Cult

In the sociological classifications of religious movements in English, a cult is a religious or social group with socially deviant or novel beliefs and practices. However, whether any particular group's beliefs and practices are sufficiently deviant or novel is often unclear, thus making a precise definition problematic. In the English speaking world, the word often carries derogatory connotations, but in other European languages, it is used as English-speakers use the word "religion", sometimes causing confusion for English-speakers reading material translated from other languages. The word "cult" has always been controversial because it is (in a pejorative sense) considered a subjective term, used as an ad hominem attack against groups with differing doctrines or practices, which lacks a clear or consistent definition.

Beginning in the 1930s, cults became the object of sociological study in the context of the study of religious behavior. Certain groups have been labelled as cults and have been opposed by the Christian countercult movement for their unorthodox beliefs. Since the 1970s, some groups have been opposed by the anti-cult movement, partly motivated in reaction to acts of violence committed by members of some groups. Some of the claims by the anti-cult movement have been disputed by other scholars and by the news media, leading to further controversy. Public and governmental reactions to the cult issue have also been a source of controversy.

The Cult

The Cult are a British rock band formed in 1983. They gained a dedicated following in the UK in the mid-1980s as a post-punk/gothic rock band with singles such as "She Sells Sanctuary", before breaking mainstream in the US in the late 1980s as a hard rock band with singles such as "Love Removal Machine" and "Fire Woman". The band fuse a "heavy metal revivalist" sound with the "pseudo-mysticism ... of the Doors [and] the guitar-orchestrations of Led Zeppelin ... while adding touches of post-punk goth rock". Since their earliest form in Bradford during 1981, the band have had various line-ups; the longest-serving members are vocalist Ian Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy, the band's two songwriters.

After moving to London, the band released the album Love in 1985, which charted at No. 4 in the UK, and which included singles such as "She Sells Sanctuary" and "Rain". In the late 1980s, the band supplemented their post-punk sound with hard rock in their third album, Electric; the polish on this new sound was facilitated by Rick Rubin, who produced the record. Their fourth album, Sonic Temple, proceeded in a similar vein, and these two LPs enabled them to break into the North American market.

Emis Killa

Emiliano Rudolf Giambelli, best known as Emis Killa (born 14 November 1989), is an Italian rapper.

Career

2009-2010: The beginnings

In 2009, at just 20 years old, he was the winner of an Italian freestyle competition called TecnichePerfette Emis Killa cooperated with the independent company Blocco Recordz with which he published a mixtape, “Keta Music” (2009) followed by the album “Champagne e Spine” (2010).

2011-2012:The Flow Clocker vol.1 and L'erba cattiva

In 2011 he published the mixtape “The Flow Clocker vol.1”, followed by the album “L’erba cattiva” (2012).

The music video for his song Parole di ghiaccio (Cold words), the third track from the album L'erba cattiva, had received 7.5 million views on YouTube in less than two weeks, 15 million views in less than a month, and 20 million in three months. Breaking the record for Italian music. On 5 May, Emis Killa won 'best emerging artist of 2012' at the TRL awards.

On 12 December, during the Hip Hop Awards in the category of Best New Artist and Best Collaboration he won along with Club Dogo, J-Ax and Marracash with his song “Se il mondo fosse”.

Janja Lalich

Janja Lalich is an author and researcher focused on what she considers to be cult groups, specializing in charismatic authority, power relations, ideology, and social control.

Education

Lalich has a Ph.D. in Human and Organizational Systems from Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, California.

occupation

She is currently a professor in the sociology department of California State University, Chico.

Books

Real Stories

Real Stories is an Australian satirical television comedy series produced by Carlton Television for Network Ten. It was created by Hamish Blake and Andy Lee. The series was first broadcast on 22 August 2006.

Eight episodes were produced. The program was a parody of current affairs shows. It was hosted by Jennifer Adams, a former Seven Network reporter. The show mimicked a standard current affairs format. Pre-recorded segments in the show were introduced by the host. These segments starred Hamish Blake, Andy Lee, Ryan Shelton, and Tim Bartley with voice-overs provided by Greg Fleet.

The show originally started as a project for Melbourne's Channel 31, a community access television station, as a collaboration between Roving Enterprises and Hamish & Andy's production company, Radio Karate. There are no plans to continue production of the show. It was repeated during 2007, and is currently available on DVD. Several podcasts were produced, including material not broadcast in the series.