Document Type : Research Paper
Author
Associate Professor of Sociology, Islamic Sciences and Culture Academy
Abstract
The growth of spiritual groups in society can be an indicator of a new direction in the transformation of the general culture; therefore, the scientific and objective study of these groups would have an important role in recognizing the needs of the modern individual and his or her expectations from religion, and in general, recognizing the contemporary culture. One of these groups that more or less continues to grow despite legal prohibitions is the Erfan-e Halghe group. The special conditions present in the individual and his or her surroundings provide ample ground for their joining the Erfan-e Halghe classes and keeping on attending them with the motivation of reaching a state of calm. Such conditions include the individual’s unpleasant chronic state of mind, lack of efficiency of conventional religiosity, repulsiveness of traditional ceremonies, having a personality of reliance on feelings and emotions rather than on intellect, confidence in friends, and attraction of new classes. The person in the group experiences a process of moving from an unpleasant state of mind to a pleasant one through some tricks and attractive teachings. This self-conscious process does not happen for all members, and when it does happen, the relocation process is relative and certainly only survives so long as the person does not put aside his or her intimate relationship with his/her co-members in the group. In Erfan-e Halghe with the consequences which are self-consciously considered to be positive, there are some unconscious consequences regarded in the cultures of human societies as the person having been the victim of deception.
Keywords
)