School level

Learning Path

New Religious Movements Learning Path

By Heather Keleghan

This learning path contains videos, presentation and other great resources that can be used when exploring the secret and intriguing worlds of new religious movements and cults throughout the world.
8 resources in this Learning Path

1

Ireland's Secret Cults

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKgx94QIiSc Added: 29 Sep 2015 Contributor: Heather Keleghan Resource type: Guide/notes / Audio / Video

This brilliant documentary explores the secret world of cults that are operating within Ireland including The House of Prayer', 'Palmarians' and 'Scientologists'.

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How it maps to the curriculum

SC
Religious Education

Strand: Search for Meaning

Suggestions for use: Introduce students to cults within Ireland. This is an excellent video that can be used with students at senior cycle level studying the Search for Meaning.

Asset type: Video
Language: English
Rights: All rights reserved
Special Needs:

2

Married to the Moonies

https://vimeo.com/43248078 Added: 29 Sep 2015 Contributor: Heather Keleghan Resource type: Case Study / Audio / Video

A revealing and fascinating glimpse into the world of the Unification Church, a new and intriguing religious movement founded in 1954 in Seoal South Korea. This Channel 4 documentary follows three British young people as they prepare to get married in a Moonie Mass Wedding. This is an excellent resource for students who are studying New Religious Movements in Class.

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How it maps to the curriculum

SC
Religious Education

Strand: World Religions

Suggestions for use: This is an excellent video and documentary for both students and teacher to use in a classroom when studying and learning about new religious movements. This can be used as a revision tool or as an introduction to the world of the Unification Church and arranged marriages. The teacher could provide students with a short questionnaire to complete whilst watching this documentary or the teacher could ask students questions after watching the video to see how much information they have learned.

Asset type: Video
Language: English
Rights: All rights reserved
Special Needs:

3

Unification Church: From Strangers to 'I Do'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCfvGOeBJtw Added: 08 Sep 2015 Contributor: Heather Keleghan Resource type: Case Study / Audio / Video

It's wedding time for 2,000 followers of the Unification Church. Follow unique and interesting people as they prepare to move from strangers to husband and wife when they marry within the Unification Church. Experience and learn from this religious movement through the eyes of young people who open up their heart to strangers from across the globe.

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How it maps to the curriculum

SC
Religious Education

Strand: World Religions

Suggestions for use: Are you thinking about introducing your students to new religious movements? This video about the Unification Church is the perfect way to engage and fascinate your students about the marriage tradition within other world religions.

Asset type: Video
Language: English
Rights: All rights reserved
Special Needs:

4

Jonestown: The Life and Death of The People's Temple

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEu3ue91ius Added: 29 Sep 2015 Contributor: Heather Keleghan Resource type: Audio / Video

A powerful documentary based on the life of The People's Temple and how Jim Jones a mysterious man and leader of this religious movement led his 909 of his followers to their death. Follow the heartbreaking and fascinating eye witness accounts of ex members who lost friends and loved ones in the mass suicide of The People's Temple.

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How it maps to the curriculum

SC
Religious Education

Strand: Search for Meaning

Suggestions for use: This video can help students to identify the key reasons for people joining the cult, any differences between their own Church and the people’s temple, any aspects of Jim Jones that shocks are surprises them. Teachers should provide a worksheet to accompany video to help students write down key aspects about this Cult.

Asset type: Video
Language: English
Rights: All rights reserved
Special Needs:

5

Introduction to Cults: Jim Jones

https://www.scoilnet.ieuploads/resources/16330/16006.ppt Added: 29 Sep 2015 Contributor: Heather Keleghan Resource type: Case Study / Guide/notes

Ask students to explore the possibility of joining a Cult. This worksheet allows students to discover how people are easily persuaded to join a cult. It also provides a short overview about the history of The People's Temple.

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How it maps to the curriculum

SC
Religious Education

Strand: Search for Meaning

Suggestions for use: This handout describes the religious movement “The People’s Temple” set up by Jim Jones. It can help teachers introduce the concept of cults and how they recruit new members and the outcome of mass murder/suicide.

Students can be asked to identify a time when they felt, vulnerable, alone and isolated. This worksheet will help students learn that many cults recruit the vulnerable in society.

Asset type: Document
Language: English
Rights: All rights reserved
Special Needs:

6

Why join a Cult?

https://www.scoilnet.ieuploads/resources/16331/16007.ppt Added: 29 Sep 2015 Contributor: Heather Keleghan Resource type: Guide/notes / Presentation

A power point presentation that allows students to explore and discover reasons why many people join a cult or new religious movement. It highlights key features of human personalities such as depression and addiction that are targets for many cult leaders.

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How it maps to the curriculum

SC
Religious Education

Strand: Search for Meaning

Suggestions for use: This short power point presentation provides teachers with the platform to demonstrate to students how easy it is to fall into the seductive powers of a cult. This can be used as an introduction when studying Cults and New Religious Movements.

Asset type: Presentation
Language: English
Rights: All rights reserved
Special Needs:

7

The People's Temple: Worksheet

https://www.scoilnet.ieuploads/resources/16332/16008.ppt Added: 29 Sep 2015 Contributor: Heather Keleghan Resource type: Assessment / Guide/notes

Allow students to explore the mind of one People's Temple follower Michael Prokes. Read his story and answer questions about his character and key characteristics and terms associated with the study of Cults.

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How it maps to the curriculum

SC
Religious Education

Strand: Search for Meaning

Suggestions for use: This worksheet provides a Case Study for students to read and answer questions on in class. Teachers can use this worksheet to help students understand the mindset of the People's Temple followers and what enticed them to join such a group.

Asset type: Document
Language: English
Rights: All rights reserved
Special Needs:

8

Jonestown and The People's Temple: Questionnaire

https://www.scoilnet.ieuploads/resources/16333/16009.ppt Added: 29 Sep 2015 Contributor: Heather Keleghan Resource type: Assessment / Case Study

Explore the shocking documentary that depicts the life and death of People's temple with the help of this educational worksheet.

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How it maps to the curriculum

SC
Religious Education

Strand: Search for Meaning

Suggestions for use: Teachers can use this worksheet to accompany the documentary found in this Learning Path. Students can find the answers to each question within the documentary or they can answer the questions after they have watched it. It is a great tool to help teachers assess what they student have learned and what they understand about the People's Temple and Cults.

Asset type: Document
Language: English
Rights: All rights reserved
Special Needs:

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