logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2023
24m 3s

Why do people join secretive doomsday so...

Al Jazeera
About this episode

The bodies of more than 300 members of a Christian doomsday cult have now been unearthed in Kenya. They're believed to have starved themselves to death. Dozens more are still alive - but refusing to eat. About 5,000 such movements are estimated to exist worldwide. So why do people join these often-secretive societies, and what dangers might they face?

Join host Folly Bah Thibault.

Guests: 

Shipeta Mathias - Rapid response officer at Haki Africa - a rights group that's supporting cult victims in Kenya

Diane Benscoter – A former ‘Moonie’ – a religious movement and founder of Antidote - a non-profit that exposes the dangers of psychological manipulation.

Linda Dubrow-Marshall - Clinical Psychologist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Salford.

 

Up next
Yesterday
Why are millions of workers on strike in India?
Millions of workers go on strike across India. They say new government measures discriminate against them in favour of corporations. It's another outpouring of public anger against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's economic policies. So, how has the country's economy fared under his ... Show More
25m 6s
Jul 7
Has BRICS made a difference on the world stage?
Yet another BRICS summit, this time in Brazil, but with the leaders of two major member-countries staying away. The group has expanded and aims to reform what it calls a western-led global order. But is it still up to that goal? And what difference has it made on the world stage? ... Show More
24m 53s
Jul 6
Why has Iran stepped up its deportation of Afghan refugees?
Why has Iran stepped up its deportation of Afghan refugees? Thousands are being forced to go back to Afghanistan as Tehran tightens controls on immigration. But what's really behind this crackdown? And can Taliban government handle this sudden influx of returnees? In this episode ... Show More
24m 41s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2024
Another Take: Did a Kenyan cult leader convince his followers to die?
Every Saturday, we revisit a story that’s in the news again. This originally aired on May 3, 2023. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed.  In a shocking discovery on a ranch hidden in Kenya’s Shakahola Forest, more than 100 people – inclu ... Show More
23m 5s
Jan 2024
Why is femicide on the rise in Kenya?
Demonstrations have been taking place across Kenya to protest femicide and violence against women. The demonstrations follow the murder of socialite Starlet Wahu and the dismemberment of student Rita Waeni earlier this month. BBC Africa journalist Danai Nesta Kupemba tells us abo ... Show More
11m 9s
Jan 2023
Why are IS attacks against Christians on the rise in Africa?
Dozens of people were killed in a bomb blast at a church in the Democratic Republic of Congo last weekend. In Nigeria, a priest was killed and another was abducted in the last few days. By mid-January, women and children were kidnapped in Burkina Faso. These are just a few of rec ... Show More
13m 25s
Jan 2024
Why do people join TB Joshua-style cults?
"I was so thankful that at my age, at 18, I had discovered this. Grown men were moved to tears… it was a collective state of euphoria."Before his death in 2021, TB Joshua, the TV evangelist and founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations in Lagos, was often seen alongside pres ... Show More
25m 44s
Mar 2022
Why is there secrecy around Kenyan soldiers killed in Somalia?
The militant Islamist group al-Shabab has become synonymous with violence and political instability in Somalia. They have also carried out devastating attacks in surrounding countries. In response, many of Somalia’s neighbours have sent troops to help fight the insurgency. Among ... Show More
18m 3s
Jun 2019
Mohammed Morsi dies
The death of Mohammed Morsi throws into sharp relief the challenges facing modern day Egypt, and the bigger struggle to embrace democracy. Kevin Connolly reflects back on the defining moments of his presidency.Colin Freeman visits a town in the heart of Boko Haram territory in Ni ... Show More
28m 28s
May 2023
Destiny: Rev. Jim Willis, American Cults, Cabal, Corruptions and Charismatic Leaders
America has spawned hundreds of cults. Charismatic leaders periodically burst into the news for the most awful of reasons. We are awash with stories of brainwashed members’ struggles to leave. Meet the messianic leaders, see the indoctrination and manipulation, look at their beli ... Show More
1h 8m
Aug 2021
How has Covid affected our mental health?
Mental health has seldom been a priority for most African governments. So, when the pandemic hit, the few support services available often found themselves overwhelmed. But younger people are using social media to put the topic back on the agenda. How much difference can they mak ... Show More
13m 22s
Mar 2024
Why is Kenya sending troops to Haiti?
Haiti is battling a wave of gang violence. On Sunday armed gangs stormed a major prison in the capital Port-au-Prince. At least 12 people were killed and around 4,000 inmates escaped. The United Nations says the country has reached a critical point, with more than 1,100 people ki ... Show More
13m 6s