Neo-American Church (Arthur Kleps)
A counterculture spiritual movement advocating LSD as a sacrament.
Marcionism
An early Christian theological movement that promoted a dualistic worldview and a distinct interpretation of Christianity.
Maranatha Campus Ministries
A once-influential Christian organization focused on evangelism in colleges, known for its intense discipleship and controversial practices.
Manson Family
A notorious cult led by Charles Manson, infamous for its heinous crimes and apocalyptic beliefs in the late 1960s.
Manmin Central Church
A prominent Korean Christian megachurch known for its charismatic leadership and miraculous healing claims.
Mankind United
A controversial and enigmatic movement of the 1930s, known for its utopian ideals and secretive operations.
Manichaeism
An ancient, influential religion founded by the prophet Mani, blending elements of Christianity, Buddhism, and Zoroastrianism.
Mandaeism
An ancient Gnostic religion, whose members regard themselves as followers of John the Baptist
Lykov Family
A reclusive Russian family who lived in complete isolation in the Siberian wilderness for over four decades.
Lumpa Church
A religious movement in Zambia known for its intense opposition to colonial rule and the rejection of traditional practices.
Love Family
A controversial communal living group known for its unorthodox lifestyle and spiritual practices, established in the Pacific Northwest.
Lord’s Resistance Army (Joseph Kony)
A notorious rebel group, led by the elusive Joseph Kony, known for their brutal tactics and use of child soldiers
Lord Our Righteousness Church
A controversial New Mexico-based sect with a leader convicted of sexual misconduct.
Living Church of God
A Christian denomination emphasizing the original teachings of Jesus Christ and the observance of Old Testament laws.
Livets Ord
A charismatic megachurch based in Sweden teaching prosperity theology.
Legio Maria
A unique African Christian movement that believes their founder is the resurrected son of God
Laymen’s Home Missionary Movement
A Christian movement focused on the study and dissemination of biblical prophecies and teachings, distinct from mainstream denominational beliefs.
LaVeyan Satanism
An atheistic movement emphasizing individualism, self-indulgence, and skepticism, founded in the 1960s.
Lafayette Morehouse
A free-love commune that focuses on sexual experimentation and pleasurable lifestyles.
Laestadianism
A Lutheran revival movement advocating a return to the original values of Christianity, known for its traditionalism and strong community ties.
Labadists
A 17th-century Christian sect known for its communal living and rigorous piety.
La Nueva Jerusalén
A controversial religious community in Mexico, known for its strict religious practices and isolation from the outside world.
La Luz del Mundo
A nontrinitarian Christian denomination embroiled in controversy and legal challenges.
Koreshanity
A unique blend of pseudoscience and utopian communal living, founded on the belief of a concave Earth.
Koinonia Partners
A pioneering interracial Christian community advocating peace, equality, and simple living.
The Knights Templar
A medieval order of knights famed for their role in the Crusades and their complex financial networks.
Knights of the Crystal Blade
Apocalyptic, polygamous Mormons prosecuted for having child brides.
Kingdom Identity Ministries
A Christian Identity church advocating white supremacy and anti-Semitic beliefs.
Kimbanguism
A central African religious movement preaching liberation and unity.
Khlysts
A Russian religious sect with mystical rituals and extreme ascetic practices.
Kerista
A controversial community known for its unique views on sexuality, pleasure, and communal living.
Kaweah Colony
A utopian socialist experiment nestled in California's majestic sequoias, striving for communal living and self-sufficiency.
Kartanoism
A Finnish Christian sect known for its ascetic lifestyle and apocalyptic beliefs
Kabbalah
An esoteric Jewish tradition involving hidden connections between the divine and the universe.
Jumper (Maximist) Molakans
A radical offshoot of Russian Spiritual Christians known for ecstatic worship practices and fervent apocalyptic beliefs.
Joachimites
A medieval millenarian movement predicting a new age of the Holy Spirit
Jews of York
A medieval Jewish community that committed mass suicide to avoid anti-Semitic violence.
Jewish Defense League
A radical organization with a legacy of violence in the name of Jewish nationalism and self-defense.
Jesus People USA (JPUSA)
A Christian communal movement known for its urban ministry and commitment to social justice.
Jesus Christians
A radical Christian group known for their extreme altruism and controversial actions, including donating kidneys to strangers.
Jesus Army
A radical Christian movement known for its communal living, outreach to the marginalized, and a troubling legacy of abuse allegations.
Jehovah’s Witnesses
A global Christian denomination known for its door-to-door evangelism and unique interpretations of the Bible.
Israelites (Enoch Mgijima)
A spiritual movement met with a tragic end in the pursuit of divine prophecy in South Africa.
Israelite Church of God in Jesus Christ
A religious organization asserting the African American and Latino communities as the true descendants of the Biblical Israelites.
Israel United in Christ
A Bible-based movement aiming to reunite the "Lost Sheep of the House of Israel" from among Blacks, Hispanics, and Native American Indians.
International Peace Mission Movement
A movement led by the charismatic Father Divine, advocating racial equality and communal living.
International House of Prayer
A charismatic evangelical movement with a focus on 24/7 prayer, worship, and missions, enveloped in controversy.
International Community of Christ, Church of the Second Advent
An esoteric Christian denomination blending cosmic spirituality with traditional beliefs, emphasizing solar energy's divine significance.
International Churches of Christ (ICOC)
A global network of churches known for its disciple-making approach and intense commitment to evangelism.
Intercontinental Church of God
A church advocating a return to the original Christian doctrines and observing the Hebrew Holy Days.
Inochentism
A millennialist and Charismatic Christian sect that diverged from mainstream Eastern Orthodoxy in the early 20th century.
Independent Scientology
A movement embracing the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard outside the official Church of Scientology.
Igreja Renascer em Cristo
A Brazilian church known for its contemporary worship style and influence in media and politics.
Iglesia ni Cristo
A non-trinitarian Christian church that claims exclusive restoration of the original Church of Christ.
Hutaree
A militant group preparing for an apocalyptic battle with the forces of the Antichrist.
Humilati
A medieval monastic movement embracing humility, labor, and strict adherence to Benedictine principles.
House of David
A charismatic community known for its unique blend of religion, sportsmanship, and entertainment.
Home, Washington
A pioneering experiment in anarchist living and free thought at the turn of the 20th century.
Home of Truth
A desert utopia awaiting the end of days, guided by spiritualist beliefs in communication with the dead.
Holy Spirit Movement
A spiritual rebellion and military effort led by a Ugandan prophetess aiming for national purification.
Holy City
A California-based commune marked by its founder's white supremacist teachings and a claim to divine instruction.
House of Yahweh
A controversial sect with apocalyptic prophecies and a strict adherence to Old Testament laws.
House of Aaron
A Christian-based religious community emphasizing the restoration of the biblical priesthood of Aaron, with distinctive practices blending Mormon and Christian beliefs.
Ho No Hana
A Japanese cult infamous for its foot-reading scams under the guise of spiritual healing.
Hermits of the Wissahickon
A mystical community awaiting the apocalypse in colonial America.
Hermetic Qabalah
A mystical and esoteric tradition blending ancient Jewish Kabbalah with Western occult and esoteric beliefs.
Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
A late 19th-century occult society which was influential in the development of modern Western mysticism.
Heaven’s Gate
A UFO religious cult known for its mass suicide in 1997, believing it would lead them to an extraterrestrial salvation.
Heartland Christian Academy
A controversial Christian academy known for its strict discipline and legal battles over child welfare.
Harmony Society
A 19th-century Christian communal society known for its successful economic enterprises and commitment to celibacy.
Happy Science (Kofuku-No-Kagaku)
A Japanese new religious movement blending Buddhism, Christianity, and New Age spirituality, with a focus on global utopianism.
Gugliemites
A 14th-century Italian religious movement following the mystical teachings of Guglielma of Milan, believed by followers to be the incarnation of the Holy Spirit.
Gruppo del Rosario
An Italian religious movement centered around the mystical and apocalyptic visions of its charismatic leader.
Hopedale Community
A pioneering experiment in Practical Christianity and utopian living, rooted in abolitionism, temperance, and gender equality.
Grindletonians
A 17th-century English religious group advocating for spiritual freedom and direct personal experience with God, often at odds with mainstream Puritanism.
Gregory Paul of Brzeziny
A pioneering figure in the Polish Reformation, advocating a radical nontrinitarian Christianity and early socialist ideas.
Grace Road Church
A controversial South Korean church entangled in allegations of abuse and deception, with a striking presence in Fiji.
Gortonists
A radical English religious sect of the 17th century that championed the inner light of the Holy Spirit over external religious and civil ordinances.
Goliards
Medieval renegades who wielded satire and song to critique ecclesiastical corruption and celebrate earthly pleasures.
Goler Clan
An isolated community in Nova Scotia known for shocking criminal cases and intergenerational poverty.
Gloriavale Christian Community
A reclusive and tightly-knit Christian community in New Zealand, known for its communal living and conservative practices.
Global Church of God
A Christian church with a focus on prophetic teachings and a belief in the imminent return of Jesus Christ.
Gichtelians
A mystical Christian sect in the 17th century, emphasizing asceticism and the inner spiritual life.
General Butt Naked
A notorious Liberian warlord turned evangelist, known for his brutal past and dramatic conversion to Christianity.
Freetown Christiania
A self-proclaimed autonomous neighborhood in Copenhagen, known for its alternative lifestyle and liberal stance on cannabis.
Freemasonry
A fraternal organization with a rich history, known for its secret rituals, symbolic imagery, and commitment to charitable work.
Freedomites
A radical offshoot of the Doukhobors, known for nude protests, arson, and a vehement rejection of government control.
Free Church of Scotland
A Presbyterian denomination known for its commitment to the Reformed tradition and emphasis on ecclesiastical independence from the state.
Free Christians
A non-denominational Christian movement emphasizing individual freedom in worship and interpretation of the Bible.
Fraticelli
A radical Franciscan movement, known for their extreme poverty and opposition to the wealth of the Church.
Frankism
A controversial Jewish mystical movement that followed the messianic claims of Jacob Frank in the 18th century.
Franconia Mennonites
The oldest Mennonite body in America, known for their simple living, nonviolence, and strong community ties.
Followers of Christ
A Christian sect known for its avoidance of modern medical treatment, resulting in the preventable deaths of children.
Flagellants
A medieval movement characterized by public penance, extreme asceticism, and self-flagellation to atone for sins.
Five-Percent Nation
An offshoot of the Nation of Islam, promoting a doctrine that teaches the empowerment and divine nature of Black people.
Fifth Monarchy Men
A radical Puritan sect of the 17th century, driven by the belief in a final, divine government on Earth.
Fifth Empire
A spiritual vision of a unified world under Portuguese cultural and mystic leadership.
The Farm (Tennessee)
A pioneering ecovillage and intentional community known for its innovation in sustainable living and spiritual exploration.
Family Worship Center of Plaster Rock
A small, independent Christian congregation fostering Pentecostal worship and community engagement amid controversy.
The Family (Anne Hamilton-Byrne)
An Australian cult known for kidnapping children, LSD experiments, and a messianic leader who claimed to be the reincarnation of Jesus Christ.