Definitions Cults, Sects Etc

1. Beliefs in Society
Religious organisations
Access 2008

2. Religion
•Religion
–belief in a divine or superhuman power or
powers to be obeyed and worshiped as the
creator(s) and ruler(s) of the universe
–expression of such a belief in conduct and
ritual
•Examples of religious groups:
Christianity; Buddhism; Islam; Sikhism.

3. SECTS
•a religious body or denomination, esp. a small
group that has broken away from an
established church
•any group of people having a common
leadership, set of opinions, philosophical
doctrine, political principles, etc., specif. a
faction of a larger group.
‘Fanatics have their dreams, wherewith
they weave a paradise for a sect.’
—Keats,John

4. CULTS
CULT:
•a system of religious worship or ritual
•a quasi-religious group, often living in a
colony, with a charismatic leader who
indoctrinates members with unorthodox
or extremist views, practices, or beliefs

5. What is a Cult?
•Every cult can be defined as a group having all of the
following five characteristics:
•1. It uses psychological coercion to recruit, indoctrinate
and retain its members
•2. It forms an elitist totalitarian society.
•3. Its founder leader is self-appointed, dogmatic,
messianic, not accountable and has charisma.
•4. It believes 'the end justifies the means' in order to solicit
funds and recruit people.
•5. Its wealth does not benefit its members or society.

6. Types of Cults
Appear to offer association with a
group giving courses in some
kind of self improvement or self
help technique or therapy.
Appear to offer association with a group
interested in making the world a better
place via political, spiritual or other
means.
Registered as 'non profit making'
groups.
Registered as religious groups.
Average age at the point of
recruitment is in the mid 30's
Average age at the point of recruitment is
in the 20's.
Members usually stay in society's
workforce.
Members may leave or not join society's
workforce.
Communal Living rare.Communal living common.
Therapy CultsReligious Cults

7. Are Cults Harmful?
•To remain within the strict mental and social confines of a cult for
even a short time can have the following disastrous effects:
•Loss of choice and free will.
•Diminished intellectual ability, vocabulary and sense of humour.
•Reduced use of irony, abstractions and metaphors.
•Reduced capacity to form flexible and intimate relationships.
•Poor judgement.
•Physical deterioration.
•Malnutrition.
•Hallucinations, panic, dissociation, guilt, identity diffusion and
paranoia.
•Neurotic, psychotic or suicidal tendencies.
Source: Cult Information Centre, London

8. Denominations
•A large group of religious congregations
united under a common faith and name
and organized under a single
administrative and legal hierarchy.
•Examples: Methodist; Catholic;
Presbyterian

9. NEW AGE MOVEMENTS
•Movement that spread through occult
communities in the 1970s and '80s. It looked
forward to a "New Age" of love and peace and
offered a foretaste of the coming era through
personal transformation and healing. The
movement's strongest supporters were followers
of esotericism, a religious perspective based on
the acquisition of mystical knowledge. At its
height, the movement attracted millions of
Americans, who practiced astrology, yoga, and
channeling and used crystals as healing tools.