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
Results 1-5 of 42
Page 4
... regarded the church as the dominant form of religion , the established institution which reflects and accommodates the values of the civil society with which it co - exists . Citizens have an almost automatic right to belong to the ...
... regarded the church as the dominant form of religion , the established institution which reflects and accommodates the values of the civil society with which it co - exists . Citizens have an almost automatic right to belong to the ...
Page 9
... regarded as something which is loosely organized , and probably in a relatively undeveloped state of being , prior to its becoming more formally organized as a ' sect ' ( Campbell , 1972 , pp . 119-35 ) . This characterization of the ...
... regarded as something which is loosely organized , and probably in a relatively undeveloped state of being , prior to its becoming more formally organized as a ' sect ' ( Campbell , 1972 , pp . 119-35 ) . This characterization of the ...
Page 13
... regarded as ' new ' . The Unification Church , The Family , the Scientologists and the International Society for Krishna Consciousness are certainly recent ; the Quakers and the Unitarians are certainly not ; and the Latter - day Saints ...
... regarded as ' new ' . The Unification Church , The Family , the Scientologists and the International Society for Krishna Consciousness are certainly recent ; the Quakers and the Unitarians are certainly not ; and the Latter - day Saints ...
Page 19
... regarded as an inauthentic form of Buddhism amongst Buddhists more widely . Not only did Nichiren , their historical founder - leader , regard all other forms of Buddhism as inadequate , but other Buddhists , conversely , often regard ...
... regarded as an inauthentic form of Buddhism amongst Buddhists more widely . Not only did Nichiren , their historical founder - leader , regard all other forms of Buddhism as inadequate , but other Buddhists , conversely , often regard ...
Page 20
... regarded as an unusual expression of Hinduism . The NRM attracts converts from the indigenous culture . Although issues of evangelization tactics , ' recruitment ' and brain- washing have assumed a certain importance in academic study ...
... regarded as an unusual expression of Hinduism . The NRM attracts converts from the indigenous culture . Although issues of evangelization tactics , ' recruitment ' and brain- washing have assumed a certain importance in academic study ...
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