One story states that the youngest members of the cult learned to have sex, which was deemed Gods way of expressing his love. Gacy was also known for dressing up as "Pogo the Clown," leading to him being dubbed the "Killer Clown.". Stealing from older philosophies like Theosophy, Bell claimed that a hidden order of sponsors worked against the conspiracy of the worldwide slave state. With the aid of these supermen, The Sponsors propose to eradicate war and poverty from the earth. The Fourth Way states that most human beings are spiritually asleep and can only regain true consciousness through a process of self-remembering and refraining from expressing negative emotions. The Ojai Valley theosophists. Bitter enmity existed between Annie Besant and Katherine Tingley: Mrs. Besant referred to Mrs. Tingley as a professional psychic and medium and a clever opportunist., ALONG with theosophy, other strange faiths have migrated to Southern California. They lived in four communal houses under the auspices of the church. . When visitors approached the colony, a bugler hidden behind the Egyptian gales sounded the note of their arrival. One of Tates guests was killed with a knife swing and four gunshots in the chest. However, everything would change in 1995. The number of food and body cults in Southern California has never been reckoned. Although not entirely false about the merit of organic food, the mechanisms of spreading the message are very troublesome. But, one has to wait quite a long for the ending of a war that hasnt even started yet. In Oregon, the cult grew in the number of members significantly. The cult then bought the famous Ridgewood Ranch, home of renowned racehorse Seabiscuit, and remains there to this day. He was able to lure in many followers, especially women, into his cult. 1. (The more nefarious side of fringe spiritual belief is also becoming increasingly mainstream, as seen in the rise of QAnon.). It is not by chance, therefore, that the I AM cult has Hitlerian overtones, with such auxiliary organizations as the Minute Men of Saint Germain and the Daughters of Light.By the time an I AM audience repeats a chant the fourth time, the members are shouting with all the frenzy of a mob of Nazis yelling, Sieg Heil!. Between 1934 and 1941, more than 14,000 Californians joined the cult, most of whom were either elderly persons or individuals who had suffered severe economic losses.. They believe that they alone have the answers to lifes problems or that they alone can save others from their struggles and misery. Above: a Hobbit hut at the sanctuary. Berg became known as Moses David, Mo, King David, Father David, Chairman Mo, David Fontaine, Dad, and Grandpa. Working hard on the case, the newspapers soon proved that the kidnaping story, which she had told on her return, was highly fictitious, In sensational stories, they proceeded to trace her movements from the time she disappeared, through a love cottage interlude at Carmel with a former radio operator of the Temple, to her reappearance in Mexico. The museum mostly holds works of art created by Dorge Chang Buddha, complete with idolizing descriptions. Cult leader David Koresh led the Branch Davidians in a deadly 51-day standoff against the FBI and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Still later an opera house was acquired in San Diego, where the Point Loma yogis, appearing in Grecian costumes, lectured the natives on the subtle dialectics of theosophy. H alf a century ago, you could barely walk down the street in California without tripping over some kind of fringe spiritual sect or cult-like group. The home on Cielo Drive stood for more than five decades, but is forever connected to the Manson familys 1969 killing spree. Watson, one of Mansons close companions, began stabbing Leno multiple times. Well, dont get it twisted. Following an anonymous tip, police enter a mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, an exclusive suburb of San Diego, California, and discover 39 victims of a mass . Shortly after Judges death, Katherine Tingley was revealed as the Purple Mother. Since Southern California was the world center of both movements theosophy from 1900; New Thought from 1915 it not only attracted adherents of these creeds from all over the world, but it became a publishing center from which issued a steady flow of magazines, newspapers, and books devoted to mysticism, practical and esoteric. Krotona. He called himself Je Vam Marc Sus Pire and named one of his sons Jeva, a portmanteau of Jesus and vampire. The cult broke up when two nieces returned with relatives to retrieve their children. Los Angeles is the home of the Philosophical Research Society, Incorporated, of Manly Palmer Hall, Americas Greatest Philosopher; the center of Zoroastrianism in America; the headquarters of the American Association for the Advancement of Atheism. The idea was to let people think that non-organic food was bad for them while influencing a local election. 4) Jim "Father Yod" Baker: The Source Family. He went on to found a socialist utopia in Jonestown, Guyana in the '70s, where, on November 18, 1977, he became responsible for the mass suicide and mass murder of over 900 remaining members of his cult. His Holiness taught a disciple how to transmit dharma on His behalf. Indeed, the power of cult leaders is a terrifying reality. Stepping from the train, she walked out of the station on a carpet of roses. Claiming to be omnipotent, Hell told a California legislative committee that, if he wished, he could go into a trance and be whisked off to the far corners of the earth. Because of his emphasis on spiritual experience and moving away from any god, Rajneesh would deem himself a guru and practice meditation. Though he was raised as a Seventh-day Adventist, he later claimed that God was speaking through him and that the End Times were nearly here. The family became an insular cult that was based on homeschooling, corporal punishment, and sexual abuse. Bell taught that only when 200 million people accepted the Mankind United plan would the sponsors emerge from hiding. Cult leaders have psychosis or narcissistic personalities that drive them to preach a message and convince others to follow, according to therapist Rachel Bernstein. Nine of his children had been slain, apparently part of a preexisting suicide pact in case the authorities threatened to break up the family. On the lovely 500-acre Point Loma tract soon appeared a School of Antiquity, a Theosophical University, a Greek theater, Rja Yoga College, and the Iris Temple of Art, Music, and Drama. Its leader goes by the name of Charles Manson. No one bothered to inquire what crime, if any, she had committed. The cult believed that a race war known as "Helter Skelter" was coming, and they needed to be prepared. Women. Known to local residents as Professor Money, Doctor Money,and Bishop Money, he had been born, so he contended, with four teeth and the likeness of a rainbow in the eye.. Bell promised each of his followers a $25,000 home, equipped with radio, television, unlimited motion pictures, and an automatic vocal-type correspondence machine. The homes were also to be equipped with automatic news and telephone recording apparatus; automatic air-conditioning; with fruit trees, vegetable gardens, hothouses, athletic courts, swimming pools, fountains, shrubbery, and miniature waterfalls. A professional medium, his wife had edited a spiritualist magazine. Other than that, Berg could do what he wanted. If youve watched the documentary Wild Wild County, the name Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh shouldnt be new to you. Mrs. Tingley promptly sued the limes for libel and, after years of litigation, eventually collected a handsome judgment. These are the most notorious serial killers and cult leaders in history. As an eccentric, however, he was in advance of his time, an exceptional figure. Despite banning homosexuality in the community until 1994, Burton sexually preyed on young male members of his flock. Little did they know this would culminate in self-immolation and poisoning. A lengthy standoff would follow, which resulted in the burning of the compound. The organization grew out of the Black Cultural Association, a black inmate group that was active in Vacaville Prison. Cults Week [Curbed LA], [Left photo via The Source: The Untold Story of Father Yod, Ya Ho Wa 13, and The Source Family; right by Megan Koester], 11 Los Angeles renters rights everyone should know. The first murder conducted is nowadays known as the Hinman murder. ", Meet the ghosts at LAs most haunted hotels. On May 23, an overenthusiastic disciple drowned in the Pacific while attempting to find her body. The Manson Family was a commune and cult created by Charles Manson in California in the 1960s. In 1969, Baker opened The Source, a health food restaurant, just as he was falling under the influence of Sikh kundalini master Yogi Bhajan. In the early twenties, as Nancy Barr Mavity has pointed out (in an excellent biography of Mrs. McPherson), Los Angeles was the happy hunting ground for the physically disabled and the mentally unexacting . However, Jones wasnt satisfied and ordered the other Temple members to assassinate the group. (One man had been tortured to death. [. Of course, these attacks never took place, but it is unthinkable that this was due to the subway attack. These characteristics are crucial. Charles Manson's . One of the most notorious cults sprouted in San Francisco. When the person who was transmitted dharma by that disciple died, that persons body emitted light. Mar 11, 2018, 8:00 AM. Her story was told in the 2003 film Monster, where Charlize Theron portrayed Wuornos. What was the lawsuit about? He was depicted in evangelical tracts as an anthropomorphic cartoon lion, with photos of him doctored to include lion features. Cults differ from traditional religions as they tend to be closed off . Hua Zang Si is led by His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III, who was born in Chinas Sichuan province and was originally known as Wan Ko Yee or Yi Yungao. They also had a local radio program, where they exhorted Christians to join an army of God to fight the demons responsible for the worlds ills, which included karate, homosexuality, psychoanalysis, and fairy tales. Elizabeth Nix Updated: Feb 19, 2020 Original: Dec 10, 2013 Bettmann Archive/Getty Images 1. Half a century ago, you could barely walk down the street in California without tripping over some kind of fringe spiritual sect or cult-like group. He has claimed to be an angel in human form who communicates with 44 other angels, including Benjamin Franklin and Jesus Christ. After some time, the Children of God became known as Family International, a name that the god cult continues to use to this day. Members of the Manson Family. While scouting for land for the group in Montana, they were picked up by a driver who talked to them about Christianity, and they felt the drawing presence of Jesus.. The station head Tom Wallace said: Basically, what Green was saying was that any particular problem was controlled by a demon. If David Tormsen had to choose, he would definitely go with the Source Family. Basically the cult has two symbols: wealth and energy. Here are nine of the most unnerving examples of them from the 20th century. Ive been documenting their headquarters and places of worship. The 3 main personality traits of cult leaders, according to a cult-recovery therapist. The following are examples of the most famous female cult leaders: Anne Hamilton-Byrne Anne Hamilton-Byrne claimed that she was Jesus Christ. Fantastic as this revelation may sound, Unveiled Mysteries began to sell like hot cakes at $2.50 a copy. Yet, the target wasnt picked beforehand. During these years, New Thought studio-lecture rooms sprang up throughout the city and the Metaphysicians May Day Festival became an annual civic event. To cite this article in an academic-style article or paper, use: Maup van de Kerkhof, "Six of the Most (In)Famous Cult Leaders", History Cooperative, December 26, 2022, https://historycooperative.org/six-of-the-most-famous-cult-leaders/. Dubbed "The Angel of Death," Charles Edmund Cullen is believed to be the most prolific serial killer in American history. It should be remembered that, for the last twenty-five years, Los Angeles has had, on an average, about 200,000 temporary residents. We have all chosen to die for this cause.. The first leader was David Koresh, who was the prophet of the Branch Davidians. 1. 26 of his victims were buried in the crawl space of his Cook County, Illinois home. By Major Dan February 28, 2016 Updated: February 14, . Because the teachings were so extravagant, the dangerous message encapsulated in them might have been overlooked by many cult members and dedicated followers. To link to this article in the text of an online publication, please use this URL: https://historycooperative.org/six-of-the-most-famous-cult-leaders/. Top 10 Most Historically Famous Shootouts. Artistic depiction of Hassan is-Sabbah, the founder of the Hashishin. Here she built Angelus Temple at a reputed cost of $1,500,000. Bernard - pastor of 28,000-member Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, New York. But, after some trouble with the Indian government, the group lived in Oregon for quite some time. He made a great deal of failed prophecies, including that Comet Kohoutek would cause havoc on Earth in 1974. Here are five of the most notorious cults in recent history and what made them so infamous: 1. 10 The Children of God David Berg formed one of history's most infamous cults, The Children of God, in the 1960s. These include Richard Nixon, Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom, Kevin McCarthy, Dianne Feinstein and others. Shoko. Gein has been the inspiration behind countless movies, including Psycho, Silence of the Lambs, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. By 1920 Hollywood had begun to encroach upon Krotona, and Dr. Warrington decided to lead the faithful to the Ojai Valley, a section of Southern California thoroughly impregnated with occult and psychic influences. All the guests and Tate herself were murdered by a combination of gunshots and stabbings. Afterward, in the bedroom, his wife Rosemary died after receiving 41 stabs. Wikimedia Commons. In late March of 1995, members began releasing a poisonous nerve gas called sarin on five crowded subway trains. After spending time in a Kentucky church, doing missionary work in Central America, and working at a Miami Salvation Army shelter, they felt disillusioned by the corruption of other churches and founded their own in Sacramento. A specially chartered airplane flew over the beach and dropped flowers on the waters. On Blackburns orders, her body was placed in a bathtub with ice, salt, and spices with a promise that the girl would be resurrected in 1,260 days. L. Ron Hubbard in Los Angeles, California, 1950. We need to preserve Gods children. First appearing on the West Coast in San Francisco, it did not reach Los Angeles until after the Worlds Fair in 1915. "When I used my knife, it brought psychological relief. 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