ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the creation of the public image of contemporary religious movements as "dangerous cults". It discusses the poor scholarship and exaggerated claims that have prevented a balanced understanding of such movements. The importance of Saul Levine's work is that he shows scientifically that popular claims about brainwashing as an explanation for why some people join contemporary religious movements are false. In Germany criticism of cults serves to bolster the authority of the state churches and provides a basis for seeking legislation to hinder the development of rival religious organizations that might create a free market, offering a wide range of religious choice. German cult experts exchange information with anti-cult groups in America and other parts of the world. Finally, the chapter shows that although most contemporary religious movements are genuinely harmless, it is unwise to underestimate either the influence or the potential danger of seemingly insignificant groups.
