the world religions, or they may have invented their own belief system. However, it is not always because of the shared beliefs that make them stay, it is often brainwash. []

__Famous Cults in History __

The Manson Family **- ** Known for the killing of the Sharon Tate and the Tate family as well as many other murders. Though, Charles Manson (the cult leader) was never charged for murder directly, he is believed to have brianwashed the five members of the cult to murder whoever he wanted. The beliefs of the group initially was that the environment needed to be saved, that blacks were inferior, and those who wronged them should be wronged equally (Hammaurabi's Code). [] media type="youtube" key="7DGKJrgfHcw?fs=1" height="385" width="480" 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

The People's Temple- If you've ever heard the expression "don't drink the kool-aid", this is where it originated from. Lead by Jim Jones, the People's Temple was a cult that reflected his darker interest in death beneath a veneer of Socialism, believing that true religious consciousness would lead to a socialist viewpoint. Jones believed 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. This, eventually leading into the largest mass suicide in cult history. The result of Jones brainwashing 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 []

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**Escaping A Cult Article**
But for Laura, who was born into such a world in the Muenster region in western Germany, it’s a bit closer to reality. She’s managed to escape the [|cult], but it was a long, painful process. “My father was well respected in the sect and he started training me at a young age to do what the circle wanted,” she explained. “That I allow everything to be done with me, that I wouldn’t cry or scream or respond to the pain, and that I would not say anything to anyone outside the group. We were supposed to do what the higher power wanted.” To Read More: []
 * It’s the stuff of insipid Hollywood films: cults in which [|Satan worshippers] drink the blood of animals and make human sacrifices during special ceremonies.**

media type="youtube" key="zLARVjMbajA?fs=1" height="385" width="480" A video made by me, with help from Kevin Spisak and some Excel Tech Kids. An example of brain washing in a cult.