Defensive? Perhaps that comes from being viciously slandered and libeled for 4 decades (starting from when I became politically aware in the very early '70s; heck, I'm old enough to remember when the "scientific consensus" was that the earth was entering an ice age and it was axiomatic it all our fault). This brush is broadly used against everyone on "the right"; to bring it back to this discussion and e.g. the impression flohofwoe got as a teenager behind the Iron Curtain in the '80s, by supporting and voting for Reagan we demonstrated a desire to kill those behind it in nuclear hellfire.

Based on my knowledge of the right, I did't know of any such "sect", your language explicitly said there's a specific group of "crazy people" with this set of beliefs. Except you can't identify any of them besides your father, and no one can claim complete clarity in viewing their parents.