We like to think we've risen above the susceptibility for cults. We think we've seen enough documentaries, listened to enough podcasts, and heard enough horror stories about the broken lives and shattered families they leave in their wake, all in service of making some people at the top a little richer and a smidgen more powerful.
Then why are so man of them still around?
Reddit user, barbexaclone, wanted to know what cults you should be keeping an eye out for when they asked:
"[SERIOUS] What strange cult is still active today?"
You've definitely heard of these ones before, but that doesn't mean they should be allowed to hang around for as long as they had.
The Only Church All Other Churches Hate
"Westboro Baptist Church."
"The TL;DR of them is that they are a small (70 person) 'church' in Kansas, US, started by lawyer Fred Phelps that became infamous for protesting military funerals because the gays are evil or some bullsh-t. Several members actually have law degrees so they can basically bully others out of pressing charges. I recommend you look them up."
Atomic-Buddha
The Dorks Who Never Go Away
"The KKK"
IAmJohnnyHardcore
"I live in idaho, used to live in Montana. the kkk is still very much alive and well. Especially in northwest Montana."
Kelly_Louise
"What are they up to now days? Slavery is over what is the point?"
Thekingdeviljin
"Slavery is over but racism isn’t"
aniloveslouis
The Ones Who Knock
"Jehovah’s Witnesses, of which I used to be a practicing member"
excusetheblood
"My girlfriend was one. I didn't know anything about it when I dated her but since I've learned its f-cking horrifying. I want to help her but her parents are big on it and i barely see her anymore. She would commonly be away from school being "sick" and even then switched to homeschooling."
RandomJellyfish134
You might never have heard of these ones before, either for their obscurity in your home country, or maybe it's because they disguise themselves as something a little more honest.
Name Changed, History Same
"Aum Shinrikyo, the Japanese cult that carried out a sarin nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway in the 1990s. It's now known as Aleph with somewhere around 1600 members."
ohne_hosen
Glittery? Mummy?
"I just finished watching a podcast over this cult."
"Love Has Won is apparently still semi-active even after their cult leader was found mummified in glitter. There’s a branch of the original cult that split off and is now forming a new cult although it’s tiny."
SleepyxDormouse
We're Only In The Shape Of Pyramid
"Financial pyramid schemes like World Financial Group. Can't convince they aren't a cult. Shady business practices preying on family and friends for 'investments'."
YEGMusic43
"My boss pushed this on me. Boy was he embarrassed when I enlightened him about what they’re about"
bryanthebryan
"I almost lost my best friend to them. She went through all the training and even went to a couple of out of country conferences. I warned her early on and said don't ever ask me for money. Luckily, she realized pretty quickly it wasn't getting her any where. Sucks that they are still around today."
YEGMusic43
You can't be surprised when cults hang around long after they should have been ousted from society. They jump the legal loopholes, they pay the people they need, or sometimes, people just forget you're a thing.
Expect A Call From Cruise's Lawyer
"Scientology"
billybobjimmyjoe
"Scrolled way too far to find this."
"My new retirement plan is to take lots of drugs, write some really bad sci fi, then get tax exempt religion status and recruit an army of rich minions that pay me to abuse them. Worked for L.Ron."
Few-Cable5130
Weakened, But Still Hanging Around
"FLDS - fundamentalist mormonism. Child brides. Assigned marriages. Polygamy. Their cult leader is running the show from prison, where he rots. They still exist & still believe in him and their celestial heaven."
Zesty_Morton
"Yes, but their numbers are dwindling. He used to control all the finances through the church and since he is in prison it has gone to some sort of trust? I didn’t quite understand that part. But a lot of the residents were evicted from their homes. There’s a documentary series called Cults and Extreme Beliefs made by A&E. Crazy stuff."
MoonLover318
Got A Good Deal On Nike Shoes, Do You?
"Heaven's Gate has about 4 followers and an active website."
AudibleNod
"I forgot about them. I hear they're still responding to emails. Apparently the ones behind the site were asked to 'stay behind'."
barbexaclone
"Heaven's Gate truly was weird."
"Unique among cults is that (while their leader was alive anyways) they allowed members to leave. If you weren't happy, Heaven's Gate wouldn't try to keep you using any weird cult tactics."
AudibleNod
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