5 Spiritual Gurus Who Exerted a Negative Influence on Their Followers

There have been many spiritual gurus throughout history who have had a negative influence on their followers. While some of these gurus may have had good intentions, their methods often resulted in chaos and destruction. In this blog, we will explore five of the most notorious spiritual gurus who exerted a negative influence on their followers.

1:  Jim Jones

Jim Jones was the founder of the Peoples Temple, a religious cult based in San Francisco. In 1978, Jones led his followers to Guyana, where they established a commune called Jonestown. Tragically, Jonestown became the site of a mass murder-suicide when 918 people died after drinking poison at Jones’s direction.

2:  David Koresh

David Koresh was the leader of the Branch Davidians, a religious sect based in Waco, Texas. In 1993, Koresh and his followers became involved in a standoff with the FBI and ATF. The standoff ended when the compound caught fire, resulting in the deaths of 76 people, including Koresh.

3:  Shoko Asahara

Shoko Asahara was the founder of Aum Shinrikyo, a Japanese religious cult. In 1995, cult members carried out a deadly sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system. The attack killed 13 people and injured over 6,000 others.

4:  Warren Jeffs

Warren Jeffs was the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), a Mormon splinter group. In 2006, Jeffs was convicted of sexual assault for marrying and raping two underage girls who were his followers. He is currently serving a life sentence in prison.

5:  Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez

Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez was a follower of conspiracy theorist Glenn Beck. In 2011, Ortega-Hernandez opened fire on the U.S. Capitol building, resulting in damage but no injuries. He was later arrested and convicted of several felony charges.

These are just a few examples of spiritual gurus who have exerted a negative influence on their followers. It is important to be critical of anyone who claims to have spiritual knowledge and to research their teachings before following them blindly.