Throughout history, many have tried to predict the end of the world, but none have been correct. Despite numerous failed prophecies, some groups have remained steadfast in their beliefs. Let’s explore some of the most notable doomsday cults of the 20th century.
The Movement For The Restoration Of The Ten Commandments Of God
Founded in 1989 by Credonia Mwerinde and Joseph Kibwetere, this Ugandan cult believed the world would end on December 31, 1999, unless people strictly followed the Ten Commandments. Believers engaged in nightly prayers, abstained from worldly pleasures, and communicated via sign language. Their headquarters, Noah’s Ark, was designated as the place for the Second Coming.
When the initial prediction failed, the date was moved to March 17, 2000. On that day, an explosion destroyed their church, revealing numerous bodies buried beneath and in mass graves. At least 338 people perished in this tragic event.
Church Universal And Triumphant
In 1986, Elizabeth Clare Prophet, known as “Mother” to her followers, established a retreat in Livingston, Montana. She claimed that the world was being consumed by dark energy and envisioned the ranch as a haven for her followers to live off the land after the impending apocalypse.
Prophet predicted a nuclear apocalypse would occur on March 14, 1990. Leading up to this date, the group acquired 30,000 acres of land, stockpiled weapons, and filled underground tanks with fuel. Despite their preparations and prayers, the world did not end as predicted. Prophet stepped down as leader in 1996 and later revealed her diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s.
God’s Salvation Church
Hon-Ming Chen, in 1992, claimed to have received a divine message instructing him to dedicate his life to religion. He believed North America was the “Pureland of God” and that only the US would be safe during the End Times. Chen and his followers relocated from Taiwan to Garland, Texas. Chen sought a messiah in Vancouver, Canada, described as a 28-year-old man who was 6’0″ tall and resembled Abraham Lincoln, but no such person was found.
By September 1997, Chen prepared for God’s arrival at a specific address in Garland, Texas, on March 31, 1998. When God failed to appear, Chen moved the date, relocated to Olcott, New York, and began preaching that nuclear war would end the world in 1999. These predictions also proved false.
Heaven’s Gate
Heaven’s Gate, led by Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles (Bo and Peep), gained notoriety for its tragic end. Applewhite, after a heart attack in 1972, became convinced that Nettles was one of the witnesses of the Book of Revelation’s apocalypse. They taught what they called “God’s astronaut program.”
The group ended in a mass suicide on March 26, 1997, as members believed they would ascend to a spaceship trailing the Comet Hale-Bopp. Two former members, Mark and Sarah King, maintained the cult’s web design company, Higher Source, keeping their website active.
The Order Of The Solar Temple
Founded in 1986 by Joseph Di Mambro and Luc Jouret, the Order of the Solar Temple preached that Quebec was the only city that would survive the coming apocalypse. Members believed they were spiritual beings temporarily inhabiting human bodies to warn of the imminent end.
Tony Dutoit, a member, exposed fraudulent visions and financial misuse within the cult, leading to splintering and accusations that Dutoit’s baby was the Antichrist. On October 4, 1994, Dutoit, his wife, and infant son were murdered by cult members. Mass suicides followed in cult-owned homes, revealing more tragic deaths over the next few years.
Dami Mission
Pastor Lee Jang Rim of the Dami Mission in South Korea convinced around 20,000 people that the Rapture would occur on October 28, 1992. A month before the predicted date, Rim was arrested on fraud charges. Nonetheless, approximately 1,000 people gathered at the mission’s Seoul headquarters to await the end.
Numerous followers quit their jobs, destroyed their possessions, divorced, and gave up their children. Some even committed suicide in anticipation of the Rapture. After his prison term, Rim, now known as Lee Dap-gye, started another church but ceased giving specific dates for the end of the world.
Established King
Founded in 1988, “Established King” was led by Wu Yangming, who preached in rural China that he was sent to Earth in place of Christ after the resurrection. He proclaimed that his arrival signaled the end of the world. Wu taught that only believers would be saved and encouraged members to overthrow “Satan’s rule,” referring to the Communist Party.
Controversy arose when Wu mandated celibacy for his followers, except for sexual relations with him, which he claimed offered “God’s salvation.” Following accusations from underage girls, Wu was convicted and sentenced to death.
The Seekers
Dorothy Martin claimed to receive messages from aliens known as the Guardians, prophesying a major flood on December 21, 1954. She and her followers, known as The Seekers, were instructed to remove all metal items and prepare to board flying saucers that would rescue them from apocalyptic disasters.
Despite repeated prophecies, no UFOs arrived. The cult’s failed attempts provided valuable insights for scientists and researchers studying the psychological impact of disconfirmed prophecies on cults.
Concerned Christians
Monte Kim Miller founded Concerned Christians in 1985, initially blending Christianity with New Age spirituality before condemning mainstream groups. By the 1990s, they preached about the impending end of the world. Miller predicted that Denver would be struck by an earthquake on October 10, 1998, signaling the apocalypse.
Believing he was one of the two witnesses in Revelation, Miller asserted he would be killed in Jerusalem in December 1999 and resurrected three days later. When the earthquake did not occur, rumors spread that the cult planned a catastrophic event in Israel. Members were arrested and deported in 1999 and subsequently avoided external communication.
Elohim City
Elohim City, founded by Robert Millar, held extreme views, with connections to the KKK, neo-Nazis, Timothy McVeigh, and the Aryan Republican Army. Their doctrine depicted Jews as children of Satan and non-white races as subhuman. Millar foresaw an apocalypse in August 1999, with “Asiatics” invading the United States and a race war ensuing.
Millar predicted Jews would face dire consequences for their supposed deal with the Devil. Despite the failed prophecy and Millar’s death, Elohim City continues under his son’s leadership.
These doomsday cults, though varied in their beliefs and practices, share a common thread of predicting the world’s end. Their failed prophecies serve as cautionary tales, highlighting the dangers of unwavering belief in the face of disconfirming evidence.
What do you think drives people to join such groups? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
