In our time, there are many different religions. Christianity, Islam and Buddhism stand out as the main world religions. By the number of their adherents, they are significantly superior to all others. But in addition, there are also separate groups of people who separated from the prevailing religious trend and formed independent organizations under the leadership of the leader. They are called sects, and their members are called sectarians.
What are dangerous sects
Sometimes sectarians are simply people who have lost their way in religious dogma, trying to find their own paths to God and not pose a danger to others. But sometimes the activity of such groups becomes by no means harmless, and in these cases, society takes all measures to protect its members from the harmful, and sometimes even deadly influence of sects.
As a rule, the head of such a religious organization is a strong charismatic personality, capable of exerting a powerful influence on others and subordinating their will to themselves. Sometimes such a leader, in addition to natural data, has special knowledge in the field of psychology obtained by him in the learning process, and sometimes even has the skills of hypnosis and suggestion. In all cases, he has a powerful tool - the ability to control the consciousness of the masses. And the mental health, material well-being, and sometimes the lives of many people often depend on who has such weapons in their hands, who became their victims.
Dangerous sects in Russia
Sectarianism is prevalent throughout the world. Unfortunately, our country is no exception. The list of sects in Russia is quite wide, but there are several organizations in it that stand out from the crowd. Their activities very often went beyond the law. Let us dwell on them in more detail.
First of all, it is a sect called the White Brotherhood. This organization made a lot of noise ten years ago when its leaders were in the dock. It is known that in the Soviet period, the leader of the sect, Yu. A. Krivonogov, was an employee of the KGB and served in the department that developed methods for influencing the mass consciousness of people. After the nationwide KGB system was abolished, Krivonogov appropriated part of the special equipment. In addition, he had the skills of hypnosis and psychological effects on people.
Together with his wife, Marina Tsvigun, a former employee of the Dnipropetrovsk regional committee of the Komsomol, and then a journalist of a local newspaper, he organized a sect. Marina according to his script was to become the embodiment of Jesus Christ. Religious revelations poured out by spouses on adherents of the sect were nothing more than a wild mixture of quotes pulled from various occult teachings. Interspersed were excerpts from the works of Blavatsky, Roerich, yoga, various Indian religious concepts and the teachings of Kabbalah.
Development of the secret department in the service of the sect
But the main weapon was, of course, the skills gained in the secret department of the KGB. As a result of the spouses' active work, several thousand adherents were attracted to the sect. The control over their consciousness Krivonogov with his newly made messiah was able to establish simply phenomenal. People sold their property and brought the proceeds to the sect, broke up with families and settled in specially organized villages. There they eked out a half-starved existence, not having the right to any manifestations of their own will. There was a complete zombie of adherents.
The leaders of the sect themselves led a chic lifestyle with the money of their victims. There are also known cases of mass suicides generated by fear of the end of the world, which was an integral part of their “teaching”. As a result, the couple ended up in jail. But now begins a new round in the history of the sect called the White Brotherhood. Marina Zvigun was released and launched widespread activities to revive her. Judging by the scale of work, she is not constrained in finances.
The Pentecostals
The list of sects in Russia should be continued with a story about the organization, which is currently considered the largest in the country. This is the sect of the “Pentecostals,” or, as they are also called, the “Charismatics.” According to some reports, it numbers about 300,000 adherents in our country, which makes up almost half of all sectarians in Russia. This organization was born in America in the seventies of the XX century. For their meetings, they rent concert halls and stadiums. Everything is held in the form of a well-staged show in a purely American manner.
False Spiritual Guidelines
Their main doctrine, of course, attractive to the masses, is the thesis that a true Christian should be healthy, happy and rich. To become so, you just need to bring money to the sect. The more you bring, the sooner you will get rich and become a true believer. It is difficult to talk about methods of exposure, but they work flawlessly. Thousands of masses in a single impulse fall into a state close to ecstasy. Even those in extreme need suddenly begin to feel rich, and patients feel an illusory surge of health.
A sect is a killer of hundreds of people
As can be seen from the above examples, modern sects are armed with carefully thought-out methods of influencing the human psyche. The arsenal of their funds is very wide. Do not underestimate the danger they pose. To illustrate this again, let us recall an organization that, fortunately, is not included in the list of sects in Russia. At one time, her name was often mentioned in the media. This is the "Temple of the Nations." The Lord has protected us from this dirty trick, but it will not be superfluous to talk about it.
Its creator, Jim Jones, in 1955 in the American city of Indianapolis gathered a group of followers of his religious teachings, which soon moved to the jungle of Guyana. Filled with pathological hatred of America and people in general, he managed to create a semblance of a totalitarian state in the territory occupied by the settlement , and in its worst case. He achieved slavish submission from all adherents of the sect. His will was carried out implicitly.
This dictator felt sympathy for the Soviet Union and the totalitarian system established in it. One of the streets of the village was named after Lenin. He even turned to the Soviet authorities to provide him and sect members with the opportunity to immigrate to the USSR. The answer was yes, but the tragedy that broke out in 1978 prevented it. More than nine hundred members of the sect, on the orders of its creator, committed suicide. The "Temple of the Nations" ceased to exist. Jim Jones was convicted, but in 2002 he was released ahead of schedule.
Scientology Sect
The list of sects in Russia will not be complete if you do not recall the organization called the Scientologists. This team is also "American bottling", like many others. In the fifties of the XX century, it was created by science fiction writer Ronald Hubbard. The main point of his teaching is the doom of the existing world. He will perish, but life will not stop there. Those who have reached the ideal in this world will gain life after death.
You can become a perfect being by being trained by Scientologists. The course is paid and is very expensive, but what you will not sacrifice for the sake of eternity. No wonder this organization is called the "rich sect." According to experts, her daily income is from three to five million dollars. In our country, it has representative offices in different cities. The main office is located in Moscow.
"Jehovah witnesses"
The sect “Jehovah's Witnesses” is well known to many residents of our cities. Why are they dangerous? Often, adherents ring annoyingly at the doors of apartments and stop people in the streets, offering to listen to their pseudo-religious dogmas, learn the “true” understanding of Scripture, and gain eternal life. One has only to show any interest in them, as they become unobtrusive, pop their brochures and offer to visit their meetings without fail. The technology of recruiting new members is thought out so much that a person practically does not notice how he becomes an active member of a sect.
This organization has headquarters in America and offices in many countries around the world. Despite the fact that they call themselves Christians, their teaching has nothing to do with Christianity. In all their activities, true, purely mercantile motives are clearly visible. In our country, the sect was outlawed for a long time, but with the advent of perestroika, all prohibitions were lifted, and members of the organization launched vigorous activity. Residents of St. Petersburg remember how in 1992, at the Kirov Stadium, which seats 100,000 spectators, their congress was held, at which Jehovahists arrived not only from all over Russia, but also from abroad.
Reasons for the growth of sectarianism in recent years
Religious sects in Russia have received a powerful impetus for their development over the past two decades. An important role was played by the deterioration of the economic situation of a number of segments of the population and the political instability of recent years. Apologists of various sectarian movements, using these domestic difficulties, are trying to speculate on them, attracting new members to their ranks. Those who believed the propaganda promises, new converts of such sects fall under severe psychological pressure. Often, their gullibility results in severe mental disorders, loss of property, and a break with the family.
What sects are called totalitarian
In order to protect citizens from the harmful effects of such religious movements, legislative measures were taken. In particular, certain courts have approved a list that includes sects banned in Russia.
Their activity is suppressed, and the persons involved in it are punished in accordance with the law. The so-called totalitarian, or destructive, sects are particularly severely persecuted. In world practice, the “Temple of the Nations” was a striking example of such an organization.
In our country, a ban has been imposed on the activities of all religious associations that infringe on the rights of their members and harm them. Totalitarian sects in Russia and their activities are widely covered in the media to prevent and prevent their impact on people. A lot of work in this direction is carried out by church representatives. Teachers do not stand aside. There are many sects that do not seem to pose a threat, such as, for example, the Jehovah's Witnesses sect. Why are they dangerous? The answer is obvious - any enslavement of mass consciousness is fraught with a real danger to society.