Nieuchwytna rzeczywistość czyli sekty w Polsce

Abstract

An issue most frenquently discussed and, at the same time, the most basic for introducing probable preventive and self-defensive measures to social life is the level of threat posed by the appearance of a number of new religious movements and sects in Poland nowadays. Two contrary standpoints in this matter express different views: they either disregard the threat or exaggerate it referring to the vast areas of influence. The adherents of each standpoint quote estimated figures, based, in most cases, on unspecified bases. Sects attract the attention of the public as well as numerous institutions, including ecclesiastical ones, which analyze the occurring changes. Very often the significance of sects, which are generally small groups consisting of individuals who feel lost and search for their social and individual identification, is exaggerated. However, the essence and the finction of sects lies not in their size or the range of influence, but in the patterns of human behaviour and attittides they advocate. Therefore, it is essential for the society not to overlook these small social and religious phenomena, which can become a dangerous, destructive force for individual people or groups, and sometimes even all societies. Insignificant involvement in sects within a given community and small percentage they hold in the whole society cannot be treated as a proof that there is no social threat on the part of sects. Respecting human rights is not only a domain of figure rates in the scale of the whole society. A human being – each individual – is the entitled subject, and violating the rights of just one person constitutes a social problem. The problem gets more severe and profound when we consider the welfare of an individual in a broad aspect of his/her spiritual, social and even salvational welfare.