Scientology is not the only modern faith with ideas that surprise people. Over the past century, many new religious groups have formed around space visitors, satire, mysticism, and fresh readings of old texts.
Some are small, some are playful, and some became controversial. Here are eleven movements and what they teach, explained in a clear and fair way.
1. Raëlism
Picture a religion that says humans were made in a laboratory. That is the central idea of Raëlism, founded in France in 1974 by Claude Vorilhon, who later took the name Raël.
Followers believe that extraterrestrial scientists called the Elohim created life on Earth through advanced genetic work. They see ancient religious stories as misunderstood accounts of these visitors.
The movement focuses on science, peace, and human potential. It has promoted ideas such as cloning and what members call a welcoming embassy for the Elohim.
Raëlism became widely known in 2002 when a related company claimed to have produced a cloned baby, though no proof was ever given.
Members say their goal is to prepare humanity for contact. Critics view the teachings as unproven, while supporters describe them as a modern, science-minded spiritual path.
2. Heaven’s Gate
Few stories from the 1990s remain as sobering as that of Heaven’s Gate. The American group was led by Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles, and it mixed Christian ideas with beliefs about space travel.
Members believed that Earth was about to be recycled. They also taught that a person could move to a higher level of existence, often described as the Next Level, by leaving the human body behind.
In March 1997, thirty-nine members died in a group suicide in California, timed with the arrival of the Hale-Bopp comet. The event shocked the country and led to long discussions about high-control groups.
Today, the case is studied by researchers who look at how belief, isolation, and strong leadership can shape the choices people make.
3. Aetherius Society
Yoga, flying saucers, and world healing might not seem like a natural mix, yet the Aetherius Society blends them. George King founded it in Britain in 1955 after saying he received messages from a being called the Cosmic Master Aetherius.
The society teaches that advanced beings from other planets guide human growth. It also draws from yoga, prayer, and the idea that Jesus and other spiritual teachers have connections to these cosmic leaders.
One well-known practice is called spiritual push. Members gather to direct what they describe as healing energy toward places affected by trouble, using special prayer batteries.
The group also climbs chosen mountains, which it calls holy. Supporters say these acts serve all of humanity, while outside observers see the faith as a distinctive example of space-age spirituality.
4. Unarius Academy of Science
Out in El Cajon, California, a colorful center still welcomes visitors curious about past lives and distant planets. Unarius, short for Universal Articulate Interdimensional Understanding of Science, began in 1954 under Ernest and Ruth Norman.
Teachings center on reincarnation. Students are encouraged to study earlier lives, believing that old emotional struggles can be understood and healed over time.
The group also says that wise beings from other worlds, linked in a kind of space brotherhood, send guidance to Earth. Members prepared for a fleet of ships that they expected to land, though the date passed without such an arrival.
Unarius is known for its bright artwork and films that picture cosmic scenes. Its message blends self-improvement with science fiction imagery, and its small community continues to share it online.
5. Church of the SubGenius
Slack is the main goal here, and a pipe-smoking salesman is the face of the faith. The Church of the SubGenius is a satirical religion that began in Texas in the late 1970s, created by Doug Smith and Steve Wilcox.
Its fictional prophet is J. R.
Bob Dobbs, shown in a 1950s style cartoon. Followers joke about a coming event called X-Day, when alien visitors are said to rescue the faithful.
Members mix humor, art, and sharp commentary about advertising, work, and conformity. The church sells ordainments and holds gatherings called devivals.
Some people see it as pure comedy, while others see a clever way to poke fun at serious movements. Either way, it has influenced zines, music, and cult-style pop culture for decades.
6. Pastafarianism (Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster)
Strainers on heads and pirate costumes might sound like a party, but they are part of a serious point. Pastafarianism began in 2005 when Bobby Henderson wrote an open letter to the Kansas State Board of Education.
He was reacting to a debate about teaching intelligent design in science classes. His letter proposed that equal time be given to a Flying Spaghetti Monster, a made-up deity with noodle arms.
The idea spread quickly. Followers describe pirates as early holy figures, hold pasta dinners, and say a closing word of Ramen.
Supporters use the movement to question special treatment for religion in public life. A few have even tried to wear colanders in official photos, leading to court cases and debates in several countries.
7. Nation of Yahweh
In 1979, a Miami preacher named Hulon Mitchell Jr. introduced himself as Yahweh ben Yahweh. He built the Nation of Yahweh around a distinctive reading of the Bible and the ideas of Black Hebrew Israelites.
Followers wore white robes and believed that Black Americans were the descendants of the biblical Israelites. They also taught that God appears in human form and that members should follow strict study and discipline.
The group ran businesses and community programs in Florida and gained a large following in the 1980s. Prosecutors later linked leaders to violent crimes, and Mitchell was convicted in 1992 on conspiracy charges.
He was released in 2001 and died in 2007. The story is often told as an example of how a faith with community goals can also be tied to harm under certain leaders.
8. The Family International
It started as a youth ministry on the West Coast, during the Jesus movement of the late 1960s. David Berg, called Moses David by followers, founded the group first known as the Children of God.
Members lived together in communal homes, shared money, and sought converts through music and street outreach. Berg wrote letters to guide followers on nearly every topic, and his word carried great weight.
The group became controversial for its teachings about sexuality and for strict authority. Former members and courts raised serious concerns about the care of children, and several governments investigated.
Over time, the movement changed its name and rules, and it later said it had ended some earlier practices. Its history is often used in studies of communal faith groups and the risks of unchecked power.
9. The Church of All Worlds
Some religions begin with ancient scripture, but this one started with a science-fiction book. The Church of All Worlds took inspiration from Robert A.
Heinlein’s 1961 novel Stranger in a Strange Land.
Tim Zell, later known as Oberon Zell, and friends formed the group in 1962 and gained legal recognition in 1968 in the United States. It is often described as one of the first neopagan churches.
Members use the word grok, from the novel, to mean deep understanding. They also share water as a ritual of closeness and say, Thou art God, to remind each other of the divine in all beings.
The church emphasizes nature, community, and care for the Earth, and it has influenced many later pagan and environmental groups.
10. The Order of the Solar Temple
Knightly ceremonies and talk of secret wisdom drew people to this European order. The Order of the Solar Temple was formed in the 1980s by Joseph Di Mambro and Luc Jouret, with roots in older Templar-inspired societies.
Its teachings combined Christian mysticism, occult traditions, and the idea of spiritual transformation. Members took part in robed rituals and believed in a coming change that would lift them to a higher plane.
The group drew attention in 1994 and again in 1995 and 1997, when members died in Switzerland, Canada, and France in events investigated as murders and suicides. In total, around seventy people lost their lives.
The case became a major subject for European police and scholars of new religions. It still serves as a warning about secrecy, pressure, and absolute loyalty to leaders.
11. Happy Science
Books, films, and even a political party are part of this faith’s reach. Happy Science, or Kofuku no Kagaku, was founded in Japan in 1986 by Ryuho Okawa, who said he was the earthly form of a higher being called El Cantare.
Teachings include reincarnation and the belief that spirits can send messages through Okawa. Followers read his huge library of books, which include accounts of conversations with historical figures and spiritual beings.
The movement also holds a wide view of the cosmos, saying that souls and civilizations extend beyond Earth. It promotes self-reflection, service, and positive thinking as paths to a happy life.
Happy Science runs temples in Japan and abroad, and it has made animated films. Okawa died in 2023, and the organization continues to share his writings.
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