New Religious Movement

UFO-religion led by Marshall Applewhite ('Do') and Bonnie Nettles ('Ti'). On 26 March 1997, 39 members were found dead by coordinated suicide near San Diego, believing they would board a spacecraft trailing the Hale-Bopp comet.

One of the most heavily documented high-control religious organisations in the modern era, with court records and ex-member testimony spanning five decades. Practices include disconnection from family, billion-year billion-dollar contracts, and the 'Suppressive Person' designation.

Founded as a drug-rehabilitation programme by Charles Dederich (1958) in Santa Monica. Evolved into the 'Synanon Religion' practising 'The Game' (mass attack therapy), forced head-shavings, abortions, marriages, and the 1978 attempted-murder rattlesnake-in-the-mailbox attack on attorney Paul Morantz.

Australian sect led by Anne Hamilton-Byrne (1921–2019), centred on properties near Lake Eildon, Victoria. Acquired ≈14 children illegally in the 1970s, dyed their hair identical blonde, dressed them identically, and dosed them with LSD. Subject of the 2016 documentary 'The Family'.

NXIVM (1998–2018) and its imitators dressed coercive control as 'executive success programmes' or 'women's empowerment'. Founder Keith Raniere was convicted in 2019 of racketeering, sex trafficking, and forced labour.

Manhattan psychotherapy collective and theatre group (1957–1991) led by Saul Newton. Required members to break with their families of origin, assigned sexual partners, and removed children from biological parents to communal apartments.

Online new-age movement led by Amy Carlson ('Mother God'), who claimed to be the reincarnation of multiple historical and pop-cultural figures. Carlson died in 2021; members continued to display her mummified body. Subject of HBO's 'Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God' (2023).

Online 'spiritual coaching' organisation run by Jeff and Shaleia Divine teaching that everyone has one 'twin flame' romantic partner. Documented patterns of pressuring members to pursue uninterested 'twins', gender-identity coercion, and total community life consumed by Divine couple's livestreams.

Splinter groups continuing in modified form after Amy Carlson's April 2021 death. Multiple online communities continue to recruit using modified Carlson-derived teaching and QAnon-adjacent themes.

Movement of the late Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh / Osho (1931–1990). Famous for its Oregon Rajneeshpuram commune (1981–85), the 1984 Salmonella attack on The Dalles (largest US bioterror attack until 2001), and the 'free love' philosophy. Subject of the 2018 Netflix series 'Wild Wild Country'.

Korean-origin Christian movement founded by Ahn Sahng-hong (1964) believing him to be the Second Coming. Current 'Mother God' is Zhang Gil-jah. Aggressive global recruitment using initial cover as 'Bible study' or community-service group.

Taiwanese-derived UFO religion led by Hon-Ming Chen, briefly notorious for the failed 1998 prophecies that God would appear in Garland, Texas. The group dispersed after the failure.

Founded by Sun Myung Moon (1954, South Korea). Famous for mass marriage 'Blessing' ceremonies pairing thousands of couples. The 2022 assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe by a son of a financially ruined Unification Church member triggered new scrutiny.

Fourth Way / Gurdjieff-derived organisation founded by Robert Burton (1970) headquartered at 'Apollo' in Oregon House, California. Long-running allegations of sexual abuse by Burton of male members, lavish art collection funded by member donations, and severance of family ties.

JZ Knight's Yelm, Washington-based school where she has channelled 'Ramtha' since 1977. Featured in 'What the Bleep Do We Know!?' (2004). Heavily documented financial demands, exclusion of departing members, and recordings of Knight's racist outbursts.

1970s Los Angeles commune led by James Edward Baker ('Father Yod' / 'YaHoWha'), centred on his Source restaurant and a 14-member rock band. Practiced communal living, polygamy, and esoteric ritual. Subject of the 2012 documentary 'The Source Family'.

Post-Sun-Myung-Moon (d. 2012) Unification successor groups, including the Hak Ja Han-led Family Federation and the Sean / Hyung Jin Moon-led Sanctuary Church. Inherit core control patterns of the parent organisation.

Japanese branches of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, post-2022 Abe assassination. Subject of Japanese government dissolution petition filed 2023.

Wisconsin Dells-based community founded by Charles Anderson around an idiosyncratic teaching of 'A Course in Miracles'. Multiple ex-member accounts of total surrender of assets and severance from family.

American Ascended-Master movement led by Elizabeth Clare Prophet (1973–2009). Notorious for the 1989–90 armed-bunker apocalyptic incident at Royal Teton Ranch (Montana).

British-origin religious movement (1966–74) led by Robert and Mary Ann de Grimston. Combined Scientology-derived practices with apocalyptic Christian Satanism. Disbanded in 1974 following Mary Ann's split into the Foundation Faith of God.

Umbrella entry for the post-2020 genre of explicitly online-native cults — Discord-server-based, AI-companion-based, etc. Largely uncatalogued individually due to high churn.

Self-help spiritual movement led by Frederick Lenz ('Atmananda', then 'Rama') from the late 1970s until his 1998 suicide. Combined Buddhist and Hindu vocabulary with high-tech career emphasis. Multiple women alleged sexual misconduct.

UK-origin spiritual community led by the Stansfelds with documented severance and financial-extraction patterns.

Umbrella entry for the emerging 2024+ phenomenon of cult-like communities forming around AI companions / chatbots (Replika, Character.AI). Documented parasocial harm and online-community formation.

Tenrikyo schism organised by Onishi Aijirō in 1925 (and twice suppressed for lèse-majesté in 1928 and 1938) on the basis of the living-Kanrodai revelation. ~300,000 adherents at peak; today substantially smaller.

Falun Gong-aligned media empire including Epoch Times, NTD, Shen Yun, and The Dissident. Documented misinformation and political-partisan campaigning.

Continuation of the late Charles Anderson's Endeavor Academy through online study groups and successor figures. See core entry for primary Endeavor Academy.

Successor organisation to the Rajneesh / Osho movement after the founder's 1990 death. Operates Pune meditation resort and global network. Significantly less coercive than the 1980s Rajneeshpuram era but documented patterns of guru-veneration, financial extraction, and trademark litigation against ex-members continue.

Tenrikyo schism founded in 1913 by Onishi Aijiro, who proclaimed himself the living Kanrodai (axis of the world). Famous for the construction of the kilometre-scale Honbushin shrine complex at Tondabayashi.

UK-origin philosophical-spiritual school (1937, Leon MacLaren). Distinctive Advaita Vedanta + Sant Mat-derived teaching. Multiple historical school-corporal-punishment legal cases.

ACIM is a 1976 spiritual text (Helen Schucman) studied by hundreds of thousands without high-control patterns. The CLCI applies to specific charismatic-teacher communities (Endeavor Academy, certain Marianne Williamson-adjacent groups) where ACIM teaching becomes high-control.

Umbrella entry for online communities that blend multi-level-marketing structure with spiritual / wellness / personal-development content. Substantial financial commitment, parasocial loyalty.

Qigong-derived movement founded by Li Hongzhi (1992). Severely persecuted by the Chinese state since 1999, with credible reports of forced organ harvesting from imprisoned practitioners. Internal patterns: founder-veneration, refusal of medical care, and aggressive Epoch Times / Shen Yun media operations.

Neale Donald Walsch's 'Conversations with God' (1995+) is a major New Age book series. The CLCI applies to specific high-control teacher-led communities that have used the materials, not to Walsch's broader readership.

Parent organisation of Church Universal and Triumphant. Founded by Mark Prophet (1958). Continues separately publishing channelled material.

Umbrella entry for various Falun Gong-adjacent qigong sects emerging from the 1990s Chinese qigong boom. Most are now defunct under Chinese state suppression.

Italian intentional spiritual community founded by Oberto Airaudi ('Falco', 1975) in the Valchiusella valley. Famous for the 'Temples of Humankind' underground complex built secretly without permits over decades.

Esoteric movement founded by Bulgarian Peter Deunov (Beinsa Douno, 1900) and developed in France by his disciple Mikhaël Aïvanhov. Distinctive paneurhythmy dance practice and solar-yoga meditation.

Umbrella entry for newly-emerging 2025 high-control groups not yet individually documented to threshold. New cases will be added as they reach documentation threshold.

Umbrella entry for the various 1970s American human-potential / 'mind cure' movements (Mind Dynamics, Lifespring, ARICA, Esalen). Most are now defunct or absorbed into broader wellness culture.

Umbrella entry for the various Hawaiian and Polynesian-located guru-led communities. Specific named cases (Source Family Hawaii era, etc.) covered separately.

UFO religion founded by French former motoring journalist Claude Vorilhon ('Raël') in 1974, claiming humans were created by extraterrestrials called the Elohim. Promoted human cloning (Clonaid 2002 hoax) and 'sensual meditation'.

Scientology-affiliated 'social betterment' organisation distributing L. Ron Hubbard's 1981 booklet 'The Way to Happiness' to schools, prisons, and police departments globally. Critics document its function as a Scientology recruitment funnel.

British-origin UFO religion founded by George King (1955) teaching contact with 'Cosmic Masters' from other planets. Distinctive 'Spiritual Energy Radiator' devices and prayer-energy practices.

Cross-reference entry — see primary Raëlian Movement entry.

Continuation of the Raëlian Movement after Claude Vorilhon's 2024 death (already covered in core dataset). Tracks succession-period dynamics.

Historical American Ascended-Master movement founded by Guy and Edna Ballard (1930s). Precursor to modern New Age teaching including the later Church Universal and Triumphant.

Major Western esoteric movement founded by Rudolf Steiner (1912). Operates global Waldorf school network and biodynamic agriculture. Documented anti-vax sub-currents.

Yogananda-derived intentional community in California (founded 1968) by Swami Kriyananda (J. Donald Walters). Subject of Bertolucci v. Walters 1998 jury verdict.

Japanese new religion founded in 1930 by Taniguchi Masaharu blending New Thought, Shinto and Buddhist elements. Substantial nationalist political associations under Taniguchi; significant moderation since 1985.

Umbrella for online mediumship / spirit-channeling parasocial communities. Distinct from mainstream Spiritualist denominations.

American esoteric religion founded by Paul Twitchell (1965) teaching 'Soul Travel' and 'Light and Sound of God'. Successive 'Mahanta' leaders. Headquartered in Chanhassen, Minnesota.

Anthroposophy-aligned intentional communities (1939+) supporting people with intellectual disabilities. Substantial international network.

Major 19th-century Western esoteric movement founded by Helena Blavatsky (1875). Mainstream low-control; influential on later New Age and Anthroposophy.

Major modern Rosicrucian fraternal-spiritual order founded by H. Spencer Lewis (1915). Distinctive monograph correspondence-course system.

Mainstream Thelemic fraternal order based on Aleister Crowley's writings. Distinctive Gnostic Mass and degree-initiation system. Mainstream low-moderate control.

Major Indian intentional community (1968) based on the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and Mirra Alfassa ('The Mother'). UNESCO-supported. Mainstream low-moderate control.

Brazilian Afro-syncretic religion (1908) blending Spiritism, Candomblé, and Catholic elements. Substantial Brazilian following.

Small Western esoteric school founded by Paul Foster Case (1922). Distinctive Tarot and Qabalistic curriculum.

Mainstream Western mediumship religion (1848+) emerging from the Fox sisters' 'spirit rapping' phenomenon. National Spiritualist Association of Churches. Voluntary low-control.

Mainstream French / Brazilian mediumship religion founded by Allan Kardec (1857). Substantial Brazilian following (millions). Distinctive doctrine of reincarnation and progressive evolution.

Cross-reference entry — see primary Findhorn Foundation entry.

Mainstream secular intentional community in Virginia (founded 1967) based on B.F. Skinner's 'Walden Two' novel. Voluntary low-control reference.

New Thought movement (Unity Church, Religious Science, Divine Science). Mainstream low-control alternative-Christian tradition. Substantial influence on later self-help and prosperity-gospel.

California-based human-potential retreat centre founded by Michael Murphy and Dick Price (1962). Pioneering 1960s consciousness-research venue. Mainstream low-control retreat institution.

Goddess-spirituality fellowship founded by Olivia, Lawrence and Pamela Robertson (1976) at Clonegal Castle, Ireland. Mainstream low-control esoteric Goddess movement.

Mainstream intentional-community network (1934+) coordinating land trusts and consensus-governed villages. Voluntary low-control reference.

Secular non-theistic religious organisation founded by Lucien Greaves and Malcolm Jarry (2013). Distinctive use of 'Satanic' iconography to assert religious-pluralism legal cases. Distinct from LaVeyan Church of Satan.

Joke-religion and parody movement founded by Greg Hill and Kerry Thornley (1957). 'Principia Discordia' is the foundational text.

Secular parody religion founded by Bobby Henderson (2005) in protest against Kansas Board of Education intelligent-design teaching. Among the lowest-control religious-derived traditions.