And I thought being raised as a Catholic guy was weird …
Cults come in all flavors, pun intended.
There’s doomsday, alien, self-help, plain ol’ homicidal … maybe American politics. (Side note: prediction markets give Trump an 11% chance being allowed to run for a third term, but that’s neither here nor there.)
Some end in mass death.
Others just fizzle out after their space god forgets to beam down.
Here are ten of the weirdest, wildest cults ever—and how each one finally flamed out, imploded, or got straight-up arrested.
Aum Shinrikyo
Japan’s homegrown terrorist cult gassed Tokyo’s subways in 1995, killing 13 and injuring thousands. Their leader, Shoko Asahara, claimed to be Christ. In reality, he was just a blind guy with a messiah complex and a body count. Executed in 2018. Some splinter groups still creep around.
Church of Euthanasia
Slogan: “Save the Planet. Kill Yourself.” This 1990s Boston-based cult pushed for suicide and cannibalism to stop overpopulation. One member actually followed through. It was part eco-extremism, part performance art—and all disturbing. The site’s still up. So is founder Chris Korda, who DJs.
Fall River Cult
A Satanic cult in 1970s Massachusetts led by Carl Drew, who thought he was a literal demon. Three women were murdered in brutal rituals. Drew got life without parole. This one had less “spiritual awakening” and more “severed heads in the woods.”
Heaven’s Gate
Thirty-nine people dressed in matching Nike Decades, ate applesauce, and waited for an alien spaceship behind the Hale-Bopp comet. Instead, they got death by barbiturates and a legacy as one of the most infamous cult suicides ever. Their creepy site? Still live. Still updated.
Love Has Won
Founded by “Mother God,” aka Amy Carlson, who claimed to be the reincarnation of Jesus, a reptilian queen, and Donald Trump’s daughter (seriously). She died in 2021, her mummified corpse wrapped in Christmas lights. The followers livestreamed until the cops showed up.
Order of the Solar Temple
Mix medieval cosplay with apocalyptic delusions and you get 74 dead across Switzerland, France, and Canada in the ‘90s. Fire, poison, gunshots—take your pick. They believed they were ascending to Sirius, a star that definitely doesn’t want your weird energy.
Rajneeshees
A cult in Oregon led by a Rolls-Royce-hoarding guru. They tried to take over a town by drugging salad bars and busing in homeless people to rig elections. It backfired. Guru got deported. Commune collapsed. Netflix gave them a documentary.
Superior Universal Alignment
In Brazil, cult leaders said certain boys were evil and didn’t have souls. Dozens were mutilated and murdered in the ’90s. The leader, Valentina de Andrade, was never convicted. One of the most brutal and underreported cults on the list.
Twin Flames Universe
Modern and dangerous. A YouTube-based cult that promises to help you find your “twin flame”—even if they don’t want you. Followers have been pushed into stalking, forced gender transitions, and cutting off family. The founders, Jeff and Shaleia, insist it’s true love. Netflix doc incoming.
