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. |
From inside the book
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Page 2
... attempted to set out the key ideas of a number of NRMs , focusing on their origins , beliefs and practices . Since there are estimated to be some 600 NRMs in Britain alone , and over 2000 in the USA , it would be plainly impossible to ...
... attempted to set out the key ideas of a number of NRMs , focusing on their origins , beliefs and practices . Since there are estimated to be some 600 NRMs in Britain alone , and over 2000 in the USA , it would be plainly impossible to ...
Page 3
... attempted to combine NRMs ' own source material , other academic writing , and whatever counter - cult material helps to shed light on NRMs ' origins , beliefs and practices . This has been supplemented wherever possible with ...
... attempted to combine NRMs ' own source material , other academic writing , and whatever counter - cult material helps to shed light on NRMs ' origins , beliefs and practices . This has been supplemented wherever possible with ...
Page 15
... attempts to define religion . Suffice it to say that our definition must satisfy a number of conditions : it should be a definition that is accredited within the study of religions , it should be non - judgemental and non - arbitrary ...
... attempts to define religion . Suffice it to say that our definition must satisfy a number of conditions : it should be a definition that is accredited within the study of religions , it should be non - judgemental and non - arbitrary ...
Page 16
... attempting to secure the triumph of democracy over communism , then it would indeed be nothing more than a political organization ; however , since it seeks to achieve the restoration and salvation of all humanity , and employs prayer ...
... attempting to secure the triumph of democracy over communism , then it would indeed be nothing more than a political organization ; however , since it seeks to achieve the restoration and salvation of all humanity , and employs prayer ...
Page 28
... attempts to revive the traditional primal religions that existed before the advent of Christian missionaries , while the second combines features of primal religions with Christian missionary elements . Hebraist groups endeavour to ...
... attempts to revive the traditional primal religions that existed before the advent of Christian missionaries , while the second combines features of primal religions with Christian missionary elements . Hebraist groups endeavour to ...
Contents
1 | |
33 | |
3 The old new religions | 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