BEIJING - In a horrendous video that has shocked China, six members of an evil cult beat a woman to death at a McDonald's restaurant, prompting public calls to severely punish the perpetrators.

In a cyber age when people have seen pretty much everything, the video spread through the Chinese Internet due to the unusually cruel nature of the crime.

The victim was struck to the last bit of her life, simply because she refused to give her phone number to the six cult members who were trying to recruit her. Emergency responders arrived within four minutes of being notified, but could no longer save her.

The audacity of the cult members to terrorize their victim at a McDonald's, a chain frequented by average Chinese, further racked people's nerves.

No wonder there were tears, fear and anger from the public, who demanded appropriate sentencing for responsible parties and speedy justice for the victim.

But the video depicted only one of the horrifying episodes that evil cults have brought in China.

The six suspects, now in police custody, belong to a cult group called Quannengshen, or "Almighty God." Like the more infamous Falun Gong, it is one of a number of evil cults banned by Chinese authorities.

The various evil cults have taken a heavy toll on China, destroying property, claiming lives and threatening social stability.

Unlike legitimate religions, they preach fallacies and breach laws, with their leaders and core members, who have little background in orthodox religions, seeking to enrich themselves at whatever costs.

In response, the authorities crack down on them, aiming to prevent tragedies just like this one, in accordance with Chinese laws and the wishes of Chinese citizens.

Over the years, however, the crackdown has been characterized by certain foreign detractors as oppression or persecution. The horrendous video, and subsequent overwhelming outcry from the public, proved otherwise.