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This volume is the first English-language anthology to engage with
the fascinating phenomena of recent surges in New Age and
alternative spiritualties in Israel. Contributors investigate how
these New Age religions and other spiritualties-produced in Western
countries within predominantly Protestant or secular
cultures-transform and adapt themselves in Israel. The volume
focuses on a variety of groups and movements, such as Theosophy and
Anthroposophy, Neopaganism, Channeling, Women's Yoga, the New Age
festival scene, and even Pentecostal churches among African labor
migrants living in Tel Aviv. Chapters also explore more
Jewish-oriented practices such as Neo-Kabballah, Neo-Hassidism, and
alternative marriage ceremonies, as well as the use of spiritual
care providers in Israeli hospitals. In addition, contributors take
a close look at the state's reaction to the recent activities and
growth of new religious movements.
The relationship between new religious movements (NRMs) and
violence has long been a topic of intense public interest--an
interest heavily fueled by multiple incidents of mass violence
involving certain groups. Some of these incidents have made
international headlines. When New Religious Movements make the
news, it's usually because of some violent episode. Some of the
most famous NRMs are known much more for the violent way they came
to an end than for anything else. Violence and New Religious
Movements offers a comprehensive examination of violence by-and
against-new religious movements. The book begins with theoretical
essays on the relationship between violence and NRMs and then moves
on to examine particular groups. There are essays on the "Big
Five"--the most well-known cases of violent incidents involving
NRMs: Jonestown, Waco, Solar Temple, the Aum Shunrikyo subway
attack, and the Heaven's Gate suicides. But the book also provides
a richer survey by examining a host of lesser-known groups. This
volume is the culmination of decades of research by scholars of New
Religious Movements.
A clear, concise overview of the origins and history of the Wiccan
and Neopagan movements, with A–Z coverage of concepts, rituals,
practices, and practitioners. Witchcraft Today presents a concise
survey of this fascinating movement, charts its development, and
offers A–Z coverage of Neopagan concepts, rituals, practices, and
practitioners ranging from African Religions and Celtic Tradition
to Numerology and Theosophy. An excellent and thorough introduction
that explains the origin and history of contemporary Wiccan and
Neopagan beliefs and a chronology detail the development of these
modern religions. A documents section reprints texts important to
the central belief system of Wiccans and Neopagans, including the
text of Charge of the Goddess, and a bibliography and index
complete this timely source. Consult this work whether you need to
know the characteristics of Wicca; the difference between Celtic,
Alexandrian, and Blue Star traditions; the meaning of "skyclad;"
the work of Emanuel Swedenborg; or the origins of Tarot.
Since the early 1970s, alternative religious movements known as
cults have been the focus of ever-increasing controversy in
America. "Cults in America: A Reference Handbook" compares
present-day cults to events in earlier American history, focusing
on cults as a contemporary phenomenon. The key issue of mind
control is covered, overviews of the most controversial churches,
and biographies of their leaders are prominent features of this
book. Legislative efforts and court decisions, particularly those
surrounding the issue of religious liberty, are covered in
detail.
"Cults in America" features a directory of organizations in both
the United States and Europe, a selected bibliography, print and
nonprint resources, a chronology with the dates of religious events
in American history, and coverage of events such as the Solar
Temple and Heaven's Gate incidents.
Facing issues of violence and conflict, authors of textbooks for
Religious Education (RE) choose a range of different strategies.
While some try to write as non-controversially as possible about
such issues, other authors choose to leave them completely out.
Even in the academic study of religions, a well-established
perspective is that religion is primarily something good, and
important for societies as well as for human development. Such
basic presumptions/perspectives are often nurtured by an apologetic
orientation to the representation of religion. In some cases,
religious violence and conflict are therefore considered disruptive
forces that destroy what is "true," "authentic" and "valuable" in
religion.Textbook Violence offers critical perspectives on how
textbooks deal or not deal with issues of conflict and violence in
religions. The volume's contributions provide examples from
textbooks for university level as well as from RE in schools, and
include discussions of conflict and violence in a range of
different religious traditions. The contributors bring issues of
religious violence and conflict into focus through such questions
as: In what way is violence and/or conflict treated? Who are the
authorial voices? What are their aims? Who is the reader being
addressed? How are the representations of religions framed by value
judgments?Beyond certain obvious ideological considerations (e.g.,
nationalism; the interests of religious pedagogues who contribute
to textbooks in some countries), there are a number of different
factors shaping representations of religions in textbooks - from
commercial considerations and statutory stipulations to situations
where publishers and national examination boards work closely
together to produce textbooks with contents keyed to national
exams. This means that authors have to face different expectations
and considerations when writing textbooks. Textbook Violence will
also include reflections on the choices such authors are facing.
This volume investigates "alternative" spiritualities that
increasingly cater for the mainstream within the secularized
society of Norway, making Norwegian-based research available to
international scholarship. It looks at New Age both in a restricted
(sensu stricto) and a wide sense (sensu lato), focusing mainly on
the period from the mid-1990s and onwards, with a particular
emphasis on developments after the turn of the century. Few, if
any, of the ideas and practices discussed in this book are
homegrown or uniquely Norwegian, but local soil and climate still
matters, as habitats for particular growths and developments.
Globalizing currents are here shaped and molded by local religious
history and contemporary religio-political systems, along with
random incidences, such as the setting up of an angel-business by
the princess Martha Louise. The position of Lutheran Protestantism
as "national religion" particularly impacts on the development and
perception of religious competitors.
The label 'Suicide Cults' has been applied to a wide variety of
different alternative religions, from Jonestown to the Solar Temple
to Heaven's Gate. Additionally, observers have asked if such group
suicides are in any way comparable to Islamist suicide terrorism,
or to historical incidents of mass suicide, such as the mass
suicide of the ancient community of Masada. Organizationally and
ideologically diverse, it turns out that the primary shared trait
of these various groups is a common stereotype of religion as an
irrational force that pushes fanatics to undertake acts of suicidal
violence. Offering a valuable perspective on New Religious
Movements and on religion and violence, Sacred Suicide brings
together contributions from a diverse range of international
scholars of sociology, religious studies and criminology.
This authoritative reference work presents a full image of the
Prince of Darkness as he appears throughout traditional theology,
mythology, art and literature, and popular culture. This
nonsensationalist encyclopedia examines contemporary images of the
devil and sorts out the many different forms these images take.
Although much of the myths relating to Satan derive directly or
indirectly from the Christian tradition, the key sources of
diabolical images today are horror movies, heavy metal music, and
conservative Christian literature. This encyclopedia gives a brief
overview depicting the history and transformation of the meaning of
the Prince of Darkness, and 300 entries cover subjects like the
angel of death, backward masking (messages revealed when songs are
played backward), neopagan witchcraft, UFOs, and The Satanic Bible.
Extensive appendixes include the l992 FBI study of satanic ritual
abuse, the most influential document ever written on the subject,
as well as sample satanic scriptures and a satanic wedding
ceremony. Satanism Today also includes a chronology,
bibliographies, and references.
Exploring the fascinating world of dreams, this comprehensive
reference examines more than 250 dream-related topics, from art to
history to science, including how factors such as self-healing,
ESP, literature, religion, sex, cognition and memory, and medical
conditions can all have an effect on dreams. Dream symbolism and
interpretation is examined in historical, cultural, and
psychological detail, while a dictionary--updated with 1,000
symbols and explanations--offers further insights. Dreaming about
teeth, for instance, can indicate control issues, and dreaming of a
zoo can indicate that the dreamer needs to tidy up some situation.
Examining these concepts and more, this is the ultimate dreamer's
companion.
In October 1994, fifty-three members of the Order of the Solar
Temple in Switzerland and Quebec were murdered or committed
suicide. This incident and two later group suicides in subsequent
years played a pivotal role in inflaming the cult controversy in
Europe, influencing the public to support harsher actions against
non-traditional religions. Despite the importance of the Order of
the Solar Temple, there are relatively few studies published in
English. This book brings together the best scholarship on the
Solar Temple including newly commissioned pieces from leading
scholars, a selection of Solar Temple documents, and important
previously published articles newly edited for inclusion within
this book. This is the first book-length study of the Order of the
Solar Temple to be published in English.
Written by a recognized authority on nontraditional religious
movements, this resource is one of the most comprehensive books on
angels and related topics currently available. More than 300
entries are included and drawn from multiple religions, such as
Christianity, Islam, and Hindu traditions, as well as from pop
culture. A variety of angel topics are discussed, including
celebrity angels, classifications of angels, obscure angels still
waiting for their big break, guardian angels, fallen angels,
Anaheim angels, biblical figures associated with angels, angels in
art and architecture, and angels in the media and literature.
Angels are also discussed in terms of the occult and metaphysics,
with entries on UFOs, fairies, and witches.
The label 'Suicide Cults' has been applied to a wide variety of
different alternative religions, from Jonestown to the Solar Temple
to Heaven's Gate. Additionally, observers have asked if such group
suicides are in any way comparable to Islamist suicide terrorism,
or to historical incidents of mass suicide, such as the mass
suicide of the ancient community of Masada. Organizationally and
ideologically diverse, it turns out that the primary shared trait
of these various groups is a common stereotype of religion as an
irrational force that pushes fanatics to undertake acts of suicidal
violence. Offering a valuable perspective on New Religious
Movements and on religion and violence, Sacred Suicide brings
together contributions from a diverse range of international
scholars of sociology, religious studies and criminology.
The Astrology Book: The Encyclopedia of Heavenly Influences defines
and explains more than 800 astrological terms and concepts from air
signs to Zeus and everything in between. James R. Lewis updates and
expands this definitive work on celestial forces for anyone seeking
to expand their knowledge on the influence of the stars and other
heavenly bodies on human personality, behaviour, and fate. Students
of the sun and stars and the layman interested in knowing more can
examine the total astrology culture, famous astrologers, heavenly
bodies, and technical terms.
From religious beliefs and legends to movies and TV shows, from
advertising and celebrities to Internet sites and photo ops, this
illustrated A–Z encyclopedia makes it easy to locate each topic,
and the opportunities for further research assure its timeliness.
Is the human race the result of a breeding experiment carried out
by ancient astronauts? Are satanists, extraterrestrials—or
both—mutilating cattle? Whimsical and fascinating, UFOs and
Popular Culture explores a rich facet of Americana and its impact
on contemporary society. The UFO phenomenon is put into folkloric
and psychological perspective, revealing much about our collective
psyche. From religious beliefs and legends to movies and TV shows;
from advertising and celebrities to Internet sites and photo ops;
this illustrated A–Z encyclopedia is your first stop resource for
understanding UFO beliefs and their impact on contemporary America.
Topics explored include Music and UFOs, Naked Aliens,
Reincarnation, Roswell, Brad Steiger, Heaven's Gate, War of the
Worlds, and UFO Conventions.
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Scientology (Hardcover)
James R Lewis
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R1,355
R1,254
Discovery Miles 12 540
Save R101 (7%)
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Ships in 12 - 17 working days
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Scientology is arguably the most persistently controversial of all
contemporary New Religious Movements. The Church of Scientology has
been involved in battles over tax issues, a ten-year conflict with
the Food and Drug Administration, extended turmoil with a number of
European governments, and has even been subjected to FBI raids in
Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles.
Negative publicity, however, has not prevented the Church from
experiencing remarkably steady growth. Official national census
figures indicate that the number of Scientologists grew
significantly in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia throughout the
1990s, and studies show that the Church gained 10,000 members in
the United States during that decade. This has led Scientology to
begin referring to itself as "The World's Fastest Growing
Religion." But despite its highly public profile, recently enhanced
by celebrity spokespersons like Tom Cruise and Isaac Hayes, little
has been published about the Church, its history, theology, and
mission.
The present volume brings together an international group of top
scholars on New Religious Movements to offer an extensive and
even-handed overview and analysis of all of these aspects of
Scientology, including the controversies to which it continues to
give rise. The book's six parts take a detailed look at the Church
through its similarities to and differences from other religions,
conflicts with various groups, overseas missions, and its theology,
history, and sociology.
James R. Lewis has assembled an unusually comprehensive anthology,
incorporating a wide range of different approaches. This volume is
a welcome and long-overdue resource for scholars, students, and
others interested in this controversial and little-understood
religious movement.
Although speech is the most natural form of communication between
humans, most people find using speech to communicate with machines
anything but natural. Drawing from psychology, human-computer
interaction, linguistics, and communication theory, Practical
Speech User Interface Design provides a comprehensive yet concise
survey of practical speech user interface (SUI) design. It offers
practice-based and research-based guidance on how to design
effective, efficient, and pleasant speech applications that people
can really use. Focusing on the design of speech user interfaces
for IVR applications, the book covers speech technologies including
speech recognition and production, ten key concepts in human
language and communication, and a survey of self-service
technologies. The author, a leading human factors engineer with
extensive experience in research, innovation and design of products
with speech interfaces that are used worldwide, covers both high-
and low-level decisions and includes Voice XML code examples. To
help articulate the rationale behind various SUI design guidelines,
he includes a number of detailed discussions of the applicable
research. The techniques for designing usable SUIs are not obvious,
and to be effective, must be informed by a combination of
critically interpreted scientific research and leading design
practices. The blend of scholarship and practical experience found
in this book establishes research-based leading practices for the
design of usable speech user interfaces for interactive voice
response applications.
The study of New Religious Movement (NRMs) is one of the fastest growing areas of religous studies. There are now several journals dedicated to the study of NRMs, as well as an academic association (CESNUR), in addition to a section of the American Academy of Religion devoted to NRMs. This handbook covers the current state of the field and breaks new ground. Its contributors are drawn equally from sociology and religious studies and include both established scholars and 'rising stars' in the field. The core chapters deal with such central issues as conversion, the brainwashing debate, millennialism, and modernisation. Another section deal with NRM subfields such as neopaganism, satanism, and UFO religions. The final section considers NRMs in a global perspective. This book will be indispensible resource for every scholar and student of this field.
In 45 short essays aimed at a broad audience, the contributors to
From the Ashes place the Branch Davidians in historical and
comparative perspective with nontraditional religions, analyze the
government's handling of the Waco confrontation, assess the media's
coverage and public response, and provide an overview of responses
from the academic and religious community. Although the
contributors represent a wide variety of viewpoints, they are
united in the belief that the 89 deaths could have been avoided and
that the popular demonization of nontraditional religious movements
in the aftermath of Waco represents a continuing threat to freedom
of religion. Contributors include: Dick Anthony, Michael Barkun,
James Beckford, Col. Charlie Beckwith, Eldridge Cleaver, Dean M.
Kelly, Franklin H. Littell, and Thomas Robbins.
Cults examines the history and current status of cults across the
United States, Europe, and East Asia. Focusing on the principal
controversial religions and movements that have attracted major
media attention, the book also includes profiles of hundreds of
minority religions, from Jesus People and Rastafarians to voodoo
practitioners and the human-cloning Raelians. All the issues
central to the practice and the fear of cults are examined -
apocalypticism, deprogramming, social isolation, cults and the
media, the use and threat of violence, child custody, libel, tax
evasion, solicitation, and the techniques of persuasion and
conviction - as are the many charismatic cult leaders. Cults
presents a comprehensive and authoritative reference, offering a
balanced view of the controversy surrounding these new religious
movements, assessing the movements themselves as well as the legal
and governmental responses to them, including attempts to quantify
membership.
Cults examines the history and current status of cults across the
United States, Europe, and East Asia. Focusing on the principal
controversial religions and movements that have attracted major
media attention, the book also includes profiles of hundreds of
minority religions, from Jesus People and Rastafarians to voodoo
practitioners and the human-cloning Raelians. All the issues
central to the practice and the fear of cults are examined -
apocalypticism, deprogramming, social isolation, cults and the
media, the use and threat of violence, child custody, libel, tax
evasion, solicitation, and the techniques of persuasion and
conviction - as are the many charismatic cult leaders. Cults
presents a comprehensive and authoritative reference, offering a
balanced view of the controversy surrounding these new religious
movements, assessing the movements themselves as well as the legal
and governmental responses to them, including attempts to quantify
membership.
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