The theme of violence in new religious movements and in religious cults has emerged in recent years following a series of tragedies and violent actions: collective suicides, acts of terrorism, murders and various other acts of violence. The coming of the third millennium has also ushered in the perception of a ?new threat? and has provoked the publication of various reports emanating from governmental agencies (Project Meggido, FBI, 1999; Mouvements Religieux Eschatologiques, Canadian Security Intelligence Service, 1999). These events have raised a number of questions on the dangers, real or supposed, of these groups, for individuals as well as for society. Opinions diverge however on these actions and numerous hypotheses have been put forward to explain them. If certain authors explain them by dysfunctions inherent to such groups, others prefer to say that we are dealing here with the social construction of a marginal problem. This paper examines the theoretical propositions put forward, and builds a critical evaluation of the present controversies in the light of the most recent data available on the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]