List of purported cults

This List of purported cults lists a number of groups that have been referred to:

1. as a "cult" directly by specific listed sources;
2. as a "sect" directly by specific listed French-language or United Kingdom sources;
3. as such within the last 50 years;

Inclusion in this list does not mean that a group is a "cult" or "sect", that is controversial or not, harmful or beneficial, etc. but only that it has been called that by listed sources. These terms sometimes are used as pejoratives and their application to specific groups is sometimes controversial. Very few groups or organizations are willing to accept the label of "cult," and a number of groups have vehemently resisted such a classification. The definitions and common use of the term are examined in depth at the article on cults.

Groups are arranged by the "width of consensus" of the sources: sources aligned with widest consensus are first, sources aligned with decreasing consensus follow, and sources that are aligned with only a very narrow consensus in their use of the term "cult" are last. Within these "cohorts" groups are arranged alphabetically.

Not included in this list are personality cults (heads of state), fancults of popular culture, and groups that don't have actual followings (fictional or self-nominated groups).

Table of contents

1 Sources 2 Widest consensus 3 Decreasing consensus 4 Narrowest application 5 External links

Sources

Widest consensus: Major newspapers, encyclopedias, magazines, leading broadcasters, and major news websites.

• British Broadcasting Corporation, marked as ({}).
• Encarta online encyclopedia, marked as . [1]
• The Guardian, marked as .
• The New York Times, marked as .
• Salon.com, marked as .
• Washington Post's 1997 series, The Cult Controversy, marked as . [1]

Decreasing consensus: Official and semi-official government sources, wide religious groups, local news sources, and scholars writing in peer-reviewed journals.

• France's 1996 controversial parliamentary commission report, in which a list of purported cults was published (compiled by the general information division of the French National Police (Renseignements généraux) with the help of cult-watching groups), are marked . (Report in French, Report in English) ''See also French legislation for the prevention and repression of cultic groups.
• U.S. Congressional Report: Suspect Organizations and Individuals Possessing Long-Range Fifty Caliber Sniper Weapons (PDF)
• Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board
• San Francisco Chronicle
• Point Reyes Light
• San Diego Union Tribune
• Xinhua News Agency, the official press agency of the People's Republic of China.

Narrowest application: Non-scholarly cult-watching and other related organizations.

• Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance, marked as . [1]
• Steven Hassan of the Freedom of Mind Center website, marked as . [1]
• The Religious Movements Homepage Project at the University of Virginia, marked as [1]
• Insight Magazine (published by the Washington Times, a Unification Church publishing company)

Widest consensus

• Aum Shinrikyo [1]

• Beasts of Satan [1][1]

• Branch Davidians [1] [1] [1]

• Children of God (a.k.a. "The Family") [1] [1] [1]
• Christian Science [1]
• Concerned Christians class="external">[1

• Creativity Movement [1]

• est
• Exclusive Brethren [1][1]
• Heaven's Gate Insight

• ISKCON (AKA Hare Krishna)
• Lyndon LaRouche movement [1]
• Manson Family

• Jeffrey Lundgren (Associated Press)

• MOVE
• Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God [1](ABC)) [1]

• Mungiki [1] (Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board)

• Order of the Solar Temple Insight

• Panawave Laboratory [1](Reuters) (Sydney Morning Herald)
• People's Temple [1] [1]

• Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association [1]

• Posse Comitatus

• Quillabamba Pentecostal [1]
• Raelism [1] [1] Insight
• Rajneesh/OSHO (Court TV)
• Paul Schäfer's Villa Baviera or Colonia Dignidad group [1]

• Scientology [1] [1] class="external">[1 [1] [1]
• Soka Gakkai/Nichiren Shoshu [1]
• Symbionese Liberation Army [1] [1]

• Synanon [1](Point Reyes Light)
• Sathya Sai Baba [1]
• Roch Theriault

• Thuggee, the cult of Kali [1]

• Unification Church [1] [1] [1]
• United Nuwaubian Nation of Moors/Malachi York (AP)
• The Way International
• Westboro Baptist Church of Fred Phelps

Decreasing consensus

• Antonines
• Aquarian Concepts San Diego Union Tribune
  • Group in Sedona, Arizona. Subject of a critical segment on Dateline NBC
• Christian Community
• Endeavor Academy, led by Chuck Anderson (The Courier Mail (Australia))
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Church Universal and Triumphant (U.S. Congressional Report: Suspect Organizations and Individuals Possessing Long-Range Fifty Caliber Sniper Weapons (PDF)) [1]
• Elan Vital (previously known as Divine Light Mission)
• Falun Gong [1]
• Grail Movement
• International Churches of Christ As of 2003, no longer a centralized organization with common beliefs or practices. See entry.
• Jehovah's Witnesses
• Landmark Education [1] [1] [1]
• Mahikari-Sukyo Mahikari
• Neo-Apostolic Church
• Temple of Set (SF Chronicle)
• Transcendental Meditation
• Universal Alliance
• Universal Church of God
• Vishwa Nirmala Dharma/Sahaja Yoga [1]

Narrowest application

• Aesthetic Realism [1] [1]
• The Body of Christ (AKA Attleboro Cult)

• Christadelphians [1] [1]
• Lifespring
• House of Yahweh

External links

• Apologetics Index - large Evangelical Christian database on religious cults, sects, and related issues
• 1997 Washington Post series: The Cult Controversy
• CESNUR article about anti-cult terrorism
• Cult Awareness Network - currently run by members of Scientology (see: Cult Awareness Network)
• CultFAQ.org Frequently asked questions about cults
• Cult Studies Journal - critical list of groups
• F.A.C.T.Net A nonaligned news and archive service on cult and mind control issues
• Steve Hassan - critical list of groups
• Website of the Justice for Jeremiah campaign
• University of Virginia Religious Movements website - many groups are treated; list includes all major religions as well as new movements; older entries no longer updated
• Rick Ross - large database on groups, including faq, history, overview of individual groups, and archived news reports