Totalitarian sects: the threat of religious extremism

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Totalitarian sects the threat of religious
extremism

• USU, Ksenia Dinislamova

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Contents

1. Criteria of totalitarian sects
2. Analysis of religious situation in Russia
3. Role of the state and religious freedom
4. Ways to remedy the situation

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Why state should combat totalitarian sects?
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Totalitarian sects are defined as especially
authoritarian organizations whose leaders,
striving for control over their followers and for
their exploitation, conceal their intentions
under religious, politico-religious,
psychotherapeutic, health, educational,
scientific-informational, cultural, and other
guises.

• The international applied science conference
  Totalitarian sects the threat of religious
  extremism (Yekaterinburg, 10 December 2002)

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Criteria of totalitarian sects
leader authoritarian,charismatic, absolutely correct
ideology the only way for salvation of the soul
organization isolation from the society, thought control, manipulation and psychological pressure, exploitation of the finances, labor of converts
lies deceit, silence to attract new members
negative consequences psychosocial problems, conflicts with relatives, interruption of the school, harm to psyche and health, a number of fatal incidents
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Totalitarian sects systematically violate the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights

• article 19
• point 2 of article 20
• article 21
• article 29
• article 23
• articles 24 and 25
• Article 26
• article 27

• article 3
• article 4
• article 5
• article 12
• points 2 and 3 of article 16
• article 17
• article 18

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Creeds of the Russians
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BELIEVERS
UNBELIEVERS 47
38
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Sects and students

• Meetings over one month

• 38 - the Moonies
• 24 - Jehovah's Witnesses
• 4 - Church of Christ
• 2 - Society of Krishna
  Consciousness, scientologists, Seventh Day
  Adventists,
• The White brotherhood
• 1 - Aum Sinrikyo

• 7 - met sectarians more
• than 3 times

• 62 - did not meet sectarians

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Religious situation in Russia
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Religious freedom
Europe The USA Russia
history the only state religion religious liberty for groups religious liberty for groups in a particular region
today Religious freedom as an individual right Religious freedom as a group right ??
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Where is the balance between religious freedom
and states obligations?
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Religious freedom is not the permission to
religious organizations to do what they want.
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What may the state do ?

• To encourage the creation of informational
  centers and centers for protection of sects
  victims
• the basic educational curriculum should include
  history and information about traditional
  religions and objective factual information
  concerning totalitarian sects
• To employ the norms of legislation against the
  activity of destructive groups
• Ministry of justice should carry out a scientific
  investigation before registration of a group
• existing legislation concerning the protection of
  children should be more rigorously applied
• To protect minors from any discrimination and
  intolerance.

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Conclusionthe state should combat totalitarian
sects as

• totalitarian sects violate cornerstones of a
  democratic society and human rights
• a sound ideological system has not took shape yet
  which facilitates spreading of destructive cults
  in Russia
• the main task of state is to protect its
  citizens, from economic, ideological and sexual
  exploitation, from suppression of their rights if
  a sect or a sect-like organization tries to
  violate it

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