LIST OF GROUPS REFERRED TO AS CULTS

This list indexes a diverse set of groups and organizations indicated in the popular press and elsewhere as a "cult" or a "sect".

Contents

Reliability of sources

Groups referred to as "cult" in academic sources

Groups referred to as "cult" in the media

A-C

D-F

G-I

J-L

M-O

P-R

S-U

V-Z

Key to abbreviated sources

References

External links

See also

Reliability of sources

This list of references for further research, cannot of itself reliably establish any harmful or beneficial attributes. The sources referenced must be , with the acceptable fact-checking required for all articles. Fact-checking does not imply that referenced opinions are either true or false, only that they are correctly attributed.
To deal with the very different uses of the term "cult", this article provides distinct sections. Some references may apply the terms "cult" or "sect" in a scientific way to mainstream systems of spirituality; other references may use those terms as pejoratives, and their application to specific groups can become controversial. Because of the perceived negative sense of the word "cult", very few groups or organizations show any readiness to accept the label of "cult" for themselves. The article Cult examines in depth the different definitions and common use of the term "cult".
Inclusion in the media list does not prove, in any manner, that a group functions as a "cult" or as a "sect", and all definitions of those words not excluded by the header inclusion criteria, are accepted. Media listings are almost exclusively references to opinions. Opinions are not facts.
Inclusion in the academic list implies that scientific standards or academically authoritative opinions have been utilized in determining a well-defined cult or sect status. All academic references should be articles in peer-reviewed sociological or psychological journals, or books by academics who have published extensively in either discipline in peer-reviewed journals.

Groups referred to as "cult" in academic sources

In the sociology of religion, the term 'cult' refers to one of four terms making up the church-sect typology. Under this definition, "cult" refers to a religious group with a high degree of tension with the surrounding society combined with novel religious beliefs. Sociologists of religion distinguish such a "cult" from "sects", which have a high degree of tension with society but whose beliefs are traditional to that society, and from "ecclesias" and "denominations" — groups with a low degree of tension and which espouse traditional beliefs. This definition of "cult" differs somewhat from the popular definition, and from the definitions used in other academic disciplines. It excludes any consideration of harm, manipulation, deceit or exploitation from what constitutes a cult — by this definition, a cult may be harmless, and a group that is not a cult may do a lot of harm.
In psychology the definition of cults is often "harmful groups." However, some psychologists use the term "cult" in a similar manner to sociologists. It is necessary to consult the sources themselves to ascertain which definition is in use in a particular instance.

★ Alcoholics Anonymous, Communal/Institutional ^{[1] [2]}

★ Church of Scientology Beit-Hallahmi, Benjamin in the ''Marburg Journal of Religion'' in 2003^[3];Bainbridge, W.S. and Stark, R. in ''Sociological Analysis'' in 1981.

★ Erhard Seminars Training (also known as "est")^[4][5][6]

★ Meher Baba

★ Sathya Sai Baba^[7]

★ Selfism psychology (Jung, Fromm, Rogers, Maslow, May)

Groups referred to as "cult" in the media

A-C

★ Aesthetic Realism ^[8]

★ Adidam

★ Tony Alamo (a.k.a. Alamo Ministries, Alamo Christian Foundation, Holy Alamo Christian Church, Gloryland Church) [1]

★ Al-Qaeda

★ Aquarian Concepts

★ Aum Shinrikyo

★ Beasts of Satan

★ The Body of Christ (a.k.a. Attleboro Cult)

★ Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University ,^[9],^[10], ^[11],^[12], ^[13]

★ Branch Davidians

★ Campus Crusade

★ Chen Tao

★ Church of Bible Understanding (COBU) (formerly "Forever Family")

★ Children of God (a.k.a. "The Family")

★ Church of God with Signs Following -One of the larger Snake handling groups.

★ Church of Scientology/Church of Spiritual Technology

★ Church Universal and Triumphant

★ Colonia Dignidad or Villa Baviera of Paul Schäfer

★ Concerned Christians

★ Contemporary architecture

★ Creativity Movement

★ Cult Awareness Network ("Old CAN")^[14]

D-F

★ Deer Tribe Metis

★ Dera Sacha Sauda

★ Elan Vital

★ Erhard Seminars Training ("est")

★ Exclusive Brethren ("Taylorite")

★ Falun Gong (cult/sect)

★ The Fellowship

★ Fellowship of Friends

★ Fiat Lux (cult/sect)

★ Freudianism

★ Friends of the Western Buddhist Order

G-I

★ Great Commission International (today known as Great Commission Ministries/Great Commission Association of Churches) ^{[15][16][17][16][16]}

★ Green Dragon Temple

★ for ''Hare Krishna'', see ISKCON in this list

★ Heaven's Gate

★ Hell's Angels ^[20]

★ Ho No Hana ,

★ House of Yahweh [2][3]

★ Iglesia ni Cristo ^[21]

★ InterVarsity

★ ISKCON (a.k.a. Hare Krishna)

★ Isis Holistic Centre (Heide Fittkau-Garthe)

J-L

★ Jeffrey Lundgren

★ Jesus Army

★ Jesus Morning Star

★ John Frum Movement

★ Jung Cult (Jungian psychology)

★ Kenja Communication; Kenneth Dyers(deceased;suicide re sexual allegations); Jan Hamilton

★ Landmark Education ^[22]

★ LaRouche Movement

★ Lifespring

★ London Church of Christ (historic)^[23]

★ Lu Sheng-yen

M-O

★ The Cult of Mac

★ Manson Family

★ Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon^[24][25][26]

★ MOVE

★ Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God

★ Mungiki [4]

★ Nation of Islam

★ Nation of Yahweh

★ National Labor Federation

★ New Alliance Party^{[27][28][29][30]}

★ New Christian Church of the Full Endeavor in Byron Bay - a branch of Endeavor Academy

★ New Kadampa Tradition

★ Nuwaubianism

★ Objectivism

★ Opus Dei

★ Order of the Solar Temple

★ Osho-Rajneesh movement

P-R

★ Pana Wave

★ Papua New Guinea human sacrifice cult

★ Peoples Temple

★ Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association

★ Providence

★ Politics in Jamaica^[31]

★ Quillabamba Pentecostal

★ Rae Chorze-Fwaz aka Rama computer cult

★ International Raelian Movement

★ Randian Objectivist movement

★ Rastafarianism

★ Roch Theriault
Pandurang Swadhyay Pariwar

S-U

The Society of Shaun Hudson & The Essendon Football Club

★ Sathya Sai Baba ^[32],^[33],^[34]

★ for ''Scientology'', see Church of Scientology in this list

★ Seas of David

★ Sky Kingdom (Malaysian teapot cult)

★ Soka-Gakkai

★ Soldiers of Heaven

★ Sukyo Mahikari

★ Suma Ching Hai

★ Symbionese Liberation Army

★ Synanon


★ Transcendental Meditation

★ True Buddha Lineage

★ Unification Church

★ United Nuwaubian Nation of Moors/Malachi York
Swadhyay Pariwar by Pandurang and Didi.

V-Z

★ The Way International

★ Werner Erhard and Associates ^[35][36]

★ Westboro Baptist Church of Fred Phelps

★ Wikipedia [9]

★ William Kamm

Key to abbreviated sources

★ - American Broadcasting Company

★ - Associated Press

★ - British Broadcasting Corporation.

★ - Encarta online encyclopedia.

★ - The Guardian.

★ - Insight Magazine (published by the ''Washington Times,'' a Unification Church publishing company)

★ - KOMO-TV.

★ - The New York Times.

★ - Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance.

★ - The Religious Movements Homepage Project at the University of Virginia

★ - Salon.com.

★ - San Francisco Chronicle

★ - The Age

★ - TIME Magazine

★ - Television New Zealand

★ - Washington Post's 1997 series, ''The Cult Controversy''.

References

1.
Chafetz, M. & Demone, H. (1962). Alcoholism and Society, New York: Oxford University Press, page 162, 165 as cited in Ragels, L. Allen "Is Alcoholics Anonymous a Cult? An Old Question Revisited" ''"We are struck by the sect or cult-like aspects of AA ... This is true in terms of its history, structure, and the charisma surrounding its leader, Bill W[ilson]"'' transcribed to Freedom of Mind, website and retrieved on August 23, 2006.

2. Alexander, F., Rollins, R. (1984). “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Unseen Cult,” California Sociologist, Vol. 7, No. 1, Winter, page 32 as cited in Ragels, L. Allen "Is Alcoholics Anonymous a Cult? An Old Question Revisited" ''“AA uses all the methods of brain washing, which are also the methods employed by cults ... It is our contention that AA is a cult.”'' transcribed to Freedom of Mind, website and retrieved on August 23, 2006.
3. http://web.uni-marburg.de/religionswissenschaft/journal/mjr/pdf/2003/breit2003.pdf
4.
Eileen Barker, ''New Religious Movements: A Practical Introduction''. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1989, ISBN 0-11-340927-3, p.149
"... movements which do not fall under the definition of religion used by the Institute [for the study of American Religion], but which are sometimes called 'cults'. Examples would be ''est'', Primal Therapy or Rebirthing."
5. Philip Cushman, ''Constructing The Self, Constructing America: A Cultural History of Psychotherapy'' Reading, Massachusetts, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1995, p.130. ISBN 0-201-62643-8
"Even today, abundance theory is alive and well in many religious cults and in restrictive psychotherapy trainings such as est."
6.
Steven Tipton summarizes his participant-observation of est in the keywords:

"2. organization: bureaucratic cult

"3. leadership: mystagogue

"4. rites: est training, guided fantasy "schema," therapeutic "share," encounter-style confrontations with trainer."

See: Steven M Tipton: ''Getting saved from the sixties: moral meaning in conversion and cultural change'', Berkeley: University of California Press, 1982, page 179. ISBN 0520038681

7. Morton Klass, ''Singing with Sai Baba: The Politics of Revitalization in Trinidad'', p.11 , Westview Press, (1991) ISBN 0-8133-7969-5
"Opinion, it is hardly necessary to observe, is divided. In the many published volumes of his sermons and speeches, and in the writings of his devotees, his is a "religion" and sometimes a "movement." On the other hand, the two scholars who have written extensively on Sai Baba and his followers in India (Swallow 1976, 1982; Babb 1986) refer to the phenomenon as a "cult".
8. "Monumental Man: The Controversial Story of poet philosopher Eli Siegel", ''Jewish Times'', August 22, 2003, Melissa Goldman, Cover Story.
9. ''Cults, Religion & Violence'' 2002 ISBN 0-521-66898-0 5
10. ''Millennium, Messiahs, and Mayhem, Contemporary Apocalyptic Movements'' 1997 ISBN 0-415-91649-6
11. ''The Encyclopedia of CULTS, SECTS, AND NEW RELIGIONS'' 2002 ISBN 1-57392-888-7
12. ''Religions in the Modern World'' pg 266, 2002 ISBN 0-415-21783-0
13. ''Spying in Guru Land, Inside Britain’s Cults'' 1993 ISBN 1-85702-329-3
14. "Defining 'cult' is no easy task, experts say" ''The Dallas Morning News'' March 28, 1993, viewed 5 March 2007
15.
Iowan tells cult experience

16.

17.
ISU Bible Study group: 'Wonderful' or 'a cult'?
18.

19.

20.
21. Religious cults may influence votes in Philippine election Uli Schmetzer (as cited by ProQuest)
22. ''Landmark is meer dan eens een sekte genoemd'' ["Landmark has been labeled a cult more than once"]. — Karolien Knols in the article "Drie spirituele dagen bij Landmark: 'Who wants to share?'" in ''Marie Claire'' (Netherlands edition), March 1999. Online transcript available at http://www.stelling.nl/landmark/marie1.htm (in Dutch).
23. Historic record - As of 2003, LOCC no longer functions as a centralized organization with common beliefs or practices.
24. Kämpar mot satanister och demoner. Härifrån styrs en internationell sekt. GUSTAV SJÖHOLM
25. Församlingen i kamp med kommunen. Sektbarnen går inte i skolan. GUSTAV SJÖHOLM
26. Var nära döden – nu lämnar han Glava-sekten. Hjärninfektion avfärdades som problem med Gud. ARNE SKORUP
27. Party with Political Agenda Portrayed as Anti-Semitic Therapy Cult Staff.

28. "A Cult by Any Other Name: The New Alliance Party Dismantled and Reincarnated," Anti-Defamation League Special Report, New York, 1995 [5]
29. Liz Spikol, "Group Hug: Is Social Therapy a political cult, as some have said?" ''Philadelphia Weekly'', June 12, 2002 [6]; author answers her own own question in "Boycott This Play!" ''Philadelphia Weekly'', Sept. 4, 2002 [7]
30. Tom Robbins, "Shrink Rapped: TV Gotti's alleged cult doc," ''Village Voice'', June 7, 2005 [8]
31. 'Cult politics' - Clergyman says party supporters will do anything to show allegiance Jamaica Gleaner 3-8-2007
32. ''Guru English:South Asian Religion in Cosmopolitan Language'' Princeton University Press 2005 ISBN 0691118280
33. ''In Pursuit of Lakshmi:The Political Economy of the Indian State'' 1987, ISBN 0226731391
34. ''Shamans, Mystics and Doctors:Inquiry into India and its Healing Traditions” 1991 ISBN 0226422798
35. "The Sorrows of Werner: For the founder of est, a fresh round of charges", Newsweek, February 18, 1991
36. "The New York Times, January 16, 2005, Gary Rivlin.

External links

Note: not all parts of all external sites linked here constitute the required for listing groups in this article. Researchers find partly-reliable sites useful because they may archive reliable source articles or quotations that are otherwise not available, convenient, or free to access on line. However, use caution in relying on brief quotations that may be taken out of context or quoted in error.

★ 1997 Washington Post series: The Cult Controversy

★ Apologetics Index - large Evangelical Christian database on religious cults, sects, and related issues

★ CESNUR article about anti-cult terrorism

★ Cult Awareness Network - currently run by members of Scientology (see: Wikipedia:Cult Awareness Network)

★ CultFAQ.org - Christian apologetics essays using well-documented cult/sect/NRM expert quotations. Selected links to "''What is a cult? What is a sect?''"[10] » ''Definition: Cult'' » ''Positive, Negative, or Neutral?'' » ''A Pejorative Term?'' » 'New Religious Movements' and other Euphemism'' » ''Cult? What Do You Mean?'' » ''Sociological vs. Theological Definitions'' » ''Types of Cults'' » ''What is a Sect?'' » (more at site)

★ Cult information site, with many links

★ Cultic Studies Journal: critical list of groups

★ FACTNet.org: nonaligned news and archive service on cult and mind-control issues. Extensive message board allowing discussion on all groups.

★ New Zealand Cult List: a list of cults and religions in New Zealand.

★ Rick Ross: a large searchable database on groups, including FAQs, history, overview of individual groups, and archived news-reports

★ SIMPOS: Netherlands-based listings (in English and in Dutch) from SIMPOS (Stichting Informatie over Maatschappelijke Problemen rond Occulte Stromingen [Foundation for information concerning social problems associated with occult movements])

★ Steve Hassan: critical list of groups

★ University of Virginia Religious Movements website: covers many groups; list includes all major religions as well as new movements; older entries no longer updated

★ William Shaw, ''Spying in Guruland: Inside Britain’s Cults'', Fourth Estate, London, England 1994.

See also

★ Cult - main article

★ Cults and governments

★ Parliamentary Commission on Cults in France

★ Groups referred to as cults in government reports