Dwapara Yuga: Cults, Sects and New Religions

In James Lewis' excellent Encyclopedia of Cults, Sects and New Religions he characterizes the appeal of new religions (encompassing cults and sects) as
- Personal transformation, being born again into a new a way of living
- Social community

From the 1740's "Great Awakenining", Protestantism was the main motor for new religions in North America, yet from the 1900's the impetus has become much more Eastern-focused and New Age, with Yogananda opening the floodgates in the 1920's to the masses of gurus from the 1960's to the present day.

As older religions become mainstream, essentially social and business clubs, they tend to lose intensity, offer less transformative power and hence their appeal, with certain exceptions such as Mormonism which is both mainstream and internally retains intensity.

Interestingly in Evangelical Christianity, the idea of being born again (for example the transformation of George W. Bush from ne'er do well to President with a mission from God in the film "W") has much older roots in Hinduism with the idea of becoming twice-born/born again at the age of 12.

Organized religions, cult and sects moved from being simply technical terms to ones with negative media connotations in recent times where priestly figures abused their roles for money, sex and power whether in the Catholic Church, Televangelism or Manson Family style massacres.

Encompassingly, in Dwapara Yuga, religion is becoming much more personal and direct rather than formal and ceremonially driven, checking the power of priestly classes to abuse any but the most vulnerable. An attitude of questioning and research characterized the life stories of Vivekananda, Sri Yukteswar and Yogananda. A refusal by any organization to answer questions especially in the name of "loyalty" or "obedience" should be a red flag.

It's been a while since we had a joke. Here goes. Why should you always take two Baptists fishing? Because if you only take one he'll drink all the beer!