List of groups referred to as cults

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This list indexes a diverse set of groups and organizations indicated in the popular press and elsewhere as a "cult" or a "sect".

Inclusion is based on a single reference:

  1. as a "cult" directly in North American English, a "sect" in British English or any equivalent foreign language word;
  2. as a group in that organizations and sets of individual practitioners, including those named by their technical practice of cults, qualify as groups;
  3. as such within the last 50 years;
  4. as named by reliable sources to have not existed independently prior to 1920 in its substantially present form of beliefs and earthly practices;
  5. as not qualifying as a personality cult (heads of state), fancult of popular culture, or group that doesn't have an actual following (fictional or self-nominated groups).

No harmful or beneficial attributes can be reliably established by this list of references. Moreover, inclusion in this list does not prove, in any manner, that a group is a "cult" or "sect". Additionally, media attention alone is not an objective analysis of a group's status as a "cult" or "sect". This list serves only to aggregate a sampling of references to facilitate further research.

To deal with the clearly very different uses of the term, the list is split in several sections. Some references may apply these terms in a scientific way to mainstream systems of spirituality; others may use them as pejoratives and their application to specific groups is sometimes controversial. Because of the perceived negative sense of the word very few groups or organizations are willing to accept the label of "cult." The different definitions and common use of the term are examined in depth at the article on cults.

Contents

[edit] Groups referred to as "cult" in sociological sources

In the sociology of religion, cult is one of the four terms making up the church-sect typology. Under this definition, a cult refers to a religious group with a high degree of tension with the surrounding society combined with novel religious beliefs. This is distinguished from sects, which have a high degree of tension with society but whose beliefs are traditional to that society, and ecclesias and denominations, which are groups with a low degree of tension and traditional beliefs.

This definition of "cult" is rather different from the popular definition, or the definitions used in other academic disciplines (e.g. the definition of cults as harmful groups adopted by many psychologists). It excludes any consideration of harm, manipulation, deceit or exploitation from what constitutes a cult - by this definition, a cult may be harmless, and a group that is not a cult may be very harmful.


[edit] Groups referred to as "cult" in psychology sources

[edit] Groups referred to as "cult" in the media

[edit] A-C

[edit] D-F

[edit] G-I

[edit] J-L

[edit] M-O

[edit] P-R

[edit] S-U

[edit] V-Z

[edit] Key to abbreviated sources

[edit] Exclusive to the French Report

For more details on this topic, see Parliamentary Commission about Cults in France.

France's 1995 parliamentary commission report (Unofficial English translation), published a list of purported cults compiled by the general information division of the French National Police (Renseignements généraux) with the help of cult-watching groups.

On May 2005, former prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin issued a circular indicating that the list of cults published with the 1995 parliamentary report should no longer be used to identify cults.[6]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Chafetz, M. & Demone, H. (1962). Alcoholism and Society, New York: Oxford University Press, page 162, 165 as cited in Ragels, L. Allen "Is Alcoholics Anonymous a Cult? An Old Question Revisited" "We are struck by the sect or cult-like aspects of AA ... This is true in terms of its history, structure, and the charisma surrounding its leader, Bill W[ilson]" transcribed to http://www.freedomofmind.com/resourcecenter/groups/a/aa/is_aa_cult.htm and retrieved on August 23, 2006.
  2. ^ Alexander, F., Rollins, R. (1984). “Alcoholics Anonymous: The Unseen Cult,” California Sociologist, Vol. 7, No. 1, Winter, page 32 as cited in Ragels, L. Allen "Is Alcoholics Anonymous a Cult? An Old Question Revisited" “AA uses all the methods of brain washing, which are also the methods employed by cults ... It is our contention that AA is a cult.” transcribed to http://www.freedomofmind.com/resourcecenter/groups/a/aa/is_aa_cult.htm and retrieved on August 23, 2006.
  3. ^ Morton Klass, Singing with Sai Baba: The Politics of Revitalization in Trinidad, p.11 , Westview Press, (1991) ISBN 0-8133-7969-5
    "Opinion, it is hardly necessary to observe, is divided. In the many published volumes of his sermons and speeches, and in the writings of his devotees, his is a "religion" and sometimes a "movement." On the other hand, the two scholars who have written extensively on Sai Baba and his followers in India (Swallow 1976, 1982; Babb 1986) refer to the phenomenon as a "cult.""
  4. ^ Schmetzer, Uli. "Religious cults may influence votes in Philippine election", Chicago Tribune, May 8, 1995, pp. 3. Retrieved on [[September 3, 2006]]. (as cited by ProQuest)
  5. ^ "I got caught up in a cult" by Jeanette Batz, Seventeen magazine September 1995, p. 178
  6. ^ Circulaire du 27 mai 2005 relative à la lutte contre les dérives sectaires

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Readers are cautioned that not all parts of all external sites linked here are the reliable sources required for listing groups in this article. Partly reliable sites are useful to researchers because they may archive reliable source articles or quotations that are otherwise not available, convenient, or free to access on line. However, use caution in relying on brief quotations that may be taken out of context or quoted in error.

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