Week 5 Sociology of Religion (still in progress)

Religious Conversion

Might include Religious Socialization, conversion, switching, and apostasy

Brainwashing

Process by which persons are involuntarily forced to adopt a belief system, a set of behaviors, or a world view.

Recruits to NRMs

active seekers who, rather than being passive victims, want the conversion experience and invest

considerable effort to make it happen

“Brainwashing” claims purpose

method of stigmatizing NRMs

Requirement for Brainwashing

To force such a change, one must have total physical and psychological control over the individual

NRMs

New Religious Movements, often referred to as 'cults', that emerged notably between the 1960s and 1980s.

John Lofland

A sociologist who identified a sequence of factors influencing conversion to religious groups.

Predisposing conditions

Attributes of individuals that exist prior to their contact with a religious group.

Situational contingencies

Circumstances that influence social interactions between potential converts and recruiters.

Rational Choice Theory

A framework that suggests individuals make decisions based on rational cost/benefit analyses.

Religious Switching

A change in an individual's organizational affiliation from one religious group to another.

Religious ‘Nones’

Individuals who identify as atheists, agnostics, or have no particular religious affiliation.

Religious Nones Amount

Went from a remainder category to largest single religious group

The Great Abdicating

A phenomenon referring to the rise of people who identify as religious 'nones'.

Factors of Apostasy

Reasons for abandoning faith, including family influence, education, and personal experiences.

Types of Apostasy

Early vs Late, Shallow vs. Deep, Mild Vs. Transformative