Glossary

Glossary definition of the term Abrahamic religions.

Glossary definition of the term anthropomorphism.

Ceremonial magic is one of several types of magic, one based on complicated rituals and correspondences.

Glossary definition of the term Clear as used in Scientology.

Many alternative religions are forced to deal with a variety of negative stereotypes, some of which rise to the level of conspiracy theories.

Glossary definition of the word cult.

Glossary definition of the term daemon, particularly how it is applied within the Western Occult Tradition.

Glossary definition of the term divination.

Glossary definition of the word engram as used in Scientology.

Glossary definition of the term eschatology.

Glossary definition of the term Hermeticism as used in religious and occult studies.

Glossary definition of the term mythology.

Glossary definition of the term "neo-paganism."

Glossary definition of the term Neoplatonism.

Glossary definition of the term new religious movement.

Glossary definition of the word occult.

Glossary definition of the term Operating Thetan.

While most religions attempt to teach spiritual truth, parody religions deliberately embrace falsehoods, often to the point of ridiculous. The goal is not to fool listeners into believing that nonsense is truth, but rather it is to satirically criticize other religions or ideologies.

Glossary definition of the term personal development movement.

Glossary definition of the term pre-Clear as used in Scientology.

Glossary definition of the term Qiblih as used in the Baha'i Faith.

Glossary definition of the terms supernatural and paranormal.

Glossary definition of the term "Suppressive Person" or "SP" as used in Scientology.

According to Scientology, the thetan is the defining characteristic of a person. Rather than a person having a soul, and being of both soul and body, in Scientology a person is a thetan and that thetan has a body.

Unverifiable Personal Gnosis, or UPG, is an important part of understanding personal religious understandings, experiences, and revelations. This is particularly important to esoteric forms of religion, where the focus is on internal learning and experience rather than instruction via scripture or other authority.

Occult and religious paths are sometimes divided into two categories: the left-hand and right-hand paths. The left-hand path is about the elevation and centrality of the self as well as the rejection of religious authority and societal taboos. The left-hand path focuses on the strength and will of the practitioner, downplaying the need for...

Some people, when speaking of magic, divide its uses into two categories: white magic and black magic. The definition of these terms, however, is highly subjective, varying from location to location, across time periods, and even person to person. Essentially, white magic is magic that the speaker considers to be acceptable magic, while black...

The term "witchcraft" has been used in two distinctly different contexts in history. The older definition was quite negative, while current definitions are often more neutral. This has led to substantial confusion.

Religions can be broken down into a number of broad categories based on general purposes and views of divinity. Here is a brief overview of some of these categories and how they are used in other articles on the Alternative Religion Guide Site.