Cults

By Parcast Network

Society & Culture History

What's Cults about?

Mystery. Manipulation. Murder. Cults are associated with all of these. But what really goes on inside a cult? More specifically, what goes on inside the minds of people who join cults and leaders who start them? Every Tuesday, Greg and Vanessa (co-hosts of the podcast Serial Killers) explore the history and psychology behind the most notorious cults. Cults is part of the Parcast Network and is a Cutler Media production.

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E103: “The Fall River Cult”...

09.17.2019

Members of the Fall River Satanic cult were suspects in the murder of a young woman in 1979, but detectives couldn't find anyone who was willing to testify against them. Then, as the investigation continued, another body was found. The ...

Cults episodes:

09.17.2019 E103: “The Fall River Cult” Pt. 2 - Robin Murphy Members of the Fall River Satanic cult were suspects in the murder of a young woman in 1979, but detectives couldn't find anyone who was willing to testify against them. Then, as the investigation continued, another body was found. The ...
09.10.2019 E102: “The Fall River Cult” - Robin Murphy In 1979, biker and pimp Carl Drew joined sex worker Robin Murphy to create a Satanic cult in Fall River Massachusetts. Though some claimed the weekly meetings were harmless, the cult was soon implicated in the murder of a young ...
09.08.2019 Introducing: HOROSCOPE TODAY, a new Parcast Original! Ever wonder how the stars correlate with our emotional blueprint? Gain insight in just three minutes with daily episodes that will help you navigate your day. Twelve signs, twelve podcasts. Delivering your destiny, daily. Find your daily briefing by searching ...
09.03.2019 E101: “Church of the First Born of the Lamb of God” Pt. 2 - Ervil LeBaron In the 1970s, Ervil Lebaron broke with his brother’s church to form his own polygamous fundamentalist sect known as the Lambs of God. By reinstating the religious doctrine of Blood Atonement, Ervil compelled his followers to murder dozens of his ...
08.27.2019 E100: “Church of the First Born of the Lamb of God” - Ervil LeBaron In 1971, Ervil LeBaron received a revelation from God: he had inherited the mantle of Joseph Smith, and was destined to rule over God’s Kingdom on earth. There was just one problem: Ervil’s older brother Joel just had the same ...
08.20.2019 E99: “Symbionese Liberation Army” Pt. 2 - Donald DeFreeze From within the confines of the Vacaville prison medical center, Donald DeFreeze started recruiting young, idealistic Berkeley radicals for his leftist political cult. The US needed to change. And radical change, DeFreeze knew, demanded radical action. He was willing to ...
08.19.2019 Introducing: TODAY IN TRUE CRIME, a new Parcast Original! Crime never takes a day off, and neither do we. In our new podcast, TODAY IN TRUE CRIME, every day, we flip back the calendar and examine a true crime event from the same date years ago. In this clip, ...
08.13.2019 E98: “Symbionese Liberation Army” - Donald DeFreeze Donald DeFreeze was a gun-obsessed drifter throughout the 1960s. But he didn't use his guns — he had nothing to fight for. At least, not until he was radicalized and began to build a coalition to execute his plans. Sponsors! ...
08.06.2019 E97: “Nation of Yaweh” Pt. 2 - Hulon Mitchell Jr. In the early 1980s, Hulon Mitchell, Jr.'s Nation of Yahweh became a fixture in Miami's black community. However, while Hulon used his influence to reduce crime rates, he was committing atrocious abuses on his own followers. Parcasters - On today's ...
07.31.2019 Introducing: CON ARTISTS, a new Parcast Original! From counterfeit goods, to fake love interests, and even major financial fraud, you will find it all in our new show. In this Parcast Original, we examine the swindlers behind the scam, and the victims manipulated by their deceit. In ...
07.30.2019 E96: “Nation of Yaweh” - Hulon Mitchell Jr. From the moment Hulon Mitchell, Jr. was born in 1935, he was raised to think he was special. But growing up in segregated Oklahoma, he realized that black men and women lacked the same opportunities as their white counterparts. He ...
07.23.2019 E95: “The Brotherhood of Eternal Love” - John Griggs Just before the Summer of Love, 22-year-old John Griggs discovered LSD and had an epiphany – he would serve as the Hippie Messiah and guide the world to psychedelic revolution. John set out to the beaches of Southern California where ...
07.16.2019 E94: “The Wesson Vampire Clan” Pt. 2 - Marcus Delon Wesson The more Marcus Wesson retreated from society, the more extreme his behavior became. He lead his family of 16 children deep into the woods, claiming it was for their own protection. But away from prying eyes, Marcus Wesson preyed on ...
07.09.2019 E93: “The Wesson Vampire Clan” - Marcus Delon Wesson His version of faith, was placing himself on the same level as God and demanding his children serve him as such. But when Marcus Wesson needed more followers to control, instead of recruiting he turned to his daughters. They would ...
07.02.2019 E92: “The Alamo Christian Foundation” Pt. 2 - Tony Alamo Along with his wife Susan, they grew The Alamo Christian Foundation from a few dozen homeless teenagers to over 3,000 followers on sophisticated compounds around the United States. Their dreams of stardom were finally achieved, but it still wasn't enough ...
06.25.2019 E91: “The Alamo Christian Foundation” - Tony Alamo When he moved to Los Angeles in 1960, Tony Alamo was convinced that his big break as a musician was just around the corner. What he found instead was the voice of God, which commanded him to collect young and ...
06.18.2019 E90: “Lord Our Righteousness Church” Pt. 2 - Wayne Bent In the fall of 2007, Judgement Day arrived on the Strong City compound. The world didn't end, as their Messiah had predicted, but it was still a portent of things to come. Sponsors! Gabi - Take two minutes and see ...
06.11.2019 E89: “Lord Our Righteousness Church” - Wayne Bent In the early 2000s, Wayne Bent established his following on a compound in New Mexico that he dubbed "Strong City." But their faith would be tested when Wayne revealed God's next command: he required seven young virgins to take as ...
06.04.2019 E88: “The Children of Thunder” Pt. 2 - Glenn Taylor Helzer In July of 2001, this cult declared war on Satan and the forces of darkness. But soon, their plans unravelled around them, and five innocent people would fall victim to The Children of Thunder’s bloody war. Parcasters - This week ...
05.29.2019 Introducing: THE DARK SIDE OF, a new Parcast Original! Hollywood is one of our most celebrated institutions, but do you know the dark shadows draped over its early years? In this new Parcast Original, we reexamine unknown and overlooked histories of society's beloved cultural touchstones. Every multi-episode series will ...
05.28.2019 E87: “The Children of Thunder” - Glenn Taylor Helzer He believed that the voice in his head, which he called "Spirit," was the voice of God. Lead by the lord, Glenn Taylor Helzer gathered his followers in the summer of 2001 to wage a war against Satan. Parcasters - ...
05.21.2019 E86: “Church of Jesus With Signs Following” Pt. 2 - Glenn Summerford In 1980 he quickly grew his flock through acts of extreme religious affirmation, such as handling poisonous snakes and drinking poison in front of his congregants. But was Glenn Summerford a man with a deep connection to the Lord, protected ...
05.14.2019 E85: “Church of Jesus With Signs Following” - Glenn Summerford He spent most of his life in a boxing ring, trying to prove his worth with his fists. But after nearly dying from an injury in the ring in 1963, Glenn Summerford committed to turning his life around and found ...
05.07.2019 E84: "The Process Church" Pt. 2 - Mary Ann MacClean and Robert de Grimston After fleeing from a destructive hurricane, in the late 1960s, Mary and Robert de Grimston led their followers on a nomadic journey around the US in search of more converts and the site of their new church. But the stress ...
04.30.2019 E83: "The Process Church" - Mary Ann MacClean and Robert de Grimston Mary and Robert de Grimston created a flamboyant cult in 1960s London that attracted outcasts and celebrities alike. But as their communication with God sent them west, the cult soon found itself in constant danger--in the eye of a literal ...
04.25.2019 Not Guilty, Vanessa’s new podcast! In this new podcast, we dive into cases resulting in acquittal or exoneration, examining the crimes, trials, and verdicts that make us ask the question: what defines guilt? If you enjoy true crime, courtroom drama, and high stakes storytelling, you ...
04.23.2019 E82: “The Blackburn Cult” Pt. 2 - May Otis Blackburn In 1925 Willa had been dead for months, and yet she wasn't laid to rest. May Blackburn laid her in a tub of ice, mummified her, and buried her beneath her floorboards in Venice, California. The end of the world ...
04.16.2019 E81: “The Blackburn Cult” - May Otis Blackburn Many actors wait tables while they're waiting for their big break; May and Ruth Blackburn started a cult. In 1920s Los Angeles, this mother-daughter duo swindled a fortune from their followers while promising them fortune and immortality. Sponsors! Quip - ...
04.09.2019 E80: “Eastern Lightning” Pt. 2 - Zhao Weishan After the cult was dogged with rumors of violent conversion tactics, the Church of the Almighty God blamed the Chinese government for the negative press. A more extreme example occurred in 2014, as the cult would be accused of the ...
04.02.2019 E79: “Eastern Lightning” - Zhao Weishan The Church of the Almighty God preached that Jesus Christ had been reborn and walked the Earth. She was here to save their souls before the world ended. In 1991, followers scrambled to prove how devoted they were to her ...
03.28.2019 Bonus: Greg and Vanessa revisit Jonestown In this special crossover with Assassinations, Greg and Vanessa give insight regarding the charismatic preacher, Jim Jones, and his congregation’s move from San Francisco to the newly-constructed jungle settlement of Jonestown, Guyana in 1977. The move was intended to keep ...
03.26.2019 E78: “The Source Family” Pt. 2 - James Baker When the cult moved to Hawaii, James Baker never expected his penniless followers to find him. But once it became clear that they were willing to follow to the bitter end, he began planning a dramatic exit of epic proportions. ...
03.25.2019 SURVIVAL, a new Parcast podcast! This high intensity Parcast Original series features incredible stories of defying certain death and overcoming insurmountable obstacles, while taking you along for a fast paced thrill ride. To hear the rest of this episode, subscribe to SURVIVAL on Spotify, or ...
03.19.2019 E77: “The Source Family” - James Baker When James Baker started his health food restaurant on the Sunset Strip in the 1970s, he had no intention of creating a spiritual commune. But opportunity knocked, and soon, he was the leader of a yoga-based cult in Hollywood Hills ...
03.12.2019 E76: “New Vrindaban” Pt. 2 - Kirtanananda Swami For roughly 15 years, this guru was a beloved spiritual leader with hopes of opening a worship oriented theme park. In 1985, everything changed when a vicious attack resulted in a head injury, coma, and ultimately a sinister personality change. ...
03.05.2019 E75: “New Vrindaban” - Kirtanananda Swami For 26 years, he was the guru and leader of the New Vrindaban cult in West Virginia. Kirtanananda Swami would turn this vacant land into a 1200-acre sanctuary for all faiths complete with an enormous gold palace. What seemed like ...
02.26.2019 E74: “The Workers' Institute” Pt. 2 - Aravindan Balakrishnan By the 1970s, Comrade Bala's small collective had gone completely underground. His followers lived in constant fear of advanced Chinese technology capable of reading their thoughts, and killing them at any moment. Amidst the chaos, Comrade Bala fathered a child ...
02.19.2019 E73: “The Workers' Institute” - Aravindan Balakrishnan His communist cult was started in 1974 in hopes of convincing working class citizens of England to rise up against their capitalist overlords and join forces with communist China. After two "members" escaped in 2013, it was revealed Aravindan Balakrishnan ...
02.12.2019 E72: “The Sons of Freedom” - Peter V. Verigin This Cult’s beliefs often steered members to protest against the Canadian government. Due to their lack of regard for laws and public policy, officials began rounding up Freedomite children between 1953 and 1959. Two hundred children were brought to a ...
02.05.2019 E71: “River Road Fellowship” Pt. 2 - Victor Arden Barnard Reigning over Shepherd’s Camp throughout the 1990s, Victor Barnard was the king of his own Eden. As he becomes more and more abusive to his followers, one of them begins plotting his demise. When she finally strikes, she will prove ...
02.05.2019 E71: “River Road Fellowship” Pt. 2 - Victor Arden Barnard Reigning over Shepherd’s Camp throughout the 1990s, Victor Barnard was the king of his own Eden. As he becomes more and more abusive to his followers, one of them begins plotting his demise. When she finally strikes, she will prove ...
01.29.2019 E70: “River Road Fellowship” - Victor Arden Barnard After spending years indoctrinated in the Way International, Victor Barnard started his own cult in the early 1990s and moved off the grid to an isolated campground in Minnesota. With the blessings of their parents, he married a dozen pre-teen ...
01.29.2019 E70: “River Road Fellowship” - Victor Arden Barnard After spending years indoctrinated in the Way International, Victor Barnard started his own cult in the early 1990s and moved off the grid to an isolated campground in Minnesota. With the blessings of their parents, he married a dozen pre-teen ...
01.28.2019 Extraterrestrial: Hill Abduction Pt. 1 - a new PARCAST show! We hope you are excited as we are for this sneak peek episode of our new podcast, Extraterrestrial where we try to answer the question: are we really alone? If you enjoyed this preview and want to listen to the ...
01.22.2019 E69: “Fellowship of Friends” Pt. 2 - Robert Earl Burton This alleged cult’s vineyard has produced wines that were served at former President Ronald Reagan’s birthday party, and other illustrious restaurants in the pacific northwest. Robert Earl Burton used elements of mysticism to lure vulnerable followers to his group, but ...
01.22.2019 E69: “Fellowship of Friends” Pt. 2 - Robert Earl Burton This alleged cult’s vineyard has produced wines that were served at former President Ronald Reagan’s birthday party, and other illustrious restaurants in the pacific northwest. Robert Earl Burton used elements of mysticism to lure vulnerable followers to his group, but ...
01.15.2019 E68: “Fellowship of Friends” - Robert Earl Burton In 1970, his fellowship began with just two members huddled around a dining room table in Northern California. But within a few short years, Burton’s influence would reach across the globe, preparing thousands of members for an apocalypse. And while ...
01.15.2019 E68: “Fellowship of Friends” - Robert Earl Burton In 1970, his fellowship began with just two members huddled around a dining room table in Northern California. But within a few short years, Burton’s influence would reach across the globe, preparing thousands of members for an apocalypse. And while ...
01.08.2019 E67: “Kashi Ashram” Pt. 2 - Joyce Green What started as a mission preaching tolerance and empathy, quickly turned sour when rumors of drug abuse and financial impropriety started to swirl. The majority of what we know about Kashi Ashram surfaced during a bitter divorce between the ex-public ...
01.08.2019 E67: “Kashi Ashram” Pt. 2 - Joyce Green What started as a mission preaching tolerance and empathy, quickly turned sour when rumors of drug abuse and financial impropriety started to swirl. The majority of what we know about Kashi Ashram surfaced during a bitter divorce between the ex-public ...

Older episodes

Cults

What's Cults about?

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Cults episodes:

E103: “The Fall River Cult” Pt. 2 - Robin Murphy

E102: “The Fall River Cult” - Robin Murphy

Introducing: HOROSCOPE TODAY, a new Parcast Original!

E101: “Church of the First Born of the Lamb of God” Pt. 2 - Ervil LeBaron

E100: “Church of the First Born of the Lamb of God” - Ervil LeBaron

E99: “Symbionese Liberation Army” Pt. 2 - Donald DeFreeze

Introducing: TODAY IN TRUE CRIME, a new Parcast Original!

E98: “Symbionese Liberation Army” - Donald DeFreeze

E97: “Nation of Yaweh” Pt. 2 - Hulon Mitchell Jr.

Introducing: CON ARTISTS, a new Parcast Original!

E96: “Nation of Yaweh” - Hulon Mitchell Jr.

E95: “The Brotherhood of Eternal Love” - John Griggs

E94: “The Wesson Vampire Clan” Pt. 2 - Marcus Delon Wesson

E93: “The Wesson Vampire Clan” - Marcus Delon Wesson

E92: “The Alamo Christian Foundation” Pt. 2 - Tony Alamo

E91: “The Alamo Christian Foundation” - Tony Alamo

E90: “Lord Our Righteousness Church” Pt. 2 - Wayne Bent

E89: “Lord Our Righteousness Church” - Wayne Bent

E88: “The Children of Thunder” Pt. 2 - Glenn Taylor Helzer

Introducing: THE DARK SIDE OF, a new Parcast Original!

E87: “The Children of Thunder” - Glenn Taylor Helzer

E86: “Church of Jesus With Signs Following” Pt. 2 - Glenn Summerford

E85: “Church of Jesus With Signs Following” - Glenn Summerford

E84: "The Process Church" Pt. 2 - Mary Ann MacClean and Robert de Grimston

E83: "The Process Church" - Mary Ann MacClean and Robert de Grimston

Not Guilty, Vanessa’s new podcast!

E82: “The Blackburn Cult” Pt. 2 - May Otis Blackburn

E81: “The Blackburn Cult” - May Otis Blackburn

E80: “Eastern Lightning” Pt. 2 - Zhao Weishan

E79: “Eastern Lightning” - Zhao Weishan

Bonus: Greg and Vanessa revisit Jonestown

E78: “The Source Family” Pt. 2 - James Baker

SURVIVAL, a new Parcast podcast!

E77: “The Source Family” - James Baker

E76: “New Vrindaban” Pt. 2 - Kirtanananda Swami

E75: “New Vrindaban” - Kirtanananda Swami

E74: “The Workers' Institute” Pt. 2 - Aravindan Balakrishnan

E73: “The Workers' Institute” - Aravindan Balakrishnan

E72: “The Sons of Freedom” - Peter V. Verigin

E71: “River Road Fellowship” Pt. 2 - Victor Arden Barnard

E71: “River Road Fellowship” Pt. 2 - Victor Arden Barnard

E70: “River Road Fellowship” - Victor Arden Barnard

E70: “River Road Fellowship” - Victor Arden Barnard

Extraterrestrial: Hill Abduction Pt. 1 - a new PARCAST show!

E69: “Fellowship of Friends” Pt. 2 - Robert Earl Burton

E69: “Fellowship of Friends” Pt. 2 - Robert Earl Burton

E68: “Fellowship of Friends” - Robert Earl Burton

E68: “Fellowship of Friends” - Robert Earl Burton

E67: “Kashi Ashram” Pt. 2 - Joyce Green

E67: “Kashi Ashram” Pt. 2 - Joyce Green

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