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What's the harm in cults?
A cult is an organization that engages in non-mainstream beliefs and practices, and typically is very secretive and intimidates its own members. Read more about cults
Here are 1,898 people who were harmed by someone not thinking critically.
Cheryl AveryAge: 46 |
Murdered |
| The Avery family joined a Mormon splinter group led by a self-declared prophet when they moved to Kirtland in 1987. They were brutally murdered by the leader of this cult. Read more | |
Dennis AveryAge: 49 |
Murdered |
| The Avery family joined a Mormon splinter group led by a self-declared prophet when they moved to Kirtland in 1987. They were brutally murdered by the leader of this cult. Read more | |
Karen AveryAge: 7 |
Murdered |
| The Avery family joined a Mormon splinter group led by a self-declared prophet when they moved to Kirtland in 1987. They were brutally murdered by the leader of this cult. Read more | |
Rebecca AveryAge: 13 |
Murdered |
| The Avery family joined a Mormon splinter group led by a self-declared prophet when they moved to Kirtland in 1987. They were brutally murdered by the leader of this cult. Read more | |
Trina AveryAge: 15 |
Murdered |
| The Avery family joined a Mormon splinter group led by a self-declared prophet when they moved to Kirtland in 1987. They were brutally murdered by the leader of this cult. Read more | |
Suzanne DruauSt. Casimir, Quebec, Canada |
Suicide |
| New age doomsday cult Read more & more | |
Emmanuel DutoitAge: 3 months |
Murdered |
| He and his parents were brutally murdered, and then home was burned. They had been members of the Order of the Solar Temple, a fringe religious sect. Read more & more | |
Chantale GoupillotAge: 41 |
Suicide |
| New age doomsday cult Read more & more | |
Bruno KlaussSt. Casimir, Quebec, Canada |
Suicide |
| New age doomsday cult Read more & more | |
Mohamed Ibrahim Kader Mydin & Rosina Mydin PillayAge: 47 & 41 |
Killed |
| They were visiting family members when a male relative suggested their habit of smoking (and other ills) could be cured by being ritually beaten. The beating resulted in their deaths and several injuries, and many family members were arrested. Read more | |
Didier QuèzeAge: 39 |
Suicide |
| New age doomsday cult Read more & more | |
Pauline RiouxSt. Casimir, Quebec, Canada |
Suicide |
| New age doomsday cult Read more & more | |
Ricky RodriguezAge: 29 |
Suicide after committing murder |
| Ricky was a member of a cult whose leader approved sex between adults and children. That left Ricky with psychological problems that led to his murder/suicide in 2005. Read more & more | |
U.S. Congressman Leo J. RyanAge: 53 |
Murdered |
| Visiting Guyana to investigate reports of abuse within a cult that had many members from his district, Congressman Ryan was murdered as he attempted to leave the country. Read more | |
Julia M. SiverlsAge: 41 |
Died (dehydration) |
| Julia decided to take up yoga, but in reality she may have joined a cult. On a retreat in Sedona, Arizona, she was sent on a grueling hike with very little water. She pleaded to stop but was denied. She died of dehydration. Read more | |
Angela SmithAge: 51 |
Murdered |
| Angela was a member of a cult known as The Family International. The leader of this cult encouraged sex between adults and children. One of the children abused in this way grew up into a troubled man who killed Angela and then killed himself. Read more & more | |
Javon ThompsonAge: 18 months |
Died |
| When he wouldn't say "amen" at mealtime, members of the One Mind Ministries where he lived concluded he was a "demon" and allegedly starved him to death. His body was found 2 years later in a suitcase in Philadelphia. Read more & more & more | |
Richard Wendorf & Naoma QueenEustis, Florida |
Murdered |
| A man who believed he was a vampire formed a cult with several teenage followers. They murdered one of the teenage follower's parents and were prosecuted for it. Read more & more | |
16 peopleVergers plateau, France |
Murder / suicide |
| New age doomsday cult Read more & more | |
39 cult membersRancho Santa Fe, California |
Mass suicide |
| The members of the Heaven's Gate cult convinced themselves that a UFO arriving with Comet Hale-Bopp would take them away. They committed mass suicide. Read more | |
48 peopleAge: 10 to 72 |
Murder / suicide |
| New age doomsday cult Read more & more | |
5 peopleMorin Heights, Quebec, Canada |
Murder / suicide |
| New age doomsday cult Read more & more | |
76 peopleWaco, Texas |
Died |
| When ATF agents showed up at the Branch Davidian complex in Waco to serve a warrant, the members of the sect were not cooperative. The situation spiralled out of control and tragedy resulted. Read more & more | |
778 cult membersKanungu District, Uganda |
Mass murder |
| The leaders of this Ugandan church predicted that the world would end on January 1, 2000. Church members sold all their belongings and stopped work to prepare. When nothing happened, the situation spiralled toward disaster. Read more & more | |
913 peopleJonestown, Guyana |
Mass murder/suicide |
| Jim Jones led a popular church called the People's Temple, but became increasingly paranoid that a nuclear holocaust was imminent. He moved the entire church to Guyana. When people came to ask questions, tragedy ensued. Read more & more | |