Includes bibliographical references and index.

Deciphering the NRM-violence connection / David G. Bromley -- Minority religions and the context of violence : a conflict/interactionist perspective / James T. Richardson -- Reciprocal totalism : the toxic interdependence of anticult and cult violence / Dick Anthony, Thomas Robbins, Steven Barrie-Anthony -- Narratives of persecution, suffering, and martyrdom : violence in Peoples Temple and Jonestown / Rebecca Moore -- Revisiting the Branch Davidian mass suicide debate / Stuart A. Wright -- Explaining the murder-suicides of the Order of the Solar Temple : a survey of hypotheses / Henrik Bogdan -- Religion and violence in Japan : the case of Aum Shinrikyo / Martin Repp -- The euphemization of violence : the case of Heaven's Gate / Benjamin Zeller -- "There will follow a new generation and a new earth" : from apocalyptic hopes to destruction in the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God / Jean-Francois Mayer -- Murder in Knutby : charisma, eroticism and violence in a Swedish Pentecostal community / Jonathan Peste -- Modern pagan warriors : violence and justice in Rodnoverie / Kaarina Altamurto -- Ananda Marga, PROUT and the use of force / Helen Crovetto -- Knocking on heaven's door : violence, charisma, and the transformation of New Vrindaban / E. Burke Rochford -- The Nation of Islam and violence / Martha F. Lee -- Cultural capital, social networks, and collective violence at Rajneeshpuram / Marion S. Goldman -- "Strong as steel, steady as stone" : skirting pitfalls in 3HO/Sikh dharma / Constance Elsberg -- "Smite him hip and thigh" : Satanism, violence, and transgression / Jesper Aagaard Petersen -- State fostered violence against the Falun Gong in China / James T. Richardson and Bryan Edelman -- Deprogramming violence : the logic, perpetration, and outcomes of coercive intervention / Anson Shupe.