New religious movement

Key people

• Lev MitrokhinRussian philosopher (1930-2005)
• Nikolaj Antonovič Trofimčuk
• Liselotte FriskSwedish scholar of religion

Timeline

• 1700Beginning in the 1700s authors in the English-speaking world began introducing members of "cults" as antagonists.
• 1890In the United States, people began to use "cult" in a pejorative manner, to refer to Spiritualism and Christian Science during the 1890s.
• 1930Christian countercult movement In the 1930s, Christian critics of NRMs began referring to them as "cults".
• 1938The 1938 book The Chaos of Cults by Jan Karel van Baalen (1890–1968), an ordained minister in the Christian Reformed Church in North America, was especially influential.
• 1940In the 1940s, Gerald Gardner began to outline the modern pagan religion of Wicca.

Read

• Researching New Religious MovementsElisabeth Arweck · 2004Book
• New religious movementsBryan R. Wilson · 1990Book
• Bibliography of Japanese New Religious MovementsClarke, Peter B. · 2013Book
• Bibliography of New Religious Movements in Primal SocietiesHarold W. Turner · 1977Book

Listen

• Mormon Stories PodcastDr. John DehlinPodcast
• Fair GameLeah Remini & Mike RinderPodcast
• Temples and CovenantsBYU SpeechesPodcast
• Radio Free MormonMormon Discussion IncPodcast

Debates

• Should the term 'cult' be used to describe some New Religious Movements?One view: Yes, 'cult' accurately describes groups with manipulative leaders, isolation, and potential for harm, warning the public. · Another: No, 'cult' is a pejorative term that biases understanding and hinders objective academic study of these groups.Open question
• Are New Religious Movements primarily a sign of societal dysfunction or religious innovation?One view: They often arise from social instability, offering radical alternatives to those disillusioned with mainstream society. · Another: They represent evolving spiritual needs and the natural human drive to create new forms of belief and community.Open question
• Should governments regulate New Religious Movements to protect followers?One view: Yes, regulation is necessary to prevent abuse, financial exploitation, and ensure the safety and well-being of members. · Another: No, government intervention can infringe on religious freedom and may be used to suppress unpopular or minority beliefs.Open question

Glossary

• New Religious Movement (NRM)A religious group that has originated in modern times and is distinct from established religions.
• CultA pejorative term often used to describe NRMs with authoritarian leaders, unusual beliefs, and social isolation.
• SectA smaller group that has broken away from a larger, established religious body, often to adhere more strictly to original principles.
• CharismaA compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion and loyalty in others, often attributed to NRM leaders.
• ProselytizationThe act of attempting to convert people to one's own religion or belief system.
• ApostateA person who has abandoned a religious belief, principle, or cause, often after being a member of an NRM.

Careers

Roles this can lead toward

Threads 4

Where this connects to other fields — and why it's worth knowing.

• Cognitive Biases Psychology

  A cult predicts the world ends Tuesday. Tuesday comes, nothing happens, and instead of quitting, many members believe harder. Being proven wrong creates a painful clash in the mind, and it's often easier to double down than admit you were fooled. Psychologists call that mental squirming dissonance reduction.

• Markets, Competition & Firms Economics

  Strict religions with tough demands, no this, must-do that, actually grow faster than easygoing ones. The high 'price of entry' scares off half-hearted freeloaders, so everyone left is truly committed, which makes belonging to the group more valuable. Being hard to join is a feature, not a bug, like an exclusive club.

• Growth, Scaling, and Going Global Business

  A sociologist named Stark showed that early Christianity spread at roughly 40% per decade, mostly through friends telling friends. Plot that on a graph and it's the exact same swooping curve as a viral app blowing up today. A world-changing religion and a hit phone game grow in surprisingly identical ways: one person, then their friends, then their friends' friends.

• Terrorism and Violent Extremism Global Risks

  Groups that pull people into extremism use the same moves as cults that win converts. First they shower you with love, then cut you off from old friends, then hand you a worldview that has an answer for every doubt. The playbook is old; only the online delivery is new.