New and Nonconventional Religious Movements: Implications for Social Harmony
Eileen Barker Thursday, 10 September 2009
Waves of new religions have most commonly appeared when societies have experienced some kind of disruption such as migration, conquest, natural disasters, political or economic upheavals, or seen the arrival of new technologies that have given rise to new occupations and cultural innovation. At the same time, the beliefs, rituals, and other practices associated with "old religions" are always changing, sometimes as the result of the introduction of alternative worldviews and lifestyles by the new religions or immigrant ethnic minorities. In contemporary society the processes of globalization associated with the mass media and increasing geographical and social mobility tend to lead to a far greater cultural and religious diversity than has been the case in the past. This has led to an unprecedented awareness of alternative options in what has been termed the spiritual supermarket of today.
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