1. HRT 3M1
World Religions
Types of Religious Beliefs
There are several forms that religious belief can take. These
beliefs are not all equal and some may become destructive for
the individuals and communities involved.
Religious beliefs can be separated into 4 distinct categories:
1.Mainstream Religious
2.Denominations
3.Sects
4.Cults

2. Mainstream Religions
These are the established
religions which are
generally accepted by
society.
For example, the major
World Religions covered in
this course can be
considered Mainstream
Religions
**Think of an
Umbrella***

3. 13 characteristics of mainstream religions
1.A belief in the supernatural and in a spiritual world beyond our
physical material world.
2.A belief in the existence of a soul.
3.A collection of sacred writings or scriptures.
4.Organized institutions.
5.A strong sense of family and community based on rituals and
festivals that represent/celebrate shared beliefs and practices.
6.A set of answers to the BIG Questions.
7.Rules of conduct to help followers lead an honourable life and to
provide order and purpose to individual and community life.
8.A system of ethics that offers a guide to moral behaviour.
9.Significant founders or inspired leaders.
10.A search for perfection or salvation.
11.A life of faith and worship.
12.Techniques for focusing or concentrating ones awareness.
13.An enriching impact on the lives of its adherents.

4. Denominations
DENOMINATIONS are subgroups within a religion that
operate under a common name, tradition, and identity.
Denominations often form due to geographic, cultural
and/or theological differences.
Mainstream Christian denominations in Canada include
Roman Catholic, Anglican, United, and Presbyterian.
*Like the
spokes of
the umbrella

5. Sects
Subdivisions within a religion that are different from
denominations due to the fact that they are at ODDS with
the mainstream religion.
¡A sect will keep the BASIC BELIEFS of the parent religion it has
separated from, but believes that the mainstream tradition has been
CORRUPTED the original teachings and purpose of the religion.
¡The sect believes that by breaking away they will restore the purity
and true meaning of the original tradition.
The BIGGEST difference between a denomination and a
sect is in their attitude towards the outside world. Sects
will do their best to avoid contact with the outside world,
for fear of corruption.
Examples ??? *Like the fringes that hang from a parasol

6. Umbrella Analogy
Umbrella =
Mainstream
Spokes =
Denominations
Fringes = Cults

7. 15 Characteristics of Destructive Cults
1.The group is focused on a charismatic leader who is self-
appointed and often claims superhuman power (cults
often do not survive the death of their leader).
2.This leader demands complete obedience to their will and
members often seem to display excessively zealous,
unquestioning commitment.
3.A preoccupation with bringing in new members and a
preoccupation with making money.
4.Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even
punished (thought reform techniques are often used to
prevent this type of thought).
5.Mind-numbing techniques (such as meditation, chanting,
speaking in tongues and debilitating work routines) are used
to stop normal critical thinking and suppress doubts or
criticism of the group.

8. 15 Characteristics of Destructive Cults
6.The leadership dictates how
members should think, behave, and
feel (for example: members must get
permission from leaders to dat
e, change jobs, get married; leaders
may prescribe how to discipline
children, what to wear, where to live,
and so forth).
7.The group is elitist and exclusive
claiming a special, exalted status for
itself, its leader(s), and members (for
example: the leader is considered the
Messiah; the group and/or the leader
has a special mission to save
humanity).

9. 15 Characteristics of Destructive Cults
14.Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time
to the group.
15.Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize
only with other group members. As a result members are
often physically or psychologically isolated from society,
promoting dependence on the other members of the group.

10. Fundamentalism
● Rejects secular culture and the
idea that religion should evolve in
response to modern ways and
thinking.
● Viewed as a return to the
traditional form of the religion;
their claim is to represent the
purest form of their religion.
● Sacred texts are accepted as
literally true.
● Fundamentalists generally
cannot see the religious
dimension of life in any form but
their own – claim that their
tradition has a monopoly on the
truth and all others are wrong
and dangerous.

11. Fundamentalism
One of two enormous statues
of standing Buddha’s. These
statues were carved into the
side of a cliff in the Bamyan
Valley in central Afghanistan
in the 6
th
century. The
Buddha’s were destroyed in
2001 by Islamic
fundamentalists called the
Taliban, after the Taliban
declared the statues to be
Idols. Idols are prohibited in
Islamic Shariah law. The
destruction is an example of
fundamentalist intolerance of
others religions beliefs and
practices.
“All we are breaking are
stones.”
– Afghan malitia leader