Why do people join cults? How do cults exert such a strong influence over their members' beliefs and even their appearance? These and other questions about the operation of cult groups are answered in this unique book.

The psychological forces that enable cults to exert their intense influence are analysed in detail and with many examples. These forces include social cohesiveness, which has its parallels in the ties that bind family members together; shared beliefs, which set the groups' standards for behaviour; and altered consciousness, which can lead to a rapid change in the attitudes of recruits and members. For this second edition, Galanter has added three new chapters on cult developments of the 1990s -- the Branch Davidians, Aum Shinrikyo, and Heaven's Gate. The books also features 32 new photographs.

A prophetic warning against the foolishness of crusades, John Gray's Black Mass challenges our belief in human progress. Our conventional view of history is wrong. It is founded on a pernicious myth of an achievable utopia that in the last century alone caused the murder of tens of millions. In Black Mass John Gray tears down the religious, political and secular beliefs that we insist are fundamental to the human project, examines the interaction of terrorism, declining world resources, environmental change, human myths of redemption and a flawed belief in Western democracy, and shows us how a misplaced faith in our ability to improve the world has actually made it far worse. 'Brilliant, frightening, devastating' John Banville, Guardian 'A brilliant polemic ... Gray's most powerful argument yet' J.G. Ballard, Guardian, Books of the Year 'Causes vertigo when it does not cause outrage' Sunday Times 'Exhilarating, invigorating' Literary Review 'Savage. Gray raises profound and valid doubts about the conventional "plot" of modern history' Financial Times 'A load of bollocks ... could hardly be more bonkers if it was crawling with lizards' Sunday Telegraph John Gray has been Professor of Politics at Oxford University, Visiting Professor at Harvard and Yale and Professor of European Thought at the London School of Economics. His books include False Dawn: The Delusions of Global Capitalism, Straw Dogs: Thoughts on Humans and Other Animals and The Immortalization Commission: The Strange Quest to Cheat Death. His selected writings, Gray's Anatomy, was published in 2009.

New Religious Movements (NRMs) came into being as a distinct subfield of academic study in the 1970s in response to the explosion of non-traditional religions that took place in the waning years of the Sixties counterculture. (The designation 'New Religion' is a direct translation of a Japanese term coined for the many new religions that emerged in the wake of the Second World War, and was adopted by Western scholars in the late Sixties/early Seventies in preference to the pejorative term 'cult'.) These movements, and those termed 'sects' and 'cults', initially attracted the attention of American and European sociologists of religion because of the controversy that arose in response to their expansion. Religious Studies, which at the time was still in the process of establishing itself as a legitimate discipline distinct from Theology and traditional Biblical Studies, was only too happy to leave NRMs to Sociology. This situation gradually changed, however, so that at present at least as many scholars of NRMs come from Religious Studies backgrounds as come from the social sciences. The collection consists of four volumes which together provide a one-stop source for crucial information on-and theoretical/methodological approaches to-contemporary New Religions. The set brings together thinking on a wide variety of themes associated with NRMs (e.g. apocalypticism, typologies, conversion, gender) and major works on the NRMs that have attracted the most scholarly attention (e.g. the 'Moonies', The Family International, Osho Rajneesh). Some influential 'anti-cult' articles (normally not considered part of mainstream scholarship) have also been included as well. Sects, Cults, and New Religions is fully indexed and includes a comprehensive introduction, newly written by the editor, and is destined to be valued as a vital research resource.

Essays In Occultism, Spiritism, And Demonology by Dean W. R. Harris 1919

Psychiatrists are in a unique position to understand the personalities, needs, and motivations of cult leaders and followers. This report assumes that unique vantage point in its review of the cult phenomenon. What are the psychiatric attributes of cult leaders and followers? Why do individuals join cults? Can cults play a constructive role in an individual's life? And how can psychiatrists help family and friends deal with cult members? Supported by numerous references, this report presents statistics and colorful descriptions of American cults and their effect on those who embrace them.

The Sathya Sai global civil religious movement incorporates Hindu and Muslim practices, Buddhist, Christian, and Zoroastrian influences, and "New Age"-style rituals and beliefs. Shri Sathya Sai Baba, its charismatic and controversial leader, attracts several million adherents from various national, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. In a dynamic account of the Sathya Sai movement's explosive growth, "Winged Faith" argues for a rethinking of globalization and the politics of identity in a religiously plural world.

This study considers a new kind of cosmopolitanism located in an alternate understanding of difference and contestation. It considers how acts of "sacred spectating" and illusion, "moral stakeholding" and the problems of community are debated and experienced. A thrilling study of a transcultural and transurban phenomenon that questions narratives of self and being, circuits of sacred mobility, and the politics of affect, "Winged Faith" suggests new methods for discussing religion in a globalizing world and introduces readers to an easily critiqued yet not fully understood community.

An exploration of the shock tactics and radical teachings of "crazy-wise adepts, holy fools and rascal gurus" - the cult religious leaders who challenge our commonsense views of reality and norms of conduct. This book explores this universal dimension of spirituality in a blend of history, philosophy, theology and first-person accounts. Here are Fools for Christ, sitting naked on garbage heaps, eccentric Zen masters baffling their students with beatings and belly laughs and enigmatic spritual clowns like Gurdjieff and Aleister Crowley.

We know that Urban isn't just a place but a culture now. Followers of Jesus face many challenges to their faith, among them the rising influence of contemporary cults, alternative theologies, and ethical issues that challenge traditionally held beliefs and practices. Urban Apologetics: Cults and Cultural Ideologies, is a follow-up to the bestselling Urban Apologetics, and it provides a guide to addressing these challenges with grace and wisdom. In addition, throughout the book are short essays by leaders in the church sharing their convictions on successful ministry and reflection on today’s challenges in light of the past. This all-new volume addresses several of today's most-talked-about issues, including: Jehovah Witnesses The Prosperity Gospel Black Liberation theology LGBTQ+ Issues Critical Race Theory (CRT) White Nationalism Faith Deconstruction Edited by Dr. Eric Mason and featuring a top-notch lineup of contributors such as Anthony Bradley, Brandon Washington, and Thabiti Anyabwile, Urban Apologetics: Cults and Cultural Ideologies equips pastors, churches, and everyday believers to engage the most common ethical, biblical, and theological challenges faced by Christians and the church today.

Containing discoveries heralded as greater than the
wheel or fire, Dianetics has remained a bestseller
for more than 50 years. And with over 20 million
copies in print, generating a movement that spans
virtually every country on Earth, it's indisputably
the most widely read and influential book ever written about
the human mind.
Here is the anatomy and full description of the Reactive Mind,
the previously unknown source of nightmares, unreasonable fears,
upsets and insecurities which enslave Man. This book shows you
how to get rid of it, and so achieve something Man has previously
only dreamed of: the State of Clear.
Among the discoveries herein:
- The Goal of Man
- The Dynamic Principle of Existence -- the one word that
motivates all living things
- The Four Dynamics -- the drives upon which all of life is
compartmented
- The Descriptic Graph of Survival -- revealing one's true
potential and how to achieve it
- The discovery of and complete anatomy of the Reactive
Mind
- The painful experiences --engrams -- contained in the
Reactive Mind which command one to act irrationally
against their own wishes and goals
- The impact of prenatal engrams -- what took place before
you were born and how it's influenced you ever since
Dianetics enables you to discover and eradicate these harmful
experiences so they never affect you again, revealing the one
person you've always wanted to know -- you.
"

Monsters werewolves witches and fairies remain a strong presence in our stories and dreams. But as Claude Lecouteux shows their roots go far deeper than their appearance in medieval folklore; they are survivors of a much older belief system that predates Christianity and was widespread over Western Europe. Through his extensive analysis of Germano-Scandinavian legends as well as those from other areas of Europe Lecouteux has uncovered an almost forgotten religious concept - that every individual owns three souls and that one of these souls the Double can - in animal or human form - leave the physical body while in sleep or a trance journey where it chooses then re-enter its physical body. While there were many who experienced this phenomenon involuntarily there were others - those who attracted the unwelcome persecution of the Church - who were able to provoke it at will: witches. In a thorough excavation of the medieval soul Claude Lecouteux reveals the origin and significance of this belief in the Double and follows its transforming features through the ages. He shows that far from being fantasy or vague superstition fairies witches and werewolves all testify to a consistent ancient vision of our world and the world beyond.

Based on media reports, it appears that there has been an exponential gain in religious cults throughout the world. But who are these ersatz religions and what are they up to. This important book illuminates their activities, backgrounds and aims. This work is most informative about cults, particularly about cult intrusions on the religious scene. The infiltrations are revealed in this book through an in-depth look at major areas of religious concern (i.e. fundamentalism, fanaticism). Many procedures seen in conventional religions have been adopted by cults. The search for remedies to the cult problem finds scarce resources available. Individual case histories are presented and offer a measure of hope in breaking free from a cult. Among a number of disturbing issues the disruption engineered between the recruits and their families continues to be of paramount concern.

Christians have great news to offer Jehovah's Witnesses. In this revised and updated version of the top-selling "Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Jehovah's Witnesses" (more than 90,000 copies sold), author and Bible expert Ron Rhodes helps readers delve into the Bible and use practical tools to share God's truths with those who come calling. Convenient side-by-side comparisons of the "New World Translation" and the Bible, along with answers to each doctrinal error espoused by the Witnesses Point-by-point lists of the favorite tactics and arguments used by the Witnesses--along with effective, biblical responses to each Questions you can ask to challenge the Jehovah's Witnesses' confidence in the Watchtower Society

With easy-to-understand helps, concise information, direct comparisons of beliefs, and a compassionate presentation, this resource from Ron Rhodes is ideal for personal and church libraries and for any reader who wants to confidently share the gospel.

The Vaisnava-sahajiya cult that arose in Bengal in the sixteenth century was an intensely emotional attempt to reconcile the sensual and the ascetic. Exploring the history and doctrine of this cult, Edward C. Dimock, Jr., examines the works of numerous poets who are the source of knowledge about this sect. Dimock examines the life of the saint Caitanya, the mad Baul singers, the doctrines of Tantrism, the origins of the figure of Radha, and the worship of Krishna. His study will appeal to students of the history of religion as well as of Indian culture. This edition includes a new Foreword by Wendy Doniger.
"This is a magnificent book--painstakingly researched and gracefully written. . . . Professor Dimock's book is one of the most rewarding and stimulating studies to appear in recent years."--G. Richard Weldon, "Journal of Asian Studies "

This collection of interdisciplinary essays explores the prime concern of Mormon Studies - the relationship between knowledge and spirituality - and how that relationship has been defined and reinterpreted over time. Beginning with an examination of the international prospects for Mormonism at the turn of the century, the volume's overarching theme, from sociological, anthropological and theological approaches, is the examination of changing Mormon identities. The contributors review the expansion of Mormonism, the emotional and social contexts of its historic and contemporary manifestations, the distinction between 'Utah' Mormons and the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and issues in Mormon feminism, concluding with a valuable review of the sources and documents available for studying Mormonism.

Carly Gelsinger is an awkward and lonely thirteen-year-old when she stumbles into Pine Canyon Assemblies of God, the cracked stucco church on the outskirts of her remote small town. She assimilates, despite her apprehensions, because she is desperate to belong. Soon, she is on fire for God. She speaks in tongues, slays demons, and follows her abusive pastor’s every word―and it’s not until her life is burnt to the ground that she finds the courage to leave. Raw and illuminating,Once You Go In is a coming-of-age tale about the beauty and danger of absolute faith, and the stories people tell themselves to avoid their deepest fears.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - An eye-opening, no-holds-barred memoir about life in the Church of Scientology, now with a new afterword by the author--the outspoken actress and star of the A&E docuseries Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath Leah Remini has never been the type to hold her tongue. That willingness to speak her mind, stand her ground, and rattle the occasional cage has enabled this tough-talking girl from Brooklyn to forge an enduring and successful career in Hollywood. But being a troublemaker has come at a cost. That was never more evident than in 2013, when Remini loudly and publicly broke with the Church of Scientology. Now, in this frank, funny, poignant memoir, the former King of Queens star opens up about that experience for the first time, revealing the in-depth details of her painful split with the church and its controversial practices. Indoctrinated into the church as a child while living with her mother and sister in New York, Remini eventually moved to Los Angeles, where her dreams of becoming an actress and advancing Scientology's causes grew increasingly intertwined. As an adult, she found the success she'd worked so hard for, and with it a prominent place in the hierarchy of celebrity Scientologists alongside people such as Tom Cruise, Scientology's most high-profile adherent. Remini spent time directly with Cruise and was included among the guests at his 2006 wedding to Katie Holmes. But when she began to raise questions about some of the church's actions, she found herself a target. In the end, she was declared by the church to be a threat to their organization and therefore a "Suppressive Person," and as a result, all of her fellow parishioners--including members of her own family--were told to disconnect from her. Forever. Bold, brash, and bravely confessional, Troublemaker chronicles Leah Remini's remarkable journey toward emotional and spiritual freedom, both for herself and for her family. This is a memoir designed to reveal the hard-won truths of a life lived honestly--from an author unafraid of the consequences. Praise for Troublemaker "An aggressively honest memoir . . . Troublemaker is the most raw and revealing Scientology memoir to date."--Entertainment Weekly "Leah's story is a juicy, inside-Hollywood read, but it's more than that. It's a moving story about the value of questioning authority and how one woman survived a profound crisis of faith."--People