America has spawned hundreds of cults. Charismatic leaders periodically burst into the news for the most awful of reasons. We are awash with stories of brainwashed members’ struggles to leave. Meet the messianic leaders, see the indoctrination and manipulation, look at their beliefs, and read the stories of some of America’s most notorious, eccentric, and unusual cults!
From false religions and offshoots of traditional religions to political, financial, sexual, and hate groups, American Cults: Cabals, Corruption, and Charismatic Leaders looks at 40 groups and leaders, including their histories, deceits, manipulations, and twisted ideologies. Some rely on systems of obedience, submission, and dependency. More than a few have mystifying beliefs. Others are dark and murderous. You’ll encounter curious, bizarre, and sometimes upsetting stories of …
American Cults looks at why America is such a fertile ground for cults, how some people got caught in their webs, and how some managed to escape! With more than 120 photos and graphics, this tome is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography provides sources for further exploration, and an extensive index adds to its usefulness.
Daftar Isi
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Crystal Balls and Conspiracies
Prologue: What Makes a Cult Possible?
Part I: In the Beginning: Why is America Such a Fertile Field for the Growth of Cults?
Ch. 1. Lip-Service Religion
Ch. 2. Rebelliousness
Ch. 3. Entrepreneurship
Ch. 4. Religious Freedom
Ch. 5. Evolving Social Media
Ch. 6. Infatuation with Conspiracy Theory
Ch. 7. Living on “The Eve of Destruction”
Part II. Offshoots: Breaking Away from Traditional Religions
Ch. 8. Cyrus Teed and the Koreshan Unity
Ch. 9. Father Divine and the Peace Mission
Ch. 10. Jim Jones and the People’s Temple Full Gospel Church
Ch. 11. Jim Baker, the PTL Club, and the Return of Jesus
Ch. 12. The Evangelical Church, Politics, and the NRA
Ch. 13. Joshua, Jesus, Mohammad, and the Implications of Jihad
Ch. 14. David Berg and the Family International
Ch. 15. The Watchtower Society and Jehovah’s Witnesses
Ch. 16. Gay Rights, Free Speech, and the Westboro Baptist Church
Ch. 17. Jane Whaley, the Word of Faith Fellowship, and the Gospel of Prosperity
Ch. 18. David Koresh and the Branch Davidians
Part III. Science, Politics, Economics, and Metaphysics: A Codependent Relationship
Ch. 19. The Cult of Scientism
Ch. 20. The Dogma of Politics
Ch. 21. Multi-Level Marketing Cults (MLMs): Pyramids, Ponzis, and Profits
Ch. 22. The World of Metaphysics: “It Seems to Me …”
Ch. 23. Sun Myung Moon and the Unification Church
Ch. 24. Eckankar: Discovering God
Part IV. The Universe and Beyond: Answers from the Final Frontier
Ch. 25. The Christian Rapture, Carl Jung, and Flying Saucers
Ch. 26. The Church of Scientology
Ch. 27. Raëlians and the Elohim: Intelligent Design for Atheists
Ch. 28. Into the Universe: Latter-day Saints and the Colonization of the Cosmos
Ch. 29. Heaven’s Gate: Help from Above?
Part V. Prophets of the End Times: Telling the Future for Fun and Profit
Ch. 30. From 666 to the “Seventy Sevens”: What Does the Bible Really Say about THE END?
Ch. 31. From Nostradamus to Edgar Cayce and Beyond
Ch. 32. The Doomsday Clock
Ch. 33. Roch Thériault and the Ant Hill Kids
Part VI. The Rise of Racial Religion Cults and Social Media: From WASPS to Computers and Beyond
Ch. 34. From the Ku Klux Klan to White Nationalism
Ch. 35. The New Militia Movement
Ch. 36. Nuwaubian Nation: From Black Supremacists to UFOs
Ch. 37. Social Media and the Rise of Hate Groups
Ch. 38. Spoofing the Movement: Fun with Cults
Ch. 39. QAnon: Political Conspiracy and Religious Icons
Part VII. Sex in the City: The Dark Potency of Cults
Ch. 40. Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh: Coming to America
Ch. 41. Keith Raniere and NXIVM: The Case of the Self-Styled Revered One
Ch. 42. Sullivanians: Sex as a Way of Life
Part VIII. Conclusions: What’s Ahead for Individual Freedom?
Epilogue: How Do I Get Out?
Bibliography
Index
Tentang Penulis
Jim Willis earned his master’s degree in theology from Andover Newton Theological School, and he has been an ordained minister for over 40 years. He has also taught college courses in comparative religion and cross-cultural studies. His background in theology and education led to his writing more than twenty on history, religion, the apocalypse, cross-cultural spirituality, and the mysteries of the unknown. His books include Visible Ink Press’ Censoring God; Hidden History; and Lost Civilizations. He lives in the woods of South Carolina.
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