Authorities search Calif. for 13 from 'cult-like' sect; families believe are 'brainwashed'

Sept. 19, 2010 - Police are looking for a "cult-like" group of El Salvadoran immigrants that has disappeared from Palmdale, California. Thirteen people are missing, including children as young as three. A purse left behind contained letters that indicated they would soon see Jesus and their dead relatives in heaven.

Source: Fox

Significance of False Christs and False Teachers in Prophecy

A History of False Prophecies

Source: Watchman.org

The Man Who Claims To Be Jesus

September 12, 2006 - Puerto Rican-born Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda presides over a world-wide movement that believes he is God -the second coming of Jesus Christ. From South Florida Miranda leads his followers, mostly Hispanic, in a different gospel, the "freedom to indulge" because he teaches that there is no sin, no devil and no hell to pay. The church is called "Creciendo en Gracia" or Growing in Grace Ministry.

Source: CBS4

Outside Montreal, Raelians have their base: UFOland

Dec. 3, 2002 - The Raelian sect is associated with Clonaid, which claims responsibility for inspiring production of the first human clone.. The Raelian headquarters includes a campground and museum, and a sign in bold neon-green letters that says "UFOLand." It has tear-shaped buildings, designed to evoke the form of alien spacecraft, and a billboard stating, in French and English: ``The Messiah is Alive Amongst Us.''

Source:The Miami Herald (Story no longer online)

Horseback 'Jesus' gathers his flock

Aug. 19, 2002 - Sergei Torop, known to his followers as Vissarion, came by horseback to the Siberian hamlet of Petropavlovka, near the border of Mongolia, to deliver his annual address to thousands of Russians who believe he is Jesus.

Dressed in flowing red velvet robes and sporting long dark hair, Vissarion has appeared before his growing band of followers every year on the anniversary of his revelation in 1989 that he was Christ returned.

Source:Sydney Morning Herald

Jesus of Siberia

May 24, 2002 - In Siberia, Sergei Torop, who was a traffic cop in a small Russian town, now claims to be Jesus Christ, and actually has thousands of followers.

Vissarion Christ - the Teacher, as he is known to his thousands of disciples, who are convinced that he is the reincarnation of Jesus of Nazareth, come back to earth to save the world.

Source:Guardian Unlimited

Prince Charles 'the winged hero'

Mar. 6, 2002 - A winged statue of Prince Charles will be erected in the remote town of Palmas in Brazil. The artist who is creating the statue gave a small model of the work of art to the prince himself during a visit to the area.

Explaining its significance, Tacantins state governor Jose Wilson Sequeira Campos said: "It is Prince Charles saving the world".

Source:BBC

Satan is still alive and well on planet Earth

Jan. 23, 2002 - Hal Lindsey comments on the rise of the occult, Satanism and demonic activity since the '60's to the present time. A recent case in Germany involving pure Satanic worship and ritual murder by a couple who claimed to be vampires, demonstrates how advanced this evil is in our days.

“And the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons … and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts” (Rev. 9:20-21 NASB).

Source: WorldNetDaily

Grim evidence of worst cult slaughter

Mar. 29, 2000 - According to this update of the Uganda suicides and killings, the death toll could reach 1000 for cult followers who were persuaded by their leaders to hand over their possessions in preparation for the end of the world. Several mass graves add to the total killed in the recent fire.

Source: News Unlimited

Special Report on Uganda Cult Suicides

Mar. 20, 2000 - Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God - Doomsday Cult

Source: BBC

Mass Suicide by Uganda Cult

Mar. 20, 2000 - Among the stories emerging from last Friday's apparent mass suicide, BBC reports Police among Uganda cult dead. The article says, "Officials estimate that up to 500 people died in the blaze at the headquarters of the Restoration of theTen Commandments of God cult on Friday."

The cult, with roots in Roman Catholicism, was led by former opposition politician Joseph Kibweteere, who was reported to have told his followers to sell their possessions and prepare to go to heaven.

Itinerant preacher woos Americans

Feb. 16, 2000 - A wandering preacher, dressed in a white robe, and calling himself "What's Your Name," is preaching in Hazelton, PA. Thousands are flocking to hear what he has to say. [ He may or may not be a false Christ -- we don't know enough of the story yet -- but this illustrates the willingness of people to follow an unusual charismatic leader.]

Source: BBC News

Holy Land overwhelmed with 'Messiahs'

Dec. 24, 1999 - As many as 40,000 cases of "Jerusalem Syndrome" are expected in Israel during the holidays this year. This is usually a short-lived condition which convinces thousands of tourists they are Jesus or another biblical figure.

Some people, like Ernest Moch from California continue to play their roles and even attract followers. Moch believes he is Elijah the Prophet

Source: BBC

World to end next week!
Don't Believe Nostadamus!

June 29, 1999 -

According to a prophesy of Nostradamus, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse will wreak their destruction in July 1999 - next Sunday, to be precise - and many millennial pessimists believe it. Have we really got five days left to live? asks Nigel Farndale

Many interpreters of Nostradamus' vague prophecies think he fortold the beginning of a third world war, and the coming of a "King of Terror" (Antichrist) as soon as this coming Sunday (July 4th), and as late as August 11th of this year.

Source: Electronic Telegraph (Story no longer online)

Nostradamus is considered a false prophet by most orthodox Christian scholars. His purposely vague quatrains can be made to mean most anything, and attempts to fortell the future by interpreting his writings have resulted in consistent failure. In any case, Nostradamus, or any other source of prophecy should not be put on a level with the Bible!

'Virgin Mary Message' Drawing Thousands To Georgia

Oct. 13, 1998 - This is the day 100,000 people are expected to hear a "final message" from the Virgin Mary. It is the anniversary of the Fatima Vision, and Nancy Fowler, who claims to have been receiving messages from Mary for some time believes she will receive the last one today. Source: Excite/ Reuters (Story no longer online)

God Didn't Show Up in Garland, Texas

Mar. 25, 1998 - A Taiwanese group was disappointed today when God didn't miraculously appear on television to confirm that spaceships would come for them this coming March 31st. Hon-Ming Chen, the spiritual leader of the group admitted that he was wrong, and that his followers could disregard what he had said before. His predictions include a nuclear holocaust in 1999. It appears that some of his followers still have faith in him. (Source: Yahoo/ Reuters)

Police Thwart Doomsday Group Mass Suicide

Jan. 8, 1998 - Details are sparce, but a group of 30 people which may be tied to the Solar Temple Cult were arrested by police in Spain before they could carry out plans for a mass suicide at the summit of Tenerife's Teide volcano. They believed they would be carried away by a spacecraft.

Source: Yahoo (Story no longer online)

"Kundun" Movie About The Dalai Lama

Dec. 25, 1997 - This epic movie about the Dalai Lama of Tibet, the spiritual leader of millions of people around the world, chronicles his life and exile from Tibet. It is directed by Martin Scorsese, the confused genius who brought us "The Last Temptation Of Christ." Kundun means "The Presence." (Story no longer online)

UFO Cult Denies Suicidal Tendencies

Dec. 24, 1997 - God's Salvation Church, a cult similar to the Heaven's Gate group is gathering in Garland Texas. They claim that one of the children in the group is a reincarnation of Jesus Christ. They believe that God will arrive in a spaceship on March 31.

Source: Washington Post (Story no longer online)

Sun Myung Moon Conducts Another Mass Marriage

Who's The True Lord Of The Second Advent? Dec. 1, 1997 - Rev. Sun Myung Moon claims to have conducted a mass blessing of 39.6 million (including 36 million couples who were reaffirming their vows). Leaders from six major religions helped in the ceremony. They represented Hinduism, Islam, the Orthodox Church, Buddhism, Sikhs and Roman Catholics.

Week End News Today (Story no longer online)

Unification Movement Home Page

Maitreya

November, 1997 - See the new section on Maitreya . Things are really heating up!

A Successor To David Koresh?

An anonymous author has been introduced in the "Seven Seals" site. The editor of the site evidently considers this author " The Chosen Vessel of the Remaining Bride." who is to continue the revelation started by David Koresh of The Branch Davidians.

In their Chronology, David Koresh is depicted as the "later day Lamb" and Elijah who died building The New Jerusalem at Waco on April 19, 1993. Christianity is portrayed as the Babylonian Beast and Christendom is the Mark of The Beast. According to them The New Jerusalem is a spaceship which will leave Earth before the final plague destroys the earth by the lake (flood) of fire. (5/15/97) Source: Seven Seals (Story no longer online)

Heaven's Gate

"Do" (Marshall Applewhite) of the Heaven's Gate UFO Cult was apparently considered a reincarnation of Christ (or another being like Christ) by his followers. This information has been taken off the Internet, but it was, originally at http://www.spacestar.net/029375/book/6-9.htm. We have a copy of their poster of June 20, 1994, which said that the end of the age is here, and that "HE'S BACK,." It also said that he was the one the world had hated and killed before.

Those who read the poster were encouraged to, "Leave All Behind" and Go with Them - or Take Your Chances."

The poster explained that they were of a super-human species with their own modes of travel - UFOs. It invited the reader to join an accelerated "classroom", to gather a crew to exit in spacecrafts, or "clouds of light." See more information about this group under "Terrors In The Heavens." 3/28/97

Update 2008 - Heaven's Gate - Wikipedia

Links

Apologetics Central

Apologetics Links - Includes info on Cults, Sects, false teaching.

Apologetics Index- Info on cults, etc.

Cults on the Internet - ex-cult Archives

GotQuestions.org

Who is the false prophet of the end times?

A History of False Prophecies

Study: False Teachers - Bob Deffinbaugh