Illegal Cults
It is very rare for any religious group to be rendered illegal in the United States. This is due to the legal protections provided by the First Amendment freedom of religious exercise protection contained in the Constitution. In essence, the First Amendment protects US citizens from interference in their religious beliefs and practices by the state. However; as with any right, the freedom of religion can be abridged if its exercise would infringe on the rights of others.
As a result, several groups have been made into recognized criminal organizations. This is not a common designation, but it has occurred on occasion, typically after a cult group has been involved with a criminal enterprise. These cults have generally been involved with activities like murder, abduction, statutory rape, or other serious crimes. Often, they hold an illegal activity to be a primary focus of their religious teachings, making adherence to the group’s beliefs a virtual guarantee of grossly illegal activity directly harming others.
