BY- JAYA CHOUDHARY
Strange practices and dangerous teachings have been performed by bizarre cults since the dawn of time, and our time is no different. Here’s a rundown of some strange cults you might want to stay away from.
Nuwaubianism
Some beliefs held by this religion include aborted fetuses living in the sewers where they are being collected and organized to take over the earth and Africans not originally being brown in complexion but green among many others. Dwight Bjork, the group’s founder, and chairman was charged with over 100 counts of child molestation in 2002. Against any facts to the contrary, Bjork’s zealous supporters proceeded to proclaim his innocence, and Nuwaubianism thrived.
The Church of Euthanasia
The Church of Euthanasia is an organization started by Chris Korda that is dedicated to eradicating or at the very least regulating the world’s increasing population. They believe in one commandment: “Thou shalt not procreate,” and they will support four church foundations in the future: suicide, slavery, cannibalism, and sodomy. Their website originally included guidance for how to commit suicide using different means, which were deleted in 2003 after a 52-year-old woman used it to commit suicide and the church was charged with legal action. They are now accredited by the federal government as a non-profit educational foundation.
The Brethren
The Brethren are a nomadic tribe who shun any worldly possessions. Their views revolve around the impending apocalypse and the need for mankind to purify itself in order to face the end of the earth. Members of the congregation are forbidden from laughing or dancing since these activities are to be saved until the return of Christ. They only eat the bare necessities and take odd jobs to supplement their income. As part of earning redemption, new entrants are often told to sell their belongings and cut ties with their relatives. After being seen picking leftover food from a dumpster, they earned the nickname “garbage eaters.”
The Creativity Movement
This cult, formerly known as the World Church of the Creator, is a proponent of a whites-only monarchy. Despite the use of the term “Church” in its name in the past, the party remains atheistic and opposes all forms of faith and religion. The word “creator” is used to refer to themselves, the white people, rather than a god. In the name of what they term a racial holy war, the cult is pushing the campaign to extremes. They have perpetrated many violent hate crimes over the years, gaining national exposure after Benjamin Nathaneal went on a racially charged shooting rampage in 1999, killing two people and wounding nine others.
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Scientology
The Church of Scientology is a cult founded in 1952 by Ron Hubbard. Many of the church’s teachings are kept hidden because mystical teachings can be dangerous to unprepared readers. Hubbard explores how to undo the consequences of past-life pain cycles that he claims date back millions of years. According to Hubbard, billions of aliens were introduced to Earth 75 million years ago by an alien tyrant named Xenu, who then destroyed them by throwing them into volcanoes. According to official Scientology scriptures, these aliens’ eternal souls cling to humanity, causing spiritual damage. Scientologists put a strong focus on removing the negative influence of these spirits.