Universal Hagar’s Spiritual Church
A Christian-based spiritual movement blending biblical teachings with mysticism and African American religious traditions.
Self-Realization Fellowship
A bridge between Eastern spirituality and Western culture, blending Kriya Yoga teachings with modern life principles.
Children of Thunder
A murderous spree under the guise of a religious mission led by a self-proclaimed prophet.
Esalen Institute
A pivotal sanctuary for the exploration of human potential through alternative education and transformative practices.
Christbridge Academy
A Christian educational environment fostering academic excellence and personal growth, which has faced serious sexual misconduct allegations
Shasta Abbey
A serene monastery offering profound Zen Buddhist training and community life in the heart of California.
Bethel Church (Redding, CA)
A pioneering hub of modern Christian renewal and global spiritual influence.
Bassnectar Community
A tumultuous saga of fame, allegations, and a divided fanbase.
Pisgah Home Movement
A pioneering Pentecostal social service endeavor in early 20th century Los Angeles, merging faith healing with charitable works.
Your Black Muslim Bakery
A complex legacy of empowerment and criminality, marked by scandal and violence.
Understanding Principles for Better Living Church
A spiritual sanctuary promoting higher thought and living through New Thought Christian principles.
Set Free Soldiers
A Christian motorcycle gang with a checkered past of outreach and controversy.
Tensegrity
A blend of ancient shamanic practices and modern movements developed into a mystical and controversial movement by Carlos Castaneda.
Reyna Chicas
A charismatic leader at the heart of apocalyptic beliefs and a mass suicide scare in California.
Bohemian Grove
An elite, secretive gathering known for its extravagant rituals and influential membership.
Unarius Academy of Science
A UFO religion focused on past lives, interplanetary teachings, and future peace.
Apostolic Gospel Church of Jesus Christ
A church within the Oneness Pentecostalism movement, founded by Donald Abernathy in 1963, known for its faith healing practices and strict dress code.
Christian World Liberation Front
A radical evangelical movement born in the heat of the 1960s counterculture at UC Berkeley.
Berkeley Psychic Institute
A controversial organization offering training in psychic abilities and spiritual healing.
Marcus Wesson
An incestuous patriarch who formed his own cult, intertwining bizarre religious beliefs with extreme abuse and control.
Synanon
A drug rehabilitation program that transformed into a violent cult.
Fellowship of Friends
A new religious movement known for its eclectic mix of spiritual teachings, controversial leadership, and luxurious lifestyle.
First Satanic Church
Revival of Anton LaVey's original Satanic Church, focusing on modern Satanism and individualism.
WKFL (Wisdom, Knowledge, Faith and Love) Fountain of the World
A once-thriving religious group known for its communal living, humanitarian efforts, and a dramatic end in a suicide bombing.
Living Word Fellowship (The Walk)
A Christian movement that faced a major downfall due to leadership controversies and allegations of misconduct.
Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
An ultra-traditionalist Catholic group known for strict dogmatic positions and a controversial history with the Church.
Eva’s Eden
An end-times cat cult believed to harbor divine felines for the apocalypse.
Brotherhood of Eternal Love
A utopian countercultural group that valued LSD as a religious sacrament
Church at Kaweah
A white supremacist church with extremist ties.
Blackburn Cult (Divine Order of the Royal Arms of the Great Eleven)
A mysterious 1920s cult led by a mother-daughter duo with apocalyptic prophecies and bizarre rituals.
Source Family (Father Yod)
A 1970s spiritual group combining mysticism, rock music, and communal living, led by a charismatic figure.
OneTaste
A controversial wellness community known for its practice of 'orgasmic meditation.'
Molokans
A spiritual Christian sect originating in Russia, known for their pacifism, communal living, and distinctive ritual practices.
Manson Family
A notorious cult led by Charles Manson, infamous for its heinous crimes and apocalyptic beliefs in the late 1960s.
Mankind United
A controversial and enigmatic movement of the 1930s, known for its utopian ideals and secretive operations.
Lafayette Morehouse
A free-love commune that focuses on sexual experimentation and pleasurable lifestyles.
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.
Jumper (Maximist) Molakans
A radical offshoot of Russian Spiritual Christians known for ecstatic worship practices and fervent apocalyptic beliefs.
Holy City
A California-based commune marked by its founder's white supremacist teachings and a claim to divine instruction.
Heaven’s Gate
A UFO religious cult known for its mass suicide in 1997, believing it would lead them to an extraterrestrial salvation.
Black Bear Ranch
An experimental commune born from the 60s counterculture, championing self-sufficiency, free love, and communal living in the wilderness of Northern California.
Ananda Church of Self-Realization
A global spiritual movement inspired by the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, dedicated to living in joy through meditation, yoga, and community.