Waubonsee Community College

Comprehending cults, the sociology of new religious movements, Lorne L. Dawson

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 216-257) and index

index present

non fiction

Comprehending cults

bibliography

61526366

Lorne L. Dawson

"Tackling popular stereotypes and media portrayals of new religious movements (NRMs), Lorne Dawson attempts to replace prejudice, misconceptions, and speculation with scholarly insight. Drawing on more than forty years of research conducted by historians, sociologists, and psychologists, he explores how new religious movements develop, who joins them, and why. He also analyzes controversial issues such as the accusations of brainwashing and sexual deviance that are sometimes made against cults; discusses why cults sometimes turn to violence; and examines what NRMs can tell us about the future of religion and culture in North America. The result is a comprehensive, evenhanded introduction to the study of new religious phenomena."--Jacket

the sociology of new religious movements

1. Why study new religious movements? The cults in our midst ; The hostility towards cults ; Box 1. They come in all shapes and sizes ; Responding to the suspicions of the public -- 2. What are new religious movements? Religion and its continuing significance ; Churches, sects, and cults ; Creating a typology of cults ; Box 2. How new religious movements change with success -- 3. Why did new religious movements emerge? Asking the right question first ; New religious movements as a response to cultural change ; Box 3. Three models of cult formation ; New religious movements as an expression of cultural continuity ; Concluding remarks -- 4. Who joins new religious movements and why? The stereotypes ; Getting involved with new religious movements ; The social attributes of those who join ; Box 4. Why are American converts to new religious movements disproportionately Jewish? ; Some reasons for joining -- 5. Are converts to new religious movements 'brainwashed'? The issue and its significance ; The case against the cults ; The case against brainwashing ; Box 5. The active versus passive convert ; Reformulating the issues in the brainwashing debate -- 6. Why are new religious movements so often accused of sexual deviance? Sexual deviance and the cults ; Box 6. Child abuse and the social control of NRMs ; Gender matters -- 7. Why do some new religious movements become violent? Responding to recent 'cult' tragedies ; Apocalyptic beliefs ; Charismatic leadership ; Social encapsulation ; Box 7. Surviving the failure of apocalyptic prophecies ; Concluding remarks -- 8. What is the cultural significance of new religious movements? Our skewed perspective ; Modernism and the new religious movements ; Box 8. Factors affecting the success of NRMs ; Postmodernism and the new religious movements ; NRMs : anti-modern, modern, or postmodern? ; Concluding remarks