Religious Cults

Behind the tall, foreboding gates of a commune in Brazil, Daniella Mestyanek Young was raised in the religious cult The Children of God, also known as The Family, as the daughter of high-ranking members. Her great-grandmother donated land for one of The Family’s first communes in Texas. Her mother, at thirteen, was forced to marry the leader and served as his secretary for many years. Beholden to The Family’s strict rules, Daniella suffers physical, emotional, and sexual abuse—masked as godly discipline and divine love—and is forbidden from getting a traditional education.

Human sacrifice still goes on uncomfortably close to home - cases have been found in the U.S., Europe, and the United Kingdom. In other parts of the world, such as South America, ritual killing is almost commonplace. Human Sacrifice investigates the terrifying current spate of human sacrifices and ritual killings. Jimmy Lee Shreeve draws on police reports and interviews with the victims' families to paint a horrifying picture of ritual sacrifice at home and abroad.

Scientology, created in 1954 by a prolific sci-fi writer named L. Ron Hubbard, claims to be the world's fastest-growing religion, with millions of members around the world and huge financial holdings. Its celebrity believers keep its profile high, and its teams of "volunteer ministers" offer aid at disaster sites such as Haiti and the World Trade Center. But Scientology is also a notably closed faith, harassing journalists and others through litigation and intimidation, even infiltrating the highest levels of government to further its goals.

Banished is an eye-opening, deeply personal account of life inside the cult known as the Westboro Baptist Church, as well as a fascinating story of adaptation and perseverance. Since no organized religion will claim affiliation with the WBC, it's perhaps more accurate to think of them as a cult. Lauren Drain was thrust into that cult at the age of 15, and then spat back out again seven years later. Banished is the story of Lauren's fight to find herself amidst dramatic changes in a world of extremists and a life in exile.

If anyone still has any doubt why Charles Manson was convicted of the crimes as a conspirator and whether or not he controlled his followers, this book should dispel those doubts. Manson, ironically, was his own worst enemy as can clearly be seen in the pages of this book.

One-on-one with Satan. A chilling and highly convincing account of possession and exorcism in modern America, hailed by NBC Radio as "one of the most stirring books on the contemporary scene."

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. A prophet has arrived in the small mountain town of Red Tree, California, bringing with him a revival. Repenting of sins. Healings. Exorcisms. Speaking in tongues. Visions. Prophecies. Something big is happening in Red Tree, something so transformative the small town can barely contain it. And Iron King's mother is the Prophet's most committed follower, even though Iron's father isn't totally on board. Any doubts the townspeople have that the Prophet was anointed by God evaporate when a ...

Tom Cruise and John Travolta say the Church of Scientology is a force for good. Others disagree. Award-winning journalist John Sweeney investigated the Church for more than half a decade. During that time he was intimidated, spied on, and followed, and the results were spectacular: Sweeney lost his temper with the Church's spokesman on camera, and his infamous 'exploding tomato' clip was seen by millions around the world.

“As Mercury dwelleth near the Sun, so I abide in the heart of my Lord. My feet run upon His errands and by my mouth are His words spoken.” Thus wrote Brother XII in the preface to The Three Truths, describing his role as the divinely-ordained agent of an ancient mystical Brotherhood known as the Great White Lodge. As the agent of this mysterious fraternity, Edward Arthur Wilson, aka Brother XII, a slight, soft-spoken former English sea-captain, embarked on a dramatic and sensational career that established him as one of the most fascinating figures in the history of modern religion. ...

Jim Valekis’ The Christian in the Cult: And How I Discovered Humanity in Christ uses the author’s life story to take us deep inside the culture of the Greek Orthodox Church, Herbert Armstrong’s Worldwide Church of God, and modern Evangelicalism. After journeying through three versions of “the only true church,” Valekis deftly invites his listeners to join him in his ongoing discovery of humanity in Christ and what it can mean for the church and the world.

Written by a cult survivor and renowned expert on cults and totalitarianism, Terror, Love and Brainwashing draws on the author's 25 years of study and research to explain how almost anyone, given the right set of circumstances, can be radically manipulated to engage in otherwise incomprehensible and often dangerous acts.

"One by One" is the fourth installment of the Jehovah's Witnesses "Door" series, by author, Daniel Rodriguez. With the passage of time, a new generation of Jehovah’s Witnesses was on the rise. Those Jehovah’s Witnesses who experienced the events of 1975 were passing away quickly, and that failed prophecy was all but forgotten. "One by one" entails the story of ex-Jehovah's Witnesses who have turned to activism - protesting inside Kingdom Halls before confronting their own issues why they left the Watchtower organization. While going door-to-door handing out flyers, one of the activists ...

Amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive, this piercing work distills 3,000 years of the history of power into 48 well-explicated laws. This bold volume outlines the laws of power in their unvarnished essence, synthesizing the philosophies of Machiavelli, Sun Tzu, Carl von Clausewitz, and other infamous strategists. The 48 Laws of Power will fascinate any listener interested in gaining, observing, or defending against ultimate control.

Christianity believes every religion, faith and religious organization — aside from Christianity - is a cult. In actuality, by its very definition, every religion is a cult, including the religion — the cult - of Christianity. In his bold, yet controversial new book, The Cult of Christianity, Mike Williams takes on the religious dogmas, oral traditions, borrowed myths and outright lies that make up so much of what Christians believe, and from which they need to be freed.

There are two issues which confront those who have a heart to share the gospel with the Jehovah's Witnesses: 1) Not knowing what drives their commitment; and 2) Frustration. The end result: both parties arguing by debating scripture. Regardless what is said, the gospel message falls on a hardened heart and deaf ears. In this book, you will learn why the Witnesses are so committed to their beliefs. You will also learn from the personal experiences of an ex-Jehovah's Witnesses how the Witnesses think, why they depend upon the Watchtower, and why leaving the Watchtower organization can be ...

In 1993, David Koresh and a band of heavily armed evangelical Christians took on the might of the US government. A two-month siege of their compound in Waco, Texas, ended in a firefight that killed seventy-six, including twenty-five children. America is still picking up the pieces, and we still haven't heard the full story.

Whether you're a Christian Scientist searching for answers, a former follower still struggling to let go of confusing teachings, or a friend or ministry partner hoping to better understand the grips of this false faith, this book can help you on your search for truth. In these ten intensely personal narratives, former Christian Scientists bravely recount their journey out of the religion and into authentic, biblical faith in Jesus Christ. Each chapter addresses a different theme, shining light on theological inconsistencies taught by Mary Baker Eddy in her book Science and Health with Key ...

“In Earth Wisdom, Gene Andrade has given this generation a thoughtful and thought-provoking reminder. In his experiences with Yogananda, Rajneesh, Krishnamurti and others, he has learned something important, something many of us need to hear.” – John Robbins, author of Diet for a New America, and The New Good Life In Earth Wisdom, Gene Andrade takes you on his personal odyssey through a maze of spiritual teachers, cults, and teachings to discover how to grow spiritually in a safe, sane, and balanced way. Excerpt from Earth Wisdom During my life, I have been driven by my intense ...

In Cult Following, Ocker sheds light on the terrifying attraction of cults, demonstrating the elasticity of belief, the desperateness of belonging, and the tragedy of trust.

In this immersive, spell-binding memoir, an acclaimed screenwriter tells the story of her childhood growing up with the infamous Lyman Family cult—and the complicated and unexpected pain of leaving the only home she’d ever known.