Members of cults leave behind their membership in older religious institutions
and often live on the margins of society. Thus they typically run afoul of local and
national governments. And that may mean violent repression. During the 1980s,
the Branch Davidians, led by David Koresh, broke off from the Seventh Day Adven-
tist Church. They moved to a compound outside Waco, Texas; amassed a small
arsenal of weapons; and began teaching that the end of the world was approach-
ing. In 1993, their compound was stormed by federal agents from the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. The government claimed that the cult had broken
numerous laws, that Koresh was keeping people hostage and sexually abusing his
followers. To the cult’s supporters, the government was interfering in religious free-
dom. After a week-long standoff, a gun battle, and a fire, all 82 Branch Davidians
and several federal agents were killed (see Report to the Deputy Attorney General
on the Events at Waco, Texas, 1993).
Cults can develop murderous messianic tendencies as well. In 1995, a cult called
Aum Shinrikyo (Supreme Truth) released sarin gas on the Tokyo subway during the
morning rush hour, killing 12 people and injuring thousands of others. The cult’s
leader had stockpiled enough poison gas to kill millions before the attack; he was
captured in 2004.
Does globalization increase or decrease the number of cults? Both. Globaliza-
tion and technological advances such as the Internet have had contradictory effects.
On the one hand, the Internet facilitates recruitment and enables cult members to
remain connected despite large distances. On the other hand, cults often require
intense interpersonal interaction. Cults often use very modern
techniques to express their antimodernist views, using the infor-
mation superhighway to “restore” the traditional world that
has been displaced.Sects
Asectis a small subculture within an established religious insti-
tution. Like cults, they break from traditional practices, but
unlike cults they remain within the larger institution. For exam-
ple, the Jehovah’s Witnesses are usually classified as a Christian
sect. Sects typically arise when some members of an established
religious institution believe that the institution is drifting from
its true mission, becoming sidetracked by extraneous, more
“worldly” pursuits. Thus the sect seeks to remain true to the
initial mission by demanding more of its members than does492 CHAPTER 15RELIGION AND SCIENCETABLE 15.1
Types of Religious Organizations
CULT SECT DENOMINATION ECCLESIASize Small Small Large Universal
Wealth Poor Poor Wealthy Extensive
Beliefs Strict Strict Diversity tolerated Diversity tolerated
Practices Variable Informal Formal Formal
Clergy Untrained Some training Extensive training Extensive training
Membership Emotional Accepting Birth/decision By belonging
commitment doctrine to join to a societyCults are often held together
by a charismatic personality,
no matter how bizarre their
ideas. Marshall Applewhite,
at left, was the leader of the
Heaven’s Gate cult. He con-
vinced 38 followers to commit
suicide so that their souls
could take a ride on a space-
ship that they believed was
hiding behind the comet
carrying Jesus. n