Cults of Unreason

1973 book by Christopher Riche Evans

Cults of Unreason

1974 ed. Book cover

Author| Christopher Riche Evans
Cover artist| Paul Agule (jacket design)
Language| English
Subject| Cults, pseudoscience
Publisher| Harrap,
Farrar, Straus and Giroux,
Delacorte Press

Publication date

| 1973, 1974, 1975
Publication place| United States
Media type| Print (Paperback)
Pages| 257 (UK:259)
ISBN| 0-374-13324-7
ISBN 978-0-374-13324-5
ISBN 0-440-54402-5
ISBN 978-0-440-54402-9
UK 0245-518703
OCLC| 863421

Dewey Decimal

| 133/.06
LC Class| BF1999 .E83 1974
Followed by| Landscapes of the Night – how and why we dream

Cults of Unreason is a non-fiction book on atypical belief systems, written by Christopher Riche Evans, who was a noted computer scientist and an experimental psychologist.[1] It was first published in the UK in 1973 by Harrap and in the United States in 1974 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, in paperback in 1975, by Delacorte Press, and in German, by Rowohlt, in 1976.[2]

Evans discusses Scientology and Dianetics, UFO religions, believers in Atlantis, biofeedback, Yoga, Eastern religions, and black boxes. He points out that these systems and groups incorporate technological advances within a theological framework, and that part of their appeal is due to the failure of modern people to find strength, comfort, and community in traditional religion and in science.[1][3][4]

In 2001, new religious movement specialist George Chryssides criticized the book's title by pointing out that most groups referred to as cults do have well-defined beliefs.[5]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b American Studies: An Annotated Bibliography, Volume 2, Jack Salzman (editor), Cambridge University Press, 1986, page 159, "This book by an experimental psychologist delves into the background, founders, and followers of contemporary atypical belief systems. Topics covered include Scientology and Dianetics, flying saucers, the Aetherians (who communicate with superior beings in outer space), the Atlanteans, biofeedback, Yoga, Eastern religions, and "black boxes." Evens contends that attraction to these unconventional cults lies in mankind's failure to find strength, comfort and a sense of community in traditional religion and the "cold" world of science. Such cults incorporate technological advances within a theological framework."
2. ^ Kulte des Irrationalen, Christopher Riche Evans, Reinbek/Hamburg: Rowohlt, 1976., ISBN 3-498-01613-X, ISBN 978-3-498-01613-5, ISBN 978-3-498-01613-5, ISBN 3-498-01613-X
3. ^ Modern Science, 1896-1945, Ray Spangenburg, Diane Moser, Infobase Publishing, Jan 1, 2009, page 155, Mentions book and discusses Evans' concept of a "black box."
4. ^ Empire of Dreams: The Science Fiction and Fantasy Films of Steven Spielberg, Andrew Gordon, Rowman & Littlefield, 2008, page 73, Quotes book about UFO religions, in context of Close Encounters of the Third Kind
5. ^ Exploring New Religions, George D. Chryssides, A&C Black, Nov 12, 2001, page 3.

1975 ed. Book cover, Delacorte Press

* v
* t
* e

New religious movements

Major groups|

* Brahmoism
* Adventism
* CoG7
* SDA
* Aetherius Society
* Ahmadiyya
* Lahore Ahmadiyya
* Ananda Marga
* AMORC
* Anthroposophy
* Antoinism
* Armstrongism
* Bábism
* Baháʼí Faith
* Bible Students/Jehovah's Witnesses
* Black Hebrew Israelites
* Brahma Kumaris
* Branch Davidians
* Brotherhood of the Cross and Star
* Caodaism
* Charismatic Christianity
* Chinese salvationist religions
* Chinmaya Mission
* Christadelphians
* Christian Science
* Church of Divine Science
* Church of Scientology
* Church of the Guanche People
* Creativity
* Discordianism
* Eastern Lightning
* Falun Gong
* The Family International
* Friends of Man
* Fourth Way
* Goddess
* Godianism
* Heaven's Gate
* Iglesia ni Cristo
* International Peace Mission movement
* ISKCON
* Invitation to Life
* Kingdom of Jesus Christ
* Kopimism
* Latter Day Saints/Mormonism
* Mahikari movement
* Sukyo Mahikari
* World Divine Light
* Messianic Judaism
* Modern paganism
* Druidry
* Heathenry
* Rodnovery
* Moorish Science Temple of America
* Nation of Islam
* New Acropolis
* The New Church
* New Kadampa Tradition
* New Thought
* Religious Science
* Unity Church
* Nuwaubian Nation
* Oomoto
* Order of the Solar Temple
* Palmarian Catholic Church
* Peoples Temple
* Pilgrims of Arès
* Prathyaksha Raksha Daiva Sabha
* The Process Church
* Raëlism
* Rajneesh movement
* Ramakrishna Mission
* Rastafari
* Risshō Kōsei Kai
* Sahaja Yoga
* Sant Mat
* Radha Soami
* Santa Muerte
* Santo Daime
* Satanism
* LaVeyan
* Church of Satan
* Temple of Set
* The Satanic Temple
* Theistic
* Sathya Sai Baba
* Shakers
* Shambhala Buddhism
* Shri Ram Chandra Mission
* Soka Gakkai
* Spiritualism
* Spiritism
* Tenrikyo
* Thelema
* Theosophy
* Theosophical Society
* Transcendental Meditation
* True Buddha School
* Twelve Tribes communities
* Unarius Academy of Science
* Unification Church
* Unitarian Universalist Association
* Universal Church of the Kingdom of God
* Universal White Brotherhood
* Vipassana movement
* The Way International
* Weixinjiao
* Wicca
* Word of Faith
* World Mission Society Church of God

Notable figures|

* Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
* Noble Drew Ali
* Marshall Applewhite
* Michael Angelo Aquino
* Herbert W. Armstrong
* Shoko Asahara
* Sri Aurobindo
* Báb
* Sathya Sai Baba
* Baháʼu'lláh
* Alice Bailey
* Chinmayananda Saraswati
* David Berg
* Helena Blavatsky
* Sri Chinmoy
* Aleister Crowley
* Mary Baker Eddy
* Josemaría Escrivá
* Louis Farrakhan
* Charles Fillmore
* Kelsang Gyatso
* Hak Ja Han
* L. Ron Hubbard
* Li Hongzhi
* David Koresh
* Anton LaVey
* Jorge Ángel Livraga Rizzi
* Lu Sheng-yen
* Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
* Meher Baba
* Nikkyō Niwano
* Sun Myung Moon
* Elijah Muhammad
* Nakayama Miki
* A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
* Phineas Parkhurst Quimby
* Raël
* Rajneesh
* Ramakrishna
* Prem Rawat
* Helena Roerich
* Charles Taze Russell
* Joseph Franklin Rutherford
* Ahn Sahng-hong
* Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar
* Menachem Mendel Schneerson
* Shiv Dayal Singh
* Joseph Smith
* Nirmala Srivastava
* Emanuel Swedenborg
* Rudolf Steiner
* Joseph W. Tkach
* Chögyam Trungpa
* Ellen G. White
* Poykayil Yohannan

By region|

* Pacific Northwest

Concepts|

* African-initiated church
* Buddhist modernism
* Chabad messianism
* Christian denomination
* Classifications of religious movements
* Conspiracy theories
* Cult
* Cybersectarianism
* Doomsday cult
* Heresy
* Hindu reform movements
* In-group favoritism
* Japanese new religions
* Neoshamanism
* New Age
* Open-source religion
* Polytheistic reconstructionism
* Prosperity theology
* Religious conversion
* Religious syncretism
* Schism
* Sect
* Self religion
* Spiritual evolution
* UFO religion

Public education|

* CESNUR
* INFORM (Information Network Focus on Religious Movements)
* World Religions and Spirituality Project

Scholarship|

* Academic study of new religious movements
* Anthropology of religion
* History of religion
* Journal of Contemporary Religion
* Nova Religio
* Philosophy of religion
* Psychology of religion
* Religious studies
* Sociology of religion
* When Prophecy Fails

Opposition|

* Anti-cult movement
* Christian countercult movement
* Anti-Mormonism
* Persecution of Ahmadis
* Persecution of Baháʼís
* Persecution of Falun Gong
* Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses
* Persecution of Rastafari
* Religious discrimination against modern pagans

Lists|

* Academic study
* In popular culture
* New religious movements

* v
* t
* e

Pseudoscience

List of topics characterized as pseudoscience

Terminology|

* Cargo cult science
* Charlatan
* Crank
* Fringe theory
* Fringe science
* Pseudoarchaeology
* Pseudohistory
* Pseudomathematics
* Junk science
* Paranormal
* Pathological science
* Quackery
* Snake oil
* Superseded scientific theory
* True-believer syndrome
* Voodoo Science

Topics
characterized as
pseudoscience|

| Medicine|

* Acupuncture
* Aromatherapy
* Adrenal fatigue
* Alternative medicine
* Anthroposophic medicine
* Applied kinesiology
* Ayurveda
* Bates method
* Biorhythms
* Bloodletting
* Body memory
* Chiropractic
* Chromotherapy
* Correactology
* Cryonics
* Crystal healing
* Cupping
* Detoxification
* Colon cleansing
* Doctrine of signatures
* Doktor Koster's Antigaspills
* Ear candling
* Electromagnetic hypersensitivity
* Energy medicine
* Fad diet
* FasciaBlaster
* Germ theory denialism
* HIV/AIDS denialism
* Homeopathy
* Humorism
* Iridology
* Leaky gut syndrome
* LGBTQ chemicals conspiracy theory
* Lunar effect
* Macrobiotic diet
* Magnet therapy
* Miracle Mineral Supplement
* Naturopathy
* Palmistry
* Panchagavya
* Patent medicine
* Phrenology
* Primal therapy
* Radionics
* Reiki
* Traditional medicine
* Traditional Chinese medicine
* Trepanning
* Vertebral subluxation
* Wind turbine syndrome
* Young blood transfusion

|

Social science|

* 2012 phenomenon
* Ancient astronauts
* Arabian Judah theory
* Catastrophism
* Conspiracy theory
* 5G conspiracy
* 9/11 conspiracy theories
* Chemtrail conspiracy theory
* Climate change denial
* COVID-19 misinformation
* Moon landing conspiracy theories
* Opposition to water fluoridation
* Conversion therapy
* Expanding Earth Theory
* Generational theory
* Generationism
* Strauss–Howe generational theory
* Hollow Earth theory
* Indigo children
* Japhetic theory
* Mediumship
* Nazi archaeology
* Nibiru cataclysm
* Parapsychology
* Pseudoarchaeology
* Pseudohistory
* Genocide denial
* Historical negationism
* Holocaust denial
* Tartarian Empire
* Pseudolaw
* Recovered-memory therapy
* Past life regression
* Scientific racism
* Aryan race
* Melanin theory
* Myers–Briggs Type Indicator
* Enneagram of Personality

Physics|

* Anti-gravity
* Cold fusion
* Faster-than-light travel
* Perpetual motion
* Quantum mysticism
* Reactionless drive
* Dean drive
* EMDrive
* Teleportation
* Tractor beam
* Water-fueled car

Other|

* Alchemy
* Aquatic ape hypothesis
* Astrology
* Biodynamic agriculture
* Biological transmutation
* Creation science
* Cryptozoology
* Dianetics
* Auditing
* Dowsing
* Electronic voice phenomenon
* Eugenics
* Facilitated communication
* Feng shui
* Flat Earth theory
* Modern flat Earth beliefs
* Graphology
* Intelligent design
* Laundry ball
* Law of attraction
* Levitation
* Lysenkoism
* Numerology
* Orgone
* Polygraph
* Pseudoscientific metrology
* Rapid prompting method
* Statement analysis
* Ufology
* Voice stress analysis
* Water memory

Promoters of
pseudoscience|

* Sucharit Bhakdi
* Del Bigtree
* Igor and Grichka Bogdanoff
* Brigitte Boisselier
* Rhonda Byrne
* Robert Charroux
* Deepak Chopra
* Clonaid
* Vernon Coleman
* Michael Crichton
* Ignatius L. Donnelly
* Gaia, Inc.
* Max Gerson
* Nicholas Gonzalez
* Goop (company)
* Graham Hancock
* David Icke
* William Donald Kelley
* Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
* Corentin Louis Kervran
* The Light (newspaper)
* Mike Lindell
* Jenny McCarthy
* Joseph Mercola
* Judy Mikovits
* Ministry of Ayush
* Theodor Morell
* Hans Alfred Nieper
* Mehmet Oz
* Raël (Claude Vorilhon)
* Robby Starbuck
* Randolph Stone
* Paul Joseph Watson
* Andrew Wakefield

Related topics|

* Bogdanov affair
* Bourgeois pseudoscience
* Demarcation problem
* Scientific method
* Suppressed research in the Soviet Union

Resources|

* Committee for Skeptical Inquiry
* Cults of Unreason
* An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural
* Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science
* Fortean Times
* James Randi Educational Foundation
* Quackwatch
* Skeptical Inquirer
* The Demon-Haunted World
* The Natural History of Quackery
* The Psychology of the Occult
* The Ragged Edge of Science
* The Skeptic Encyclopedia of Pseudoscience
* The Skeptic's Dictionary

* v
* t
* e

Scientology

Beliefs and
practices|

* Abortion
* Auditing
* Books
* Bridge
* Clear
* Dianetics
* Dianetics (book)
* Disconnection
* E-meter
* Engram
* Ethics and justice
* Glossary and Terminology
* Implant
* Incident
* Keeping Scientology Working
* Marcab Confederacy
* Marriage
* MEST
* Operating Thetan
* OT VIII
* Reactive mind
* Scientology and religious groups
* Reincarnation
* Sec Check
* Sex
* Gender
* Homosexuality
* Silent birth
* Space opera
* Study Technology
* Thetan
* Training routines
* Xenu

History and
controversies|

* Alaska Mental Health Enabling Act
* Books critical of Scientology
* Church of Scientology editing on Wikipedia
* Clearwater Hearings
* Death of Elli Perkins
* Death of Kaja Ballo
* Death of Lisa McPherson
* Fair game
* Fishman Affidavit
* Guardian's Office operations
* Keith Henson
* The Internet
* Operation Clambake
* Operation Freakout
* Operation Snow White
* Project Chanology
* Project Normandy
* R2-45
* Psychiatry
* Scientology and Me
* Scientology as a business
* The Secrets of Scientology
* Suppressive person
* Tax status in the US
* The Hole
* The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power
* Timeline

Government reports|

* Anderson Report (AUS)
* Dumbleton–Powles Report (NZ)
* Foster Report (UK)
* Lee Report (CAN)

Litigation|

* R v Registrar General, ex p Segerdal
* Hubbard v Vosper
* United States v. Hubbard
* X. and Church of Scientology v. Sweden
* Church of Scientology v. Sweden
* Wollersheim v. Church of Scientology
* Hernandez v. Commissioner
* New Era Publications International ApS v. Carol Publishing Group and Jonathan Caven-Atack
* Church of Scientology of California v. Armstrong
* R. v. Church of Scientology of Toronto
* Church of Scientology Intl. v. Fishman and Geertz
* Hill v. Church of Scientology of Toronto
* Religious Technology Center v Lerma
* Religious Technology Center v. Netcom On-Line Communication Services, Inc.
* Church of Scientology Intl. v. Time Warner, Inc., et al.
* Arenz, Röder and Dagmar v. Germany
* Church of Scientology Moscow v. Russia
* Headley v. Church of Scientology International

Organizations
(and properties)|

* Cadet Org
* Celebrity Centre
* Château Élysée
* Church of Scientology
* Church of Scientology International
* Guaranty Building
* Church of Spiritual Technology
* Trementina Base
* Flag Service Organization
* Flag Building/Super Power Building
* Flag Ship Service Org
* Freewinds
* Founding Church of Scientology
* Galaxy Press
* Author Services building
* Golden Era Productions (Gold Base)
* Hubbard Association of Scientologists International
* International Association of Scientologists
* Office of Special Affairs
* Religious Technology Center
* Rehabilitation Project Force
* Saint Hill Manor
* Scientology Missions International
* Sea Org

Countries|

* Status by country
* Australia
* Belgium
* Canada
* Egypt
* France
* Germany
* Netherlands
* New Zealand
* Norway
* Pakistan
* Russia
* United Kingdom
* United States

Officials|

* L. Ron Hubbard
* Mary Sue Hubbard
* David Miscavige
* Shelly Miscavige
* Bob Adams
* John Carmichael
* Tommy Davis
* Jessica Feshbach
* David Gaiman
* Leisa Goodman
* Heber Jentzsch
* Kendrick Moxon
* Karin Pouw
* Mark Rathbun
* Mike Rinder
* Michelle Stith
* Kurt Weiland

Affiliated
organizations
and recruitment|

* Association for Better Living and Education
* Applied Scholastics
* Celebrities
* Citizens Commission on Human Rights
* Concerned Businessmen's Association of America
* Criminon
* Cult Awareness Network
* Delphian School
* Free Zone
* Front groups
* Moxon & Kobrin
* Narconon
* New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project
* Oxford Capacity Analysis
* Safe Environment Fund
* Scientology Network
* KSCN-TV
* WFTT-TV
* Second Chance Program
* Trademarks
* Volunteer Ministers
* The Way to Happiness Foundation
* World Institute of Scientology Enterprises
* Youth for Human Rights International

Popular
culture|

* Ali's Smile: Naked Scientology
* Being Tom Cruise
* Bowfinger
* The Bridge
* Going Clear
* film
* Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath
* The Master
* My Scientology Movie
* The Profit
* South Park
* "A Token of My Extreme"
* A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant
* We Stand Tall

* Wikibooks
* Wikimedia Commons
* Wikinews
* Wikiquote
* Wikisource
* Wikiversity
* Wiktionary

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