New religious movements and cults in popular culture
New religious movements and cults have appeared as themes or subjects in literature and popular culture, while notable representatives of such groups have themselves produced a large body of literary works.
Beginning in the 1700s authors in the English-speaking world began introducing members of "cults" as
Fictional cults continue to be popular in film, television, and gaming in the same way.Background
A
A NRM may be one of a wide range of movements ranging from those with loose affiliations based on novel approaches to
The word cult in current usage is a pejorative term for a new religious movement[6] or other group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre by the larger society, often without a clear or consistent definition.[7][8]
Literature
Early twentieth century
In Dashiell Hammett's The Dain Curse (1929), much of the mystery puzzle revolves around the Temple of the Holy Grail, a fictitious California circle that Hammett's characters repeatedly describe as a "cult". Hammett depicts it as starting as a scam, although the putative leader begins to believe in his own fraudulent claims.
The Italian novelist Sibilla Aleramo, in Amo, dunque sono (I Love, Therefore, I Am) (1927) depicted Julius Evola's UR Group, a hermetical circle and intellectual movement — strongly influenced by Anthroposophy — that attempted to provide a spiritual direction to Benito Mussolini's fascism.[9] Aleramo described the character based on her former lover Evola as "inhuman, an icy architect of acrobatic theories, vain, vicious, perverse." Aleramo based her hero on Giulio Parise, who would unsuccessfully attempt to oust the pro-Fascist Evola as the circle's leader in 1928, resulting in an announcement by Evola that he would thenceforth exert "an absolute unity of direction" over the circle's publications.[10]
Mid and late twentieth century
Science-fiction writer
In
In William Campbell Gault's Sweet Wild Wench, L.A. private eye Joe Puma investigates the "Children of Proton", a fictional cult that has attracted the support of the daughter of a wealthy businessman.[17]
Gore Vidal's Messiah depicts the rise of Cavism, a nontheistic new religion of radical death acceptance, from its origins as a fringe cult to its ultimate takeover of the established world order.[18] Vidal's Kalki, a science-fiction novel, recounts how a small but scientifically adept cult kills off the entire human race by means of germ warfare.[19]
Twenty-first century
Popular French author Michel Houellebecq's 2005 science-fiction novel, The Possibility of an Island, describes a cloning group that resembles the Raëlians.[20]
Robert Muchamore has written a book for teenagers, Divine Madness, about a religious cult that has a vast number of members: the main characters of the book must infiltrate the cult to discover a sinister plot.
The novel Godless centers around a teenager who forms a religious cult that worships his hometown's water tower.
Literary works by founders of new trends or movements
The travel-writer, poet and painter Nicholas Roerich, the founder of Agni Yoga, expressed his spiritual beliefs through his depiction of the stark mountains of Central Asia.[22] His classic travel-books include Heart of Asia: Memoirs from the Himalayas (1929) and Shambhala: In Search of the New Era (1930).
Eli Siegel, the founder of Aesthetic Realism, wrote highly regarded poetry. William Carlos Williams described his "Hot Afternoons Have Been in Montana" (1925)[27] as his "major poem", and wrote that Siegel "belongs in the first ranks of our living artists".[28] Other critics and poets who praised Siegel's work included Selden Rodman[29] and Kenneth Rexroth; the latter wrote that "it's about time Eli Siegel was moved up into the ranks of our acknowledged Leading Poets."[30]
Important non-fiction writers among founders of movements
References
- ^ a b
Brubaker, Ed (26 March 2014). Fatale. Vol. 21. Berkeley, California: Image Comics (published 2014). pp. 20–21. Retrieved 2017-10-05.
As a plot device the idea of the cult is centuries old. What constitutes a "cult," however, has turned out to be variable. Seen from one perspective, most religions and faith groups can be defined as cults. Traditionally -- though not today – a "cult" has been defined as a non-Judeo-Christian religious group, with the word "cult" being used in a pejorative way. That this is insulting to worshipers of those groups has not been acknowledged; the producers of popular culture were usually marketing their work to a select group, usually white Anglo-Saxon Protestants, which did not include members of the "cult" groups. Modern authors tend to be more sensitive toward members of the "cult" groups and usually (though not always) create fictional cults for antagonists to be members of.
- ^ T.L. Brink (2008) Psychology: A Student Friendly Approach. "Unit 13: Social Psychology." pp 320 (PDF)
- ^ Introvigne, Massimo (June 15, 2001). "The Future of Religion and the Future of New Religions". Retrieved 2006-12-13.
- ^ Coney, J. (1998) “A response to Religious Liberty in Western Europe by Massimo Introvigne” ISKON Communications Journal, 5(2)
- ISBN 0415200504
- ISBN 978-3828825062.
the term 'new religious movement' was meant to serve as a substitute for biased and connotation-laden terms such as 'cults'. The term 'cult' itself is problematic
- OED, citing American Journal of Sociology 85 (1980), p. 1377: "Cults[...], like other deviant social movements, tend to recruit people with a grievance, people who suffer from a some variety of deprivation."
- ^ Dr. Chuck Shaw - Sects and Cults - Greenville Technical College - Retrieved 21 March 2013.
- ^
Black Sun: Aryan Cults, Esoteric Nazism and the Politics of Identity. New York University Press, 2002.
- Inner Traditions: Rochester, Vermont, 2001.
- ^ Heinlein, Robert A. (1953). "Concerning Stories Never Written: Postscript". Revolt in 2100. Chicago: Shasta.
- ^ Heinlein, Robert A. (1961). Stranger in a Strange Land. New York: Putnam.
- ^ Lewis, C.S. (1945). That Hideous Strength. London: The Bodley Head.
- ISBN 0-06-065320-5.
- ^ Loconte, Joseph (March 18, 2002). "What Would C.S. Lewis Say to Osama Bin Laden?". Meridian Magazine. Archived from the original on April 15, 2007.
- ^ Johnson, Phillip E. (March 2000). "C.S. Lewis That Hideous Strength (1945)". First Things. 101. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27.
- ^ Gault, William Campbell (1959). Sweet Wild Wench. Greenwich, Connecticut: Fawcett.
- ^ Vidal, Gore (1954). Messiah. New York: Dutton.
- ISBN 0-394-42053-5.
- Le Nouvel Observateur (in French). 2005-10-19. Archived from the originalon 2006-10-17. Retrieved 2009-08-03. "Le roman de Michel Houellebecq, sorti le 31 août, met en scène une secte triomphante, qui resemble fort à celle des raëliens, alors que l'auteur prédit la mort des grandes religions monothéistes. Il a choisi la secte des raëliens parce qu'"elle est adaptée aux temps modernes, à la civilisation des loisirs, elle n'impose aucune contrainte morale et, surtout, elle promet l'immortalité." [TRANSLATION: "Michel Houellebecq's novel, appearing on 31 August, depicts a victorious cult, strongly resembling that of the Raëlians, while the author predicts the death of the great monotheist religions. He chose the Raëlian cult because "it has adapted to modern times, to the leisure civilization. it imposes no moral constraint and, above all, it promises immortality."]
- ^ See "Crowley, Aleister" entry in John Clute and John Grant, The Encyclopedia of Fantasy, New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 1997.
- ^ "Nicholas Roerich Museum". Retrieved 2008-12-02.
- ^ Marco Frenschkowski, "L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology" (annotated bibliographical survey), Marburg Journal of Religion, 4:1, July 1999.
- ISBN 0-312-09618-6
- ^ "Gurdjieff," in Man, Myth and Magic: Encyclopedia of the Supernatural, London: Purnell, 1970-71 (gurdjieff.org)
- ISBN 0-8065-2192-9.
- ^ HotAfternoons (Republished in Siegel's 1957 book of the same name: Siegel, Eli. Hot Afternoons Have Been in Montana, New York: Definitions Press, 1957)
- ^ William Carlos Williams, "Letter to Martha Baird," in Breslin, J.E.B., ed., Something to Say, New York: New Directions, 1985
- ^ Selden Rodman, Review of "Hot Afternoons," Saturday Review, 17 August 1957
- ^ Rexroth, New York Times Book Review, March 23, 1969
- ^ See "Blavatsky, Helena" and "Theosophy" entries in John Clute and John Grant, The Encyclopedia of Fantasy, New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 1997
- ^ "Theosophy" in John Clute and John Grant, The Encyclopedia of Fantasy, New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 1997
External links
- Media related to New religious movements in popular culture at Wikimedia Commons