The strangest sects in the world | The last one is the most dangerous

Introduction:

"I'm the messenger, nothing more. Coffee is forbidden. Tea is forbidden. Tobacco is forbidden. Using technology is forbidden. Driving a car is heresy and blasphemy. Golden tablets and new prophets. And most importantly, the prophets are not humans, but hybrid creatures between humans and extraterrestrials. No, it’s not me who says that. These are the beliefs of religions and sects that exist in our world, among you... and perhaps you don't even know about them."

The Maradonian Church:

"Preach the principles of the Maradonian Church. Perhaps this has really caught your attention and surprised you... but what if I told you that what you will hear in this episode will shock you? And that everything I mentioned earlier is just the tip of the iceberg of what I will say tonight? Take a deep breath, and get ready, because today we are going to talk about the strangest religions in this world. Peace and respect, dear friends. May you be well and may your times be pleasant. And may your support for our brothers in Gaza be successful, through all available means of victory, boycotting, and continuous dissemination. And welcome to this chat."

The Prince Philip Movement:

"It is no longer hidden from anyone that the religions followed around the world are not limited to Islam, Christianity, Judaism, or even Buddhism. Many religions are spread across the globe—some are similar, others are contradictory. Some are well-known to the public, while others are shrouded in secrecy. Every now and then, news or rumors emerge about one of these religions or sects. Some of these sects have been legally and religiously banned, while others continue to spark controversy whenever mentioned. Some have even gone so far as to deify humans—God forbid. For example, the Prince Philip Movement is a pioneer in this regard. This movement is specific to the tribes of Vanuatu, who live on one of the islands known as the Republic of Vanuatu. This republic, bordered by Australia, New Caledonia, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea, is a volcanic archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean. This remote country came into the spotlight in 2010 with a report by Australian journalist Amos Roberts about certain celebrations held by the inhabitants of the archipelago. And no, these are not traditional or national celebrations, but religious ceremonies venerating the late Prince Philip, husband of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Why? Because Prince Philip is simply a god worshipped by the people of this region. According to an ancient legend, a sacred boy was born from the womb of the mountain. This boy left the archipelago or the island and traveled across the seas. Upon reaching his destination, he married a strong and influential woman. This marriage made the boy a powerful man who would one day return to his homeland to take care of his worshippers and calm the volcano that threatens the island's inhabitants with its eruption at any time. Some believe that this return was fulfilled when Prince Philip visited this island in 1974. Strange, isn't it? Even stranger, they hold religious celebrations and rituals on June 10th every year, the birthday of Prince Philip. But their alleged god died in 2021, so what now? Eyes are on his heir, King Charles. It is not yet determined whether he has become a god like his father or if he will remain the son of the god... of course, God forbid!"

The Maradonian Church:

"The Prince Philip Movement is not the only one in this regard. From Argentina, we have the Maradonian Church. Just as you guessed, the deity here is Maradona, the Argentine football legend. According to their belief, Maradona is god himself on earth, God forbid! or at least one of His manifestations. And just as Christians around the world celebrate the birth of Christ or Christmas, the followers of this church have their own glorious birthday as well. When? Look up Maradona's birthday, and you'll have your answer."

The Nuwaubians:

"From sects and religions that deify humans, we move on to those that derive their teachings and principles from outside reality. We begin with the Nuwaubians, a sect with a strange mix of Christianity and ancient Egyptian beliefs. This sect fundamentally believes that its people are God's chosen people, and soon, extraterrestrial beings will come to select 144,000 people from among them to be the chosen ones among humans. A small note: the chosen ones will be black-skinned because, simply, the mission of white-skinned people on this Earth is to serve black-skinned people. Truly strange. And just like many other sects, such as the Church of All Worlds, which relies on ancient Greek myths as its constitution, and the Aetherius Society, whose followers await extraterrestrial beings to take them to the realm of Christ, this sect has only a few adherents, and news about them is almost non-existent except for occasional reports about the arrest of their leaders on various charges."

Scientology:

"However, when large sects and groups with significant numbers and well-known names among their followers emerge, with strange, bizarre, and sometimes deadly beliefs, it's worth pausing to take notice. Let's start with Scientology, also known as the Church of Scientology. Some of you might think it's madness when you learn that its core belief is that human memory dates back billions of years, even before the age of the known universe! Not only that, but they justify this memory by claiming it belonged to extraterrestrial beings called Thetans. According to the belief, these immortal spiritual beings were exiled from their planet by a galactic tyrant named Xenu. They sought refuge on Earth and took on the forms of life here. Of course, they lost their memory and instead acquired human memory and concepts, including religious ones, at the hands of Xenu. Sounds like a science fiction movie, doesn't it? But what would you think if I told you that the followers of this sect exceed 10 million people and that prominent names have joined this group, which was founded by American science fiction writer Lafayette Ronald Hubbard? Notably, the famous American actor and its biggest supporter, Tom Cruise, who received the Medal of Freedom from this church because he reached, according to their beliefs, the highest level of the religious hierarchy. This achievement supposedly allows him to communicate telepathically and control his spirit outside the constraints of the body after a long series of training, practices, and progressive knowledge. Tom Cruise is not alone; his colleagues John Travolta and Lisa Marie Presley are also among the most prominent followers of this sect. Other influential figures embraced it for a time but later left, such as Sharon Stone, Ricky Martin, Brad Pitt, and many others. The primary enemy of this sect is not Satan but psychology, despite being a sect founded on science and the integration of mathematics with psychology and atomic physics. According to this group, psychology corrupts minds and amplifies the negative impact of bad memories on the Thetans that reside within the human body."

The Amish:

"From Scientology, we move on to another sect that is no less strange than the previous ones: the Amish. This sect is shrouded in mystery for a very simple reason: the complete absence of technology in all its forms from Amish society. And when I say the absence of technology, I mean it literally. Founded by Jakob Ammann in 1693 after splitting from the Mennonite Christian Protestant sect, it is considered one of the most isolationist sects in the world. Its followers, who are numerous and have their communities and lands, reject modernity in all its forms, the simplest of which is driving cars. So don't be surprised if you get a chance to visit their areas in the United States and see horse-drawn carriages roaming the roads, carrying people dressed in what looks like a uniform in both color and design. You, dear friend, are in Amish land. Wait a moment, if you don’t have a phone to capture the scene, don’t ask the Amish for one because they simply don’t own one. No phone, no camera, no electricity, and not even a television. Unlike Christian denominations, which the Amish insist they belong to, their children are not baptized in churches. In fact, churches and places of worship do not exist at all! Religious ceremonies are held regularly every Sunday in one of their homes. Pursuing your education is prohibited. Once you reach the eighth grade, you must leave school to learn the principles of your religion. Alcohol is forbidden, drugs are forbidden, relationships outside of marriage are forbidden, polygamy is forbidden, divorce is forbidden, but having many children is one of the fundamentals of this group. In short, their lives are akin to those of primitive humans, aren't they?"

The Mormons:

"Let's stay with Christian-claiming sects, this time with the Mormon sect, or as it is officially known, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. According to the latest statistics, this sect has more than sixteen million followers worldwide, most of whom live in the United States. Among the most prominent are Republican Senator Mitt Romney, John Willard Marriott, founder of the Marriott hotel chain, the late actor Paul Walker, the famous singer Christina Aguilera, and many others. The story of its founding is also strange. It begins in 1830 when a man named Joseph Smith emerged, claiming he had received divine revelation through an angel named Moroni. This angel told him about the existence of golden plates buried on a hill near his home. These plates were inscribed with a book that complements the Torah and the tablets of Moses. The angel commanded Smith to retrieve the plates, translate them into English, and compile them into a single book. The book was indeed published under the title The Book of Mormon in 1830 and became the sacred text of the sect, and Joseph Smith became the prophet of this sect. Stranger still is what the book reports—that the Native Americans are not the original inhabitants of America but rather one of the lost tribes of Israel. This sect views people with black skin as cursed, except for those who join them and become their slaves. Their teachings might seem familiar: modest clothing, fasting for 24 hours every Sunday, prayer in their churches, family commitment, and no relationships outside of marriage—so far, everything seems normal. But to have, specifically for adult church members who make sacred promises to God, sacred underwear that they wear at all times, especially when visiting the temple, and it is forbidden for anyone to see them or even catch a glimpse of them, even on the clothesline, then that's a weird and bizarre thing. Even stranger, they forbid tea and coffee, allow men to marry any female regardless of her age, whether she is a child or an adult, and there is no limit to the number of wives they can have. It’s enough to know that their so-called prophet Smith married forty women, including a fourteen-year-old girl. The oddity of the Mormons doesn’t end there; they recently requested that all sect members store enough food for 3 months. Why? Because the day of disaster is coming, and it’s very near. Truly terrifying, isn't it? And yet, this sect is witnessing a strange spread around the world, especially with the enormous financial resources it enjoys as a result of the mandatory contributions of church members to the church fund and missionary movement. Doesn't their goal seem clear to you?"

Aum Shinrikyo:

"Let's continue. From the Mormons in America to Japan and the Aum Shinrikyo sect, whose leader and six of its members were executed in 2018. This sect sparked great controversy and terror in Japan. This sect was founded in 1987 by Shoko Asahara. The principles of this sect are based on a mixture of Buddhist and Hindu ideas and many doomsday prophecies. Their main belief is that the end of the world is imminent, and everyone who does not belong to the sect is destined for hell, except for those lucky enough to be killed by sect members. This sect was legal in Japan and gained enough influence and followers to ensure its survival and strength. But soon, darkness and criminality began to occupy a large part of it, and anyone who did not belong to it became a cursed soul that needed to be purified. How? Listen closely—by being killed by the sect's followers. They began their attacks using chemical gases like hydrogen cyanide, sarin, and others, making this group a danger to Japanese society. The judiciary moved to curb the modern crimes, leading to an attack by the group in 1994 on the city of Matsumoto to kill three judges tasked with issuing rulings on this group. The attack, which was carried out using sarin gas or nerve gas, failed to eliminate these judges, but due to the wind, the gas spread to a residential neighborhood, killing eight people and injuring 600 others. The matter did not end there. In 1995, with the aim of purifying the cursed souls in the world—as described by the sect leader Asahara—the sect launched an attack on the subway lines passing through the political district of the Japanese capital. The attack bore the sect's mark through the use of nerve gas once again, spreading it from perforated bags on passersby during rush hour. The attack shook the peaceful Japanese society, killing thirteen people and injuring thousands of others. The sect's leader and other members were subsequently arrested and sentenced to death, and of course, this bloody sect was dissolved. After the dissolution of this sect, two other sects emerged from it: the Aleph sect and the Hikari no Wa sect. Despite these two sects enjoying legal status in Japan, they are under close scrutiny. Congratulations to those who recognize the danger of extremism and protect their societies from its threats. And you know exactly what I mean!"

The Raelian Movement:

"Now we come to the strangest and most controversial sect of all—the sect that has earned the title of the largest UFO sect in the world: the Raelian movement. This sect first appeared in 1974 following a massive press conference held in Paris, France. The founder of this group is Claude Vorilhon, a former sports car journalist. This sect is at the very least strange, bizarre, and dangerous. It has distorted the principles of the three monotheistic religions to serve its interests. The story began in the winter of 1973 when Claude was driving near the city of Clermont-Ferrand, France. There, according to Claude, he heard a hidden voice urging him to continue on foot. The man got out of his car and continued on, contemplating the terrain of the area. When he was about to leave, he saw a red light emanating from the surrounding fog, and within moments, a craft descended from the sky. I think you know what kind of craft it was—yes, a UFO. The craft landed, and a human-like being emerged. Claude asked him, 'Where did you come from?' The being replied, 'From another planet.' And this is where the distortion of the sect began. First, Claude changed his name to Rael or Raoul, meaning 'messenger' in Hebrew, because his mission had become to inform humans of their origin and lineage. Now, keep your focus because what you are about to hear is stranger than fiction. Humans were created by these extraterrestrial beings, who, according to the sect, are called 'Elohim.' We humans were created in a scientific laboratory on their planet, which resembles the description of the Garden of Eden in the holy books. Of course, this is all according to Claude or Rael. The Elohim arrived on Earth 25,000 years ago, developed it, and modified it to suit the life of humans coming from the space laboratory. His first miracle, according to Rael's claim, was his ascension to the sky on October 7, 1975. The man ascended in a spacecraft to the sky and landed on the planet of eternity, where he met the prophets of the heavenly messages: Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, peace be upon them. Does this journey remind you of something? Yes, exactly, it is a distortion of the Isra and Mi'raj journey. But it didn't stop there. Rael went on to explain what the Elohim had taught him. He said that the first humans created were Adam and Eve, and that their expulsion story is true, but the story from the Raelian perspective is that the parents of humanity moved from the bliss of the Elohim laboratories to the harshness of life on planet Earth. Noah's flood did happen, according to this sect, but it was caused by extraterrestrial beings who opposed the idea of creating humans and genetic experiments, believing that humans and humanity should be destroyed. These beings caused the flood, but humanity was saved by a strange spacecraft—the same one, in fact, as Noah's Ark. The story of Jesus and his resurrection also finds a place in Raelian thought, and this time, it supports the main belief of this religion: Cloning. According to the Raelians, Jesus was cloned by the Elohim after his crucifixion and was brought back to life to complete his mission. All the messengers, including the messengers of the monotheistic religions, Buddha, and even Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon sect, were originally messengers of the Elohim. Their total number is 39, and they are completed by the 40th messenger—Yes, Rael or Claude Vorilhon. Of course, the method of selecting the messengers had to be included. The messengers are the result of the mating of a carefully chosen human mother with one of the Elohim fathers. The selected woman is taken to the Elohim spacecraft, where fertilization takes place, and then she is returned to Earth with complete memory loss of these events. Didn't I tell you this is closer to fiction? It’s fiction itself! By the way, this messenger is still alive and lives on a remote Japanese archipelago, isolated from the world. He is tirelessly working to build an embassy to welcome the Elohim, complete with a landing pad for the spaceship. And the chosen location? Listen to this: Jerusalem. Even from those, this city has not been spared, as if it was destined to be coveted by all the strange groups in the universe. In my opinion, this movement is one of the most dangerous of all. It openly advocates for homosexuality, unrestricted group sex, and nudity under the guise of freedom. Not to mention their rejection of traditional marriage because, in their view, it limits sexual desire, which they believe is the magical cure for all violence and wars and the source of human intelligence and knowledge. This group of people is disgusting, trying to play the role of the creator through human cloning, as announced by the French researcher and member of this sect, Brigitte Boisselier. This researcher and chemist announced in 2002 the birth of a girl named Eve as the first human clone. The announcement, which sparked outrage from the Vatican and many others, lacked any tangible or sensory evidence or even documentation to prove its validity. Many considered it merely a lie to support the principles of this sect. This sect, like many others, has inspired numerous fictional writers and science fiction filmmakers, most notably the famous Star Trek series."