Determination of the criteria of destructiveness in the activities of new religious movements (theoretical and legal aspect)

Abstract

The confessional composition of modern society is characterised by great diversity. In addition to traditional religious organisations, new (non-traditional) religious and socio-spiritual movements operate in it, representing a whole spectrum of religious, quasi-religious and pseudo-religious cults, whose teachings and practices can be both destructive and constructive. In carrying out legal regulation of the activities of religious associations, the state must, on the one hand, ensure the freedom of conscience and religion guaranteed by the Constitution, and on the other hand, protect society from destructive cults that can harm morality, health, rights and legitimate interests of citizens, the constitutional order and security of the state. Therefore, one of the most important tasks of modern social sciences, including legal ones, is the study of the spiritual «temperature» of society; conducting research aimed at identifying the causes of negative and positive processes occurring in the spiritual sphere of society, as well as determining the specifics of non-traditional religiosity as a special form of social activity. Based on the analysis and interpretation of rich empirical material, the authors formulated a list of criteria by which one can separate destructive (totalitarian) sects from new religious or intellectual (spiritual) movements of a positive nature. The proposed list of criteria can be used by law-making and law enforcement bodies in the framework of improving the legal regulation of the activities of religious associations and building state-confessional policy in general.