We did it, Fred! We finally found a cult that isn't horrible! Because today we are going to be talking about Bruno Groning and The Circle of Friends. A cult whose leader died before it formed but whose followers managed to create a worldwide cult that believes in positive thinking to heal its followers. Consider supporting the podcast by becoming a Patreon Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website Ye Olde Crime: Twitter Instagram Website Pineapple Pizza Podcast: Twitter Instagram Website This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free. Audible Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1989, the Metropolitan Government of Tokyo officially recognized “Aum Shinrikyo” as a legitimate religious movement. Little did they know that five years later, that same group would carry out a violent terrorist attack on the city, leaving 13 dead and a thousand others severely injured. Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1976, James Ellison moved to Arkansas, intending to establish a self-sustaining fundamentalist Christian commune made up of like-minded individuals who wanted nothing more than to dedicate themselves to God. But by 1978 – a mere two years later – he and his followers had become domestic terrorists who believed in white supremacy and were willing to resort to violent means to overthrow the government of the United States. Get Ad-Free episodes and episodes A Week Early on our Cultiv8 Podcast Network Patreon Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website Shots And Thoughts: Twitter Instagram Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cults are not always sinister. Similarly, cult leaders are not always manipulative sociopaths. Sometimes, all they need is one deluded man. August Engelhardt, born with a silver spoon, was many things, and one of them was delusional, something he shared with other cults and their leaders. You might wonder the peculiarities of Engelhardt’s delusion. It is nothing other than the obsessive yet interesting relationship he developed with the fruit with one of the hardest shells. This is a man that decided to give everything up for a life of nudity and a diet consisting of nothing other than coconuts. Get Ad-Free episodes and episodes A Week Early on our Cultiv8 Podcast Network Patreon Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website The Dumb, Found Dead: Twitter Instagram Facebook Website Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For many, Tom Cruise is a good-looking actor who rose to fame after starring in blockbusters like “Top Gun,” “Mission Impossible,” and “Risky Business.” But for Scientologists, Tom Cruise is a demigod who has become “Operating Thetan VII.” According to them, this status has allowed him to gain a wide range of superpowers, such as telekinesis, leaving his body at will, and controlling the behaviour of other living things – including humans. In fact, former Scientologist and actress Leah Remini once said, quote, “Being critical of Tom Cruise is being critical of Scientology itself. You are a person who is anti– the aims and goals of Scientology. You are evil.” End quote. It’s crazy to think that a belief system created in the 1950s managed to become so powerful that it was able to turn an ordinary human being into a deity worshipped by members. Get Ad-Free episodes and episodes A Week Early on our Cultiv8 Podcast Network Patreon Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website Weird Distraction Podcast: Twitter Facebook Instagram Website Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Super excited to kick off 2022 with this much-anticipated cult! The Church of Scientology may be controversial; however, its devotees have nothing but praise for its teachings. For instance, actor Tom Cruise once called it “a beautiful religion,” while fellow actor John Travolta publicly stated that it was only being criticized because it “really works well.” For many, though, the Church of Scientology is nothing but a dangerous cult that brainwashes people, charges them exorbitantly for their membership, and never lets them leave. Get access to Part 2 right now on our Cultiv8 Podcast Network Patreon Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website Weird Distraction Podcast: Twitter Facebook Instagram Website Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Ann Fitzgerald met a group of New Age devotees at a festival in London, she thought that she had found a set of like-minded and supportive friends. Never did she imagine that she would spend the next decade in their grip, working 16-hour shifts without being paid a single dollar. Ann, however, was far from the group’s only victim. Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website Canadian SPIRIT podcast: Twitter Facebook Website Sources for this episode include The Famous People, the World Religions and Spirituality Project, The Laughing Man Institute official website, the Hermes Far Eastern Shining official website, The Daily Telegraph, Cult Education, and The Apologetics Index. Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Allen Lafferty walked into his home on the evening of July 24, 1984, he never expected to find the carpet and drapes soaked in blood. Nor did he imagine that he would be the first to find the corpses of his beloved wife and daughter. Staring at their remains, Allen soon came to realize that those responsible for destroying his family were none other than his older brothers, whom he had looked up to all his life.  Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website Sources for this episode include “Under the Banner of Heaven” by Jon Krakauer, The Deseret News, The Detroit Free Press, True Crime Daily, Kuer 90.1, Grunge, CBS News, KSL TV, The Salt Lake City Weekly, the State of Utah v. Ronald Watson Lafferty (2001), and a Medium article titled “Brenda and Erica Lafferty: Revelation and Death” by Madeline O’Brien. Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After graduating from Harvard University in the early 1970s, Paul Sprecher decided to head to the Big Apple, in search of exciting opportunities. Instead, he stumbled upon a group led by an increasingly erratic authoritarian, who sought to impose his views about sex and the nuclear family on his hundreds of devotees. Surprisingly enough, its ranks included prominent celebrities from that decade, as well as other high-profile figures, most of whom were only too happy to give up their salaries to fund their leader’s various whims. Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website Mr. Bunker's Conspiracy Time Podcast: Twitter Instagram YouTube Website Sources for this episode include Ranker, The Journal News, The New York Post, Gothamist, Penn State University, and the website “I Love the Upper West Side.” Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In‌ ‌today’s‌ ‌episode‌ ‌of‌ ‌Let’s‌ ‌Start‌ ‌a‌ ‌Cult‌ ‌we‌ ‌will‌ ‌be‌ ‌discussing Multi-Level‌ ‌Marketing‌ ‌companies ‌or‌ ‌pyramid‌ ‌schemes.‌ ‌From‌ ‌leggings‌ ‌to‌ ‌essential‌ ‌oils‌ ‌and‌ ‌kitchen‌ ‌knives,‌ ‌these‌ ‌predatory‌ ‌brands‌ ‌have‌ ‌manipulated‌ ‌countless‌ ‌individuals,‌ ‌causing‌ ‌them‌ ‌to‌ ‌destroy‌ ‌personal‌ ‌relationships‌ ‌and‌ ‌lose‌ ‌their‌ ‌life‌ ‌savings.‌ ‌ ‌ With‌ ‌tactics‌ ‌reminiscent‌ ‌of‌ ‌actual‌ ‌religious‌ ‌cults,‌ ‌the‌ ‌way‌ ‌MLMs‌ ‌operate‌ ‌is‌ ‌definitely‌ ‌disturbing.‌ ‌ Go to HelloFresh and use the code HFAFF80 for $80 off ($50 - $20 - $10) Including Free Shipping on First Box! Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website TV Trivia Pod: Twitter YouTube Website Reddit On Wiki: Twitter Tik Tok Instagram YouTube Website Sources from this episode include the Management Study Guide, Fundera, Investopedia, The Los Angeles Times, The Huffington Post, the subreddit “anti-MLM,” BBC News, The Snapping Point, Bustle, Vice, Go Banking Rates, Behind MLM, and The Balance (Small Business). Photo by Mikhail Nilov from Pexels Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Chinese government is often criticized for its harsh policies against groups that undermine it. However, many have welcomed the measures that it has taken to repress the Church of Almighty God, due to the cult’s involvement in dozens of controversies, including riots, a stabbing at a primary school, and a vicious murder that was caught on camera. Go to HelloFresh and use the code HFAFF80 for $80 off ($50 - $20 - $10) Including Free Shipping on First Box! Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website Today's promo: ‎Killer Fun Crime and Entertainment on Apple Podcasts Sources for this episode include The Daily Beast, CNN, Bitter WInter Magazine, a text titled “Protestant Continuities in the Church of Almighty God” by Holly Folk and published in the Journal of CENSUR, the EU Reporter, Sixth Tone, Got Questions, Lonely Planet, and CenSAMM. Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode of Let’s Start a Cult – the story of Colonia Dignidad, a religious commune established on the foothills of Chile’s Andes Mountains.  To outsiders, it seemed like a self-sustaining Christian community that strived to give back to the locals. However, it would later be revealed that it had ties to both Nazi Germany and the Pinochet government, which killed over three thousand people while a thousand more remain missing to this day. Sponsored by Db Journey: https://bit.ly/37cP8YP 01:00 - Introduction 03:34 - Paul Schäfer 08:39 - Life In Colonia Dignidad 26:36 - Sponsor 28:06 - Colonia Dignidad and Pinochet 30:05 - The Unraveling of Colonia Dignidad 35:00 - Conclusion 36:36 - Cult Critique 39:09 - Outro Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website Ye Olde Crime: Twitter Instagram Website Sources for this episode include The American Scholar, The Washington Post, the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, Bustle, The International Business Times, The Telegraph, the Deutsche Welle, The New York Times, The Guardian, BBC, and Al Jazeera English. Sources for this episode include All That’s Interesting, a Medium article by Lisa Marie Fuqua titled “The Ripper Crew Satanic Cannibal Cult Murders,” Listverse, Murderpedia, Windy City Ghosts, The Chicago Tribune, and CBS Chicago. Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Ripper Crew, a group that terrorized Chicago with a series of abductions and horrific killings between 1981 and 1982. Later, it would be revealed that they would eat the amputated breasts of their victims as part of their sickening Satanic ritual.  They may have committed these horrific murders but one of the cult’s members has since been released from prison. Even their leader will be eligible for parole in a few years’ time, despite the authorities describing him as worse than the infamous Charles Manson. Sponsored by Db Journey: https://bit.ly/37cP8YP Our Socials: Twitter: https://twitter.com/lets_cult Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letsstartacultpod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lets_cult/?hl=en YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChcl9qrvKAsXJTaBfVgKILQ Website: https://www.letsstartacultpodcast.com/ Shots And Thoughts: Twitter Instagram Website Sources for this episode include All That’s Interesting, a Medium article by Lisa Marie Fuqua titled “The Ripper Crew Satanic Cannibal Cult Murders,” Listverse, Murderpedia, Windy City Ghosts, The Chicago Tribune, and CBS Chicago. Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we are talking about an Australian New Age Group called The Family. This group forcefully adopted children and raised them on a compound in Australia.Sponsored by Db Journey: https://bit.ly/37cP8YPOur Socials:Twitter: https://twitter.com/lets_cultFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/letsstartacultpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lets_cult/?hl=enYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChcl9qrvKAsXJTaBfVgKILQWebsite: https://www.letsstartacultpodcast.com/Reddit On Wiki:Twitter: https://twitter.com/redditonwikiInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/redditonwiki/Website: https://www.spreaker.com/show/reddit-on-wikiSources for this episode include Rolling Stone Magazine, “Unseen, Unheard, Unknown” by Sarah Moore, The Guardian, CBS News, a research paper titled “Anne Hamilton-Byrne and the Family” written by Carole Cusack of the University of Sydney and published in the Nova Religio journal, 60 Minutes Australia, BBC News, ABC Australia, and The AgeResearch by: Kayla DeleonSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/LetsStartACult)Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Let’s Start a Cult – the story of the Children of Thunder, a trio led by a fanatic who believed that it was his mission to kill the leaders of the Mormon Church. To carry this out, he brainwashed his younger brother and his roommate to carry out a horrific murder spree that left even the presiding judge reeling from its bloody details. Sponsor: https://omio.sjv.io/c/2544961/1078765/7385Our Socials:Twitter: https://twitter.com/lets_cultFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/letsstartacultpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lets_cult/?hl=enYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChcl9qrvKAsXJTaBfVgKILQWebsite: https://www.letsstartacultpodcast.com/Reddit On Wiki:Twitter: https://twitter.com/redditonwikiInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/redditonwiki/Website: https://www.spreaker.com/show/reddit-on-wikiSources for this episode include the San Francisco Gate, Turner Entertainment, Murderpedia, The Independent, The Daily Mail, People Magazine, and the Cult Education Institute. Research by: Kayla DeleonSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/LetsStartACult)Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unlike the majority of other cults, the House of David didn’t isolate itself from the rest of the world. In fact, its members even opened their commune to visitors, welcoming up to half a million of them during peak season. They also formed their own baseball team that went on to compete with the nation’s best, making headlines across the United States and contributing significantly to how the game has evolved throughout the centuries. Perhaps the most bizarre thing about the devotees of the House of David was how the men refused to shave and cut their hair. Photos show them wearing baseball outfits, with full beards and hair streaming down their backs. But as odd as their appearances were, the residents of Benton Harbor, Michigan, where the commune was located, held nothing but love for them. Sponsor: https://omio.sjv.io/c/2544961/1078765/7385Our Socials:Twitter: https://twitter.com/lets_cultFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/letsstartacultpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lets_cult/?hl=enYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChcl9qrvKAsXJTaBfVgKILQWebsite: https://www.letsstartacultpodcast.com/Hush Hush Society Conspiracy Hour:Twitter: https://twitter.com/HHSConspiracyFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hushhushsocietyconspiracyhourInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hhsconspiracyhour/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBHJv6RWJxDaHMbEKfCb_ogWebsite: https://www.hushhushsociety.com/Sources for this episode include:Southcottian Studies, The Guardian, Owlcation, the Detroit Free Press, Mashable, The Chicago Tribune, a Medium article titled “The house of David: The Midwest Cult that Was Really Good at Baseball” by Lauren Modery, the Cult Education Institute, The Detroit News, The Chicago Reader, the Michigan Radio, The Detroit Free Press, and Atlas Obscura.Photograph: Underwood Archives/Getty ImagesResearch by: Kayla DeleonSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/LetsStartACult)Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aswang are horrible shape-shifting creatures from Filipino folklore! Listen to this test episode as John gives Josh and Sean an in-depth look into these terrible creatures!Get ready to listen weekly starting August 2nd! Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts!https://www.spreaker.com/show/reddit-on-wikiSources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aswanghttps://www.movementdisorders.org/MDS/AOS-Partners/Movement-Disorder-Society-of-the-Philippines.htmhttps://theculturetrip.com/asia/philippines/articles/aswang-the-terrifying-vampire-ghouls-of-the-philippines/https://mythus.fandom.com/wiki/Tikbalanghttps://www.reddit.com/r/Ghoststories/comments/bah2zb/an_manananggal_tried_to_eat_me_in_my_moms_womb/Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

He may be long dead, but Charles Manson continues to strike fear in the hearts of many. This gaunt, unshaven man with wild eyes can be seen in dozens of photographs from the late 1960s and early 1970s – a period in American history that, interestingly enough, was marked by peace movements alongside murderous cults, serial killers, and all sorts of violence. Perhaps no other man embodies this chaotic period than Charles Manson. In life, he was known as a prophet and leader; however, he has since come to be regarded as evil incarnate, who turned a bunch of free-thinking youngsters into mass murderers. Sponsor: https://omio.sjv.io/c/2544961/1078765/7385Our Socials:Twitter: https://twitter.com/lets_cultFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/letsstartacultpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lets_cult/?hl=enYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChcl9qrvKAsXJTaBfVgKILQWebsite: https://www.letsstartacultpodcast.com/Crime & Compulsion:Twitter: https://twitter.com/crimecompulsionFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/crimeandcompulsionInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/crimeandcompulsionpodcast/Website: https://crimeandcompulsion.com/Sources for this episode include All That’s Interesting, Vox News, ThoughtCo, Biography, Encyclopedia Britannica, TIME Magazine, The Mirror, a book titled “Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders” by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry, Famous Trials, the Los Angeles Times, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Psychology Today, a Psych Blog from Penn State University, and Smithsonian MagazineResearch by: Kayla DeleonSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/LetsStartACult)Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Let’s Start a Cult – we will be talking about QAnon, a movement born from an Internet messaging board that – in the space of four years – managed to infiltrate the United States Presidency, leading to a slew of disturbing incidents.Sponsor: https://omio.sjv.io/c/2544961/1078765/7385Our Socials:Twitter: https://twitter.com/lets_cultFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/letsstartacultpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lets_cult/?hl=enYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChcl9qrvKAsXJTaBfVgKILQWebsite: https://www.letsstartacultpodcast.com/From the Middle:Twitter: https://twitter.com/fromthemidpodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/fromthemidpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromthemidpod/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ab3_gRkKlr6i4LsCq8hjQWebsite: https://linktr.ee/fromthemidpodSources for this episode include BBC News, Insider, Fast Company, CNN, NBC News, Slate, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, ABC News, The Guardian, CBS News, Politico, The Financial Times, NPR, and The Atlantic. Research by: Kayla DeleonSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/LetsStartACult)Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode of Let’s Start A Cult we are talking NEWS! That's right we are a news channel now... Just kidding but in there has been a recent incident involving the cult Love Has Won. We will dive in and find out how a cult with such a nice name came to embalm their own leader!Our Socials:Twitter: https://twitter.com/lets_cultFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/letsstartacultpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lets_cult/?hl=enYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChcl9qrvKAsXJTaBfVgKILQWebsite: https://www.letsstartacultpodcast.com/SourcesSources for this episode include Vice's Documentary for Love Has Won, The Denver Post, The Independent, CBS Denver, and CNN.Research by: Josh SchellSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/LetsStartACult)Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode of Let’s Start A Cult we continuing our discussion of Adolf Hitler and The Nazi Party and how this terrible cult nearly destroyed the world.Our Socials:Twitter: https://twitter.com/lets_cultFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/letsstartacultpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lets_cult/?hl=enYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChcl9qrvKAsXJTaBfVgKILQWebsite: https://www.letsstartacultpodcast.com/The Dumb, Found Dead:Twitter: https://twitter.com/tdfdpodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedumbfounddeadpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedumbfounddeadpod/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSKRBPD4yj6KcshzG8pobRgWebsite: https://www.thedumbfounddeadpod.com/SourcesSources for this episode include Spartacus Educational, the official website of the HISTORY channel, Biography.com, the Encyclopedia of World Biography, Encyclopedia Britannica, BBC Teach, and the Holocaust Encyclopedia from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.Research by: Kayla DeleonSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/LetsStartACult)https://www.skinstore.com/pod.listSkinStore is offering our listeners 20% of your next purchase by using the code PODMentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Use this link to donate: https://aapifund.org/And check out The Dumbfound, Dead Podcast here: https://www.thedumbfounddeadpod.com/Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode of Let’s Start A Cult we will be telling the story of a young boy from an impoverished Austrian family, who managed to crawl his way to the top of an organization that would later terrorize the entire European continent and the...Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Perhaps no other cult has fascinated people more than the Order of the Solar Temple – a group that began in the late 1980s as a community of people who sought to live out New Age philosophies. For some, the organization is interesting because of the...Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Currently fueled by the millions of dollars that they earn through their several business ventures, many of its members continue to see it as a legitimate Christian group, rather than a cult. Today we will be talking about The Church of Bible... Get Ad-Free episodes and episodes A Week Early on our Cultiv8 Podcast Network Patreon Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 1970s was a time of searching and exploration around the world. Following decades of war and unrest, young people yearned for happiness, meaning, and peace. They wanted to be enlightened, spiritually awakened. They craved to be part of something bigger and more meaningful than the regular 9-5 grind. This desire was the perfect foundation for cults. Flower children devoted themselves to people like Charles Manson and James Jones, who made promises of something bigger and better to come–if they only devoted their lives to serving them. When one man, Roch Thériault, found that his charm had a certain power over people–that on words alone he could draw audiences in and leave them begging for more –he saw an opportunity to start a cult of his own, The Ant Hill Kids. Get Ad-Free episodes and episodes A Week Early on our Cultiv8 Podcast Network Patreon Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website Sources Sources for this episode include Very Bad Men, Maclean’s Magazine, and Dark Histories podcast. Research by: lauratownsend Photo by Donald Giannatti on Unsplash Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/LetsStartACult) Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Nation of Yahweh, an organization that started out as a charitable movement to help the impoverished citizens of Miami and then turned onto the residents, subjecting them to a series of violent attacks and murders that left at least 13 people... Get Ad-Free episodes and episodes A Week Early on our Cultiv8 Podcast Network Patreon Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christmas - a time for joy, a time for cheer, a time for beatings? That's right the beloved holiday that billions around the world celebrate might be a front for that jolly old man. Behind that white beard lies a dark past that our beloved cult leader... Get Ad-Free episodes and episodes A Week Early on our Cultiv8 Podcast Network Patreon Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of Let's Start A Cult we will be talking about The Freedomites also called The Sons of Freedom, and their fight to save their children from the government. The Freedomites were a religious, extremist cult that used nudity, arson, and... Get Ad-Free episodes and episodes A Week Early on our Cultiv8 Podcast Network Patreon Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unlike other cults, the Matamoros Cult was never in the mainstream; it didn’t amass thousands of followers nor was it a subject of controversy in its heyday. In fact, it was even trusted by the elite and high society of Mexico City, all of whom were... Get Ad-Free episodes and episodes A Week Early on our Cultiv8 Podcast Network Patreon Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cults are built on logical, semi-believable premises that often involve religion and the leader as the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. It is these messages that draw hundreds of people in, causing them to commit horrific acts on others and on... Get Ad-Free episodes and episodes A Week Early on our Cultiv8 Podcast Network Patreon Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every year on February 15th, locals of the island of Tanna in Vanuatu gather in swarms to celebrate their messiah. It’s the holiest of days for the small island. Some of their celebrations look like standard worship: song and dance, prayer and chanting. Get Ad-Free episodes and episodes A Week Early on our Cultiv8 Podcast Network Patreon Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ho-No-Hana Sanpogyo targeted desperate people – often housewives with sick husbands and children who were searching for any possible cure to save their loved ones. Get Ad-Free episodes and episodes A Week Early on our Cultiv8 Podcast Network Patreon Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All of them were members of the Peoples Temple, an organization that began as an unconventional church in Indianapolis that sought to serve society’s marginalized before eventually morphing into a cult, thanks to the drug-addled mind of its founder and leader, Reverend Jim Jones. Get Ad-Free episodes and episodes A Week Early on our Cultiv8 Podcast Network Patreon Follow us on the socials: Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Website Mentioned in this episode: Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Audible Get 1-month free of Audible! That's one free book and access to hundreds of free books and podcasts! Start reading today! Audible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the Let's Start A Cult podcast! We will explore the dark and interesting world of cults and how they get started! Join me, Josh Schell, and my guests every other week as we take on a new cult of interest!Episodes starting October 6th, 2020!To... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices