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 3
... teachings that are the driving force of the organization . Even if it were true that many NRMs are headed by a megalomaniac leader whose main interest was personal power or material wealth 3 1 : METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES.
... teachings that are the driving force of the organization . Even if it were true that many NRMs are headed by a megalomaniac leader whose main interest was personal power or material wealth 3 1 : METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES.
Page 4
George D. Chryssides. leader whose main interest was personal power or material wealth , these aims would be unlikely to attract even the most gullible of followers . Those who decide to follow a religion do so because they are impressed ...
George D. Chryssides. leader whose main interest was personal power or material wealth , these aims would be unlikely to attract even the most gullible of followers . Those who decide to follow a religion do so because they are impressed ...
Page 16
... powers that transcend the human realm are invoked and employed . If at times religions may seem to be uninvolved , even unconcerned about suffering in the world , this may be because they are seeking the means to achieve a more radical ...
... powers that transcend the human realm are invoked and employed . If at times religions may seem to be uninvolved , even unconcerned about suffering in the world , this may be because they are seeking the means to achieve a more radical ...
Page 34
... power over them . ( Manson was an anti - establishment ' hippie messiah ' , who ordered his followers to undertake multiple random killings in California . ) The other was the case of Patty Hearst , the daughter of a respectable wealthy ...
... power over them . ( Manson was an anti - establishment ' hippie messiah ' , who ordered his followers to undertake multiple random killings in California . ) The other was the case of Patty Hearst , the daughter of a respectable wealthy ...
Page 38
... powers , claiming psychic abilities , power to heal the sick and even raise the dead , as well as the gift of prophecy . Such pronouncements were based on the belief that Christ's followers would be imbued with the nine gifts of the ...
... powers , claiming psychic abilities , power to heal the sick and even raise the dead , as well as the gift of prophecy . Such pronouncements were based on the belief that Christ's followers would be imbued with the nine gifts of the ...
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