Religious Cults

One person's alternative religious belief is another person's cult. However, dangers and snares abound for people seeking to enlighten themselves spiritually. Nearly all cults strive to present a...

The differences between a recognized religion and a cult can be very subtle. Author Michael Shermer lists basic qualities that define a religious cult, as well as the reasons they are so dangerous.

College cults prey on students who are lonely and homesick, or who have problems adjusting to life on campus. These groups exist in larger cities where they have more opportunities to lure in...

A cult is known as a particular set of system of religious worship. Many people believe in different cults all over the world. Learn how you can being a cult.

When people hear about mind control techniques, they either think of dangerous ideas such as cult brainwashing or lesser known and usually more innocuous efforts such as NLP hypnosis. Mind control...

Cult psychology refers to an area of social psychology that examines the behavior and interaction of cohesive groups that share beliefs or practices differing from mainstream groups. Cults are...

The term "blood cult" evokes many images, concepts and theories in the human mind. Blood is the liquid substance that keeps all humans alive, and a cult is a group of people devoted to beliefs and...

Cults are religious groups that have not received approval by the state or other official organs as recognized religions. In modern times, the word "cult" has come to mean any religious group that...

Many of us have seen stories of people joining cults, and we think that could never be us. But many cult members have probably said the same thing. Most cults have a religious affiliation, but...

Developing a solid chronology of various cults can be challenging, because much of the information is secret or convoluted. In early eras, cults consisted of people who worshipped the same god or...

One of the key functions of a destructive cult is to prey upon people who believe they are beyond being lured. Thus, it is essential to understand the qualities that make a group a cult and the...

History books document the Greek contribution to present-day Western civilization. Literature, architecture, parts of our legal system--these are all well-known gifts from the Greeks. But might...

Cults are groups of people that follow an often messianic leader. The followers often give up individual rights in order to conform to the leader's policies and dictates. One of the common traits...

Modern-day cults normally involve radical beliefs, dominating leadership and obedient followers. However, cults did not always take this form. Cults trace their beginnings to mythology, religious...

Cults are popular among those who feel as if they do not belong to anything and have no place in society. Leaders search for lost, lonely and many times quite vulnerable members. Korea has a high...

The Branch Davidians and other religious cults begin by targeting people that are most likely to join their ranks. Often this means individuals that are vulnerable due to weak social support...

The polytheistic, multi-national Roman Empire was filled with religious practices that were thought both strange and foreign by contemporaries. However, in the context of the ancient world, the...

Cult life can affect genders in significantly adverse ways. Women can see cults for the freedoms they seem to pose but quite frequently don't deliver. Many of these cults prey on women because of...

Are there cults that wear long black robes, either on an everyday basis or in their ceremonies? A look into the world of cults shows that the vast majority of these organizations do not wear long...

Cults are groups which usually center around a single leader who determines the theology of the group. The phenomenon of cults isn't new, but cult life continues to thrive today. Cults will...

Death cults, also known as destructive cults, are becoming more prevalent in the world today, but many aren't aware of the dangers they pose. While the media has reported on many of them, very...

Cults can be scary, mind-numbing places and you probably want to go out of your way not to associate with them. But they can also be tricky. Cult members will sweet talk and manipulate to bring in...

Few people plan to fall victim to coercion tactics used by cults. However, we are all sometimes prone to make a mistake in judgment. If you or someone close to you has been mislead by an immoral...

Close to 200,000 Americans join cults each year. For years, it was thought that cults primarily attracted young people; but in recent years, more senior citizens have been lured to them as they...

Cargo cults are the ultimate in materialism, even though members of these cults generally have very little in the way of the possessions they so covet. Typically, cargo cult members belong to...

Cults have a bad name. Often justifiably. All too often people involved in cults believe they’ve not only found their souls but saved them as well. History is written by the victors, it is said,...

Most people who find themselves tangled in the ideas and beliefs of a religious cult had no intention of joining a cult. These people are often looking for acceptance, but end up with the wrong...

People join cults in search of emotional and spiritual understanding. Wanting to belong to a group and the search for spiritual or religious enlightenment are natural human desires. However, not...

Wondering if your loved one has fallen prey to a religious cult is a terrifying situation. Though cults rarely use extreme methods that put members in real physical danger, the emotional and...

As diverse as cults may be in their teachings and individual creeds, there are undeviating similarities that identify them as cults. There are certain tactics involved in gaining and retaining...