A.- A DIVERSIFIED PHENOMENON
It is particularly difficult to draw a complete picture of the sectarian phenomenon in France, because of the extreme diversity of the movements which make it up.
The report of Mr. Alain Vivien divided, in 1982, the 116 sects listed into three categories: Eastern [or Oriental], syncretic and esoteric, racist and fascist.
General Information recently adopted a step which makes it possible to refine the analysis considerably. We will explain the method adopted by the DCRG and the principal results of its study, such as they were communicated at the request of your commission.
1.- Method adopted by General Information
The step followed by General Information consists in attaching each movement studied to a "family" of thought or practice. Thirteen qualifiers were retained to carry out the classification, that it is appropriate, for the clarity of the analysis, to briefly specify.
- Analysis of the criteria of doctrinal qualification of the sects
Gathered under this qualifier were the organizations claiming nŽo-spiritualistic current referring to the absolute as "energy-consciousness" and implementing various techniques to connect the follower with this absolute.
The New Age doctrines, popularized by a great number of authors, rest on the idea that the world is about to enter a new era, that of Aquarius, corresponding to a new spiritual awakening and marked by profound changes. They are thus based on a millenarism for the year 2000 (the millenium is the thousand years reign awaited before the day of the Last Judgement)./P>
The holders of these doctrines often aim to define the destined new world religion, according to them, to replace the Christian religions of the Era of the Fish which supplanted the mosaic religions (Era of the Ram) and Babylonian religions (that of the Bull).
As the dictionary of religions indicates, these doctrines are based on a certain number of convictions, among which are "reincarnation and the law of karma. The spiritual achievement as the objective of individual existence, and awakening with a planetary consciousness as the objective of collective existence, the divine nature of the interior consciousness, and the role of the body as a place of cosmic integration, an anthropology making place with the subtle, etheric, astral body; and a cosmology making place with the angels and the spirits, belief in a cosmic Christ animating the universe as a subtle energy, and in the existence of Christic embodiments, such as Jesus, coming periodically to guide humanity towards its spiritual destiny."
They in general propose an organization different from the economic circuits, mode of production, world trade, human reports.
The Humana France movement (schools TVIND) thus has as doctrines humanitarian aid (primarily devoted to the victims of famine, war, disease, catastrophes), assistance with promotion of projects in the Third World and studies aiming at contributing to research on the causes of poverty and suffering.
The Humanistic Movement, founded in 1969 by Argentinian Mario Rodriguez Cobos, known as Silo, is based on the ideology of silo•sm, having for itself the goal of eradicating violence and personal suffering by means of personal development and social transformation. This movement is centered on solidarity, non-violence activity, non-discrimination, fight against the monopolies, co-operatives, and self-management.
Gathered under these two qualifiers are movements which, while referring to the Christian tradition (Protestant in a case, Catholic in the other) are joined together around people (pastors, former priests) who develop a guru attitude. In the case of the "pseudo-catholic" groups, their doctrines are generally so far away from the theology of the Church that they are excluded from its communion.
Among the most active evangelic groups , one can in particular list the Universal Alliance, the Evangelic Church of Pentecost of Besancon, the Family (ex Children of God) and, of course, the Moon sect.
The Moon sect (Association for the Unification of World Christianity) professes the failure of Jesus, his poor death and without having been able to create a perfect family. It is allocated to the reverend Moon to create this family, in accordance with the wish even of Jesus Christ, who appeared to him in 1936. For the achievement of this objective, the reverend must in particular acquire an economic power which enables him to overcome Satan. This organization is very representative of the pure evangelic movements.
Among the most active pseudo-Catholic movements, one will mention Invitation to the Intense Life (cf will infra), and Family Propriety Traditions [TFP], related to the association "Future of the Culture."
The objective of TFP is to restore Christian civilization (campaigns of Future of the Culture against the Blue message service, distribution of condoms, campaigns of TFP against [les fils? the threads? possibly movies?] I greet you Marie, or the Temptation of Christ) but also to fight against land reform in Brazil (the founder of TFP is Brazilian Plinio Correa de Oliveira), against socialism and to restore monarchy.
They all predict a forthcoming world cataclysm (such as those already announced by the Jehovah's Witnesses with four repetitions for 1874, 1914, 1925 and 1975), while referring either to the Apocalypse of Saint John [Revelation], or with Hinduist doctrines of cycles.
Whereas from the Christian point of view, the pagan ones are the members of the people who have not been reached by Christian preaching or who have refused it, the concept of nŽo-paganism returns, with that of men referring to other gods than that of the Bible.
The "neo-pagan" movements generally refer to Celtic or Scandinavian mythologies, even to animism.
One will quote, for France, three movements professing such doctrines: the Monastic Order of Avallon, the Suicide of Banks [as in river banks] and Key of the Universe.
These movements have as a common point the return to a worship of the "Adversary" of Biblical tradition, Satan, in a plentiful demonology.
Arising from this current are the following movements: Azazel Institute, the Initiatory Circle of the Western Unicorn, the Luciferian Philosophical Church, and the Crosses of the New Babylon.
One can define "curing" theories as those professing a mode of cure not recognized by current medical science.
The degree of danger of these theories varies according to how much they supplement or replace more scientific techniques and the degree to which they involve or do not involve interactions with active substances prescribed by doctors.
The curing movements are extremely varied.
One of oldest is the Antoinist religion, founded by Louis Antoine at the end of the last century. The concept of disease is denied, just as is that of death (belief in the reincarnation): it is intelligence which creates suffering, it is only faith in and of itself which removes it, and not the intervention of health professionals.
The movement HUE France (French branch of the Institute for Human and Universal Energy Reseach, Inc. - IHUERI) is connected with the more New Age or Eastern trends. The therapy suggested consists of "injecting universal energy into the organism of the patient (...) by freeing the channels of energy," thanks to an action consisting of keeping chakras open. All pathologies are covered by the techniques of the IHUERI.
More recent and of Catholic appearance, the group Invitation to Intense Life (IVI) was founded in 1977 by Yvonne Trubert. The doctrines, founded on the assertion of the beneficial character of certain "harmonizations" and "vibrations", borrow from multiple theories, including medical ones.
It should be noted that the curing movements recruit, in considerable proportions, from among health, medical or paramedical professionals, which one of the interlocutors of the Commission explained in the following way: "Today, many [m- (I assume "m" is an abbreviation for a doctor or nurse or some sort of health professional)] it is not me which will give an opinion - it is traditional. They thus seek new ways in the [ms (another abbreviation for a medical title? or perhaps an abbreviation for medical science?)] that one sees flowering: [mn (abbreviation for medical title?)] particular [m (abbreviation for medical title?)] yes [‚æ (abbreviation for medical title?)] I have found are in the train of newcomers thus has the guarantee of his [confrante?], I was going to say on a scientific level. It enters so the sect, it [y dle?]. All the gurus of which I have knowledge!"
One gathers under this referring qualifier an extreme diversity of movements, while canting them, with the religions and doctrines of Eastern metaphysics, such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Taoism.
One can include in this trend the Association Sri Chinmoy of Paris, the Center of Mahatayma Meditation, the French Federation for Krishna Consciousness, Maha Shakti Maudir, the Snimi Atmananda Afma Bodha Satsanga Mission , Shi RAM Chandra Mission, and, of course, Soka Gakka•.
Soka Gakka• claims to teach (in spite of the schism of 1990 with Nichiren Sh™shž) the doctrines of Nichiren, a Buddhist monk of the 13th century who professed a nationalist and intolerant version of Buddhism. The access to peace and happiness is guaranteed to the faithful one who respects a certain number of practices, among which are the gonkyo recitation of certain chapters of Sžtra of the Lotus, the da•moku recitation of the crowned formula of worship, the devotion with the mandala, roller where was registered this invocation. Soka Gakka• poses as a universal religion, which will unify Buddhism and society.
By occultism one indicates the belief in the existence and the effectiveness of practices (the Robert dictionary evokes in particular alchemy, astrology, cartomancy, chiromancy, divination, magic, necromancy, dowsing, telepathy) which are recognized neither by religions, nor by science, and require a particular initiation.
Whereas esotericism postulates the existence of a paramount tradition of Man which would not have been revealed to him and which can be known only by teaching, occultism is the search for initiatory magic capacities. There are nevertheless innumerable links between the two trends which authorize some discussion of the esotero-occultism trend.
For those, Man is formed of three principles (the physical one, the astral one, and the divine one) whose balance was broken, and that it is advisable to restore by initiation, which makes it possible to restore a link between the visible one and the invisible one, what one perceives and what escapes the senses.
Relevant to this trend of most varied practices are: the methodical ontology movement Culture and Tradition, Association New Acropolis France (ANAF), the Rosicrucian brotherhood [la Rose-Croix d'Or, literally the Rose-Cross of Gold], and the Order of Scientific Scribes and of Initiatory Mysteries.
Also relevant is the Solar Temple Command, founded in 1984 by Luc Jouret and whose activities tragically ended on October 5, 1994 (massacres of Morin Heights and Freiburg, in Canada and in Switzerland).
The "Psychoanalytical" Movements
Difficult to define, the "psychoanalytical" movement develops various parapsychologic techniques applied to cure various unconscious traumas.
The Faculty of Parapsychology, the Family of Nazareth (founded on the teaching of existential psychology, confusing the roles of psychotherapist and spiritual Master) are representatives of this movement, of which the Church of Scientology is, however, the dominant element.
A publication of the association, published at the time of the fortieth anniversary of the movement, presents the doctrines of Scientology thusly:
" Scientology includes a whole of knowledge which comes from certain fundamental truths. Among the first of these truths are the following ones:
Man is a spiritual and immortal being.
His experience goes well beyond the duration of one life.
His capacities are unlimited even if they are not carried out in the present.
Moreover, Scientology considers that man is basically good and that his spiritual safety depends on himself and of its similar as well as achievement of his brotherhood with the universe. Thus, Scientology is a religious philosophy in the profoundest sense of the term, because it is concerned with complete rehabilitation of the innate spiritual identity of man - his aptitudes, his state of consciousness and the certainty of his own immortality. Moreover, since the religion is interested in the spirit compared to itself, with the universe and the other forms of life, and is primarily the belief in spiritual beings, Scientology follows a religious tradition which goes as least as far back in time as humanity. And yet, what Scientology represents is altogether new. Its religious technology is new, its ecclesiastical organization is new, and its significance for the man of 20th century is entirely new (...).
The first means of applying the fundamental truths of Scientology to the rehabilitation of the human spirit is called hearing. It is the central practice of Scientology and it is managed by an auditor, of Latin audire, "that which listens". (...).
The auditors of Scientology are aided individually to achieve this goal by their being made to examine their existence by means of a series of stages carefully conceived by Ron Hubbard. While following this gradual process, these people can improve their capacity to face things so that they are and with their environment - while withdrawing one by one the layers of experience which oppress them so heavily.
Audition is thus not a thing to which a person submits. One can benefit only by means of active participation and good communication.
The use of the electropsychometer, or electrometer, by auditors is specific to the religion of Scientology and a one of a kind revolution in the field of spiritual development. The auditors use the electrometer to help locate the zones of distress or spiritual suffering which exist below the current level of consciousness of the person. When these painful zones are highlighted, the person can then examine them without the subjective influences which accompany the practices of spiritual consultants of the other religions.
Ron Hubbard developed the electrometer by knowing that the spirit retains mental images, true recordings of last experiences. These images contain energy and mass. When a person looks at one of these mental images or thinks of something, the electrometer records with precision the changes which this mental mass and this energy undergo (...)
Dianetics has announced the discovery of a part hitherto unknown and harmful to the mind, a part which contains many recordings of experiences of pain and unconsciousness, in the form of mental images. Those are below a person's level of consciousness and their unit composes what is called the reactive mind - the source of all fears, emotions, pain and undesirable psychosomatic diseases . Step by step, audition acts on the reactive mind until its contents are revealed and its harmful effects on the individual are removed. When that has occurred one reaches a new state of being which is called in Scientology a state of Clear. The fundamental personality of a person, his artistic aptitudes, his personal force and iss individual character, kindness, honesty which are inherent for him are restored.
Clear is a new state for the man, but the Bridge leads him to summits of even higher spiritual freedom . Beyond the state of Clear appear the levels of Operating Thetan (OT). The thetan is to be spiritually immortal, the individual himself, not his body neither his mind, nor anything of other. It is not a question of what he has, but of what he is, a state of things which appears clearly on these higher levels.
The state of Clear aims to eliminate that which does not belong inherently to the spiritual being himself. The goal of Operating Thetan is to overcome the sufferings of existence and to find the certainty and aptitudes of his first spiritual state of being. At this level, he knows that he is well separated from material things such as the physical form and physical universe (...)
Another fundamental practice of the religion of Scientology is the formation or drive [there may be technical Scientology terms for these two words; I could not find them] - the study of the principles of Scientology. The religion of Scientology offers many courses of drive because a person can, as has been said, can put the truths discovered in Scientology to use himself of the to improve the conditions of each field of life. That said, the most significant courses of drive are those which make it possible to become an auditor. This is because the first principle for all the courses is that Scientology is an applied religious philosophy, and all drive depends on application.
The path used by the scientologist who receives audition and studies the writings of Scientology is called the Bridge. This gives body to an old concept - a way imagined for a long time which connects the existing abyss between the current state of man and the much higher levels of consciousness. The Bridge is composed of gradual stages so that the acquired benefits are progressive, foreseeable and apparent (...)
Here is thus the essence of Scientology: The Bridge, audition and drive; and those take place each day of the year in all the churches of Scientology in the whole world. The mission of Scientology is neither more nor less than the rehabilitation of the human spirit. And four decades after the founding of the Church, it is this aptitude to achieve this goal which goes back to the night of times which makes that more and more men and women of all environments and cultures turn to Scientology."
The UFO [Outerspace, Extraterrestrial] Movements
UFO-ology is a belief in a plurality of inhabited worlds and in the reality of visitors from space; in other words, it postulates the existence of extraterrestrials.
The best known association of this trend is without question the Ra‘lien movement.
The Ra‘lien movement was founded in 1975 by Claude Vorilhon. He would have been contacted in 1973 by the president of the council of Eternal ones so that he spreads, as a prophet, the new atheistic religion. This religion is based on the belief of the existence of Elohim, inhabitants of a planet located nine billion kilometers away and scientific creators of all forms of life on earth. Those would have revealed to him the true significance of the events reported in the Bible (the whale of Jonah was an atomic submarine, the tower of Babel a space rocket) and inspired its message, based on the questioning of the democratic system to the profit of the "geniocraty," the hierarchy of human races and the promotion of eugenic values . "Sensual meditation," which makes it possible to reach a cosmic orgasm, constitutes one of the practices preached by Ra‘liens, always in search of a place - and resources - favourable for the construction of an embassy where Elohim will come to make official contact with man.
Syncretic movements
Gathered under the term "syncretic" is a heterogeneous whole of movements presenting a synthesis between various religions, including primitives, even between the Eastern and Western traditions.
This trend includes extremely varied movements, such as the domain of Ephse, Seimeikyo Europe, and the Association of Meditation in France.
The two associations which gather the greatest number of followers are undoubtedly the Knights of the Gold Lotus and the Universal White Fraternity.
Founded by Omraam Mikha‘l A•vanhov in 1947, the latter is presented in the form of an initiatory school proposing a syncretic esotericism, based on the worship of the Sun, the laws of karma, and "spiritual galvanoplasty."
The Association of the Knights of the Gold Lotus was founded by Gilbert Bourdin in 1967. Its principal doctrine is aumism, which professes that the first word of God at the beginning of the creation of the universe was "Aum." As a result, the Knights devote themselves to a practice consisting in transmitting the sound "om" a million times or to recite the mantra "Om Ah Hum" supposed to neutralize the vibrations of occult forces. The purpose of this new universal and syncretic mystique able to link East and West is to save the earth and the cosmos from self-destruction so that the Golden age and its new society will be installed.
Gilbert Bourdin, alias the Christ-king of the New Alliance, alias Hamsah Manarah, alias Melchizedek, in 1990 proclaimed himself "multi-planetary Messiah," after a long succession of engagements against a multitude of enemies. The holy city of Mandarom is installed in Castellane.
For a still finer analysis, General Information, if necessary, supplemented the "dominant type" with an "associated type," retained along with the criteria already explained.
- The concept of "dominant" and "associated" types
This analysis led, for example, to distinguishing within the New Age "movement," the sects which can only be included as part of this movement only some this from those whose doctrines borrow some elements from the "curing," "syncretic," and "Eastern" trends.
In the same way, one can, within the apocalyptic movements, distinguish the "evangelic" movements from the more "Eastern" movements.
While the doctrines of Jehovah's Witnesses are too well known for it to be necessary to point out them out here, the Universal Church of the Good is another sect of the "apocalyptiic/evangelic" type. Founded by the American Herbert W. Armstrong (1892-1896), it developed in Europe in 1950's. Its doctrines are based on "Anglo- Israelism," according to which the true Israelites, descendants of the ten tribes of Israel, are the Anglo- Saxons and Europeans of the West. The restoration of the Anglo-Israeli Church forces to recognize in the Queen of England the legitimate heiress of King David. The Queen will nevertheless have to yield her throne to Christ at the time of his earthly return.
The International Spiritual University of Brahma Kumaris is more representative of the Eastern trend within apocalyptic sects. Founded by Brahma Baba Lekk Raj, the University announces the imminence of nuclear holocaust and the supervening of the future world. While waiting for this event, man's inner peace results from a certain number of practices, the highest of which is Rajah-Yoga.
It is specified that on the assumption - very frequent - where a sect cannot be attached to a single running of thought, General Information tended to regard as the dominant type the one to which the strongest degreee of danger is attached, empirically and implicitly. Thus, the "apocalyptic," "curing," "psychoanalytical," and "Satanic" criteria are generally placed before the nine other possible types which could be detected for the sect considered; a sect whose name spontaneously evokes Eastern movement (Sri Sathya Sai for example) will be thus classified as concerning the "curing" trend insofar as certain elements of its discourse are obviously miracle-workers.
2.- Results of the investigation
The analysis carried out on these bases by General Information and communicated to your commission makes it possible on the one hand to carry out a distribution of sects between the trends of thought, and on the other hand to release the broad outline of the evolution of the sectarian movement.
The distribution of the sects by dominant type revealed the dominating weight of the "New Age" trend. Among the sects retained in the General Information study (173 total), 49 are listed as "New Age," 19 as "Eastern," 18 as "Curing," 16 as "Occult," 15 as "Apocalyptic," and 13 as "Evangelical." The categories of "Pseudo-Catholic," "Psychoanalytical" and "Syncretic" each include 9 movements. Lastly, the "UFO" (5 movements), "Alternative" (4 movements), "Satanic" (4 movements) and "Neo-pagan" (3 movements) trends are definitely a minority.
Of the 173 movements studied , 69 are attached to a single trend of thought. A study of the distribution of the "associated types" of the 104 other sects shows the prevalence of the "curing" criterion (quoted 46 times) and of the "New Age" criterion (20 cases). The other associated types are only evoked less than 10 times.
One always notes, if one reasons in terms of a number of structures, a very great diversity within the sectarian movement: the application of the two criteria "dominant type" and "associated type" led to count 56 categories of sects... None of these categories includes more than five movements, with six notable exceptions:
- the "New Age/Curing" movement includes twenty movements, of which the number of followers is however weak (except for Hue-France).
- the pure "New Age" movement includes seventeen movements with a relatively small audience (less than 500 followers);
- the pure "Eastern" movement includes nine structures, of which some gather a high number of followers (Sri Chinmoy, Shri RAM Chandra, Soka Gakkai);
- the pure "Evangelical" movement joins together eight movements of limited audience;
- the "Curing/New Age" movement gathers six structures of limited audience;
- the "Evangelical/Curing" movement, although not numerous in terms of numbers of groups (5 groups) has a strong audience since it includes Universal Alliance, the Evangelical Church of Pentecost of Besancon, the Neo- apostolic Church, the Word of Faith and Christian Life in France.
A study restricted to only the sects for which the number of followers is relatively significant (greater than 500) is led however to relativize the impression of the strong prevalence of sects of the "New Age" or "Curing" type.
Typology of the sects for which the number of followers is higher than 500.
| Name of Sect | Dominant Type | Associated Type |
|---|---|---|
| Universal Alliance | Evangelical | Curing |
| ANTHROPOS - Association for Research into Holistic Development of Man | New Age | Curing |
| Association of Jehovah's Witnesses | Apocalyptic | Evangelical |
| Lucien J. Engelmajer Association | Curing | Pychoanalytical |
| Association SRI Chinmoy de Paris | Eastern | |
| Association Subud de France - Susila Dharma France | Eastern | Syncretic |
| CEDIPAC SA (ex-GEPM) | Evangelical | |
| Knights of the Gold Lotus | Syncretic | |
| Community of Little Brothers and Little Sisters of Sacred Heart | Pseudo-Catholic | |
| Antoinist Worship | Curing | Syncretic |
| Domaine d'Ephèse | Syncretic | New Age |
| Church of Scientology of Paris | Psychoanalytic | Curing |
| Evangelical Church of Pentacost of Besanon | Evangelical | Curing |
| Neo-apostolic Church of France | Evangelical | Curing |
| Universal Church of God | Apocalyptic | Evangelical |
| Universal Church of the Kingdom of God | Curing | Evangelical |
| International Churches of Christ in France | Apocalyptic | Evangelical |
| Human and Universal Energy France - HUE France | New Age | Curing |
| Universal White Brotherhood | Syncretic | Curing |
| Notre Dame Brotherhood | Pseudo-Catholic | |
| Institute of Vedic Science Maharishi Paris - C.P.M. - Club for Meditating | Eastern | Curing |
| Invitation to Intense Life | Pseudo-catholic | Curing |
| The Eye Opens | Apocalyptic | Curing |
| The House of John | New Age | Syncretic |
| Word of Faith - World Evangelization | Evangelical | Curing |
| Graal Movement in France | Curing | Occult |
| French Ra‘lien Movement | UFO | Curing |
| Methodical Ontology Culture and Tradition | Occult | UFO |
| Paris Dharma Sah - Lotus Sangha of European Social Buddhism | Eastern | Curing |
| Shri Ram Chandra Mission France | Eastern | |
| International Society of Analytic Trilogy | Psychoanalytic | Curing |
| Soka Gakkai International France | Eastern | |
| Union of Associations, Centers and Groups of Sri Sathya Sai | Guérisseur | Eastern |
| International Spiritual University of Brahma Kumaris | Apocalyptic | Eastern |
| Christian Life in France - Center of Christian Life | Evangelical | Curing |
| Viswa Nirmala Dharma - Sahaja Yoga | Eastern | Apocalyptic |
In addition, if the "Curing" trend joins together only five sects, this criterion is quoted 15 times in accordance with the associated type.
The work carried out by General Information provides, in addition to this picture of the sectarian phenomenon, elements making it possible to follow its evolution over an average period.
It is possible to release the following few main tendencies in the evolution of the sectarian phenomenon.
- perhaps the "New Age" seems responsible for the retreat of "Alternate" and prepares the development of "Apocalyptic".
"New Age," a "hold-all" spiritual and philosophical trend imported from the United States in the mid-1980's, is number one in the sectarian competition at the approach of the third millenium. Actually, new groups or networks devoted to the "Age of Aquarius" are created almost each day whereas, at the same time, the significant and already old sects (FBU, New Acropolis...) try "to refresh" their doctrines by incorporation of "New Age" topics.
True nebula, made up as much by simple organizers of training courses in the search of customers as by true gurus controlling a structure, "New Age" is dangerous because it can predispose its followers to take more perilous routes of "apocalyptic" type, for example.
The approach of the year 2000 could, indeed, correspond to a considerable multiplication of the "apocalyptic" groups or millenarists in part from the badly understood message (because it is basically optimistic) of the "New-Agers." Moreover, large battalions of disappointed followers from the ranks of evangelical (Jehovah's Witnesses, Adventists...) or syncretic movements could nourish this movement.
The "New Age" movement in any case made the dominant exclusive "alternative" movement regress in notable proportions, which movement had been strongly anchored in the sectarian landscape since the 1970's (communities of "return to the land," with a tribal character such as Ecoovie...).
- the "Eastern" sects are renewed.
The current "Eastern" sects are the hard core and the heirs of religious sects dominant in the 1970's and 1980's. These, such as Krishna, the Transcendantal Meditation, and Soka Gakka•, were generally only maintained, whereas new co-religionists of importance appeared (HUE, Japanese sects...).
Eastern spirituality has always fascinated, even if today it is in competition with "New Age" groups and if it incorporates more and more particularly dangerous "curing" precepts.
- the dominant "curing" component invades the majority of sectarian trends, following the "New Age" example.
With the "New Age" component, the pseudo-therapies of divine or "natural" origin now work the sectarian landscape to a large extent . Confined until recent years to the Eastern religious sphere (Mahikari, HUE...) or Christian (IVI, evangelical groups...), today the dominant "curing" component is also grafted onto the majority of other large sectarian trends (occultist, syncretic, psychoanalytical).... when it is not sufficient of itself as a single object for a sect (International Federation for the Development of Instinctive Feeding).
Imposing itself to diverse degrees, from a simple prayer to complete "therapeutic" processes, this dominant component also presents dangers varying according to whether or not it claims to bring a solution to the most serious diseases, and whether it imposes the abandonment of official medicine.
- The vast "occult" seems little threatened by its stable "neo-pagan" and "Satanic" neighbors. .
Besides the many esoteric movements esoteric not taken into account (Rosicrucians AMORC, Martinists...), multiple structures of a neo-temple, initiatory etc. kind perpetuate an "occultist" trend which is today often crossbred with contributions from "New Age" or "curing" trends.
The margin of these brotherhoods, which are often interested principally in the financial assistance of their members, from time immemorial revolved around the neo- pagan ("Druids"..) or Satanic groups (WICCA...) whose folk aspect should not make one forget the elitist, aggressive, and frequently racist ideology of these groups.
All of these "magic" trends appear to have moved little on the sectarian chess-board. But the extreme secrecy of some of these groups does not make it possible to detect them systematically, and the Satanic groups inspire by fears which should not be taken lightly, because, following the example of their "co-religionists" in the United States and Scandinavian countries, the French LucifŽriens are likely to forsake their current folk activities for criminal actions: profanation of cemeteries, drug traffic, crimes of blood...
- The "evangelical," "pseudo-Catholic," and "syncretic" trends resist more or less well.
As with the case of the Eastern trend, which has exotic assets to keep its rank on the sectarian scene, these dominant religious movements test more and more the need to develop, on a purely additional and remunerative basis, a teaching (and services) centered on divine cure.
The "little churches." led by false bishops, are also maintained by means of a caricatural use of Roman or Eastern catholic ritual. On their side, the dominant evangelical movements, often animated by authentic pastors having rocked [I'm not sure if "rocking" is good or bad in French. My guess is that it means "failed," as when a boat hits the rocks.] in the role of guru, always benefit from the freedoms offered by the official Protestant structures to thrive with their edge. The syncretic groups, as for them, resist with difficulty the "New Age" vagueness. .
- A passion for "modern" sects claiming to have psychoanalytical basis is undeniable.
Without question, in the sectarian dynamics of recent years, the "psychoanalytical" trend occupies third place on a podium already occupied by the "New Age" and "curing" movements. The difficulty in precisely describing encircling this trend explains why the quantitative information relating to it only extremely imperfectly translates its influence.
With spearheads like Scientology, this trend today seems to be one of the privileged substitutes for traditional religious doctrines. One has only to observe the proliferation of dispensaries proposing training courses and seminars of "personal development"... financed sometimes within the framework of vocational training.
There are certainly more "customers" than faithful "followers," but the cases of sectarian drift multiply. The damage caused to the victims is particularly serious (ruin, insanity, suicide...) because, in this type of sect, the techniques of mental manipulation are extremely sophisticated.
- the "UFO" trend remains restrained but thrives.
Taken along by the Ra‘lien Movement and Siderella, the "soucoupists[?]" make little school [literal translation. idiomatic expression?]. Their manpower progresses less than the charges for services suggested by the persons in charge. Here still, the picturesque discourse often hides more disquieting concepts such as the "geniocraty" (or "government of the elites") at Ra‘liens.
No comments:
Post a Comment