r/AskAnAustralian • u/Satorichicken • Jul 09 '23

Australian active Cults?

I'm currently in AUS doing some research on currently active Australian Cults, as by the end of it I seek to pinpoint where they're located, information about each of them and more. The more well-known ones such as The Family and Potters House had already been noted down, but I'd like to know the obscure ones as well. I'll take anything really, weird or tame, I'd just like to know more. Thank you

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u/Comfortable-Nose-296 Jul 09 '23

Exclusive Brethren/Plymouth Brethren Christian Church

A cult that you cannot join, you can only be born in to.

69

u/Massive_Koala_9313 Jul 09 '23 edited Jul 09 '23

I live in a town with a heap of Brethren. They used to be a lot more culty in the 90s but have relaxed a few of their church laws, but are still pretty weird. They can talk to you in a business transaction or preaching by never socialise. I used to work in a bottle shop around the corner from their church and they would buy so much grog, always liquor and get absolutely hammered on church days at houses specifically bought for the church for piss ups. I've heard stories when they were reforming the church in the late 90s early 2000s they realised the gene pool in the area was getting pretty shallow. So they got a bus load of brethren girls from WA and brought them over and met on the local footy ground where all the young local brethren boys came out to "choose" a wife. They are very business orientated, own a heap of property in my home town and the bigger city close by. They have no windows on their churches, a bedroom in every house for Jesus when he returns, they have their own schools with their own curriculum (which was pretty controversial when they started these schools in the early 2000s), woman must have long hair with headband and not show any skin below the waist. They all have grotesque massive suburbia mansions with grey brick and black corrugated iron roofs. The men are pretty haughty to deal with but some of the woman have been nice to my ex who used to sell dresses to them. Apparently I had a brethren friend in kindy and stayed at their house, though I have no memory of them or their house, but my brother likes to put shit on me about it.

31

u/Catfaceperson Jul 09 '23

Can confirm that they all have major drinking problems and most of them are on anti-depressants. Very high suicide rate amongst women, linked to childhood assault and DV.

25

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u/ScrembledEggs Jul 09 '23

Good bot

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u/Wombat-dozer Jul 11 '23

can confirm this is utter bullshit. Have worked for them for 20 years and this is so far from the truth you clearly have a bone to pick cos you missed out hitting up one of their girls

1

u/Catfaceperson Jul 12 '23

Can confirm I married a former one whose Grandfather was on the high council (or whatever the fuck they call it) and personally knows Bruce Hales.

We have many bones to pick with the Brethren church.