Chapter 9: Science, Religion and Deviance Flashcards
Ecclesia
State religions
Specific religious beliefs adopted at governmental level and becomes a nation’s official religion
Major Religions of the World
Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism
Denominations
Different types of religions
Sects
Smaller religious groups that have broken away from larger churches at some point in their history
Greater risk of being deviantized
Cults
Smaller than sects, frequently only a handful of members
A single, charismatic leader serves as inspiration, convincing followers that the secret to salvation is within that group
Greater risk of being deviantized
Tension is usually high
Deviancy Amplification
When a deviantized group becomes more extreme as a response to hostilities or social control efforts from outsiders
Levels of Tension
Magnitude of the differences between the sect and society
The level of antagonism that the sect feels for society
The extent to which the sect separates itself from the larger world
Public attitudes toward sects
How authorities interact with them
Cult Portrayal in Media
Cult menace - highlighting dangers of brainwashing and physical harm
Threatening and dangerous, which contributes to moral panic
Anti-Cult Movement
Initially consisted of parents whose hippie children had joined new religious groups that were part of the countercultural movement
Parents were concerned because their children has severed ties with their families and feared their children would be brainwashed
Their goal is to spread information about the dangers of these religious groups
Only targets groups that are dangerous or destructive
Counter Cult Movement
Members are overwhelmingly opposed to religious freedom
Primarily conservative Christians drawn from certain evangelical denominations
Concerned about groups having the “wrong” religious beliefs
Resisting Deviant Labels
Using the media to advocate and educate the public
Recruitment
Academia question the distinctions of groups and raised criticism
Individual Level of Social Typing
The religious belief systems we adhere to present us with guidelines for our own behavior, dictate how we should evaluate the behaviors or others and influence how we interact with people
Societal Level of Social Typing
When specific religious belief systems become institutionalized by the government as the foundation for governmental policy and law
Witch Persecutions
Witches were in league with Satan
Accused were followers of pre-Christian religion, women who were financially independent or outlived their husbands, women who used herbs and other natural techniques for childbirth pain, peasants
Tortured to elicit confessions
Killed by decapitation, burning at the stake, hanging, etc
