wHeRe ArT mIgHt HaPpEn
Contemporary megachurches, cults, and other high-control religious groups as we know them today were birthed of mid-century Los Angeles and Orange Counties.
In Cold War America, an influx of middle-class white midwesterners migrated to Southern California due to the defense industry boom. In the wake of new suburban reliance on cars and highway systems to commute to and from work, church, social activities, etc, megachurches emerged capitalizing on willingness to travel further distances for community.
A sense of the unknown shared future will lead to one of two options; simply fight or flight. While churches and new age cults offer different veneers, they embody a shared fear of unstable culture. Wary midwesterners that had chased a dream Out West became particularly susceptible to the messages of enchanting leaders.
The megachurch boom started in 1955 with the founding of Crystal Cathedral in Anaheim, California, followed shortly thereafter by the opening of Disneyland two miles down the road.
Charismatic leader Walt Disney opened CalArts in Los Angeles County in 1971.
