American Cults: Cabals, Corruption, and Charismatic Leaders

(Hardback)

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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 Americas 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.Youll 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, Jehovahs 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 Heavens 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.

Reviews

"Whats 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 Thats 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, Jehovahs Witnesses, the Church of Scientology, Heavens 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 Bio

Jim Willis earned his masters 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.