New Religious Movements and their appeal By the end of this lesson you will Have a clear understanding of different types of NRM and NAM Be able to give some sociology explanations for the rise and appeal of NRMs www.educationforum.co.uk

New Religious Movements (NRM's) R Wallis 1984 Argues that the last 30 years in the USA and Europe have witnessed a rapid growth in NRM's. This appears to be going hand in hand with the decline in established churches, suggesting that beliefs are not so much declining as changing. www.educationforum.co.uk

New Religious Movements (NRM's) Wallis 1984 - 3 types of NRM 1. World Accomodating Such groups stress the personal matter of religious belief and practice and exisit on the margins of established churches. Members of such groups (e.g. “Born again Christian” groups) usually live 'normal' lives i.e. live and work in the same way as the majority of population. www.educationforum.co.uk

New Religious Movements (NRM's) 2. World-rejecting movements The Moonies are an example Members are required to reject the world and its ills They cut off former ties - friends, relatives, possessions Often live in communities Often have charismatic leaders Moral panics about brainwashing etc are common Their membership is very small Members have to hand over all assets and are forced to live an ascetic lifestyle www.educationforum.co.uk

New Religious Movements (NRM's) 3.World Affirming Religions Scientology is typical of this type The world is one of opportunity (acceptance of societies norms) We can be more successful and become ‘better’ people Many involve expensive training programmes Members live in the ‘normal’ world www.educationforum.co.uk

New Religious Movements (NRM's) Themes - Beliefs Both world rejecting and world affirming movements combine different beliefs e.g. the Unification Church combines Christianity and eastern religions. The sociologists job is to explain why people believe what they do without justifying it. www.educationforum.co.uk

New Religious Movements (NRM's) Themes - Membership World-rejecting NRM's are have a more restricted membership than world affirming ones. This is often because they recruit less widely and have more control over members. There is a popular fear of such groups - with allegations of brain washing etc. But Barker’s study of the Moonies shows that they were very unsuccessful in keeping members. World rejecting NRM's usually appeal more to young people and this heightens the fear of parents who see their children as being 'captured'. www.educationforum.co.uk

New Religious Movements (NRM's) Themes - New Age Movements The 1980's and 90's has seen the growth in so called New Age movements - the majority of which are cults based on such things as spiritual healing, paganism and ecology.. They tend to be client and audience style cults. Many of these movements are hybrids of different belief systems and rely on the media to get their message across. www.educationforum.co.uk

New Religious Movements (NRM's) As a result we have less small enclosed communities of believers and more 'religious milieu'. This fits with the post modernist view of religion taking on a more "pick'n'mix" mentality - i.e. there is a lot of choice and consumers pick the elements to form their own belief system - often mixing 'mainstream' beliefs with others www.educationforum.co.uk

New Religious Movements (NRM's) The appeal of NRM's Sociologists are particularly interested in what makes people join and support NRM's www.educationforum.co.uk

New Religious Movements (NRM's) Suggested Explanations 1. The decline in organised religion has left a gap in the market 2. Relative deprivation - not necessarily economic - some feel that 'normal' life is not giving them satisfaction and therefore seek it elsewhere 3. NRM's appeal to particular groups of people www.educationforum.co.uk

New Religious Movements (NRM's) World-Rejecting NRM's and the young unattached Adolescents and young adults are targeted Offer some certainty at an otherwise uncertain time. No dependants makes membership easier Radical beliefs appeal to the young Rapid turnover of members as a result of reliance on young www.educationforum.co.uk

New Religious Movements (NRM's) World-Affirming NRM's and the older attached Provide a spiritual component for those disillusioned with a ‘rational’ world Provide techniques to increase wealth, happiness etc. Provide opportunities for people to work on their inner selves Heelas (1992) calls them ‘cults for capitalism’ www.educationforum.co.uk