We've covered a lot Los Angeles area cults from the 1960s and 70s, but as it turns out, there were cults in LA long before that. Lots and lots of cults. Today's topic, the WKFL Fountain of the World Cult, more commonly known as The Fountain, formed in the 1940s. And their apocalyptic teachings would influence Charles Manson's vision of Helter Skelter.

348 - The Fountain Cult

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Did you know that in 1902, August Engelhardt travelled from Germany to a small island in the South Pacific and tried to build a community based mostly in worship of the sun, being naked all the time, and literally only eating coconuts? He tried for seventeen years. Oh yeah. This is a weird one.

398 - August Engelhardt and the Coconut Cult

Jim Bakker, and his wife, Tammy Faye, revolutionized tele-evangelism in the 1970s and 1980s. Their PTL Club, was, at it's height, pulling in millions a WEEK in donations to support their cause. But their cause was a lie. Jim was not who he claimed to be, and financial and sexual improprieties would send him to prison... before he got out and started running his scam all over again.

397 - Jim Bakker: The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again) of an American Grifter

Do you have a plan in mind for what you would do in a doomsday event like nuclear war, alien invasion, a deadly plague, Terminator Skynet style "robots have turned against humanity" scenario, etc.?  Some people do. Some very rich people. And it's insane what they're building in case everything goes off the rails.

Short Suck #7 - Survive the Apocalypse in Style: The World of Luxury Doomsday Bunkers

From 1977 to 1980, Joseph Paul Franklin went on a multi-state murder and mayhem spree, bombing a synagogue, shooting at people exiting another, and shooting interracial couples, lone black men, women who had previously dated black men, and a white porn magazine owner for publishing nude photos of an interracial couple. All in a delusional attempt to ignite a race war.

396 - One Man Race War: Joseph Paul Franklin

Ervil LeBaron was raised by a cult leader... would have several brothers who were cult leaders...and would father several more cult leaders. And out of all of them, he was the worst. The Mormon Manson loved to call for blood atonement -  ordering the execution of between  20 and 30 people, many of them rival cult leaders.

348 - The Fountain Cult

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