Research Participants: Do you have or have you ever been in a relationship?

Do you have or have you ever been in a relationship?

From the Autonomous University of Madrid and the University of Granada we are carrying out a study on relationships, well-being, attitudes and behaviours.

We are looking for people who have or have had a relationship - dating, cohabiting, as a common-law partner or married - to answer ar anonymous, voluntary online questionnaire

Participation lasts approximately 30 minutes and can contribute to improving the understanding of couple relationships, as well as to the development of better prevention and intervention resources.

Access to the questionnaire: https://psyuam.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6YvzjDoMzDIUBtI

ICSA CONFERENCE 2026 Workshop: Reflecting is creating: Using the expressive arts to share and connect

ICSA CONFERENCE 2026 Workshop: Reflecting is creating: Using the expressive arts to share and connect 

Date: July 1, 2026

Hilton Bayfront, San Diego 

Session summary

A creative workshop focused on reclaiming personal identity and subjectivity through expressive arts, specifically for those whose voices were silenced by coercive control.

Full Abstract

A hallmark of coercive control is the erasure of personal subjectivity and the inability to witness diverse responses to deep questions of identity as they are reflected in one’s own life path. Expressive arts therapy uses multiple art forms including movement, creative writing, drawing, painting and journaling to help people think individually about their life path. Expressive arts engages the brain’s ability to change throughout life, growth that builds individual resilience and identity by creating new neural pathways. Using the symbol of a branch of a tree, which the participants will draw, they will reflect upon areas of their life that need to grow as well as branches or pathways that need to be trimmed. Participants will be asked how the drawing helps them recognize positive growth and consider what stops it. The workshop has three aims: First, to remind participants that everyone is an artist, an identity they can recover through remembering when they were 4 or 5 years old and could draw, paint, skip, run, and sing, and play act imaginative scenes. A second aim of the workshop is to strengthen participants’ subjective sense of self through the use of I statements in personal responses to the exercises. A third aim is to create a circle of shared meaning among the participants through listening to the diverse subjective responses of others. The emphasis on individual subjectivity enriched through expressive arts, and diversity enriched through active listening to others, challenges pressures to conform and disrupts coercive control.

Speakers

Christy-Ann Brown

Doctoral Candidate at Meridian University

Doctoral candidate in psychology specializing in expressive arts. With a demonstrated history of working With clients. Skilled in Event Management, Editing, Public Speaking, Fundraising, and Leadership. Strong professional graduated from University of Washington.

#arttherapy

https://internationalculticstudies.org/icsa-conference-2026/agenda/

WORKSHOP: Former members workshop

ICSA CONFERENCE 2026

Date: July 1, 2026

Hilton Bayfront, San Diego 

Session summary

This peer-led workshop offers former members of cultic and high-control groups a supportive space to connect, share experiences, and learn from one another. Facilitated by individuals with lived experience, the session explores common challenges of life after group involvement, including identity, relationships, recovery, and resilience. Participants will gain insight, practical perspectives, and a sense of community through open discussion and shared understanding.

Full Abstract

This workshop is designed exclusively for former members of cultic and high-control groups, including both first-generation adults who joined such groups and second- or multi-generation adults who were born or raised within them. The workshop provides a confidential, peer-led space where participants can connect with others who share similar experiences, exchange insights, and learn from one another in an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding.

Facilitated by former members with lived experience of cultic involvement, the workshop is not intended as group therapy and does not employ a therapeutic model. Rather, it offers an opportunity for participants to engage in open discussion about the challenges and opportunities of life after a high-control environment. Topics may include identity reconstruction, relationships, family dynamics, recovery, resilience, and navigating the broader world after group involvement.

Through guided conversation and peer support, participants will have the opportunity to share perspectives, build connections, and explore common themes that emerge across diverse cultic experiences. The workshop aims to foster community, reduce isolation, and create a space where former members can learn from the collective wisdom and experiences of others who understand the unique challenges of life beyond a high-control group.

Speakers

Adam Arnold, MA, LMFT, LADC

Licensed Psychotherapist, Trainer, and Consultant | ICSA Board Member

Adam Arnold is a licensed psychotherapist, trainer, and consultant living and working in St. Paul, Minnesota. He has special interest in working with persons who have been wounded by systems of control, including survivors (ages five and up) of religious, spiritual, medical, and therapeutic abuse. Central to his clinical work is gaining consent for psychotherapy from all of his clients—ensuring that they are driving their goals for treatment—regardless of their age. A current Board Member at ICSA, Adam also serves as Vice Chair of the Minnesota Board of Marriage and Family Therapy. In his personal time, Adam spends time watching scary movies, singing musical theater, and strengthening his broken spine.

Melea Peloquin, LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Trauma Therapist

Melea Peloquin, LCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker specializing in trauma-informed care, identity development, and supporting individuals navigating life transitions and recovery from high-control environments. Raised as a Jehovah’s Witness and coming from a sixth-generation family within the faith, Melea brings both lived experience and professional expertise to her work with former members of high-control groups.

Drawing on her personal journey, clinical training, and therapeutic practice, she has developed a deep understanding of the unique challenges and healing processes experienced by former Jehovah’s Witnesses. Melea is passionate about increasing awareness, compassion, and understanding among professionals working with this population while helping individuals reconnect with themselves, their values, and their lives after leaving high-control systems. She considers it a privilege to share insights gained through both personal and professional experience and is honored to contribute to the work of the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA).

https://internationalculticstudies.org/events/former-members-workshop/

https://internationalculticstudies.org/icsa-conference-2026/agenda/

CultNEWS101 Articles: 6/12/2026

Culture & Media

New Docuseries

Variety: ‘Bring Me the Beauties’: Inside the Doomsday Alien Sex Cult That Ensnared the First Male Supermodel

The Variety article provides an overview of "Bring Me the Beauties," a three-part HBO docuseries directed by veteran filmmaker Chris Smith (Fyre, Bad Vegan). The series exposes Eternal Values, a bizarre doomsday "alien sex cult" that operated during the pre-Internet era of the late 1970s and 1980s.

At the center of the story is Hoyt Richards, who was a Princeton football recruit before becoming the world's first male supermodel, working for top fashion houses like Versace and Ralph Lauren. While Richards was raking in millions, almost all of his earnings were secretly funding the cult.

Here are the key takeaways from the article:

The Leader and the Hook

• The "Talented Mr. Ripley" Figure: The cult was led by a charismatic New York socialite named Frederick Von Mierers. In reality, he was Freddy Miers—a working-class kid from Brooklyn who fabricated a high-society backstory to climb the social ladder.

• The Cosmic Backstory: Von Mierers claimed that an alien from the star Arcturus had entered his body. He told his followers he had ten years to train other "Arcturians" to survive an apocalyptic "pole shift" predicted for 1999. They believed they would be rescued by UFOs and placed in rejuvenation chambers.

• Targeting "Beauties": In 1978, Von Mierers approached a 16-year-old Richards on a beach. He used his access to exclusive high-society spaces like Studio 54 to lure young, attractive people into his orbit, moving them into his East 54th Street apartment under the guise of helping them become more "evolved."

Cult Life and Financial Exploitation

• Control Tactics: Followers were subjected to intense psychological "life readings" based on astrology charts that preyed on their insecurities. They were forced to buy expensive "healing" gemstones, follow strict fruit-and-vegetable diets, endure mandatory tanning sessions, and completely disown their families.

• The UFO Business Empire: Von Mierers turned the cult into a highly lucrative corporate entity called Ultimate Fitness Opportunities (UFO), selling supplements, exercise gear, and costly astrology readings.

• Funding the Compound: Hoyt Richards estimated that he poured millions of his modeling earnings into the cult. Much of this money was used to purchase a lake compound in Lake Lure, North Carolina, which was designated as the ideal UFO landing spot.

The Dark Turn and Downfall

• Violence and Abuse: Over time, the environment became increasingly abusive. Members were forced to "watchdog" one another. Rules were enforced through "slamming sessions" (vicious verbal berating), physical violence, and food/water deprivation.

• The Sex Rings: Despite teaching his followers that romantic love and sex were "the downfall of mankind," Von Mierers forced members to take ecstasy and engage in incestuous sex with each other or strangers. Furthermore, his assistant revealed that followers were forced to hire male gigolos from places like Times Square to pleasure Von Mierers multiple times a week.

• The Collapse: Following an embarrassing appearance on The Richard Bey Show and a damning 1990 Vanity Fair exposé titled "The Ford Models and the Alien from Arcturus," the cult began to unravel. Von Mierers died of AIDS just five days before the article hit newsstands.

• The Armed Aftermath: Following his death, a power struggle ensued. The remaining members retreated to the North Carolina compound, hoarding gold, silver, and massive stockpiles of weapons in anticipation of the 1999 cataclysm.

Richards' Escape

Richards eventually broke free after falling in love with a woman named Donna. When the cult tried to punish him for entering a romantic relationship by shaving his head, forcing him to do menial labor, and making him quit modeling, he escaped. He returned to his biological family and spent his mother's final years serving as her primary caregiver while she battled cancer, using the time to reconnect and prove he was finally back.

New Video

Yes Theory: 100 Hours in America's Strange "Cult City"

This video follows Yes Theory hosts Thomas Brag and Staffan Taylor as they spend 100 hours in Fairfield, Iowa, a city known for its large community of Transcendental Meditation (TM) practitioners. Arriving without a plan, the hosts aim to objectively explore whether the community functions as a supportive, peaceful "paradise" or an insular "cult."

Throughout their four-day immersion, they:

• Participate in a formal TM course: They are initiated into the practice, learn a personal mantra, and experience group meditation techniques.

• Engage with the community: They meet long-time practitioners, including their teacher, Wall-E, and the president of the Maharishi University, to understand the movement's philosophy of stress reduction and consciousness.

• Explore local culture: They experience the town's unique, creative side, including an immersive "art house" installation and local sound-healing events.

Ultimately, the hosts reflect on their experience, noting that while they encountered no evidence of a cult-like environment during their visit, they remain aware of the critical external perspectives surrounding the organization. They conclude that the meditation technique itself has become a positive, lasting tool in their daily lives.

New Podcasts 

Vox: Unexplainable: Lost on the Road to Enlightenment

"So many of us have been told that meditation can make us less stressed, more productive, and happier. But for a small group of people, it has a dark side. What's going on?"

Check out this podcast from Vox with Willoughby Britton from Cheetah House and Richie Davidson.

AI Research Disclosure: To bring you the most relevant stories, parts of this newsletter utilize artificial intelligence (AI) tools to search the web, source articles, and assist with content curation. This content is for informational purposes only; we recommend verifying critical facts independently.

News, Education, Intervention, Recovery

CultMediation.com   

Intervention101.com to help families and friends understand and effectively respond to the complexity of a loved one's cult involvement.

CultRecovery101.com assists group members and their families make the sometimes difficult transition from coercion to renewed individual choice.

CultNEWS101.com news, links, resources about: cults, cultic groups, abusive relationships, movements, religions, political organizations, and related topics.

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The selection of articles for CultNEWS101 does not imply that Patrick Ryan, Joseph Kelly or Ashlen Hilliard endorse the content. We provide information from multiple perspectives to foster dialogue.

Research Participation Opportunity:Religious Harm: Insights from Mental Health Practitioners

Seeking mental health practitioners (aged 18+, with 1+ year experience) who have supported clients affected by religious harm or spiritual distress to take part in a research interview. We are hoping to learn more about how practitioners conceptualise, assess, and respond to experiences of harmful religion. 

To learn more or register your interest, head here:

https://sydney.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6qUKlkznYocuzEq

Or email Dr Joel Hollier at joel.hollier@sydney.edu.au.

This project has been approved by the University of Sydney's Human Research Ethics Committee

(2026/HE000071).

Group Profile: Da Free John

Da Free John is one of the many names used by the American spiritual teacher born Franklin Albert Jones (1939–2008), who founded the new religious movement eventually known as Adidam.

Jones was a charismatic and highly controversial figure in the alternative spirituality landscape of the late 20th century. Over his lifetime, he changed his name frequently to reflect what he described as evolving stages of his spiritual realization.

Evolution of Names
Before and after using "Da Free John," Jones adopted several different titles, including:

• Bubba Free John (1970s): "Bubba" represents a friendly, brotherly figure.
• Da Free John (1970s–1980s): Shifting toward a more traditional guru persona ("Da" meaning "giver").
• Avabhasa (1990s)
• Adi Da Samraj (Late 1990s until his death in 2008)

Core Teachings and Philosophy

• Jones’s early teachings focused on a radical critique of traditional seeking. He argued that spiritual seekers are caught in a trap of "self-contraction"—constantly trying to achieve a future state of enlightenment, which inherently prevents them from recognizing that reality is already inherently free and divine.

His primary philosophy centered on:

• The Way of the Heart: A path based on devotion to him as a living avatar.
• Divine Distraction: Engaging in spiritual practices that turn attention away from the ego and toward the divine reality he claimed to embody.
• Radical Understanding: Direct, immediate insight into the nature of consciousness without relying on progressive spiritual steps or techniques.

Controversies and Criticism
While initially praised by some prominent figures in the Western spiritual and psychological communities (such as Ken Wilber and Alan Watts) for his incisive, sophisticated texts on non-duality, his movement soon attracted severe criticism.

• Authoritarian Dynamics: Critics and former members described the group as a high-demand, insular organization that practiced extreme psychological control over its adherents.
• Exploitation: In the mid-1980s, lawsuits and public allegations emerged from former followers detailing emotional abuse, financial exploitation, and manipulative sexual practices orchestrated by Jones within his inner circle.
• Isolation: Jones spent much of his later life in relative isolation on the island of Naitauba in Fiji, commanding total devotion from a deeply committed, but significantly smaller, group of followers.

Legacy
Today, the community of Adidam continues to preserve and publish his voluminous writings, maintaining his sanctuary in Fiji and a handful of spiritual centers globally. Outside of his formal followers, he is widely studied by sociologists, researchers, and religious historians as a prominent example of a charismatic leader whose movement exhibited classic authoritarian and abusive dynamics.

Not just about sex: Forced labor and the economics of cultic control, Carol Merchasin

Not just about sex: Forced labor and the economics of cultic control, Carol Merchasin

ICSA CONFERENCE 2026

Date: July 1-4, 2026

Hilton Bayfront, San Diego

This presentation explores how forced labor provisions within U.S. human trafficking law can be applied to cultic contexts where unpaid or underpaid work is extracted through coercion, psychological control, and threats of harm. Carol Merchasin examines how legal frameworks such as forced labor statutes and Civil RICO can expose patterns of economic exploitation that often remain hidden behind religious or ideological structures. Attendees will gain insight into emerging legal approaches that may offer new avenues for accountability and justice in cases of coercive control.

Full Abstract

Cults often cause profound harm that does not fit neatly into existing civil or criminal laws because legal systems often fail to recognize the effects of coercion. U.S. human trafficking law, on the other hand, has been increasingly used to address sexual abuse in cultic settings because it recognizes that coercion negates consent to sex. But the application of trafficking law does not end there.

Forced labor claims are a component of the U.S. human trafficking framework that remain under-recognized in cultic contexts. Forced labor claims can apply to situations in which individuals are pressured to work through psychological control and threats of serious harm (including non-physical harm). These dynamics closely mirror how many cults extract unpaid or underpaid labor, often framed as “selfless service” or spiritual obligation for the benefit of leaders or affiliated entities.

Forced labor claims can also open the door to another powerful U.S. law commonly known as Civil RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act), which allows courts to examine patterns of exploitation across leadership, related entities, and financial structures rather than treating harm as a series of isolated incidents. This “follow the money” lens shifts the focus from belief or doctrine to economic reality, making systemic exploitation legally visible in ways individual claims often cannot.

By focusing on coercion, labor extraction, and economic benefit—rather than beliefs or theology—both forced labor and Civil RICO attach meaningful financial consequences to coercive systems that have long escaped accountability.

Speakers

Carol Merchasin

Of Counsel McAllister Olivarius | President of ICSA Board of Directors

Carol Merchasin is an attorney and human rights advocate whose work focuses on coercive control, religious freedom, human trafficking, and accountability within high-control groups. She has represented survivors of abuse and exploitation in a range of legal contexts and is widely recognized for her efforts to advance legal protections for individuals harmed by coercive systems. Her work explores the intersection of human rights law, trafficking legislation, and cultic studies, with particular attention to how existing legal frameworks can be used to address exploitation, forced labor, and other forms of abuse. A long-time advocate for survivors, she currently serves as President of the ICSA Board of Directors.

https://internationalculticstudies.org/icsa-conference-2026/agenda/

CultNEWS101 Articles: 6/11/2026

Culture & Media

New Docuseries

Daily Mail: The Cult Behind The Killer: The Andrea Yates Story

"This shocking true-crime documentary tells the story of Texas-born Andrea Kennedy, who was working as a nurse at a cancer hospital when she met Russell ‘Rusty’ Yates. After the pair were married, they began having children (more swiftly than they expected). 

Noah came along first, in 1994, then John, then Paul, then Luke in 1999 - and it was a few months after Luke was born that Rusty remembers his wife starting to change, to withdraw and stare blankly into space. They had another child, though, and it was after the birth of Mary in 2000 that Andrea turned into a ‘completely different person’. 

In 2001, she drowned all five children in the bath. This three-parter hears the story directly from Rusty, exploring the role of postnatal depression, schizophrenia, and the belief system taught by preacher Michael Woroniecki in the heartbreaking fate of the children." (Three episodes HBO Max, Discovery+)

Updates

Research & Academic

La Brújula Verde: Findings in a Mithras Sanctuary in Croatia Force a Rethink of How This Roman Cult Was Practiced

The La Brújula Verde article details a recent study published in the Journal of Roman Archaeology by researchers Ian S. Wilson (Harvard) and Matthew McCarty (University of British Columbia). Their 3D photogrammetric analysis of the Močići site near Cavtat, Croatia, strongly challenges the long-held belief that the Roman cult of Mithras was uniformly practiced across the empire.

Ongoing Focus

People: A Religious Community Cut Off From the World Forced Women Into Submission for Decades. Inside New Zealand's Gloriavale Cult

• The Gloriavale Christian Community is a secretive group located in New Zealand

• Members of the cult have been accused of sexual abuse

• Gloriavale is the subject of the new Paramount+ documentary, Devotion: Obedience or Betrayal

AI Research Disclosure: To bring you the most relevant stories, parts of this newsletter utilize artificial intelligence (AI) tools to search the web, source articles, and assist with content curation. This content is for informational purposes only; we recommend verifying critical facts independently.

News, Education, Intervention, Recovery

CultMediation.com   

Intervention101.com to help families and friends understand and effectively respond to the complexity of a loved one's cult involvement.

CultRecovery101.com assists group members and their families make the sometimes difficult transition from coercion to renewed individual choice.

CultNEWS101.com news, links, resources about: cults, cultic groups, abusive relationships, movements, religions, political organizations, and related topics.

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The selection of articles for CultNEWS101 does not imply that Patrick Ryan, Joseph Kelly or Ashlen Hilliard endorse the content. We provide information from multiple perspectives to foster dialogue.

Please forward articles that you think we should add to cultintervention@gmail.com.

ICSA International Conference 2026

ICSA International Conference 2026

Date: July 1 - July 4

Location: Hilton Bayfront, San Diego

Online Ticket: $150

Online Session Track is now open!

While we look forward to gathering in San Diego this July, we are excited that ICSA is offering a digital option.

The Online Experience

The digital stream provides a flexible way to engage with the conference program from anywhere in the world:

*Pre-recorded Content: Access a curated selection of pre-recorded sessions that will be featured as part of the live conference program.

*Live-Filmed Sessions: Online attendees will also have access to key sessions filmed live on-site in San Diego.

*On-Demand Access: The online track will be available for you to stream at your convenience during the conference days (1–4 July 2026).

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2026-annual-conference-general-admission-ticket

Traumatic Narcissism: Thirty years of research and practical information for survivor recovery

ICSA International Conference 2026: Traumatic Narcissism: Thirty years of research and practical information for survivor recovery

Date: Thu, 2 Jul

Time: 10:40 – 12:10, PDT

Location: Hilton Bayfront, San Diego

Drawing on three decades of clinical practice and scholarship, Daniel Shaw presents an overview of traumatic narcissism theory and its application to understanding cult leaders and coercive relationships. Exploring the dynamics of seduction, domination, and subjugation trauma, the session examines how narcissistic control operates within high-demand groups and the lasting impact on followers. Attendees will gain practical insights into recovery, healing, and therapeutic approaches that support survivors of coercive control and undue influence.

Full Abstract

Beginning in 1996 with the essay “Traumatic Abuse in Cults: A Psychoanalytic Perspective,” up to the release in 2026 of his latest book, Traumatic Narcissism Theory: A Contemporary Introduction, Daniel Shaw has studied the psychology of the cult leader and the specific ways that they seduce and then subjugate followers. As a practicing trauma-informed psychotherapist, Shaw uses his understanding of the psychology and the behavior of the “traumatizing narcissist” as tools for the therapeutic healing and recovery of victims of “subjugation trauma.” This presentation, which is geared toward cult survivors as well as cult educators and cult-informed mental health professionals, Shaw summarizes his work of the last thirty years, providing accessible, practical information and tools in support of all those concerned with healing from coercive control and undue influence.

Daniel Shaw LCSW

Trauma-Informed Psychotherapist

Daniel Shaw is a trauma-informed psychotherapist, author, and educator whose work focuses on cult dynamics, coercive control, and recovery from psychological abuse. Since publishing Traumatic Abuse in Cults: A Psychoanalytic Perspective in 1996, he has examined the ways narcissistic leaders establish and maintain domination over followers. Drawing on decades of clinical experience, Shaw developed the concepts of traumatic narcissism and subjugation trauma to better understand the impact of coercive relationships and high-control environments. His work has contributed significantly to the fields of cultic studies, trauma recovery, and psychotherapy. His latest book, Traumatic Narcissism Theory: A Contemporary Introduction (2026), brings together decades of research and clinical insight into an accessible framework for understanding coercive influence and healing.

https://internationalculticstudies.org/events/the-traumatic-narcissism-theory/

CultNEWS101 Articles: 6/10/2026

Culture & Media

New Docuseries

Time: The True Story Behind Bring Me the Beauties and the Eternal Values Cult

Cult recovery advocates are praising the series for its deep look into susceptibility, proving that even highly successful, wealthy, and intelligent individuals can be systematically isolated through psychological pressure, public shaming, and charismatic manipulation.

Yahoo: Who Was Frederick von Mierers? All About the ‘Bring Me the Beauties’ Cult Leader

"Frederick von Mierers was an extraterrestrial reincarnated from the giant star Arcturus—or at least that’s what he told followers. The Manhattan socialite was the leader of Eternal Values, a doomsday UFO-centered cult composed of high-fashion models.

Von Mierers, who founded the cult in the 1980s, lured in top modeling professionals with his peculiar brand of new-age mysticism and used his spiritual authority to exploit his devotees financially.

His influence is explored in the new HBO documentary series Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult, which includes extensive interviews with his most prominent former follower, supermodel Hoyt Richards.

Here’s what you should know about Frederick von Mierers."

Ongoing Focus

WSJ: Chatbots May Need a Cult Deprogrammer

A 24-year-old artificial-intelligence researcher has pleaded not guilty to charges of cutting the throat of an 82-year-old man in January 2025. The young man was part of a loose network called the Zizians: self-proclaimed rationalists who believe a misaligned AI superintelligence could one day torture humanity the way factory farms torture animals.

They believe direct action is required to stop the descent of this AI judgment. The group is linked to six violent deaths in California, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. Multiple Zizian trials are pending, and federal prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in one case.

The Zizians haven’t labeled their own activity AI worship, but they’ve organized themselves around the practice. The Zizians are convinced that a coming superintelligence will decide the fate of every living thing and that violence now is justified to shape what that AI will become.

This is what the first AI-centered extremist movement in America looks like. It won’t be the last. New religions are forming around artificial intelligence, and the focus of their worship is the large language model itself—a piece of software treated as a personal deity.

AI Research Disclosure: To bring you the most relevant stories, parts of this newsletter utilize artificial intelligence (AI) tools to search the web, source articles, and assist with content curation. This content is for informational purposes only; we recommend verifying critical facts independently.

News, Education, Intervention, Recovery

CultMediation.com   

Intervention101.com to help families and friends understand and effectively respond to the complexity of a loved one's cult involvement.

CultRecovery101.com assists group members and their families in making the sometimes difficult transition from coercion to renewed individual choice.

CultNEWS101.com news, links, resources about: cults, cultic groups, abusive relationships, movements, religions, political organizations, and related topics.

Facebook

Twitter

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The selection of articles for CultNEWS101 does not imply that Patrick Ryan, Joseph Kelly, or Ashlen Hilliard endorse the content. We provide information from multiple perspectives to foster dialogue.

Cults in the News: Recent Stories Drawing Public Attention

The topic of cults continues to attract public interest, especially when new documentaries, investigations, and historical retrospectives bring these groups back into the spotlight. This week, several stories have highlighted both contemporary groups and well-known organizations from the past.

Eternal Values: Apocalyptic Beliefs Revisited
One of the most discussed stories involves Eternal Values, a New Age movement led by a figure who claimed to be an extraterrestrial being from Arcturus. Recent reporting and documentary coverage have examined how followers were persuaded to relocate and prepare for an anticipated apocalypse. Former members have shared their experiences, providing insight into how charismatic leadership and apocalyptic messaging can influence group behavior.

Gloriavale Under Renewed Scrutiny
The isolated Christian community of Gloriavale in New Zealand is receiving renewed attention through a documentary that explores allegations of abuse, strict social control, and the challenges faced by former members who have left the community. The story continues to raise broader questions about authority, accountability, and individual freedom within closed religious groups.

Heaven's Gate Returns to Public Discussion
The infamous Heaven's Gate movement is once again making headlines due to the release of the film The Leader, which focuses on co-founder Bonnie Nettles. The renewed attention has prompted discussions about the group's beliefs, recruitment methods, and the tragic mass suicide of 39 members in 1997. The story remains one of the most widely studied examples of a destructive cult in modern American history.

Scientology and Public Curiosity
Recent news coverage involving social media personalities entering Scientology facilities has reignited public discussion about the Church of Scientology. While the incidents themselves are not directly related to the organization's teachings, they have generated renewed interest in Scientology's history, practices, and ongoing controversies.

Ongoing Investigations of Alleged Cult-Like Groups
Law enforcement investigations and court proceedings involving several alleged cult-like organizations continue to receive media attention. These cases often involve allegations of coercive control, financial exploitation, or abuse. While outcomes vary and allegations remain subject to legal review, such stories contribute to ongoing public conversations about how high-control groups operate and how authorities respond.

Understanding the Term "Cult"
The term "cult" remains controversial. Scholars often prefer terms such as "high-control group" or "new religious movement," while critics use "cult" to describe organizations that exert significant psychological, social, or financial control over members. As a result, the label is frequently debated, and readers are encouraged to evaluate each case based on documented behaviors and evidence rather than terminology alone.

References
People Magazine. "Cult Leader Who Claimed to Be an Alien Moved His Followers to House in North Carolina to Escape 'Apocalypse'."
People Magazine. "Inside New Zealand's Gloriavale Cult."
People Magazine. "Vera Farmiga on Playing Heaven's Gate Founder Bonnie Nettles in The Leader."
Vanity Fair. "UFOs, Sex Bans, and a Mass Suicide: Inside the Sinister Heaven's Gate Cult."
The Guardian. Coverage of recent Scientology-related incidents and public reactions.