Dialog Center

The Dialog Center (DCI) is a Christian counter-cult organization founded by a Danish professor of missiology and ecumenical theology, Dr. Johannes Aagaard (1928-2007). Considered Christian apologetic and missionary minded, the Dialog Center, led by Prof. Aagaard was for many years the main source of information in Denmark on cults, sects, and new religious movements.
In recent years Danish secular scholars of religion led by religious historian Mikael Rothstein have begun to provide an alternative and somewhat contrary viewpoint. Rothstein cooperates with Eileen Barker and Massimo Introvigne. They tend to see new religious movements more as persecuted religious minorities that have the same right to practice their faith as mainstream religions.
The Dialog Center, while agreeing in principle, tends to take a somewhat more critical view on New Religious Movements and focus on the problems that occur if they violate the law. Additionally, it recognises that the techniques employed in some sects may have more subtle psychological effects than would be expected from treating them on a par with 'mainstream religions' (see the article on the Scientology controversy for an example of the complex claims and counterclaims encountered in this field).
The Dialog Center works together with countercult organizations abroad like the Spiritual Counterfeits Project (see Tal Brooke) in United States, etc. The Dialog Center International is a loose network of centers in Denmark, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, and Russia.

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