The hottest Cults Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Faith & Spirituality Topics

The Zizians and the Rationalist death cults

Read Max • 12066 implied HN points • 31 Jan 25
📖 Philosophy Rationalism Cults Psychology Ethics Self-Improvement
  1. Rationalism can lead to cult-like groups, like the Zizians, which have been tied to violence and criminal activities. These groups often arise from complex social dynamics within the Rationalist community.
  2. The Rationalist Movement emphasizes personal development and reasoning, but this can make its members susceptible to extreme beliefs and social manipulation. As a result, some might fall into harmful ideologies.
  3. Many people involved in the Rationalist community seek deep connections and self-improvement, but this often comes with pressure to conform and can push members toward risky behaviors or affiliations with dangerous groups.

Whistleblower: I got HARASSED by a cult

The Freedom Corner with PeterSweden • 2476 implied HN points • 03 Feb 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Cults Whistleblower Power Dynamics
  1. A whistleblower shares their shocking experience being harassed by a cult after exposing inappropriate behavior within the organization.
  2. The whistleblower faced expulsion from churches and even false police reports for trying to protect vulnerable individuals.
  3. The story highlights the importance of speaking out against abuse and seeking help for victims in similar situations.

Book Talk: Cults and Degrowth and Zardoz

Yasha Levine • 157 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
📚 Literature Cults Degrowth
  1. The event is a book talk hosting Anthony Galluzzo about his new book 'Against the Vortex: Zardoz and Degrowth Utopias'
  2. The book is a critique of society's techno-utopianism and offers a new path forward past industrialization
  3. The event is on January 14, 2024, in Brooklyn at Spoonbill bookstore

Marblehead

Deprogram • 117 implied HN points • 10 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Extremism Cults Community Religion Politics
  1. A compound may be characterized by a community that is very insular and owned by a single radical church.
  2. In some cases, warning signs of a compound include affiliation with extreme ideologies and the promotion of militant activities.
  3. Despite the concerning aspects, sometimes unexpected experiences like free cheesecake can make interactions in cult-like settings more tolerable.
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America's Most Prominent Cult Expert is a Conspiracy Theorist and a Hack

Cold Button Issues • 39 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Conspiracy Theories Cults Mind Control Research
  1. Steven Hassan, a prominent cult expert, has been accused of promoting fringe conspiracy theories.
  2. Hassan's framework for studying cults, the BITE model, has been criticized for being undermined by his own research.
  3. Hassan's research and views have raised concerns about his credibility as an expert on cults.

Spencer Longo: TIME

Do Not Research • 39 implied HN points • 16 Oct 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Visual art Folklore Conspiracy Religion Cults
  1. The 'TIME' body of work by Spencer Longo visualizes millenarian anxieties through unconventional juxtapositions of text and images on old Time magazine spreads, reflecting on modern conspiratorial mindsets.
  2. The Sovereign Citizen movement includes groups like Moorish Sovereign Citizens, who reject US citizenship for alternative beliefs and create customized legal documentation with a Middle Eastern aesthetic.
  3. Cult systems like the Heaven's Gate utilized control tactics such as strict diets to maintain power over followers, leading to drastic actions like mass suicide in pursuit of spiritual ascension.

Mercola's Psychic Friends Network

Rounding the Earth Newsletter • 17 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Cults Mind Control Occult Spirituality Conspiracy
  1. Mercola has connections to a 'Psychic Friends Network' involving cult-like behavior and mind control.
  2. Kai Clay claims to be a channel for an ancient entity advising Mercola, leading to drastic changes in his company.
  3. The situation raises concerns about potentially dangerous guruism and reveals possible ties to both New Age beliefs and historical figures promoting questionable ideologies.

Whistleblower: Intelligence Organized Cult Training? Werner Erhard's EST/Landmark Under a Microscope

Rounding the Earth Newsletter • 9 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Conspiracy theory Cults Intelligence Whistleblower
  1. The conversation discusses Werner Erhard's EST/Landmark programs and their controversial origins.
  2. The story ties into larger conspiracies around the New World Order theory.
  3. The interview sheds light on potential intelligence connections and manipulation in the executive coaching industry.

It could be his head wasn't screwed on just right

Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends • 0 implied HN points • 11 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Twitter Cults AI Romance Workplace dynamics
  1. Twitter is going through a tough time with outages, controversial decisions, and Elon Musk considering the fate of the platform.
  2. There is a growing interest in AI relationships from different perspectives, such as to cope with personal issues or explore different experiences.
  3. Companies are using personality tests for remote work decisions, but the effectiveness and accuracy of these tests are uncertain.

With "it"

Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends • 0 implied HN points • 10 Apr 14
🎭️ Culture TV Cults Emails Social media Restaurants
  1. Growing up in an apocalyptic cult influenced Flor Edwards's early life but she managed to break free from it.
  2. Emails can reveal the personal and emotional sides of people, showing how they change, grow, and feel different emotions.
  3. A nun addicted to Twitter showcases a modern twist on traditional figures, raising questions about the changing roles of individuals in society.

Kara: Cults and Trauma

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 05 Apr 21
🏥 Health & Wellness Trauma Cults Healing Mental health Community
  1. Trauma overwhelms the nervous system, distorts thinking, and fragments the sense of self. Healing trauma requires finding a safe community to process it.
  2. Traumatized individuals are drawn to cults seeking purpose, identity, and belonging. Cult-like groups can hinder true healing from trauma.
  3. It's important to approach those in cults with care, listening, and non-judgment. Providing a sense of safety and offering support can help individuals transition out of cult thinking.