Ask a Question
or
Create a Poll
  1. Home /
  2. Questions /
  3. Social Sciences
  4. / Religions
  5. / Religions A - Z
  6. / Christian Religions
  7. / Christian Denominations
  8. / Comparisons Between Christian Denominations

by DeeDee82 on June 2nd, 2006

DeeDee82

Question

Help answer this question below.

What factors have enabled cults and sects to grow in the 21st Century?

  • Like
  • Report
Share:
Other

Answers. 9 helpful answers below.

  • by Anonymous on December 11th, 2006

    Anonymous

    Stupidity, ignorance, apathy on the behalf of the police, government agency screwups (and more important priorities of theirs) and uneducated or fearful citizens.

    • Like
    • Report

    8 comments | Post one | Permalink

  • by alreadydead on December 9th, 2006

    alreadydead

    The lack of satisfying answers to the essential questions.
    Political, economical, and social situations.
    Freedom of thinking and faith, criticism and enlightenment.
    I have to say, I do not believe in cults and sects. There is variety and division among the believers.

    • Like
    • Report

    1 comment | Post one | Permalink

  • by zazzy_one on December 12th, 2006

    zazzy_one

    Sometimes (and you'll forgive me)...I think that there exists a basic flaw in the question. I have no reason to believe that there IS growth. No reason to rate this one way or another, but there is no way to query the validity of a question without rating it down. I am not rating this question, but wondering about its validity here. By my own experience btw, (annecdotally) I believe that there are fewer members of popular "cults" (mind control "religions") at least in U.S., as in a free society, the truth outs. I am thinking Krishnas, Moonies, perhaps Scientologists. But the question is mute about whether we are talking in the U.S., in the Western world, globally....

    Sects ploriferate because they can: because humans are analytical creatures and in thinking things through they break down into smaller and smaller groups. Therefore, time passing = sectionalization. But...the question seems to draw a negative inference about sects, when I don't think there should be one.

    So, definitions need to be specified in order to have meaningful converstation on a topic like this.

    • Like
    • Report

    1 comment | Post one | Permalink

  • by LynfromNM on December 9th, 2006

    LynfromNM

    I think originally people are attracted to cults because they are "different". In all this mass of humanity, people seek to define a uniqueness about themselves. Ironically, once they become members of a cult or sect, they become conformists to whatever doctrines are espoused by the group.
    I don't have any statistics to support your assertion that cults and sects are becoming more popular in the 21st century, but if that is so, I think accessibility to media is largely the reason. In the 21st century the world is much smaller - we communicate with people all over the world instantly, and this makes information about different sects and cults more accessible. It feeds the imagination too. People can conceive of alternate paths of belief that can distinguish them from the more traditional paths of the parents and communities. Sometimes it can be a path to infamy, getting attention for outrageousness.
    Perhaps another reason cults have been growing is disenchantment with the leaders of the more established religious groups - preachers having their dirty laundry aired in public, wars between religious groups with their own agendas. These things are on regular display in our newspapers and TV, when in past generations the sensationalism wasn't on the breakfast table.

    • Like
    • Report

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by dstris on December 22nd, 2006

    dstris

    It is the basic human need to feel wanted and loved, whether by a parent, a cult, or a gang.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by germaster on December 15th, 2006

    germaster

    population growth.
    more ppl = more similar ppl
    more similar ppl = more groups

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by wfbrad on December 9th, 2006

    wfbrad

    The main reason I can think of is man's desire to belong to something bigger than himself, but to still be his own boss. We want to worship ourselves(satanists and humanists), or the earth(wiccans), or a man (doomsday, or David Koresh), something tangible. Man does not naturally want to worship a spirit, or being that he can't see, nor to submit to a system of rules eastablished by said being.

    We puff up with pride in ourselves, our intelligence, our accomplishments, etc. Yet we still want to know who put us here and why. There is an open hole in our hearts, and if we don't watch out, it will be filled by something destructive. Many in the 21st century are asleep, and not watching.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by princeofheaven on December 12th, 2006

    princeofheaven

    Disatisfaction with oragnized religion, and are looking for something that will give them the answers or justify the actions that they feel they want to have. If you remember People's Temple and Jim Jones, people were told exactly what they wanted to hear, especially concerning their actions. That is also why you see polygamists living in towns of like minded people. A lot of the things that the Bible, and even the Koran teach are against what people want to hear, so they will go where someone will tell them what they want to hear.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Roger Kovaciny on December 16th, 2006

    Roger Kovaciny

    Has anyone mentioned the fact that a requirement for cult membership is that you take part in aggressive "salesmanship" to other people? Door-to-door sales used to be the way to sell things until it got to be too expensive; well, the cult member's time and transportation is free to the organization.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

Want to attach an image to your answer? Click here.

Did this answer your question? If not, then ask a new question or create a poll.

More Questions. Additional questions in this category.

You're reading What factors have enabled cults and sects to grow in the 21st Century?

Follow us on Facebook!

Related Ads

Related Questions

Professionally Researched

ANSWERBAG BUZZ

Statistics for growing cults and sects
Factors cults growing
Factors of different religious sects
Factors that create sects
Reasons for growth of cults and sects

Answerbag

a Demand Media company