Best Religious Cults

"On Saturday night I would see men lusting after halfnaked girls dancing at the carnival, and on Sunday morning when I was playing the organ for tent-show evangelists at the other end of the carnival lot, I would see these same men sitting in the pews with their wives and children, asking God to forgive them and purge them of carnal desires. He had seen the need for a church that would recapture man's body and his carnal desires as objects of celebration. The Satanic Bible is less bible and more philosophy (with a few rituals thrown in to keep us entertained), but this philosophy is the backbone of a religion that, until LaVey entered the scene, was merely a myth of the Christian church.

In this poignant and disturbing memoir of lost innocence, coercion, survival, and healing, Dianne Lake chronicles her years with Charles Manson, revealing for the first time how she became the youngest member of his Family and offering new insights into one of the twentieth century’s most notorious criminals and life as one of his "girls." While much has been written about Charles Manson, this riveting account from an actual Family member is a chilling portrait that recreates in vivid detail one of the most horrifying and fascinating chapters in modern American history. Joining the group with little more than an old note from her hippie parents granting her permission to leave them, the two years that followed were a mixture of sexual manipulation, psychological control, and physical abuse, as the harsh realities and looming darkness of Charles Manson’s true nature revealed themselves to the impressionable teenager. Drawing upon never-before-told stories, Dianne delivers an inside account of how Manson’s paranoid volatility grew over time, mixing dangerously with his con-artist sensibilities and fondness for using physical violence to poison the group, culminating in the final chaotic months before the horrific Tate-LaBianca murders brought the idealism of the 1960s to a stunning conclusion.

In this searing memoir of survival in the spirit of Stolen Innocence , the daughter of Warren Jeffs, the self-proclaimed Prophet of the FLDS Church, takes you deep inside the secretive polygamist Mormon fundamentalist cult run by her family and how she escaped it. Sexually assaulted, compelled into an arranged polygamous marriage, locked away in "houses of hiding" as punishment for perceived transgressions, and physically separated from her children, Rachel, Jeffs’ first plural daughter by his second of more than fifty wives, eventually found the courage to leave the church in 2015. In Breaking Free , Rachel Jeffs offers a stunning look at life inside this notorious cult from the unique perspective of being both the favorite of Warren Jeffs’s more than fifty children and the object of his most depraved “revelations.” Compelled into an arranged polygamous marriage, locked away in “houses of hiding” as punishment for perceived transgressions, and physically separated from her children, Rachel—Jeffs’s first plural daughter by the second of his more than seventy wives—eventually faced a terrible decision: should she stay in this hell, or should she leave everything and everyone she’d ever known?

Brooke Nolan is a battered child who makes an anonymous phone call about the escalating brutality in her home. When social services jeopardize her safety condemning her to keep her father’s secret, it’s a glass of spilled milk at the dinner table that forces her to speak about the cruelty she’s been hiding. When jury members and a love interest congregate to inspire her to fight, she risks losing the support of family and comes to the realization that some people simply do not want to be saved. Several colleges and high schools have incorporated the novel into their lesson plans and I've received tons of feedback from my voracious fans- I knew I needed to come out with a more polished and professional edition that was appropriate for the education system, my fans, and in general. Randis, author of bestselling novel Spilled Milk and thePillbillies series, started journaling at the age of six and had shortstories and poetry published by the time she was thirteen.She is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University and a certifiedexpert in the field of domestic violence. Randis engages audiences on a local and national level to raise awareness about child abuse, serving as a frequent commentator to media outlets.

Brooke Nolan is a battered child who makes an anonymous phone call about the escalating brutality in her home. When social services jeopardize her safety condemning her to keep her father’s secret, it’s a glass of spilled milk at the dinner table that forces her to speak about the cruelty she’s been hiding. When jury members and a love interest congregate to inspire her to fight, she risks losing the support of family and comes to the realization that some people simply do not want to be saved. Several colleges and high schools have incorporated the novel into their lesson plans and I've received tons of feedback from my voracious fans- I knew I needed to come out with a more polished and professional edition that was appropriate for the education system, my fans, and in general. Randis, author of bestselling novel Spilled Milk and thePillbillies series, started journaling at the age of six and had shortstories and poetry published by the time she was thirteen.She is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University and a certifiedexpert in the field of domestic violence. Randis engages audiences on a local and national level to raise awareness about child abuse, serving as a frequent commentator to media outlets.

In this remarkably candid part-memoir, part-history guide, former Witness Lloyd Evans comprehensively explores the religion of his upbringing, charting the organization's metamorphosis from unassuming 19th Century brethren to global brand in the modern age. Evans lays bare the circumstances leading to his "awakening" with startling honesty and reveals how the heartbreaking loss of his mother played a profound role in keeping long-held doubts suppressed. Evans analyzes the role of shunning (disfellowshipping) and the stigmatization of "apostates" in enforcing loyalty among Witnesses, and reflects on the indifference of society in general to human rights violations by high-control groups. -Scott Terry, author of Cowboys, Armageddon and the Truth "Insight only an 'insider' can bring to a subject difficult to understand for those who have never been part of this world, and unthinkable to contemplate for those inside its bubble. -Chris Shelton, author of Scientology: A to Xenu "A compelling and informative window on the world of the Jehovah's Witnesses that will be a vital and life changing resource for former members and many others too in forming an authentic understanding of this group, its beliefs, methods and effects on individuals and families."

Handouts and worksheets are not included in the book; purchasers get access to a Web page where they can download and print all the handouts and worksheets discussed, as well as the teaching notes. See also DBT® Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets, Second Edition , a spiral-bound 8 1/2" x 11" volume containing all of the handouts and worksheets and featuring brief introductions to each module written expressly for clients. Skills trainers and their clients will benefit from Linehan and her colleagues’ decades of systematic research and time spent developing, testing, and refining these skills, empowering practitioners to confidently offer multiple ways of understanding and practicing new behavior. Experienced skills trainers will notice the evolved richness and depth, while the explanations and teaching points will provide new trainers and students with an excellent foundation for skills training with both adults and adolescents. Providing a solid evidence-based foundation for core clinical training curricula, this manual and the accompanying volume of handouts and worksheets will be essential across the mental health disciplines.”--André Ivanoff, PhD, Columbia University School of Social Work. "Mental health professionals--whether or not they use DBT as their major therapeutic orientation--will find the second edition of Linehan's skills training manual and its companion volume of client worksheets and handouts invaluable. The second edition of Linehan's DBT skills training manual and the companion volume of handouts and worksheets reflect two additional decades of wisdom and innovation, further bolstering these indispensable resources." These outstanding second editions offer guidance on how to implement DBT skills training, while providing the tools needed to deliver this state-of-the-art treatment. "I used DBT Skills Training Manual, Second Edition, as a text in my graduate course on cognitive-behavioral/empirically supported therapies. "Since its introduction to the literature over two decades ago, Marsha M. Linehan's skills training manual has revolutionized the treatment of individuals with borderline personality disorder, and also the practice of psychotherapy in general. DBT has been recommended in guidelines of the English National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE)….Ideal for therapists, trainers, and students, the manual can now show the extent to which theory is underpinned by research on outcomes, quoting studies conducted since the publication of the first edition. The rationale for emphasizing particular behavioral skills is given as well as an explanation of how to use the material with clients….The training skills manual, along with the handout and worksheet volume are valuable resources for practicing clinicians in the field of mental health and addictions, whether or not DBT is their main orientation.”.

The 20th anniversary edition of Edwidge Danticat's groundbreaking debut, now an established classic--revised and with a new introduction by the author, and including extensive bonus materials At the age of twelve, Sophie Caco is sent from her impoverished Haitian village to New York to be reunited with a mother she barely remembers. Danticat's elegant, intricate tale wraps readers into the haunting life of a young Haitian girl." It is clear in retrospect that this is a novel whose literary resonance has been profound, one that opened many doors for others—without it, would we have The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao ?” —Barnes and Noble Review. "Danticat has created a stirring tale of life in two worlds: the spirit-rich land of her ancestry, whose painful themes work their way through lives across generational lines, and her adopted country, the United States, where a young immigrant girl must negotiate cold, often hostile terrain, even as she spars with painful demons of her past." — Emerge "A distinctive new voice with a sensitive insight into Haitian culture distinguishes this graceful debut novel . In simple, lyrical prose enriched by an elegiac tone and piquant observations, [Danticat] makes Sophie's confusion and guilt, her difficult assimilation into American culture and her eventual emotional liberation palpably clear."

Each entry includes vivid color photographs for each stone to aid identification and to showcase its beauty, as well as listing its scientific information, its element and chakra correspondences, and the physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits of each stone. The entries conclude with summaries of the spiritual, emotional, and physical healing qualities of the stone, and an affirmation for evoking its potential benefits. “This beautiful and unusual work opened a new and unknown world to me, right under my feet—a realm of qualities and possibilities of which I had known nothing and for which I am the richer.”. —Joseph Chilton Pearce, author of The Crack in the Cosmic Egg, The Biology of Transcendence , and The Death of Religion and the Rebirth of the Spirit. The writing is clear, thoughtful, and easily understood, and the inclusion of scientific data, history, and folklore helps make the book a valuable resource for all those interested in the mineral kingdom.”. —Thom Hartmann, author of The Prophet’s. Way and The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight.

The Christian church has a long tradition of systematic theology, that is, studying theology and doctrine organized around fairly standard categories such as the Word of God, redemption, and Jesus Christ. His Systematic Theology provides the core theology content for all my classes and most of the other undergraduate theology courses at the University. No other theology text combines readability, range of views, and the ever-essential quality of reinforcing our systematic theologies with scripture… Each chapter closes with application questions, special terms, additional bibliography, a cross-section of other systematic texts with page numbers, a passage for memory, and a hymn…all centered on the theology of that chapter.

By the New York Times bestselling author of Manson , the comprehensive, authoritative, and tragic story of preacher Jim Jones, who was responsible for the Jonestown Massacre—the largest murder-suicide in American history. In this riveting narrative, Jeff Guinn examines Jones’s life, from his extramarital affairs, drug use, and fraudulent faith healing to the fraught decision to move almost a thousand of his followers to a settlement in the jungles of Guyana in South America. The level of research and detail in The Road to Jonestown is the best ever, and really lets readers understand not only what happened, but how and why. “Jeff Guinn offers what might be the most complete picture to date of this tragic saga, and of the man who engineered it. The result is a disturbing portrait of evil — and a compassionate memorial to those taken in by Jones’ malign charisma.” (Kevin Canfield The San Francisco Chronicle ). Guinn's exhaustive research, shrewd analysis, and engaging prose illuminate a monstrous yet tragic figure--and the motives of those who lost their souls to him." The book reads like a thriller, each page forcing your attention to the next as the Peoples Temple slowly slides from groundbreaking progressivism toward madness.” (Kevin J. Hamilton Seattle Times ). "A vivid, fascinating revisitation of a time and series of episodes fast receding into history even as their forgotten survivors still walk among us."

In the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy explains the scientific laws behind the teachings and healings of Christ Jesus. She established her church "to commemorate the word and works of our Master, which should reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing."

Based upon Ephesians 5:33 and extensive biblical and psychological research, Dr. Emerson Eggerichs reveals the power of unconditional love and unconditional respect and how husbands and wives can reap the benefits of marriage that God intended. Emerson Eggerichs, PhD, is an internationally known communication expert and author of the New York Times bestseller Love & Respect .

Since its publication in 1947, it has been a beloved and deeply admired monument to the indestructible nature of the human spirit, read by millions of people and translated into more than fifty-five languages. Doubleday, which published the first English translation of the diary in 1952, now offers a new translation that captures Anne's youthful spirit and restores the original material omitted by Anne's father, Otto -- approximately thirty percent of the diary. A beloved classic since its initial publication in 1947, this vivid, insightful journal is a fitting memorial to the gifted Jewish teenager who died at Bergen-Belsen, Germany, in 1945. Her marvelously detailed, engagingly personal entries chronicle 25 trying months of claustrophobic, quarrelsome intimacy with her parents, sister, a second family, and a middle-aged dentist who has little tolerance for Anne's vivacity. The diary's universal appeal stems from its riveting blend of the grubby particulars of life during wartime (scant, bad food; shabby, outgrown clothes that can't be replaced; constant fear of discovery) and candid discussion of emotions familiar to every adolescent (everyone criticizes me, no one sees my real nature, when will I be loved?).