7:12 AM RELS : Joining NRMs Attendance Announcements Review of last class ISKCON Joining NRMs

7:12 AM Review Asian Influence in the USA: after 1965 immigration laws changed 1893: Hinduism introduced to North America at World Parliament of Religions ISKCON (Hare Krishna) Mantra; George Harrison & Boy GeorgeBoy George History of Hare Krishna: medieval Gaudiya Vaishnava; ISKCON 1966 NYCGaudiya Vaishnava Two styles of Hinduism: Monism (Philosophical) & Bhakti (Devotional) Medieval Origins: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu initiated sankirtana A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada order of sannyasa at age 59. Growth in America: By 1967, Prabhupada establised dozens of centres Appearance: Sikha (signifies surrender to guru and Krishna); Dhoti (Men wear white robe); Sari (Women wear traditional Indian garb); Tilak (Reminder that body is temple of lord.) Practices: Kritan (Chanting for hours to get into a state); Prasadam (All food is an offering to the Lord)KritanPrasadam Beliefs: Emphasizes orthopraxis over orthodoxy. Teachings: All actions are for Krsna, not for our sense gratification. Krishna: loveable young man Nature of humanity: Traditional Hindu view. The Good life: Highly prescriptive, puritanical religion

7:12 AM Joining NRMs: Who and Why? Stark & Bainbridge say not: Gullible Losers Everyone Not the dregs; more like the best & brightest.

7:12 AM One early theory 1. What were people lacking? 2. What does the movement offer? 3. Where do they overlap? That is where the ‘reason’ is to be found. Derived from deprived classes converting to Christian sects.

7:12 AM Then: the 60’s NRMs The converts in the 1960’s were privileged. So the theory was modified by Glock: Relative deprivation: Economic Social Organismic (health, physical, & mental) Psychic (love & affection) Ethical (dissatisfaction with dominant values)

7:12 AM 1965 Lofland & Stark John Lofland & grad student Rodney Stark Best early work on conversion. Studied a group called “Divine Precepts” (Unification Church) The very first cell of “Moonies” of them. Stark: Recent book Rise of Christianity. Predisposing conditions: 1. Tensions 2. Religious orientation 3. Seeker (already reading, investigating) Situational Contingencies: 4. Encounter 5. Bonds-making 6. Bond-breaking 7. Interacting

7:12 AM Who joins? Join through social networks. They liked the people. Left when people disappointed them. People without: Ideological alignment Other commitments (family, mortgage) With history of seekership People looking for rewards & compensations: Needs Meaning Status Other: hostile environment (Christianity?) Competition

7:12 AM Characteristics Young Even younger in the 1970’s Middle-upper middle class No appeal to working class Higher educated Balanced male-female Although Moonies started male More secular religious backgrounds But large Jewish representation, especially in Zen.

7:12 AM 1984: Two Resources Radical Departures, by Saul Levine. North American psychiatrist Good for parents of cult members. 800 interviews The Making of a Moonie by Eileen Barker British sociologist Interviewed/surveyed all Moonie attendees for 10 years. Compared with a control group.

7:12 AM Levine and Barker’s findings: Barker Respectable families Overachievers Disrupted at university (disappointed with larger world) Levine No more psychopathology than normal Overacheivers Quietly suffering in frustration for years Identify too strongly with parents They like their parents. Try to please them No strong romantic relationship in adolescence No all-nighters stoned, pondering metaphysics. 90% of joiners left voluntarily in less than 2 years.

Homework For Wednesday: Read Reader Chapter 6 “The New Spiritual Freedom” (pages ) Write “Reading Quiz on the New Spiritual Freedom” at For Monday: Read chapter 4 in Cults and New Religious Movements Write quiz on Chapter 4 at