There are more than 2600 different groups, however not all are considered NRMs, this is because there are groups that we have never heard of and even groups with different names but nevertheless have the same beliefs. Various estimates of how many movements …show more content…
In many world theories, there are also apocalyptic beliefs but relative to a Christian millenarianism (belief that Jesus Christ will maintain a reign of 1000 years before the final judgment), this formed the basis for the development of many NRMs in the West.
Seventh-day Adventists and Jehovah 's Witnesses were among the first religions in the United States. Both movements were products of millenarian theory initiated by William Miller. The "big disappointment" was Miller 's failure, yet it did not stop many of his followers from continuing to believe his theory. Many said that only their calculations were that they were not correct. Jehovah 's Witnesses continue to believe that Christ will return and there will be the end of time.
Between the 70 's and 80 's came the New Age movement, which is a combination of practices such as healing with crystals, new versions of shamanism, and a variety of therapies aimed at making a person a "higher …show more content…
Only in the 19th century did one get more accurate information of Hinduism and Buddhism. Indian religious beliefs began to influence people in the West. The most influential of these beliefs were the Hindu monists who say that the cosmos is sacred or participates in a single divine principle.
The Vedanta Society in New York was founded by Vivekananda after attending the Parliament of Religions in 1983. This society attracted many members of the artistic community and even the French actress Sarah Bernhardt and the English novelist Aldous Huxley. The purpose of Vedanta society is the promotion of singularity capable of articulating this unified doctrine.
The philosophy of Yoga was also later introduced in Los Angeles by the Self-Realization Fellowship. This philosophy is based on the Hindu teachings of spiritual, physical and mental discipline. Yoga was represented by