英文摘要 |
How new religious groups attract new members? Previous answers include: 1. Social network; 2. Efficacy; 3. Charismatic attraction; 4. New discourses, etc. Yet few notices the function of tradition's bridging, and how double-track mobilization exists in the new religious movements. Borrowing the concept of Master frame from social movements' literatures, we apply it on the religion studies. The idea of Millennialism has been taken as an example to explore the issue of master frame within Chinese religious tradition. Data based upon the discourses of Suma Ching Hai, and my longitudinal interview on participants in Suma Ching Hai Association, totally 50 cases, and follow-up 12 cases. Data shown there are two groups of participants: master frame practitioner and new discourse seeker, each with specific religious career and worldview. The millennialism master frame within the group, has been gone through three stages: modified tradition, latent and silent, and engaged itself to save the world. With regard to the millennialism master frame, different participants actually have involved into different paths of frame alignment and religious practices, results in either a subjective other-worldly salvation awareness or a this-worldly life transformation. As a research note, based upon the limited yet precious longitudinal data base, I hope this study can shed light on the mobilization mechanism and differentiated religious routs within the new religions in Taiwan. |