Killer Cults: Stories of Charisma, Deceit, and Death: 3 (Profiles in Crime)

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Cult worship can also refer to anything particularly trendy, and I’ve included an example of this towards the bottom with the cult of wellness. However, while this is a trend that can actually lead to death, there are also benign cult trends like “cult followings” of popular bands or TV shows. Although if your favourite guitarist tells you they’re God, or to start killing people in their name, that might be an actual cult… Who is involved: Looks at multiple industries and examines positive, negative and even outright fraudulent aspects of the practices. A few of the industries included are tantric sex (got your attention now, don’t I?), bee sting therapy and fasting. Each of the episodes has advocates on both sides, for and against, and examples of parts of the industry just going too far. Who is involved: The Church of Gibborim is a public church that believes in light and truth (from what I can tell) but also probably gives live force to the Gibborim, an alien race. All the members wear special bracelets they’re never supposed to take off, semi-abduct young people and are definitely quite cult-y. The Church of Gibborim is run by Leslie Dean, and to a lesser extent her husband, Frank, and daughter, Karolina. In addition to the Church of Gibborim, all of the main characters’ uber-successful parents are involved in ‘the Pride’ a “charity organisation” where they dress up and ritually sacrifice people. Parcast Cults did a two episode story on Constanzo and the Narcosatanists, released on June 19 and 26, 2018. [14]

The Most Infamous Cults in History - Insider

a b c d e Greig, Charlotte (2005). Evil Serial Killers: In the Minds of Monsters. New York: Barnes & Noble. p. 90. ISBN 0-7607-7566-4. Who was involved: The fictional cult depicted are the Kevinians. Twelve years ago they followed their leader, The Prophet (aka Kevin Groth), into the woods to build “The Community” and wait instruction from God, whom they know as “Charlie.” Why it’s one of the best TV shows about cults: I’m not 100% sure I would really classify this as a TV show about cults, however it does really dive into R. Kelly’s systematic abuse, manipulation and control of his victims, which is certainly common behaviour amongst most cult leaders. It also provides insight into how these types of charismatic people can have so much power over other people. So I am including it, but as an honourable mention.The world has known countless killers and criminals, but few whose vile acts are so devastating and inhumane that they still haunt the public to this day.

Addictive TV Shows About Cults | Cultura Obscura 28 Addictive TV Shows About Cults | Cultura Obscura

The cult believed that children born after 1981 were evil and needed to be exterminated. They also believed the world was going to end and that a spaceship would soon arrive to take them to another planet.Berg also encouraged sex with children. In one letter to members, he said, "God created boys and girls able to have children by about 12 years of age." What’s it about? 19 year old Esther “Esty” Shapiro (Shira Haas) is part of the ultra-orthodox (Haredi) Jewish community in Williamsburg, NY. After she finds herself in an unhappy arranged marriage, she escapes and flees to Berlin. Constanzo started to raid graveyards for human bones to put in his nganga, or cauldron. Before long, his cult decided that the spirits of the dead that resided in the nganga would be stronger (providing the cult more powerful protection) with live human sacrifices instead of old bones. The resulting killings soon totaled more than twenty victims, whose mutilated bodies were found in and around Mexico City. [2] This process escalated until Constanzo eventually decided that the gang needed the power of a brain from an American student, culminating with the 1989 murder of Mark Kilroy. But this one is pretty comprehensive, especially if you don’t really know much about Manson. And even if you do there’s still some new ground covered in Helter Skelter. It includes never-before-seen interviews from former members, journalists, and others involved in the case. The documentary takes a look at his childhood, how he became a charming, yet sadistic cult leader, and, of course, the murders.

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The second murder tied to the cult was that of Barbara Raposa in November 1979. Her body was found on a pile of stones resembling a crude altar. Her skull had been crushed and her hands had been bound. Why it’s one of the best TV shows about cults: IS use many of the same tactics cults use to recruit and brainwash members, including things like gaining and then exploiting trust, radicalising propaganda, love bombing, and exploiting psychological and economic vulnerabilities. In Caliphate the character we follow that is responsible for recruiting new members uses all of these methods. This show focuses on the women’s lives within IS, showing both the difficulties of trying to get out, and how someone vulnerable might get drawn in.

Who was involved: The Rajneeshees were followers of Bhagwan (later called Osho), and Indian spiritual leader and godman (in India this refers to a guru that has been elevated to godlike status by their followers). However, for many years the cult was at least partially run by his secretary, Ma Anand Sheela. The cult originated in Pune, India, but was moved for many years to Rajneeshpuram, a town they founded in rural Oregon. What’s it about? Following a tragedy, Matilda Grey (Lydia Wilson) is pulled into a 23 year old missing person’s case in a small Welsh town. In 1988, Constanzo moved to Rancho Santa Elena, a house in the desert. It is there where he carried out more sadistic ritual murders, sometimes of strangers and other times of rival drug dealers. He also used the ranch to store huge shipments of cocaine and marijuana. [4] Why it’s one of the best TV shows about cults: I think the sexual assault and abuse stories from the Catholic church are pretty well-established by now. After all, who hasn’t heard a joke about how all priests are pedophiles, or all nuns are evil? And isn’t there a similar joke about cult leaders marrying their 14 year old followers? How different, really, are some of these mainstream religions from so-called cults? Just because we all seem to know it’s happening in the church, do we really know how deep it goes? The Keepers seeks to examine the massive cover-ups by the Catholic church and understand why no one ever seems willing to break the silence. Like less mainstream cults, many leaders of the church are often afforded a degree of devotion by their followers, while also wielding a certain amount of power and fear over everyone in the church, which enable these abuses to continue – even if everyone knows it’s happening.