All articles tagged with #cults
The Netflix docuseries "Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult" investigates the alleged cult-like activities of 7M Films and Shekinah Church, focusing on the rift between TikTok dancers Miranda Derrick and Melanie Wilking. The series explores accusations of undue influence and control by 7M Films' leader Robert Shinn, who is said to have manipulated members for personal gain. The three-episode series premieres on May 29.
British teenager Alex Batty, missing since 2017, reportedly emerged from the wilderness in southern France after six years, having lived an alternative lifestyle in the Pyrenees. The region is home to a mix of international nomads and communities rooted in religion or spiritual enlightenment. Concerns have been raised about the psychological impact of living in seclusion and the potential for individuals to become brainwashed or divorced from their families and reality. French authorities have stated that Alex experienced no physical violence and there is no evidence he was living in a cult.
The HBO docuseries "Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God" explores the bizarre world of Amy Carlson, the leader of the Love Has Won cult. The cult believed that Carlson was a holy being known as Mother God and dedicated their lives to fulfilling her every need. The series delves into the cult's outlandish beliefs, including conversations with higher-plane gurus such as Robin Williams, and culminates in the discovery of Carlson's mummified corpse in a rundown shack. The documentary sheds light on the delusions and damaged individuals who were drawn to the cult, highlighting the role of loneliness and trauma in cult formation.
CNN investigates how conspiracy theories, particularly those propagated by QAnon and its offshoots, are tearing American families apart. The article focuses on the case of Michael Protzman, who became a leading figure in a QAnon offshoot that believed JFK Jr. was alive and working with Donald Trump. Protzman's family describes him as a victim whose convictions were radically altered by online misinformation, while others see him as a manipulative opportunist who led his followers astray. The article highlights the broader impact of fringe conspiracy theories on American families and democracy, fueled by politically and financially motivated opportunists who exploit social media.
At least 90 bodies have been found at the ranch of a pastor in Kenya who is accused of telling his followers to starve themselves to death to meet Jesus, and the death toll could rise with the Kenya Red Cross Society saying 213 people are missing. This has sparked memories of some of the world’s worst cases of cult-related mass deaths, including Jonestown, Waco, Heaven's Gate, and the Uganda Doomsday Sect.
Pop star Billie Eilish's character in the Prime Video series Swarm was inspired by the infamous NXIVM cult, with Eilish playing the executive director of a female empowerment group similar to NXIVM's secretive women's subgroup DOS. Both groups had members branded with the same symbol, and the show's creators aimed to explore the cult mentality beyond the literal. Swarm is not the first project to explore the intersection of pop culture and cults, and a similar project called The Idol is set to premiere at Cannes in May.