Congregation for the Light

A very secretive and elite UFO cult whose members are undergoing weapons training in preparation for an upcoming apocalypse

1960s - present

Former member holding an owl, one of their secret symbols. The owl represents the fact that they are always being watched and symbols like this must be present on every single piece of artwork or trinket in their homes.

The Congregation for the Light is a highly secretive "cult next door" operating for decades while remaining almost entirely undetected by neighbors. Members trace its origins back to the 19th century when a husband and wife simultaneously had the same dream that taught them various religious truths. Since then, the cult has endured under various leaders, who teach that members had been connected in previous lives and collectively descended from a master race that lived on Atlantis.

Due to the highly secretive nature of this cult, little information is known. According to former members and investigative journalists, the cult comprises elite and wealthy individuals who adopt its New Age beliefs. They follow strict rules to isolate themselves from outside influence, endure abuse from the leaders and are currently training with weapons for an upcoming apocalypse. However, since the presence of this cult was first reported in the media, they moved to a different area, further protecting themselves from the public eye.

In many ways, this cult is eerily similar to the Order of the Solar Temple, a secretive suicide cult comprised of elite members of society. However, due to the mysterious nature of this organization, it is difficult to know what their future holds or any danger they might pose.

Religion: New Age

Founder: "The Wyeths" (according to tradition)

Founded: as late as the 1960's, possibly as early as the 19th century

Size: 200

Location: Harrison, New York, United States (most well known location was in Manhattan, but they sold that property and moved in December 2017)

Also called: The Light

Abusive

A former member claims to have post-traumatic stress disorder because of the organization (source)
Additional members have alleged physical, sexual, and psychological abuse (source)

Anti-Education

People are told to sacrifice their education to maintain their attendance at religious gatherings (source)
Most women are not allowed to pursue higher education (source)

Anti-Medicine

Taught that illness was not the result of bad habits, genetics, or environment, but the result of karma (source)
Members didn't get dental work done, believing that there was no point since the world was about to end (source)
Opposed to psychotherapy and psychiatry, including therapy and medication (source)

Conspiracy Theorists

Promotes a belief in Atlantis (source)

Doomsday

Followers have undergone weapons training to prepare for the imminent end of the world (source)

View of their inconspicuous Manhattan headquarters, before they relocated

Hate Group

Believes members are descended from a master Aryan race that lived in Atlantis (source)
Members strongly condemn and use hateful rhetoric against homosexuals (source)

Secretive

Members are not allowed to take notes during sermons (source)
The cult keeps virtually all of its beliefs and practices hidden from the outside world (source)

Tom Baer, the cult's leader as of 2014

Separation from World

Leader Joseph Denton tried banning the internet and some TV (source)
Members are not allowed to associate with non-members (source)

UFO Cult

Taught that, after the apocalypse, members would be reincarnated on the planet "Nay," where they would have no stomachs and would all have the same gender (source)

Unable to Leave

Taught that they would be "subjected to evil" if they left the organization (source)

Other info:

Encourages corporal punishment (source)
Believes it was possible to battle evil people in lucid dreams (source)
No sacred texts, although they do have oral traditions (source)
Believes that there was an ancient race of blue people who had been wiped out (source)
Believes that children aren't fully human until they are teenagers (source)
Believes that if a child dies before his 13th birthday, it is because he committed suicide in a previous life (source)
Members are only allowed to vacation in August (source)
Not allowed to have any decorations that do not contain the cult's sacred symbols (source)
No one in the group is allowed to read the teachings independently but must go to the leader for any questions (source)

Other tags:

Arranged Marriages

Shunning