> Religions A-Z> Cults & New Religions

UFO Cults
The UFO movement began in the forties, and has grown phenomenally ever since. While some UFO groups are promoters of peace, others have piled on the casualties. Explore UFO cults from the peaceful Aetherius society, to the slightly wacky Raelians, to the suicidal Heaven's Gate movement.

Doomsday / Destructive Cults
The end is near- or so believe many religious groups and sects. Still others believe that violence is a means of achieving religious goals. Dangerous groups act on these beliefs, often with tragic results. Includes accounts of Heaven's Gate, Jonestown, the Order of the Solar temple, and more. Scroll down for more selections.

New Religious Movements
Exercise to enlightenment? Channel ghosts of literary greats? SWcientific enlightenment? They're relatively new on the scene, maybe a little unusual or controversial...but they aren't suicidal, homicidal, or megalomaniacal.

Controversial Sects
Controversial groups fighting for recognition. Includes real controversies and views from both sides of the debate on Scientology, Krishna consciousness, the Unification Church, and more.

Cult awareness
Learn the differences between cults and sects, which groups may be dangerous (and how to tell), and what to do if a friend or family member is involved with a cult.

Killer Cults
Sensationalistic site details many well known Doomsday or otherwise dangerous Cult groups, including Heaven's Gate and the Crocodile Man.

Cults on Campus
Studies the phenomenon of Cult recruitment on college campuses. Links to numerous news articles.

Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology
The Encyclopedia's in depth entry on the psychology of cult groups.

Scientology and censorship
Is the Church of Scientology attempting to censor the internet?

CAN, We Hardly Knew Ye
The decline and fall of the "Cult Awareness Network."

American Family Foundation
Comprehensive information about Cult groups, psychological manipulation, and critical thinking exercises, but biased toward a Christian viewpoint.

Fact Net
A mind bogglingly detailed newsletter which labels nearly every group it can think of as a cult. Some of the articles are interesting, but should be taken with a grain of salt.