It’s hard to believe that cults are common, or even popular, in American history, but cults have a long-storied past in the U.S.
The Manson “Family”
Charles Manson is probably the most known cult leader in the US, made famous by a string of murders in his name by his followers. The cult was (uniquely) non-religious, but believed that there would be a war between the races where African-Americans would win, but seek white leaders. This is where Manson believed he and “the family” came into play, helping the African Americans after the war. After 9 people were murdered in what Manson believed was the first phase of the “Helter Skelter” war, he was convicted and has been in jail for a number of decades in California. The Manson Family is still the single most popular (and feared) cult in recent history.
Heaven’s Gate
In 1997, Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles convinced 39 people to commit suicide. Believing that they were actually dying in order to be “transported” aboard a spaceship, these people drank cyanide, arsenic, and phenobarbital mixed with pineapple juice and vodka. They wore all black, with tennis shoes, and had armbands that read “Heaven’s Gate Away Team.” The leaders believed that they were the ones who were going to bring about Revelations from the Bible, and began recruiting people under this premise. Heaven’s Gate remains the most deadly cult sacrifice in US history.
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
While some may say that this sect of the Mormon religion is not a cult, it in fact falls under the umbrella definition of a cult. There are nearly 10,000 people who follow Warren Jeffs, who has been arrested multiple times for polygamy, incest, and sexual misconduct with minors. Jeffs is the ‘savior’ of the group, and women have to be vetted for purity by Jeffs before anyone else can date or marry. His compounds are massive, and were famously raided in 2006. The Mormon Church excommunicated the Fundamentalists, further solidifying Jeff’s status as a cult leader.
Scientology
While Scientology is often considered a religion, the cult-like narrative of its “welcoming party” leads many to believe it is the largest cult in history. In fact, a number of countries like the UK, Belgium, Greece, and more all refuse to recognize Scientology as a religion, and have labeled it a cult. The creator, Ron L. Hubbard, taught his followers that “dianetics” would help heal people from traumatic events in their pasts, and that the way to higher truth was through auditing with a machine. The more auditing you were given, the more worthy you were to meet Xenu, ruler of the Galactic Confederacy. According to Scientologists, Earth was created as entertainment for the Galactic Confederacy, and humans are actually placed here by alien “players,” and humans were subjected to “thetans,” the negative energy that has to be audited from them before they can rejoin the Confederacy.
