I was just wondering if there are any studies or statistics that show that cults are on the rise? (Cults, as defined on this website by Rick Ross Institute criteria).

There just seem to be more and more splinter groups in every major religion that qualify. No great religion seems to be exempt.

Also, does any one really know if people are leaving the major faiths for new religions in droves or not? Any research or statistics here?

People are leaving Christianity in droves and Judaism is also experiencing similar problems. All of this opens people up to experimentation with new ideas. Often times, people leave one thing to wind up in something worse.
I dialogue on this board to help people out and to gain a perspective on how to handle my own, oftentimes dysfunctional relationships with G-d and people.

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richardmgreen
People are leaving Christianity in droves and Judaism is also experiencing similar problems. All of this opens people up to experimentation with new ideas. Often times, people leave one thing to wind up in something worse.
I dialogue on this board to help people out and to gain a perspective on how to handle my own, oftentimes dysfunctional relationships with G-d and people.

Does that include Atheism? By your spelling of g-d, I would think not. However, I'm just wondering.

I know I'm knit-picking, but you still spell g-d with a capital G. It tells me that either you're not over what has happened to you, or you're apt to appease the masses, and still religious. Which is it?

You know, religion is a political being. Nothing more. Religion, in itself, has nothing to do with a belief in a god.

[/quote]Does that include Atheism? By your spelling of g-d, I would think not. However, I'm just wondering.

I know I'm knit-picking, but you still spell g-d with a capital G. It tells me that either you're not over what has happened to you, or you're apt to appease the masses, and still religious. Which is it?

You know, religion is a political being. Nothing more. Religion, in itself, has nothing to do with a belief in a god.[/quote]
I believe in God or G-d or however you want to spell it. I am not sour on religion in general. I am not trying to "appease the masses." I simply got burned and had to move on and I'm not alone. Recently, on this forum, someone I knew from Ben Yishai many years ago got in touch with me and also told me that she and her husband, who she met in the cult, recommitted themselves to Jesus.

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richardmgreen
People are leaving Christianity in droves and Judaism is also experiencing similar problems. .

Interesting idea: Got any data? Where are they "leaving in droves", in America?? Europe??? Israel????
Certainly not out here in the rest of the world, if "drove numbers" means anything and missionaries aren't just lying.

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Harry Lime
I was just wondering if there are any studies or statistics that show that cults are on the rise? (Cults, as defined on this website by Rick Ross Institute criteria).

There just seem to be more and more splinter groups in every major religion that qualify. No great religion seems to be exempt.

Also, does any one really know if people are leaving the major faiths for new religions in droves or not? Any research or statistics here?

[b:0940912f0f]Hi Harry,

Just to quickly answer your question. In all countries there should be a Bureau of Statistics that give relevant data about what your asking, if cults are on the rise and mainstream Christianity is falling.

In Australia The Church of Christ has lost 18% of members [/color:0940912f0f]while Pentecostal has lost 11.4% of its members[/color:0940912f0f]. The Uniting Church has lost 6.5% of members[/color:0940912f0f] and Presbyterian and Reformed has lost 3.7%. [/color:0940912f0f]

Other Christian Religions has risen by 18.4% which cults, sects fall under. Otherwise Other Religions has also risen 34.6% which may include Satanism, Wicca etc[/color:0940912f0f]

To look over Australian data please go to the link beneath.

[www.abs.gov.au]

Or go to [www.abs.gov.au] and search through prompts to find data.

If you take into account Africa is a major breeding ground for alternative religions, cults and sects, in fact 1,000's apparently. I would be interested if you find African statistics as every dog and their cat who starts up a new religion heads to the hills of Africa on a crusade. Maybe half the crusade is about groups saving themselves while thinking they are saving others.[/size:0940912f0f][/b:0940912f0f]

[/quote]Interesting idea: Got any data? Where are they "leaving in droves", in America?? Europe??? Israel????
Certainly not out here in the rest of the world, if "drove numbers" means anything and missionaries aren't just lying.[/quote]
Church attendance is down all over the country. My church used to have 3 services on a Sunday about 40 years ago comprising some 1,300 people. Now we only have about 80 people showing up on a Sunday. The Catholic church is also losing membership and it was my pastor who told me how badly Christianity is doing. Judaism also, like I said is losing membership.

[b:7650951790]

I tend to agree Richard the dynamics of the religious system is certainly changing all over the world.

I did take a quick look at The American Bureau of Statistics. It's certainly complex than The Australian Bureau of Statistics in truthfulness. To me personally, and it may just be me, it was like The U.S Statistics were using excuses to cover up the state of religion.

Anyhow closely looking at the American statistics of religion and looking at the increase in the American population with births and immigration, facts certainly move in a trend that people are moving away from certain groups of Christianity. This also might have something to do with increase working hours and the price of living in America going up, and how people see giving 'tithe' to an already rich Church system when they themselves have to suffer more while watching clergy drive Mercs and live expensive, cushy lifestyles.

There seems to be a lot of dissatisfaction now in American society with the Church, that now seems to be unforgiving, and I guess if history of the Church is anything to go by, then who can blame them?

I asked someone the other day what religion they were and they said, "Don't be stupid, I'm not hateful or greedy, I have no religion."

Baptist in the U.S has fallen dramatically. Protestant-no-denomination fallen horrifically. Methodist/Wesleyan fallen. Church or Naz fallen. Christian Science fallen. Salvation Army fallen. Jehovah Witness very slightly fallen. Jewish fallen. Born Again has nose dived.

Catholic has increased but in comparison to population increase, it has not been a dramatic rise. But none the less it’s a well structured organization that will no doubt be a front runner with the accumulated wealth it has within its power in guiding the rulers of government.

People who identified with no religion have doubled, very substantial. Humanist & Quakers are certainly on the increase. Wicca, Spiritual, Pagan has increased. Hindu, Buddhist, Evangelical has increased at a rate of tripling numbers while Islam has doubled in the U.S in comparison. New Age, Scientology, Baha, Taoist, Sikh, The Brethren have also increased.

I guess these days there is a lot more to chose from with religions. Certainly American statistical evidence suggests that numbers are increasing with cults, sects and non-religious groups at a rate that is unfathomable etc.

I guess in the early days America was deeply rooted in Christianity, but in next 50 years/Future, it will be going in a different direction that is reflective of statistical trends in sharing the Bible Belt with probably The Koran Belt, Hindu Belt, Buddhist Belt and Cult Belt lol.

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