Growth of New Religious Movements

According to Barker, why do some individuals turn to religious organizations as "escapes"?

• They offer an alternative family structure and provide a refuge from the pressures of work and family life
• They teach techniques that inspire emotional and material success by unlocking spiritual power
• They appeal to more affluent and highly educated individuals who feel that something is missing from their lives
• They provide comfort and community in NRM's, which traditional religions no longer offer

What does Giddens suggest as a reason for the growth of new religious movements in a secular world?

• Traditional religions have diluted their beliefs to fit in with a secular society, leaving a void that NRMs can fill
• There is a loss of faith in metanarratives and universes of meaning, creating gaps that people look to NRMs to fill
• With so many conflicting ideologies and beliefs, people experience a "Crisis of Meaning" and form or join NRMs to retain control and normality
• Globalization and mass media have provided access to new ideas and beliefs, allowing NRMs to gain a public profile and visibility

According to Weber, what type of individuals are most likely to be attracted to world-rejecting NRMs?

• Marginal individuals who are experiencing disprivilege
• Those whose values are in conflict with society or other religious groups
• Those who are suffering from relative deprivation and feel lacking in comparison to their social group
• Individuals who are facing rapid social change and uncertainty

What do Glock and Stark argue about the emergence of NRMs?

• NRMs provide solutions to the uncertainties generated by rapid social change and offer new and clearly defined belief systems
• The ideas and support derived from NRM membership help to overcome the subjective feeling of being deprived or lacking something in comparison to others in the social group
• NRMs emerge as a form of religious or social protest against the values of society and other religious groups
• NRMs appeal to young people experiencing status frustration, as membership provides support for identity and status independent of school or family

According to Wilson, why do NRMs rise during periods of rapid social change?

• Rapid social change generates anomie, which undermines traditional norms and values. NRMs provide new belief systems or a sense of certainty in an uncertain world
• The ideas and support derived from NRM membership help to overcome the subjective feeling of being deprived or lacking something in comparison to others in the social group
• NRMs emerge as a form of religious or social protest against the values of society and other religious groups
• NRMs appeal to young people experiencing status frustration, as membership provides support for identity and status independent of school or family