Feet of Clay

by Anthony Storr (Author)

• Used

  Paperback
  1997

  $4.15

  There are many reports of strange cults which enthral their followers and cut themselves off from the world. Invariably led by gurus, or spiritual leaders , the fruit of these cults are mass suicides in the South American jungle or the self-immolation of hundreds in besieged fortresses. This study provides an examination of these men and women and of those who follow them. It takes as example some of those considered to be modern gurus - James Jones, David Koresh, the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, Gurdjieff and others - and establishes what each of them has in common. It then examines what they share with other gurus whose teachings are accepted or at least respected - Jung, Freud, Ignatius Loyola, Jesus himself - and finds some startling continuities.

• Used

  Hardcover
  1996

  $4.19

  Scarcely a year goes by without reports of strange and generally dangerous cults which enthral their followers and lead them to cut themselves off from the world. Invariably led by gurus or spiritual leaders , these cults often end in mass suicide or harm to innocent people. This book is an examination of those gurus and of their followers. It takes as examples some of those we consider modern gurus - James Jones, David Koresh, the Bhangwan Sunree Ranjeesh, Gurdjieff and others, some of them apparently mad and some more genuine, and establishes what each of them has in common. The book then examines what each of these people shares with other gurus whose teachings we accept or at least respect - Jung, Freud, Ignatius Loyola, and Jesus Christ. The comparison finds more startling continuities than we might realize.