subject: Most Infamous Cults Part 3 [print this page] Author: Kasan Groupe Author: Kasan Groupe
The actual definition of a cult varies greatly, but in general it refers to a cohesive social group bound together by veneration of the same atypical belief system. Popular perception often portrays cults as being violent, destructive maniacs with loaded paint ball guns, and while most cults are certainly controversial, they dont always carry out extreme acts. The Church of Scientology Founded in 1952 by L Ron Hubbard, the Church of Scientology is an offshoot of Hubbards early self-help structure called Dianetics. Scientologists consider their group to be sort of spiritual rehabilitation for immoral spiritual beings who have forgotten their true natures. Members must make donations in order to receive course work, materials and counseling by practitioners. This group has remained highly controversial since its inception, and is often considered to be more of a money making enterprise than a religion. And with a slew of celebrity endorsers such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta, it continues to make headlines worldwide. Order of the Solar Temple (Ordre du Temple Solaire) Established in 1984 by Joseph Di Mambro, the Order of the Solar Temple based its belief system on the new age myth of the existence of the Knights Templar. Considered to be a secret society, many members are still unknown in the public sphere. The cult catapulted into the public eye in October of 1994 when a members infant son whom they considered to be the Anti-Christ, was brutally murdered with a wooden stake. About a week following to the murder a mass suicide and murder spree took place in Switzerland, where 15 members within the infrastructure committed suicide by ingesting poison, while 30 other members were shot or suffocated. About the Author:
