Cults and new religions : a primer -- The range of new religious movements -- Controversy and the popular perception of new religious movements -- The Church of Scientology : the question of religion -- Ron Hubbard and the origins of Scientology -- Beliefs and practices of the church of scientology -- The organizational structure of the Church of Scientology -- The Church of Scientology and the question of religion -- Transcendental meditation : the questions of science and therapy -- Maharishi Mahesh yogi and the arrival of transcendental meditation -- Beliefs and practices of transcendental meditation -- The growth and development of transcendental meditation -- Transcendental meditation : the questions of science and therapy -- Ramtha and the new age : the question of the dangerous cult -- Who is JZ Knight and who is Ramtha? -- History and development of Ramtha's school of enlightenment -- Beliefs and practices of Ramtha's school of enlightenment -- Rise and the question of the dangerous cult -- The Unification Church/the family federation : the brainwashing/deprogramming controversy -- Sun Myung Moon : Savior from the East -- Doctrinal beliefs and ritual practices of the Unification Church -- The growth and organization of the Unification Church outside Korea -- Brainwashing, deprogramming, and the Unification Church -- The children of God/the Family international : the issue of sexuality -- Mo : David Berg and the origins of the Children of God -- Social organization of the Children of God/the Family -- Beliefs, rituals, and practices of the Children of God/the Family -- The Children of God/the Family and the issue of sexuality -- The Branch Davidians : the problem of mass media -- The historical development of the Branch Davidians -- Beliefs and practices of the Branch Davidians under David Koresh -- The siege at Waco and the problem of mass media -- Heavens Gate : the question of cults and violence -- Ti, do, and the origins of Heavens Gate -- Beliefs. and practices of Heavens Gate -- Recruitment and social organization in Heavens Gate -- The evolutionary level above human : the continuum of new religious movements and violence -- Wicca and witchcraft : confronting cultural fears -- Gerald Gardner and the origins of modern witchcraft -- Social organization and development of modern witchcraft and wicca -- Beliefs, rituals, and practices of modern witchcraft and wicca -- Satanic panic : the legacy of religious cult fears -- Rethinking cults : the significance of new religious movements -- Perspectives : cults versus new religious movements -- New religions as experimental faiths.