Overview

America has spawned hundreds of cults. Charismatic leaders periodically burst into the news for the most awful of reasons. We are awash with stories of brainwashed members' struggles to leave. Meet the messianic leaders, see the indoctrination and manipulation, look at their beliefs, and read the stories of some of America's most notorious, eccentric, and unusual cults! From false religions and offshoots of traditional religions to political, financial, sexual, and hate groups, American Cults: Cabals, Corruption, and Charismatic Leaders looks at 40 groups and leaders, including their histories, deceits, manipulations, and twisted ideologies. Some rely on systems of obedience, submission, and dependency. More than a few have mystifying beliefs. Others are dark and murderous.You'll encounter curious, bizarre, and sometimes upsetting stories of... Charming, manipulative, and exploitative leaders - Jim Jones, Jim Baker, David Berg, David Koresh, and many, many others. The breakaways from traditional religions - Father Divine and the Peace Mission, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Westboro Baptist Church, the Gospel of Prosperity, and many more. Political, Ponzi, metaphysical, and science schemes - the cult of the scientific method, pyramid schemes, political cults, the Unification Church, and much more. Aliens, extraterrestrials, and the cosmos - Church of Scientology, Ralians and Heaven's Gate, to name a few. End-times and doomsday cults - rapture beliefs, Edgar Cayce, the Ant Hill Kids and more. Racial, radical, and social media cults - QAnon, Ku Klux Klan, Oath Keepers, Antifa, and others. Sex, perversity, and submission - NXIVM, Sullivanians, Rajneesh, and many more. American Cults looks at why America is such a fertile ground for cults, how some people got caught in their webs, and how some managed to escape! With more than 120 photos and graphics, this tome is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography provides sources for further exploration, and an extensive index adds to its usefulness.

Full Product Details

Author:   Jim Willis
Publisher:   Visible Ink Press
Imprint:   Visible Ink Press
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 1.80cm , Length: 22.90cm
ISBN:  

9781578598007

ISBN 10:   1578598001
Pages:   368
Publication Date:   20 April 2023
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In stock  
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Table of Contents

About the Author Acknowledgments Introduction: Crystal Balls and Conspiracies Prologue: What Makes a Cult Possible? Part I: In the Beginning: Why is America Such a Fertile Field for the Growth of Cults? Ch. 1. Lip-Service Religion Ch. 2. Rebelliousness Ch. 3. Entrepreneurship Ch. 4. Religious Freedom Ch. 5. Evolving Social Media Ch. 6. Infatuation with Conspiracy Theory Ch. 7. Living on “The Eve of Destruction” Part II. Offshoots: Breaking Away from Traditional Religions Ch. 8. Cyrus Teed and the Koreshan Unity Ch. 9. Father Divine and the Peace Mission Ch. 10. Jim Jones and the People’s Temple Full Gospel Church Ch. 11. Jim Baker, the PTL Club, and the Return of Jesus Ch. 12. The Evangelical Church, Politics, and the NRA Ch. 13. Joshua, Jesus, Mohammad, and the Implications of Jihad Ch. 14. David Berg and the Family International Ch. 15. The Watchtower Society and Jehovah’s Witnesses Ch. 16. Gay Rights, Free Speech, and the Westboro Baptist Church Ch. 17. Jane Whaley, the Word of Faith Fellowship, and the Gospel of Prosperity Ch. 18. David Koresh and the Branch Davidians Part III. Science, Politics, Economics, and Metaphysics: A Codependent Relationship Ch. 19. The Cult of Scientism Ch. 20. The Dogma of Politics Ch. 21. Multi-Level Marketing Cults (MLMs): Pyramids, Ponzis, and Profits Ch. 22. The World of Metaphysics: “It Seems to Me …” Ch. 23. Sun Myung Moon and the Unification Church Ch. 24. Eckankar: Discovering God Part IV. The Universe and Beyond: Answers from the Final Frontier Ch. 25. The Christian Rapture, Carl Jung, and Flying Saucers Ch. 26. The Church of Scientology Ch. 27. Raëlians and the Elohim: Intelligent Design for Atheists Ch. 28. Into the Universe: Latter-day Saints and the Colonization of the Cosmos Ch. 29. Heaven’s Gate: Help from Above? Part V. Prophets of the End Times: Telling the Future for Fun and Profit Ch. 30. From 666 to the “Seventy Sevens”: What Does the Bible Really Say about THE END? Ch. 31. From Nostradamus to Edgar Cayce and Beyond Ch. 32. The Doomsday Clock Ch. 33. Roch Thériault and the Ant Hill Kids Part VI. The Rise of Racial Religion Cults and Social Media: From WASPS to Computers and Beyond Ch. 34. From the Ku Klux Klan to White Nationalism Ch. 35. The New Militia Movement Ch. 36. Nuwaubian Nation: From Black Supremacists to UFOs Ch. 37. Social Media and the Rise of Hate Groups Ch. 38. Spoofing the Movement: Fun with Cults Ch. 39. QAnon: Political Conspiracy and Religious Icons Part VII. Sex in the City: The Dark Potency of Cults Ch. 40. Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh: Coming to America Ch. 41. Keith Raniere and NXIVM: The Case of the Self-Styled Revered One Ch. 42. Sullivanians: Sex as a Way of Life Part VIII. Conclusions: What’s Ahead for Individual Freedom? Epilogue: How Do I Get Out? Bibliography Index

Reviews

"""What's the difference between a cult and a church? Often, it depends on where you stand. To the believers inside, their religion provides guidance and security. To the suspicious outside, that creed often looks like a legally sanctioned way to steal. And the truth? That's something Jim Willis tries to uncover in American Cults: Cabals, Corruption, and Charismatic Leaders."" - New York Daily News ""... describes 40 cults and charismatic leaders in the US, including those that broke away from traditional religions, racial religion cults, sex cults, prophets, and those related to aliens. Topics include Jim Jones, Jim Bakker, David Koresh, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Church of Scientology, Heaven's Gate, the Ku Klux Klan, QAnon, Antifa, NXIVM, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, the cult of scientism, multi-level marketing, and the dogma of politics, and why the US is fertile ground for cults."" - Book News"

... describes 40 cults and charismatic leaders in the US, including those that broke away from traditional religions, racial religion cults, sex cults, prophets, and those related to aliens. Topics include Jim Jones, Jim Bakker, David Koresh, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Church of Scientology, Heaven's Gate, the Ku Klux Klan, QAnon, Antifa, NXIVM, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, the cult of scientism, multi-level marketing, and the dogma of politics, and why the US is fertile ground for cults. - Book News

"""What’s the difference between a cult and a church? Often, it depends on where you stand. To the believers inside, their religion provides guidance and security. To the suspicious outside, that creed often looks like a legally sanctioned way to steal. And the truth? That’s something Jim Willis tries to uncover in American Cults: Cabals, Corruption, and Charismatic Leaders."" —New York Daily News ""... describes 40 cults and charismatic leaders in the US, including those that broke away from traditional religions, racial religion cults, sex cults, prophets, and those related to aliens. Topics include Jim Jones, Jim Bakker, David Koresh, Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Church of Scientology, Heaven’s Gate, the Ku Klux Klan, QAnon, Antifa, NXIVM, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, the cult of scientism, multi-level marketing, and the dogma of politics, and why the US is fertile ground for cults."" —Book News ""To the believers inside, their religion provides guidance and security. To the suspicious outside, that creed often looks like a legally sanctioned way to steal. … Willis’ book deals largely with religious cults, but he occasionally delves into politics. Is the KKK a cult? How about the far-right Proud Boys? Both have core beliefs and demand unquestioning loyalty. … Americans have always cherished liberty. But apparently, no freedom is more deeply held — or potentially dangerous — than our right to believe whatever we want."" —Livingston County News"

"""... describes 40 cults and charismatic leaders in the US, including those that broke away from traditional religions, racial religion cults, sex cults, prophets, and those related to aliens. Topics include Jim Jones, Jim Bakker, David Koresh, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Church of Scientology, Heaven's Gate, the Ku Klux Klan, QAnon, Antifa, NXIVM, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, the cult of scientism, multi-level marketing, and the dogma of politics, and why the US is fertile ground for cults."" - Book News"

Author Information

Jim Willis earned his master’s degree in theology from Andover Newton Theological School, and he has been an ordained minister for over 40 years. He has also taught college courses in comparative religion and cross-cultural studies. His background in theology and education led to his writing more than twenty on history, religion, the apocalypse, cross-cultural spirituality, and the mysteries of the unknown. His books include Visible Ink Press’ Censoring God; Hidden History; and Lost Civilizations. He lives in the woods of South Carolina.

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