What are some UK Cults that have or still exist in the UK today?
Posted by tpain13@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 711 comments
I know and hear of a lot of cults in America, but rarely hear of any in the UK (if at all!). Are there any that still exist today?
Low-Cartographer8758@reddit
any business entities
CreepyTip4646@reddit
According to stats only 37% of Brits believe in God/Gods. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the UK.
manhattan4@reddit
Scientology, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Crossfit, Air Fryers
WeirdoInTheWoods87@reddit
I miss Britannia music club that was the best cult they even gave you albums that you had to pay for
PM_Me_PM_Dawn_Pics@reddit
Slow cookers as well. I didn't really like mine but people are obsessed with them
Previous_Basis8862@reddit
I have an air fryer, instant pot and do CrossFit. Am I even capable of being saved at this point????
IllPen8707@reddit
Slow cooker and air fryer is the ultimate combo for those who work unsociable hours though.
EveningStar5155@reddit
A slow cooker is an object. Cults are based on people and organisations.
Tony_Blair_MP@reddit
Mormons are not a cult.
Serious-Award-3517@reddit
Most people who are in a cult, dont realise they are in a cult....
Tony_Blair_MP@reddit
That doesn’t answer my question.
psycho-mouse@reddit
I fucking hate air fryer cultists.
No, it isn’t any better or cheaper than an oven. Just admit to yourself that you can’t cook anything that takes any more skill than using what is essentially a hot microwave.
Lower_Possession_697@reddit
Tell me more. I'm not convinced about air fryers yet.
psycho-mouse@reddit
More about what?
People bang on about them being cheaper to run but neglect to mention the £200 you need to spend to get one that’s even half decent or big enough.
Just use an oven like a normal person, or, wild idea I know, learn how to use a frying and saucepan, you’re food will be much better for it and no slower.
chucky2000@reddit
The oven supplied with my flat is absolute shite. Takes about 30 minutes to preheat and cooks unevenly. Landlord refuses to do anything about it since it technically isn't broken.
My air-fryer has been a massive convenience for me in that sense. £100 for a large name-brand dual-basket from Costco (5 year warranty). People like you are just as bad as the air-fryer "cultists" who use it to cook absolutely everything and act as if they're the second coming of Christ.
It's a small, relatively cheap convection oven that does what it's supposed to. Get over your own elitism before bashing others lol.
gainsandgamez@reddit
I’ve just had a new kitchen put in and the only reason I actually opted to put an oven in is incase I ever sell the place. Since owning an air fryer I haven’t turned an oven on and probably never will.
EveningStar5155@reddit
If you sold your home to move elsewhere, surely you would take the oven with you as you would the kettle, toaster, blenders, and fridge. You leave behind the built-in cupboards, sink, and draining board.
gainsandgamez@reddit
Everywhere I’ve ever lived has had a built in oven, I’ve never had a free standing oven as such, if I move I’m definitely not taking a built in oven with me and I never have either.
EveningStar5155@reddit
That's because they are wired into the electricity supply as they operate on a higher wattage than a plug-in appliance such as a microwave, toaster oven or air fryer. I think the maximum for a plug in appliance is 1,000 Watts.
EveningStar5155@reddit
My hime is rented and unfurnished. There was no cooker there. I bought a microwave with grill function. Then turbo ovens, a toaster cooker and now an air fryer.
EveningStar5155@reddit
Five function ones cost less than that, and even the cheapest simple ones cost between £30 and £50 these days.
psycho-mouse@reddit
Have fun feeding a family of 4 or 5 out of one of them. You’ll be there all day.
EveningStar5155@reddit
That's why you get two or three ones.
psycho-mouse@reddit
So you might as well just stick with an oven or buy a bigger more expensive air fryer 😂
EveningStar5155@reddit
There is a maximum size for air fryers, and they have different functions. Some have two drawers, some have the dehydrator function, and some have rotisserie.
PassiveChemistry@reddit
Do you know how expensive an oven is? If you're gonna cite initial cost, you might as well compare apples to apples - ovens aren't cheap either. Even if we assume the air fryer additional (which, fair enough, I expect it usually is), it'll surely pay for itself in savings if you use it often enough. Tbf though, I haven't calculated the payback time yet, so I could be talking out of my arse.
psycho-mouse@reddit
I did the maths on this not too long ago when my dad was banging on about them. It’s pence per week. A Ninja air fryer pays for itself in 4 years, and I’m not convinced they have the long term build quality to last much longer compared to a regular oven.
And you’re right, people will have both so there is an initial cost for two appliances.
PassiveChemistry@reddit
What usage rate is that based on?
-cluaintarbh-@reddit
Their arse
IronSkywalker@reddit
You sound worse than the "cultists" tbf
psycho-mouse@reddit
Probably. I can barely contain my rage when they’re mentioned /s.
BastardsCryinInnit@reddit
I took long to convert, but I love my air fryer.
Firstly I make things that I wouldn't usually because I refuse to deep fat fry, so I've made a lot of bhaji, pakoras, spring rolls, samosas etc. And I make those things from scratch.
But really it's brilliant to quickly reheat things, do your freezer food etc.
People can be snobby about them, but I do a lot of cooking from scratch and it will never replace that, I'm not one of those "you can do everything in the air fryer" because there are many occasions where that's not true.
Lower_Possession_697@reddit
How is it better than a regular oven and a microwave?
sagsagsagsags@reddit
Personally I like mine because it’s one of those near Dual Zones.
I start - for example - my fish for 20 minutes in foil in one drawer, and at the same time set my potato chips for 15 minutes. I press “sync” and they both cook and finish at the same time ie it knows to start my chips after 5 minutes of the fish.
I’m not a great cook and I don’t enjoy the timing of things. My air fryer helps me have healthier lunches while WFH particularity because I can set everything off at once and it’s all done at once.
The oven is definitely better at some things - like a proper roast. But there’s space in my life for both, for different occasions.
EveningStar5155@reddit
Yes, like cooking for a family. Or you could replace that cooker with two or three air fryers or one air fryer, a slow cooker, and a microwave.
PassiveChemistry@reddit
It's much cheaper to run than an oven, doesn't need its own electricity circuit, and has significantly greater capacity than a microwave. Some can also be used as pressure cookers.
psycho-mouse@reddit
It’s not cheaper to run when you factor in the initial outlay of buying one.
-cluaintarbh-@reddit
No idea why you think you've to spend £200 on one, and ovens are somehow free.
psycho-mouse@reddit
Ovens last far longer and are often in houses when you move in (if you’re not bringing one with you).
EveningStar5155@reddit
Not in unfurnished rented homes they are. If you live alone, get an air fryer, toaster oven, microwave, or turbo oven instead of a full sized cooker with hobs. The latter are difficult to get up the stairs if you live in a flat above the ground floor.
-cluaintarbh-@reddit
Not always, and not always usable.
Some people live in apartments rather than houses, with less space.
PassiveChemistry@reddit
Over what time period, and with what usage rates?
EveningStar5155@reddit
It is like an advanced turbo oven only made out of metal instead of glass. The newer models have grill, roast, and dehydrator functions as well.
BastardsCryinInnit@reddit
I wouldn't ever compare it to a microwave, it's a totally different function.
I struggle to think of one thing that I would make in the airfryer that I would do in a microwave.
And not everything is about being better.
The air fryer is more convenient for sure.
Lower_Possession_697@reddit
Apart from reheating food like you mentioned?
BastardsCryinInnit@reddit
Reheat what food though?
I don't often reheat food, so that's a niche function for me.
I think you're deli being obtuse, don't make hating air fryers your thing... it's not worth it mate.
Lower_Possession_697@reddit
Okay well I was just going off what you said.
I honestly dgaf either way, I was just interested why people are so hyped about them all of a sudden, I've got limited counter space but I thought I might be missing out on something.
Hayesey88@reddit
Anything cooked in an air fryer tastes 100x better cooked using another method.
X90Levi@reddit
Capacity, means you can cook more, especially if oven is in use and you live in household of 4+ people.
EveningStar5155@reddit
There are also Stanley Cup enthusiasts who won't use an ordinary insulated metal water bottle as they need a sippy cup to drink out of.
5cousemonkey@reddit
Same, wife loves it, I hate it. I can cook anything, she could burn the sun. Can't stand the "look what I made in my airfryer" brigade, what? 99 times out of a hundred you took some frozen crap from the freezer and shoved it in the overpriced hairdryer, your not Delia Smith all of a sudden.
-cluaintarbh-@reddit
I assume you say the same thing to people who use their oven?
PassiveChemistry@reddit
Also, why does general household cookery need to be skillful anyway?
knotatwist@reddit
I can cook with skill, but I can't be arsed and often I just want nuggets and chips which are quicker in the air fryer and less faff to shake/flip.
VolcanicBoar@reddit
Hey, air fryers have a use.
Jonography@reddit
I've got a great idea for a microwave but it's bigger and runs on gas. Takes longer to cook the food but tastes better.
APiousCultist@reddit
Air fryers work a lot faster than an oven though. Admittedly I imagine that convection oven feature on many microwaves that no one ever uses probably also do. For the same reason people use toasters, smaller and more efficient ovens do have a use.
Initial-Echidna-9129@reddit
Air fryers take the concept of "Fan Assisted Oven" and make it more directed and a smaller area.
BriarcliffInmate@reddit
I really like my air fryer, mainly just because I never feel safe using boiling hot oil when I'm alone in the house. I'm epileptic so it just feels safer using an air fryer if I want chips when I'm in on my own.
VadimH@reddit
Mine has a built-in probe so I can set it to grill and even cook steaks, chicken etc to the perfect amount and it will stop cooking when they are done :)
Farscape_rocked@reddit
Air fryers are an oven. But they're small so heat up really quickly.
I love my air fryer, but I don't think it's magic. It's just a good small oven.
iwaterboardheathens@reddit
It works mostly the same but a bit slower
shes-a-princess@reddit
My lasest apartment only had a convection microwave and it was SHITE
Jonography@reddit
Did I mention that the device I am creating is eco-friendly and will run on natural gas?
Chicken-Mcwinnish@reddit
Natural gas isn’t eco friendly. It’s just less bad than oil or coal.
Initial-Echidna-9129@reddit
Microwave ovens already exist....
VolcanicBoar@reddit
Genuinely curious what device you speak of. Never seen a gas air fryer, and haven't seen a gas oven in a couple of decades.
Vladolf_Puttler@reddit
Are you in the UK?
VolcanicBoar@reddit
Yes.
Justacynt@reddit
Yeah the only gas appliance I have ever had in any of my houses was the boiler.
LeTreacs@reddit
My parents still have a gas hob, although they opted for an electric oven, and their kitchen isn’t that old
Scotto6UK@reddit
You haven't seen a gas oven in 20 years?!
VolcanicBoar@reddit
No. Although I guess if my mate's parents still have one I technically saw one recently.
ElMrSenor@reddit
Have you ever actually used a gas oven? They're shit.
LifelessLewis@reddit
Not for making pizza
giganticturnip@reddit
Hey everyone, we found the cult member!
VolcanicBoar@reddit
It's not a cult if there's only one of me. I think you mean "a" cult member, although I genuinely do not give a shit if anyone else has one or not.
My proper oven died 3 or 4 months ago. Haven't needed to fix it, only thing we're missing is home made pizzas.
montyzac@reddit
I am still not sure how to work our main oven (at this point scared to ask), however the airfryer, I am the house expert.
-TheHumorousOne-@reddit
There's just something beautiful about being able to just chuck in some nuggets/chips/fish fingers/veggies, set a timer and just having to toss/flip the food every now and again and all done within 15-20 mins.
No pre heat, no spot heating, no problem.
Remarkable-Wash-7798@reddit
You should be pre-heating your air fryer. Obviously doesn't take as long, but definitely pre-heat.
EveningStar5155@reddit
Only with fresh uncooked meat.
Remarkable-Wash-7798@reddit
Why?
If a cooking instruction says 180 for 25 mins. That's 180 for 25 mins. Not between 20-180 for 5 mins and then cook for 20.
Everything is better from a preheated oven/air fryer
EveningStar5155@reddit
I only bought one as my other oven stopped working. The prices of them were starting to fall, and many came with more functions, so they are either 3 or 5 function ones. The old ones had only the air fryer function.
Alwuwa_Brax@reddit
I'm here to support my fellow cult member. MAX CRISP, MAX CRISP, MAX CRISP
harrybooboo@reddit
Praise be to crunch!
Critical-Iron-8108@reddit
Get an ooni - whole other cult
giganticturnip@reddit
Definitely the cult member
VolcanicBoar@reddit
As long as you don't start comparing me with cross fitters I'm alright.
EveningStar5155@reddit
They are only physical objects, so there aren't cults based around them. Cults are based around people, beliefs, and organisations.
Realkevinnash59@reddit
the "cheese on toasters" are a dangerous and chubby bunch
Bicolore@reddit
So do Mormons.
Cpt_Jigglypuff@reddit
Such as?
Bicolore@reddit
I insulated my garage with them.
ColossusOfChoads@reddit
They gave you the Killers.
VolcanicBoar@reddit
Yeah, fucking good musical tbh.
Additional-Extent583@reddit
They're just ovens.
VolcanicBoar@reddit
All I said was that they have a use.
Are you claiming ovens do not have a use?
Fallenangel152@reddit
The problem with owning an airfryer is having to put up with smug people constantly saying "you know they're not fryers! They're just convection ovens!!"
Djinjja-Ninja@reddit
Park Run belongs on that list as well.
flatfishkicker@reddit
Read that as Park life and wondered if I'd missed the whole Blur cult. I'm an idiot and you're right.
Djinjja-Ninja@reddit
Ahem...
nepeta19@reddit
I managed about 35 seconds before the cringing got too painful
Djinjja-Ninja@reddit
That's about as far as I got as well.
Wanker in a hat... "PARK RUN"... off.
flatfishkicker@reddit
Oh dear god
PanningForSalt@reddit
It’s a brilliant cult though
Djinjja-Ninja@reddit
That's what Manson said.
Aggravating-Win-3638@reddit
BEEF!
permabanispointless@reddit
Nope. Very much septic.
mowikn@reddit
But those are just American cults with chapters in the UK.
Browntown-magician@reddit
You forgot the satanic cult of people who put the milk in their brew first.
That_Welsh_Man@reddit
Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Catholicism, any other form of organised worship you sm think of.
CrimpsShootsandRuns@reddit
Gymshark are an up and coming cult too, coming to a steroid-infused lad in a gym near you.
ProofLegitimate9990@reddit
Imagine being offended by people exercising lmao.
Ok_Donkey_1997@reddit
GymShark and their relationship with young fitness influencers has been fairly fairly dodgy over the years.
ProofLegitimate9990@reddit
Source?
Ok_Donkey_1997@reddit
This Gymshark sponsored guy was 19 years old when this photo was taken
https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fangzo7jnbv071.jpg
He's just one of them. I think they have eased off a bit, but a few years their instagram was just chock-a-block with kids on PEDs.
eerst@reddit
Fucking hell James Acaster got buff.
Ok_Donkey_1997@reddit
I just want you to know that I woke up this morning, and I was still chuckling about this comment.
Digidigdig@reddit
So his gainz weren’t down to his diet of fish and a ricecake
CrimpsShootsandRuns@reddit
Not offended at all. I lift weights 4x per week. I've just seen a big uptick in gymshark clad steroid users in my local gym.
ProofLegitimate9990@reddit
It’s just a clothing brand, idk why you have a problem with it.
CrimpsShootsandRuns@reddit
Mate, it was a tongue in cheek observation about a brand promoted by and aimed at a certain type of people. I don't have a problem with it and I didn't sign up to be grilled on the matter by a disgruntled Gymshark fan.
Kernowder@reddit
It's not a clothing brand, it's a cult.
EveningStar5155@reddit
Mormons are US based.
motific@reddit
MLMs and diet organisations should absolutely join the list.
MachinePlanetZero@reddit
Good point, i wonder if they'd even be the fastest growing cults in the uk at the moment (as a whole, not individually).
jonathing@reddit
Deliciously Ella belongs on that list too. Weird middle class 'wellbeing' cult
Significant_Spare495@reddit
Oh god I think I've lost my wife to that shite. After her yoga session, she's all about the homemade cacalo nero and butter bean soup with chickpea and grapefruit udon noodles. And I just want a fucking burger & chips.
ashensfan123@reddit
I suspect so. Deliciously Steven doesn't have the same ring to it.
jonathing@reddit
I know a Steven, who is in fact utterly delectable
ashensfan123@reddit
Can you squeeze him out of a pouch and does he come in a variety of flavours? Is he sold in waitrose???
SomethingElegant@reddit
Jon I've told you before; he's married. Don't make me call your Mam on you again.
pajamakitten@reddit
Her products are terrible too.
Ukplugs4eva@reddit
Dryrobers
The posh version of wearing your dressing gown around Asda for Waitrose people.
Environmental_Mix944@reddit
avon
benjaminchang1@reddit
One of my dad's many cousins (Chinese family) is a Scientologist and no one has spoken to him in 30 years. He was raised along side my dad and his sisters, so he was practically a son to my grandparents, but they won't let him see their children due to his Scientology.
HistorianLost@reddit
As a parkrunner I’m offended we were left off this list.
braceforimpact@reddit
Multi level marketing
ILEAATD@reddit
United States you mean?
Plutonium_239@reddit
The SSPX - extremist breakaway group of Catholics who aren't recognised by the regular Catholic Church. There are quite a few of them in the UK, they even have their own school in Hampshire. The group is much bigger in France and the USA but one of the bishops who founded it was English, and got so looney he was kicked out which is saying something. He also got arrested in Germany for being a Holocaust denier.
MarcellusFaber@reddit
I go to one of their chapels for Mass every Sunday. You normies may consider it 'extremist' (whatever that means), though we just believe and practice as Catholics did in general until the crisis in the Church hit in the 1960's. There seems to be confusion as to what exactly a cult is on this thread, but the SSPX does not fit the definition unless a person such as yourself simply defines it as a small religious group whose beliefs and practices he doesn't like.
Properly speaking, the SSPX is a priestly society and the laity who go to its chapels do not belong to it; there are only about 15-20 priests in the UK and therefore only 15-20 members. Other than the priests, those of us who attend their chapels do not live together (not even the Newbury lot, where the school is, though some of us might like the idea), there is no attempt by the priests to force us to go to SSPX chapels or be involved with it (we go by free choice), nor any attempt to force us to give them money (on that front, for example, I gave an SSPX priest a stipend for some Masses, and he actually said that I had given too much and gave me some change). You may not like it that women are taught to wear a veil in Church, but that has simply been Catholic practice since at least the 2nd century, nor that many of us dislike the wearing of trousers by women, but no measures are taken to attempt to force women to only wear skirts. It is not uncommon to meet people at SSPX chapels who argue against this latter position (which is not really official), and nothing would go further than an attempt to persuade if it came up in a discussion.
You're speaking of Richard Williamson. You're mistaken, for he didn't found the SSPX. Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre founded the SSPX.
I would agree with this statement, but not in the way which you mean it (I am a Sedevacantist). The position of the SSPX itself is not Sedevacantist, and they in fact received jurisdiction from Jorge Bergoglio (whom they recognise, at least verbally, as the Pope). This means that to say that it is not recognised without qualification is misleading.
Where did you read about the SSPX? Your qualification of it as a cult is unjust.
user4567822@reddit
They received jurisdiction to Confession and sometimes Marriage.
They’re still schismatic (not in full communion with the Catholic Church) and canonically irregular. They have doctrinal issues. Their ministries celebrate Mass illicitly.
MarcellusFaber@reddit
Non-Catholics cannot exercise jurisdiction. Our ‘doctrinal issues’ simply constitute holding to the Catholic Faith.
user4567822@reddit
Yes they can. Orthodox do have valid Confession, Marriages and Confirmation. Therefore, they have jurisdiction.
MarcellusFaber@reddit
You are not entirely right about this. While it is true that they have valid orders in general, and thus many of their Sacraments are valid, this does not prove that they have jurisdiction, which is always attached to an office, delegated by someone with an office, or delegated by law.
Let’s look at your examples: 1. Confirmation. This Sacrament does not require jurisdiction, so the example is irrelevant. Confirmation received by an Eastern Schismatic would also be inefficacious, since it would be received illicitly outside of the Church. 2. Marriage. While baptised non-Catholics were bound by the decree Tametsi to have the parish priest or his delegate officiate at their marriages, this was changed in the 1740s. Schismatics and heretics who have been raised in schism no longer require a priest with jurisdiction to officiate for their marriages to be valid. 3. Confession. There is debate about whether an ignorant Russian peasant who knows no better and does intend to submit to Christ’s Church, is a Catholic or not. If that were the case, arguments could be possibly made for jurisdiction being supplied to Eastern Schismatic priests in particular cases, as it is when a Catholic is in danger of death. However, the exercise of ordinary jurisdiction is completely incompatible with heresy and schism, as St Thomas says in IIa-IIae, Q. 39, Art. 3:
user4567822@reddit
MarcellusFaber@reddit
I will answer your questions when you acknowledge the teaching of St Thomas on the question.
user4567822@reddit
(if you’re a sedevacantist you may reject immediately this)
A priest that supports abortion (heretic) can give Reconciliation. An Orthodox priest (schismatic) and now an SSPX priest (still schismatic) can too.
MarcellusFaber@reddit
I am a Sedevacantist. Canon 844 is quite clearly a harmful law, which is impossible for the Church to promulgate due to Her disciplinary infallibility, and one of the many reasons why I conclude that the Holy See is vacant.
Please acknowledge the quote from St Thomas.
user4567822@reddit
If you don’t deny the above, then I ask you: how will we have Popes again? There can’t be a conclave again.
Because if sedevacantism is true, we don’t have cardinals (nor can them be created because we don’t have a Pope).
And the method of electing the Pope can’t be changed because we don’t have a Pope to change it
What I really find interesting it’s the following quote from Etsi Multa of Pope Pius XI. It feels like a glove to sedevacantists/rejectors of Vatican II.
MarcellusFaber@reddit
Please don’t take it the wrong way, but I groaned at seeing these amateurish arguments repeated.
I also find it ironic that the quote you have produced mentions unity of Faith, yet that which appears prima facie currently to be the Church most certainly does not have unity of Faith; one can believe whatever one likes about de fide doctrines to-day and still continue to be regarded as a Catholic, uncensured and unpunished, not only by the world at large, but also by the supposed authorities in each diocese and the supposed authorities in Rome. For the Church to have unity of Faith, Her members must all publicly profess the same de fide doctrines. Yet the supposed Pope himself does not do this: he has stated that Luther was ‘not wrong about justification’ (a position anathematised by the Council of Trent), that the death penalty is ‘inadmissible’, and that there is a right to religious liberty. Yet all these positions are directly contrary to teachings that must be believed with divine and Catholic Faith.
You have managed to divert our discussion away from admitting that I was right about the validity of Eastern schismatic confessions and that the exercise of jurisdiction is incompatible with heresy, as taught by St Thomas. I ask that you concede this as a matter of courtesy.
user4567822@reddit
I answered you on the death penalty here.
The discussion of the validity of Confession by Orthodox does not matter anymore because my point was that SSPX is in schism - which doesn’t matter anymore because you’re a sede.
And I’m staying with the Church: Orthodox Confession is valid — even if I may not be able to understand Aquinas well (maybe he’s wrong? - it’s possible); I don’t know about the quote but I’m staying with Jesus Church.
And what I was saying with the Vatican I quote is that there will be Popes until the end of times. And we have few bishops today ordained by Paul VI or early Popes/bishops ordained by this/bishops ordained by this/…
And btw you believe that most part of the World is being fooled to be in the Visible Church when in the fact they do not Visible Church nor Eucharist nor priests nor maybe Confession (if you say priests are heretics and follow Aquinas quote).
In your view, just 0,000000000000000000000001% of Catholics are the ones who are getting it right!
MarcellusFaber@reddit
I may be a Sedevacantist, but I do actually attend SSPX Masses, so of course I’m going to defend it from the accusation of schism and I most certainly do not regard the question as unimportant.
After that, I can’t understand your reply; it’s not very coherent.
user4567822@reddit
What I was saying is that in your view a big part of the bishops in the world aren’t real bishops. And so a big part of the priests aren’t real priests. And so a big part of the World is without Visible Church (thinking they’re with it) and Sacraments.
God’s true would be in the 0,00000000000000001% people that believe in (the right) sedevacantism.
MarcellusFaber@reddit
I disagree. Correctly diagnosing the crisis in the Church is not a condition of being a Catholic. As to visibility, that the Church is visible simply means that she is composed of members who publicly profess the true Faith and a hierarchy that does the same, and that these members and hierarchy can be perceived as such by anyone with functioning senses. Even if the Church were reduced to a handful of people with only one or two diocesan bishops, She would retain Her visibility.
thecrickster@reddit
The Catholic church
Horrorgirll2010@reddit
Their is one that I know of in England and it affected my whole family, it’s a cult Called the Way of the Water. It affected practically everyone on my mother’s side, we were in it for roughly 20 years though it may be more. It forced us to read the Bible instead of any extra curricular, we had to wear modest clothing and the older members who seemed to have all the power would sexually assault and do unspeakable things to children, I unfortunately learnt that the hard way, and it has traumatised many in my family.
rampagingphallus@reddit
There are lots of Christian offshoots that are very culty. I was raised in one called New Frontiers International.
Plyphon@reddit
I know someone who works for a “Brethren” owned business and it sounds culty as fuck.
Very strange. For example she’s not allowed to eat lunch with the Brethren men, so they have different lunch rooms in the office.
auroredawn22@reddit
OMG! I've lived in Biggleswade, Beds for over a decade now and noticed a bunch of weird almost amish like people on a Sunday near Asda's and just checked their website and they are the Exclusive Brethren! I didn't know who they were but they gave me the Village of the Damned type vibe.
Delatron3000@reddit
I work for a brethren company now and it only gets weirder. They are not allowed to eat with non-believers, not men or women, but anyone who hasn't "shared the eucharist of christ" so all our works Christmas dinners are split events, lunch at different tables, etc. The women work until they get married, then not allowed, they stay home to manage the house and have babies. I've never seen a community lady in a pair of trousers. Every single man wears vests under their shirts. They have massive families and no idea about pop culture as they barely encounter tv or radio (took the radios out of the work vans too). Before I make them sound too weird, I should say they look after us non-believers pretty well. Best food I've ever had through work, free lunches, breakfast bought in once a week, etc. Always get a hamper at Christmas with lots of booze and great food in. When they decide they want something, the whole company benefits ( our kitchen has gained an air fryer and bean-to-cup coffee machine in last few weeks). They never swear worse than bloody or crap, but love a drink and drive their cars like they're stolen.
auroredawn22@reddit
Why do you work for a cult?
Plyphon@reddit
Yes that’s all right! Exactly the same as my mates scenario. She says “frick” a lot 😂
brithefry@reddit
I was listening to a podcast, one of the guys on it had a builder working on his house who wouldn't swear for religious reasons. He said if anything went wrong he'd hear the builder say "Oh Sad! Sad, Sad Sad!"
EveningStar5155@reddit
They are rebelling if they drink alcohol.
Mister_V3@reddit
Yeah they like their company cars alright.
Mister_V3@reddit
Plymouth brethrens. Yep.
Knuckles_71@reddit
We worked for a few Plymouth Brethren’s very strange people and very strict with their children
_franciis@reddit
My great grandfather was a Plymouth brethren. Did not sound like a barrel of laughs.
My gran and her sister got out of there as soon as they could! My gran is 93, so, this was a while ago.
Mister_V3@reddit
They also stick to thier own people. Which isn't so big of a pool. If you catch my drift.
panickedsneeze@reddit
That explains plymouth then...
Captain_Swing@reddit
Fun fact: The Plymouth Brethren's most famous alumni is Aleister Crowley.
That_Welsh_Man@reddit
Brother brethren!
Thestolenone@reddit
I went to school with a Plymouth Bretheren girl, her mother had left the religion and she wasn't allowed to speak to her if they passed in the street. She also wasn't allowed to cut her hair or be a nurse.
harrybooboo@reddit
Why a nurse?
Thestolenone@reddit
No idea, she was just saying one day she wanted to be a nurse but they wouldn't let her.
harrybooboo@reddit
I read it as just nursing. Fire(wo)man, police, coastguard, stunt woman all good.... but NURSING! ABSOLUTELY NOT
redrighthand_@reddit
Is it UBT? I have stories about them
TheVisionGlorious@reddit
Yes. UBT is a Brethren organisation that provides support to Brethren businesses (all Brethren are either self-employed, or work for another Brother). I presume that every Brethren business pays a subscription, and the UBT's role is to check that businesses stay in line with doctrines, to provide advice to ensure they remain profitable, and channel a share of their profits for the benefit of the 'Man of God' who lives in Australia.
redditornumberxx11@reddit
Just looked that business up and on their website there's an image that initially looks like a protective family, until you realise that it could also be a trapped and suffocating person
budgie93@reddit
Hello fellow insurance person! I’ve heard some things too….
Infamous_Hippo7486@reddit
I know someone who used to contract for UBT and they had to go through an initiation ceremony to be allowed into the building in Warwick. Mad outfit.
Plyphon@reddit
Couldn’t tell ya mate. There in Essex if that helps but think she said they were dotted all over anyway.
redrighthand_@reddit
Might just be a business owned by a member, their ‘central’ office for brethren activity is in redditch. Members can’t just pop down to John Lewis to buy something, they go through UBT who take a cut
Plyphon@reddit
There is a family or a couple of families who own and work in it. All men of course.
But they had to start hiring outside of the Brethren as their numbers were running low, hence hiring my friend who is both an outsider and a woman.
ScaryButt@reddit
I went to a school with a girl who was Plymouth Brethren. She couldn't eat in front of us heathens so her mum came to school every lunchtime to eat with her in a separate room. When we said a prayer at the end of assembly (was a CoE school) she had to leave and sit outside so she didn't hear it. They also wore little house on the prairie style skirts and hair coverings. Felt very sorry for her, she could never really fit in. I often wonder what she's doing these days
Wise-Application-144@reddit
Just an aside, but I love the religions where they're too fragile to even hear certain audio waves.
Like, if your belief system will crumble just because you hear a certain combination of words, you weren't very convinced by it in the first place. If you actually believe in your god, then you should be able to listen to unbelievers without it affecting you.
KaleidoscopicColours@reddit
Barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen, to use a somewhat dated phrase
astrath@reddit
Same at my primary school. She was super bright as well, top or near top of the class. But aged 11 it was home school for her, ready for her life as an obedient bretheren woman while her brothers got to carry on learning.
Remarkable-Ad155@reddit
Plymouth brethren are largely loaded and made a shit ton from dodgy covid contracts. At least she's probably well off now
Mister_V3@reddit
In a family run business, arranged to marry another brethren family and be a house wife and make lots of babys.
redditornumberxx11@reddit
Wow.
I looked Plymouth Brethren up on YouTube and just got loads of videos about how people have "escaped" from them
Happy-Light@reddit
Their #1 rule is they "don't break bread with unbelievers" which is a solid way to ensure isolation. So much socialisation takes place over food.
ForwardAd5837@reddit
There is a load of Brethren in my village - albeit you never really see them, they don’t drink and won’t frequent places with everyone else. They run a local fencing company and they’re weird and creepy as fuck. They send their kids to a school in Manchester for Brethren only. The all exclusively have massive houses with lots of private land.
DonkeyBirb@reddit
It’s been a LONG time now, but Brethren ring a bell. Used to work for a company whose core customers were Brethren companies selling industrial safety clothing and such. I don’t remember too much about it though.
I do remember a story that they also had a PC support contract and I think one of the bosses sons got caught with porn on their PC or Laptop, from how strict they were and not being allowed to use technology outside of work purposes (or so I was told), that was a huge deal.
Infamous_Hippo7486@reddit
They have a weirdly strong hold on the safety clothing market. Like most of the big players outside of Arco are brethren owned.
DonkeyBirb@reddit
From my what I was told, they all fund each other if they are in bother, that way they can keep hold of a large portion of the market despite being fundamentally the same.
But I knew, and still know very little about that market. I don’t remember any of the company names but could probably identify them if I saw them again.
Infamous_Hippo7486@reddit
They’re pretty secretive about the mechanics of it past a certain point but yeah that was my understanding of it too from what I saw. It didn’t happen frequently (again, as far as I know) but if one was encroaching on another’s customers it wasn’t outside of the realm of possibility that they would have a “conversation” with each other about how to split the pie. Never worked in an environment quite like it before or since.
Infamous_Hippo7486@reddit
Is used to work for one too. It’s 100% a cult.
sjw_7@reddit
They own a big rambling place near us where several families live. Their kids went to the same primary school as ours. The kids could only eat together and had to be separate from all the other children when they did.
The mums (never saw the dads) would drop them off at school and not talk to anyone else only each other. They seemed to have a very strict dress code too.
They were definitely odd and there was evidently a lot of controlling behaviour involved. But they never caused any problems and just kept to themselves.
SolidusTengu@reddit
My Nan and some of her siblings were Brethren. We weren’t allowed to have the TV on when they visited.
Happy-Light@reddit
Hillsong are insane. Giving money is literally preached as part of worship. Culty as fuck and have huge centres in Manchester and London.
LawBeaver8280@reddit
Weren't they also accused of sexual abuse too?
Happy-Light@reddit
I know nothing specific but would not doubt it has been amongst the accusations
For a similar figure who is currently being held accountable for his crimes, look up Mike Pilavachi in the UK.
LawBeaver8280@reddit
I saw a documentary on 60 mins about Hillsong founder being a pedo ill check it out thanks
EveningStar5155@reddit
It's based in Australia, though. The London church was mostly for Australians living in London. I saw a documentary on it.
Happy-Light@reddit
It started in Australia - and may still be most popular there - but has spread worldwide. They have a huge centre in Manchester that I've been to and seats thousands. Google tells me there are congregations in most large cities, including several in London.
They are aggressively expansionist so may have started with Aussie immigrants but are not going to stick to that.
EveningStar5155@reddit
Yes, I noticed that in the documentary that exposed them. I got Chris Brain vibes from watching that. He was the vicar in Sheffield who started the rave services in the 90s called the Nine O'clock Service and was accused of being improper with young women.
rampagingphallus@reddit
I went to the London one once, it was bananas. It was like a very square rock concert, with about six guitarists jumping all over the place
EveningStar5155@reddit
Why would a band need more than two guitarists? I attended a Sustrans event in Bath several years ago to celebrate the official opening of the two tunnels and there was a rock band of young people that must have had six guitarists. Just turn up the amp.
CNash85@reddit
I kind of see how that could happen, though. If you only need one house band and want to include as many young people as you can out of your congregation, then you'll end up with an uneven number of guitarists.
EveningStar5155@reddit
Which is why some people switch to playing bass or drums just to be in a band. Spinal Tap sent this up at Live Earth in London by inviting the bassists from the other bands on the line up that were still there to play bass together on their last song.
CNash85@reddit
Oh yeah, of course if you were auditioning for actual bands, playing more instruments is useful. But for a single church band made up entirely of young people of the congregation? They will have more guitarists than is usually warranted, because otherwise they'd leave people out, and going to church is meant to be about inclusive social interactions. Better to have a surplus of guitarists than to have 50% of them stop going to church because they weren't allowed to be in the band.
EveningStar5155@reddit
If you played a more unusual instrument such as the saxophone, there would be fewer bands to join but less competition with other sax players when you audition for a band who is looking for one.
EveningStar5155@reddit
That's the problem secular bands have, too. Alex Kapranos couldn't find a drummer for Franz Ferdinand, so he auditioned someone he met at a party who claimed he could play drums. That was Nick McCarthy, who was their keyboardist and second guitarist in their original lineup. So Paul Thomson, who was in the Yummy Fur with Alex, stayed on the drums.
KJ-The-Wise@reddit
I haven't heard of that one before. What made/makes it culty?
jimmery@reddit
Let's be honest, the only difference between a cult and a religion is membership count:
Rituals, chants, special symbols, sacred days, strange philosophies, congregations, leaders appointed by secret councils, denial of science, strong focus on recruitment, brandishing of anyone outside the organization as "the enemy" or lesser humans beings.
Cults and religions have all of these in common. Religions are just very popular and socially acceptable cults.
gogoluke@reddit
That's not really true. Religion is just a belief in god or spirituality. A church is a bureaucratic organisation of religion, Sects are generally seen as smaller built around a charismatic leader rather than bureaucracy. Cults are often seen as insular as opposed to a church that will allow many people in and may not say it has a monopoly on religious truth.
Definitions may vary on how things are studied but sociology has generally tried to define these terms with people like Weber writing about them.
jimmery@reddit
I make a distinction between people who have faith and organized religion.
When I say "people who have faith," I suspect it's what you would simply call religion.
Just to clarify, when I say "the only difference between a cult and a religion is membership count," - I am referring to organized religions, effectively encompassing what you would call a church, a sect, and all the rituals, chants, special symbols etc. that go along with it.
And I am saying there is a difference between cults and religion - that difference is membership count - obviously as a result of cults being more insular, as you correctly state.
But surely you can see there are far, far more similarities between cults and religions than there are differences?
gogoluke@reddit
There is a difference between a church and a cult. Size may influence it but the dominant world view is what defines it. You could have a cult of 10 or a million. You could have a church of varying sizes. Both are religious.
SeekTruthFromFacts@reddit
New Frontiers isn't a cult. You might dislike their beliefs, but anybody can leave at any time and they don't regard themselves as the only church, which are the two usual red flags indicating a cult.
WeeNell@reddit
I was in one when I was 16. They're mostly referred to as sects here, I think, but are definitely very cult-like.
I left at 20 when the then pastor was talking about the congregation selling everything and laying it all at the apostle's feet (his), and then moving everyone into a warehouse.
Everything went to shit shortly after when he ran off with the wife of someone half his age.
The years following that were a mini "me too" movement of all the women he'd messed around with "in the name of Jesus".
Farscape_rocked@reddit
I often look at the old folks home round the corner and think how great it'd be for a Christian community.
PickaxeJunky@reddit
It's always like that in the end, isn't it?
No_Arugula7027@reddit
That's the whole point of them.
CR1SBO@reddit
Does anyone have a pamphlet on "How to", that would give the basics of setting one up?
WeeNell@reddit
In these scenarios, yes, generally.
In cases where sex doesn't factor, control does.
I still haven't ascertained which is worse...
rampagingphallus@reddit
Yeah, there were a few things like that with my lot as well.
WeeNell@reddit
That doesn't surprise me.
mk6971@reddit
All religions are cults.
That_Welsh_Man@reddit
Any organised religion is a cult.
EveningStar5155@reddit
That is definitely a UK cult. There was a Baptist church near me belonging to it. I think it has now cut ties with it.
BriarcliffInmate@reddit
I always say the good Christian offshoots are the ones that don't feel the need to advertise or recruit.
Quakers, mainly. Never found one that wasn't an utterly pleasant individual. I'm sure they exist, but I like that they're not actively trying to convert you or push their belief on you.
Well, there's Richard Nixon but he was a cunt in general.
SpiceTreeRrr@reddit
Yeah, I nearly fell into one in my teens. It was the 90s. They just went by a generic Church of Jesus Christ name so no way of looking them up. Used to meet every Sunday in successive hotel conference rooms until too many people complained and they’d have to move on. Which was a red flag.
Didn’t have the language for it back then but there was love bombing, grooming and alienation. Targeting older, vulnerable teens.
The ‘pastor’ was a 20 year old everyone thought was touched by god. My ‘friend’ sucked me in, I thought it was odd there weren’t many adults about, just a lot of young people living together. But that was also cool as a teen.
They used to tag team me, trying to turn me against my parents, thankfully I noped out fairly early on. It was horrifying how good they were at it and how quickly you can find yourself in a situation.
Rajastoenail@reddit
Cursillo/Happening is another one. It’s a weekend course popular within some Catholic and Church of England communities.
They sleep deprive you, love bomb with hundreds of letters several times a day, then get you at your weakest and pray over you until you break down. It’s bonkers.
No-Jicama-6523@reddit
Newfrontiers isn’t a cult, I’ve been to way more cult like churches but even then they fail the cult definition pretty early on the list of markers of a cult.
rampagingphallus@reddit
Look everyone, this guy’s way more interesting and clever than me! Bow down to his awesome life experience?
SqueakyBrunel@reddit
What was it like? How did you get out of it? (Assuming you did)
rampagingphallus@reddit
No I'm actually in charge of it now. Joking obviously.
It was just very insular in most ways. I went to a normal school for example, but most of my socialising was done through the church. Tithing was mandatory, people were outed and denounced for being gay, having affairs, and stuff like that. Lots of mental illness that was presented as, yknow, the holy spirit or whatever. People speaking in tongues etc.
endospire@reddit
One “pastor” in a NewFrontiers church I was in told me that I should just marry a woman because sexual attraction fades in the end so why should liking men be a problem.
I’d gone to talk to him cos I was depressed…
rampagingphallus@reddit
Ha I remember conversations like that. Not one of the people I spoke to about my poor mental health considered that they might be the problem.
endospire@reddit
Then you’re encouraged to give all of your time to the church. I ended up doing all sorts of things in the name of service. God I even moved city to plant a church. On the plus side, that city is where I met my husband
SqueakyBrunel@reddit
I just looked at the website and it’s very much as I expected it would be. Lots of male leaders and supportive wives that look like they share casserole recipes whilst smiling and nodding with just a smidge of visible panic behind the eyes
endospire@reddit
I was in an NFI church for about 14 years. I think I’m happier in my gay marriage than I was there.
ZimbabweSaltCo@reddit
I guess not really a cult but the Plymouth Brethren near me act like one. They all live in a big compound just near my house (and very deep in the village too) and are all very tight knit with a lot of influence on the parish council. For a very long time they’ve blocked a pub being built in the village and the closest we have is a sort of gastro pub attached to the hotel. They kicked up a similar fuss when the local shop got taken over by new owners and became an off license but it went nowhere.
One of the weirdest things they did though, and which brought them to attention by most people in the village, was buying up the old village hall (new one’s being built) and announcing plans to turn it into a cash and carry for the Brethren’s exclusive use. Parish council and the local comp just next door did a big show about this is great for “interfaith diversity” but everyone knows they just didn’t want kids going to the planned sandwich shop.
XoYo@reddit
Fun fact: Aleister Crowley was raised in the Plymouth Brethren. You could argue that a lot of his occult antics were a form of rebellion against his devout, restrictive upbringing.
ZimbabweSaltCo@reddit
Ah yes I've vaguely heard of this, learning he was part of an even more Exclusive branch of them definitely explains much of his personality.
Steve-English@reddit
Exclusive brethren which aliester crowley was brought up in rebranded themselves as the plymouth brethren christian church (PBCC) in the 90s i think it was. They was on the verge of losing their charity status so became the plymouth brethren and also set up their charity the rapid relief team to make sure they could keep their charity status and tax exemption . Outside of the uk some times they are still refered to as the exclusive brethren or just PBCC and the open brethren get called the plymouth brethren which can be confusing. I reckon this name change was done on purpose because the open brethren are much closer to a normal evangilical church and welcome people to join them. Although they both share a lot of similarities in belief the exclusive/pbcc are much more strict and cultish by every measure than the somewhat "normal' open brethren.
Steve-English@reddit
Yeah the plymouth brethren all need to live in detached houses,have there own supermarkets around the world (campus & co) and own schools (one school global). They keep within themselves and will not socialise with others neither will they eat with them. You can not join them but they are encouraged to get married young and start families. They have members in the uk,usa,canada,aus,nz etc so will often match people together from different countries to avoid interbreeding. They are currently run from australia by a guy called bruce hales. What ever he says goes pretty much. They are not allowed to have a TV, or smoke but drinking is allowed and quite often encouraged amongst themselves. If anyone wants to leave they can do but will be shunned even by their own family members so it makes it hard to leave. They are generally wealthy and own businesses.There is a lot more stuff that goes on but i'd be here all do typing. To some it up they are most definately a cult
WardAlt@reddit
Here in Chippenham there are 3 (at least that I know of) Plymouth Brethren buildings. Small fenced windowless buildings with nothing notable on the outside other than a sign saying Plymouth Brethren meeting room. They give big cult vibes.
ZimbabweSaltCo@reddit
Sounds a bit like ours. I've never been up to it myself (it's all high fences with a big garden) though my dad was asked to go give them a quote on a garage door and said they had shutters on the house, all closed up, with a few cameras around.
StalactiteSkin@reddit
I used to live near one of these (not in Chippenham), just a small plain building with a high fence and cameras. It used to really creep me out walking past
erritstaken@reddit
Sounds very cultish to me.
BGDDisco@reddit
The difference between taking one Plymouth Brethren on a fishing trip and taking two Plymouth Brethren on a fishing trip is; if you take two they won't drink your beer.
Glad_Possibility7937@reddit
My definition of cult is what happens if you try to leave... By this definition the brethren are very much a cult.
snoringpanda23@reddit
There's an MLM selling Enagic Kangen water machines. Yoy will see people online mysteriously post about their "online business" without ever mentioning the product and portraying themselves to be living a life of "financial and location freedom". In reality they've spent THOUSANDS of pounds on one of these machines, are paying monthly fees to be part of a "community" where they have weekly calls, and are all so far in debt that the cost-sunk fallacy is too much for them to leave. They cut off all their friends and now only have relationships with their "business partners" and "mentors". I lost a close friend to it years ago. From what i can see, she hast made enough money to leave her job yet and spends every waking second (and spare cash) on "accountability calls" and training fees. It's really scary. The BBC's podcast on Lighthouse reminded me so much of the Kangen MLM groups.
CandyPink69@reddit
Their used to be a cult pretty local to me ‘The Jesus Army’ strange little people who would give out bright orange crosses on a rope and they would try get you to go into their homes and chat about Jesus.
BarryFairbrother@reddit
Lighthouse. There’s a BBC documentary and podcast about them: “A Very British Cult”.
They are a textbook cult: charging extortionate amounts for vague life coaching seminars, encouraging you to cut yourself off from family, making you sell everything you have and give them the money, aggressive litigation against anyone who leaves or tries to, etc.
Particular_Meeting57@reddit
Cults are just minority religions.
Harrry-Otter@reddit
Idk. You don’t see too many Buddhists in Britain, but I’ve never heard anyone call them a cult. Scientology and the Jehovah’s witnesses on the other hand…
el_fusilado69@reddit
Google "new kadampa survivors"
doesntevengohere12@reddit
Is this connected to all Kadampa gatherings? The one in Kent is lovely, run by volunteers who basically give meditation sessions. I can't see anything cult like about it?
el_fusilado69@reddit
Thats how they get you.
I know I'm just some guy on the internet, but try and keep your loved ones away from them if you can. They fly under the radar by using the harmless image of Buddhism, but they are far more sinister under their facade.
doesntevengohere12@reddit
I'm not sure if this is one or the same to be honest, these people don't really preach anything or get anything from you and it's all run by volunteers with normal jobs. It's mostly just meditation classes.
el_fusilado69@reddit
That's exactly how they get you. Wolf in sheeps clothing. Google "New Kadampa Survivors"
doesntevengohere12@reddit
I get what your saying ... But I'm just unsure as to what they would get as they don't ask for anything.
I've been going to their classes for years and never had anyone recruit me for anything.
I almost feel left out 😂
Beebeeseebee@reddit
There are some extremely dodgy Buddhist cults in the UK.
Latter_Season745@reddit
Yeah there was a really dodgy woman running a place in Brentwood Essex, called herself Sifu and followed a Chinese guy called Hanmi. Think she shut up shop recently after too many rows with people.
PeachesEnRega1ia@reddit
SGI-UK (Soka Gakkai International) is a cult that hides behind a pseudo-Buddhist facade. SGI members call themselves "Buddhists", but are in fact indoctrinated to worship and follow the teachings of their (recently deceased) abusive narcissist of a mentor/guru.
Check out r/sgiwhistleblowers for info and cult survivors.
There are plenty of other cults using Buddhism to attract new members. NKT, Diamond Way, Shambala come to mind.
ImplementAfraid@reddit
I don't think Buddhism works, the whole ethos is there isn't a god or central figure and not to get wound up in anything.
VokN@reddit
There are a lot of Buddhist cults where a guru inserts themselves into practice as a focal point instead of general practice of the Buddhas word/ path leading to financial/ sexual abuse
space0watch@reddit
You're an otter, Harry
7ootles@reddit
*Harrry
space0watch@reddit
Oof I missed that lol
Spirit_of_Gravy@reddit
Not so. There are a few sociological models which give varying criteria for definitions. Obviously, there is the academic side, but broadly speaking, the amount of followers a particular belief system has does not denote status as a cult. Hypothetically, if Jehovah's Witnesses were a majority, they'd still be a cult. In reality, a group with significant power would seek to redefine 'cults' in order to avoid that monicker - but that's beside the point: a cult no matter the size, has certain characteristics and, if everyone were JW, they'd still be a cult due to the generally agreed definition, as opposed to what they'd like you to think.
Tl;dr - people in cults don't think they are in a cult, per se
TomStreamer@reddit
The only difference between a religion and a cult is membership numbers.
Unlikely_Concept5107@reddit
And tax status
PuzzleheadedElk2039@reddit
I've been warned of two in Bristol, a Christian one related to the second hand furniture shop called happy tatt, and one connected to the Bristol Buddhist centre (they supposedly especially prey on women) I don't know the full details though
ScaryButt@reddit
A lot of "Buddhist" places are very culty. I had a family friend end up very deep in a supposedly Buddhist cult, he left his whole life for it, have up his job, moved in with them, stopped speaking to his family. Thankfully he's out now but his poor mum really went through it
Wadarkhu@reddit
I've noticed that too, is there a way to make sure the Buddhist temple you're going to isn't just some new age cult? There must be "official" ones with a handful of places in each country. It's always interested me to go and see one or do one of those week long retreats, but I don't wanna do one at a cult, I'm not that adventurous.
Trindolex@reddit
Try the Thai forest tradition monestaries, Amravati or Chithurst. The monks follow a very high ethical standard.
TangerineAbyss@reddit
Where did this happen?
itsa_m@reddit
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/21/sangharakshita-guru-triratna-buddhist-dark-secrets
Beebeeseebee@reddit
Sounds a lot like the experience of someone I know. in this case the culture was the FWBO, now called Triratna, of which Stella Braverman is a member.
Cumulus_Anarchistica@reddit
Quite a few dodgy things in the history of the FWBO, but the Suella Braverman connection was overstated. Apparently she attended one special event and nothing beyond that.
merzulgummidge@reddit
Im interested in the buddhist part as my neighbour who i got on with suddenly sold up and said i could contact her at the buddhist centre on gloucester road didnt realise it was a cult
ocean-so-blue@reddit
I was walking through Broadmead towards Cabot once and I was stopped by a Buddhist looking guy in all the robes who said I looked happy. I actually had some time to kill before meeting someone so I entertained the conversation but can't remember much of what we spoke about.
At the end he showed me this little book and said that I can have it for X amount. I knew something like that was coming so I said I had no cash on me which usually works but he said he had a card machine and reached somewhere in his robes and pulled out a big card machine. I still don't know where in the robes this thing was kept. I ended up just walking away but I still think about where in the robes it was stored. Are there big pockets inside? Idk.
Malagate3@reddit
You only learn the secrets of the robes after you join, that's one of the ways they get you!
...so I'll save you some time and a head-shave, yeah robes have plenty of storage space.
UVmonolith@reddit
I've heard about a Bristol Christian one as well.
My understanding is they have bought a load of housing and they exploit people.
I can't remember the name though!
bacardiisacat@reddit
Are they the same people who've spray painted "Jesus loves you" all over town?
notmerida@reddit
someone near me has crossed out “you” and painted over it with “raves” and that made me laugh the rest of my way to sainsburys
PuzzleheadedElk2039@reddit
Yes that's it's, it's called love Bristol
PuzzleheadedElk2039@reddit
Yes that's it, it's called Love Bristol
Important_Highway_81@reddit
Please expand, I’ve utilised both of these businesses and never got cult-y vibes.
PuzzleheadedElk2039@reddit
There's very little online about the love Bristol Christian charity, which in itself is suspicious since they're so involved with Bristol and stokes croft, but anecdotally I know a person who ended up in a commune having his benifets stolen and working for no pay due to them. I've heard of it happening to others too.
The only thing I could find that even touched on their weirdness is this https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/mar/07/spiritual-gentrification-christianity-regeneration-game-stokes-croft-bristol
One of them even states out right that they believe in communal living in the article. Alongside the fact I know they run or are connected to at least one culty commune thats pretty damning.
Important_Highway_81@reddit
Sadly this sounds no more weird than every other Pentecostal/evangelical church out there, just adapted for the members of society who will drone on for hours about artisan sourdough. That isn’t to say it isn’t weird and based on misguided beliefs in sky daddy, but unfortunately their delusion is shared with quite a lot of the world!
spong_miester@reddit
Happy tatt is an amazing name for a second hand shop
royals796@reddit
Didn’t take long for the “Hur Dur All Religions Are Cults” gang to rock up, I see
__Hoof__Hearted__@reddit
What do you believe differentiates them? Honest question. The only differences I can see is the amount of followers.
SeekTruthFromFacts@reddit
There are two red flags that make something a cult. Can you leave at any time? Do they claim to be the only group that can save you?
The JWs, Scientology, and the Moonies fail on both these red flags.
The Church of England and the Humanist Society pass both tests.
__Hoof__Hearted__@reddit
And who decided they were the things that made something a cult? You? Because there are multiple cults who passed both of those tests and were absolutely cults.
royals796@reddit
Not much, truthfully. But it’s low hanging fruit and the negative connotations of cults is no accident, which seems like a particularly vicious statement to aim at them when 99% of religious people derive only comfort from it and don’t use it as a means to hurt or exploit people.
It’s not the truthfulness of the statement that I have a problem with. It’s the intention behind it.
__Hoof__Hearted__@reddit
I've heard far more negative stories about the church than any other institution, and my own experience in C of E schools many moon ago was pretty horrific, I'd guess it was the rotton institution of organised religion people have issues with more than the average worshipper.
Average_Reddit_Chud@reddit
Not all. The hive mind is very selective about who they will and won't criticise.
Tuarangi@reddit
While I'm not disagreeing that it's a tired cliche, there is a huge crossover between the two, you only need to look at Jehovah's witnesses or the Christian Scientist movement in the US.
I saw one definition that a religion is simply a cult that gained acceptance:
Though another definition split them by saying that a religion wants public mass participation while a cult is secretive but again that's quite open to overlap. While a cult may curtail the actions and freedoms of members, so to do certain religions even in mainstream faith e.g. nuns or monks. Even in the not so distant past, the Catholic Church allowed cults who worshipped a particular saint. Some would say Scientology is a cult, others a religion (even if some primarily for tax reasons!)
motific@reddit
For me the main difference is if they try to control who you associate with, and what happens when you try to leave.
Tuarangi@reddit
See Jehovah's Witnesses (officially a religion but leaving you might as well be dead to the members still in). It's why it's so hard to split them even if you're not doing a hur dur dumb religion cultist
RespectMyPetCat@reddit
Okay so here’s my take as an exJW (from the age of 2 until I was 17. I’m now 30), is it that different when it comes to cutting off former members than a lot of large religions. I guess the big ones are Islam and Christianity but some denominations (or large groups of people from both) of both do believe in members who no longer believe in it being dead to those who do. So is this really the main distinction? Or do we link this to them because they are a smaller group compared to the tens of millions of Christians and Muslims. Not defending them coz I know from experience they believe and do some bat shit crazy things but I am still baffled to what makes a cult a cult and a religion a religion.
I’m happily agnostic now so regardless I’m proud to not care to believe in anything
The-Plant144000@reddit
As an ex jw, too, I'd suggest the book by Steve Hassan called combating mind control. It highlights the way organisations are defined as cults. Wikipedia also talks about the way cults can be defined and the jws fit the cult framework almost on every point. They also have a huge problem with paedophilia which they refuse to acknowledge. Finally Norway has removed their registration as a religion due to the way they treat ex believers saying along the the lines of its inhumane.
GrandOldFarty@reddit
See Opus Dei, which was protected and incubated at the heart of the Catholic Church by Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, and which was very recently accused in a Financial Times piece of brainwashing and enslaving women across the world for decades. (Link). It is one of the most heart breaking, evil things I have read in a long time.
Rievaulx12@reddit
the base definition of a cult is that it is a central devotion to one person. the cult of a saint is called that because everyone is devoted to said saint, not because there are any features of what is seen in the pop culture definition of a cult. this is helped in part by the fact that all saints are dead as a prerequisite. also cults of saints still happen, its the part of Catholicism the other Christians don't like too much.
Ok-Charge-6998@reddit
The way I see the difference is easy:
Are you able to interact with a person who leaves the cult, or are they forever banished and all contact must be cut off?
If you can’t leave, then it’s probably a cult.
Hang on, my bullshit sensor is buzzing… I can already see who’s coming, “ISLAM IS CULT?!” No. Some denominations of Islam might be, similar to Christian denominations being cult like. But no. I left Islam, the most I got was “we hope you find your way back”, but I still hang out with my family and have even gone to mosques during their weddings. The most I have to tolerate is every once in a while they send me a religious video as “something interesting to check out”.
Tuarangi@reddit
The problem with that definition is Scientology (largely seen as a cult) and Jehovah's Witnesses (recognised as a religion). I don't know about Islam and ex-members though
Ok-Charge-6998@reddit
I think Jehovah’s Witness gets away because it’s a denomination of a religion, similar to the Mormons. But they very much have cult like behaviour. I see them as a cult, because ex-members are cut off.
7ootles@reddit
As a religious man, I agree very much. And of all the things to found a cult as most people use the word, a pre-existing religion makes the sturdiest foundation. Mormons, JWs, Christian Scientists, &c, are great examples of this.
Neps-the-dominator@reddit
I got brought up Catholic but nobody kicked up a fuss when I didn't particularly fancy the whole Catholicism thing anymore and I stopped going to mass.
If you can freely leave a religion without consequence (and if it doesn't cost you any money to practice that religion) then it doesn't quite meet the criteria of being a cult.
Maxplode@reddit
I attended a C of E school so was made to believe in a God and Jesus. But over the years, I'm 38 now, and I now see it all for what it really is. I think Christopher Hitchens makes some fantastic arguments.
I love Jesus but I just don't like his fans. Same goes for Muhammed and Buddha too.
Dramoriga@reddit
There's some scumbags from texas supporting and paying for some bullshit churchy concern up here in Scotland who seem to solely exist to harass abortion clinics, that's the o ly new one I'm aware of. They need to stick to fucking up their own country and leave Scotland the fuck alone. Glad Holyrood aren't taking any of their shite.
Hopeful_Neat_8706@reddit
Which one is this? Take hold?
Dramoriga@reddit
40 days for life. Cuntbags, the lot of them. They should stay the fuck in texas and away from Scotland.
yawstoopid@reddit
Destiny church
Hopeful_Neat_8706@reddit
Do you have experience of this church in Glasgow or edinburgh?
yawstoopid@reddit
Not personally, but I've seen them suck many of my christian friends in and damage them badly. Some have left and some are still fully sucked in.
They are fucking predators stay away from them.
Robbo1979psr@reddit
Is the whole "Herbalife" cult, still a thing?
StephaneCam@reddit
Lighthouse International: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65175712.amp
There’s a great podcast on this called “A Very British Cult” and a TV documentary of the same name (both on BBC Sounds/iplayer)
GDegrees@reddit
Brilliant little report that one.
alongthewatchtower91@reddit
The podcast was amazingly done.
allegorycave@reddit
Please can I have link for the pod?
rizozzy1@reddit
Ta daa!
redditornumberxx11@reddit
Same link without the "amp"
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65175712
External-Praline-451@reddit
Came here to recommend this, too. It was so messed up and insidious how they gained complete psychological and financial control of their victims.
CrimpsShootsandRuns@reddit
Recommend the cult of the documentary?
External-Praline-451@reddit
Ha ha, no definitely NOT the cult.
colinah87@reddit
Really enjoyed that podcast series on Lighthouse International. The dude who created that was a proper creature
WeCanBeatTheSun@reddit
Seconded, my friend got caught up with them, tried turning him against friends and family, convinced him to move out from his gf, spent lots of money on sessions etc
StephaneCam@reddit
Yikes, I’m sorry. Is he still with them or has he managed to get out?
WeCanBeatTheSun@reddit
Na he managed to get out about a year ago or so, luckily didn’t get to the point of trying to get others involved, we laugh about it now but could have been a lot worse!
StephaneCam@reddit
Phew! Good on him. I’m glad he didn’t get sucked in fully.
tpain13@reddit (OP)
Sounds good, thanks for sharing the link. That’ll fill some commute time.
mycatiscalledFrodo@reddit
That was a great podcast
blfua@reddit
Recently watched the docu on iPlayer. It’s mad what they’ve got away with !
H3athG1@reddit
It blows my mind people say scientology but not any other religion. Couldn't make this shit up
H3athG1@reddit
Christianity
Alarming_split21@reddit
Slimming world is 100% a cult
ThanksverymuchHutch@reddit
Slimming world
TemporaryLucky3637@reddit
Haha there are so many cult like aspects when you think about it. They aren’t transparent about how it works, they use group shaming, people who leave are talked about in hushed tones, they make people believe logical fallacies (ie. You can eat whole bananas but if you mash the banana with a fork it becomes a “syn”) 😂
daz1987@reddit
Slimming World is the biggest con ever. A lad at work is doing it with his missus, and the shite he comes out with is mind-blowing.
notmerida@reddit
and they change the goalposts all the time. i remember overnight beans went from counting towards your protein goal, to not counting. and miller lights went from 0 subs to 1. just like that. people went feral lmao
Wadarkhu@reddit
To be fair, with all this fruits being free but not when you smoothie-fy it and yoghurts going from free to 1 stuff, iirc it's because people overdo it. People won't normally eat a bowl of fruit every day, but they'll put a bowl's worth of fruit in a smoothie like 2 or 3 times a day thinking it's fine because it's fruit. Nature's sweets. I mean sure ten tons of fruit is still better than ten tons of chocolate but both of those are gonna affect your weight negatively because both are giving you way more calories than you need.
As for yoghurts, it's those overeaters again consuming Tesco's entire stock thinking it's alright because "it's free!", we'd all be better off just doing basic calorie counting, that's all it comes down to. And a balanced diet of course, 1500cal of chocolate is not a good alternative to 1500cal of varied daily diet.
TemporaryLucky3637@reddit
Haha you’re spot on, the glorious slimming world leader just makes random decisions. Muller light gate is a prime example 🤣
TwoTrainss@reddit
Look, muller stopped paying us.
So it stopped being healthy, fuck you. Lots of love, WW.
TheSecretIsMarmite@reddit
Calling exercise body magic is just frankly weird. All the head office staff seem to be members too and they very much go for the "we're like a family" line. It's creepy as fuck.
Stalk33r@reddit
Convincing my partner that calorie counting (i.e. calories in < calories out) is all you need rather than some diffuse "syn" system (calling certain foods "sins" in itself seems a bit... fucked?) where apparently you can eat AS MUCH PASTA AS YOU WANT and it be considered completely healthy was the best thing I ever did.
notmerida@reddit
this is a hill i will die on. slimming world is a cult that preys on people’s vulnerability and insecurity. it’s almost like negging. foul awful organisation
spvcxghxztpvrp@reddit
Liverpool fans
OJStrings@reddit
Nah he said cults, with an 'L'
Fluffy_Juggernaut_@reddit
I've never heard anything about Alpha Course that isn't extremely cult-y
SeekTruthFromFacts@reddit
The standard two red flags for a cult are that you can't leave and that they claim to be the only group that can save you. Neither of these apply to the Alpha Course.
Fluffy_Juggernaut_@reddit
I'm sure your membership of the Anglican church hasn't affected your opinion at all 🤔
SeekTruthFromFacts@reddit
I have laid out two clear and objective standards.
I think that is more persuasive that your argument, which is the ad hominem fallacy.
Fluffy_Juggernaut_@reddit
"A cult is a group which is typically led by a charismatic and self-appointed leader, who tightly controls its members"
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/248981640_%27Experiencing%27_Alpha_Finding_and_Embodying_the_Spirit_and_Being_Transformed--Empowerment_and_Control_in_a_%27Charismatic%27_Christian_Worldview
"A religious community or spiritual group of modern origins (since the mid-1800s), which has a peripheral place within its society's dominant religious culture"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1460552.stm
cagesound@reddit
My Alpha story. Years ago my friend, who was a lapsed Catholic, persuaded me to go to an end of course dinner for Alpha at the Brompton Trinity. Nicky Gumbel, the leader was giving a speech. I am atheistic and was not bothered but apparently there was free wine so, let's go! It was all very pleasant sat down, tucking in to the grub and the free wine, then Gumbel got up to speak and it was like he flicked a switch and everyone became a nodding zombie. He was introducing these Laura Ashley clad young women, each of whom had the same story - I used to be a drinking, smoking, drug taking whore until I found God through Nicky. The atmosphere became very weird, even my friend started to glaze over with a stupid grin on her face until I kicked her under the table. Anyway, I just kept helping myself to free wine and by the end was fairly toasted and getting a few looks. When it ended, someone pulled my friend over and had a word, she looked a bit sheepish. Turns out it was bring a bottle and I'd been drinking everyone else wine. Oops. They were too nice to say anything, being all Christian. My friend stopped going.
Rajastoenail@reddit
Cursillo/Happening is another one. It’s a weekend course popular within some Catholic and Church of England communities.
You’re not allowed to know anything beforehand, or during. They sleep deprive you then love bomb with hundreds of letters from people gushing about how they’ve been praying for you and how amazing you are. When you’re at your weakest they pray over you until you break down. It’s bonkers.
ElectronicBuilding93@reddit
You're allowed to leave and actually not supposed to be pressured into staying at all. I'm sure there are group that get this wrong but definitely not eh majority.
fabulousteaparty@reddit
I did the youth alpha course as a teen at Sunday school, there were about 5 of us who all did it, all already associated with the church and at the time identified as Christians. Was very weird as someone who grew up with religion being in my life but not all consuming.
Alarmed-Examination5@reddit
Surprised no one's mentioned the Free Masons, they do a lot of charity work which is great but you hear some weird rumours bout em on the line of sacrificial rituals.
rumham_milksteak@reddit
Anthroposophy. It was formed by an Austrian "philosopher" with questionable views on race theory and science. Unsurprisingly, it was very popular with some in the 1930s who were quite fond of another prominent Austrian with views on race.
I realise that it isn't British as such, but I thought it was worth mentioning to raise awareness that not only do they have a number of cultural venues in the UK, they also run quite a few schools, known as Waldorf schools.
I only found out about them when I had to do some work at Rudolph Steiner house, their UK headquarters next to regents park. Definitely one of the most surreal places I've ever been to. It presents itself as all hippy and loving, but once you scratch the surface, it's really disturbing to think these people are funding children's education.
Own-Championship-398@reddit
That’s not really fair, I went to a Steiner school as a child and found it very beneficial to my learning. It was only when I left to go to “normal” school that kids started picking on me for being weird.
rumham_milksteak@reddit
That's fine and I'm glad your experience wasn't a detriment to you, but it doesn't negate other people's experiences of bullying, harassment and ostracism. It also doesn't change the fact that Steiner was a horrible racist and pseudoscientist
Own-Championship-398@reddit
All the kids I went to Steiner school with have grown into well rounded, empathetic adults. I never faced any bullying there and never saw anyone else being bullied. I never experienced bullying, racism or sexism until I went to a state school. Steiner was a community for me. You’re talking as an outsider, so how can you really say for sure that you are being factual, meanwhile dismissing the experiences of someone who has actually been part of the system?
rumham_milksteak@reddit
No offence, but being part of the system probably means you're going to give a very biased view. You've spent your formative years learning only Steiner's curriculum. It's not a knock on you; and as I said, I'm glad you had a positive experience, but you are not impartial. The fact is that there's plenty of evidence from others that refutes your experience.
Yes I'm an outsider, but I didn't need to be a member of heaven's gate, the people's temple and the branch davidians to know that they're cults either.
Own-Championship-398@reddit
No, like I said I went to a state school after. I probably spent more time in a “normal” school. Your research is what exactly? “Doing some work” at one school? Using terminology like “these people” and buzzwords doesn’t exactly make you sound impartial either.
rumham_milksteak@reddit
Yes, I know you went to a state school afterwards, but your formative years were spent in this system. That's important because it's when the child is most impressionable.
I didn't say I've worked at a school. I was contracted to do internal structural works at Rudolph Steiner house, which isn't a school. Having spent a week in the building and having talked to a few patrons, I felt the place was odd and decided to read into it.
There's plenty of horror stories out there. As u/bripsy said, just Google "Steiner survivors".
What's wrong with saying "these people"? Would you prefer "reptilians"? And what buzzwords? I must say, for something that's apparently not a cult, you're definitely defending it with a cultish fervour
Own-Championship-398@reddit
It’s not a cult. Kindly go away.
Own-Championship-398@reddit
There’s just no justification for bullying, sorry but you’re just talking out of your arse. Unless you are a scholar in education then your opinion is just nonsense, ignorant and spreading misinformation.
“These people” are just other humans on the same planet as you, have a bit more respect.
bripsy@reddit
Yes, they are a cult, try googling "steiner survivors" if you want to read more or if you want to join a survivor's support group.
rumham_milksteak@reddit
Thanks for the recommendation. I went down a bit of a rabbit hole last night, reading the survivor stories. It's actually a lot more sinister than I was aware
Glass_Result3121@reddit
Why is nobody mentioning Freemasons!?
AmorousBadger@reddit
Lighthouse. Check 'A Very British Cult' on iplayer/sounds.
mycatiscalledFrodo@reddit
The Jesus Army/Fellowship, based in the village I grew up in. I knew quite a few of the children and they were miserable, and their mum's were miserable too
OSUBrit@reddit
Bugbrooke? I live in the area now and no one really talks about it. I do remember seeing their van in Leamington as a kid and being told not to go anywhere near it.
mycatiscalledFrodo@reddit
Yeah! I hope it has vanished and those it effected are doing ok
EveningStar5155@reddit
I read about the Bugbrooke Fellowship in Buzz magazine that later became 21st Century Christian. How cultic it was. It was inspired by those hippy intentional communities such as Steward's Wood in Devon but much more controlling. They ran a farm and wholefood company called Goodness Direct. That's how they made money to expand. Then, on TV in the late 80s, they were warning people about the Jesus Army.
7ootles@reddit
I came across the Jesus Army a while back. I thought they'd disbanded.
For the benefit of others here, it existed in the form of communes. If you were a member, you lived with them. If you lived with them, they got your income - they paid bills and gave you pocket money and kept the rest. Large properties housed communes of unrelated people. Single members were pressured into taking vows of celibacy - including teenagers who hadn't yet developed an interest in dating.
EveningStar5155@reddit
They have disbanded following sex scandals. I knew a Jesus Army member on a mental health panel with me who used it as his mission field. He would leave literature around, and I complained to a paid staff member about it, but she ignored my complaint.
Every time there was a talk or workshop on something like reflexology or singing bowls, he would be there to criticise it as it was against his religion. Well, it wasn't against the religion of the other people there, and if he was against it, then he should have given it a wide berth and stepped out of the workshop. He talked out a workshop on reflexology and reiki, so the invited practitioners didn't have time to do demonstrations on willing volunteers.
Few people were willing to take him to task about this apart from one woman on the panel who told him to shut up and called him "a silly little man." None of the paid staff would ask him to leave workshops that he attended to deliberately disrupt.
7ootles@reddit
Good grief.
I thought mental health care was supposed be about reinforcing the positives you alreay have, not trying to push a belief on someone. And things like reflexology and reiki aren't inherently religious, they're just massage techniques - if they work, they work, and I'm certain (as a Christian myself) that they could be used in conjunction with Christian meditation and prayer. Singing bowls, incense, whatever... again, they're meditation aids, surely? I don't do the singing bowls (but I'm a swine for wine glasses), but I like to sit with a nag champa stick burning sometimes when I'm reading.
Guy should have been fucked off with no second chance. Pushing religion on the mentally delicate is totally unacceptable. Lord have mercy. Being a cock is against our religion.
EveningStar5155@reddit
Try telling him that though and the paid staff were too weak to deal with him, so a fellow panel member stepped in. The paid staff wouldn't let us say boo to a goose. The Jesus Army literature he left around should have been ripped up and binned or handed back to him.
Many fundamentalist Christians see those therapies as of the Devil. In that case, avoid them then, but let others have them if they want to.
asphytotalxtc@reddit
The jesus army in Northampton was nothing short of horrific. Tales of abuse, rape and heavy drugs when it was finally disbanded. And they were absolutely ruthless in trying to drag absolutely anyone into their "fold". It was sickening..
EveningStar5155@reddit
It was the Bugbrooke Fellowship then. It was a residential commune in a village south of Northampton.
When it expanded all over the country, it became the Jesus Army in the 80s. They would deliberately recruit skinheads, drug addicts and homeless people as they needed violent people among their ranks. Former members would say they were controlled by violence.
asphytotalxtc@reddit
Yeah, this is my experience as well. I moved to Northampton in the mid 2000's and lived there for a good five years, could never get away from them as I basically lived on the road behind their big town centre "church" (an old converted cinema iirc?). Heard so many tales of horrible goings on there from so many people, glad it doesn't exist anymore.
EveningStar5155@reddit
I lived in Northampton, too, but on the western edge of it, and it was the 60s before the Bugbrooke Fellowship started in the 70s. It started from a normal Baptist church, and then their minister Noel Stanton had a vision to provide accommodation and to live off the land. Only it went wrong and turned authoritarian. Too many people didn't realise that Goodness Direct was owned by them.
JackXDark@reddit
Yeah, they were fucking awful. Glad they’re gone.
Their recruiting model was to offer accommodation and work to people that had just got out of prison, so recruiting wrong’uns was a built-in feature, but the leadership wasn’t any better anyway.
I know of a rape that was covered up. Not quite sure of the outcome of the police investigation as I think the cover up involved the victim having been pretty much imprisoned for too long for there to be any forensic evidence available.
In a completely unrelated coincidence, once the victim was able to contact some friends and get out, all of the Jesus Army minibuses parked anywhere visible were smashed up.
It was probably another coincidence that the police didn’t investigate the vandalism too closely due to being fairly busy apologising for how little they could do to investigate the rape.
asphytotalxtc@reddit
There were a LOT of coincidences... That's for sure...
mycatiscalledFrodo@reddit
Not sure, I left the village about 18 years ago. Even if it doesn't officially exist the members don't exactly go into normal life suddenly, these cults always hang around after the leaders go after all the Branch Davidians still exist.
EveningStar5155@reddit
Many do deconstruct or go through cult deprogramming, though. Or they find another cult to join.
TheHoneymeister@reddit
I'm a staunch atheist but have family members who are Christians, and some of them were in the Jesus Army. Growing up in the late 90s/early 00s I visited them regularly and, although a lot of the members were "nerdy", everyone I ever knew was kind and caring. I think the vast majority of them were completely naïve and genuinely 100% believed they were helping people who, in their eyes, needed to be saved.
That said, the tales of abuse are disgusting and I have since spoken to someone who was a victim. The notion that everyone was aware, however, is untrue - this was done by a few members out of 1000s and other people weren't aware. At least that's what he told me.
mycatiscalledFrodo@reddit
The kids we knew through school and just being kids in a village were always pretty sad, and scruffy. I'm sure not everyone was aware of the abuse, in the same way not all Catholics were aware of the Magdalene laundries, but they always just seemed so submissive and quiet and withdrawn.
Crafty_Birdie@reddit
Plymouth Brethren
ButterscotchSure6589@reddit
People who add the word "wild" to everyday pursuits like swimming and camping.
AccidentalBastard@reddit
Wild shitting
Wadarkhu@reddit
That's just after a good night out at an all you can eat.
Scrubbuh@reddit
It's been really hard to leave that cult
Own-Championship-398@reddit
Wild sleeping
Beanotown@reddit
Does that mean scoffing a Greggs whilst walking to work counts as Wild Eating?
ButterscotchSure6589@reddit
Wild picnicking.
TheYorkshireGripper@reddit
Jehovah's witnesses is probably the biggest cult in the UK
Kolo_ToureHH@reddit
Jehovah's Witness' are an odd bunch. There's always a few of them standing outside Glasgow Central holding the JW magazines and looking bored because no one is engaging with them.
StrategyKindly4024@reddit
I had someone knock on my door for the first time ever yesterday. Luckily I was visibly ill so they just gave me a leaflet and went on their way. What struck me was how genuinely lovely and confident the woman seemed. Like she hadn’t been told to fuck off 20 times already that day. Guy behind her had strong peado vibes but the woman, I’d have her round for a brew anytime
doesntevengohere12@reddit
My Mum (who will never be converted) has a lovely one who knocks on her door to say hello now. When my Dad was ill she knocked to do her converting duties and ended up chatting to my Mum and since then (years now) if she is ever in the area she stops and chats. At first I was really concerned but they are past all religious chat now and have formed this weird every now and then friendship. She's genuinely a lovely woman.
rav4nwhore@reddit
If she was a witness pleaseeeeee don't have her round for a cuppa!!!
Reaperfox7@reddit
Airsoft
UlsterManInScotland@reddit
Every religion out there started as a cult it’s just they were successful enough to break away from that title
PanningForSalt@reddit
That undermines quite an important distinction though. Groups like the JWs essentially remove you from everyone you know if you leave. The amount of control that gives them over people’s lives, especially younger members, is pretty horrible, and completely different to the likes of CoE where you can just stop going and continue your life.
For-a-peaceful-world@reddit
Excluding those that are mentioned here, can you name any of the major religions that started as cults, and your evidence.
sajiica@reddit
I wrote my dissertation on a similar idea to this - religion is defined as a socially acceptable set of customs and traditions with a spiritual connection; cults are the same, but not societally accepted. Before skin colour racism, it was all based on religious and geographic backgrounds - othering another group's practices as "cult" or pejorative is a sure-fire way to establish yourself as the "reasonable religion" and make conquering them easier.
Specific example? Look at the Roman conquest of Britain, and the propaganda on indigenous religion there (branded as cult or barbarism).
lalalaladididi@reddit
The cult of the executive housing estate.
Beanotown@reddit
James Corden .... Oops I just reread that, you said cults didn't you.
xanax5901@reddit
Well one letter different amounts to the same 😁
Captain_Swing@reddit
The Plymoth Brethren, though their most famous alumni is Aleister Crowley, so they're probably not that great at the brainwashing side of being a cult.
Dry-Application3@reddit
The UK used to be reasonably cult free but, over he last 30/35years with so much immigration entering its shores I believe there are a few groups starting up.
Dry-Application3@reddit
The UK used to be reasonably cult free but, over he last 30/35years with so much immigration entering its shores I believe there are a few groups starting up.
NotABrummie@reddit
There's a number of rural communes that are religiously-led, but I don't know if they really count as high-control groups like cults, or more like modern monasticism.
stackridge@reddit
The Emin, aka Template Network, still exist as far as I know.
I was coaxed along to a meeting in Bristol in the 80s. It seemed to me to be a total hodge-podge of higher-consciousness waffle, spheres of being, colour theory, numerology and so on. I was brought up in a medium-weird Christian sect and I've read Gurdjieff and so forth so it seemed absolutely laughable. However they've branched out into grief counselling and self help and suchlike and so the likelihood is they're still preying upon the gullible.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emin_(esoteric_movement)
BinkyLopBunny@reddit
Emin. They believe that colours exist on certain frequencies and other similar shit. Members pay thousands to be a part of it and use pretend names like ‘Oberon’ or whatever.
Simmo1990@reddit
The very few people left that still go to church on a Sunday.
Cultural_Tank_6947@reddit
A slightly less serious answer but football clubs.
They are no longer the sports clubs of the past which were largely a community thing. They are large global businesses which literally get traded for 10s of millions, even at the shit end of the pyramid.
But still they've convinced thousands/hundreds of thousands/millions of people that it's "their club", and so they are doing a good deed paying hundreds of pounds for tickets each year (or thousands), and Lord knows how much to buy merchandise and other tat.
I took my child to watch a third tier team (League 1). It was £26 for tickets (adult and a 5 year old), and a further £40 for a replica top for the child.
Like what the actual fuck.
BetterCallTom@reddit
That's not a cult, that's just Capitalism,
Cultural_Tank_6947@reddit
It stops being capitalism when you see stuff like this
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/premier-league-newcastle-mohammed-bin-salman-england-public-investment-fund-b1939916.html
Or this
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/mar/18/supporters-should-blame-club-owners-not-the-rules-for-points-deductions
Or this
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/chelsea-fc-fans-riot-police-clashe-lille-champions-league-roman-abramovich-b988585.html
If it was pure capitalism, the consumers would simply move elsewhere instead of defending/praising dictators and dodgy businessmen.
ZookeepergameNo3250@reddit
The cult of "California weed" apparently it's better quality and thus more expensive than locally grown. "Cali" is synonymous with being good. Millions, if not Billions of pounds made off this cult.
Chilton_Squid@reddit
Crossfit
flankie2@reddit
How Jesus got his six pack
Wise-Application-144@reddit
That's what always occurs to me when I see one of the more elaborate crucifixes. Bro's been on the protein shakes...
Ok-Budget112@reddit
CrossFit isn’t a cult! It’s literally the first thing you are told when you join!!
No-Garbage9500@reddit
There's only one kind of organisation that needs to tell it's members it isn't a cult
-XiaoSi-@reddit
Not arguing with your point (I really know very little about CrossFit) but I’m pretty sure that’s what all cults say when you join!
Adanar01@reddit
r/yourjokebutworse
MrPloppyHead@reddit
That’s just what a cult would say.
geeered@reddit
They've learnt from scientology I see! "We're not a cult honest, also please sign this form to say you agree we aren't a cult"
mk6971@reddit
Protestant is probably the bigger!
thefooleryoftom@reddit
Surprised not to see any MLMs mentioned. Air diffusers, kitchenware and candle bollocks that people make their lives about. Some spend tens of thousands on stock expecting to sell it off…
fabulousteaparty@reddit
I know of someone who's in a supplement ml cult and has done yoga instructor training through them lol.
thefooleryoftom@reddit
At least there’s a tangible benefit to yoga…
fabulousteaparty@reddit
That's very true. Although I forgot to mention the course was overseas in some sort of tropical beach location so I'm guessing she had to pay a lot of money to do it.
thefooleryoftom@reddit
Oh absolutely - some of these retreats, programmes etc are pure grifts.
Own-Championship-398@reddit
Tropic
sikamakanico@reddit
Don't forget about the Brethren based in the Cotswolds!
SloppyBlowjobQueen@reddit
There are a LOT of sufi muslim offshoot cults based around a cult leader who their followers believe have magical healing abilities, knowledge of the unseen, chosen by god etc etc etc. It all would just be really harmless and a bit daft but people are literally giving away their entire lives savings, homes, time and energy and tearing their families apart to "please" their great leader. in Pakistan there is a famous case of one of these guys called "chuf chuf" who (obviously) has zero psychic healing ability at all other than hiring people to pretend to be crippled until he blows on them, and yet people are signing over their ancestral land to him in order to earn his favour and blessings. none of these cults have names but theyre very, very common in the UK and the West among indian and pakistani sufi muslims.
Realkevinnash59@reddit
Jehovah's Witnesses are probably the most popular ones.
if you see the christian people standing in groups of 3-4 on the street with a stand lined with leaflets they're your JWs. My aunty was originally from Barbados but emmigrated to Glasgow in the 70s and had 5 kids with my uncle, when they separated she joined the JWs in the 90s and they convinced her to cut all ties with her children, friends, ex husband and all our side of the family and go to America and then was sent back to Barbados to do missionary work.
She managed to leave and came back to Glasgow in the mid 2000s and is still religious but not a JW anymore.
From what I've heard from my cousins they prey on people who are feeling lonely or isolated - either older people who's children have moved away and lost a spouse and have no parents/siblings, or younger people who are socially stunted or without any direction, give them a chance to join "families" elsewhere which are just other JWs who've been sent away as well to do forced pamphleting and preaching.
most people preaching on the street with pamphlets or microphones will be some sort of JW trying to get their witnessing hours in - the more you do the more god likes you i think.
Cyrillite@reddit
Order of the Nine Angles
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Nine_Angles
No-Garbage9500@reddit
BNI, the business networking group.
Pay a huge amount of money to turn up at stupid o'clock every Friday and have rituals of repeating yourself over and over, with you and your fellow group members forced to put more money into the group, where everyone claps or cheers with prescribed increased enthusiasm depending how well you've done.
oliviaxlow@reddit
I almost got dragged in by that lot when I was a fresh-faced, newly redundant 21 year old. Soon realised and told them I wasn’t interested yet still had a man from BNI pursue me for weeks afterwards. Shudder.
Andrew_Culture@reddit
Oh my god. I I used to go as a guest for lols, in a similar way to watching a Channel 5 documentary for lols. Then I found out they booted a friend out because they told him that he had to choose between BNI and spending time with his dying mother. That was the end of it for me.
No-Garbage9500@reddit
A business associate of mine was involved in my local Chapter (chapter FFS, doesn't that tell you everything you need to know) so I used to sub in for her maybe twice a year.
During COVID when it was all online one time I couldn't get my zoom to work so after half an hour of router resetting etc just gave up and went back to bed (at 7am).
She was given a formal warning her sub hadn't shown up while she was on holiday. She treated me like I'd killed her cat. I stopped dealing with her, and BNI, after that.
Andrew_Culture@reddit
Formal warning? FFS I got in trouble like this at school but had much more fun!
su2dv@reddit
My mate used to go to these. Always felt a bit mysterious. Made out like he was a big shot, though he was a mid-20s office drone. This makes a lot of sense.
No-Garbage9500@reddit
My job gets me going to a lot of business events, and networking groups.
BNI is by far my least favourite because of exactly how cult-y it is.
I can tell you that while yes, some people and businesses do get a lot out of it (why else would they go through the enormous expense and effort. If you miss 3 sessions in a year you're booted out), I can say with 100% certainty that nobody who goes to BNI is a big shot.
Actual business big shots land deals with the NHS or companies that don't ask what the price is before signing the contract.
BNI big shots get a standing round of applause because they referred their mum who makes cupcakes to the group's web developer and she paid him £300 to make a Wordpress template.
fussyfella@reddit
The Church of England, The Catholic Church, loads of small loud weird Christian sects, Islam (multiple flavours), Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Judaism...
You get the picture, just because something has been normalised,, it does not stop it being a cult. Of course there are small sects outsiders call "cults" but really most are just small religions whose weirdnesses have not yet been normalised.
Redmistnf@reddit
My colleague got sucked into the Landmark Forum. Now that is a cult.
Wenlocke@reddit
The Nine O clock service
Certainly seemed culty to me.
KFTNorman@reddit
Very culty. And topical. Christopher Bains was charged with 34 sexual assaults yesterday (18th March).
Wenlocke@reddit
I didn't know that when I linked it. Talk about the wheels of justice turning slow.
KFTNorman@reddit
Nine O’clock Service In 80s and early 90s there was a youth music service at a Sheffield church (Anglican and Baptist).
Turns out to have been a sex cult.
Just this week its leader Christopher Brain was charged with 34 counts of sexual assault. (Only taken thirty plus years). https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-68581122
Impossible_Bee9474@reddit
The Masons, Eastern Star, Popsy Clothing
csrster@reddit
Ecky Thump.
Emergency-Read2750@reddit
LGBTQIA2S+. The first few letters are fine the rest seem to be cult like
TheFlyingHornet1881@reddit
Apparently a few exist in Cambridge, there's a weird Christian Science book store supposedly linked to them.
WarWonderful593@reddit
Cold water swimmers
EveningStar5155@reddit
Exactly. Just a fad. They are pushing it almost the time on TV. If it was that good for you, they wouldn't have closed the old cold water lidos in the 70s and would have kept them open all year round. It is better to swim in a lido than a polluted sea, river, or lake. Almost every town and city had a lido.
Capital_Punisher@reddit
Cold water swimmers aren't the main issue. The idiots that wear Dry Robes to the shops, pretending they just came from cold water swimming are complete bell ends though.
bacardiisacat@reddit
They're quite useful (warm and dry) for watching 12 year olds play footie in the rain while slightly hungover on a Sunday morning.
eerst@reddit
Oh god another one.
jlb8@reddit
They’re warm coats, I can’t see an issue
princessheather26@reddit
Oh man I do cold water swimming and crossfit. There's no way out for me is there? Are you allowed to be in two cults? Do I have to do some sort of fight to the death? I might just hide in my Dryrobe.
upupupdo@reddit
LOL. That cut a bit too close. Fully understand though.
tpain13@reddit (OP)
The back garden cold plunge crew would fit the same bill.
Muswell42@reddit
Not in the UK (in Guernsey) but we effectively have two rival cold water swimmer cults - the group that organises big group swims, and the group that lurks in their facebook group so we know when and where the group swims will be and can avoid them.
Unfair_Original_2536@reddit
They're quite brazen in Aberdeen you even see 'Cults' on road signs.
parrotandcrow@reddit
Scotland? You are misreading the signs, they actually say "Cunts".
Ok_Shirt983@reddit
That's just the signs on the border pointed at England.
shwaah90@reddit
r/thatsthejoke
andyrocks@reddit
There's a place called Cults in Aberdeenshire...
shwaah90@reddit
Double whoosh it is
hypnoticwinter@reddit
I get you!
-XiaoSi-@reddit
Yup. Friend of mine even went to Cults academy… they get them young up there!
vegan_voorhees@reddit
My parents’ church was like a cult-lite.
‘We’ built our own outbuilding for worship, which was 2.5-3 hours every Sunday, plus a Bible study evening in the week.
Lots of people speaking in tongues, tambourines, weird weird paranoias. Some people were expelled; one guy turned out to be a kiddie-fiddler.
I hated it more than I’ve ever hated anything. Parents are still sort of a part of it.
rav4nwhore@reddit
What's it called?
vegan_voorhees@reddit
Living Waters I think, but this was waaaay back in the 80s.
saywherefore@reddit
There was the Panacea Society in Bedford. More stereotypically religious is a subset of the Plymouth Brethren.
rizozzy1@reddit
I never knew this. They claim Bedford was the garden of Eden. I was born in Bedford, so I guess I’m a god now? Didn’t expect that responsibility if I’m honest.
saywherefore@reddit
“In the beginning Bedford was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad idea.”
TamarWallace@reddit
Nxtion Family. Until 2022 went under the name Spac Nation. Accusations include grooming vulnerable young Londoners to live and work in their brothel and using said young people to work on the campaigns of politicians (Rory Steward's Mayoral campaign for example!). Spac Nation closed in 2022, but I can only assume they're still doing the same practices just under a different name.
smickie@reddit
UCKG (HelpCentre)
I live in an area where they canvas a lot, I've spoken to people in and out of it, it sounds like a cult to me.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/dec/02/uckg-evangelical-church-survivors
£300 quid uniform to join the church.
RevolutionaryTea1265@reddit
Plymouth brethren church
Maxplode@reddit
Crypto Currency.
Nobody seems to be telling me to buy some anymore.
doesntevengohere12@reddit
I know people who are still taking out money though 🤷🏻♀️
abacusabyss@reddit
Landmark Forum, took £1000s off my friend's gullible mother. My friend got sucked in too, and invited some of us along to an open day in Glasgow. It was, unsurprisingly, a load of bullshit.
sjames1980@reddit
Avon
hatchetharrylocstock@reddit
iPhones
chrispowhers@reddit
The Yellow Deli in Honiton. Good food, the root beer is just okay.
discustedkiller@reddit
Morris dancers
Ukplugs4eva@reddit
Was a Morris dancer... It's a very drunken world of crazy people Vs people who are ever so serious.
Really do you want to enjoy people who are drunken ninjas with sticks.
discustedkiller@reddit
Fair enough maybe it's not a cult,I don't want to get beaten by the bearded drunken ninjas.
general_adm_aladdeen@reddit
Eton Boys Club. Freemasons.
Guilty_Struggle_6089@reddit
Anyone on Linkedin
Jolly-Heart-2103@reddit
Gwyneth Paltrow's Gloop or whatever it's called.
timeforknowledge@reddit
Extinction rebellion....
1minormishapfrmchaos@reddit
Taylor Swift fans are cultishly weird, that lizard lady should count too.
Ukplugs4eva@reddit
Taylor swift isn't real. She is multipeople. The concept exists of TS but in reality she doesn't. She is completely made up by a record company . 12 people all look like her and had face surgery to look the same...
Birds aren't real and pigeons are CCTV cameras
PatsySweetieDarling@reddit
The fan bases of some bands and artists are almost cult like to a disturbing level.
Bad mouth them on social media and they will rain down fire and brimstone until you either cry or delete all things internet in your life.
Ukplugs4eva@reddit
Taylor swift isn't real. She is multipeople. The concept exists of TS but in reality she doesn't. She is completely made up by a record company . 12 people all look like her and had face surgery to look the same...
Birds aren't real and pigeons are CCTV cameras
HamsterEagle@reddit
David Cameron is a complete and utter cult.
DryCollection3355@reddit
Postmen who wear shorts all year long
Ukplugs4eva@reddit
I wear shorts all year round.
I will fight you trouser wear freaks. Too afraid to show your knees, scared you might offend someone with your cankles. We ain't in the Victorian era!
Shorts4life
opopkl@reddit
And groundsmen.
jonewer@reddit
And guardsmen (wear furry hats all year long)
Recessio_@reddit
Didn't realise every Geordie was a postie
ModoTheGardener@reddit
I was raised in a Buddhist cult in Scotland. The leader was American, though.
NuclearMishaps@reddit
Cornwall
Ukplugs4eva@reddit
Hahahaha hahahaha oh my god so fucking true in so many different ways
I live in Cornwall.
As the days warm up the Cult of DryRobers begin to slowly appear doing their typical mating dance in white Range Rovers. Generally found stuck in lanes refusing to go backwards. All you have to say is "No I'm sorry Tabitha we don't sell organic Peruvian bootpolish" and they leave you alone.
Pastys - just don't.... Over in the cornwall sub with Emmet's asking "I'm coming down to Newquay for the week, where do I get the best pasty from".... all hell breaks lose
Pretend surfers.. "Ahh dude man look at my floppy hair, I smoke weed and wear tatty 90s clothes, I go to Cornwall surf every year". .. fresh from boarding school/uni, never been surfing ... Oh it's a cult.
There is probably a lot more.
Triffid99@reddit
Forever Living
Spottyjamie@reddit
“Cash is king” and antivax are on the rise
Own-Championship-398@reddit
We’re just fed up of card fees ok
Spottyjamie@reddit
Are you fed up of the amount the banks charge you to deposit cash? The cost of securing that cash? The cost of transporting that cash to the bank? The insurance cost of having a lot of cash on the premises?
Own-Championship-398@reddit
No like I said I’m fed up of card fees. I don’t have high insurance fees because I don’t keep that much cash.
redrighthand_@reddit
There’s a few thousand or so Scientologists in the uk.
Ukplugs4eva@reddit
I got them banned from the city centre as they were promoting MH services under the disguise of Scientology and offering services to sue MH support services.
The first complaint went through the council and wen from dept to work to dept and no one would touch it then it disappeared.. probably Scientology people had a hand in that. Then I went again but with MH organisations and a couple of local councilors.
Informal-Method-5401@reddit
Plus their HQ in East Grinstead. Basket weaving weirdos
XoYo@reddit
Their former spokesman there was Neil Gaiman's father. It's a weird old world.
jonewer@reddit
Your name is on ze list
benjaminchang1@reddit
My dad's cousin is one of them.
SirDidymusthewise@reddit
Only ones I can think of are Jehovah's, Scientology and Vegans
Tranquillian@reddit
Knew someone would say vegans somewhere. Just common bloody sense is all that involves. Healthier nutritionally (or not if you’re a junk food slut), more sustainable and eco-friendly, and having the decency to not fund exploitation and suffering of sentient beings when it’s super easy to choose not to. Win win win. But, there’s obviously the hurdle of a bacon cheeseburger with egg McMuffin and milkshake being the food of champions
Cults are in it for money, we just want to see the world -not- burn.
SirDidymusthewise@reddit
I really haven't come across many vegans with a sense of humour tbh.
Tranquillian@reddit
Difficult when we’re all too busy enjoying the view from our high horse that we’re better than everyone else. Oh wait, I shouldn’t be riding a horse…
CharizardOSRS@reddit
You really triggered one with this 😂
SirDidymusthewise@reddit
They're an easily triggered cult..
el_fusilado69@reddit
The New Kadampa Tradition is a rogue sect of Buddhism that is very much a cult similar to those crazy christian off shoots. However, they very much fly under most people's suspicions because no one ever thinks the buddhists can be evil like that, but they are very predatory and insidious. Google "New Kadampa Survivors".
itsa_m@reddit
Another Buddhist cult is the Triratna. Even to this day they try to cover up what their founder did. They have even rebranded in my area as The Buddhist Center.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/21/sangharakshita-guru-triratna-buddhist-dark-secrets
In my area the NKT has rebranded to the Compassion Meditation Center.
Latter_Season745@reddit
Scientology, NKT Buddhists, Plymouth Brethren, Bhakti Marga/Paramahamsa Vishwananda. Landmark Forum, and probably a load more smaller ones.
itsa_m@reddit
Tritatna
JuicyStein@reddit
I was looking for someone to say NKT. I visited their headquarters and thought it was a really lovely place. Then I visited one near me, attended a few meditation sessions, bought a few books....then did some research....damn.
I didn't have a negative experience though, just lost interest and couldn't justify paying money for "meditation sessions"
-TheHumorousOne-@reddit
The New Wellness Centre
Tunejuice123@reddit
Hyrox
adamjames777@reddit
Church of the Process.
abfgern_@reddit
GB News
Known_Respond_8949@reddit
Freeman of the land 🙄 can dress it up all you want, you're still driving that car and not "travelling"...
Kitchen_Part_882@reddit
We have "sov cits" here too now?
Known_Respond_8949@reddit
Unfortunately. See all too many of them in my line of work
mathcampbell@reddit
I hope you line of work is traffic police, or even better, court officer that handles people paying their (well-deserved) traffic fines?
Known_Respond_8949@reddit
Close. Crown Prosecutor. A massive PITA to deal with in court!
Banson_@reddit
My favourite way I've seen one dealt with by a DJ:
DJ: Is your name X?
FotL: No, I am the being that inhabits the corporeal form known as X.
DJ: Okay, well if X isn't here then I'll be issuing a warrant for their arrest.
Soon changed their tune when they were brought up through the cells the next morning!
mathcampbell@reddit
True but I can almost taste the satisfaction of hearing their pseudo-legal incoherent bullshit, and watching the sheriff patiently listen to their shite and then say “ok cool. Guilty.”
mathcampbell@reddit
True but I can almost taste the satisfaction of hearing their pseudo-legal incoherent bullshit, and watching the sheriff patiently listen to their shite and then say “ok cool. Guilty.”
InterestingRead2022@reddit
Yellow Deli
Own-Championship-398@reddit
“Science”
Thestolenone@reddit
I've heard some weird things about that Findhorn Foundation.
TheCamelsBack@reddit
I seem to remember a podcast with Cariad Lloyd who said she kinda 'grew up' in a cult or her family had some kind of cult connection at some point and and they had spent a lot of time at Findhorn growing up during the holidays. It might have been the Adam Buxton podcast if I remember correctly. Not saying that Findhorn is a cult. It mostly seems mostly like an eco village ran by new age hippy folk, but it certainly seems like it could attract certain groups for their holidays. Would be interested to hear what you've heard about them though!
Way_Agitated@reddit
Masons
BlokeyBlokeBloke@reddit
There was a fascinating cult that settled itself in Bedford and who believed that the Castle area of Bedford was the site of the Garden of Eden. They believed that Jesus would eventually return and live on Albany Road. They lasted form the Victorian era and the last member died in the 2012
Beebeeseebee@reddit
The Panacea Society
TransientSpark23@reddit
Alan Moore wrote a short story about the apocalypse happening there.
glitterstateofmind@reddit
Slimming World
jabbywal@reddit
The Plymouth Brethren
Kamikaze_Asparagus@reddit
Teenagers wearing Hoodrich
exkingzog@reddit
You still see the Hare Krishnas around Oxford St
Jackie_Daytona_AZ@reddit
Green pastures
PanNationalistFront@reddit
The Orange Order
smcveagh@reddit
Waiting for the controversial comments to roll in 🤣
emmylouanne@reddit
Can’t believe I had to scroll this far to find this! Seems like it should be illegal for them to exist with how hateful their rules are.
PanNationalistFront@reddit
At least Scotland seems to be doing something.
Gemini_2261@reddit
There is a whole cacophony of 'Christian' screechers and Protestant supremacist cults in Northern Ireland. One particularly pernicious organisation even has a mandatory public holiday devoted to it.
kuddlekup@reddit
All Lions clubs, Rountables, etc in small towns = cult.
epinshi@reddit
Islam
kuddlekup@reddit
Masons and Dry Robe Wankers, probably different groups though, not together.
sipyourmilk@reddit
There's a Bruderhof community in the village I grew up in. I don't know if they really count as a cult though. They're an anabaptist offshoot but I don't know if their faith is as strict as say Brethren or similar
anonS8991@reddit
Islam is one
rav4nwhore@reddit
I think maybe all mainstream religions started out as cults they just became successful enough to drop the cult label
MDF87@reddit
I'd love to join a cult, it sounds kinda fun.
rav4nwhore@reddit
Haha I considered Scientology a few times when I was younger just to fuck about and find out. A bunch of my family are devout witnesses though so I'm glad I didn't knowingly join a cult for shits and giggles in hindsight different cult but those guys are unbearable enough. I did meet a guy who was an ex scientologist and he had loads of fond memories absolutely fascinating stuff but equally as many terrible stories
Ok-Budget112@reddit
You make more money as a leader, but have more fun as a follower.
Beanotown@reddit
Depends on the cult. I'd rather be a leader.
PassDazzling@reddit
Scrolled all the way down to find this lol
eerst@reddit
Lovely little UFO cult here in SW London.
The Aetherius Temple 020 7736 4187 https://maps.app.goo.gl/Pxbk8vGdzp18Jn779?g_st=ic
Lumpyproletarian@reddit
The Panacea Society - used to have a house in Bedford, had a Holy Mother and something to do with Joanna Southcote
thescouselander@reddit
Just stop oil.
Phaedra-x@reddit
The cult of Jesus Christ and the Latter Day Saints
TheMinceKid@reddit
CrossFit
Empty_Variety4550@reddit
The School of Philosophy and Economics Science is a deeply weird rabbit hole to go down.
(Worldwide, but based in London)
ShowKey6848@reddit
A certain famous actor is one of them, from Australia. Won't watch anything he's in now.
thefooleryoftom@reddit
Any particular reason you don’t name them?
Empty_Variety4550@reddit
They're talking about Hugh Jackman
http://www.ses-forums.org/viewtopic.php?t=664
ShowKey6848@reddit
Not worth naming people who peddle rubbish - damnatio memoriae
thefooleryoftom@reddit
Surely it is to others can avoid it…? Otherwise your statement is utterly meaningless.
Same-Literature1556@reddit
With such a nice HQ in Marleybone and such a weird list of offerings on their website, no way they aren’t dodgy
HowCanYouBanAJoke@reddit
Ahmdiyyat Muslims.
They are like the many Christian cults that claim the "Messiah" has come back already, they claim their current head is the current Messiah and they go as far as making their members apply to do what career they want to go into etc.
They are obviously viewed as heretics and murdered en masse which is why their headquarters is now in the UK and why their mosques are always converted houses so they can hide.
Away-Activity-469@reddit
Kangen water.
PastorParcel@reddit
Slimming World
MattyCatts1@reddit
Gin drinkers.
everglade39@reddit
Do the Freemasons count?
Sea-You-5122@reddit
Lighthouse
There is a really good podcast on BBC sounds called 'A very British Cult' that talks about it in depth. It's crazy
CyberGlint@reddit
Mumsnet
Super-Antelope4605@reddit
The black Hebrew Israelites
TheMourningStar84@reddit
Not a bad cult by any stretch but they have very Pagan roots.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Woodcraft_Folk#:\~:text=Woodcraft%20Folk%20is%20not%20based,in%20the%20decision%20making%20process.
JackXDark@reddit
There are some schools of thought that the Woodcraft Folk and the similar Kibbo Kift had some influence on Wicca.
TheMourningStar84@reddit
That would make a lot of sense actually! I have a friend who was a member when she was young in the 90s but by then they were a lot less Pagan.
benketeke@reddit
Brahmakumaris
Latter_Season745@reddit
Good call, I'd forgotten about them. They have a presence in most cities.
ordinarybloke1963@reddit
The Potters House
No-Negotiation-154@reddit
The Peculiar People in Essex
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peculiar_People
Latter_Season745@reddit
I know someone who's dad was a pastor in the PP, very weird family and she know the bible verse by verse. Love the name though!
JackXDark@reddit
I run a cult.
Go on Facebook and search for Jack Dark’s Ethical Sex Cult is you want to find out more.
AliceLikesSewing@reddit
Not UK specific, but the podcast ‘Sounds Like a Cult’ is pretty good.
It’s lighthearted poking fun at things that seem like cults… peloton, Starbucks, CrossFit, etc. there are some other less lighthearted ‘cults’ that they cover too.
fabulousteaparty@reddit
I love this podcast!!
Low_Emu669@reddit
Panacea Society followed the teachings of Joanna Southcott. Too mad to explain in full here but early 19th century millinarian prophetess schtick of the Shaker/Baker-Eddy/ Blavatsky vein. It involved a magic box which had to be opened in front of a quorum of unwilling bishops in order to save the world. Also magic water which would heal everything. Quite well run financially and Britishly inoffensive(females in charge so no hanky panky) with the last member dying in 2012 and remaining funds and investments are still being doled out for good causes around Bedfordshire.
notablack@reddit
CoE...
Gunbladelad@reddit
Rabid veganism.
Note, I'm OK with normal vegans who have made their own dietary choices and don't feel the need to make everything they say and do about it. I really can't stand the ones who will go on a 5 hour tirade because you walked out a shop with a pint of milk for your cereal and cuppa of choice in the morning and happened to pass within their line of sight.
Mattman1080@reddit
The cult of alcohol consumption.
Ok-Status-235@reddit
Skimming World
DryCollection3355@reddit
Ration challenge groups. My mum was their leader
DameKumquat@reddit
Slimming World even call high-fat/sugar foods 'syns'...
I-Am-The-Warlus@reddit
I used to go to Slimming World,
Had mental issues with work at the time which had me eat more to cope which led to weight gain which led to weight-in person to be incredibly passive aggressive with me which led to more weight gain then I just quit going because something bad was going to happen if i still go.
Still have weight issues but I'm slowly keeping It under control with a few hiccups here n there
grekster@reddit
I've been to a few SW groups around the country and the "vibe" is very group specific. Some are brilliant, some are very judgemental, it's a shame :(
DryCollection3355@reddit
Great that you're making progress.
Sounds like they have unhealthy levels of shame so they have to bring down others.
G30fff@reddit
There's one in my town called Universal Medicine. Basically some Aussie mystic guy snares middle aged women by offering intimate massages and then they give him all their money and leave their families. His family owns several businesses around town and there was something of a scandal when it was revealed that the leaders of the town Chamber of Commerce were in the cult. Couple of docs from the Beeb on the subject. Cult is still there AFAIK on the edge of town. This is Frome in Somerset.
colinah87@reddit
Came here to post this!
_testingdude@reddit
Avon reps
JanisIansChestHair@reddit
Not a UK cult, but I found out there’s a Yellow Deli in the UK - worth a google.
DucktapeCorkfeet@reddit
Vineyard Church in Northern Ireland.
VegetableWeekend6886@reddit
The baby eating sex cult in Hampstead duh
Captain_Kruch@reddit
Eco Zealots such as Just Stop Oil. Not only are they disrupting the lives of ordinary citizens, but they're blatant hypocrites. Carrying the latest high end smartphone (containing rare metals that have caused ridiculous amounts of environmental damage via mining) and drinking Starbucks coffees while they sit in the middle of a motorway (correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't coffee from Starbucks grown and imported via aeroplane from the likes of South America, Africa, Asia etc? Not exactly environmentally friendly...).
Other_Literature_594@reddit
My sky pixie is better than your sky pixie
Stuspawton@reddit
Jehovah witnesses, the orange order, Mormons, masons, Scientologists
There’s a lot more but that’ll do
burnetto@reddit
Greggs
MultiColouredHex@reddit
Lighthouse. Watched a tv show on it, proper English cult born of the Midlands.
grasslover3000@reddit
Royalists
countvanderhoff@reddit
Slimming World
NefariousnessOk4320@reddit
MLM marketing. It’s very prevalent in deprived Northern towns. Sadly, those with a high South Asian/Pakistani population. Taking advantage of large networks. It’s very much a cult in all operation. You will see the blue Asos suits, the posturing and the false narrative of success. But it really does ruin people. Truly evil.
spiritofafox@reddit
There is the Order Templi Orientis which is a magical order (sure) . It’s current headquarters are on the south coast. It was once headed by Alister Crowley. I believe it continues where he died.
supalape@reddit
Reform UK
motific@reddit
That's cult with an N.
OrangeMango19@reddit
Nult
Ales1390@reddit
There was a cult called The Lighthouse, BBC Sounds did a good podcast about them. Not sure if they’re still active or changed name
Alarmed_Crazy_6620@reddit
PG Tips
Al_Bee@reddit
That really ought to be a website about family friendly tricks to help you through life.
imtheorangeycenter@reddit
Surely it's the Yorkshire tea lot? Is it a cult if they're not wrong though?
Alarmed_Crazy_6620@reddit
"No, my tea factory floor sweeping dust is the best one!"
imtheorangeycenter@reddit
Aaah, careful now, you'll unite the long-split baggers into one mega cult to face off against the loose-leafers. It'll be like Cromwell and that lot all over again.
Trilobite_Tom@reddit
The cult of Lewis Hamilton.
Jack-Rabbit-002@reddit
Druids and maybe Wicca that seems pretty popular these days probably not a cult per say but when you have a bunch of people performing rituals in the woods my immediate thoughts are cult!
Not disrespecting peoples faith or nothing if they find comfort there but from a outside observation
Zak_Rahman@reddit
Aren't those faiths ancient though? Like the Saturnalia existed a long time ago.
Doesn't seem to be about grifting cash from gullible people. I dunno, to me the cash element is a big part of the cult thing.
That said, I would too would be suspicious of people performing rituals in the woods. But I have seen too many horror films and don't know any better.
AlmightyRobert@reddit
They’re ancient in the sense that there were Druids but I’m not aware of any knowledge of their rites or practices having survived 2000 years. I think that’s probably made up.
drmcw@reddit
There's an episode of the BBC programme 'In Our Time' on Druids and yes some Victorians made it all up. Apparently druids didn't write anything down and when they disappeared so did practically everything known about them.
The Romans mentioned them and were shit scared as they would be muttering spells and wotnot during battles. They also had very good long distance communication - unless I'm getting muddled.
You can hear it on BBC Sounds, 45 minutes well spent.
Untrustworthy__@reddit
The documentary isn't entirely accurate... There are many family lines of oral histories and teachings. Oral traditions are just hard to substantiate and make claims for or against without a contiguous written account to accompany it.
There are also frauds, and a lot of Druidry and neo-paganism in general is reconstructionist. That doesn't really mean much though as faiths, languages and practices typically mutate as time goes on anyway.
Source: from old line.
drmcw@reddit
What's old line please?
Untrustworthy__@reddit
My late father's line acted as pretend catholics for centuries. When I was a kid my grandmother, father and aunt started passing on their info.
Beginning sometime in the 1600s, an ancestor had the sense to start recording but with a kind of notching on rounded planks about 10 inches long. One set was destroyed in WW2 during a bombing. A partial set still exists. The information is a combination of practical instruction, ritual, folk medicine and a healthy dose of crazy 🙂.
karlware@reddit
In the words of the immortal Spinal Tap, 'no-one knows who they were. Or what they were doing'.
Zak_Rahman@reddit
Fair enough. Thanks for your thoughts.
I might look this up :)
Muswell42@reddit
In Tacitus' "Annals" he's got a really cool bit about the last stand of the druids on Ynys Mon. Even if shreds of genuine druidic lore had survived the Romans, they wouldn't have survived a millennium of Christianity.
JackXDark@reddit
Modern druidry sorta goes back to the 1800s. Wicca to the 1920s at best, maybe only the 1940s. There are other types of modern witchcraft that have slightly earlier roots but they're not quite the same thing as Wicca.
Zak_Rahman@reddit
Thank you for the information.
Yeah, that's not ancient at all.
Most_Moose_2637@reddit
I dunno, there's a definite spectrum.
Selling people healing crystals is one thing but psychic readings doing cold reads on people who've lost family members doesn't seem like a harmless act.
Zak_Rahman@reddit
I mean, when you put it like that, it's impossible to disagree with you.
I guess, in my mind, I always saw those faiths as being in touch with nature, harvesting berries and herbs, paying attention to lunar cycles etc.
I realise I am probably showcasing my ignorance concerning this topic, but I freely admit I know almost nothing about it.
Most_Moose_2637@reddit
That's not to say that some people genuinely believe in it and get benefit from it, of course.
The more spiritual side of things that you mention are harmless or even beneficial, unfortunately there's always someone looking to take advantage.
Untrustworthy__@reddit
I've been in a Druid order for years. The one I'm in is one of the largest nationally and yeah some of us do perform rituals in the woods but we are harmless. Mostly we just love nature.
My order has a leader and smaller "coven" style groups all over the country, as well as "secret" books.. but there is no dogma or commands. Participation is as much or little as you want, or none.
Jack-Rabbit-002@reddit
Right so it's probably misinformation on my part it's just what the outsider perceives I guess! Like I said peoples faith and what they follow are their own just meetings in woods makes me go 'Oh No!'
Didn't want to cause no offense like! I have no faith but was raised the Roman Catholic so the ritual to anything outside of myself and my own is pretty alien
Untrustworthy__@reddit
None taken. To be honest, we're a pretty weird eccentric bunch at the best of times 😀
Jack-Rabbit-002@reddit
What People Yeah tell me about !! 🤣
You will creep me out though if I see Robes murmuring whilst all being stood in the woods mind Lol
No blessings to you and yours man!
JackXDark@reddit
Weirdly, Wicca actually describes itself as a cult, but its structure is very unlike one as there are no central leadership figures, and routes towards autonomy for small groups that are still part of the overall whole, is a built-in feature.
Druidry doesn't really fit the cult model either as there are multiple groups with equal claim to authenticity (ie none) and no one really owns the term or right to decide who is or isn't a druid or the right way to be one. Wicca is kiiiiiinda different in that in the proper sense of the word, but that's a whole other can of worms.
The difference between either of them and other groups that fully deserve the term 'cult' is that they don't really require any sort of obedience, fealty, payment, fundraising, or have leader with any sort of authority beyond very small groups where it's given rather than than imposed, and they don't seek converts.
Jack-Rabbit-002@reddit
Hey Man I'm sure no one will complain if you do just get you're Misses onboard and you're Golden 🙂👍🏻
bornleverpuller85@reddit
Read this as droids and wondered who's dressing up as artoo and how can I get involved
Jack-Rabbit-002@reddit
No you actively have people who associate themselves with being Wicca and Druid still
Fit_Manufacturer4568@reddit
The Koatians have to be the weirdest.
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/3945796.darlingtons-sex-master-jailed-abuse/
dommiichan@reddit
the royal family 🤣 you have to marry in, and they'll try to brainwash you
b0neappleteeth@reddit
The Jesus Army - pretty sure most of them got done for noncery insert shocked pikachu face
UnhappyAttempt129@reddit
DryRobe
Sonzscotlandz@reddit
Chap your local freemason hall door
sofiestarr@reddit
Look into the Plymouth Brethren. Bit of a rabbit hole.
Religious group that has a lot of money and links to MPs.
McSheeples@reddit
I grew up in the Baha'i faith, they maintain it's a religion, but as far as I'm concerned it's a weird cult revolving around admin. Me and my brother noped out of it when we were teenagers, but it didn't stop the bastards leaving us ridiculous voicemails when my dad died in December. They wanted a big do, we wanted to be left the fuck alone. Wouldn't have minded had they been helping out when he was ill, but that wouldn't fit in with the 5 year plan...
Longjumping_Kiwi8118@reddit
Moonies are probably still around.
mEmotep@reddit
The Peculiar People
bonkerz1888@reddit
The Flat Earth society.
Morons.
disar39112@reddit
Scientology would be the most famous, but there are extremist Christian and Islamic cults as well.
TheManicMunky@reddit
Remember, not all cults are religions, but all religions are cults.
172116@reddit
There's one called Lighthouse, that claims to be a self help group or something - there's a good documentary on BBC sounds called "A Very British Cult"
Nicktrains22@reddit
So this one technically doesn't count, because the last member died about 10 years ago, but there used to be a cult in Bedford called the Panacea society. The TLDR is that they thought Bedford was the site of the Garden of Eden, and they were replanting it for the coming of Christ in the year 2000 (guess why it's no longer extant). Rather benign as cults go, they offered miracle cures and kept a load of prophecies in a box.
TSC-99@reddit
The Royal Family
Zak_Rahman@reddit
Thank you for the info. I will try and look that up!
spong_miester@reddit
Neighborhood watch!
PigHillJimster@reddit
Plymouth Brethren
Dennyisthepisslord@reddit
Being a royalist
Spirit_of_Gravy@reddit
In this thread, people struggle to understand the broad definition of cults and people throw shade on air-friers and CrossFit. The shade-throwing group are far closer to the mark.
Natasharoxy@reddit
You might interested in the BBC podcast ‘A Very British Cult’ all about The Lighthouse Project.
pasta897@reddit
Islamism
asterics002@reddit
The most modern cult is so cultish that you don't even know its a cult.
PlasticFreeAdam@reddit
Dog ownership
whistonreds@reddit
Health and well being scene.
X90Levi@reddit
Gymshark
topher2604@reddit
The Catholic Church
trade-craft@reddit
The Marmarati
delpigeon@reddit
I know of somebody's vaguely loopy relative who follows a cult called Eckankar
girlsumps@reddit
Plymouth Brethren and Jesus Army
Rio_Gjost@reddit
Sahaja yoga
AnxEng@reddit
'The Housing Ladder' ......
Banditofbingofame@reddit
The NHS
MisterSlippyFists@reddit
Soap opera's. I swear every woman I've ever known who watched them religiously was dead behind the eyes and unable to talk about other things.
TheZamboon@reddit
Insert reality TV as well. I’m convinced anyone who enjoys love island has less intelligence than the dead skin under my toenail.
MisterSlippyFists@reddit
Agreed!
Goblindeez_@reddit
There’s some kind of mutual masturbation cult I heard about where the men cannot climax and must serve women
You all live in one shared house and all your money goes to the cult
It’s not even a fetish thing, they mostly draw in young vulnerable people
Heypisshands@reddit
Just stop oil
yossanator@reddit
Church of England, Church of Scotland and a few similar one's come to mind...
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