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NRMs and NAMs in Beliefs - Coggle Diagram
NRMs and NAMs in Beliefs
Church - Does not refer to the building but the institutional religion which are large organisations with millions of members such as Catholic Church. They place few demands on members. These are run by a hierarchy of professional priests and they claim a monopoly of truth.
Sect - Small, exclusive group with no professional clergy. Unlike the church, they are radical religious groups, demanding total commitment from members and are hostile to wider society. Offer a monopoly of truth and therefore often appeal to the por. They're led by a charismatic leader and involve a split from a church. They emphasise separateness from mainstream society.
Denomination - A midway between Churches and Sects. Represents a splinter group from the established church religion. Membership is less exclusive than a sect, but they don't appeal to the whole of society. They impose some minor restrictions on members, but aren't as demanding as sects. They're tolerant of other religious organisations and don't claim a monopoly of truth.
Cults - Least organised and most informal religious organisations. They're highly individualistic, loose knit and are usually a small group around some shared themes and interests, but usually without a sharply defined belief system. Cults are usually led by therapists or practitioners and are concerned with finding new ways to salvation rather than a return to old ways. They're loose knit and tolerant.
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Growth of NRMs
Weber argues sects tend to draw members from the poor/oppressed. Sects offer a solution to those who feel disprivileged. Sects offer members an explanation and and justification for their suffering and disadvantage, "A theodicy of disprivilege". Explain their misfortune as a test of faith, whilst offering a promise of rewards in the future for keeping the faith.
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Wilson periods of rapid social change disrupts and undermines established norms and values, producing anomie. Sects are a solution to the uncertainty that social change creates. Bruce also sees growth of sects as a response to social changes involved with modernisation and secularisation. People prefer to join cults as they're less demanding cults and require fewer sacrifices.
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Stark and Bainbridge argues relative deprivation refers to the sense of being deprived or disadvantaged. Someone who is actually privileged may feel that they're deprived. The relatively deprived usually break away from churches to form sects.
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Do sects last?
Niebuhr sects are short lived, they either die out with the world or compromise with the world, abandoning extreme ideas. Three reasons:
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Protestant ethic effect - sects that practice hard work and saving, tend to become prosperous
Death of the Leader - when charismatic leaders die the sect will either collapse or a bureaucratic leadership will takeover turning into a denomination
EV: Some sects have survived over many generations such as the Amish. Instead of becoming denominations they become established sects as followers have socialised their children into high levels of commitment.
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Postmodernism idk
Drake argues the popularity of the New Age is due to a shift towards postmodernism - science as a metanarrative has failed to offer the truth, so people have lost their faith in professionals and experts, turning to New Age to find the truth for themselves.
EV: Bruce argues that this is just a phrase in late modernity as modern society values individualism - Bruce sees the New Age 'pick n mix' spiritual shopping as typical of religion in late modern society.
Pragmatic motive - Practical reasons, such as a happier life
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