The Apologetics Index (apologeticsindex.org) 'family of web sites' provides 42,850+ pages of research resources on religious cults, sects, new religious movements, alternative religions, apologetics-, anticult-, and countercult organizations, doctrines, religious practices and world views. These resources reflect a variety of theological and/or sociological perspectives. [More Info]
The dark and dangerous world of cults has long been a source of both fascination and fear. What attracts followers to cults and, more importantly, what makes them stay?
Watch the documentary, Cults: Dangerous Devotion.»
Pakistan’s Islamic blasphemy laws have been widely condemned. False accusations of blasphemy are often used by Muslims in disputes not only with Christians and followers of other faiths, but also with fellow Muslims.»
In recent month there has been much discussion in the media on the question of whether or not Mormonism is a 'cult.'
Most people who weighed in on the subject demonstrated a lack knowledge regarding the meaning of the term 'cult,' as well as the differences between Mormon and Christian theology.»
Research resources on Buddhism. As with everything in Apologetics Index, while we have a particular focus on Christian apologetics this updated entry continues our tradition of linking to study resources from a variety of perspectives.»
The publishers of Apologetics Index have received permission from Moody Publishers to post online a chapter from the book, Faith Misguided: Exposing the Dangers of Mysticism, by Arthur L. Johnson.
The book, first published in 1988, is currently out of print. However, its content continues to be of interest to Christians who wish to understand not just today's religious and spiritual trends outside of the Church -- but also certain teachings and practices that have been introduced in the church over the past few decades.»
By revealing Himself through the written Word, God has committed Himself to using rational concepts as a tool for revelation, thereby making human reason absolutely necessary. Yet mystic literature abounds with statements that reject the reasoning ability as an adequate tool for gaining knowledge.»
Even though it took the work of thirty years to prepare the way, the public's attitude toward Witchcraft was effectively turned upside down in less than a decade.
The purpose of interfaith work from the Witches' point of view was to establish Witchcraft as a religion among religions, thus increasing the acceptance and acceptability of Witchcraft in society, and thereby serving the ultimate purpose of increasing the physical safety and enlarging the social comfort-zone of Witches in general.
Judged by those standards, the Witches' "interfaith interface" has been remarkably successful. Today the Witchcraft movement has already achieved legal status as one religion among many, and is on the verge of achieving it socially -- which is exactly what the interfaith approach was designed to accomplish.
The history of European witchcraft can also be seen in terms of the coming together and breaking up of its individual components. Prior to the middle ages, witchcraft did not exist as such, because it was still in pieces. Its components had not yet abandoned their separate histories and been fully joined.
After the Renaissance, the process reversed itself , and witchcraft ceased to exist as such because it went to pieces. This is chapter 6 of Witchcraft Goes Mainstream by Brooks Alexander.»
Despite the public’s exposure to Neopagan themes and concepts through the media (or perhaps because of it), there remains widespread confusion about what modern Witchcraft is and where it comes from. In particular there is confusion about how the Witchcraft of today relates to the witchcraft of the Middle Ages.
The Craft revolutionized the media's approach to teenagers, reshaped the media's imagery of good and evil, and redefined the public's idea of modern Witchcraft. The movie firmly established modern Witchcraft's new image in the public mind: dangerous, but exciting -- and above all, real.
Buffy is second only to The Craft as a milestone in the ongoing spiritual devolution of American culture.
Teen-oriented media is a kind of youth-culture echo-chamber -- an ideal environment for commercial manipulation. Without any standards other than profits and ratings, the media is "both responding to interest in Witchcraft and creating it, in a rapid feedback loop."
The mid-1990s explosion of Witchcraft in the media can be seen as part of that process, and as a sign of the new (teen) center of gravity in media marketing and entertainment.
ReligionNewsBlog.com features up-to-date news about cults, sects, alternative religions, world religions and related issues. A service of Apologetics Index and curated by David Anderson
A-Z Index: 
Emerging Church
Books about Cults, spiritual abuse, and ex-cult support
:
