|
Doomsday cult is an expression used to describe groups who believe in Apocalypticism and Millenarianism, and can refer both to groups that prophesy catastrophe and destruction, and to those that attempt to bring it about. The expression was first used by sociologist John Lofland in his 1966 study of a group of members of the Unification Church of the United States in California, ''Doomsday Cult: A Study of Conversion, Proselytization, and Maintenance of Faith''. A classic study of a group with cataclysmic predictions had previously been performed by Leon Festinger and other researchers, and was published in his book ''When Prophecy Fails: A Social and Psychological Study of a Modern Group that Predicted the Destruction of the World''.〔"The classic study by Festinger and his colleagues was titled ''When Prophecy Fails''."〕〔"To learn more about this classic study of what happens when prophecy fails.."〕 Referring to his study, Festinger and later other researchers have attempted to explain the commitment of members to their associated doomsday cult, even after the prophecies of their leader have turned out to be false. Festinger explained this phenomenon as part of a coping mechanism called dissonance reduction, a form of rationalization. Members often dedicate themselves with renewed vigor to the group's cause after a failed prophecy, and rationalize with explanations such as a belief that their actions forestalled the disaster, or a belief in the leader when the date for disaster is postponed. Some researchers believe that the use of the term by the government and the news media can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy, in which actions by authorities reinforces the apocalyptic beliefs of the group, which in turn can inspire further controversial actions. Group leaders have themselves objected to comparisons between one group and another, and parallels have been drawn between the concept of a self-fulfilling prophecy and the theory of a deviancy amplification spiral. == Etymology == The term "doomsday cult" was first used in the title of a 1966 scholarly study of a group of Unification Church members by John Lofland, entitled: ''Doomsday Cult: A Study of Conversion, Proselytization, and Maintenance of Faith''.〔 Lofland published his findings in 1964 as a doctorial thesis entitled: "The World Savers: A Field Study of Cult Processes," and in 1966 in book form by Prentice-Hall.〔(Conversion ), (Unification Church ), ''Encyclopedia of Religion and Society'', Hartford Institute for Religion Research, Hartford Seminary〕 It is considered to be one of the most important and widely cited studies of the process of religious conversion, and one of the first modern sociological studies of a new religious movement.〔''Introduction to New and Alternative Religions in America: African diaspora traditions and other American innovations'', Volume 5 of Introduction to New and Alternative Religions in America, W. Michael Ashcraft, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006 ISBN 0-275-98717-5, ISBN 978-0-275-98717-6, page 180〕〔''Exploring New Religions'', Issues in contemporary religion, George D. Chryssides, Continuum International Publishing Group, 2001 ISBN 0-8264-5959-5, ISBN 978-0-8264-5959-6 page 1〕 James Richardson writes in the ''Encyclopedia of Religion and Society'' that after the publication of Lofland's work, "The term ''doomsday cult'' has become a part of everyday parlance, used by the media to refer to apocalyptic religious groups."〔(Exploring the climate of doom ), Rich Lowry, 2009-12-19 'The phrase “doomsday cult” entered our collective vocabulary after John Lofland published his 1966 study, “Doomsday Cult: A Study of Conversion, Proselytization, and Maintenance of Faith.” Lofland wrote about the Unification Church.'〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「doomsday cult」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|