The 5 Worst Cults Of All Time | Answers With Joe

[@ianallen9217]

“I've been involved in a number of cults, both as a leader and a follower. You have more fun as a follower. But you make more money as a leader.” -Creed Bratton

[@glenmcdonald375]

I'm sure that since many cult leaders have unquestioned sex with many of the followers of their choosing, that they have plenty 'fun' as they make their extreme wealth...

[@deepanjanghosh1651]

A Office Fan

[@spartacus1308]

@@deepanjanghosh1651 depends where you put it

[@Bjorksbackyard]

@@spartacus1308 that’s what she said

[@SirWilliam23]

I was looking for this comment

[@thejesuschrist]

Praise be unto Zoe. Zoe is the truth and the light.

[@realLessonsoflife]

Jesus Christ it´s Jesus Christ

[@ahmednasrulla4766]

Hey man. Are you narcissistic. Joe claimed so. Just asking

[@simplebeansprout]

👍😜👍

[@lich6241]

Amen brother

[@Arrakim1]

Are you the real Jesus Christ?

[@Cypherwraith001]

Imagine being one of the Heaven's Gate cultists who stayed behind. "We're all going to ascend to a higher level of existence, but we need Steve to stay behind and keep the website running."

[@jamesgornall5731]

A bittersweet experience for Steve

[@cumcumcum148]

I am actually pissed. I am waiting for ascension for 20 years already. Where is my reward

[@TeethToothman]

There are 1 or 2 of those. Literally.

[@FCHenchy]

Steve is a professional. The maintenance contract was paid for, and he can't trust some third party to do the job right.

[@LiveMvsic]

Steve has next level fomo

[@Mollena]

As someone who frequently finds herself shouting at narrators who manage to screw up the details of the Jonestown Massacre, thanks for your respectful tone and for correctly naming the beverage the victims were force fed as Fla•Vor•Aid. It seems a small difference but for those of us who grew up poor and Black, like the overwhelming majority of the victims, items is a telling footnote to the tragedy that speaks volumes. Thank you.

[@mikalrage7316]

The details do indeed matter! Shifting and modifying details little by little over time is how some cults end up going from “Love Thy Neighbour As Thyself” to fire and brimstone fear-based control.

[@hallway_revenant7919]

Yea I’ve heard a lot of people say that it was kool aid

[@IosLocarth]

I had heard it wasn't actually Kool-Aid but had heard it was an off brand called Tang instead

[@sarahoshea9603]

@@IosLocarth NO WAY! only Satanists would use Tang. It's of the Devil!

[@kasenerrikkssonn7030]

@@sarahoshea9603tang is fantastic thankyou very much.

[@subbdog44]

Its easier to fool people than it is to convince them they've been fooled.

[@mixerD1-]

Absolutely, unbelievably true man...it's nearly impossible to illustrate it. People just don't want to hear it.

[@clmaximus145]

@@mixerD1- or see it.. subversion at its finest.. i can show people actual video and they refuse to believe it.. its like dealing with flat earthers.

[@mixerD1-]

@@clmaximus145 I hear ya bro.👍

[@bettyswallocks6411]

And a lie will be half-way around the World before the truth has got its shoes on.

[@roccov3614]

Amen to that.

[@MisterHaziq]

Imagine being the guy who SLEPT THROUGH THE WHOLE THING. Like, you go to take a nap, and wake up to everyone BEING DEAD.

[@nancycollins9783]

"28 Days Later" plot!

[@GottaWannaDance]

I wonder if the flies woke him.

[@GenLiu]

I didn't though about this but yeah, must be a hell of a shock.

[@BaseDeltaZero1972]

Dude was probably crashed in his secret shed with his bong in his lap... :D

[@stephenlangsl67]

If Your a member of a Cryonics related cult group, it would be within the realm of possibility that You will wake up from Cryonic Suspension only to find out that hundreds of years have passed and that everything is very different.

[@devinjones1527]

The fact about Jonestown that I always found the most disturbing is that they had enough cyanide to kill all those people at the ready. They were just waiting.

[@meowrkerd4rker_]

I saw a documentary, it was more than they had been under "attack" (from the outside) for months or years apparently, and Jim literally really did see that option as the only way out ? The documentary is here in youtube; he basically terrorized, threathened constantly with violence, sleep deprived them, for months. He led them up to a very ugly situation, and no doubt was planning to kill them long before it happened. He also brainwashed them constantly about it. Asking them to die for him and the cause. So yea it would be expected for them to have the tools to do it at any moment. I do reccomend that documentary.

[@Armera]

Oh shit I never thought of that

[@samiam619]

Maybe Jones was a Boy Scout. Be prepared.

[@Mimi-lf7tq]

They were prepared for it. I watch a documentary about it. Jim Jones conducted mass suicide practice sessions to test the faith of the people. He has conditioned them for it. I always thought that there was no way more than 900 people could just follow one man's word to death but after watching that documentary I realized that it didn't just come down to one day it was a process that took over many years.

[@ExarchGaming]

Cyanide isn't particularly hard to produce, anyone with a basic chemistry knowledge could do it.

[@madelinegolding4969]

Watching this once right as I had been leaving the LDS church during Covid and now that I have fully divorced myself from those beliefs is genuinely scary. It’s so easy to think “Yeah but that’s nothing like what I practice.” Until you look back on it with disillusioned eyes and realize how differently your own brain perceived things.

[@ThePearIsJuicy]

Exmormon here too! If you look up the BITE model regarding mormonism, it's really quite crazy how well nearly every single checkbox that makes a cult, a cult, gets checked.

[@cardoor1984]

ex Jehovahs Witness here and im thinking the same thing!

[@zknight4481]

I have often said that LDS is a cult and it’s only accepted as a religion because it’s been around so long.

[@gavinmichaelis8060]

I'm with you on this. Especially how differently I perceived things. Now if I go to Church, I'll hear a line of rhetoric that makes me shake in horror or disgust, that 2 years ago didn't bother me at all. I see things so differently than how I used to

[@Alex_Riddles]

I was raised a JW and was still attending the meetings in 1975 (when the old world order ended). It still amazes me how many people couldn't see through all the nonsense and stayed in afterwards.

[@1894db]

It's absolutely terrifying how genuinely REAL that opening skit felt.

[@petermanda21pkm]

Best intro ever

[@acts9531]

I admit it was a lot of fun but I never got the impression it was _"absolutely terrifying ... genuinely REAL"_ and if that's what you really felt like you probably should talk to someone who can help you get over that kind of thing ... And just appreciate fun and fiction for the fun and fiction it is.

[@1894db]

@@acts9531 Thanks for the concern, but you took what I wrote too seriously. I was just commenting on how a sermon such as the one in Joe's skit has probably actually been performed and been taken seriously, and how sad that is. I'm not hiding under my bed in terror, I'm laughing at how ridiculous reality can be.

[@holyX]

The dude got pretty good acting skills

[@acts9531]

@@holyX Yeah, it was fun, it was entertaining. It was nowhere near "terrifyingly, genuinely real" though.

[@diamondinvr]

I remember seeing an interview at a cult campsite where they pulled one of the guys aside and straight up said "you know you're in a cult, right?" And the madlad just says "yeah i know, its something to do though" and kept walking on lmao

[@zzodysseuszz]

Lmao mad lad

[@evelynsahoe8896]

Yea people think anyone who joins a cult is just braindead. a lot of them just want to belong somewhere or find a sense of purpose and the cult plays into that.

[@bradybirdy9243]

Anyone have a source on this? Seems interesting!

[@Andytlp]

@@bradybirdy9243 they must be getting asmr tingles when theyre spoon fed total bullshit. Suppose thats one stupid way to get that.

[@bradyolson4690]

Closest thing to a based cult member?

[@gregme0]

Not gonna lie, I'm super into this hour long format

[@SoloAdvocate]

Dang I didn't even realize it was almost an hour

[@Nick-hr2gk]

Same bro. Love listening to this guy speak

[@studioMYTH]

Yup. When I saw this was 50 minutes, I was excited. But having this much content on death cults is kind of unfortunate.

[@avery7690]

Can't watch it right at this moment but I got excited when I saw 50 minutes! Going to watch it tonight at work.

[@Mr2winners]

@@SoloAdvocate if you had seen OLF you would have know it was gone be 50 min, you font follow OLF recomended

[@limecandy7099]

It scares me how well you fit into that preacher role

[@barquerojuancarlos7253]

... haven't you ever attended a lecture in a high school or college? ... a "preacher" seldom cites on widely accepted sources, other than sacred texts ... you can trace the sources of a lecturer ... a preacher depends on usually a specific interpretation

[@2001roserose]

Isn’t he from Texas lmao preachers be like that

[@rexrad9735]

@@2001roserose I'm pretty sure he's said he was raised in an uber religous household. He probably watched that routine, 3 days a week as a kid. 🤔

[@TrickOrRetreat]

@@rexrad9735 no wonder they break and shoot up shit. What a horrible life 😤

[@darrelsvids158]

He's probably a Mormon

[@vandergrad]

As someone who spent 19 years of my life in a religious cult, I appreciate how knowledgeable and thoughtful you are on this topic. What I always tell people is that key to successful group-think is incrementalism. Just like an abuser, a cult slowly and carefully grooms its followers over time until the group's thoughts are your thoughts, and you don't even realize it is happening. In fact, you would adamantly deny it. But the desire to go along to get along runs deep in the human psyche. When I left my group, I almost couldn't recognize the person I had become. No, strike that... I almost didn't recognize the person I had been. And it took me two years to find that person again. --- Keep up the good work. I really enjoy your content.

[@vandergrad]

@@lyndanorris The Way International

[@vandergrad]

@@lyndanorris I could spend hours and days explaining this group but to keep it simple I'll just say... start with your basic Christian beliefs, but remove the trinity, and add the manifestations of the holy spirit practiced in daily life. Then mix that well with required classes, required behaviors, a ridiculous level of obligation, an even greater level of big-brother-oversight, and then top that all off with an overriding fear that leaving the group = turning your back on God himself.

[@mattches7791]

@@vandergrad Sorry you went through that I'm glad you made it out. Crazy that when googling "the way international", it takes a lot of scrolling to get to content about their cult behavior. Insidious.

[@rinnittt]

@@vandergrad that sounds terrifying, thank you for sharing your experience. im so glad you were able to reclaim your individuality and get your freedom back!

[@lrn_news9171]

@@vandergrad Sounds familiar, sort of an anti trinitarian sect?

[@Macakiux]

This pandemic is bringing out the best of my favorite creators

[@crazy137788]

I agree. Who else do you watch?

[@Macakiux]

@@crazy137788 regularly Adam Neely, Steve Mould, Peter Sirpol, Look mum no computer, the Thought emporium, Journey to the microcosmos, Animalogic... the ones I can remember for now.

[@EnriqueDominguezProfile]

Those are great. Aslo check Technology Connections, Alex the French Guy, Kurtzgesagt, Veritasium...

[@bigboijam9846]

W H A T

[@kutto21]

I can’t believe I just watched almost an hour and was THOROUGHLY entertained! Love this!!

[@sirpiddlefartiii]

I was involved in what many muslims consider a cult (extreme salafism, other Muslims called us wahabbis/madkhalis) for a few years. Like they believe in no music at all, no joking, no speaking to the opposite gender unless it's an emergency, no touching other people (women wear gloves and men refuse to shake hands) , The woman cover their faces and the men always have an appropriate traditional beard. I could go on. I got burnt out really quick compared to some others I know.

[@HibeeMcbee]

Think you have that quote the wrong way round. Unless the Scientologist you’re quoting did.

[@magicalgold010]

That's kids stuff

[@Grave_of_the_Sea]

Yeah, that's a cult. No joking? No music? Those are clear attempts to strip people of any joy in life. Also of course there's your usual misogyny with the women having to cover their faces. I'm happy you got out of that

[@jenniferkorf4767]

I’m glad you’re out! Hope you’re loving your best life!

[@ianisles2537]

I love how Zoe obviously has a pretty good idea of what's happening.

[@nathanhough8156]

Because zoe is Gods GPS

[@RealGrooveRandom]

Zoe? .. really?

[@gypsymoth8977]

Way too good at the evangelical leader impression, Joe.

[@stella-vu8vh]

He does the mannerisms REALLY well, beyond the pale for any impressions ive seen, here

[@Hollylivengood]

Yeah, he scared the bejeebers out of me, he must have had parents who dragged him to this stuff.

[@rr8960]

He reminded me of the character Boyd Crowder when he went through his preacher phase in the TV show “Justified”.

[@gypsymoth8977]

@Andrew Oliphant Good, I like to hear of people having positive experiences in church. Unfortunately some of us witnessed more of the Fire & Brimstone bs growing up, and he captured the intensity unsettlingly well 😉

[@noemirivera5363]

Okay but Zoe was so good 😂

[@xinsaneox]

The opening of this could have been the beginning of a Criminal Minds episode

[@tuhmater2985]

Then Reid would read some Bible verse on the plane

[@missstorrm]

No.3 from the video was in one of the Criminal Minds episodes ;)

[@wildfluff8153]

Omg yes

[@froderickalabaster]

zoe is the unsub (1:19)

[@adamgtrap]

Or a normal church service in the south. I'm from Texas, I can say that.

[@nemonomen3340]

Back when I was still a Mormon and my mom made me go to church, I’d occasionally refer to the church as a cult. I didn’t even mean it in a negative way. It was just so obviously a cult to me. Needless to say, she never appreciated that.

[@DonMachado]

Not all cults are religions, but all religions are cults.

[@paullefevre8684]

Well said. As a former mormon myself (even did a mission), especially noteworthy is the slow trickle of the actual beliefs to "converts." The mormons call it "milk before meat." The simple fact is that the really crazy stuff isn't told to potential or new converts. It's not until you're in for quite a while, and become "worthy" to go to the temple, that you get the really crazy stuff. And then you're sworn to secrecy about those things, upon pain of death*. * the mormon church supposedly removed the "death gestures" from the temple ritual in the 1990's. When I first went through in 1978, they were all still there. In about 2010, sitting talking with my still-mormon mother, I asked her if those things never bothered her. She said I must be mistaken, there were never any such things in the temple ceremony. Keep in mind, she went with me the first time I went through (just before my mission). She stood 10 feet from me (on the "women's side"), and did the same death-punishment gestures I did, but a few years later she denied they ever existed. That, folks, is brain washing.

[@nemonomen3340]

@@paullefevre8684 I mentally unsubscribed when I was 14 and made it official after 18. For me, there were just too many contradictions and historical elements that were always swept under the rug. I did baptisms for the dead on several occasions and that always felt a bit unnerving. After officially leaving, I heard some things about the marriage ceremony (something about stripping naked and the woman swearing her obedience to the man). But I don't actually know anything about these wilder aspects.

[@paullefevre8684]

@@nemonomen3340 Glad to hear you got out. For some people, those "wider aspects" (and you weren't wrong about the marriage ceremony) cement them in. For others, like me, it was a "what the hell did I get myself into" moment. It took me 2+ years after that to make it official, after the mission...largely because of family (we're long-time Utah original mormons, polygamy and all, and my uncle used to be the official church spokesman). Life has been good ever since. Peace.

[@georgiamcbrayer]

“If you wanna be wealthy, write a science fiction series, if you wanna be rich, start a religion.” - starter of Scientology

[@wolftitan]

Well the Vatican's wealth is put at $10 billion to $15 billion dollars.

[@pervertedbananaa.k.a.nanne9347]

Don't u know you never mock Scientology or mock L. Ron Hubbard's religion/Cult.😂😂 @Smackin watch out u might have people following you now showing up at ur house taking ur picture😬 stay safe homie those fools are dangerous.

[@bug3861]

@@pervertedbananaa.k.a.nanne9347 lol. the gang stalkers

[@StainedBrain]

One of our clients at our vet hospital who believes in Scientology stopped by yesterday 😭 He just stopped off his cat in the lobby 3 hours late and left. He also had fake blue nails? I'm all for men who paint their nails, but they looked really tacky

[@Liitebulb]

What's the difference?

[@biovmr]

“If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.” -- Gen. George S. Patton Jr. "Poke holes in your information bubble." -- Joe Scott

[@Lesleris]

"We are living in a climate very conducive to cults" You've convinced me. I am starting my own cult.

[@AZOffRoadster]

Same here. And no one else is allowed in.

[@theonedog6272]

The BEAN Cult is apoon us

[@jakeaurod]

@@theonedog6272 Holy Frijoles?

[@lexecomplexe4083]

@@theonedog6272 the beans cult already exists

[@f.f.s.d.o.a.7294]

May I join?

[@marthafernandez9220]

Thank you for taking the time and effort to put this together, it takes all the strength a person can muster to leave a cultish environment. You did this eloquently and gently. Much appreciated Joe. Best to you and yours, MER

[@pattoneill2402]

Joe, I was in a cult for 13 years and managed to get myself out, both physically and mentally. You have given the best, most concise, simplest explanation of cults. Congratulations. I highly recommend it.

[@bootstrapperwilson7687]

Highly recommend what? Cult membership, or Joe’s simple down to Earth common sense?

[@pattoneill2402]

@@bootstrapperwilson7687 Joe's explanation, of course.

[@emmad4308]

I'm so happy that you got out!!! I hope you are thriving now and are happy

[@ianisles2537]

Yes congrats for getting out. It ain't easy

[@asherikamichaela8425]

Kudos to you! My family is largely still deeply involved, but I thankfully never fell in with it. Good thing, or I probably wouldn't be alive today.

[@User-uj7nz]

Zoe looks completely unphased by the divine responsibility her human have bestowed upon her. Such a confident, humble Jesus analog.

[@MarquisLeary34]

"I have no idea what is going on and wish I could talk." -Zoe.

[@billkeon880]

Eventually even if you are starting to doubt some things in the cult or religion, the “sunk cost fallacy” starts to take over and makes you self censor that doubt. If you’ve sunk so much of your life and feelings into something, it’s really hard to admit it and give it up and start your life over again

[@billyalarie929]

This hit me in a way I don’t really care to think about but thanks for opening that wound.

[@bj.bruner]

Especially when your family is all in it and you're afraid of the backlash you'll get from them if you decide to leave

[@jussitikkuri6991]

@@bj.bruner Family Friends Girls You Like.... that are all into it. Then you step aside at the "check-out" line and let them all make their own decision.

[@Mehki227]

Exactly...that's why long form scams work so well. It's extremely hard to admit that you were wrong or that you got fooled or taken advantage of. Not for nothing, some scammers were interviewed for a magazine article and said that men were actually the easiest to pull into a scam, because of the male ego. And he actually gave some examples of things he would say and the responses he's her and at that point he knew, he had them.

[@saal0]

Alienation from your whole safety net is a more important factor. Cults alienate you from the world outside of it. Your whole social circle is there. You wouldnt even know how to survive outside of the cult

[@michaelrundle5279]

"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." Voltaire

[@serduncan6933]

"Hey Martha come quick, the strange neighbor is talking to his dog again"

[@pakde8002]

And she's wearing a dress!

[@Trishpage312]

haha

[@davidmacphee3549]

Bewitched

[@joescott]

“At least he’s not still arguing with that tree.”

[@fighteer1]

Joe Scott Nice callback.

[@Blanschee]

My dogs name is Zoe, and while I was watching the vid she reacted to her name, stood up and walking in front of the TV. It was realy funny, even though she probably only wanted to find out who is calling her the whole time it looked like she was "I am the lord and saviour??"

[@MeganVictoriaKearns]

😆😆😆😆

[@lt7378]

I had a terrier named Zoe, too. We were inseparable .

[@into_the_void]

She is

[@kurgans]

My cat's name is Hange. She does not react to the TV calling her name when AoT is on

[@ripadipaflipa4672]

I love it. Thanks for sharing

[@viv8871]

"And we do accept checks. Hallelujah." I AM WHEEZING. Also, great content, I LOVE the research and humor you pack into these videos.

[@hufflewoof325]

SAMMME ahahahah

[@francesbernard2445]

Me too because he is never afraid of including information from a more diverse array of sources regardless of what subject he is discussing instead of only just making sweeping generalizations about concept after concept while expecting everyone to just take his word for it when learning them all while maybe mentioning only 1 example supporting detail during the whole hour people are being expected to pay attention to him.

[@ronaldmartin2666]

This video was my introduction to this channel, and I stumbled upon it several years ago as I started my journey out of a somewhat cultish community. I’m a new person now and videos similar to this were powerful to help me see the indoctrination I was experiencing since birth. Thanks, Joe.

[@kata7913]

"God has 3 Letters, Zoe has 3 Letters. Can't question that." 😂😂

[@Mrjim6986]

Dog has 3 letters as well

[@literallylorelai]

@@Mrjim6986 and dog spelled backwards is God. *Coincidence?* I think not.

[@Falcrist]

*_Half Life 3 confirmed!_*

[@morkiethuglife2195]

Zoey

[@TheWiseCollector]

@@literallylorelai gasp a Pixar fan I have found

[@cgmehta8264]

I think they joe put a ton of work into this one. It's nearly an hour long and I LOVE IT! The quality of his videos just improves every single time and he also speaks like I'm having a real conversation with him. Keep up the amazing work man!

[@unknownx7252]

Didn't even realize it was that long, it was so interesting.

[@cgmehta8264]

@@unknownx7252 I know right? I really hope he does more videos that are longer in length.

[@joescott]

We’ll see how this does. My poor editor can’t do this very often. 😄

[@cgmehta8264]

@@joescottIt's so awesome that you not only read my comment but actually responded! In my 15 years on this planet no youtuber had ever responded to one of my comments on their vids and you made my day by doing so!

[@joescott]

Flattery will get you everywhere. 😉

[@Agaettis]

"One person slept through the whole thing..." Sounds about right

[@obi-wankenobi1750]

That guy is my spirit animal

[@alexforce9]

Imagine going to nap and when you wake up EVERYONE around you is dead. Just bodies and bodies around...

[@freds3265]

I thought that meant he didn’t drink and faked his death.

[@dragondan244]

Me as a cult member

[@kymo6343]

he's either the luckiest or unluckiest guy ever depending on ur perspective...

[@Quadrophiniac]

I found audio recordings of a bunch of Jim Jones sermons when I was like 12 years old, and it took me down the whole rabbit hole back then. This was in like 2001 though, so there was way less information on the internet than there is now. Awesome video!

[@napatora]

omg the way zoe looked at the camera after you say "zoe is your family" absolutely killed me

[@nicanornunez9787]

lol yes

[@svenblackwell4550]

After the debates.....im ready to follow the pooch . She seems far more honest and certainly more informed ( considering her domestic situation) ;)

[@SD-tj5dh]

There are worse religious movements out there than praying to a massively over inbred goblin dog abomination.

[@efleishermedia]

@@SD-tj5dh hahahahaha goblin dog abomination hahahaha

[@zachrengifo932]

You can tell Joe is from a small country town by how well he did the cult sermon in the intro. Flashbacks of Baptist church service.

[@ronburks1403]

This is by far the best researched media piece I have seen in nearly 30 years of work in the cult field. I will be recommending this piece as a general cult information resource. Wish you had a version that included the presentation at the end with less time given to the gore. Most cults, are a kinder, gentler way of destroying your life.

[@NameHere2243]

@MIND The internet is full of liars, this is probably one of them

[@xythrial]

@@NameHere2243 it would be impossible to include every last bit of information about a cult in a short KZbin video. Someone giving a shortened version of the events doesn’t make them a liar or make the video any less researched

[@jamesgornall5731]

​@@xythrialit's a good jumping off point for anyone who wants to know more

[@bopeep268]

Imagine sleeping through the Jonestown massacre, waking up and seeing all of your friends and family dead. Imagine that nightmare.

[@cannabiscupjudge]

I've watched this one several times, and now, in early 2024, it strikes true more than ever before. Joe, you deserve a great deal of praise for you talents. Thanks.

[@spellbinder3113]

Same could be said for abusive relationships. They don't start off that way - if they did no sane person would stay. It starts off small. A small dig at you. A sharp tongue. So you check yourself and you think you maybe did something wrong. And then it escalates slowly - it creeps up on you. Until before you even realize it bad things are happening and you swore that you would NEVER be the person that could get into a situation like that - until you are. IMO cults play you the same way.

[@bingbong7206]

Damn, you good?

[@emd344]

This

[@spellbinder3113]

Michael LaGrasse I’m good now thanks

[@J3nJ3nl0llip0p]

Very true. Lots of overlap

[@mrhatman675]

Shut up literature boy

[@zachblack9174]

Pastor Scott scares me with his lack of facial hair.

[@HunterBitcoin]

Joe is a little too good at that. Pray we never see that side of him unironically... Pray, pray, amen.

[@malik_alharb]

Pastor Scott is a good man, take that back

[@haveric24]

All Hail the Might Jo.. The bringer of KNOWLEDGE and TRUTH

[@sawspitfire422]

Zoe has 3 letters, God has 3 letters, can't argue with that. May Zoe bring peace and unity upon the faithful and plagues and fire upon the sinners

[@AZOffRoadster]

Evil Scott wears a goatee.

[@nataliaschuler3949]

the beginning of this is scarily accurate! also, I was mid-sip of water at the moment that Zoe was revealed to be a tiny dog in a dress, and I almost choked (and escaped to paradise right there) from laughing too hard.

[@erniebuchinski3614]

I'm glad you're still with us to enjoy more of Joe's videos! That Zoe is a little cutie, isn't she?

[@zim.is.emo.]

All hail zoe!!

[@HermicraftAddict]

I laughed out loud when he said "you don't need your money give it to Zoe." As a former Mormon that hit a spot with tithing.

[@mahweezy]

In Kenya, 410+ people starved to death coz some douche convinced them that they will go to heaven if they die. One of those people was my aunt. I really hate cults.

[@nikitakudrin7513]

I did not realize this video was 50 minutes only after I finished watching it. Interesting 🤔

[@TrickOrRetreat]

When i am truly entertained i lose track of time 🤗 i know

[@clairefugate855]

i didn’t realize this video was 50 minutes long until i read this comment

[@IndecentAngels]

Oh wow didn't feel or notice 59 minutes. I guess it was that interesting.

[@speshulgay]

Didn’t feel that long this guy is very captivating

[@cameronsmith8092]

Same here. I only realised when I read this comment towards the end of the video!

[@michelleg.2267]

"We DO accept checks. Hallelujah" 😂😂😂

[@oumardiop1]

@Gernot Schrader we also take gold certificates and other precious metals

[@HaleKelsey1]

@@oumardiop1 also, your social security number and your birth certificate

[@patrickking5883]

“You just can’t beat Jonestown” - Joe Scott, Minister of Tourism of Guyana

[@erniebuchinski3614]

I'm "proud" to say that I was born exactly on "Uncle Jim's" 25th birthday. And just as coincidentally, the Pope was shot on my 25th birthday. But much more important than all that: WATCH OUT FOR THAT FLAVOR AID LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! (It, uh, tastes awful . . .)

[@whyiseverysinglehandletaken2]

Come home to Jonestown!

[@KyleHarrisonRedacted]

Dude, you NAILED that pastor role, it was SCARY good

[@Thepersianpopinjay]

Never thought I’d see Joe shoutout Ask a Mortician. Two of my fav channels

[@Bretagnething]

This is one of the most important pieces you've done. Timely as hell. Vital. Thank you.

[@dianagalaxy7928]

Absolutely agree. Just watched it again after seeing it when he first posted it. Worth the 2nd view. Also good to watch as a timely video is his ‘Human Experiments.‘ Self awareness and public awareness.

[@robertweekes5783]

Timely as hell because radical Dems want socialism 👀

[@saltwaterrook4638]

Important. Hardly.

[@whitenoiseihearu4018]

Cult lives that mattered.

[@indridcold8433]

In today's time, it is not only unnecessary to be social, it is actually extremely dangerous to be social. This is why I socially isolated myself 8 August 2000. I was abused by those I believed were my friends and one I believed to be my girlfriend. It turned out they were just a group that targeted socially inexperienced people to victimise them for all they could take from them. I will always be socially inept, especially after becoming a victim to the group of users I mentioned. Now, it is impossible for it to ever happen to me again. Beware of people seeming interested in you and approaching you with a smile. Those people are not your friends nor do they want to be your friend. Be especially cautious around one person approaching you that looks attractive. Those are the worse social predators. I have had no friends, nor a girlfriend, since 8 August 2000 at 18:34. I am unbreakable after I gave up being social. It is worth it to have nobody in your life to become 100% unable to ever be used, betrayed, and painfully abandoned. Security is worth any price.

[@wanderinggypsy3203]

I love when Zoe looks at the camera like.... oh god here he goes again.

[@tonidiane6153]

😂

[@drakulauna]

I just quit a job that was like a cult. My boss would go to shelters for houseless people in order to recruit people who were vulnerable. She wouldn’t let us get any actual work done and instead wanted everyone to watch TV with her and compliment her all day. If I tried to work or tried to talk to her like a normal boss, she would FREAK OUT. She hasn’t been held accountable because she’s very charming and keeps talking her way out of everything. I did try to report her though.

[@kcc-karenschroniccorner9432]

Your treatment of this difficult topic was sensitive and thoughtful. The love bombing, cognitive dissonance and desire for community are all spot on. Nice work.

[@Smokethis810]

"God has 3 letters. Zoe has 3 letters. You cannot question that!" Love it Joe. There's a number of statements that got me right in the laughs in this video. Good show ole Joe.

[@lillianleigh7316]

When you think about it God spelled backwards Is Dog. Zoe looks pretty intelligent to me.

[@saulsavelis575]

@@lillianleigh7316 Evil from OZ

[@janclarke6501]

Joe has three letters too! COINCODENCE?! 😄

[@andrewaway]

@@janclarke6501 I think not.

[@freds3265]

Joe is three letters

[@selihom]

I honestly didn't realize that I had been watching this for 50 minuets, I didn't see how long it was before I played it. Wow. Good job Joe you are one of the best KZbinrs out there.

[@olarmariusalex]

There is no way this was 50 minutes! Man this is creepy! It is 50 minutes long and only now I realise this.... I feel it something like 20 mins or so.

[@cynhanrahan4012]

All Praise Zoe! Caitlin's video (Ask The Morticians) on the Branch Davidians is extremely well done.

[@clausemaven6464]

This man held my attention for 50 minutes, mad props to you. When were the teachers this good at teaching something?

[@TheOneTrueKingg]

When where lol.

[@turtlejeepjen314]

No kidding!!! Same here - my ADHD was slightly manageable for this time!!! It’s a Christmas Miracle!!🙂

[@burnin_vibez243]

When teachers gave a crap about teaching and not just showing up for money

[@someoneyoumightknow4375]

@@burnin_vibez243 cant blame all teachers for this. some try their best but curriculums destroy their creativity ):

[@insanelittlesilk]

@@burnin_vibez243 as a teacher… trust me, we aren’t in this profession for money lol We are very micromanaged, deal with hundreds of personalities a day, deal with parents, supervisors… yeah most of us are just TIRED. And when we try to make it fun, a lot of kids don’t give a shit. We WANT to teach like this but we can’t.

[@isaacs8694]

I grew up in a cult and was able to get out in my very early teens. The family that I still have there was ridiculed, publicly shamed and told all kinds of things about me to get them to cut me off. I don't feel bad, I don't feel like a survivor, there was nothing to survive. Cult life is a way of life, and when you're born into it there's nothing different. There's been some pretty fucked up shit that's happened there, and I feel bad for the youngest generation being born there, but maybe if I'm lucky, the leader won't be around too many more years and my family will finally be free.

[@ianisles2537]

Yeah I grew up Jehovahs Witness, and had to go full atheist for awhile before I got over myself. I hope I'm healthily agnostic these days.

[@jgobroho]

Was it scientology?

[@jamesofallthings3684]

Sounds like JW to me.

[@ianisles2537]

@@jamesofallthings3684 maybe. But as a former JW we wouldn't refer to a church leader, or 'elder' as a leader, but there are many sects of JW (though they will deny this) so maybe so.

[@isaacs8694]

@@jgobroho No. It was a tiny little shitshow in a midwestern state.

[@stephentroyer3831]

Thank you for taking the time to gently talk us away from the trap of thinking we're too smart to fall for any cult that comes along.

[@gex581990]

Dude I literally ROFL’d when you said “they decided not to level up a couple of members so they could maintain their website”

[@OKSlinky]

I think the Ant Hill Kids would have been a really good fit for this video. Even though the body count wasn't nearly as high, the absolute horrors that took place makes it one of the most disturbing cult stories I've ever heard. That said, I appreciate the content you put together here! A couple cults I had never heard of so it was interesting =)

[@Jeffshighonlife]

The Last Podcast on the Left just did a great series on the Ant Hill Kids.

[@Danishdynamite]

Going to look that up now

[@Garf2004]

Just commented this too, really messed up stuff

[@NinjaRunningWild]

Wendigoon did a video on them.

[@nomimalone7520]

Agreed Truly disgusting evil

[@savannahnovotny8789]

I'm a cult survivor and this is a fantastic video. I love your commentary at the end.

[@pervertedbananaa.k.a.nanne9347]

What cult were u in?

[@jamasa007]

Were you in the universe people cult?

[@ganrimmonim]

I'm very glad you surived.

[@imzadi83fanvids7]

Glad you survived. *hugs*

[@billyalarie929]

Congratulations on surviving, on getting through it.

[@umbralveritas]

I think Scientology deserves at least an "honourable mention" lol

[@ethanschaefer8327]

Probably didn't want to deal with the lawsuits

[@threestans9096]

@@ethanschaefer8327 this deserves more likes

[@urbangorilla33]

Ding ding ding! My first thought.

[@chriss3625]

That, and many many others

[@marknasia5293]

then he would flagged off youtube

[@Axemantitan]

Not too many things bring me to tears, but the end of the Jonestown segment did.

[@ericaclay4746]

the one person who slept though the thing is a legend

[@vgames1543]

Just imagine waking up and everyone around you is dead. That poor dude lol.

[@joescott]

Seriously though could you imagine waking up to that?

[@ericaclay4746]

@@joescott They must have been scared sh*tless. Seeing all those bodies of their friends and neighbours not knowing what f*ck happened.

[@procrastinator41]

Our college dorm fire alarms were concussive, brutally loud, but a guy downstairs would sleep through them every time.

[@Inari4877]

The end of this video talking about the fact life is a perfect breeding ground for cults at the moment and how we brainwash ourselves ** gave me life. Ive been trying to put words on that for years now and you've just helped me out a tonne ! Thanks (:

[@knack6157]

upvote

[@loramurray2341]

I have the same opinion, people are in a cult mentality at this point. There has to be a way to balance it out because too individual causes one to disassociate from the group, but too in the group excludes everyone else.

[@rosiehawtrey]

@@loramurray2341 Hon, you're giving the general population too much credit when you use the word mentality. The retard ratio is climbing exponentially and these people can vote, drive, and breed. It's descended to the level of a Duh-mocracy. The electric car idiots, muskretinwagen owners and deranged nutters in government who think going "green" means kicking anyone who isn't their relatives. I think it's improved medical treatment - if you were stupid enough to walk out into the road and get hit by a car in the 50s you'd be pulp, do it now and you're still an idiot *but you survive to breed* - ditto seatbelts and airbags. The ones that'd be eliminated from stupid, or bad luck, or poor health.. Or all three.. Are pumping out babies like an irritated Oerlikon. There is a way to solve climate change but it'll never happen - voting banned for anyone under a 120 IQ - election promises made to be legal statements - punishment for not doing them. Governments to last a decade - so when it goes to crap the people responsible are still right there.. It's irrelevant anyway. The great dying 7c temperature rise took nature 2.7 - 5 million years. We got half way to that in 100 years.

[@romancetag9313]

I remember going to these "philosophy" meetings for a while. It was all nice and lovely for the first few months. Free lectures, a lot of positivity and this feeling that you belong. About two months into all of this I began hearing strange reports that the place is not as simple as it seems, but I disregarded them. I mean most of the lectures were talking of the famous, well known philosophers. The lecturers were friendly, there were a bunch of free stuff and other participants that have been there for way longer than me had only good things to say. However, as the time progressed I have began to notice that some of the things they were telling us were a little off, I couldn't put my finger on what exactly it was, so I decided to stick around, because I thought I was imagining things. Until one day we were told that we are now ready for the next step which involved some money contributions. There wasn't a set price, it depended on how much we earn ( so they had to know how much we earn) and we also had to have some one to one time with the higher ups and nobody else was allowed to enter into the room while this was happening. The moment I learnt this, I turned around and left the place forever, never to talk to any of the members.

[@1WhoConquers]

It was either a cult, or worse, an MLM network marketing pyramid scheme.

[@jamasa007]

That happened in waco except (as far as i know) it didn't really become too weird

[@ConnorHammond]

There should be a system to report cults to. The amount of wealth they can accumulate with massive tax break loopholes. Look at the Mormon's, sitting on $100 billion of unregulated wealth.

[@specinthecosmos431]

Scientology

[@macarenavalladares]

New Acropolis?

[@bumpedhishead636]

Imagine the narcissism you would have to have to believe you should have absolute immunity from any lawful prosecution...

[@mizera_mykle]

Grandma poured money into a cult to wipe her evil guilty soul clean. One year the cult leader was holding a seminar an hour away so grandma called to ask them for a ride and was rudely shut down. My mom, hoping to show her that the cult was crap called them to suggest they look at grandma's donations. Grandma got a call saying they would pick her up and that night a big fancy limo picked her up like royalty. Grandma's response to her daughter telling her she called and they were just after her money...her standard lines, "You're a liar" and "You don't know what you're talking about" and the most used, "They *love* me!" Until grandpa learned the shocking amount and shut it down.

[@Liitebulb]

Really? Also apart from being insecure what did she do that polluted her soul so badly?

[@lexobischof7069]

Damn I didn’t notice the vid was 50 min long I thought I just time traveled in my head

[@shayneelizabeth358]

The little high 5 with Zoe and her getting a treat had me laughing my ass off!

[@mikedahuman]

Its crazy how spot on you were with what you said at the end of the video. Social media is making us bad at thinking for ourselves.

[@TommyCrosby]

15 years ago I believed that the internet age would bring an era of massive knowledge and the end of misinformation...

[@robinsmith8846]

Lol turned out to do the opposite... Especially one orange lump.

[@jjdogg0]

@@robinsmith8846are you sure that YOU are not that lump?

[@harperg5890]

@@jjdogg0 Hm? I'm not sure if that was meant to be offensive, or a joke

[@robinsmith8846]

@@jjdogg0 Everyone in the world knows who people mean when they say orange lump today...sorry but that is true. When he loses...don't cry too long....!

[@Pretermit_Sound]

Robin smith I’m on your side, but we can’t get cocky about it. He could still win. Even if he is defeated in the election, it’s won’t be over until there’s actually a peaceful transfer of power, and he’s out of the people’s house. Things could still change, radically between now and Nov. 3rd. The polls were in favor of the democrats in 2016, and Trump still got in. Whatever the results, we have to at least try to start healing the division in this country. Otherwise, it won’t matter who gets in, because we might just end up destroying each other 😓

[@jimthompson4132]

You can believe anything you want, just don't hurt anyone. "People are not moved by fact or reason, but by the skillful manipulation of emotion"

[@ayaa.1351]

Quote by whom?

[@phantomwalker8251]

really.??,,not a good thing..id ban all religions.why,?,cos they kill millions of people per yr & get away scot free.plus,i build houses,,a worker came to finish the dry wall joins,.he collected 4 pieces of board,set them down,then kneeled on them,began to pray..MUSLIM,,HE DOES THIS 5 TIMES A DAY..ARE YOU & HIM,FKN SERIOUS.???.

[@___-tp1su]

@@phantomwalker8251 what?

[@debbiehill9715]

Sorry it usually never happens like that , for instance Jim Jones, Charles Manson and the like.

[@janegael]

I had a client who was the chief funeral director /co-ordinator called in for the Jonestown massacre. To say it messed him up is an understatement but he documented everything and had an extensive scrapbook so that it could never be forgotten. He said there were so many bodies that the team didn't know where to start. That someone could do this to people who trusted him is beyond belief. I keep the poor souls who had to clean up after this monster in my prayers.

[@chrislair6832]

918 I think. Absolutely insane. The worst part is listening to the recording during

[@heavnnnsent]

Thank you for bringing this up... with a horrible thing for any funeral workers to have to face it is beyond comprehension

[@Varphi_]

I just moved to Tennessee recently and there a restaurant here run by a cult. The restaurant is called The Yellow Deli and locals always mention the cult and then attempting to recruit customers

[@eldritchyarnbeing3295]

i gotta say you did an amazing job impersonating a pastor, i was sent to a school that was more of a cult than a school and that beginning skit was so familiar it actually made my anxiety spike up lmao.

[@argusfleibeit1165]

Authoritarian combined with religion can be a real source of PTSD. If they get you like that as a child, it can be very hard to resist "leaders" like that as an adult. The way Evangelicals grabbed onto Trump is not hard to see.

[@sunnystreet4950]

The fact that you just referenced Caitlin Doughty from Ask a Mortician just made my whole day! You two are my favorite KZbin channels and are always trying to be objective and compassionate with all the knowledge you guys give us. You’re awesome!

[@teaandtypewriters2913]

Same!!!

[@rosekay5031]

Hello deathlings 💀

[@westernoutdoors7736]

I yelled BRUH after he glossed over “some of the men submitted to castration” without any reaction 😭

[@albertancanucklehead4063]

That was my exact reaction too 😆

[@JanjayTrollface]

LMAO! and then goes on with '...they were fairly innocuous.' And yeah, I cherry-picked this part of the sentence to take it out of its context but it still made me lose my shit when he said it *8 )

[@TrickOrRetreat]

Always make me clinch 😳

[@jakethegreatest473]

He was doing a huge info dump

[@sammyjo8935]

SAME! But I went "daf*q?".

[@auroraasleep]

I had a friend who followed Applewhite and she fully intended to hop on the space ship; she had her shoes & her track suit. Her family pulled her out and put her under watch until the comet was gone. She was broken hearted that she got left behind and never really forgave her family.

[@NilesChamberland]

It's honestly not fair that you haven't passed a million yet. Your content has always been consistently awesome and you've been doing it for so long. You genuinely deserve all the praise for what you do. You're one of the KZbin greats.

[@agentorangecb1]

He's at 1m now

[@MKwildout]

@@agentorangecb1 I think he know this

[@floofnoodle]

no offense intended, but you nailed the creepy cult leader look with the slick hair and no beard

[@BRBTechTalk]

It scares me how good Joe is at being a preacher of Zoe, I almost broke out my PayPal wallet.

[@TrickOrRetreat]

Bow to zoe, infidel 🤗

[@homerg2724]

🖖🏻

[@timothybarthel8738]

Amen!!

[@PinkSwan146]

🤣😂😅😂🤣

[@newbirth35]

I’m old enough to remember watching news coverage of Jonestown. Some people committed suicide. Some tried to flee and were brought back and forced to drink.

[@JJs_playground]

Joe really looked like a pastor. I'm surprised he didn't mention scientology.

[@fighteer1]

Mentioning Scientology in this context gets you a visit from the gods of law, wearing fancy suits. Law. Suits. Get it?

[@AmyAnnLand]

Scientology is one of the truly despicable cults of today, but what John said can be true: David Miscavige, their leader, will sometimes take action against criticism from "suppressive persons" (SP's) or non believers. Scientologists have connections to the IRS, the US government and other influential people within society with the most famous being Tom Cruise. Their lower ranking members are subject to forced labor, isolation from friends and family as well as other methods of exploitation. You can read about all their despicable treatment from former members like Leah Remini. Even Charles Manson converted to Scientology while incarcerated before declaring it "too crazy".

[@JJs_playground]

@@AmyAnnLand ya, I've seen the interviews with Leah, I'm glad she got away and is speaking out against them.

[@AZOffRoadster]

Or Mormonism. Or Abrahamic religions in general.

[@ilkkarautio2449]

Im not. They silence the critics almost as fast as jihadists. It reminds me of this really good psychology channel, were people ask for (non*)diagnosis *for legal reasons. And people like Jesus, Muhammed or L Ron Hubbard are often asked but they never will get a diagnosis because it would be suicidal. I think that most people know this, but still hope that some day they get one anyway. 🤔

[@stewartmeetball3417]

This was a real well done documentary on cults. You've a talent bringing the darkness out in too the light.

[@A-Duck]

That whole preacher bit was, and I cannot stress this enough, _too real._ Even with the pug.

[@pointlessopinion611]

I was thinking that too, but everyone under the bible belt, like me, have heard countless evangelicals that are so stereotypical that it almost feels like a joke.

[@macklinillustration]

I agree, but she's a French-bulldog 😊

[@robinsmith8846]

I am nearly convinced Joe grew up listening to preachers????

[@MrAweeze]

That Jonestown shit is the real deal. Chills at work unloading packages at UPS and its literally 91+ degrees.

[@jon6969]

That opening was fuckin awesome 👏 I didn’t know love until I accepted the lord Zoe into my heart. ‘Begins chanting’

[@randomsandwichian]

*Chants in baby babbles*

[@lorn4867]

🐕❤️

[@rosstube]

Being familiar with most of these cults, I almost didn't watch this-- but the last few minutes of this video is very profound MUST-WATCH level stuff. Thank you for doing a master job at the end gently warning viewers of the many roads of no return our cognitive biases can lead us down. We all fall into those to different degrees over our lifetimes. Hopefully, most most of us stuck in such down-spirals can pull out of them over time before any fatal crashes. "The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life"-- Muhammad Ali

[@nenmaster5218]

Professor Dave Explains and Telltale do the Best Cult-Coverage on YT. They’re well worth checking out. But if we expand this to the blood-related Issue of Anti-Science and Science-Denial, not only Professor Dave coverin Frauds and Quacks but many Others come to mind that i wanna warmly invite you to watch: Sci Man Dan, Prophet of Zod, Hbomberguy, UpisnotJump.

[@Zilkenian_Davenport]

I still remember the fear of cults back in the 90's. I was a kid back then, and my mother would always warn me about people telling me weird stuff and inviting me to join them. I was really afraid of finding someone who would all of sudden invite me somewhere, because my mother and everyone else were not shy of talking about possible death.

[@pervertedbananaa.k.a.nanne9347]

Now that ur not a kid anymore n are now an adult would you like to join my cult I mean religion? We worship bananas its perfectly safe we just ask for a donation for the rest of ur life easy peasy wanna join?

[@Zilkenian_Davenport]

@@pervertedbananaa.k.a.nanne9347 I'm allergic to bananas....

[@nicholashylton6857]

@@pervertedbananaa.k.a.nanne9347 Praise be to Monsanto, who will send armies of clone Cavendish bananas (and corporate lobbyists) to punish unbelievers.

[@xminusone1]

That's because they were rampants on the early internet. And what happened with the heaven's gates cult and Waco back then. I'm 49 and remember it quite vividly.

[@ArtII2Long]

Poor dog, so much responsibility.

[@alexforce9]

People are so damn desparate to be special and in a strong community group, that they will follow just about anybody that tells them they are unique and loved.

[@Mrjim6986]

And the funny part is their creator not only tells them that very thing, but shows them every singe day of their life if only they have eyes to see and ears to hear. When you wake each day it's your universe and what you make of it is entirely on you, if you choose to have an awesome day you will, but the inverse is also true, so be careful of your intentions and conscious thoughts ;-)

[@KBXband]

Social media has definitely fueled that fire. TikTok for instance has brought out the stupid in people. KZbin too but in its heyday of the early to mid 2010s. Welcome to the show. The LOOK AT ME show.

[@MegaBanne]

I think people missunderstand cults if they look at them as purely negative. Some cults are and they should be taken serious. But most cults do not end up in youtube videos. Because they are just a bunch of people getting together and doing fun shit together. I play in a student orchestra here in sweden. In contrast to most other countries, student orchestras here can be very cult like. We have traditions, official clothing, rituals, clear identities and stuff. We function like a cult without the toxic aspects to it. I guess we have a problem with being pushy when it comes to alcohol. But we try to work on that lol. The thing is that many people are drawn to social movements based around their interests. Often it doesn't even have to be any specific theme. Feeling like you belong to a group of loving friends is enough. It is very much part of human nature and is the reason why you have religions in the first place. What I mean is that we need to understand the human nature of cults. Because the bad cults are often run by people who knows how to exploit that human nature.

[@bodhisattva9762]

Just like religions?

[@MegaBanne]

@@bodhisattva9762 Cults are what larger religions call smaller religions as insults. The catholic church is one of the worlds largest cults. The CCP is probably the second largest.

[@funkyfreak97]

I've heard the full story of Jonestown several times, and it's always sad. Such a pointless loss of life and innocence, all for one man's ego.

[@5280ryan]

I normally don't have patience for long crazy intros....but this was so well done I watched it twice. Amazing channel Joe. Thanks for all your hard work!

[@merrybadendingz]

WHY WAS JOE SO GOOD AT THAT

[@erinpeterson3202]

i listened to a podcast about the heavens gate cult that featured quite a bit of audio and written material from within the cult itself. what struck me most was how genuinely happy the people were. they had a full conviction in these beliefs and truly did not think they were dying, simply passing on to the next stage of their lives. it was, without a doubt a cult, but lacked much of the menace and malice that you find in incidents such as jonestown. jonestown victims were scared and horrified, heavens gate victims were not. it really threw into perspective our perceptions of cults vs religions. if mainstream christianity did something similar, it wouldnt be viewed as murder the way heavens gate was. really made me question my own perceptions of cults and religion. it also made me really question my own beliefs on free will. these people unequivocally wanted to die as a part of their religious beliefs, who are we to stop them? but on the other hand, they were manipulated into believing that. is that murder? i was left with more questions than answers to be honest

[@ConnorHammond]

Intention and sanity levels fluctuate, but there aint much difference between any of the core beliefs. Brought up a Christian, I believed Morman's where a cult, but they probably believed the opposite to be true. Now it's sad for me to see friends and family continuing down that path.

[@NJbldragon]

I feel like the crime 'manslaughter' applies regardless of their intent. If they kill someone, they gotta face consequences for their actions.

[@clairestrickland5140]

I can't help but think of the bit where he said some of the men were castrated. Doesn't seem that harmless.

[@glenn6583]

That is murder!

[@MikeHunt-ix2xy]

All religion is a Cult it's a bunch of horseshit. But it's legal extortion.

[@benkenobi834]

As someone who was in a cult for 6 years of my childhood. I want to warn y’all that not al cults have a leader. The main indicator of a cult is an us vs them mindset.

[@David_P132]

This.

[@rclooper2843]

Gender ideology

[@tb4544]

@@rclooper2843 It's the biggest cult operating right now.

[@QueerBootlace]

​@tb4544 oh do shut up 😂

[@NeverUseAnApostrophe]

​@@rclooper2843there is no us vs. them mentality about proper healthcare and gaining respect.

[@GilbertoRuiz95]

"I've been involved in a number of cults, both as a leader and a follower. You have more fun as a follower, but you make more money as a leader" -Creed Bratton

[@mandosandradios]

Now that is funny.

[@CoryTaylor904]

ROFL creed is the best.

[@KevinScandinavia]

Creed didn’t say much but when he did it was pure gold 😂

[@atohms]

That scene/dialogue was golden indeed ;)

[@therealhellkitty5388]

Thank Dog I’m an introvert… I hate crowds and, having survived an abusive narcissist spouse, I’m very wary of mind control techniques.

[@Pepesmall]

Calling it mind control instead of persuasion both sounds crazy, and is probably actually more accurate. It's like misleading an AI with weird tricks