Wallis believes people are drawn to NRMs because of spiritual deprivation, they feel they have lost sight of their real self and feel quite lonely and are looking for a community companionship which today has been lost in most communities and in most societies so people have to look somewhere else for this need to be fulfilled so people look to religions like Scientology, Moonies, heavens gate as they are not marginalised and therefore people may feel like they fit in more and are accepted more in to that group of people which also fulfils their community companionships needs but again Wallis comments on the fact that why do people feel the need to invent new religions when there are plenty around already and why don’t people just go to one that already exists.
Wilson believes that people are drawn to Sects and NRMs in times of rapid social change, he talks mainly about sects and that people are drawn to sects in times of rapid social change because people don’t like change so they turn to sects in times of need when they are confused and not happy about what is going on in society also for support and a sense of belonging when they feel most vulnerable and lost. In the early days of Methodism the industrial revolution was taking place which was a rapid social change people felt insecure and looked for something to bring them together and for a sense of community, which Methodism offered them, also in the 1960’s higher education was put into place this was a time of radical political movements as there was a decline in the traditional family structure and a change in technology which therefore created insecurity so in turn they turned to sects for the support they needed. Melton disagreed with this he said that there were far more sects in the 1050’s and 70’s than in the 60’s so its not true that people turn to sects in times of rapid social change but you could also argue that people don’t turn to them immediately and take there time so that could be why there was a large number in the 70’s. There is also the fact of why not turn to traditional religions those are already there.
Wallis put forward the idea that there was dissatisfaction with existing religions as he believes people feel they are to remote and you don’t get a sense of belonging, he also feels people feel remote from modern life and prefer to turn to an organisation, he also says that people feel the traditional religions are more interested in making the buildings look good than looking after their congregation which therefore makes it feel as if there is no community spirit and you don’t get any support in times of need.
Bruce believes that people are more likely to turn to Sects and NRMs as a response to pluralism, he believes that if there are several different religions in one society then it makes people doubt their own religions and question what they believe, which then weakens the traditional religions as with cults and NRMs it allows you to take a pick and mix approach, which appeals to most as they don’t have a set thing to believe in and don’t demand too much from people whereas the traditional religions do, they have a set way of worship and have set rules and set beliefs which you are meant to stick by but with NRMs and cults you are allowed to have a more free belief and believe what you want to believe.
There is also the belief that the failure of science being able to explain religion has led to more people believing in sects and NRMs. In the 19th century religion was loosing out to science but science has become more modest and lacks certainties and most don’t think science will give eternal life so people are turning back to religion but not in the traditional way they are turning to the religions that give you more freewill and more space like sects and NRMs.
Mauss and Peterson believed that sects and NRMs have more of a role in society because of alternative lifestyles as a lot of people in society would like to been seen as alternative but most have conventional lifestyles so they turn to NRMs to give them a chance to be different like Jesus Freaks, it is something to do in there spare time but in turn you don’t need to join an NRM to have an alternative lifestyle there are many other ways in which this can be done.
Barker believes that neither children nor adults community, he says that sects and NRMs appeal to people in limbo not children but not adults, it appeals to them as they feel a lack of community and sects fulfil the space left by friends and family as this is where they get their security and comfort from
Heelas believes that NAMs and fundamentalism are both a response to modernity NAMs appeal to affluent middle class pro individualism and fundamentalism appeal to people who are not in tune with modern life and feel there is too much freedom and choice in other religions which makes them feel insure, the crumbling cage (fundamentalism) opposed to iron cage (NAM) both have grown in the last 30 years this suggests that less people are turning to traditional religions for security etc, but there are different explanations for different groups of people.
Overall I think that in modern day society sect and NRMs are becoming more popular and relevant as people are going against the traditional religions as they have to many set ways of belief and they don’t allow people to have a freedom of choice in what they believe whereas sects and NRMs allow people to have more choice and allow them to believe how they want to believe. It doesn’t help that the traditional religions are not keeping up with modern times, they don’t accept things that are now totally acceptable in society which is then making people leave as they feel that the rules of the traditional religions are too old fashioned. People also turn to religion to fulfil their basic needs, because there has been a lack of sense of community nowadays people turn to religion for the sense of belonging and so they feel as if they are apart of something and are here for a reason and have the social support there if they need it.
