The Importance of Religion

Think of religion as the ultimate comfort food – it can be that bowl of chicken soup for the soul. It often provides answers to life’s big questions and gives people a sense of purpose and community. It’s like a well-worn blanket that’s passed through generations; it’s an integral part of our identity.

The Big Five

When you hear ‘The Big Five’, you might think I’m talking about some cool superhero squad. But nah, we’re talking religions, my friend! These Big Five are Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. Picture this – they’re like the top chartbusters in the world of faith. Christianity takes the crown with its huge following. Then there’s Islam – it’s got a massive fanbase too! Hinduism is the ancient soul of the gang, while Buddhism goes deep into meditation and mindfulness. And, don’t forget Sikhism, the vibrant blend of traditions. Together, these guys make up the rich tapestry that keeps billions of people around the world tuned in! 

Christianity

Hold on to your hats, folks, because Christianity is the world’s largest religion!

Key Beliefs and Practices

Christians believe in one God and the Holy Trinity. You know, like an unbeatable team of superheroes – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, who is like the main character in the New Testament. For Christians, life is like a journey, and faith is their GPS.

Islam

Coming in second, Islam is another major player in the world religion scene.

Key Beliefs and Practices

Muslims believe in Allah and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. They have the Quran as their holy book, which is kinda like their ultimate guidebook for life. They’ve got the Five Pillars of Islam which include praying, fasting, and helping those in need. It’s all about balance and spiritual richness.

Hinduism

Hinduism is like an ancient tree with roots that dig deep into history.

Key Beliefs and Practices

Hindus have a pantheon of gods and goddesses. Imagine a family reunion where everyone is divine! They believe in karma, dharma, and reincarnation. Life for Hindus is like a game, and the actions you take earn you karma points that determine your next life.

Buddhism

Next up is Buddhism, a path of spiritual development.

Key Beliefs and Practices

Buddhists follow the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, who’s more popularly known as Buddha. It’s all about attaining enlightenment through meditation and following the Eightfold Path. Imagine trying to level up in a video game, but the game is your soul!

Sikhism

Last but not least in the big five, Sikhism combines elements from Hinduism and Islam.

Key Beliefs and Practices

Sikhs believe in one God and the teachings of the ten Sikh Gurus. Their Holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, is like their compass in this ocean of life. They value honesty, equality, and service to others. It’s all about steering your ship in the right direction!

The Unexpected Connection: World Religions & Live Casinos

Wait a minute, folks! Let’s hit the brakes here. World religions and live casinos? That’s like saying peanut butter and pickles go together. But, hang on to your chips, because there’s actually more in common between these two than you might think. Let’s dive into this quirky combo, shall we?

The Thrill of Live Casinos

Hold up! What could religions possibly have in common with live casinos? Both can be quite the emotional roller coaster, full of highs and lows. Plus, in some faiths, certain games might have a religious significance.

Play Online Plinko

Speaking of games, have you tried Plinko? It’s an exciting game that blends chance and anticipation. What if I told you that you could experience this thrill from the comfort of your home? With online Plinko https://plinkogameonline.com/download/, you can! Maybe you’ll find your community here, just like in religion.

Lesser-Known Religions

Let’s dive back into our treasure chest of world religions and dig up some lesser-known gems. These religions might not have the massive followings like the Big Five, but they’re like those indie bands with a cult following – rich, original, and full of character!

1. Rastafarianism – Picture this: Jamaica, reggae beats, and dreadlocks. Rastafarianism’s all about Africa, natural living, and unity. Bob Marley was a fan!
2. Zoroastrianism – This one’s an ancient Persian hit. Zoroastrianism’s got a single deity and three golden rules – good thoughts, words, and deeds. Classic stuff!
3. Druidry – Imagine wandering through magical Celtic forests. Druidry’s the spiritual GPS here. Think nature spirits, ancient wisdom, and a dash of enchantment.
4. Pastafarianism – Get ready to LOL! Pastafarians worship the Flying Spaghetti Monster. It’s more satire than religion, but hey, it’s got pirates and pasta!
5. Atenism – Take a trip back to Ancient Egypt. Atenism was the ancient monotheistic trendsetter. Sun worship and naturalistic art were all the rage!
6. Tengriism – Galloping through Central Asia’s steppes, Tengriism’s the ancient shamanistic faith. Sky gods, nature, and ancestry are the heart and soul here.

Conclusion

World religions are like different colors in a rainbow, each one vibrant and unique. Whether you’re finding solace in a sacred text or the thrill of a game, these experiences shape our lives and cultures. So, let’s celebrate this kaleidoscope of faiths that enrich our world!

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Causes of Historical Trauma

Systemic Oppression

Systemic oppression refers to the ways in which a dominant group in a society uses their power to maintain social, economic, and political dominance over a subordinated group. This can manifest in various forms, including legal, economic, political, ideological, and cultural practices. For example, the United States has a long history of systemic oppression against African Americans that can be traced back to the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the Jim Crow era. These oppressive systems have caused African Americans to suffer physically, psychologically, and emotionally.

Genocide

Genocide is the intentional and deliberate destruction of a people or nation, often through mass murder. Genocide has been used throughout history as a tool of oppression and domination. For example, the genocide of Native Americans in the United States has been used to gain control over their land and resources. This genocide has caused trauma and pain that is still felt by Native Americans today.

Forced Relocation

Forced relocation, often referred to as displacement, is when a group of people is forcibly relocated from their homeland and resettled elsewhere. This was common practice during the period of colonialism and is still seen today in various parts of the world. Forced relocation has caused trauma to those who were relocated, as it has disrupted their cultures, traditions, and ways of life.

War

War is a destructive force that has caused immense suffering and trauma to many people throughout history. War can result in physical destruction, displacement, and death, which can lead to trauma and long-term psychological effects.

Impacts of Historical Trauma on Collective Identity

Internalization of Oppression

Historical trauma can lead to the internalization of oppression, which is the process of individuals internalizing the oppressive values and beliefs of the dominant society. This can lead to a lack of self-esteem, feelings of shame and guilt, and an overall sense of disconnection from their true identity. This internalization of oppression can have lasting impacts on an individual’s sense of self and their collective identity.

Blurring of Cultural Boundaries

Historical trauma can also lead to the blurring of cultural boundaries, which is the process of an individual or entire culture assimilating to the values and beliefs of the dominant society. This can lead to a loss of cultural traditions and the erosion of one’s sense of collective identity.

Skewed Perceptions of Self

Historical trauma can also lead to individuals having a skewed perception of themselves, as they become disconnected from the history of their people and culture. This can lead to a feeling of not belonging and an overall sense of disempowerment.

Unresolved Grief

Historical trauma can also lead to unresolved grief, which can manifest as psychological trauma. This trauma can be caused by the feeling of being ignored or overlooked, which can lead to a deep sense of pain and suffering.

Coping With Historical Trauma

Intergenerational Healing

Intergenerational healing is a process of healing that involves both the past and the present generations. It is a way of reclaiming and restoring the lost cultural and traditional practices that were disrupted due to historical trauma. This process can involve passing down knowledge and stories between generations, as well as reclaiming and restoring lost cultural practices.

Indigenous-Led Education

Indigenous-led education can be a powerful way of empowering individuals and communities through the sharing of knowledge and experiences. This type of education seeks to decolonize education systems and restore the cultural practices and traditions of Indigenous peoples.

Traditional Practices

Traditional practices are important for restoring a connection to one’s culture and strengthening the cultural legacy of a people. This includes practices such as language revitalization, storytelling, and traditional healing. These practices help to remind individuals and communities of their history and identity.

Acknowledging and Legitimizing Narratives

Acknowledging and legitimizing narratives is a way of honoring the oral histories and reclamation of voices through art and storytelling. This includes recognizing and validating the lived experiences of individuals and communities who have experienced historical trauma.

Conclusion

This article has discussed the causes of historical trauma, its effects on collective identity, and ways of coping with it in order to create meaningful and purposeful narratives. Historical trauma can have lasting impacts on individuals and communities, and it is important to understand these impacts in order to address and heal from them. By engaging in intergenerational healing, indigenous-led education, traditional practices, and the acknowledgement and legitimization of narratives, individuals and communities can start to reclaim and restore their collective identity. It is important to recognize the relevance of historical trauma, and to do this we must remember our history and embrace the stories of our people. This is the first step in re-establishing collective identity and fostering intergenerational connections.

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Difficulty in Accessing Scholarly Sources 

One of the major challenges faced by religious studies students when it comes to writing academically is accessing scholarly sources. Academic journals often publish the most up-to-date research in the field, but these can be expensive and inaccessible for students. In addition, research methodologies can be difficult to understand, and specialized databases may be limited in their availability. 

Cost of Academic Journals 

The cost of academic journals can be prohibitive for many students, making it difficult for them to access the most up-to-date research in the field of religious studies. Even if students are able to locate free versions of the journal, they may not be able to access all of the content, such as figures and images. This can make it challenging to fully comprehend the material. 

Difficulty Understanding Research Methodologies 

In addition to the cost of academic journals, students may find it difficult to understand the research methodologies used in the articles. Research methodologies are often complex, and many religious studies students may not have had the opportunity to learn the basics of research techniques. As a result, they may be unable to comprehend the research and draw meaningful conclusions from the data. 

Limited Availability of Specialized Databases 

Finally, many students may have difficulty accessing specialized databases that contain religious studies research. These databases may have limited access, and some may require students to pay a fee in order to access the material. This can make it difficult for students to find the research they need to complete their academic assignments. 

Difficulty in Understanding Religious Texts 

Another challenge faced by religious studies students is understanding religious texts. When interpreting religious texts, students must take into account a variety of factors, such as language, culture, and historical context. This can be difficult for many students, particularly those who may not have had the opportunity to study the language and culture of the texts they are attempting to interpret. 

Language Barriers 

Interpreting religious texts can be difficult for many students due to language barriers. Many religious texts were written in languages that are not widely spoken today, such as Latin, Sanskrit, and Hebrew. As a result, students must be able to read and comprehend the language in order to interpret the text. 

Cultural Barriers 

In addition to language barriers, students may also face cultural barriers when interpreting religious texts. Religious texts often contain references and allusions to beliefs and customs that may no longer be relevant in today’s world. As a result, students must be familiar with the history and culture of the text in order to accurately interpret it. 

Difficulty Interpreting Ancient Texts 

Finally, interpreting ancient texts can be a challenge for many religious studies students. Ancient texts often contain references to beliefs or customs that may no longer be relevant or understood in today’s world. As a result, students must be familiar with the history of the text in order to understand it. 

Difficulty in Crafting a Thesis Statement 

The next challenge faced by religious studies students is crafting a thesis statement. A thesis statement is a declaration of an argument and serves as the foundation of an academic essay. Crafting a thesis statement can be difficult for many students, as they must be able to formulate an argument, apply theoretical frameworks, and differentiate between faith and fact. In order to overcome these challenges, religious studies students should develop good research skills, utilize online resources, and consider seeking help from a tutor or professor when needed. Additionally, students should research the Study Bay review by AcademicHelp, a website that reviews writing services, to determine if using a writing service is a viable option for them. With the proper resources and guidance, religious studies students can become successful academic writers.

Difficulty in Formulating an Argument 

Formulating an argument can be a challenge for many religious studies students. Students must be able to assess the evidence, draw meaningful conclusions from the data, and present their argument in an organized and concise manner. 

Difficulty in Applying Theoretical Frameworks 

In addition to formulating an argument, religious studies students must also be able to apply theoretical frameworks to their arguments. This can be a challenge for many students, as they must be familiar with the various theories and concepts in order to accurately interpret and apply them to the evidence. 

Difficulty in Differentiating Between Faith and Fact 

Finally, religious studies students must be able to differentiate between faith and fact when crafting a thesis statement. This can be especially difficult for many students, as they must be able to assess the evidence and make informed decisions based on their research. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, writing academically for religious studies can be a challenging endeavor. Students must be able to access scholarly sources, interpret religious texts, and craft a thesis statement. In order to overcome these challenges, students should develop good research skills, utilize online resources, and ask for help from a tutor or professor when needed. With the proper resources and guidance, religious studies students can become successful academic writers.

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Prejudice against atheists is found in people all over the world. That’s the conclusion reached by psychologist Will Gervais in a study. Residents of all continents suggest that immoral acts (including even serial murders) are more likely to be committed by non-believers. Polls show that Americans trust atheists less than any other social group. So for most politicians, going to church is a great way to secure popular support in elections, and saying you are a non-believer can ruin your career. And, of course, it is no coincidence that there are no open atheists in the U.S. Congress.

To be sure, the world’s major religions place considerable emphasis on morality. Hence many conclude that religious belief is a sign of virtue. Others argue that without religion there is no morality at all. However, both of these claims can be questioned.

First, one current’s ethical beliefs may be unacceptable from another’s perspective. For example, in the nineteenth century Mormons considered polygamy a moral obligation, whereas for Catholics it was a mortal sin. Moreover, the moral behavior of members of a particular group often included aggression toward others. For example, in 1543, Martin Luther, one of the founders of Protestantism, published his treatise On the Jews and Their Lies, which outlined anti-Semitic ideas popular among various currents over the centuries. These examples also prove that religious morality must change over time. For example, relatively recently the Church of England allowed contraception and marriage for same-sex couples, and female bishops have appeared.

In any case, religiosity is only remotely related to theology. That is, the beliefs and behaviors of people of faith do not always correspond fully with official religious doctrine. For example, Buddhism is officially a religion without God, but most of its practitioners treat Buddha as a deity. The Catholic Church actively opposes contraception, but most Catholics still do. And such deviations from doctrine are the norm rather than the exception.

Researchers conducted a study in which participants were asked to evaluate their own character and behavior. The results showed that religious respondents perceived themselves to be more selfless, compassionate, honest and charitable than atheists. This dynamic persisted even in the case of twins, one of whom is more religious than the other. But if we look at actual behavior, it turns out that there are no differences.

This is evidenced, for example, by the classic “Good Samaritan” experiment, in which researchers tracked which passersby would stop to help an injured person on the street. Researchers concluded that religiosity played no role in the behavior of the participants. Interestingly, some of them were just on their way to speak on the topic of this parable, but this also had no effect on their actions.

On the other hand, various traditions and cues related to religion can influence a person’s behavior. For example, studies of American Christians have shown that on Sundays they donate more money to charity and watch less porn. However, on the other days of the week they offset the situation on both counts, so there is no difference in the average results of religious people and atheists.

In addition, different religions affect those who follow them differently. For example, if people believe that their God gives them some moral guidance and punishes them for not following the rules, they tend to be more fair and are even less likely to cheat at deals. These are the results of an international study. That is, if a person believes that all his thoughts are known to God, who punishes sinners, he tries to behave better.

But it should be noted that it is not only religion that can lead to better moral behavior, but also faith in the power of the law, an honest trial, and a reliable police force. And, as a rule, if the laws are strictly enforced, religion no longer has as much effect on people and distrust toward atheists is also reduced.

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The major sources of the spiritual today are still the great world religions. Their influence is enormous, but no longer so undeniable. Technical and social progress has been harder than others and is gradually leading them to the abyss of choice: transformation or disintegration. On this path to the future, the religious is atomized and embodied in other, smaller and more malleable forms. Over the past half-century a great variety of movements have emerged that take advantage of the challenges of the new everyday that have not been processed in any way by the unwieldy churches of the past. Here, in metaphysical field laboratories in the backwaters of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism, the gods of the new age are being synthesized. To comprehend the religious consciousness of the future, we must understand what it is dreaming of and where it is going today.

Toward the new.

Of all the new religions, heresies are the easiest to spot. The intricate offshoots of the dominant faiths have always been there, and modernity is not surprised by them. Today their number is innumerable, but we are interested in those who try to incorporate pressing issues into their preaching. The former, such as the sharply conservative Christian and Islamic groups that have multiplied in recent years, have a negative perception of social change and seek to roll back social change to a time when, for example, abortion was considered an obvious murder and same-sex sexual relations were considered a crime. Understanding to the contrary are organizations like the Episcopal Church, which in the twenty-first century practices ordination of women and, in test mode, homosexuals. American priest Matthew Fox perfectly illustrates the dream of the “new,” trying to preserve the gospel for a world where no one cares about your sexuality and gender identity. As a theologian of the new Christian spirituality, Fox establishes a dialogue between the church and the progressive public. His arsenal includes unexpected Mass raves and 95 theses of the new spirituality, nailed to the doors of Castle Church with deliberate cinematography, as Martin Luther once did.

Toward death.

We should not forget, however, that heresies and religious consciousness can be extremely destructive. Over the past half-century totalitarian and apocalyptic cults have become a favorite subject of mass media attention, manifesting the inherent nature of spiritual madness. Although such sects have always existed, after surviving the horrors of the twentieth century they deliberately exploit the believer’s fear of a complex world and the temptation to find themselves at the final point of the religious narrative, at the end of time, when the appearance of God will be inevitable and obvious. The Branch of David, Aum Sinrique, Jim Jones’ Apostolic Socialism, and dozens of other infamous sects fall into this category, exposing the futile but recurring human interest in self-destruction.

Toward unity and tolerance

In addition to adapting to the obvious social shifts of modernity, large religious movements are working hard to create alternative projects of reality. One of these is universal unity, a dream of a world of cosmopolitanism that duplicates civilizational initiatives of international institutionalization and basic messianic values. We are talking about so-called syncretic religions, the number of which also counts in the hundreds and takes bizarre, sometimes monstrous forms. But the most consistent ones are already an impressive spectacle, with millions of followers scattered around the world with an enormous appetite for absorbing more traditional flocks. This is roughly how Baha’ism functions, whose precepts demand first and foremost the irrefutable unity of all the world’s major religions and acknowledge to each of its members an independent search for truth.

Toward Simplification.

The pursuit of unity reveals not only the positive and constructive spirit of future religious consciousness, but also speaks to an apparent simplification of views. For thousands of years, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, and Hinduism have honed philosophies and practices, forming complex, contradictory, yet rich spiritual systems whose mastery required a lifelong commitment. For members of different cultures, mutual engagement with these systems was not possible at all. But in our time this process has reversed. Zen Buddhism, yoga, transcendental meditation and tantrism have poured from the East to the West. Eclectic and syncretic cults enchanted consumer society with their simplicity and accessibility and gave birth to new-age mutants in their brew, mixing in their genes of everything from ancient shamans to Kabbalah. In the East, Westernization has given rise to bizarre forms of Christianity like the Moon’s Unification Church or unusual movements like the swastika-armed Falun Gong, proving that the trend toward simplistic engagement is now present in all contemporary forms of religious consciousness regardless of mentality.

Toward pseudoscience.

In the nineteenth century, a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of electricity led to the emergence of spiritualism. Such a tradition has not gone anywhere and has become entrenched in religious consciousness. The superficial perception of science began to lead in the direction of the metaphysical and the emergence of techno-myths, nlo-religions and schools of pseudo-psychology. People already brought up on a scientific picture of the world still want to find an outlet for their spiritual energy and notice God in the supernatural, in alien civilizations, while not denying the material basis of the universe. For example, Raelites defend the values of the sexual revolution, the development of scientific progress, the absence of God as such, but they themselves believe in supercivilization, recognizing in themselves the need to meet and dissolve into the higher and inaccessible. By flirting with psychology and science, Scientologists assert their intellectual origins in Dianetics, but instantly lose them as soon as they discover the vivid cosmic opera in which their world is immersed. Such movements resemble in their inner logic the cargocults of self-worshippers, but they also obviously register a thirst for the religious in those who are perfectly aware of the theories of evolution and the big bang.

Toward ecology.

The next step of religious consciousness was the return of interest in the external environment. As evidenced by the revival of ancient pagan cults and the popularity of the myth of natural balance. Every known folk tradition of the past has gone from sleep and been embodied in the practices of grateful descendants, who without any problem have connected in their souls the presence of cellular communication and deification of the ancient forces of nature. Urbanization, global warming and ecological disasters awaken in them not only an interest in political activism, but also a longing for the transcendent. The growing gap between the natural and the technological only strengthens this trait and pushes especially sensitive to nature people not only to geographical but also spiritual escapism.

Toward mysticism.

In addition to simplistic systems and flying saucers, the information society of the last fifty years has revived a mystical consciousness. The victorious march of virtual everything, from economics to sex, could not fail to revive the dormant occult powers driven deep underground by world religions. Modern man’s interest in magic and the occult has increased dramatically, which in no way contradicts the observed triumph of the symbolic in the world. Modern tricksters use this hedonistic and aesthetically appealing side of religious consciousness with pleasure, degenerating into psychics, channeling, tarot casting, sorcery and other conscious charlatanism, and gradually building a road to deification of illusions.

Toward antireligiosity.

Religious consciousness today is also paradoxically used to expose the apparent contradictions between itself and the modern world. Parody religions such as the flying macaroni monster, the invisible pink unicorn, the sensible fall, the church of the underdog, combined with pop-culture mockery such as Jediism and the cult of the Big Lebowski invite people to ironically interpret the inherent absurdity that is inherent in the entire spiritual sphere. This irony reads especially well when dealing with the rabid proponents of creationism and other pseudoscientific ideas posed as real alternatives to science. Similarly, only without much irony, movements like the Church of Euthanasia, Copism, or the well-known Church of Satan operate. These movements use the institutional nature of religion to solve problems in societies where spiritual enterprises are given not only ideological but also legal advantages over other forms of self-organization.

Toward Pragmatism.

If we set aside the maximum metaphysical and turn to the spiritual with an exemplary manager’s approach, functional practices emerge from religious consciousness that work as well as psychological and corporate training. The former organize movements like the Art of Living and are more akin to personal growth seminars. The latter, like Scientologists, deliberately use the work of psychological schools, sometimes mutating into business ventures like Zepter and Amway, whose commercial activities are based on quasi-religious ceremonial and motivational ecstatic sermons. This kind of attitude toward spiritual needs reinforces corporate culture and, despite its totalitarianism, turns a processed religious consciousness into an obvious managerial tool for the companies of the future.

Toward transgression.

Hardly identifiable movements like polygamous sects, rather like swinger parties with a light ritual atmosphere, or bloody spiritual leaders who gather people with manic tendencies around them, or racist organizations like the Church of the Creator, not only attract great public attention, but also point to the clear transgressive potential of religion. Without understanding how to sell their anti-social needs to society, these groups of people clothe their cravings in the form of a cult and justify themselves with the supernatural order of things. This loophole to absolute freedom through God is likely to remain reserved for the religious mind, and no amount of rational argument or obvious evidence will fundamentally prevent it.

If intuition does fail the apocalyptic cults, then all of the aforementioned directions will only thicken in the future. It is important to understand that the way forward here is not paved by ignorance or the evil design of a group of enterprising priests, but by a special perception of the world, developed and formed in the beat of civilization, which does not appeal to the logical answers of the external, scientific world, but listens to the familiar whisper of the inner. Called religious, such consciousness is able to work not only with the obvious task of overcoming the psychological corruptibility of existence, but also to solve other more mundane problems at the same time. Such a condition cannot be uprooted, as radical atheist propaganda wants it to be, nor can it be denied-even in the twenty-first century it manifests itself in an overwhelming majority of humanity and in amazing diversity. So the rational and productive position in the future will be one that learns to contact and work with religious consciousness, implying that it is indeed consciousness rather than a set of primitive delusions of collective insanity.

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Non-traditional religions have been widespread since the late 1950s, when they began to appear in the United States and Western Europe as a result of the mass disappointment of believers, especially young people, in traditional religions and churches. The total number of non-traditional religions in the world is difficult to estimate, since there are no statistics on this issue. According to the available data, there are about three hundred of them only in France and more than two thousand in the USA.

Two types of non-traditional religions predominate: those formed on the basis of Christianity and those emerging under the influence of Eastern religions (mainly Hinduism and Buddhism). A separate type is Baha’ism, whose main temple is located in Jerusalem, which proposes to synthesize the scriptures of all the world’s most represented religions and religious-philosophical systems (Abrahamic, Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Taoism, etc.) and is therefore characterized by extreme eclecticism and has a small number of supporters. A distinctive feature of “New Christian” religions is that their followers formally worship Christ, but actually honor their leaders as “messengers of God” and “new messiahs. The most typical example of non-traditional religions of Eastern origin is Vaishnavism, better known as the Krishna Consciousness Society (Hare Krishna, Krishnaites).

The reason for the emergence of non-traditional religions is considered to be the existential vacuum in which many Western societies found themselves in the 1940s-1950s, their spiritual crisis and the loss of their high standards of valuable life meanings, the loss of moral and social orientation of the individual. The origins of these crises seem to lie in the decline of the post-industrial materialistic culture – the large-scale transformation of values after World War II; the backlash against secularization in the form of mass sacralization of non-sacred objects and the replacement of traditional religiosity by quasi-religious consciousness; the intensification of the sense of tragedy of the rise of global threats (environmental, etc., challenges to the environment, political extremism, etc.) and the crisis of the human mind. The growing sense of loneliness, alienation, and the powerlessness of man in the face of the enormity of the problems that have fallen upon him.

According to the doctrinal principle, the following currents of non-traditional religions can be distinguished.

Pseudo-Christian

Pseudo-Christian ones use theosophical and Eastern religious schemes to interpret the Christian legacy, or they make arbitrary adjustments to the traditional Christian positions, placing an emphasis on eschatology. Their leaders most often present themselves as “continuers of the work of Christ” (Moon’s Unification Church), prophets of the “Third Testament” (Theological Center), new messiahs (Vissarion Church), the Mother of Peace (Great White Brotherhood), etc. Pseudo-Christianity includes some neo-Protestant doctrines (Children of God, Christian Meditation, School of Christian Unity). Among these are the “New Revelation” cults (e.g., Moonists, Vissarionists) and pseudo-Biblical cults that “improve” the Bible with arbitrary translations and interpretations, even to the point of creating new texts (e.g., Jehovah’s Witnesses). They are joined by some Protestant denominations that emerged the century before last – Mormons and the Christian Science Church are particularly notable among them.

Neo-Orientalist

Neo-orientalists have generally developed from Hinduism, Yoga, Taoism, and Confucianism. Their main emphasis is on the discovery of man’s inner abilities through mastering psychotechnologies: such are Vaishnavism, Transcendental Meditation, Sanatana Dharma Spiritual Revival League, The Only Religion (Osho), Aum Shinrekyo. These non-traditional religions are instrumentalist in nature, which ensured their incredible popularity in the West in the 1960s and 1970s.

Occultism

Occultism, which is characterized by ideas about the ecology of the spirit, a special mystical orientation and concepts borrowed from science such as energy, evolution, etc. These include theosophy, astrology, spiritualism, manticism (the system of divination I Ching, Tarot, etc.), voodoo and similar to the latter rituals.

Neopaganism

Neo-paganism: druids, vican religion, witchcraft, “Slavic” cults, etc. The ideology of the New Acropolis and the Church of Navi is connected to them. Neo-paganism is also the basis of ideas of right-wing religious and political organizations (the movement Toward Godliness).

Satanism. Pseudo-psychological and pseudo-medical

Satanism. Pseudo-psychological and pseudo-medical movements proceed from the doctrine of improvement of man’s spiritual power and his physical condition. Recently, due to the active use of suggestive practices by the distributors of certain types of products, we have begun to speak of the appearance of commercial pseudo-cults such as Herbalife.

Some of the newest and oldest non-traditional religions are distinguished by the worship of the leader as a living deity, severe centralization of management and discipline in the organization, excessive material donations from believers or their complete rejection of property in favor of the community and/or its leader, focus on a rapid and radical change in the mind of a new convert, aggressive methods of attracting and retaining adherents, complete destruction of the follower’s social connections outside the group of adherents, unification of a believer’s personality, and the removal of his/her religious identity.

Among non-traditional religions there are destructive religions that distinguish methods of recruiting followers and psychological treatment of the neophyte: “bombardment with love”, when he is made the center of attention, admiration and love; informational comfort, when he immediately receives seemingly exhaustive answers to all the questions that concern him; restriction of the communication circle of fellow believers; strict regime of sleep restriction and fasting, grueling spiritual practices, hard physical labor.

Some pseudo-Christian – Moonists, Jehovists, Scientologists – and neo-orientalist – Vaishnavism, Yoga and other branches of Hinduism, some Taoist sects – religions actively attract followers from among the artistic, intellectual and political elite and try to have a profound influence on the determination of the ways of development of this or that society. Their influence has taken on serious proportions, particularly in Hollywood. In many countries (Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Poland, Ukraine, etc.) the activities of non-traditional religious organizations recognized as destructive (Jehovah’s Witnesses, Aum Shinrikyo, the White Brotherhood, the Unification Church, the Virgin Center, the Scientologists, etc.) are prohibited by law.

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The attempt of fusion of polytheism (Eastern cults) and monotheism (Abrahamic tradition), leading to the actualization of pantheistic motifs – “all is one”. Hence the emphasis on environmental issues and healthy lifestyles, explicitly or latently inherent in almost all NSDs; as an example, the concept of “Gay Earth” (Lovelock-Margulis) used in New Age ideology, which has gained a stable scientific status, can be cited.

“Modernized” – as compared to “traditional” – forms of organization of NSD, among which the essential role is played by horizontal links instead of a hierarchical vertical. However, as noted above, we should not forget that a number of “traditional” confessions prefer horizontal structures to vertical ones (late Protestant denominations such as Baptists, Pentecostals, Congregationalists, and some Buddhist movements). Within the NRD, typical examples of a “horizontal” structure are presented by the Christian Commonwealth as well as by a number of New Age movements. The most typical domestic example is the state of the Vissarionite community outside the Minusinsk commune in the second half of the 1990s and early 2000s.

Another characteristic form of NRD organization is the charismatic cult (the White Brotherhood, the Last Covenant Vissarion Church in the Minusinsk commune, the Moon Unification Church) with an explicit leader figure.

The use of the newest means of communication, forms of missionary, propaganda and advertising of the doctrine, among which we can distinguish:

1. Creation of communes-settlements alternative to the laws of macrosociety (in 1962 the first New Age settlement Hindhorn appeared in Scotland), the program of development of the Dawn City, the City of Human Unity (Auroville), implemented by followers of Sri Aurobindo Ghosh’s Integral Yoga, and also the similar program of the Moon Unification Church, providing for creation of a hundred communes in the territory of Argentina.
2. Seminars, practical and lecture courses, including virtual ones. This peculiarity of NRDs has caused a wide spread among anti-cultists of the idea of NRDs as “commercial cults”, although a significant element of commercialization is inherent in “traditional” religions, which, as in the case of NRDs, is due to socio-economic conditions: churches, being also social institutions, live under the same laws as other social formations.
3. Initially chosen by NRD to instrumentally use for the purpose of spreading the faith both educational institutions already established in the macro-society (state, municipal and non-state) and the creation of alternative secular educational institutions claiming equal status with existing educational institutions (Waldorf system of education, optional courses of the Moon Association Church on family and marriage, Dianetics, Reiki courses, etc.)

4. Scientificity in the presentation of doctrinal statements, calculated to be adequately understood by the modern secularized-rationalized mass consciousness. It is interesting that nowadays even purely magical and occult practices (different schools of astrology, chiromancy, practical magic, etc., etc.) can be characterized by a rationalized style of statement. The origins of this trend can be traced back to the mid-nineteenth century with the aforementioned program book by Mary Baker-Eddie, Christian Science.

The inseparability of the public, religious, and political activities of the NSD. For example, New Age organizations tend to fuse and ultimately identify fully with state and, above all, supranational structures. Examples include the New Age organizations Citizens of the Planet and Goodwill for Peace, whose offices are located directly in the UN complex, as well as the US Congressional Future Planning Group, created at the initiative of North Carolina Congressman Charles Rose5. In addition to New Age trends, this line was also developed in quasi-orientalist Integral Yoga, whose Auroville project was supported by UNESCO and the Indian government. Under the aegis of the Sun Myung Moon Unification Church, there are numerous public foundations, the most notable of which are foundations for family and family values.

All of these currents are characterized by the advancement and development of global projects for the arrangement of America and the world, primarily on ecological principles, often echoing the environmental initiatives put forward by recognized authorities in one field or another, which have not received governmental support.

The claim to create a religion with original world status. The emergence of the Bahai religion, which in its modern expression has most of the characteristics of the NSD, can be regarded as a peculiar point of reference in this respect.

In connection with all the above, NSD are characterized by a higher degree of social mobility compared to “traditional” confessions/religions.

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Atheist Alliance International

An international organization of atheists and free-thinkers

The Alliance was founded in 1991 in the United States. In this case, the word atheist should not be associated with the experience of the Soviet aggressive fight against religion. Its members do not bomb churches or generally behave peacefully. Rather, they attempt to affirm the possibility of coexistence between people of different religious persuasions in the world through their actions. It is not unbelief that is opposed to faith, but reason and rational thought. The view of the world around us through divine revelation is opposed to the scientific method of knowledge and the idea that our knowledge must be substantiated empirically, and if suddenly new data appear, then some of the knowledge may change, because free thinking should not be limited by either divine or scientific dogmas.

The main mission of the Alliance is to achieve the establishment in all countries of a secular model of society, where politics, research and education are not influenced by religious institutions or the religious beliefs of particular groups of citizens, but are based on reason, rational thought and empirical evidence. To accomplish its goals, the Alliance supports existing atheist organizations and helps start new ones, organizes conferences, publishes the journal Secular World and does many other small but important things.

That’s why the Alliance has teamed up with the Richard Dawkins Foundation to start a public outreach campaign called

Another area that follows directly from the problem described is advocacy and lobbying activities. In some countries, member organizations promote legislative initiatives that would secure the right to free exercise of religion and minimize the intrusion of religion into private life and state activities. In others, they are forced to defend atheists against state and citizen attacks. The most recent high-profile story involved the campaign for the defense of Indonesian civic activist Alexander Aan, who was fired from his job, beaten in the street, arrested, and eventually sentenced to two and a half years in prison for writing “There Is No God” on his Facebook page.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union

The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) was founded in 1952 in Amsterdam. Today it brings together humanist, atheist, ethical and rationalist organizations from all over the world. It is committed to advancing the humanist movement and establishing humanist values throughout the world. A special section of the website details the organization’s position on all kinds of topics: torture, sexual orientation, armed conflict and more. The organization is a special consultant to the UN, also advises UNICEF and UNESCO. Every three years the Alliance organizes a World Humanist Congress. The last one was in 2011 in Oslo.

Activists for Freedom of Conscience:

Alexander Aan: Indonesian activist was beaten, fired from his job and sentenced to two years in prison for his atheist Facebook status.

Rowan Atkinson: the creator of the image of Mr. Bean initiated a campaign against the adoption of a law on liability for insulting religious feelings.

Bhimrao Ambedkar: one of the authors of India’s constitution was sharply critical of Hinduism and Islam, and advocated the destruction of the caste system.

The IHEU has several large programs. The organization actively fights the caste system in India with the goal of adapting Dalits (“the oppressed” as Bheemrao Ambedkar called the untouchables), who are a closed social structure whose members do not have the same rights as other Hindus and whose children have no chance to be free from the bonds of poverty. The IHEU provides untouchables with free medical services, organizes various counseling programs for youth and women, and programs for the social integration of Dalits and their obtainment of jobs alternative to traditional employment for this population. However, the problem is not limited to India and the Union is working with scheduled castes in other countries, as today about 250 million people belong to this social group.

Other IHEU activities include educational programs (the Union supports three humanist schools in Uganda), public campaigns for freedom of expression, public campaigns for the separation of religious and state institutions, and other public campaigns related to humanist ideas.

National Secular Society

Britain’s premier secularist organization

The National Secular Society is the main secularist organization in Great Britain. It was founded in the XIX century, and since then it has been consistently advocating the separation of religion from the state and the establishment of a society in which one’s religious affiliation would not concern anyone except oneself. If you read a page of statements by members of the society, you will see that most of them are touched by religion through their children. Parents periodically hear from their children about belief in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, as well as about morning collective prayers at school. Beginning in 1944, the British government developed a network of educational institutions for believers. As a result, according to the Ministry of Education website, the English educational system has achieved unbelievable results: today one third of all schools are schools for believers with appropriate subjects, prayers, and other features.

Most of these schools practice discrimination: a teacher may not be hired if he or she is a follower of another religion or an atheist, and the same applies to children. All of this is paid for with taxpayer money. To learn more about the worldview of religious school students, see Richard Dawkins’ documentary Faith School Menace? The main tools to combat this phenomenon are public campaigns and lobbying for the introduction of amendments to the education law.

Besides the problem of the imposition of religion in schools, the NSS also fights for human rights, freedom of expression and, together with other organizations, participates in a public campaign against the adoption of a law implying liability for insult. Incidentally, the campaign is spearheaded by Rowan Atkinson.

The Brights Society

The Brights Society of Enlightened Scientists.

This society consists of various scientists, including Richard Dawkins and Daniel Dennett. The organization aims to promote a naturalistic worldview free of religious beliefs and superstitions. Already knowing the history of schools for believers, one of the Society’s major stated goals–promoting public understanding and acceptance of people who hold a naturalistic worldview–is taken seriously. To understand whether a person is enlightened (bright), it is enough to answer one question. Is his worldview free from belief in the supernatural, in mystical deities, powers, and entities?
The Richard Dawkins Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Rational Thought is dedicated to promoting critical thinking and combating religious fundamentalism.

At the moment, the Society’s main activity is the dissemination of the ideas behind it. Activism in this situation is considered, for example, talking to acquaintances (neighbors, colleagues) about what this organization is and why it was created. The next step is communication with a believer. This does not necessarily have to be a religious person, you can inform the ordinary fans of superstition and mysticism (in English the ideologists of the Bright movement call such people super, from the word supernatural). The site has a separate page with examples of how to talk about the supernatural with people who believe in it.

In addition, from time to time the Society organizes separate actions and projects in which any member can participate as a volunteer. For example, any member can donate money so that high school teachers can print out a giant, beautiful poster depicting evolution for free and hang it in their classrooms. It seems like a good way to bring a colorful picture to schoolchildren’s attention to the question of why we evolved from monkeys and not from divine intervention or alien insemination of the Earth.

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On the basis of this criterion, we can roughly divide NSDs into several groups:

1. “secondary” Protestant (second Protestant) associations – Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), the Church of Christ (“Boston Movement”);
2. pseudo-Christian movements (Moon’s Unification Church, the Last Covenant Church of Vissarion, the White Brotherhood);
3. Scientology cults (“Christian Science,” Ron Hubbard’s Church of Scientology, Clonade, the White Environmentalist Movement, etc.);
4. neo- and quasi-orientalist schools and cults (“Living Ethics” (Agni Yoga), Krishna Consciousness Society, Transcendental Meditation, Aum Shinrikyo, Sahaja Yoga, etc.)
5. Neopagan organizations and cults. The most striking examples of this range are the church “Rodna Ukrainska Natsionalna Vira”, abbreviated “RUNvira”, which arose and took shape among the Ukrainian diaspora and spread in Ukraine.
6. Second Protestant movements arose as a result of Protestantism’s free interpretation of the Bible, which allowed a departure from the basic tenets of Christianity. In some ways these confessions continue the line of intra-Christian heresies of the Ecumenical Council period (Monophysite and Monothelite trends) on the one hand, and the period of early Protestantism (Anabaptism in Western Europe and Arianism in Rzeczpospolita) on the other.

Pseudo-Christian movements of the NRD are characterized by an aspiration to unite Christianity with the worldview peculiar to Eastern religions. Both Christianity and Oriental religions are interpreted from the position of “many-knowledgeable,” wise and good ecologically-minded modern man.

Pseudo-Christian trends are characterized by:

• The scholarly presentation of doctrinal principles;
• Eschatological and messianic motifs;
• The presence of a charismatic leader, “the living God” called to bring a new revelation to mankind.

Scientology cults (from Latin scientia, science) are eclectic doctrines that seek to combine religious ideas and pseudoscientific concepts. Their modern version is characterized by the perception of scientific data primarily as a basis for doctrines of faith. The American Mary Baker-Eddy, a patient and follower of the famous “healer” F. Quimby, who believed that all diseases could be cured by Christ’s example, formulated the principles of healing by “spiritual action” alone, without the use of drugs. These principles were formulated by M. Baker-Eddie in a book with the self-speaking title “Science and Health. The Key to the Scriptures.” According to the principles she set forth, only God has true reality, and human suffering, including bodily suffering, is illusory and therefore curable through the sole awareness of that fact. More modern versions of Scientology cults view Christianity as only one segment of world culture, offering people a way out of their fears and anxieties through certain spiritual, intellectual, physical and psychological trainings.

Neo- and quasi-orientalist cults are “translations” of Eastern teachings into a language accessible to Western secularized thinking. They are distinguished by their anti-intellectualistic orientation and the emphasis on the meditative release of the spiritual “inner possibilities” of a person.

Neo-pagan organizations and cults, based on an attempt to reconstruct “indigenous” ethnic forms of spirit and religion, in modern conditions emphasize ecological problems with reference to peaceful coexistence of ancestors with nature (“golden age”), the basis of which was the pagan worldview. It is in neopaganism, among all other NSDs, that the political component is most strongly expressed.

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The term “NSD” is used to denote and characterize religious and/or quasi-religious movements that differ from what is commonly referred to as “traditional” as well as “established”/”established”/”historical” faiths/religions. In the future we will mainly use the term “traditional” confessions/religions as the most commonly used of the given number of related concepts.

Since there is no unambiguous definition and, accordingly, no clear criteria of confessional/religious “traditionalism,” we will try to define this concept based on the most commonly attributed characteristics.

So, among the distinguishing characteristics of “traditional” confessions/religions are usually mentioned:

1. some long history of their existence (most often in the literature on NSD in Russian this history is tied to a particular ethnicity; i.e. not just Orthodoxy as a branch of Christianity, but Russian, or Greek, or Serbian Orthodoxy, not just Catholicism, but Polish, or Spanish, or Italian versions of it, are considered);
2. internal integrity, wholeness, formality and even “completeness” of doctrine of “traditional” confessions/religions in the sense that nothing can be added to their doctrinal arsenal, which, it should be noted, does not quite correspond to reality (for example, the Roman Catholic Church, whose “traditionalism” is difficult to challenge, after a long break in the XIV century renewed the practice of doctrine-making, which remains in force to this day);
3. sustainability of religious practices of “traditional” confessions, especially cultic (ritual) practices;
4. institutional structure of organizations (not always hierarchical, as for example in some Protestant denominations), and the system of internal discipline in “traditional” confessions/religions, which makes it possible to reproduce at least a relative unity of specific religious organizations (for versions of Christianity – churches) over a long historical period;
5. with respect to “traditional” confessions/religions (especially in Russian journalism) we often mention “rootedness” of their “spirit” in national languages, ethno-cultural stereotypes, “mentality”, transmitted in some unchanged form from generation to generation;
6. The characteristic of “traditionalism” also accentuates “habituality”, “familiarity” of the forms of external manifestation of the activities of “traditional” confessions, which does not cause sharp rejection among the carriers of the modern mass secularized consciousness;
7. Several characteristics of “traditional” confessions/religions also emphasize their world nature, though it should be noted that NSDs may also initially emerge as varieties of world religions (Bahai religion) or claim similar status (the most famous example of this series is the Unification Church of Moon).

Accordingly, among the attributes of the NSD we can point to:

1. the relatively short time span of existence of these movements/faiths/religions;
2. lower degree of formation (even amorphous) of their doctrines compared to “traditional” confessions/religions, coupled with attempts to combine different cultural and religious doctrinal traditions (pretensions to synthesis of the world religious heritage);
3. striving to unite basic science, artistic heritage, religion and modern technology to achieve “higher” goals (Sri Aurobindo Ghosh’s Integral Yoga), which in the long run should lead to the “removal” of any conflicts, especially social ones;
4. desire to “expand” the natural possibilities of individual consciousness by applying a variety of both old and new psychotechniques or their imitations (examples: Dianetics, i.e. “technology that reveals the causes of undesirable feelings and emotions “2) based on fear (in R. Hubbard’s Scientology Church), yogic in origin techniques in Transcendental Meditation, etc.
5. NSDs cause almost unambiguous negative reaction of “traditional” confessions. The latter see them as a serious competitor, even despite the real low degree of distribution of specific NSDs and their often negative image, formed, importantly, under the influence of the media, whose experts are often representatives of “traditional” confessions. The same kind of arguments can be used by the authorities. Quite indicative in this regard is the story of the authorities liquidating the Mosaic Shater religious organization with reference to the discrepancy between the new reading of the Judaism doctrinal statements proposed by the Shater activists and those of the “traditional” branches of the Jewish religion. As a result, the denial of re-registration gave the leaders of this organization grounds to ask the U.S. authorities to grant them the right to enter the country for reasons of religious discrimination in their home country.

Thus, opposition to the NSD can serve as a platform for possible temporary alliances between “traditional” confessions that disagree and conflict with one another on most doctrinal positions.

In terms of institutional arrangements, NSDs take a variety of forms, from interest clubs with non-fixed membership to centers providing ritual or “spiritual” services to the public, to virtually full-fledged cults, denominations, and churches. The latter circumstance gives rise to debate about the appropriateness of using the word “movement” when describing some NSDs, because among the distinctive features of NSDs, as noted above, there is an indication of organizational amorphousness. Perhaps it was this lag between the theory and the terminology in which it was expressed and the real situation that allowed anti-cultists to substitute the concept of NSD with terms of uncertain meaning – “totalitarian sect” or “destructive cult”. It should be noted that the massive propaganda campaign against NSD deployed by domestic anti-cultists actively introduced these very terms in the mass consciousness.

In this connection, it should be noted that the phrase “totalitarian sect” used by the opponents of NSD as a synonym for NSD does not stand up to criticism, because:

1. is not a scientific term, but a publicistic cliché, because it has an evaluative nature, unacceptable in a scientific study;
2. by its semantics does not correspond to the real institutional structure and organizational forms of a large part of NSD.

Accordingly, the vagueness of the phrase “totalitarian sect” leads to the possibility of its application to absolutely any religious movements. Thus, the activity of the Roman Catholic Church, “non-traditional” for the East Slavic medieval states.

Summarizing the above, we can distinguish at least three possible uses of the term NSD:

1. to characterize religious movements and attitudes that emerged in the second half of the 20th century, grouped under the term “new age” (the terms NRD and NE are used synonymously here);
2. To characterize religious movements that went beyond the doctrinal positions of “traditional” confessions and/or consciously opposed them, just as Bahaism, which emerged and formed in the bosom of Islam, opposed itself, even in a mild form, to the doctrine and practice of Muslims of the time;
3. to characterize any religious movement that is not “traditional” for a given nation, country, culture, or territory. The last use of the term, as we have already noted, is not correct, because in the limit it can include any religious formations, except, perhaps, tribal.

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