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SEVEN: Intolerance toward “New” Religions in the Twentieth Century
- The University of North Carolina Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
Chapter Seven Intolerance toward “New” Religions in the Twentieth Century AfterencounteringtheMovementariansat thelocalairport, HomerSimpson and several other residents of Springfield want to learn more about this intriguing new religion. They file into the information session and sit down to watch an introductory film. Soon, a few audience members decide to leave, but the penetrating glare of the Movementarians’ spotlight quickly makes them return to their seats. As the film ends six hours later, the audience, now captivated by the power and promises of the Leader, eagerly seeks to join the group. Unlike the other “brainwashed” residents of Springfield, Homer seems impervious to the film’s message, as well as other Movementarian recruitment tactics—the insults of the circle of judgment, the daily diet of low protein gruel, and the power of the group’s repetitive chant: “The Leader is good, the Leader is great, we surrender our will as of this date.” However, their methods eventually succeed and Homer decides to join the group and signs up his wife Marge, as well as children Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. Upon paying the price of joining—their house, their life savings, and a contract for 10 trillion years of labor—Homer and the family move to the group’s “agricultural compound.” As Homer sees the face of the Leader in almost every lima bean he harvests, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie, at first reluctant, quickly convert. Bart’s “Li’l Bastard General Mischief Kit” proves no match for the Movementarians’ “Li’l Bastard Brainwashing Kit”; while the promise of good grades gains Lisa’s support, and a Barney-like dinosaur lures little Maggie ’s love. Only Marge remains unhappy working in the fields as the Leader rides around in a Rolls Royce and promises that a spaceship will soon take them to the planet Blisstonia. Eventually Marge escapes the heavily guarded 182 “New” Religions compound and seeks help from Reverend Lovejoy, neighbor Ned Flanders, and Groundskeeper Willie. The four agree that the Simpson family must be kidnapped from the compound and “deprogrammed” from the group’s mind control. Once the quartet of rescuers impersonates the Rolls Royce– riding Leader and kidnaps the family, the process of deprogramming begins. Quickly the promise of “hover bikes” regains the children’s allegiance, while beer proves to be Homer’s salvation. In a final confrontation at the compound , Homer seeks to unmask the Leader’s greed and trickery by opening the door to the “forbidden barn,” whereupon a genuine-looking spaceship flies out. All too soon, however, the surface of the ship falls away to reveal the not-so-glorious leader riding away with his hoard of cash. In the end, the Simpson family returns to the “mindless happiness” offered by suburban life and fox television.1 The Simpsons first aired in series format in 1989 and swiftly became a hit for fox and a must-see for many Americans. In its long broadcast history, this Sunday night television staple has tackled a variety of religious and social issues as seen in the episode described above, entitled “The Joy of Sect.” The episode embodies many of our culture’s stereotypical views of “cults” and provides a starting point for our examination of the religious intolerance these groups have faced. The similarities between the fictional and the real begin with language. Language is a powerful weapon in the war waged against minority religious groups. Just as the Springfield residents consistently refer to the Movementarians as a “cult,” many in our culture employ the same vocabulary in equally negative ways. These “deviant” groups are never recognized as legitimate religions. Denying these groups the status of religion means, in the eyes of their foes, that “cults” seek not spiritual power, but rather some type of material advantage, be it economic gain, political clout,ormindcontrol.The“cult”labelenablestelevisionviewersandcultural observers to “know” from the start that these groups, whether the fictional Movementarians or the actual Moonies, are “frauds.” It causes people to rely on simplistic stereotypes rather than actively seeking the truth. While, as we will see, some members of the counter-cult movement (individuals who oppose “cults” on theological grounds) launch religiously based attacks, often the documents in this chapter demonstrate how “cult” opponents translate religious differences into a series of “secular” crimes—brainwashing individuals , defrauding followers, endangering cities, and harming America. To highlight and challenge these tendencies, this chapter places the word “cult” in quotes or refers to these groups as new religious movements (nrms).2 The “Joy of Sect” episode...