Comprehending Cults The Sociology of New Religious Movements

Comprehending Cults The Sociology of New Religious Movements

Comprehending Cults, Second Edition, provides a sociological interpretation of the phenomenon of new religious movements. While the author does not offer an apologia for cults–in either a religious or a sociological sense–he does attempt to replace suspicion and misinformation with a greater knowledge of the facts (as best we know them) and a measure of sympathetic understanding.
Completely revised and updated in this second edition, the book examines all aspects of cults, while striving to delineate the very real limits of our knowledge. In addition to dealing with the troublesome aspects of the subject, including issues of violence, sexuality, and brainwashing, the author also considers the possibility that new religious movements are a source of spiritual satisfaction to their members. Offering up-to-date social science research about contemporary religious cults, Comprehending Cults, Second Edition, is ideal for undergraduate sociology of religion and new religious movements courses.

User Ratings and Reviews

1 Star Dawson's writing is hopeless
This book is poor quality.

At McMaster University I was excited to take their Cults in North America course. After having to purchase and read Dawson's Comprehending Cults my excitement changed to agony. This is probably one of the most poorly written university texts I've had to buy.

Here is why

-miscellany of random quotes are splattered among the writing, use of quotes also seem irrelevant to the topics discussed.

-its needlessly wordy you'll read paragraph after paragraph and it just looks like an incoherent mess

-Dawson is bold enough to create his own social scientific model that would only exist in a vacuum…when it comes to examining NRMs in the real world, his model utterly falls apart

-his treatment of NRMs is very condescending: you'd have to read it (which i don't recommend doing)

I actually emailed Lorne Dawson (University of Waterloo), politely asking him about some of the things in his text. Its hard to really explain further here but he gave me a very dismissive reply.

The problem is that NRMs and cults are difficult to study scientifically, Dawson work exemplifies this fact. Mr. Dawson, that is not a compliment.

I want my money back.

4 Stars Valuable Insight
A very thorough and clear coverage of the controversies raised by cults. I gained new insights into the topic and would readily recommend this book.

5 Stars Read This!
My prediction is that cultic behavior is going to increase in the future.

Therefore, read this book if you want to understand the phenomenon, and the people who join cults. I believe we are totally unprepared for an increase in cults and for what that would mean for us personally and for the society as a whole. What are the limits if any for religious freedom? Who decides? This book is certainly a great start in beginning to comprehend what cults are. and what they mean socially.

2 Stars Deeply biased
The scholarship here is certainly broad, but that is almost entirely overshadowed by the author's anti-religion biases.

4 Stars Certainly worth reading
Granted, the wording could use some work, but the "brainwashed" chapter was a refreshing perspective I hadn't found in six other books I have read on the subject. "Who Joins" also was a chapter that included pieces I had not found elsewhere. A perfect place to start for a sociological perspective. Generally free of strong pro or anti religious bias. Recommended.

Buy/More Info

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