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The world’s most fanatical sects

Curiosities, English, Film - November 23, 2022
Image 1. The world’s most fanatical sects

Cults are distinguished from religious cults because they are inspired by the teachings of a person who is alive, or who was alive very recently; this individual is a kind of “chosen one”, who must fulfill some missions on Earth.

In this type of organizations, the followers must offer total submission to their leader, who must be obeyed even above governmental laws. Serious tragedies have occurred due to the fanaticism of the unwary in several of them, such as people who attacked themselves collectively, massive burning of people, among others. Let’s see “the most fanatic sects in the world”, according to experts.

Scientology

It was created in 1952, by the writer Ron Hubbard. Many movie stars joined the ranks of this sect, which already has millions of followers worldwide. It is believed that one of the rules of those who decide to follow this type of teachings is to lose contact with all those who do not believe in their ideas, regardless of whether they are part of the nuclear family.

The Moon sect

Better known as “The Unification Church”. It was founded in 1954, by Sun Myung Moon, in Korea. In its ideals, the most conservative values of Christianity prevail, but it differs in the belief of the Second Coming of Christ. In spite of the apparent freedom to leave the sect at any time, certain very drastic rules prevail, such as the obligation to maintain intimate relations by having a picture of the leader very close to the wedding altar and only wearing clothing sanctified by the leader.

The Manson Family

It is one of the “most evil sects in history”. It emerged at the end of 1960, in the United States. It was formed by young people who followed Charles Manson, who proclaimed himself their messiah, under the name of “the family”. They committed crimes, performed satanic rituals of all kinds and sacrificed several children. It is believed that, by means of hallucinogens, they managed to break the will of their followers.

The people’s temple

James Warren Jones was the founder of this movement, which caused the death of more than 900 followers, who committed suicide. This event took place on November 18, 1978. Jones persuaded his followers to lead an austere life in a place known as Jonestown, where they apparently lived in peace and harmony. The leader, in a fit of madness, forced all the members of his community to drink a mixture of cyanide, tranquilizers and sedatives, so that, according to him, they would rest in the peace of the Lord. This substance was consumed by adults and children. Warren died from a gunshot wound to the head and the scene found by the authorities was one of “the most chilling in history”.

The gates of heaven

This sect was created and directed by Marshall Applewhite, who voluntarily castrated himself and 7 other members of the community, who assured that humanity was going to be exterminated and that the only salvation was to abandon the body and the spirit, to be taken by extraterrestrials to other planets. For this reason, several people made a collective attempt against their existence, in which 39 people lost their lives. They were all dressed in the same way and each one carried in his pants pocket, a 5 dollar bill with 75 cents and in his hand, a bracelet that said: “the gates of heaven, visiting team”.

Aum Shinrikyo

In English means “supreme truth”. It was a sect created by Shoko Asahara, in Japan. In its beginnings, thoughts related to oriental sciences such as yoga, meditation and Buddhism were transmitted, but the founders and hierarchs of the sect committed all kinds of crimes against their opponents. On one occasion, they sprayed sarin gas on an entire village and as a result, 9 people died. They also carried out an attack in the Tokyo subway, where 12 people died. When the authorities found their leaders, they were sentenced to death.

The Order of the Solar Temple

Its founder was Joseph Di Mambro, in 1984. It was an esoterist group, which claimed to have Rosicrucian, Masonic and homeopathic knowledge. They mainly indoctrinated their dupes with an alleged early arrival of Jesus Christ and the change of a definitive era.

The sect became very famous because in the 90’s, more than 70 people took their own lives, convinced that their souls would go straight to Sirius. Among this large group of deceased followers, the bodies of its two founders were also found.

Fanaticism is a disease that could become very dangerous, both for oneself and for others. Because of a belief, all these people have even decided to take their own lives or ruin the lives of others. Worst of all, they are false beliefs invented by people who went mad, but who knew how to persuade the weakest minds.