Exploring New ReligionsBloomsbury Publishing, 1999 M12 1 - 416 pages An objective, well-researched history of contemporary new religions and cults.New religious movements - popularly known as cults - arouse strong public opinion and most books on the subject are polemical, giving hostile reaction rather than informed exploration. Exploring New Religions provides an account of a wide variety of new religions, focusing on their origins, beliefs and practices, which are set out in a dispassionate way, leaving readers to form their own value judgements. George Chryssides provides important analysis of the killer cults-the Jonestown People's Temple, Waco, the Solar Temple and Heaven's Gate-examining the factors that made their followers willing to die for their cause. Older groups like the Jehovah's Witnesses and Latter-day Saints (Mormons) are discussed, and Chryssides traces the development of a variety of strands of spirituality, ranging from New Thought, Spiritualism and Theosophy. Subsequent chapters include the Baha'i, the Family (formerly Children of God), the Hare Krishna movement (ISKCON), the Jesus Army, the Rastafarians, the Church of Scientology, Transcendental Meditation (TM) and the Unification Church ('the Moonies'). Lower profile groups are also discussed including: EST (Erhard Seminar Training), the New Kadampa Tradition, Brahma Kumaris, Sai Baba, Subud and the Western Buddhist Order. A study of the New Age phenomenon, and an account of societal responses to new religions at religious, societal and political levels is also included. |
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Page 17
... marriage Blessing . However , in sociological terms , there is a tendency towards ' institutionalization ' ; what starts out as a loosely organized move- ment , often centred around a charismatic leader , becomes a structured ...
... marriage Blessing . However , in sociological terms , there is a tendency towards ' institutionalization ' ; what starts out as a loosely organized move- ment , often centred around a charismatic leader , becomes a structured ...
Page 20
... marriage arrangements . ISKCON has called into question conventional Hindu attitudes to caste , by attributing to the Bhagavad Gita the teaching that the original four varnas referred to societal function rather than to social status ...
... marriage arrangements . ISKCON has called into question conventional Hindu attitudes to caste , by attributing to the Bhagavad Gita the teaching that the original four varnas referred to societal function rather than to social status ...
Page 35
... married Marceline Baldwin , a white Methodist , who encouraged him in his campaign for racial justice . ( Some reports of Jones state that Marceline was descended from Cherokee Indians , enabling Jones to claim that his family were ' bi ...
... married Marceline Baldwin , a white Methodist , who encouraged him in his campaign for racial justice . ( Some reports of Jones state that Marceline was descended from Cherokee Indians , enabling Jones to claim that his family were ' bi ...
Page 47
... married name of Ellen G. White ( 1827-1915 ) , an accredited prophet within the Adventist movement . White had a series of visions concerning the events leading up to the end . One important teaching was that of ' progressive truth ...
... married name of Ellen G. White ( 1827-1915 ) , an accredited prophet within the Adventist movement . White had a series of visions concerning the events leading up to the end . One important teaching was that of ' progressive truth ...
Page 52
... married Rachel Jones , the daughter of Perry Jones , Ben Roden's chief assistant ; she was only fourteen at the time . A meeting was convened in 1984 to try to resolve matters , but it proved to be fruitless . In the end George Roden ...
... married Rachel Jones , the daughter of Perry Jones , Ben Roden's chief assistant ; she was only fourteen at the time . A meeting was convened in 1984 to try to resolve matters , but it proved to be fruitless . In the end George Roden ...
Contents
1 | |
33 | |
77 | |
4 The New Christian movements | 120 |
5 New religions in the Hindu tradition | 164 |
6 New forms of Buddhism | 204 |
7 Independent new religions | 244 |
8 The Human Potential Movement | 278 |
9 New Age witchcraft and Paganism | 315 |
10 The countercult movement | 342 |
Statistical data | 366 |
Compendium | 370 |
Bibliography | 377 |
Index | 392 |
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Common terms and phrases
anti-cult Applewhite avatar Baba Baba's Baha'i Baha'u'llah baptism became become believed Bible body Brahma Kumaris Britain Buddha Buddhism ceremony Christ Chryssides Church of Scientology claim counter-cult cult Dalai Lama death devotees Dianetics disciples divine doctrines Dorje Shugden Erhard evangelical example existence faith Family Findhorn followers founder-leader Glastonbury God's gohonzons groups Hindu Hinduism Holy human important ISKCON Jehovah's Witnesses Jesus Army Jesus Fellowship Church Jones Jonestown Jouret known Krishna latihan Latter-day Saints leader lifestyle living Maharishi mainstream Christianity Mambro mantra marriage means meditation membership messiah mind mission Mormon Nichiren Nichiren Shoshu NRMs offer one's organization original Osho physical powers Prabhupada practice priesthood problems prophet Rajneesh Rastafarians regarded relationship religion religious movements Revelation Sangharakshita sannyasins scripture sect seminars sexual Society Soka Gakkai Solar Temple soul spiritual Subud Subuh taught teachings Tibetan tradition truth Unification Church Wicca worship