Comprehending Cults

Lorne L. Dawson is a Professor of Sociology and Chair for the Department of Religious Studies, University of Waterloo.

• AcknowledgementsChapter One: Why Study New Religious Movements?The Cults in Our MidstThe Hostility Towards CultsBox 1 They Come in All Shapes and SizesResponding to the Suspicions of the PublicChapter Two: What Are New Religious Movements?Religion and Its Continuing SignificanceChurches, Sects, and CultsCreating a Typology of CultsBox 2 How New Religious Movements Change with SuccessChapter Three: Why Did New Religious Movements Emerge?Asking the Right Question FirstNew Religious Movements as a Response to Cultural ChangeBox 3 Three Models of Cult FormationNew Religious Movements as an Expression of Cultural ContinuityConcluding RemarksChapter Four: Who Joins New Religious Movements and Why?The StereotypesGetting Involved with New Religious MovementsThe Social Attributes of Those Who JoinBox 4 Why Are American Converts to New Religious Movements Disporportionately Jewish?Some Reasons for JoiningChapter Five: Are Converts to New Religious Movements 'Brainwashed'?The Issue and Its SignificanceThe Case Against the CultsThe Case Against BrainwashingBox 5 The Active Versus Passive ConvertReformulating the Issues in the Brainwashing DebateChapter Six: Why Are New Religious Movements So Often Accused of Sexual Deviance?Sexual Deviance and the CultsBox 6 Child Abuse and the Social Control of NRMsGender MattersChapter Seven: Why Do Some New Religious Movements Become Violent?: Responding to Recent 'Cult' TragediesApocalyptic BeliefsCharismatic LeadershipSocial EncapsulationBox 7 Surviving the Failure of Apocalyptic PropheciesConcluding RemarksChapter Eight: What Is the Cultural Significance of New Religious Movements?Our Skewed PerspectiveModernism and the New Religious MovementsBox 8 Factors Affecting the Success of NRMsPostmodernism and the New Religious MovementsNRMs: Anti-modern, Modern, or Postmodern?Concluding RemarksNotesBibliographyIndex