History Main / ReligionOfEvil

* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'':
** Throughout the series in general, the various Daedric Cults qualify. While not technically illegal in most of Tamriel, the cultists are seen as misguided at best and dangerous lunatics at worst. While there are certainly a few [[GoodIsNotNice good if not always nice]] Daedric Princes to worship, most are quite malevolent ([[BlueAndOrangeMorality at least from the point of view of mortals]]). Voluntarily worshiping JerkassGods who govern spheres such as Rape, Destruction, and Betrayal can definitely be seen as this when the main alternative religion is a SaintlyChurch. Most who choose Daedra worship do so for the immediate, tangible rewards the Princes offer in comparison to the Aedra worshiped by the church of the Divines, who prefer [[HaveYouSeenMyGod a lighter touch when interacting with the mortal world]].
** The Dark Brotherhood, an illegal [[MurderInc organization of assassins]] whose membership mostly takes a [[PsychoForHire sadistic glee]] in killing, double as a cult dedicated to the worship the primeval embodiment of chaos, Sithis.

*** [[BigBad Dagoth]] [[PhysicalGod Ur's]] Sixth House Cult is seen as this by outsiders. In particular, the [[CorruptChurch Tribunal Temple]] sees them as deranged and mutated heretics who will be killed on sight.

** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'': The Mythic Dawn, a cult led by the BigBad, who, among other things, require you to offer 'red drink' to Mehrunes Dagon (the god they worship) in order to join. Though they started off closer to a PathOfInspiration style cult, they make the jump to this trope once their [[ApocalypseCult true intentions]] are revealed.

* The D∴G Cult from the ''VideoGame/TrailsSeries'', first mentioned in the [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsFromZeroAndTrailsToAzure Crossbell arc]], are a particularly depraved example: they're a secret cult that denies the existence of [[MotherGoddess Aidios]], they have knowledge of demon-summoning, and they created a FantasticDrug. They're also known to [[WouldHurtAChild kidnap children]] (mostly young girls) as young as ''5'' in order to [[ForScience experiment on them]], torture them, straight up ritually mutilating and murdering them and, in one particularly infamous case, rent out their victims to child brothels for some extra cash. ''Holy. Crap''. Thankfully, an international investigation took down most of their lodges and members before the start of the series, though some remnants remained. It should also be noted that the series generally doesn't go ''this'' dark, except when the Cult is involved.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'': Okay, sure, the Cult of Kefka is composed of people who have had their homes and possessions reduced to dust, friends and families slaughtered through DeathFromAbove and world ruined by Kefka, and worshipping him is the only way you're allowed to keep your miserable life, so they're more ''The Church of Woobies'' than anything else, but really now; worshipping him (and being willing to go as far as to fight for him in order to escape his judgement) really isn't going to make it better.

** In ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'', the Altruists are a cult of older men living in a fortified compound in the mountains of Blaine County. Their website in-game (based on the real-life website for the Heaven's Gate cult) contains a lengthy screed written in Morse code in which they worship and extol the [[UsefulNotes/TheBabyBoom Baby Boom generation]] as the saviors of humanity, condemn [[LuddWasRight modern technology]] (especially clothing) and everybody under the age of 40, and preach that [[ImAHumanitarian consuming the flesh of the young]] can help the old reclaim their youth. Trevor, who's characterized throughout the game as an [[AxCrazy unhinged psychopath]], can [[HostileHitchhiker pick up lost hitchhikers]] and, instead of taking them to their intended destinations, can drive them to the Altruists' compound to be sacrificed and eaten in exchange for a thousand dollars, [[spoiler:until the fourth such delivery when they [[HoistByHisOwnPetard turn on Trevor and try to sacrifice him too]], forcing Trevor to fight his way out (and loot their weapons and cash along the way). After that, their compound is abandoned, implying that Trevor destroyed the cult, with news reports saying that it was a [[SuicidePact mass suicide]].]]

** In ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'', the Altruists are a cult of older men living in a fortified compound in the mountains of Blaine County. Their website in-game (based on the real-life website for the Heaven's Gate cult) contains a lengthy screed written in Morse code in which they worship and extol the [[UsefulNotes/TheBabyBoom Baby Boom generation]] as the saviors of humanity, condemn [[LuddWasRight modern technology]] (especially clothing) and everybody under the age of 40, and preach that [[ImAHumanitarian consuming the flesh of the young]] can help the old live forever. Trevor can pick up lost hitchhikers and, instead of taking them to their intended destinations, can instead drive them to the Altruists' compound to be sacrificed and eaten in exchange for a thousand dollars, [[spoiler:until the fourth such delivery when they [[HoistByHisOwnPetard turn on Trevor and try to sacrifice him too]], forcing Trevor to fight his way out (and loot their weapons and cash along the way). After that, their compound is abandoned.]]

** In ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'', the Altruists are a cult of older men living in a fortified compound in the mountains of Blaine County. Their website in-game (based on the real-life website for the Heaven's Gate cult) contains a lengthy screed written in Morse code in which they worship and extol the [[UsefulNotes/TheBabyBoom Baby Boom generation]] as the saviors of humanity, condemn [[LuddWasRight modern technology]] (especially clothing) and everybody under the age of 40, and preach that [[ImAHumanitarian consuming the flesh of the young]] can help the old live forever. Trevor can pick up lost hitchhikers and, instead of taking them to their intended destinations, can instead drive them to the Altruists' compound where they'll be sacrificed and eaten in exchange for a thousand dollars, [[spoiler:until the fourth such delivery when they [[HoistByHisOwnPetard turn on Trevor and try to sacrifice him too]], forcing Trevor to fight his way out (and loot their weapons and cash along the way). After that, their compound is abandoned.]]

[[noreallife]]Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease. This is a ''very'' controversial subject and likely to invoke edit wars. It is sufficient to say that certain features of the Religion of Evil can be found in historical religions of human history, either because of human error, context (including a lack of), etc. Moreover, there has never been a (mainstream) religion ''intentionally'' aiming at worshipping evil gods, with historical examples of GodOfEvil having people worshipping ''against'' them (most notably [[Myth/EgyptianMythology Apep]]).

[[noreallife]]Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease [[note]]We know you Website/{{Reddit}} [[RageAgainstTheHeavens atheist]] [[HollywoodAtheist types]] are just itching to say "AllOfThem".[[/note]] This is a ''very'' controversial subject and likely to invoke edit wars. It is sufficient to say that certain features of the Religion of Evil can be found in historical religions of human history, either because of human error, context (including a lack of), etc. Moreover, there has never been a (mainstream) religion ''intentionally'' aiming at worshipping evil gods, with historical examples of GodOfEvil having people worshipping ''against'' them (most notably [[Myth/EgyptianMythology Apep]]).

* ''VideoGame/LikeADragonInfiniteWealth'' has one as a key plot element: [[spoiler:Palekana, a religious organization operating in Honolulu. Outwardly, they are beloved for their outreach programs, feeding the homeless and taking in orphans. In secret, however, they hold a frightening amount of sway over Hawaii: children who are designated as "Haku" are sent to Nele Island, where the group's leader, Bryce Fairchild, indoctrinates them, has them undergo plastic surgery when they come of age, and inserts them as spies in not only Honolulu's criminal syndicates, but in positions of power at all levels, in the police, in business, even in the government. So great is the level of control Bryce has over these pawns that they are willing to ''die'' to protect him.]]

** ''[[ComicBook/DCPride2022 DC Pride: Tim Drake Special]]'': The Children of Dionysus are a Gotham based cult that is enamored with Dionysus' chaos aspect and kidnaps teenagers to beat them and then cut out their hearts in human sacrifices. They notably only kidnap teens who are caught asking questions about them.

* ''Film/ThePurge'': While it's not created as a religion, The Purge takes on a religious connotation to its supporters, down to some even saying a blessing to the [[GreaterScopeVillain New Founding Fathers of America]] before purging someone. ''Election Year'' shows that members of that political party actually hold a Purge Mass during the night, in which they kidnap several low class people to kill them in front of the altar one at a time. ArcWords for the franchise also include "Release the beast in our souls" and "God Bless America", to further play up the religiousness of those in favor of it.

* In R.S Belcher's ''The Brotherhood of the Wheel'', there are various serial killer packs. One of these is the Zodiac Lodge. The serial killers of the Zodiac Lodge believe they'll personally go to a Paradise after death regardless of what they've done and that every person they kill will become a personal slave of theirs in the afterlife. So they really want to rack up their body counts.

* With ''Fanfic/WarboundWidow'' the Church of the Mirthful Messiahs are this. They range from outright murdering millions of trolls and aliens a year [[ForTheEvulz For the Evulz]] to stringing up trolls above giant vats and draining them of blood while they're still alive for their paintings, along with their belief system towards causing a galactic apocalypse once they harvest enough souls to summon their Messiahs.

* In ''VideoGame/BountyHunter'', we have the Bando Gora, a cult of drug-addicted, brainwashed, zombie-like followers who wear animal skulls over their faces and possess GlowingEyesOfDoom. They live on a graveyard moon and are lead by an insane, dark Jedi whose only purpose is to spread her drug and indoctrinate more people into her cult to serve as her slaves.