"Tackling popular stereotypes and media portrayals of new religious movements (NRMs), Lorne Dawson attempts to replace prejudice, misconceptions, and speculation with scholarly insight. Drawing on more than forty years of research conducted by historians, sociologists, and psychologists, he explores how new religious movements develop, who joins them, and why. He also analyzes controversial issues such as the accusations of brainwashing and sexual deviance that are sometimes made against cults; discusses why cults sometimes turn to violence; and examines what NRMs can tell us about the future of religion and culture in North America. The result is a comprehensive, evenhanded introduction to the study of new religious phenomena."--BOOK JACKET.