The new religious movements (NRMs) with which this article is mainly concerned are those that first appeared, or became noticeable, in Europe during the second half of the twentieth century. Many, indeed most, have their roots in one or more religious tradition, but they are termed new because they arose in a new form, with a new facet to their beliefs, or with a new organization or leadership that renounced more orthodox beliefs and/or ways of life. They are, moreover, distinguishable from those religions that are new merely to Europe, having been brought by immigrants, in that the NRMs have consisted, at least initially, of a predominantly first-generation membership of converts. Some of the movements have been denounced by other movements, or have themselves rejected the label "religious." No attempt will be made here to argue what a "real...