What are Cults, What is the Occult?

Individuals raised in highly controlling or high-demand environments, including some religious, spiritual, or ideological groups, may find it difficult to recognize behaviors they perceive as harmful or coercive. In some situations, practices that are considered normal within a group may cause confusion, fear, isolation, or a loss of personal autonomy for certain individuals.

If you have experienced these challenges, your concerns and experiences deserve to be heard and taken seriously. No one should feel pressured, threatened, intimidated, or deprived of their ability to make informed decisions about their own life, relationships, beliefs, or well-being. Research and survivor accounts have shown that harmful dynamics can occur in a wide variety of environments when authority is exercised without accountability, dissent is discouraged, or individuals are subjected to manipulation, coercion, or undue influence. IGA’s focus is not on any particular belief system, but on supporting individuals who report experiencing harm and helping them access information, resources, and appropriate support.

Be Aware

If you believe you have experienced, witnessed, or become aware of activities associated with a cult, occult-related group, or high-control organization, please feel free to contact us. Our team includes experienced advocates and investigators who approach these matters with compassion, professionalism, and discretion, and may be able to assist in evaluating your concerns and identifying appropriate next steps.

Below is a collection of publicly available court documents, government investigations, academic resources, and news reporting concerning organizations that have been described by researchers, former members, journalists, courts, or government agencies as cults, high-control groups, or coercive organizations. Inclusion in this library does not constitute a legal finding regarding any organization and is provided for educational and research purposes only.

A CULT

A cult isn’t defined by what a group believes, but by how a group behaves.

A group shifts into cultic territory when it controls personal autonomy (thoughts, choices, relationships) or discourages questioning or independent thinking. It uses fear, shame, or isolation to maintain loyalty and prioritizes the group’s authority over individual well-being.

In short, a cult is any organization, religious or not, that demands obedience at the cost of personal freedom and personal safety. Some of the most notorious cults act as though they promote safety from the rest of the world, while hiding in plain sight.

This definition keeps the focus where it belongs: on harmful structures and behaviors, not on belief systems themselves.

Noteworthy links to Definitions of Cults

Noteworthy links to Cult like behaviour

Noteworthy links to Cases of officially listed Cults

The BITE Model by Dr. Steven Hassan

FreedomOfMind.com

B

BEHAVIOR Control is when someone tells you:

  • What to wear
  • Who you’re allowed to talk to
  • Who you can date or marry
  • What you can watch, read, or listen to
  • How much sleep, service, or "spiritual activity" is acceptable
  • What kind of job is allowed
  • When and how often you must attend meetings or service

Behavior control is the regulation of a member’s daily life to increase obedience and dependence on the group. It can include rules about clothing, food, sleep, money, work, relationships, and routines.

These demands are often presented as discipline or virtue, but they reduce personal autonomy.

I

INFORMATION Control can sound like:

  • "Don’t read anything critical of us."
  • "Avoid former members; they’re dangerous."
  • "Only use our approved websites or literature."
  • "Worldly sources can’t be trusted."

Information control means limiting what members can know, read, hear, or discuss. Groups may discourage outside sources, isolate members from critics or ex-members, distort facts, or promote an approved version of reality.

This creates an information bubble that makes independent judgment harder.

T

THOUGHT control shows up when the religion:

  • Teaches you their language or slogans to replace your natural thinking
  • Trains you to shut down "wrong" ideas instantly
  • Says critical thinking is sinful, rebellious, or influenced by evil
  • Makes you feel guilty for having normal human doubts
  • Tells you that the group’s teachings are the only truth

Thought control shapes how members think and interpret the world. It often relies on black-and-white thinking, loaded language, and teachings that label doubt as weakness or wrongdoing.

Over time, members may learn to distrust their own reasoning whenever it conflicts with the group.

E

EMOTIONAL Control looks like:

  • Fear of losing your family if you leave
  • Guilt for not doing enough
  • Shame for normal mistakes
  • Anxiety about "the world," outsiders, or your own mind
  • Feeling unworthy unless you’re perfectly obedient
  • Emotional highs when you comply
  • Emotional punishment when you question

Emotional control manipulates feelings to keep members loyal and compliant. Groups may use guilt, shame, fear, or conditional approval to make obedience feel necessary and leaving feel dangerous.

This can tie a person’s self-worth and sense of safety to the group.

The OCCULT

The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus, meaning “hidden” or “secret.” Historically, the term has been used to describe spiritual, mystical, esoteric, or supernatural beliefs and practices that exist outside mainstream religious traditions.

Occult beliefs and practices can include: Esoteric spiritual teachings, Ritual practices, Mysticism, Astrology, Divination, Ceremonial magic, Secret societies and Alternative spiritual traditions. It is important to note that the term “occult” does not inherently imply criminal activity, abuse, or wrongdoing. Most individuals involved in occult or esoteric practices do not engage in illegal conduct. However, some groups that have incorporated occult, spiritual, or mystical teachings have been the subject of criminal investigations, abuse allegations, or documented coercive-control concerns.

Noteworthy links to Definitions of the Occult

Noteworthy links to Occult like behaviour

Noteworthy links to Cases of officially listed Occults

QUICK EXIT