MANAGERIAL, SOCIAL, AND POLITICAL ASPECTS OF THE ACTIVITY OF SELECTED RELIGIOUS GROUPS Robert Janik

Introduction

I. The Role of Religion in the Rise of the First Ancient States

I.1. The Formation of the First State Structures

I.2. The Influence of Religion upon the Formation of Management

I.2.1. Mesopotamian Cults

I.2.2. Egyptian Religion

I.2.3. Zoroastrianism

I.2.4. Phoenician / Carthaginian Religion

I.2.5. Greek and Romans Religions

I.2.6. Vedism / Brahmanism / Hinduism

I.2.7. Buddhism

I.2.8. Jainism

I.2.9. Taoism

I.2.10. Confucianism

1.2.11. Judaism

I.2.12. Christianity

I.3. The Civilizational Role of Ancient States

II. Christianity and Economics

II.1. Early Christianity and the Middle Ages

II.2. Doctrinal Changes in Christianity in Modern Times

II.3. Contemporary ‘Christian Capitalists’

II.4. Other Selected Groups

III. Contemporary Non-Christian World Religions and their Impact upon Economics

III.1. Hinduism

III.2. Buddhism

III.2.1. Main Doctrinal Branches

III.2.2. Beliefs and Market

III.3. Jainism

III.4. Islam

III.4.1. Origins and Development

III.4.2. Beliefs

III.4.3. Economics and Management

III.5. Sikhism

III.5.1. Origins and Development

III.5.2. Organization and Spirituality

III.5.3. Economics and Management

III.6. Bahá’í

III.6.1. Origins and Development

III.6.2. Doctrine and Theological Concepts

IV. Emergence and Activity of Eastern Religious Groups in the West

IV.1. Presence of Eastern Religions in the West

IV.2. Far Eastern Inspirations in Psychology and Psychiatry

IV.3. The East in Western Culture

IV.3.1. Before World War II

IV.3.2. After 1945

IV.4. Problems with Religious Terminology

IV.4.1. Controversy over the Term “Sect”

IV.4.2. “New Religious Movements” / “Young Religions”

IV.5. First Contemporary “Cultural Transmitters” from the East to the West

IV.5.1. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

IV.5.2. Ramana Maharshi

IV.5.3. Swami Vivekananda

IV.5.4. Sri Aurobindo Ghose

IV.5.5. Paramahansa Yogananda

IV.5.6. Jiddu Krishnamurti

IV.5.7. Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki

IV.5.8. George Ivanovich Gurdjieff

V. New Religious Movements that Grew out of Eastern Religions

V.1. Doctrine and Forms of Religiousness

V.1.1. Chinmoy

V.1.2. Sathya Sai Baba

V.1.3. Kelsang Gyatso

V.1.4. Osho

V.1.5. Hare Krishna

V.1.6. Sant Mat

V.1.7. Transcendental Meditation

V.1.8. Ānanda Mārga

V.1.9. Brahma Kumaris

V.1.10. The Divine Light Mission

V.1.11. Divine Light Zentrum

V.1.12. Philip Kapleau

V.1.13. Lu Sheng-Yen

V.1.14. Ahmadiyya

V.1.15. The Nation of Islam

V.2. Involvement of Religious Groups of Eastern Origin in Economic Life and Management

V.2.1. First Wave Groups

V.2.2. Second Wave Groups

VI. Psychosects and their Business Activity

VI.1. Specificity of Psychosects

VI.2. Eckankar

VI.3. Erhard Seminars Training

VI.4. Church of Scientology

VI.4.1. Origins and Development

VI.4.2. Ideology

VI.4.3. Organization

VI.4.4. Business Activity

VI.4.5. Interest in Management

VII. New Religious Movements of Christian Origin

VII.1. The Seventh-day Adventist Church

VII.1.1. Origins and Development

VII.1.2. Religious Doctrine

VII.1.3. Social, Educational, and Charity Activities

VII.2. Jehovah’s Witnesses

VII.2.1. Origins and Development

VII.2.2. Religious Doctrine

VII.2.2.3. Organization

VII.3. The Unification Church and its Business and Political Connections

VII.3.1. Origins and Development

VII.3.2. Religious Doctrine

VII.3.3. Economic Activities

VII.4. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its Economic and Political Importance

VII.4.1. Origins and Development

VII.4.2. Religious Doctrine

VII.4.3. Organization

VII.4.4. Economic and Political Significance

VII.5. New Apostolic Church

VII.6. The Lectorium Rosicrucianum

VII.7. The Universal Life

VII.8. Jakob Lorber and Cosmic Christianity

VII.9. Christian Science

VII.10. Fiat Lux

VII.11. The Living Church of God

VIII. Elements of Management in Destructive Apocalyptic Groups on Selected Examples

VIII.1. General Characteristics of Apocalyptic Sects

VIII.2. Groups Referring to Christianity

VIII.2.1. The Peoples Temple of the Disciples of Christ

VIII.2.2. Branch Davidians (Koresh’s Davidians)

VIII.2.3. The Manson Family

VIII.3. Groups Oriented to Far Eastern Religions: The Example of Aum Shinrikyo

VIII.4. Groups Inspired by UFOs: The Example of Heaven’s Gate

VIII.5. Groups Connected to New Age Ideology: The Example of the Order of the Solar Temple

VIII.6. Conclusion

Final Remarks

References

List of Tables

List of Images

List of Maps