what's the harm?

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368,379 people killed, 306,096 injured and over $2,815,931,000 in economic damages

What's the harm in cults?

A cult is an organization that engages in non-mainstream beliefs and practices, and typically is very secretive and intimidates its own members.  Read more about cults

Here are 1,898 people who were harmed by someone not thinking critically.


Cheryl Avery

Age: 46
Kirtland, Ohio

Murdered
April 17, 1989

The Avery family joined a Mormon splinter group led by a self-declared prophet when they moved to Kirtland in 1987. They were brutally murdered by the leader of this cult. Read more

Dennis Avery

Age: 49
Kirtland, Ohio

Murdered
April 17, 1989

The Avery family joined a Mormon splinter group led by a self-declared prophet when they moved to Kirtland in 1987. They were brutally murdered by the leader of this cult. Read more

Karen Avery

Age: 7
Kirtland, Ohio

Murdered
April 17, 1989

The Avery family joined a Mormon splinter group led by a self-declared prophet when they moved to Kirtland in 1987. They were brutally murdered by the leader of this cult. Read more

Rebecca Avery

Age: 13
Kirtland, Ohio

Murdered
April 17, 1989

The Avery family joined a Mormon splinter group led by a self-declared prophet when they moved to Kirtland in 1987. They were brutally murdered by the leader of this cult. Read more

Trina Avery

Age: 15
Kirtland, Ohio

Murdered
April 17, 1989

The Avery family joined a Mormon splinter group led by a self-declared prophet when they moved to Kirtland in 1987. They were brutally murdered by the leader of this cult. Read more

Suzanne Druau

St. Casimir, Quebec, Canada

Suicide
March 22, 1997

New age doomsday cult Read more & more

Emmanuel Dutoit

Age: 3 months
Morin Heights, Quebec, Canada

Murdered
October 4, 1994

He and his parents were brutally murdered, and then home was burned. They had been members of the Order of the Solar Temple, a fringe religious sect. Read more & more

Chantale Goupillot

Age: 41
St. Casimir, Quebec, Canada

Suicide
March 22, 1997

New age doomsday cult Read more & more

Bruno Klauss

St. Casimir, Quebec, Canada

Suicide
March 22, 1997

New age doomsday cult Read more & more

Mohamed Ibrahim Kader Mydin & Rosina Mydin Pillay

Age: 47 & 41
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Killed
October 2, 2008

They were visiting family members when a male relative suggested their habit of smoking (and other ills) could be cured by being ritually beaten. The beating resulted in their deaths and several injuries, and many family members were arrested. Read more

Didier Quèze

Age: 39
St. Casimir, Quebec, Canada

Suicide
March 22, 1997

New age doomsday cult Read more & more

Pauline Rioux

St. Casimir, Quebec, Canada

Suicide
March 22, 1997

New age doomsday cult Read more & more

Ricky Rodriguez

Age: 29
Tucson, Arizona

Suicide after committing murder
January 9, 2005

Ricky was a member of a cult whose leader approved sex between adults and children. That left Ricky with psychological problems that led to his murder/suicide in 2005. Read more & more

U.S. Congressman Leo J. Ryan

Age: 53
Port Kaituma, Barima-Waini Guyana

Murdered
November 18, 1978

Visiting Guyana to investigate reports of abuse within a cult that had many members from his district, Congressman Ryan was murdered as he attempted to leave the country. Read more

Photo of Julia M. Siverls

Julia M. Siverls

Age: 41
Sedona, Arizona

Died (dehydration)
July 12, 2003

Julia decided to take up yoga, but in reality she may have joined a cult. On a retreat in Sedona, Arizona, she was sent on a grueling hike with very little water. She pleaded to stop but was denied. She died of dehydration. Read more

Photo of Angela Smith

Angela Smith

Age: 51
Tucson, Arizona

Murdered
January 8, 2005

Angela was a member of a cult known as The Family International. The leader of this cult encouraged sex between adults and children. One of the children abused in this way grew up into a troubled man who killed Angela and then killed himself. Read more & more

Photo of Javon Thompson

Javon Thompson

Age: 18 months
Baltimore, Maryland

Died
2006

When he wouldn't say "amen" at mealtime, members of the One Mind Ministries where he lived concluded he was a "demon" and allegedly starved him to death. His body was found 2 years later in a suitcase in Philadelphia. Read more & more & more

Richard Wendorf & Naoma Queen

Eustis, Florida

Murdered
November 25, 1996

A man who believed he was a vampire formed a cult with several teenage followers. They murdered one of the teenage follower's parents and were prosecuted for it. Read more & more

16 people

Vergers plateau, France

Murder / suicide
November 16, 1995

New age doomsday cult Read more & more

39 cult members

Rancho Santa Fe, California

Mass suicide
March 26, 1997

The members of the Heaven's Gate cult convinced themselves that a UFO arriving with Comet Hale-Bopp would take them away. They committed mass suicide. Read more

48 people

Age: 10 to 72
Cheiry & Granges-Sur-Salvan, Switzerland

Murder / suicide
October 5, 1994

New age doomsday cult Read more & more

5 people

Morin Heights, Quebec, Canada

Murder / suicide
October 4, 1994

New age doomsday cult Read more & more

76 people

Waco, Texas

Died
April 19, 1993

When ATF agents showed up at the Branch Davidian complex in Waco to serve a warrant, the members of the sect were not cooperative. The situation spiralled out of control and tragedy resulted. Read more & more

778 cult members

Kanungu District, Uganda

Mass murder
March 17, 2000

The leaders of this Ugandan church predicted that the world would end on January 1, 2000. Church members sold all their belongings and stopped work to prepare. When nothing happened, the situation spiralled toward disaster. Read more & more

913 people

Jonestown, Guyana

Mass murder/suicide
November 18, 1978

Jim Jones led a popular church called the People's Temple, but became increasingly paranoid that a nuclear holocaust was imminent. He moved the entire church to Guyana. When people came to ask questions, tragedy ensued. Read more & more

 
 
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