Cult Following

The Extreme Sects That Capture Our Imaginations – and Take Over Our Lives

by J.W. Ocker

Synopsis

Have you ever wondered how ordinary people end up enmeshed in extreme cults? Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about history’s most notorious cults—and the psychology of the people who join them—is packed into this accessible, engaging volume. Walk in the footsteps of those who were lured into such sinister groups as:

Branch Davidians: This cult was waiting out the apocalypse when the FBI infamously raided their compound in Waco, Texas.
Los Narcosatánicos: This group of drug traffickers in 1980s Mexico committed human sacrifice and believed their leader had magic powers.
Breatharianism: Breatharians believe that humans can live on air alone, and their founder claimed to have gone without food for seventeen years.
NXIVM: This twenty-first-century cult attracted Hollywood actresses and engaged in sex trafficking, forced labor, and racketeering under the guise of personal development seminars.
Heaven’s Gate: The Heaven’s Gate UFO cult ended in the suicide of thirty-nine members who believed they would ascent to a spaceship after death.

In this fascinating collection, weird history expert J. W. Ocker sheds light on the terrifying attraction of cults, demonstrating the elasticity of belief, the desperateness of belonging, and the tragedy of trust.

Overall Rating

4/5

Quick Take

I am a big fan of J.W. Ocker’s The United States of Cryptids, so I was very honored when I was offered an advanced reading copy of Cult Following! This book came out on September 10, 2024, and it is an excellent resource.

Tell Me More

The book is divided by types of beliefs (including the search for truth, protection, purpose, salvation, and betterment) while providing short histories for a wide range of cults that have existed over time. I enjoyed reading Ocker’s introduction and epilogue, especially his mention of how due to tough personal circumstances, he was able to understand the allure of cults and the promises they suggest. He did an excellent job of explaining that people don’t set out to join “cults,” they tend to seek communities where they will feel accepted and important, and the development of cults are built on that premise. They generally rely on the trust of their followers, while using and abusing it.

While I knew about quite a few of the cults presented, I was happy to see the addition of cults that aren’t as well known. This provided a great selection of new information and made me want to look further into many of them. Ocker did well to not include filler, and focused on the necessary information for each group.

However, I do have to bring this up. It felt that for some of the cults, instead of providing unbiased information, there was a “mocking” tone that bothered me. While those of us who are not a part of cults may find them silly or ridiculous, those who were involved have a completely different experience. This brings me to the Branch Davidians. I feel that I need to bring this up considering they are the first cult mentioned in the synopsis.

If you have known me for any amount of time, you may know how passionate I am about the tragedy that occurred at Waco. Back in 2020, I had the honor of interviewing David Thibodeau – the author of the book that inspired the limited series – which led me to getting to talk to the remaining survivors, attend their yearly memorials for the lives of those who were lost, write a piece on the PTSD that they still live with, and connect with Clive Doyle before his passing in 2022. In no way do I condone the actions of David Karesh, but I do have a problem with the political aspects of the siege itself, and the lies that have been told due to government involvement. The book that was referenced in the back of Cult Following on Waco (Waco: David Koresh, the Branch Davidians, and a Legacy of Rage) is not a reliable resource and was heavily influenced by government bias. I am including slides here featuring both David and Clive’s books as suggested reading instead, because they were there, and I tend to trust the survivors of such tragedies over the stories the media tells. Clive’s book is hard to track down, but a lot of his story is on the survivor’s website, listed below.

Overall, this is a great resource for learning the basic facts on a plethora of different cults, and why it can be so easy to become a part of them. Ocker presented the information well and in a concise manner. I would just advise everyone to take the information on each cult with a grain of salt and urge you to pursue your own research before making assumptions. Misinformation runs rampant when it comes to cults in general.

*Thank you to Quirk Books for the ARC!