religious improvisations general

Question 1

features of revivalism

Answer 1

o	Revivalist characteristics. Renewal of individual against apocalyptic background 
o	Interpret signs of times 
o	Warns of impending trouble 
o	Charismatic leaders
o	Well-defined boundaries
o	Disputes with rival theories
o	Salvation on a wider scale

Question 2

power of the mind

Answer 2

o Changing and developing your mind
o Key to radical social change
o Outside world has lost sight. Can no longer effect change e.g. due to greed
Mind over matter = symptom of Enlightenment ideas

Question 3

utopian aspect

Answer 3

o Investigation of Protestantism and mindfulness
♣ Protestantism – develops Weber’s view on religious impulse to salvation
♣ Mindfulness – Durkheim. Classification
♣ Both of these constitute the sociological imagination

Question 4

conflict and reception of messages

Answer 4

• Conflict
  o Inherent in a view that condemns the present world
  o Call to repent and change
• Reception of messages
  o Wider society distrusts certain groups (separation groups)
  o Violence between perceptions e.g. seen in Jones massacres
  ♣ Catherine Wessinger, How the Millenium Comes Violently
  o Sense of distrust and separation
  o Groups = sensitive to matters of the mind. Easy to suppose mental influence from group
  o Anti-cult groups emerge
  ♣ Cults are viewed as preying on young, vulnerable people
  ♣ They brainwash and programme their recruits

Question 5

james beckford, cult controversy

Answer 5

o Religious movements are not isolated
♣ they need context
♣ look at the movements in relation to the reaction they provoke
♣ reception = part of description
o Controversies have particular courses
♣ family conflicts over recommitment
♣ wider reaction
• anti-cult organisations
• media involvement
• using courts e.g. involvement of state
♣ movement often viewed as exploitation. Conflicts gain legal and political dimension
♣ can see how controversies of Jones Massacre etc. are generated
o National responses to cults
- However… he does not say how these organisations arise and why people join – why do cases arise and why do they go to court?

Question 6

use of science to think about movements

Answer 6

• How science is exploited
• Improvisations using scientific method
  o Movements = modern
  o Science = part of rhetoric. USP is their modern awareness
• Susan Palmer, Aliens Adored: Rael’s UFO Religion
  o Raëlians – apparition from aliens that cloned themselves. Genetic technology
  o Awaits return of alien creators
  o Revivalism and power of mind = key features of movement
  o Construct themselves using improvisation