ILLUSIONS OF SECTARIANISM OF TOTALITARIAN ORIENTATION: PHILOSOPHICAL-RELIGIOUS CONDUCTING ANALYSIS

D. Dulat, Sh.K. Тuleubayeva

The Karagandа State University named after E. A. Buketov

In the modern world, the differentiation of humanity, the division into social organizations of a different nature, including destructive ones, are facilitated by the economic, spiritual and moral, as well as socio-political situations occurring over a long historical period, when in many cases there is the inability of state structures to solve the tasks. A person who is under the negative influence of certain factors, seeks protection from the community, called a “sect” and at the same time tries to realize his own tendency to know and improve himself. This term, as a rule, can be used to describe both non-religious destructive organizations and religious associations representing the interests of the confessional minority and, in fact, propagandizing illegal activities, which indicates a complete disparity with the canons of traditional religions. The process of researching such a complex but unique phenomenon as sectarianism requires the application of a whole range of methods, beginning with a comparative one and ending with a factor analysis of the cognitive identity of the individual in its specific historical manifestations.

The emergence of totalitarian sects is the result of the split in the Orthodox Church [1, p. 72]. Nevertheless, the problem of sects as such appeared at the earliest stages of the formation of Christianity. So, according to D.A. Tayevsky: “... it was Christianity that produced the greatest number of sects. And it was after the appearance of Christianity that there began to appear any reliable written sources about various religious confessions” [2, p. 6]. D.A. Tayevsky writes that the crisis of the Christian church had an impact on the formation of the idea of a “synthesis of religions”, which subsequently gave impetus to a number of syncretic sects [2, p. 11].

The rapid spread of various sects in a relatively short time causes a certain worldview confusion of ordinary and ideological consciousness. Relying on the material of the book “Totalitarian sects and non-traditional cults”, it is easy to see that the reasons for the active influx of people into destructive associations that engender legal nihilism, immorality, and political apathy are primarily, firstly, the transitional state of a developing society that has an ambiguous attitude towards one's own convictions, amorphism of the world outlook; secondly, a paradoxical situation in the world, which is the vastness of non-traditional movements and the growing conflicts about it make such organizations become more attractive to society; third, the attractiveness of all the unusual, non-standard and new for young people, which, according to sociological research, are adherents of sects; fourthly, the fear created by the insecurity and powerlessness of people to change anything in their lives, life's problems and difficulties [1, p. 6-7]. Sect as an ecstatically emotional cult, in turn, offers help and “salvation” to many people who have experienced poverty, deprivation, unemployment and loss of social status in the difficult period of their lives [1, p. 72].

It is common knowledge that sectarianism, like the physical and psychological destruction of man and society as a whole, carries the idea of manipulating and enslaving the masses. Destructive cults are the ultimate form of totalitarian sects, whose members are accused of being brought to suicide, and also in the murders of others. According to the definition of A.L. Dvorkin, totalitarian sects are “... special authoritarian organizations where leaders seek power over their followers and exploit them, hide their intentions under religious, political-religious, psychotherapeutic, health-improving, educational, scientific-cognitive, culturological and other masks” [3, p. 34]. Also A.L. Dvorkin noted that sects of this direction resort to deception, obscurity and obsessive propaganda to attract new faces, to psychological pressure, intimidation and other forms of retaining members in the organization, which clearly violates the human rights to freedom of choice of worldview and way of life [3, p. 34].

The very notion of sectarianism is a commitment to the voluntary and compulsory unification of persons who are necessarily the power leader, as well as those who share the same opposition interests with respect to a particular religion (religious sectarianism) or the authorities and money held for general management (commercial sectarianism). Each totalitarian sect, with the exception of commercially oriented sects, represents an offshoot of a recognized religious trend, which has a certain secret ideology for the uninitiated, including the developed doctrine, the cult and the organized structure of ideas and moral attitudes, and, unlike the communities formed on Based on the same interests, is characterized by the closedness and alienation of all participants in their inner life. In addition, in their teachings, the leaders of the newly emerged religious movements often try to unite the “postulates of Western and Eastern religions, elements of occultism and mysticism” into a single whole [4, p. 243]. Artificial pseudo-religions like occultism include all the currents of the “New Age” established by the “inflamed imagination of G. Olcott, E. Blavatskaya, A. Besant and E. Roerich, as well as numerous Scientologists, Spiritualists ...” [2, p. 11].

In addition to commercial and religious cults, totalitarian organizations include a relatively new concept of “computer sects” that operate only within the World Wide Web, the purpose of which can be both income generation and the acquisition of power. This phenomenon has become widespread with the development of Internet technologies: on the websites of the sect they propagandize their philosophical doctrine, their own materials, search for like-minded people, create discussions - all this information is compiled taking into account the psychological characteristics of the target audience. “Some of these communities are quite dangerous. So, a few years ago in Ukraine appeared a certain LovinGod. He united around himself virmeykers (creators of computer viruses). At the beginning it looked quite innocent (except for the spread of viruses by crime). But then there followed an invitation to some group ... where, under the pretext of teaching how to write effective viruses, “God” pressured the participants with authority and practically turned them into zombies - forced them to create new viruses, issuing them later for their own, to fulfill the duties of servants at home and finally, to give money. There were cases when people for the sake of questionable authority in the sect sold their apartments”, - writes in her article Irina Shlionskaya [5].

Over the past two years, another “computer sect”, known as the "Blue Whale", has become widely known among teenagers in the territory of the post-Soviet space. This destructive organization, which imposes a cult of death on the younger generation, appeared in one of the social networks and, through its specific concept, aroused considerable interest among Internet users, particularly among the youth, since in this case it was non-standard, among other reasons, that served as an active inflow supporters. The thirst for power among leaders of such associations leads to the use of the psychedelic method of changing consciousness. Individuals under moral pressure are told that their lives are worthless, and suicide is the best way to get rid of the problems of oneself and others.

So, proceeding from the analyzed sources, we came to the conclusion that sectarianism is a unique social phenomenon. The limited, dogmatic and static nature of sectarian consciousness and worldview speaks about the illusion of freedom, which, in essence, opposes the main value of human. The main reason for the increasingly active flow of new participants in nontraditional cults has been social change, distemper and instability of life, and this is quite obvious, but at the same time, an interesting fact. In our view, in the framework of such disciplines as philosophy, sociology, religion studies, practical and theoretical problems of sectarianism, we can not exclude bias, and it is justified to create a secular scientific discipline on the study of sects that will allow for a holistic study given a complex socio-psychological phenomenon. This scientific discipline will fully develop the social and philosophical idea of sectarianism, including in its most dangerous forms of manifestation as a criminogenic and destabilizing factor in the development of the world community.

References:

1. Gabov Y.A. Totalitarnye sekty i netraditsionnye kul’ty / Y.A. Gabov, V.E. Kist, K.M. Kazkenov. – Karaganda: Gest, 2004. – 344 s.

2. Taevskiy D.A. Khristianskie eresi i sekty I-XXI vekov. Slovar’. – M.: Intrada, 2003. – 320 s.

3. Dvorkin A.L. Sektovedenie. Totalitarnye sekty. Opyt sistematicheskogo issledovaniya. – 3-e izd., pererab. i dop. – Nizhniy Novgorod: Bratstvo vo imya sv. knyazya Aleksandra Nevskogo, 2002. – 554 s.

4. Osnovy religiovedeniya: uchebnik dlya 9 klassa / G. Esim, A.P. Abuov, K.K. Begalinova, E.M. Smagulov. – 2-e izd. – Almaty: Bilim, 2013. – 320 s.

5. Shlionskaya I.A. Ostorozhno: internet-sektanty ishchut novyh zhertv [Elektronny resurs] / I.A. Shlionskaya // Pravda.Ru: elektronnaya gazeta. – 2008. – Rezhim dostupa: http://www.pravda.ru/faith/18-12-2008/296382-incult-0/ (21.02.2017)