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158 Cards in this Set
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- Back
"CULT" |
From Latin: to care for or adore |
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"CULT" meaning in the Roman world |
giving reverence to a diety |
|
"CULT" in today's usage |
Problem of definition:
- Theological definition - Sociological definition - Popular media's definition |
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How do we define "Cult"? (Quotes) |
"If you believe in it, it is a religion or perhaps 'the' religion; And if you do not care one way or another about it, it is a sect; But if you fear and hate it, it is a cult"
Also look at quotes from: -Robert Bowman -Stark & Bainbridge -Hexham |
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How do we define "Cult"? |
A small, recently created religious organization, which is often headed by a single charismatic leader and is viewed as a spiritually innovative group.
-So a cult may simply be a new religious movement on its way to becoming a denomination |
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How do we define "Sect"? |
"A religious body in a relatively high state of tension with their environment but which remains within the conventional religious traditions of their country."
-Stark |
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Types of religious organizations |
- Established Churches
- Sects or denominations
- Ethnic religions
- NRMs |
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Two types of NRMs |
1. World-rejecting
2. World-affirming |
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World-rejecting NRMs Characteristics |
- Apocalyptic expectation
- Separation from society
- Subordination of self
- Highly authoritarian |
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World-affirming NRMs Characteristics |
- Lack developed theology
- Focus on individual improvement |
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Other terms for "Cult" |
- Alternative religious movement
- Emergent religion
- Faith group |
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Christianity Today 1990 editorial called for evangelical Christians to stop using the term "Cult", Why? |
- Spirit of fair plays says we should refer to groups as they refer to themselves
-Unwise to use disparaging terms for people we hope to evangelize |
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The Church of Wells: Sociological features of the group that are cult-like |
-Exclusivity
-Isolation of members from family/outsiders
-Promise of special knowledge
-Strict obedience to leaders
-Dress Code |
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A Brief Overview of Christianity and Heresy:
Early Church |
- Christianity itself begins as a new, dangerous, controversial cult (suffered 3 cent. of persecution)
- Early struggles over "true" vs. "false" Christianity (I.e. what is orthodoxy) |
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A Brief Overview of Christianity and Heresy:
Orthodoxy |
- Ortho = right, true, straight
- Doxy = thinking, praise
- Heresy = teaching that is contrary to established, orthodox belief (Heresy in early Christianity included Arianism, Gnostic Christianity, and Montanism) |
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A Brief Overview of Christianity and Heresy:
Medieval Church |
- Heretics include Albigenses, Waldensians, Lollards, and Hussites
- Formal split between roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches over theological differences |
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A Brief Overview of Christianity and Heresy:
Protestant Reformation |
- Protestants denounced by Catholics as heretics
- Catholics denounced by Protestants
- Radical Protestants (e.g. Anabaptists) denounced by everyone as heretics
- Christianity divided over differences in theology, organization, practice, etc. |
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A Brief Overview of Christianity and Heresy:
Puritan New England |
- Puritans established Massachusetts Bay Colony as part of their quest for religious liberty
+ Refuse to extend religious liberty to those who disagree with them
+ E.g. Roger Williams, Anne Hutchison
- Arrest, torture, execute, and expel Quakers and other "heretics"
+ Quakerism = capital crime in 1658 |
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A Brief Overview of Christianity and Heresy:
Anne Hutchison |
- Put on trial for undermining order of society
-She relies on scripture and tradition like everyone else, but she also relies on RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE, which is something that was not tangible to the outside community
+ Religious experience takes a long time to become accepted as a valid practice, explanation, and common to the Christian community. |
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A Brief Overview of Christianity and Heresy:
Enlightenment Era |
- Increased acceptance of idea of freedom of religion and individual conscience
+ Still, Shakers and others beaten and kicked out of town in New England
+ Baptist jailed and beaten in Virginia
|
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William Miller
(19th-century America) |
- Baptist preacher living in western NY in 1820s and 30s
- Began to predict the return of Christ
- Would happen in 1843, he argued |
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William Miller's Prediction
(19th-century America) |
- Based on literal and creative reading of Daniel and Revelation
- When Jesus didn't show up, he recalculated
- Set new date for 1844
- "The Great Disappointment" |
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What group emerged out of William Miller's followers?
(19th-Century America) |
Seventh-Day Adventists |
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Seventh-Day Adventists
(19th-century America) |
- Ellen White = young girl who had vision of Adventists moving towards New Jerusalem
- Ellen White became the leader of the movement
- The group had a special focus on proper diet and healthy living
- The group had a strong apocalyptic emphasis |
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The Shakers
(19th-century America) |
- Began in England and moved to NY in late 1700s
- Led by Mother Ann Lee
- Taught that perfection was possible |
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Utopian communities - Oneida Community
(19th Century America) |
- Founded by John Noyes in 1848 in NY
- He argues that the return of Christ has already happened
- Believes that we left on earth are Saints
+ Need to Celebrate because this is like heaven on earth
- Remembered for silverwork
- "Complex marriage"
+ Every man is married to every woman
+ Discouraged making kids |
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Utopian communities - Brook Farm
(19th century America) |
- Transcendentalist influence
- Utopian communities provided escape from modern world and traditional restrictions
-Folded in 1846, but followed by Fruitlands |
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Utopian communities - The Rappites
(19th century America) |
- A.k.a. The Harmony Society
- Founded by Johann Georg Rapp
-Embraced celibacy |
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Fourierists
(19th Century America) |
- Charles Fourier
- coined the term "feminist" |
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Owenists
(19th Century America) |
- Robert Owen
- anti-Christian but was a spiritualist (ability to communicate with other worldly spirits and the dead) |
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Which areas had the most NRMs?
Which areas had the fewest NRMs? |
- The North East had the majority of the NRMs
- The south had very few NRMs |
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The Theosophical Society
(19th Century America) |
- Founded in NYC, 1875
- Established International Headquarters in Avdar, Indai 1879
- The Theosphical Society in America is a non-profit membership organization
-110 branches and study centers around the country |
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The Theosophical Society: Helen Blavatsky
(19th century America) |
- Russian Noble
- World traveler
- Medium and truth seeker
- Founded theosophy |
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The Theosophical Society: Colonel Olcott
(19th Century America) |
- Co-founder of theosophy
- Civil war veteran
- Lawyer
- Agriculture Specialist
- Army investigator |
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Spiritualism
(19th century America) |
- The Fox Sisters
- 1848 - sisters begin to interpret strange rapping sounds in house
- 1888 - one sister sells story of how they faked it
- Whole thing became big in the US after the Civil war particularly |
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Time period of the The Mormons beginnings |
19th century America |
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The Mormons founder |
- Joseph Smith |
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Joseph Smith |
- Born in Vermont in 1805 - Moved to NY at 10
- Claimed to start receiving revelations from God in his 20s
- Founded Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) -- aka The Mormons |
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What book did Joseph Smith Publish? |
the Book of Mormon in 1830 |
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Was Joseph Smith Persecuted and if so by whom? |
Faced persecution from larger society |
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What did Joseph Smith believe was the "Promise Land"? |
The West |
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Did Joseph Smith face persecution as he kept moving west? |
Yes |
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What did Joseph Smith do in Nauvoo, IL? |
- Established a colony for his followers
- Created his own little army to defend the settlement |
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Did Smith run for president? |
yes |
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How many women did Smith marry? |
50 women |
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What did Smith do as he continued West? |
created his theology
picked up followers along the way |
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What did Smith Reinstitute? |
OT practices
- Polygamy |
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What eventually happened to Smith? |
Jailed and murdered by a mob |
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Who replaced Smith? |
Brigham Young |
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What did Brigham Young do after replacing Smith? |
Continued moving west
Settled in Great Salt Lake basin in Utah |
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What did Brigham Young see America as? |
the New Jerusalem |
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Mormonism's Four-fold cannon Consists of what four points? |
1. The Bible
2. The Book of Mormon
3. The Pearl of Great Price
4. Doctrines and Covenants (Open to additions and changes) |
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What movement and time period does The Kingdom of Matthias center around? |
Calvinism and the Second Great Awakening |
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John Calvin brought ___________ to ______________. |
Reformation
Geneva, Switzerland |
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After bringing Reformation to Geneva, Switzerland, what did he do there? |
Imposed strict order and discipline |
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Predestination |
5 points of Calvinism
TULIP |
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What was the counterpoint to Calvinism? |
Arminianism |
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Who is the main proponent for Arminianism and what does he emphasize through it? |
Jacob Arminius
Emphasis on free will |
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Charles Grandison Finney was a key figure in what? |
Lawyer who converted to calvinism in 1821
Became a revivalist and started using "new measures"
Key Figure in The 2nd Great Awakening |
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When do UFOlogical moments begin to emerge and why? |
Post WWII
Space race, nuclear arms race, and holocaust combine to:
-increase people's pessimism about human future
-fule people's fascination with idea of extraterrestrial life |
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5 Examples of UFOlogical Movements |
1. Unarius Science Academy 2. Aetherius Society 3. Raelians 4. Share International 5. Scientology (to some extent) |
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When and where was the Unarius Science Academy founded? |
- Est. 1945
- Escondido, California |
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Who founded the Unarius Science Academy? |
Ernest L Norman
&
Ruth E. Norman |
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How did the Unarius Science Academy get started? |
Ernest Norman receives "channeled" messages from higher-intelligence beings who exist on different plane
- The Voice of Venus, etc.
- Receives communications from Mal-Car of Venus who takes him on tour of Venus
- Humans = descendants of aliens from Mars |
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When Ernest Norman dies in 1971 who assumes leadership? |
Ruth E. Norman |
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Ruth E. Norman and two ____________ continue to receive communications. |
"Sub-channels" |
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What was Ruth E. Norman's name changed to? |
URIEL
Universal Radiant Infinite Eternal Light |
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What are the Unarius Science Academy's beliefs? |
- All souls are psychic
- We are born with greater intelligence
- Reincarnation + countless past lives +Self-healing + Psychic Amnesia |
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Who founded the Aetherius Society and when? |
Founded by George King in London in 1995 |
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What did George King claim to have encountered? |
An extraterrestrial being named Aetherius |
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Who is Aetherius? |
A Cosmic Master who wanted to enlighten lesser worlds
Loud voice told him: "Prepare yourself! You are to become the voice of Interplanetary Parliament." |
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George King got a mysteriously visited by a _______ 8 days after __________. |
Yogi Master
receiving his message |
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What did George King do after receiving his visit and after being visited by a Yogi master mysteriously? |
Left old life behind an became a channel for higher beings
Lectured extensively and built a following |
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Two Key Aetherius Principles |
1. Service to Humanity
- healing, education, etc. through manipulation of kundalini, primary life force
2. Radiation of "spiritual energies" back to Mother Earth
- To repay for the energy humans have sapped from earth over ages |
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What is kundalini? |
Primary life force |
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Writings of the Aetherius Society |
The 12 Blessings
- A cosmic concepts that expands one's consciousness to the higher aspects of creation
- Teaches prayers are not limited to Earth but reach out to other stars and planets.
Printed into a book, aka the book of prayers.... |
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Holy Mountains in the Aetherius Society |
Operation Darklight
- King was instructed to visit mountains around the globe in the late '50s
- Mountains were considered to be charged power centers - spiritual batteries
|
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Teachings of the Aetherius Society |
Purpose of the society: to create a path for the next cosmic master coming (don't know who or what it will look like)
George King is given Divine Status
Society is here with a mission to heal mother earth
the manipulations of Karma would evolve mankind
The power of the cosmic master is available to everyone (this energy is what will evolve the Human Race and save humanity) |
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Who is the leader of the Raclian Movement? |
Claude Vorilhon
-born september 30, 1946
-singer/songwriter and sports car journalist |
|
Claud Vorihon |
Contacted in 1974 by Eloha, a visitor from another planet
-Member of the Elohim
-Changed his name to Rael
-became a messenger of Elohim
-Wrote Extraterrestrials Took Me to Their Planet |
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What is the message of the Raclian Movement? |
Life on earth is not the result of random evolution, nor the work of a supernatural God
Humans were deliberately created by the extra-terrestrials using advanced technology and DNA
After creation the Elohim left humanity to progress on its own but sent prophets to keep us on the right track (Mohammed, Moses, Buddah) |
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What is the Embassy in the Raclian Movement? |
We are now mature enough the Elohim want to be in official contact with us
Contact only made possible through an embassy
They won't come until we build it |
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What are Raelian beliefs? |
Sexual Self Determination
- "Rael's Girls"
+ Support prostitution |
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What is Clonaid in the Raelian Movement? |
Founded in 1997
In 2002 claimed a baby, Eve, was the first human ever cloned
We will create a new race, just like Elohim created us |
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What is the Happiness Academy in The Raelian Movement? |
"Be happy for no reason" |
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What are Awakening Seminars in the Raelian Movement? |
Rael travels the world holding conferences |
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Share International is a member of ___________. |
Member of Aetherius Society 1957-1959 |
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Share International has been _______ and ________ since 1974. |
Speaking
Writing |
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Share International believe in 1982 that: |
"Christ is now here"
Day of Declaration didn't happen |
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Share International believes that UFO's __________ |
make crop circles, give us energy directly from the sun |
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Where are Share International's headquarters? |
Amsterdam |
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Who is Maitreya? |
"The World Teacher" - Messiah for all religions |
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Maitreya is at the _______ of his group of the ____________. |
Head
Masters of Wisdom |
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Share International believes that Maitreya seeks to establish what on earth and wants humankind to do what? |
Perfect civilization
"Share and save the world" |
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Share International believes that Maitreya gives humankind what in order to recognize him? |
Gives Creme mental messages and hints about how to recognize him |
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Share International believes that Maitreya descended from where? |
Descended from Himalayas in 1977 |
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Share International believes that Maitreyas is currently where? |
Currently in India-Pakistani community in London |
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Share International believes that Maitreya is emerging _________ in order to not infringe on humanity's __________. |
Emerging slowly to not infringe on humanity's free will |
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Share International believes that Maitreya caused major changes like: |
Fall of the Soviet Union
Environmentalism
Etc. |
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Share International believes that in 1988, in Nairobi, Kenya, Maitreya was responsible for: |
Healing springs of water
Weeping and Bleeding Statues
Healing crosses of Light
Divine Messages inscribed by seeds inside fruits and vegetables |
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Share International believes that on the "Day of Declaration" what will happen? |
Maitreya will speak on TV - world will hear in their minds
Energy of love will enter our hearts
Hundreds of thousands of hearings will happen |
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In January 2010, Share International made statements that Maitreya would soon do what? |
Maitreya would soon show his face on a well known program on a major network
- First of many appearances, watch by millions (approx. 10-14 million) |
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Who is Raj Patel? |
British born American journalist and social justice advocate
|
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What are the two pieces that Raj Patel has written? |
"Stuffed and Starved: the Hidden Battle for the World Food System"
"The Value of Nothing" |
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On January 12, 2010, what popular TV show did Raj Patel appear on and how did the Share International followers respond? |
Appeared on The Colbert Report
Followers took Creme's remarks and see Patel as Maitreya -- He denies that he is |
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Who is the Founder of The Church of Scientology? |
L. Ron Hubbard |
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What book is L. Ron Hubbard well known for writing and what does he say about it? |
"Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health" (1950)
Most important discoveries in human history: 1. Fire 2. Dianetics 3. The wheel 4. The arch |
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What does L. Ron Hubbard believe Dianetics did? |
Unlocked keys to achieving optimal state of wellbeing, or "clear" |
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When was the First Church of Scientology started? |
1953 |
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What is "Thetan" and where did it come from? |
A life energy force that lives in us all
+We have forgotten our true nature
Thetans came from space and got trapped in MEST (matter, energy, space, and time) |
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L. Ron Hubbard says that Negative experiences of pain leave ____________. |
Enegrams |
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What are "enegrams"? |
The building up of enegrams leads to physical and psychological illness |
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L. Ron Hubbard states that the therapy for enegrams is called __________. |
Auditing |
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What does Hubbard say the goal of auditing is and what does it do? |
Goal = come to realize our true identity
Over come painful experiences from past lives
Can also produce both mental and physical healing |
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What are E-meters used for? |
E-meters are used to help relieve these painful experiences |
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What are the levels that Hubbard says in "The Master" (2012) that we progress through? |
Operating Thetan Levels:
- Pre-clear
- Clear
- Operating Thetan |
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Progressing through OT (Operating Thetan) levels gives you greater mastery over what? |
Greater mastery over the MEST universe.
(Matter, energy, space, and time) |
|
The Church of Scientology holds these four specific controversial beliefs: |
- Reject approaches to mental health other than Dianetics
- Death of Lisa McPherson in '95
- Charges of physical, mental, and financial abuse
- Conflict with IRS - denied tax-exempt status from 1967-1993 |
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What are the six Radical and fringe Christian movements of the 20th century? |
- The Jesus Movement
- Family of God
- The Way
- Alamo Christian Foundation
- Concerned Christians
- The Local Church |
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Radical Christianity in the 1960s/70s brought about what movements, social changes, and terms? |
Evangelical revival movement +1967 on the West Coast (primarily in Cali.)
Other independent communities pop up
Terms such as "Jesus People" or "Jesus Freaks" |
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What is the Hollywood Free Paper, What Christian movement is it affiliated with, Who Funded it, How large was it's reach, and what terms did they coin? |
A paper used as an Evangelism Tool
The Jesus People USA
Funded by Duane Pederson
Circulation - 500,000 at one point
Coined the terms "Jesus People" and "Jesus Freaks" |
|
When and where did the Jesus Movement Grow and Decline? |
Growth = "Explo" 1972 - Dallas, Texas
Decline = started in late 1970s, early 80s during Nixon's resignation, end of Vietnam, etc |
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What were four of the more extreme movements that emerged out of this more radical Christianity found in the Jesus Movement? |
- The Jesus People
- The Way International
- The Alamo Christianity Foundation
- Concerned Christians |
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Part of a larger Jesus Movement of the 1960s/70s, the Jesus People (JPUSA) is classified as ____________ Christianity. |
Counter-Culture Christianity |
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JPUSA beliefs include: |
Evangelistic
Apocalyptic
Pre-Millennial |
|
JPUSA practices include: |
Exuberant Prayer Meetings
Ocean Baptisms
Introduced new style of Christian music |
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Who founded The Children of God (now know as The Family International) and when and where was it founded? |
Founder = David "Moses" Berg
Founded in = California in 1968 |
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The Children of God (The Family International) beliefs are in line with _________ _________, to some degree. |
in line with CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANITY |
|
The most committed members of The Children of God (The Family International) live how? |
They live communally |
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What is "Litnessing"? |
Witnessing but with literature |
|
The Children of God's (The Family International's) controversial practices include: |
The "Law of Love"
"Flirty Fishing" + "Jesus babies"
Spirit Helpers
Keys of the Kingdom |
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What is the "Law of Love" |
Love supersedes any other biblical law
- So if you are doing something out of love that is normally unlawful it now becomes lawful because of the Love driven intentions |
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What is "Flirty Fishing"? |
Female members of the group were encouraged to go pick up guys in public places (bars, etc.), bring them back to the commune, have sex with them, and try to integrate them into the community |
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What are "Jesus Babies"? |
Children born out of this free love mentality |
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What are "Spirit Helpers"? |
Beings who are able to help us in the spiritual warfare that we were engaged with on a daily basis (names of angels, departed humans, or even mythological figures) |
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What is the idea of "Loving Jesus in The Children of God (The family International) movement? |
As a woman you are supposed to visualize as you are having sex, being (having sex with) with Jesus
As a man you were supposed to visualize yourself as a woman having sex with Jesus |
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Who was the founder of "The Way" Christian movement? |
Victor Wierwille |
|
The Way began as a __________ ___________ in 1942. |
Radio Broadcast |
|
What did Victor Wierwille hear? |
Heard audible voice of God saying that through him the Word would be proclaimed in a way it hadn't since 1st Century. |
|
Founder, Victor Wierwille visited Haight-Ashbur in '68 and what happened? |
he attracted many new followers |
|
What Christian belief does The Way reject? |
Rejects the Trinity |
|
What type of a Christology does The Way maintain? |
Arian Christology |
|
Influenced by Pentecostalism, The Way accepts what practice? |
Accepts speaking in tongues |
|
The Way views original sin as what? |
Lesbianism |
|
What is the practice of "Love bombing" used by The Way? |
a practice that popularized finding people who have some kind of need in their life and showering them with love and embrace
Through this process you hall create bonds and bring them into your friend groups in an effort to get that person to join the group |
|
Who were the founders of The Alamo-Christian Foundation? |
Tony & Susan Alamo in 1969 |
|
What was the Alamo-Christian Foundation latter called? |
Music Square Church |
|
Members of The Alamo-Christian Foundation took vows of ___________. |
Poverty |
|
Who founded Concerned Christians? |
Founded by Monte Kim Miller in 1980s as an anti-cult group concerned about rise of New Age thinking |
|
What type of characteristics did the anti-cult group, the Concerned Christians, begin to take on? |
Began to take on cult-like characteristics itself when he announced that he was God's spokes man |
|
What were two of Monte Kim Miller's predictions? |
1. Predicted that an earthquake would wipe Denver off the map
2. Predicted that he, himself, would die in 1999 in Jerusalem then would be resurrected 3 days later |
|
In 1998 about 80 members of his group mysteriously ________ from their homes? |
Disappeared
- A few months later they all turned up in Jerusalem |
|
What happened to the 80 members that that all turned up in Jerusalem after disappearing from their homes in 1998? |
They were deported for allegedly planning to blow up a mosque as part of their "Operation Walk on Water" to bring about Second coming |
|
Where are the remaining followers of the Concerned Christians? |
Now in Greece and Philly |
|
Who founded The Local Church Movement? |
Founded by Witness Lee, disciple of Watchman Nee in China |
|
What is The Local Church Movement know to insiders as? |
"The Lord's Recovery" |
|
What did Lee claim to receive from God? |
Revelations
- Only one true church per city |
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True or False: There is Debate on whether to call The Local Church Movement a "cult" or not> |
True |