List of groups referred to as cults

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).

Editing of this article by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled. If you are prevented from editing this article, and you wish to make a change, please discuss changes on the talk page, request unprotection, log in, or create an account.
? This article or section may contain original research or unattributed claims.
Please help Wikipedia by adding references. See the talk page for details.

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).

Contents

Reliability of media and government sources

This list of references cannot of itself reliably establish any harmful or beneficial attributes. Moreover, inclusion in this list does not prove, in any manner, that a group functions as a "cult" or "sect". Media attention does not provide an objective analysis of a group's status as a "cult" or "sect" since the press does not delineate any scientific criteria for using the term with respect to any particular group. Accordingly, reference in the media should not be taken as poisoning the well against groups listed. Nor should one consider the inclusion of a group in a government-sponsored list as an objective analysis of a group's status. Government lists have been criticized for failing to comply with international agreements concerning the protection of religious and political freedoms. This list aims only to aggregate a sampling of references to facilitate further research.

To deal with the very different uses of the term "cult", this article provides several distinct sections. Some references may apply the terms "cult" or "sect" in a scientific way to mainstream systems of spirituality; others may use them as pejoratives, and their application to specific groups can sometimes become controversial. Because of the perceived negative sense of the word "cult", very few groups or organizations show any readiness to accept the label of "cult" for themselves. The article on cults examines in depth the different definitions and common use of the term "cult".

Groups referred to as "cult" in sociological sources

In the sociology of religion, the term cult refers to one of four terms making up the church-sect typology. Under this definition, "cult" refers to a religious group with a high degree of tension with the surrounding society combined with novel religious beliefs. Sociologists of religion distinguish such a "cult" from "sects", which have a high degree of tension with society but whose beliefs are traditional to that society, and from "ecclesias" and "denominations" — groups with a low degree of tension and which espouse traditional beliefs.[citation needed]

This definition of "cult" differs somewhat from the popular definition, and from the definitions used in other academic disciplines (for example the definition of cults as "harmful groups" — as 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 do a lot of harm.[citation needed]

Groups referred to as "cult" in psychology sources

Groups referred to as "cult" in the media

A-C

(The Times-Tribune)

D-F

G-I

J-L

M-O

P-R

S-U

V-Z

Key to abbreviated sources

Groups referred to as "cult" in government reports

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 Freedom of Mind, website 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 Freedom of Mind, website 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. ^ Eileen Barker, New Religious Movements: A Practical Introduction. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1989, ISBN 0-11-340927-3, p.149
    "... movements which do not fall under the definition of religion used by the Institute [for the study of American Religion], but which are sometimes called 'cults'. Examples would be est, Primal Therapy or Rebirthing."
  5. ^ Philip Cushman, Constructing The Self, Constructing America: A Cultural History of Psychotherapy Reading, Massachusetts, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1995, p.130. ISBN 0-201-62643-8
    "Even today, abundance theory is alive and well in many religious cults and in restrictive psychotherapy trainings such as est."
  6. ^ Steven Tipton summarizes his participant-observation of est in the keywords:
    "2. organization: bureaucratic cult
    "3. leadership: mystagogue
    "4. rites: est training, guided fantasy "schema", therapeutic "share", encounter-style confrontations with trainer."
    See: Steven M Tipton: Getting saved from the sixties: moral meaning in conversion and cultural change, Berkeley: University of California Press, 1982, page 179. ISBN 0520038681
  7. ^ "Monumental Man: The Controversial Story of poet philosopher Eli Siegel", Jewish Times, August 22, 2003, Melissa Goldman, Cover Story.
  8. ^ Cults, Religion & Violence 2002 ISBN 0-521-66898-0 5
  9. ^ Millennium, Messiahs, and Mayhem, Contemporary Apocalyptic Movements 1997 ISBN 0-415-91649-6
  10. ^ The Encyclopedia of CULTS, SECTS, AND NEW RELIGIONS 2002 ISBN 1-57392-888-7
  11. ^ Religions in the Modern World pg 266, 2002 ISBN 0-415-21783-0
  12. ^ Spying in Guru Land, Inside Britain’s Cults 1993 ISBN 1-85702-329-3
  13. ^ "Defining 'cult' is no easy task, experts say" The Dallas Morning News March 28, 1993, viewed 5 March 2007
  14. ^ "Iowan tells cult experience", Des Moines Register, 1985-01-12.
  15. ^ Jaw Merwin. "Cult Corner: Student survivor of one sect's manipulation and coercion tells her story in support group to help others escape cult clutches", The Sun, 1992-2-21, p. 1D.
  16. ^ "ISU Bible Study group: 'Wonderful' or 'a cult'?", Des Moines Register, 1980-03-13.
  17. ^ "Cult label follows new church: Cult watcher calls GCI 'shepherding cult'", The Sunday Journal (Wheaton, IL edition), 1988-11-6. “The Cult Awareness Network calls Great Commission International (GCI) a shepherding cult ... Among CAN's criteria for a cult: the group's procedures, use of mind control and degree of consent by members. ... Another cult criterion: "some kind of controlling or thought-stopping technique," Kisser said. GCI discourages its members from listening to outside criticism. Ex-members say it also discourages questioning church elders. ... The Chicago-based National Cult Awareness Network (CAN) labels GCI a "Bible-based cult" that deceives its members and exercises tight control over members' lives without their clear consent. "We feel there's sufficient complaints about the group," said CAN Executive Director Cynthia Kisser. "We feel that it meets our criteria." ... Former members of GCI churches from different parts of the country describe GCI as subtle and dangerous. They tell of being manipulated into a deepening commitment to the church and of turning control of their lives over to church leaders. "Basic everyday decisions of your life are pretty much dictated by the leadership," said Larry Pile, a graduate of Wheaton College, who belonged to GCI for 5 1/2 years and now helps counsel former GCI members.”
  18. ^ "Silver Spring Fundamentalists: Church Or "Cult"?", The Montgomery County Sentinel, 1986-2-6.
  19. ^ Schmetzer, Uli. "Religious cults may influence votes in Philippine election", Chicago Tribune, May 8, 1995, pp. 3. (as cited by ProQuest)
  20. ^ "I got caught up in a cult" by Jeanette Batz, Seventeen magazine September 1995, p. 178
  21. ^ Guru English:South Asian Religion in Cosmopolitan Language Princeton University Press 2005 ISBN 0691118280
  22. ^ In Pursuit of Lakshmi:The Political Economy of the Indian State 1987, ISBN 0226731391
  23. ^ Shamans, Mystics and Doctors:Inquiry into India and its Healing Traditions” 1991 ISBN 0226422798
  24. ^ "The Sorrows of Werner: For the founder of est, a fresh round of charges", Newsweek, February 18, 1991
  25. ^ "The New York Times, January 16, 2005, Gary Rivlin.

See also

External links

Caution: not all parts of all external sites linked here rank as reliable sources as required for listing groups in this article. Researchers find partly reliable sites useful because they may archive reliable source articles or quotations not otherwise available, convenient, or free to access on-line. However, use caution in relying on brief quotations that readers may take out of context or quote in error.

Cults
v • d • e
Definitions
Client cult · Cult apologist · Cults and governments ·Cult of personality · Cult suicide · Cult-watching group · Destructive cult · Political cult
Lists
Authors opposing cults · In literature and popular culture · Government reports · Groups referred to as cults
Politicians opposing cults · Researchers
Organizations
CAN · CESNUR · FACTnet · FREECOG · ICSA · MIVILUDES · Reachout Trust · Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center
Opposition
Anti-Cult Movement · Christian countercult movement · Opposition to cults and new religious movements
Theories / Methodologies
APA Task Force (DIMPAC) · Brainwashing · Cult checklist · Deprogramming · Exit counseling · Mind control · Post-cult trauma
Related
Apostasy · Atrocity story · Bigotry · Charismatic authority · Freedom of Expression · Freedom of religion · Groupthink · Int'l Religious Freedom Act 1998 · Large Group Awareness Training · Minority religion · Occult · Project Megiddo · Religious intolerance · Religious persecution · True-believer syndrome · Witch hunt · Religious freedom by country · Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../l/i/s/List_of_groups_referred_to_as_cults.html"
In other languages