Lots of these "cults" are evil & money grabbing by the leaders duping the gullible e.g.
Jonestown - Wikipedia where almost a thousand commited or were forced to commit suicide!
&
Waco siege - Wikipedia Where almost 80 died.
As Marx said religion is the opiate of the people, especially for the gullible & needy and much seems to originate in the middle east, ... Judaism, Christianity & Islam and their various offshoots, much be something in the water there!
I mean can you imagine today if some nutter came along & claimed a burning bush spoke to him or he could walk on water etc, etc. he'd be locked up in a secure nuthouse before you could blink!!