There is no definition of cult that is universally accepted by sociologists and psychologists of religion.是没有定义的邪教，是公认的，由社会学家和心理学家的宗教。 The term cult is popularly applied to groups characterized by some kind of faddish devotion to a person or practice that is significantly apart from the cultural mainstream.任期邪教是普遍适用于群体的特点是一些种樊氏秀奉献给一个人或做法，是显着，除了主流文化。 For example, certain kinds of activities may take on cultlike ritualistic characteristics (recent widespread interest in intense physical exercise has been termed the physical fitness cult).例如，某些类型的活动，可采取对cultlike老一套的特点（最近广泛关注，在激烈的体育锻炼被称为体能邪教） 。
Movie stars, entertainers, and other public figures sometimes generate passionate bands of followers that are called cults (the Elvis Presley cult, to cite one).电影明星，演艺人员，以及其他公众人物，有时候会产生激情乐队的追随者说，是所谓的邪教（猫王邪教，举一个） 。 Groups that form around a set of esoteric beliefs - not necessarily religious - may also be termed cults (for example, flying saucer cults).群体形成的一套深奥的信仰-不一定是宗教-也可被称为邪教（例如，飞碟教派）。 When applied to religious groups, cult retains much of this popular usage but takes on more specific meaning, especially when contrasted with other kinds of religious organizations.当适用于宗教团体，邪教保留了大部分的流行用法，但将承担更多的具体的含义，特别是当对比的，与其他类型的宗教组织。
| BELIEVE 相信 Religious 宗教 Information 资讯 Source 源 web-site 网址： |
| Our List of 1,000 Religious Subjects 我们所列出的1000名宗教科目 |
| E-mail 电子邮箱 |
Sects, on the other hand, are protests against church attempts to accommodate to secular society.宗派的，但另一方面，是抗议教会的企图，以容纳到世俗社会。 A sect views itself as a defender of doctrinal purity, protesting what it interprets as ecclesiastical laxity and excesses.一个教派的观点本身作为一个后卫的理论纯度，抗议它解读为教会懈怠和过激行为。 As protectors of the true faith, sects tend to withdraw from the mainstream of worldly activities, to stress strict behavior codes, and to demand proof of commitment.作为保护者的真信仰，宗派往往要退出主流的世俗活动，要强调严格的行为守则，并要求在场的承诺。
Cults have some of the same characteristics as sects.邪教都有一些相同的特点，作为支派。 In fact, some scholars prefer not to make a distinction.事实上，有些学者倾向于不作区分。 There are, however, some noteworthy differences.然而，存在一些值得注意的分歧。 Cults do not, at least initially, view themselves as rebelling against established churches.邪教不，至少在初期，把自己看作是反抗建立了教堂。 Actually, the practices of cults are often considered to enrich the life of the parent church of which they may be a part.其实，习俗的邪教往往被认为是丰富的生命，父母教会的，他们可能是一个部分。 Cults do not ordinarily stress doctrinal issues or theological argument and refinement as much as they emphasize the individual's experience of a more personal and intense relationship with the divine.邪教不通常应力理论问题或神学争论和细化之多，他们强调个人的经验，更个性化和激烈与神圣。 Most of these groups are ephemeral, seldom lasting beyond a single generation; transient; and with fluctuating membership.大部分这些团体都是短暂的，很少持久超越单一的一代;暂态;与脉动成员。
Mysticism is frequently a strong element in cult groups.神秘成为一种常见的强大因素的邪教团体。 Religious orders such as the Franciscans began as cults built around the presence of a charismatic leader who emphasized a life style dedicated to attaining high levels of spirituality. Mormonism began as a cult, became a sect, and eventually evolved into a church. All the great world religions followed this same pattern of development as they accumulated members and formalized hierarchy and dogma.宗教命令，如方济会开始邪教组织围绕存在一个有魅力的领导者，也强调了生活方式致力于实现高水平的灵性。 mormonism开始定为邪教，成为一个教派，并最终演变成一所教堂，所有伟大世界宗教遵循这个相同的发展模式，因为他们积累的成员和形式化的层次和教条。
Modern cults come in a bewildering variety of ideologies, practices, and forms of leadership.现代邪教来，在扑朔迷离的各种意识形态，做法和形式的领导。 They range from those adhering to a sort of biblical Christianity to those seeking satori (sudden enlightenment) via the pursuits of Zen Buddhism.这些措施包括那些坚持一种基督教圣经向那些寻求顿悟（突如其来的启示）经追求禅宗。 Some cults have a flexible, functional leadership, such as many groups in the Charismatic Movement emanating from the mainline Christian religions, and others have mentors who control and orchestrate cult events, such as the Reverend Sun Myung Moon, leader of the Unification church.一些邪教有一个灵活的，功能性的领导，如许多团体在有魅力的运动源自主线基督宗教的，另一些人的导师，他们的控制和协调邪教活动的时候，比如牧师孙明博月亮，领导人对统一教会。 Some Hindu gurus, such as Bhagwan Shree Rajineesh of the Rajineeshee sect have been believed by their followers to be living embodiments of God.一些印度教大师，如bhagwan shree拉吉尼什的rajineeshee节一直相信，他们的追随者将居住体现上帝。
The common denominator of all the modern cults is an emphasis on community and on direct experience of the divine.共同分母的各种现代化的邪教组织是一个把重点放在社区，以及直接的经验神圣的。 In a cult, participants often find a level of social support and acceptance that rivals what may be found in a nuclear family.在一个邪教组织，参加者经常发现某种程度的社会支持与认同，即竞争对手是什么，可发现在一个核心家庭。 Cult activity, which is often esoteric and defined as direct contact with the divine, generates a sense of belonging to something profound and of being a somebody.邪教活动，它往往是深奥，并界定为直接接触与神圣，产生归属感，有深刻的是一个有人。 The modern cult may be viewed as a cultural island that gives adherents an identity and a sense of meaning in a world that has somehow failed to provide them these things.现代邪教，可以被看作是一种文化，岛上给人遗民身分认同感和意义的世界，竟没有向他们提供这些东西。
Several factors have been suggested as contributing to the quests of modern youths for meaning and identity via cults.有几个因素有人建议，作为向quests现代青年的意义和身份途经邪教。 Each of these factors relates to a disenchantment with, or loss of meaning of, traditional ways of viewing reality.每个这些因素涉及到一个幻灭，或丧失意义的，传统的方法检视现实。 A list of these contributing elements would include the following: the turmoil of the 1960s, including the unpopular Vietnam War, the assassinations of several popular national leaders, and growing evidence of top level political incompetence and corruption; continued widespread drug use among youths, which tends to disrupt family relations and fosters the formation of drug subcultures stressing esoteric experience; the rapid expansion of technological innovations such as computers, and social organizations, such as bureaucracies, that tend to erode the individual's sense of being in control of his or her own destiny; the apparent failure of traditional religions to solve problems of war, hunger, and alienation; the growth of humanistic education that tends to discredit traditional ways of believing and behaving; the threat of ecological and nuclear disaster; and finally, affluence, which provides the means to pursue alternative life styles.列出这些贡献内容将包括以下几个方面：动乱的20世纪60年代，其中包括不得人心的越南战争，暗杀几个最受欢迎的国家领导人，以及越来越多的证据表明高层政治上的无能和腐败;仍然存在着广泛的使用毒品的青少年，其中往往会扰乱家庭关系和促进形成毒品亚文化讲深奥的经验;急速扩张的技术革新，如计算机，和各社会团体，如官僚机构，往往削弱了个人的责任感，在被控制的他或她自己命运;表观失败的传统宗教来解决问题，战争，饥饿和隔阂;生长的人文教育趋于抹黑传统方式相信和表现方式;威胁生态和核灾难;最后，富裕，其中规定该不择手段追求另类生活方式。
Cults are challenges to conventional society.邪教是挑战传统的社会。 As such, they engender intense questions concerning their possible impact.这样，它们产生尖锐的问题，其可能造成的影响。 The modern cults have clearly raised anew the legal issue of how far a society is willing to go to guarantee religious freedom.现代邪教已经明确提出了新的法律问题有多远一个社会愿意去，以保证宗教自由。 Some of the cults have been accused of brainwashing members and thereby violating the 1st Amendment to the Constitution.一些邪教已被指责为洗脑的成员，从而违反了第1次宪法修正案。 Court cases involving young people who were forcefully removed from cults by parents are still being decided.法院案件涉及青少年的人强行带走邪教父母现仍决定。 Future court decisions could significantly modify traditional protection of religious diversity in the United States.未来法院的判决可以大大改变传统保护宗教的多样性，在美国发行。 Some cults, Hare Krishna being one, have established a legal defense and public education organization to fight for their rights to exist and practice what they believe.一些邪教组织的时候，克利须那之一，已成立了一个法律辩护和公共教育组织，为他们争取权利的存在与实践，他们相信。
Other impacts are less clear.其他影响是不太清楚。 This wave of cults could crumble into the dust of history as so many others have.这一波的邪教可能崩溃成为灰尘的历史，使许多其他人。 Conversely, this age could also be one of those historical junctures that produces an enduring change in theories of human nature and in the structure of social organizations.反过来说，这个年龄也可以一个人的历史关头，生产具有持久的变化，人性论，并在体制上的社会组织。 If so, the new cults provide some idea of the nature of that change.如果是的话，新的邪教组织提供了一些思路的性质，即改变。 Almost all of them represent an emotional and personal approach to religious experience; they emphasize continued adaptation in a changing world; they stress the attainment of individual power and excellence via the pursuit of cult practices; and they often stress the necessity of harmony between humankind and other aspects of nature.几乎所有的人都代表着一种情绪化和个性化的方法，以宗教经验，他们强调，不断适应在不断变化的世界中，他们强调实现个人权力和卓越途经追求邪教组织的做法;他们往往要强调有必要之间的和谐和人类其他方面的性质。 As such, contemporary cults reinforce many traditional American values, such as independence, achievement, self mastery, and conservation or ecology, that have lost ground in the face of affluence and self seeking.因此，当代邪教强化许多传统的美国价值观念，如独立性，成就，自我掌握，并保护生态，失去了，在面对富裕和自我追求。 Just as the Protestant Ethic supported early capitalism, the general ethic of the cults may be the stabilizing element in future society.正如新教伦理支持早期资本主义的，一般伦理的邪教可能是稳定因素，在未来的社会。 If so, cult members may well be the leaders of that new age.如果是的话，邪教组织成员，很可能成为领导人的这个新时代的尖端。 Clearly, however, an historical verdict must be awaited.但是很显然，是一个历史性的裁决必须等待。
Richard J Bord理查德j bord
Bibliography
参考书目
W Appel, Cults in
America (1983); JA Beckford, Cult Controversies (1985); JE Biersdorf, Hunger for
Experience (1975); H Bridges, American Mysticism (1970); C Edwards, Crazy for
God: The Nightmare of Cult Life (1979); J Ellul, The New Demons (1975); RS
Ellwood and H Partin, Religious and Spiritual Groups in Modern America (1988); F
Fitzgerald, Cities on a Hill (1986); H Gardner, The Children of Prosperity
(1978); CY Glock and RN Bellah, eds., The New Religious Consciousness (1976); I
Hexham and K Poewe, Understanding Cults and New Religions (1986); JG Melton, The
Encyclopedic Handbook of Cults in America (1986); J Needleman, The New Religions
(1970); R Quebedeaux, The New Charismatics (1976); T Robbins, ed., Cults,
Culture and the Law (1985).瓦特阿佩尔，邪教在美国（ 1983年） ; JA部贝克福德，邪教争议（ 1985年）
;是biersdorf ，饥饿的经验（ 1975年） ; h桥梁，美洲神秘主义（ 1970条） ， c爱德华兹疯狂上帝：恶梦的邪教生活（ 1979年） ;
j埃吕尔，新的恶魔（ 1975年） ;卢比ellwood和H partin ，宗教和精神团体在现代美国（ 1988年） ，女菲茨杰拉德，市的一个小山上， （
1986年） ; h加德纳，孩子的繁荣（ 1978年） ;外币格洛克和氡bellah合编，新的宗教意识（ 1976 ） ，我将赫克瑟姆和K poewe
，了解邪教与新兴宗教（ 1986年） ; jg道格拉斯-迈，百科全书手册的邪教在美国（ 1 986年） ; j needleman ，新的宗教（ 1970
）与r quebedeaux ，新charismatics （ 1976年）和t罗宾斯版，邪教，文化和法律的规定（ 1985 ） 。
Defining a cult is far more difficult than is often appreciated.界定邪教，是迄今为止较为困难多很多赞赏。 Many evangelical Christians support the activities of Jews for Jesus and see them as a legitimate missionary group.很多福音派基督徒的支持活动的犹太人为耶稣，并看到他们作为一个合法的传教团体。 But members of the Jewish community regard them as an evil and deceptive cult, a fact that well illustrates the problems surrounding the word.但是，大家的犹太社区把它们当作一种邪恶与欺骗的邪教组织，这样的事实，以及遭遇种种困难周边字。 In its modern form the word "cult" was originally used by Ernst Troeltsch in his classic work, The Social Teaching of the Christian Churches (1912), where he classifies religious groups in terms of church, sect, and cult.在其现代形式改为"邪教组织"原本是由恩斯特特勒尔奇在他的经典工作，社会教学中的基督教教堂（ 1912 ） ，在那里他归类宗教群体而言，教会，教派和邪教。
For Troeltsch the cult represents a mystical or spiritual form of religion that appeals to intellectuals and the educated classes.为特勒尔奇邪教代表着一种神秘的或精神形式的宗教，呼吁知识分子和受过教育的阶层。 At the heart of the cult is a spirituality which seeks to enliven a dead orthodoxy.处于核心地位的邪教是一种灵性，旨在盘活死的正统。 Thus for Troeltsch the early Luther, many Puritans, and pietism can be seen as examples of cultic religion.因此，为特勒尔奇早期路德，许多清教徒和pietism可以被看作是例子邪教宗教。 Although Troeltsch's ideas about the distinction between church and sect generated a vigorous debate, little attention has been paid to his views on the cult.虽然特勒尔奇的思路之间的区别，教会和教派产生了激烈的辩论，很少注意已经支付给了他的看法邪教。 However, several liberal writers influenced by Troeltsch have seen evangelical Christianity in terms of a cult.但是，有几位自由作家的影响，特勒尔奇看到福音派基督教而言，一个邪教。
More important for the modern usage of the word "cult" has been the development of evangelical polemics against groups which they have seen as heretical.更重要的，为现代用法的词"邪教"一直是发展的福音论战针对群体，而他们被视为异端邪说。 The classic work on this subject, which probably gave the word its modern usage, is Jan van Baalen's The Chaos of Cults (1938).经典工作，就这个问题，这很可能给有传言称，其现代用法，是扬范baalen的混乱的邪教（ 1938 ） 。 In this work van Baalen expounds the beliefs of various religious groups such as theosophy, Christian Science, Mormonism, and Jehovah's Witnesses and subjects them to a rigorous theological critique from an evangelical perspective.在这项工作中范baalen阐述信仰不同宗教的团体，如theosophy ，基督教科学， mormonism ，和耶和华见证人和课题，他们是一个严峻的神学的批判，从一个福音视野。 In the last twenty years a large number of evangelical books dealing with cults have appeared.在过去二十年了一大批福音书籍处理邪教问题已经出现。 Over the course of time these have increasingly concentrated on the allegedly fraudulent claims of the cults, the immoralities of their leaders, and the ways in which their followers are deceived.以上课程的时间，这些都越来越多地集中在涉嫌骗取该邪教的问题上， immoralities他们的领导人，以及如何使他们的追随者是欺骗了。 As a result, in many cases a transition has occurred from a theological argument refuting the claims of various religious groups to a reliance upon psychological arguments which suggest that members of these groups are in some way brainwashed.因此，在许多情况下，转型已经发生，从神学的论点进行反驳索赔不同宗教的团体到一个依赖心理的论点，显示这些群体的成员都以某种方式强迫洗脑。
This development poses a great danger for evangelical Christianity as can be seen from William Sargent's The Battle for the Mind (1957).这方面的发展带来了很大的危险，福音派基督教中可以看出，从威廉萨的战斗精神（ 1957 ） 。 In this book Sargent takes evangelical conversion as a classic example of brainwashing.在这本书里萨需福音转化为一个典型的例子洗脑。 More recently this argument has been developed by Jim Siegelman and Flo Conway in their popular book Snapping (1979), where the experience of born again Christians is compared to the process by which people join groups like the Moonies.最近这种说法已经研制成功由Jim siegelman与FLO康威在其受欢迎的图书抢购（ 1979 ） ，在那里的经验再次降生基督徒是比较过程中，其中的人加入团体如moonies 。 Such books as these and stories in the media about brainwashing have led to considerable pressure on governments in various American states, Canada, Britain, and Germany for anticonversion laws.这类书籍，因为这些故事，在媒体关于洗脑导致了相当大的压力，各地政府，美洲国家组织，加拿大，英国，德国，为anticonversion法律。 These laws are supposedly aimed at groups like the Moonies.这些法律都是针对团体如moonies 。 But because of their lack of definition (cf. the Lasher Amendment, State of New York in Assembly, March 25, 1980) they are in practice aimed at any form of change of life style brought about by a religious conversion.但由于他们缺乏定义（参看lasher修正案，纽约州在大会， 1980年3月25日） ，他们是在实践中针对任何形式的改变的生活方式所带来的是一个宗教转换。
Today the real problem of cults is the propaganda value of the word "cult" in a secular society.今天真正的问题，邪教的宣传价值，用"邪教"在一个世俗社会。 Although there are reliable statistics to show that the total membership of groups like the Children of God, the Unification Church (Moonies), and Hare Krishna is less than 35,000 in the United States and even fewer in other Western countries, these groups are presented as a major threat to society.虽然有可靠的统计数据显示，占成员总数的团体，例如儿童的神，统一教会（ moonies ） ，克利须那是少于35000个，在美国，甚至更少，在其他西方国家，这些团体是作为一个重大威胁的社会。 As a result secularists are able to urge the acceptance of laws which replace religious freedom by a grudgingly granted religious toleration.由于世俗能够敦促接受法律取代宗教的自由，由不情愿地给予宗教，严惩不贷。 Rather than persisting with the use of a word which has now become a propaganda weapon, the academic practice of calling such groups "new religious movements" should be followed.而不是坚持使用一个词如今已成为宣传的武器，学术界的实践呼唤这种团体"新宗教运动" ，应遵循的。 An alternative to this neutral terminology available for Christians who oppose such groups on theological grounds would be to revive the usage of "heretic" or simply call such groups "spiritual counterfeits."替代这个中性术语供基督徒反对这类群体对神学的理由，将振兴使用的"邪教"或简单的是调用这些群体的"心灵冒牌货" 。 Such a procedure would move the debate away from psychological theories that can be used by secularists against Christianity to the arena of theological discussion and religious argument.这样一种程序动议辩论，改为从心理学理论认为，可以用世俗反对基督教到舞台上的讨论神学和宗教的说法。
I Hexham
i将赫克瑟姆
(Elwell
Evangelical Dictionary) （ Elwell宣布了福音字典）
Bibliography
参考书目
M Hill, Sociology
of Religion; WR Martin, The Kingdom of the Cults; HW Richardson, ed., New
Religions and Mental Health; CY Glock and RN Bellah, eds., The New Religious
Consciousness; II Zaretzky and MP Leone, eds., Religious Movements in
Contemporary America; T Robbins and D Anthony, eds., In Gods We Trust; RS
Ellwood, Religious and Spiritual Groups in Modern America; J Needleman and G
Baker, eds., Understanding the New
Religions.米山，社会学的宗教;水利马丁，英国的邪教;华文理查森版，新的宗教和心理健康;外币格洛克和氡bellah合编，新的宗教意识;第二zaretzky和MP筹措合编。
，宗教运动，在当代美国和t罗宾斯和D安东尼合编，在神我们的信任;卢比ellwood ，宗教和精神团体在现代美国; j
needleman和G贝克合编，了解新的宗教。
This subject presentation in the original English language这一主题演讲，在原有的英语
Send an e-mail question or comment to us: E-mail邮件发送问题或意见给我们： 电子邮箱
The main BELIEVE web-page (and the index to subjects) is at http://mb-soft.com/believe/beliecha.html主要相信网页（和索引科目） ，是在http://mb-soft.com/believe/beliecha.html