Sects

In a religion sociology approach

To talk about sects nowadays more abstract, scientific task. The sect phenomenon calls the attention for himself rather continual on Hungary and the social, he grows into the touchstone of church tolerance. A uniform unit exists in our society's consciousness, homogenity basic principle, according to which it is the condition of the order, into a unit fitting. We may have faced this notion through centuries in the story of the philosophy, that the whole row of society theories was founded on thoughts. Already but continual rather - not in a last row the sociology theoretical and the result of his practical investigations - from the society of the diversity we speak. The traditions are not over trackless, and cannot be replaced neither large-scale teaching, neither on the road of large-scale social order. The unit, the tradition of the homogenity and it built upon this latent, unwritten behaviour regulators are transformed slowly pluriformism, and the public consciousness comes to maturity for it slowly, that this not disturbing factor, but let him assess it as a natural phenomenon. The sect phenomenon on Hungary for this the lock, for a homogeneous society - which one the Christian religious and church tradition on a large scale legitimated - his provocation, comes as an attack against this for many people. Others in the sects' appearance before social publicity and in him multiplying for the society of the diversity his forerunners, his formations appearing in the religious field are welcomed. Even homogenity, even the pluriformitism we depend on his soil - since both directors a principle requires the results of identical researches to systematize -, we have to build our presuppositions and our assessment upon the profound analysis of the sect phenomenon. I would like to present the elaborated negotiation of this for the sect problems with my present paper.

Concept

The sect word into the sects owing comes as an insult for him, finding one's way away would be more correct because of this.(1) Since but spread onto so much in the Hungarian wording and a concept applied to a certain religious phenomenon group the sect, this concept is used as the keyword of the relevant literature furthermore, obliged are to stay at this injurious expression.(2) When we come to this forced decision, the sect we omit all that from a concept conscious contentwise the overtone, what is negative classification in him, since just this because of what he is injurious for the members.(3) At the same time in the sect research - since he is religious from communities there is a word - just because of the religious dimension necessary the sects theological and pasztorális onto problems into attention to have bought. Although the religion sociology strives for the impartiality rightful, though the different discords with a religious theological basis between communities just in the ticket of the unbiased object to comment is needed.

We may come close to the sects historical, sociological, psychological and from a theological viewpoint. The listed order of the approaches in one the methodological ordinal of the approach meant to express. Impatience issues from theological prejudices expressed with opinions overtaking the unbiased analysis of the phenomenon opposite the sects just in many cases and it is made impossible one. What the religion philosophy emphasizes observing Husserl "back to the thing" password in his methodology(4), it the sects' negotiation appropriate to enforce: it you onto definitions he founded systematisation.

Etymology

The Hungarian sect we may discover it verbal the Latin “secta“* noun, that school, teaching, reports a party, and the verbal variant of which the “sequire“, to delegate. Etymologywise wrong though the “secare“ (to tear, to separate, to cut off) leading back onto a verb, but the Hungarian sect expresses the direction of the general application of a word.

When he is today from sects there is a word, even generally the 19. and 20. took shape in a hundred religious groups it is meant by him. The sects were formed from theological conflicts primary though in this era who. In this manner the paruzism(5) and from the problem of the millenium, often connecting with the desire of the true church's search (Adventism, Jehovah's Witnesses), furthermore with the problems of the church office's notion (old- and new-apostolic church, Mormons). Interpreting the characteristics of the efficiency of the Holy Spirit and the curing called a whole row of new community into a life, which ones on a comprehensive name for pentecostal communities enter sporting event. Onto the source of contemporary revelations being about Christ and the otherworld finally communities shaped up, that we reckon the spiritualist groups among it.(6)

An entirely specific and effective for religious one difficult can be entered sporting event, to be about a group type mentioned as sect after all in the public consciousness though he is needed. Here like that, the of conscience and based on a law being about churches(7) church from registered organisms running a farm there is a word, which ones in the traditional theological sense of the word not churches, but merely onto the churches valid beneficial economic and taxational rules and budgetary supports they want to take advantage of it.(8)

Conflict story

The negative overtone which can be found in the concept the the mother churches the defector contains it with them opposite minorities concerning the classification of mother religions, that former ones challenge his legitimacy often. The original religion or church though the distinguished ones in terms of the teaching for a heretic (for one heretical), from an organizational-legal viewpoint regards it as a dissident though. Writes in this manner in the 751. canon of the Catholic ecclesiastical law: "The heresy one divine and you are the stubborn denial of truth after the christening of Catholic truth to be accepted with faith the from him truth stubborn doubt; the apostasy the full rejection of the Christian faith; tearing for the pope truth you are subordination with the church members subordinated to him a community's refusal is truth." We may find the elements of becoming the classic sect in this definition, that separated out from the Catholic Church in sects collective they prevail. We may regard the stubbornness as the necessary emotional ticket.

It is necessary to make a difference in this concern the three monotheistic religions (Jewishness, Christianity and the Islam) you are sect concerning his dissidents and the Hinduist or buddhist tendencies, schools and between traditions. Onto the former ones applying a word may be the sect, onto the latter ones mutual not. The Islam punishes it exceptional strictly deviating, his sectarian groups, because of what they are these onto his survival there are not many hopes. At the same time out from the hindiusm and the groups separating out from the Buddhism may bloom with impunity (for example Zen sects).

This difference from an other side in it can be caught, that the monotheistic making a confession in the keeping of the divine revelation and in his decompression onto absolute individual reign they make an effort while the eastern religions allow it inside the religion intense pluralism. Sects standing out from the former ones in this manner this the exclusiveness claim it is carried long even strictly generally, from the latter ones distinguished tolerant ones are left over mutual.(9)

The twentieth requires an other wording 20. century different new or small religion groups' appearance, from which any kind of mother religion or they did not secede from a mother church, but onto the satisfaction of certain modern social groups' and layers' religious claim they got organized. Like this for example it you are esoteric psycho-groups, and here can be enumerated the young persons' religion a movement's groups.(10)

Phenomenon

The sects took shape on an of two kinds manner fundamental, and according to these may distinguish classic and modern sects. Latter ones appeared in the 20. century and sociological, religion science and from a theological viewpoint equally somebody else an approach is claimed than the former ones. There is not a manner between present frameworks hypotenuse onto the description of a sect story, I am reduced to the enumeration of the principal characteristics of the sect formation and sect function rather because of this.

Sects arose on the time of the second state simply in the Jewish history according to Spinoza: "...after the high priests got it for dumping the entitlement onto his bringing and the governance's cases onto his conduction. That let this entitlement be made a heir, the right of the reign was seized, and the royal title was required finally. ...all all religious, all somebody else on space, started looking for the glory of his name on a manner like that, that his high priest authority made the decision about everything on his basis and all days brought new provisions from ceremonies, from faith and on all of them from anything else, and wanted it, that these innovations same saints and let them be with big authority, than Moses's laws. Was the consequence of this, that the religion degenerated into a dangerous superstition and that the true sense of the laws and his explanation were falsified. ...because when the people start arguing with the passion of the superstition, namely in that manner, that the supremacy supports one, then the equalisation not possible, and rushing upon the sect inescapable."(11)

The (classic) sects primary the mother religion, or mother church they come as a result of his certain inner changes onto existence - Spinoza claims it. We may find the starting points of the sect formation in the quotation: excessive hierarchy (autoriter and arbitrary decisions), raising the human provisions to a divine rank, finally the superstitious passions spreading and his utilisation.

These the sect circumstances inducing a phenomenon are typical of an era at which the secularisation bought in the modern sense is bad and like that they may prevail in religions, in which a hierarchical élite group preserves the divine revelation. These fundamental characteristics define it into the sect the answer of tearing ones the changed mother religion, onto mother church relations. The new leaders getting accustomed to the original religious medium in the new community filter: they live on in more radical one on the one hand, they are rejected on the other hand. The new community's members build up their own new community on the one hand with the religious enthusiasm playing a key role in the conflict and the separation, the old one is condemned on the other hand.(12)

The 20. century sects from the previous one significant different social and they came in a religious situation onto existence. The understanding of this change is necessary for the elaborated assessment of the modern sects' inner dynamics and his conflicts. From among the modern societies' characteristics the specialists primary the tall technicizmus, alienation, intense migration, the man objectifying it is emphasized. In a religion sociology sense onto the modern society's challenges the premodern social big churches preserving formations and traditions difficult and slowly capable only to give an answer. The people changed his claims smaller, flexibler and the communities building upon the individual's decisions, groups, churches, sects can satisfy it well. This small community inside the churches and without can be experienced.

Big question, that the existence of what kind of elements is necessary to it, that a church group let him be found on the church. The opinions differ. The angle of the theological deviation induces the breaking up primary according to some. Others see the motive of the deciding change in the finalisation of the serious communicational disturbance between the church's leaders' and the group's leaders rather. Others put it down to the erosion of the given social political medium again the big institution critic concerning his unsatisfied groups' opting out. The truth presumably it, that elements play a some kind of role in the sect formation on all this, but it only the analysis of the actual sect's story and his dynamism it is possible to tell it, which element may have been present in a what kind of measure how.

Criteria

The examination's of the social phenomenon of the religion and the religious groups' self-definition for him equally important question, how we may regard a religious group as sect based on what kind of distinctive features. M. Weber and E. Troeltsch dealt with these problems in the sociological literature first. These two authors in his definition stressed with the church truth confrontation, that latter big, spacious, avails himself of the society in peace, offers his mercy and his members to everybody on the road of the child baptism recruits it.(13) Since these two Protestant thinkers the religion sociology and church sociology and the theology did a big road, that the church-sect turned into outdated one on the one hand on his basis tight parallel, and the descriptions may have been supplemented with important religion psychology viewpoints.

We have to take a close look at a decisive criterion first before we would write the sects' characteristics down in detail: dialogue absurdity. We may call those religious groups sects, which are not willing to buy a part, entirely certainly accordingly the denominations and religions any kind of in his cooperation. This criterion which can be called diplomatic one has the benefit that he is not religious on a basis, the it himself religious one identifying community from outside judges it, one somebody else from making a confession based on a bought theological viewpoint. The word contradicts just merely his sociological sense basis presupposes it buying it: rightful that religious community can be entered sporting event for sect, that from the rest of the similar one separated works. An additional benefit of this differentiation viewpoint it, that not only the organic independent religious communities capable sect to identify, but communities affecting the denominations and congregations within, that from within, neither they do not communicate without.(14)

Onto the challenges of the modern age the religious communities not a slide logician makes a choice simply give, but dismissive one, in as much the big churches towards modern one the slow opening of truth is considered global infidelity and the tradition onto his severe keeping for your organizer. The religious fundamentalism gives a technical term to these groups the literature.(15) Lefebrve was torn out of the Catholic Church because of reasons like this french cardinal X. Holy Pius founded it community, that rejected it with full force on the one hand the II. Vatican synod's obligatory teachings, the Roman pope ordained own bishops despite his expressed prohibition on the other hand.(16)

I may list the characteristics of the sects' function of extent reasons ignoring actual examples only.

Black and white view

Terminological "dichotomic" we nominate it for the sects for a world interpretation (too) typical strong duality, he is what means bipolar. Good and bad, clear and darkness, with "our" and the outsiders' rigid separation for the members the unambiguous accession and the opportunity of divorce is given. Nuances and without transitions, or-or onto dilemmas ravaging the complex world, the denial of the reality happens practically.

Radicalism

That rigour and implacability result from this rigid duality, with which the members with themselves and opposite each other the noticed and simplistic formulae it is applied, enforcing their supposed truths with extraordinary devices. This causes the consistency appearing in the formalities (dressing, public customs) and this makes it impossible one quasi to the different cultures and conforming to the personal individualities.

Generalising problem solving

Onto the members' and the community's troubles the prerequisite of the solution it, that the problem is simplified the little and easily learnable norm onto one and it from it it is employed as independent one, that in the actual social-psychological-political medium really valid and onto his touched number achievable and existentially acceptable.

Strong dependence

The above criteria and features a band's effect gives the segregation practically. The passage between the sectarian groups, or in the classic sects' case with the mother church truth balanced relation impossible. For the members the sects strong and his closed community the place of the salvation and health, from where to arrange for the edge and an eternal life jeopardizes it. The entry and acceptance are attached to important initiation liturgies, which essence of his the pledge of the persons of the new community system and his relations, denying the previous relations pointed and family, denominational and other somebody else relations.

Attraction

These elements naturally not only in the sects can be found, but somebody else in bigger communities' groups, indeed some which are typical of the big churches' certain tendencies. Onto first eyesight they affect many people alarming possibly and that question is brought up, why the sect life may be attractive for others just. Onto this question we may find the answer with it, how we analyse those supplies, which ones so personal and religious claims meant to satisfy, that elsewhere the modern men difficult find.

Those groups attract, which ones they hold out hopes for the promise that you are hidden our proclaimed claims efficient and on a long distance it is satisfied. The people suffering from the modern society's characteristics primary in the claims of their private sector not satisfied. The personal, individuality, personal acceptance the with a tall technical level, in a social whirl with big mobility the claim of claims in which he is the actual comfort feeling articulates. The secret of the sects' attractiveness it paid attention to this claim answer, and largest hurting abusing the desires after this claim satisfaction.

Salvation certainty

Because of the restructuring of the ideological systems onto the final perspectives unambiguous answer which cannot be given, while the final calmness did not disappear from the man, full fulfilment, the desire of satisfied. The sects promise that the road leading to the safe salvation and those practices are known it can be taught, with which it is possible to reach the goal on this road. Onto this certainty lays the foundations for their members the consciousness of the selectness. That safety is offered, that the to them sockets and which are faithful to the group, not they got there through their own personal decision simply, but himself a God selected them for it personally, that his exclusive community's member be. This consciousness for exceptional comforting personalities like that, who you are narrower in their wider social medium for homeless one themselves are felt.

Community embedment

For the lonelily man community, at that personal and the sects offer an intensive community. An opportunity like that is given, that on his ferry not only task oriented one may be good with others and to be in a regular contact, but than person. Those troubles, successes, desires and fears, which the today's institutions are not able to accompany with attention, these groups put it into the centre of their interest, and with several liturgical plots into the sphere of the God's and the man's contact transform. (If somebody is afraid that he becomes unemployed in the group for example expressible this fear, they are praying for this not to ensue furthermore onto the fear than onto one like that the divine message respond: who believes, is not afraid, a God takes away the fear.)

Recovery

Salvation and health deeply related concepts and experiences. The big part of the illnesses is with a psychosomatic character. A number hygienic complaint may lead to his passing if they surround the undertaken person with affection and attention: the gastric pain ceases, headache, the blood pressure gets settled. For the members these phenomena naturally for a God's intervention due, and acknowledging him is meant to the worthiness of them belonging to a group.

God experience

The tight communities rather with experiences than they work with rationality. The intimacy merely several somebody else, the hotbed of an experience "hitting home on a heart". From the intimacy and from liturgies budding experiences not defined the members with their leader's help and it is interpreted with the sect teaching as "god experiences" in harmony. From this experience a God is caught at a sign in the group alone for the members, and correlating the group, eventually giving him up directly with the atheism, turns into tantamount one with turning one's back on a God.

Redemption

Finding one's way in the jumbled world possible one his item it understanding from his burden truth by way of deliverance. We do not use the concept of the redemption in the sense of the Christian teaching here, but in the sense of the radical deliverance. The sect's group promises to his members that he is a god letting loose it may be gone through. This theological expression means discharge bought in a so psychological sense rather, by way of what the members get rid of the psychic burden of the weighing preparing the own decision holding tensenesses back, and instead ready, sent by way of others and decisions legitimated powerful are taken over by way of the group.

Fatherly authority

The reduction of the number of the individual decisions and transferring the decision competence to the authority carriers are the sects' features. The groups' founders and his later leaders manage authority like that, than in the traditional peasant joint family the father, or than in the world religions the bishop, the guru and in this manner long. The everyday makes his strong individuality and his fascinating personality live actual instructions for him gives, with which the members may feel secure. The narrow and personality playing a key role in thick groups ideological we call it a father, who is in the superior I (Freud) stored traditions and relating displays it with determined strength.(17) From a sociological viewpoint strong the strengthening of being related for the complexity of the social changes and certain personality types between the increase of the father's significance. Max Weber writes in this manner for example in the hinduism and in buddhism from stressed gurus: "The gurus meant firm support to the hindu masses similarly in the era of the islamic oppression and a pursuit the inside and opposite exterior dangers, than the bishops in the Catholic Church on the time of the exodus indeed already early."(18)

Nothingtradition

Little there is older sect at 160 year ones, because of this from the "historical burdens" they may be at work freely. In the sects' biggest majority the "we-consciousness” his strengthening important device for the mother church's deviations editing and for his devices of identification symbolic his demolition. With the tradition not providing in the sects' preaching efficient device, since you may not commit so much one which can be criticized yet in their own history and alarm, than the hagyománygazdag churches. In the preaching the nothingtradition his moral capital benefit. The tradition poverty is a disadvantage in the conflict management. The sects social and they reach the stage of the critical endpoint much soon in an ideological threat, than the churches like that and religious communities, from which traditions of theirs to the assessment of their present conflicts and to his solution rich models may be drawn.

Mission

According to the general experience the sects with extraordinary diligence and their doctrines are advertised with results and it is recruited híveiket. This missionary impetus his source salvation certainty and selectness negotiated already in the above ones consciousness. It is necessary to advertise the safe salvation, the secreted to his circle it is necessary to recruit it. The sect members want good one as those who are approached with their preaching really. Somebody else question it, that the sects' organism the salvation damnation interprets the mission requested strictly in a field really you are rather in the economic-political field.(19) The joy above the got new members strengthens affects the community.

This activity has individual psychic advantages for the members making the mission. An implement is put with this activity in that direction onto importance consciousness in the society, onto which all men have need in the interest of his spiritual balance. The members - onto their qualification, onto their age indeed onto the time of their membership truth without a look - they try to acquire the plain good news exceptional quickly, errõl to give a number to the community's leaders because they may go to accomplish the task then. The community occasions - though their own person's importance consciousness to be confirmed - they report on their results and their failures in detail. These reports and it onto these happened reflections provide impetus to the individual and the community.

András Máté-Tóth

Footnotes:

(1) It recommends this a departed religion sociologist woman is growing in 1994 young, Zsuzsa Horváth, the mild researcher individuality of who and in this topic in our homeland today before his single working class on this place with respect pay tax. (From the Religious Pluralism, in Faiths and People)

(2) Possible though, that - the sect got a category with a look religious and pseudoreligion phenomena onto shocking diversity - would be worthy the several Hungarian and to develop a foreign language wording experiment so far, that let the sect's classic concept become unnecessary. In this direction but there is not an opportunity in this study.

(3) In the German because of this negative overtone in the latter decades rather "religiöse Sondergemeinschaften" and the “neue religiöse Bewegung" more neutral expression it is used. In the English on the same one because of reasons the “denomination“ a word expresses the neutral concept, burdened groups with the conflicts though “cult“, or “destructive cult“ it is written down with words.

(4) Schmitz 22.

(5) The technical term of Christ's second coming clatters.

(6) Sekten in LexRel 601-602.

(7) The 1990. yearly IV. law the of conscience and from freedom of religion, and from the churches - on 12. February 1990., Antall came into force on a government's time already, though because of the object to be noticed, that the State Church Case Office did preparing him yet.

(8) Like this for example the hungary witches, or the Uniter Church, Hungary Scientology Church, the Religion Community Of Hungary Golden Rose Cross.

(9) LSSG 974-974. I may not go into detail about the profound review of a topic researched strongly in the latter decade for it here, that the christian churches exclusiveness-analyses his claim. Kasper 1977; Niewiadomski 1988; Bernhard 1990; Webick1991.

(10)  See the ones written down in the 3 footnote on the 2. side.

(11) Spinoza,  Theological-political study, Budapest, 1978. 271-272.

(12) H. Haag lists these tickets Old Testament scholar: On sect a religious community little, separated we understand his group, which emphasizes certain teachings and regulations unilateral,, onto severer asceticism obliges and the mostly with charismatic orientation. He observes that we do not face sects in Old Testament in an actual sense at the same time. In the New Testament but in this manner enter sporting event the Pharisee and the Sadducees (ApAc 5,17; 15,5; 26,5). Bibellexikon 1570.

(13) M.Weber, Economy and society; the protestant ethic and the ghost of the capitalism wrote his fundamental ideas already though title in his work. Ernst Troeltsch, Die Soziallehren der christlichen Kirchen und Gruppen.

(14) The catholic wording from this viewpoint in all cases like that to be rectified, where it is a fundamentalist working inside a church groups it is called catholic sects. For example Opus Dei, Newcatechumenat and the hungarian Bush Base Community. These communities may cause big difficulties for the other church organisms integrating them though, but the dialogue is not rejected practically theoretical. In the church wording apter so to correct the categories with religious-theological concepts rather.

(15) Rudolf Pacik, Verrat am katholischen Glauben? Marcel Lefebvre und die Liturgiereform in: Niewiadomski 17-40.

(16) Wildmann, Onto the margin of a schism, Church-forum.

(17) We may not deviate though here it "father", or "guru" more general social psychology and onto his religion sociology significance, merely to relate may be some driving on onto a work: Th.W. Adorno, Studien zur Autioritären Chrakter; E. Fromm, Running away from the Freedom.

(18) Religionssoziologie II. 352-353. Weber anyway the makkabeus pharisaism taking shape in an age calls it sect, to his own definition faithful, merely because of them separating from the religious Jewishs not living holy. (Religionssoziologie III. 402-403.) Their social role establishes that the Pharisee sect is a urban phenomenon typical in his look, that the peasant tight relational circle, replaced the neighbours' association in the "modern" cities. Many people came from among his most distinguished representatives proselyte from families.

(19) This concern makes it understandable one, that lately in several countries with laws and certain sect members limit it with orders his social political taking a role. (Scientology)