organisations, movements, members

Churches

. Large institutions with millions of members

. Claims a monopoly of truth

. Closely linked to the state - influence gov

. World accommodating

. Universalistic - aim to include all members of society

E.g Church of England

Denominations

. Branches of mainstream religion

. Medium size institutions

. Don’t claim a monopoly of truth

. Accept societies values

. Aren’t tied to the state

E.g Quakers

Cults, NRM’s, NAM’s

. Popular in modern societies

. Loose structure with a focus on self-improvement & wellbeing

. World-affirming attitude

. Consumerist edge

E.g:

~ Scientology beliefs - we are souls trapped in bodies which means we have past trauma, we need to rid this trauma until we reach a god like state. Members pay to unlock each level of human potential through psychotherapy, meditation, experiments

~ Astrology beliefs - the position of the stars & planets influence human personality & life events. Followers will use horoscopes & star sign readings to guide decisions about relationships, careers, etc. - often involved paid services

Why do people join cults & NAM’s?

Stark & Brainbridge

Relative deprivation - the subjective feeling of being deprived or lacking something compared to others around them, e.g a sense of spiritual or emotional inadequacy

Cult/NAM membership may help them overcome this by giving them a sense of belonging, power, identity

Criticism

Not all members are relatively deprived, many are well educated & economically secure

Wilson

Periods of rapid social change can provide fertile ground for the growth of cults/NAM’s because they provide solutions to such periods by providing new & clearly defined belief systems & close-knit supportive social groups

E.g Hare Krishna movement 1960’s - offered a structured belief system, simple moral rules, communal living

Criticism

Postmodernists argue that many join NAM’s because they are actively seeking self-improvement & identity in a consumer culture

Participation may reflect lifestyle choice rather than a response to social breakdown

Sects

. Result as a breakaway from an existing religion due to disagreements over scripture

. Small membership, exclusive, high commitment

. Reject & remain separate from mainstream society

. Focus on rewards & punishment

. Charismatic leader who controls the group

E.g:

~ Heavens Gate beliefs - the earth was about to be ‘wiped clean’ by aliens, they had to follow strict rules & routine, leave their families to be ready for space life. 39 members committed mass suicide to be cleansed & taken away by a spacecraft

~ Peoples temple - leader, Jim Jones, presented himself as a new divine messiah. He exerted control over his followers through manipulation & isolation - public humiliation, sleep deprivation, threats of violence. 900 members died in a mass murder-suicide because Jones feared exposure from the media.

Why do people join sects?

Stark & Brainbrige

Sects are most likely to emerge among marginal & alienated groups in society (poverty, runaways, ethnic minorities). Sects appeal to these groups by providing a theodicy of disprivilege - a religious explanation & justification for their social marginalisation - offering compensation for their suffering

Criticism

Not all members are from marginalised backgrounds, e.g heavens gate mainly attracted the middle class

The sectarian life cycle

Most secs only last for one single generation meaning they have a short life span, this is because of:

The loss of a leader - leaders of secs tend to be very charismatic which is what attracts people to sects in the first place. Without a leader, the group may collapse since there is no driving force encouraging the existence of the group
Struggle to keep commitment - people are unable to cope with the strict discipline & rules imposed on them, so they leave → the death of the sect, or it may water down its beliefs & become a denomination to adapt & survive

Criticism

Some sects have lasted centuries because they have socialised the next generation into the sects beliefs & practices as well as converting more followers

E.g Jehovah Witnesses - developed in the 1880’s & still has members

Religiosity & Social groups

Ethnicity

% rating religion very important:

~ White British - 32%

~ African/Caribbean - 81%

~ Asian - 74%

Reasons

Bruce

Defence & transition

Religion can offer support & a sense of cultural identity in uncertain or hostile environments

It can also be a basis for community solidarity, a means of preserving one’s culture, & eases the transition into a new culture & environment

E.g African Caribbeans found white churches in the UK dull & unwelcoming → found or join Black-led churches

Jacobson

Marginalisation

Religion can help to provide many markers of identity, dress, food, festivals. This can help members resist the denial of their status by celebrating their culture

E.g many older Asian women turn religious as a source of support as they are marginalised from the mainstream due to a poor grasp of English

Evaluation

~ There are other ways to defend status & culture, e.g black lives matter

~ Other ethnic minorities are assimilated into a host society, religious belief declines as it is less needed - short-lived

~ Does this really mean ethnic minorities are more religious or just using religion as a mechanism to adjust & cope

Gender

% that believe in God:

~ Men - 75%

~ Women - 84%

Reasons

Miller & Hoffman

Socialisation & Gender roles - religious beliefs & practices often align with societal expectations of women

Emphasise values like passivity, compassion, & caretaking - as a result women may find religion more appealing & relevant to their social roles

~ Davie - women are closer to the process of birth & death through child-rearing & caring for the elderly, this brings them closer to the ultimate questions about the meaning of life that religion is concerned with

Woodhead

Internal conflict - between their masculinised paid job & their traditional feminine housewife role

NAM’s have become attractive to women because they appeal to the individual sphere where they can focus on personal growth & identity

& women tend to be poorer than men, sects/cults attract those who are poorer to give them a sense of status & fulfilment

Evaluation

Women’s participation has been in decline due to feminism:

Led to women questioning the role of women in society as well as religious organisations & scripture
Although some women are attracted to the New Age beliefs, their numbers are generally low & commitment is weak

Age

~ Older - more religious

~ Younger - less religious

Since 1980 the number of under 15’s attending church regularly has halved

Reasons

Lack of religious socialisation

~ It is increasingly unlikely that parents will pass on their religious beliefs to their children due to society moving away from religion as an obligation

~ The young are more impacted by structural differentiation & disenchantment as they grew up with these processes around them

Voas & Crockett

Why the old are more religious:

Aging affect - as people come closer to the end of their lives, their interest in what comes next increases. This can lead to greater religiosity as people look for answers about the afterlife & forgiveness for past sins, e.g more elderly women attend church than men as they live longer
Generational effect - the older generation had a less secure upbringing than today’s youth due to war & rapid social changes

Evaluation

Young people are becoming more spiritual & are more likely to join NRM’s, cults, sects because:

~ Consumerist attitudes - beliefs have to offer them something

~ Cultural amnesia - the loss of collective memory & identity means they don’t identify with mainstream religion. Therefore they pick beliefs that suit them