EVALUATE SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS FOR THE EXISTANCE OF SECTS, CULTS AND NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS. (20)

EVALUATE SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS FOR THE EXISTANCE OF SECTS, CULTS AND NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS. (20) INTRO:·       Sects, cults and NRM’s all played role in shifting away from traditional forms of worship within churches.·      Wallis describes cults as world affirming (tend to be more tolerant towards other religions and organizations. Whereas sects are world rejecting (members tend to disassociate themselves from main stream society and our every day norms).·      MY OPINION: there are many sociological explanations for the existence of sects, cults and NRM’s and why these new institutions have emerged but there is no sole theory that holds the answer and instead we can find that these theories collectively can explain the emergence of these new organizations.PARAGRAPH 1:TROELSCH (marginalized groups)·      POINT: many sociologists believe that those who are marginal groups in society are most likely to form or be part of a cult or sect. ·      EXPLAIN: this can be linked to the Marxist ideology that the working class as a marginal group turn towards religion as an overall institution as a way to compensate for their oppression.·      EVIDENCE: Troelsch holds the belief that for marginalized groups in society, these organizations offer collective consciousness and help those who feel that they are oppressed in society to come together with other members of society who feel the same way. Weber claims that for these groups, sects offer theodicy of dis privilege which is defined simply as a method for justifying their suffering through religious belief. For example, you are poor because god has intended this for you.  ·      LINK:  this is a good way of explaining why these groups emerge by        using the element of who enters these groups.·      EVALUATE: 1.      STRENGTHS: this may be seen as a good theory for explaining why people turn towards things like religious extremism like, for example isis members who claim that they have been oppressed through being racially abused and have been subject to discrimination and this is why they turn to fundamentalism, as seen in the documentary on jihad by Deeyah Khan. 2.      WEAKNESSES: however many have argued this is not a good way to explain the emergence of things like cults or sects. A reason for may be because the claim of the theory is false as since the 1960’s, it has been the case that sects for example, the moonies recruit from affluent backgrounds- so recruit those who have never felt marginalized.  PARAGRAPH 2: WALLIS (middle class spiritually oppressed)·      POINT: Wallisargues however that this criticism does not contradict Weber’s thought because it is indeed perfectly normal for privileged middle class individuals to feel deprived or disadvantaged.·      EXPLAIN: Wallis argues that although it is mostly the working class who feel culturally or materially deprived, middle class people of origin may feel spiritually deprived.·      EVIDENCE: this is particularly the case in postmodern society where there is a huge materialist and consumerist principle in place. Wallis argues that this consumerism leaves no room for beliefs to e clear-cut and set out universally and absolutely. While Daviedescribes that people I todays age simply pick and mix the beliefs that appeal to them Wallis sees This as negative as many people today still seek universal truths and the emergence of sects and cults and for Wallis enable middle class privileged people to also accept these truths.·      EVALUATION:1.     STRENGTHS: this can be seen as a good theory as it is in line with other thinker views like Stark and Bainbridgewho argue that world rejecting sects offer to the deprived the compensations they need for the rewards they are denied in this world. In contrast, privileged middle class people in society don’t need this type of compensation so look to world accepting churches or cults that express their status and bring them money.PARAGRAPH 3: WILSON (rapid social change)·      POINT: Wilsonprovides a slightly differing stance on the emergence of these types of groups by saying that they have come into existence as a result of rapid social change.·      EVIDENCE: he argues that rapid social change disrupts and undermines established traditional norms like those of worship, which in turn produces ‘anomie’ which he describes as a society, which is normless. ·      EXPLAIN: this he argues, produces uncertainty as it eliminates the principle of absolute universal truths that are needed for the society to follow and respect which was available to us through churches who offer a monopoly of the truth which then in turn makes people insecure causing panic amongst the majority. ·      LINK: this then causes them to possibly turn to sects as these groups offer comfort and collective consciousness as a result of declining church attendance. This can be a useful way for them to reject this normless society but maintain social solidarity amongst the sect. an example of this was the panic amongst people after the industrial revolution which was a huge social change in the uk which led to the emergence of Methodism.·      EVALUATION:1.      WEAKNESSES: however many     claim that this is still a generalized viewpoint and reasons are more historic than Wilson recognizes.2.      STRENTHS: although, personally I favor Wilson’s argument as it is a useful way to account for the emergence of sects such as the people’s temple which is quite a controversial sect to discuss. This provides answers I believe as to why those individuals joined such a radical sect in the first place; a question many people in society asked after the mass suicide.CONCLUSION:·      Overall I still hold the view that sects, cults and NRM’s have emerged as a result of postmodernity and the ideas associated with It causing rapid social change and thefore making people uncertain and insecure about what to believe and what not to believe.