Having a close relative who has been involved with a New Religious Movement for decades, I have some thoughts about the differences between established, "normal" religions and NRMs, including those that sometimes aptly deserve the moniker "cult." Wicca and other Neopagan movements, along with Heathenism, clearly are not harmful cults as a rule, but they often do display some of the negative characteristics of NRMs. Here's a clever video illustrating a phenomenon I'm sure all Neopagans have heard about.
I think Neopaganism's embrace of sex as a positive force, as opposed to one that needs to be carefully managed, is generally a good thing in a modern, non-rural, technologically advanced society. It also matches up rather nicely with my social libertarianism. But it is no secret that men in NRMs often use power, authority, and manipulation to coerce women to have sex with them. This video seems to encapsulate nicely how this dynamic plays out in Neopagan circles.
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