The Illuminated

Why do people believe or want to believe? What is religion and what is organised religion? Are all new religious movements dangerous? These questions are discussed in this brief introduction to the series.

Israelvisie, Israel Vision, does not refer to a specific church, but rather a religious movement spreading through Afrikaans communities. Through social media and informal gatherings, the movement gains momentum.

Scientologists are well known throughout the world for their unconventional beliefs, continuous allegations of abuse and secrecy. We peak behind the curtain to see what Scientology is.

The Christ in Me Collective has drawn a lot of attention in recent years. The purportedly Christian church has been accused of cult-like behaviour, high control of its members and financial misconduct.

Are some institutionalised practices across a myriad of corporate companies, cult-like? We investigate network marketing, integrated medicine and leadership workshops as potential culprits.

KwaSizabantu is a mission station in KwaZulu-Natal with considerable commercial activities. But the mission station is widely criticised after numerous allegations of abuse and fraud were published.

The New Evangelical Movement has gained substantial traction throughout South Africa and world, but many of the churches attached to the movement have been publicly criticised.

In 2018, two deadly shoot-outs between police and members of a mysterious church exposed a dark world of manipulation, exploitation and violence in the heart of rural Eastern Cape.

A small religious group operates in the Overberg under the guise of antiques and second-hand goods. Ex-members speak of love-bombing turned into rebuking and a life of submission and fear.

A young woman's search for meaning leads her into the arms of a master manipulator with messianic delusions, who convinces her and her brother to commit a heinous act in the name of God.