Editing The Joy of Sect

{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Featured article}}
{{Infobox Simpsons episode
| image      = Springfield cult.jpeg
| caption    = Various residents of Springfield being forced by the Movementarians cult into growing and harvesting [[lima beans]].
| season     = 9
| episode    = 13<!-- 13 is correct; please see [[List of The Simpsons episodes (seasons 1–20)]] before changing. -->
| director   = [[Steven Dean Moore]]
| writer     = [[Steve O'Donnell (writer)|Steve O'Donnell]]
| production = 5F23
| airdate    = {{Start date|1998|02|08}}
| blackboard = "Shooting paintballs is not an art form"<ref name="ult"/>
| couch_gag  = Tiny versions of the Simpsons climb on the couch, and a normal-sized [[Santa's Little Helper]] comes up to the couch, takes [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] in his mouth, and runs off with him.<ref name="BBC">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season9/page13.shtml|title=The Joy of Sect|access-date=2007-10-24|author1=Martyn, Warren|author2=Wood, Adrian|year=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref>
| commentary = [[Matt Groening]]<br />David Mirkin<br />Steve O'Donnell<br />[[Yeardley Smith]]<br />Steven Dean Moore
| prev       = [[Bart Carny]]
| next       = [[Das Bus]]
}}
"'''The Joy of Sect'''" is the thirteenth episode of the [[The Simpsons season 9|ninth season]] of the American animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]''. It originally aired on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] in the United States on February 8, 1998. In the episode, a [[cult]] takes over [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]], and [[Simpson family|the Simpson family]] become members.

[[David Mirkin]] conceived the initial idea for the episode, [[Steve O'Donnell (writer)|Steve O'Donnell]] was the lead writer, and [[Steven Dean Moore]] directed. The writers drew on many groups to develop the Movementarians, but were principally influenced by [[Scientology]], [[Heaven's Gate (religious group)|Heaven's Gate]], the [[Unification Church]] ("Moonies"), the [[Rajneesh movement]], and [[Peoples Temple]]. The show contains many references to [[popular culture]], including the title reference to ''[[The Joy of Sex]]'' and a gag involving [[Rover (The Prisoner)|Rover]] from the television program ''[[The Prisoner]]''.

"The Joy of Sect" was later analyzed from [[religion|religious]], [[philosophy|philosophical]], and [[psychology|psychological]] perspectives; books on ''The Simpsons'' compared the Movementarians to many of the same groups from which the writers had drawn influence.

Both ''[[USA Today]]'' and ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' featured "The Joy of Sect" in lists of important episodes of ''The Simpsons''.

==Plot==
While at the airport, [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] and [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] meet recruiters for the Movementarians, a [[new religious movement]], who invite Homer and many other [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]] residents to a free weekend at their compound. There, an orientation film tells that a mysterious man known as "The Leader" will guide Movementarians aboard a spaceship to the planet Blisstonia, with audience members being pressured to sit back down and continue watching by having a spotlight shone on them when they attempt to sneak out. The lengthy film [[brainwash]]es the attendees into worshipping The Leader, except for Homer, who was not paying attention. After failing to brainwash Homer through humiliation and nutrient deficiency (via low protein [[gruel]]), the recruiters succeed with a chant to the tune of the ''[[Batman (TV series)|Batman]]'' theme song.

Almost all the townspeople join the cult, including Homer, who moves his family to the Movementarian compound. At the same time, [[Mr. Burns]] makes an unsuccessful attempt to start a religion of his own in order to achieve tax-exemption, and [[Kent Brockman]]'s [[investigative journalism|exposé pieces]] on the Movementarians are suppressed after the Leader becomes the owner of Channel 6's parent company. Though defiant at first, all the Simpson children are converted to Movementarianism. [[Marge Simpson|Marge]] is the only family member to resist, and escapes from the heavily guarded compound. Outside, she finds [[Reverend Timothy Lovejoy|Reverend Lovejoy]], [[Ned Flanders]], and [[Groundskeeper Willie]], who have all resisted the Movementarians, and with their help, she tricks her family into leaving the compound with her.

At the Flanders' home, Marge [[deprogramming|deprograms]] her kids by baiting them with fake hoverbikes and then works on Homer with a glass of beer. However, as a drop of beer lands on his tongue, he is recaptured by the Movementarians' lawyers. Back at the compound, Homer reveals to the other Movementarians that he is no longer brainwashed and attempts to expose the cult as a fraud, but upon opening the doors of the compound's "Forbidden Barn" he and the crowd are surprised to find an actual spaceship. However, the crude spaceship disintegrates as it takes flight, revealing The Leader on a [[human-powered aircraft|pedal-powered aircraft]] fleeing with everyone's money. He subsequently crashes on [[Cletus Spuckler]]'s property, who forces him to give over the money at gunpoint.

The Simpsons return home, where [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] remarks how wonderful it is to once again be able to think for themselves. The episode ends with the family monotonously repeating the words of a [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] announcer: that they "are watching Fox".

==Production==
[[Image:Davidmirkin.jpg|thumb|[[David Mirkin]], executive producer of "The Joy of Sect", pitched the episode's plot.|alt=A seated man wearing a cap smiles as he looks into the distance. His hands are crossed.]]
The episode was the second and last episode written by [[Steve O'Donnell (writer)|Steve O'Donnell]] and was based on an idea from [[David Mirkin]]. Mirkin had been the [[Showrunner|show runner]] during [[The Simpsons season 5|seasons five]] and [[The Simpsons season 6|six]], but had been brought back to run two episodes during the ninth season. He said he was attracted to the notion of parodying cults because they are "comical, interesting and twisted".<ref name="Mirkin" /> He conceived the episode after hearing a radio show about the history of cults whilst driving home one night.<ref name=anmag>{{cite news |url=http://www.animationmagazine.net/people/multiple-emmy-award-winning-producerwriterdirector-david-mirkin/ |title=Multiple Emmy Award-winning producer/writer/director David Mirkin |work=[[Animation Magazine]] |access-date=2011-07-17 |author=Brandenberg, Eric J. |date=2004-12-17}}</ref> The main group of writers that worked on the episode were Mirkin, O'Donnell, [[Jace Richdale]], and [[Kevin Curran (writer)|Kevin Curran]]. The episode's title "The Joy of Sect" was pitched by Richdale.<ref name="Mirkin"/> [[Steven Dean Moore]] directed the episode.<ref name="alberti">{{cite book |last=Alberti |first=John |title=Leaving Springfield: The Simpsons and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture |title-link=Leaving Springfield |publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] |year=2004 |isbn=0-8143-2849-0 |page=[https://archive.org/details/leavingspringfie00albe/page/321 321] }}</ref>

Aspects of the Movementarians were inspired by different cults and religions, including [[Scientology]], [[Jim Jones]] and the [[Peoples Temple]], the [[Heaven's Gate (religious group)|Heaven's Gate]] group, the [[Unification Church]], the [[Oneida Society]], and [[Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh]].<ref name="Mirkin">Mirkin, David. (2006). Commentary for "The Joy of Sect", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> In particular, the leader driving through the fields in a [[Rolls-Royce (car)|Rolls-Royce]] was partly inspired by the Bhagwans, and the notion of holding people inside the camp against their will was a reference to Jim Jones.<ref name="Mirkin"/> The name "Movementarians" itself was simply chosen for its awkward sound.<ref name="Mirkin" /> The scene during the six-hour orientation video where those who get up to leave are induced to stay through [[peer pressure]] and [[groupthink]] was a reference to the Unification Church and [[Erhard Seminars Training|EST Training]].<ref name="O'Donnell" /> The show's producers acknowledged that the ending scene of the episode was a poke at Fox as "being the evil mind controlling network".<ref name="Mirkin" /> The episode's script was written in 1997, at roughly the same time that the members of the Heaven's Gate cult committed [[mass suicide]]. The writers noticed strange parallels between Mirkin's first draft and Heaven's Gate, including the belief in the arrival of a spaceship and the group's members wearing matching clothes and odd sneakers.<ref name="Mirkin" /> Because of these coincidences, several elements of the episode were changed so that it would be more sensitive in the wake of the suicides.<ref name="O'Donnell">O'Donnell, Steve. (2006). Commentary for "The Joy of Sect", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

==Themes==
[[Image:Nancy Cartwright.jpg|thumb|[[Nancy Cartwright]], the voice of [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], is a practitioner of [[Scientology]], which served as an influence on Movementarianism as depicted in the episode.<ref name="pinsky" /><ref name="Brockes">{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2004/aug/02/broadcasting.edinburgh04 |title=That's my boy |access-date=2022-01-23 |first=Emma |last=Brockes |date=2004-08-02 |work=The Guardian}}</ref><ref name="Burnett">{{cite news|last=Burnett |first=John |title=All things Considered: Scientology |work=[[All Things Considered]] |publisher=[[National Public Radio]] |date=March 12, 1997 |url=http://www.solitarytrees.net/racism/collar.htm |access-date=2007-10-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402115025/http://www.solitarytrees.net/racism/collar.htm |archive-date=April 2, 2015 }}</ref>]]
Chris Turner's book ''[[Planet Simpson|Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Defined a Generation]]'' describes the Movementarians as a cross between the [[Church of Scientology]] and [[Raëlism]], with lesser influences from [[Sun Myung Moon]] and [[Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh]].{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=269}} ''Planet Simpson'' also notes the Simpsons' chant at the conclusion of the episode as evidence of a "true high-growth quasi-religious cult of our time", referring to [[television]].{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=269}} The book refers to a "Cult of Pop", which it describes as "a fast growing mutation ersatz religion that has filled the gaping hole in the West's social fabric where organized religion used to be".{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=269}} Martin Hunt of [[FACTnet]] notes several similarities between the Movementarians and the Church of Scientology. "The Leader" physically resembles [[L. Ron Hubbard]]; the Movementarians' use of a 10-trillion-year commitment for its members alludes to the (Scientology) [[Sea Org]]'s billion-year contract; and both groups make extensive [[Scientology and the legal system|use of litigation]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Hunt |first=Martin |title=Celebrity Critics of Scientology, Simpsons (TV show) |work=[[FACTnet]] |url=http://www.factnet.org/Scientology/celebcrit.html#simpsons |access-date=2007-10-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113051815/http://www.factnet.org/Scientology/celebcrit.html |archive-date=2012-01-13 }}</ref> ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' analyzes the episode in a piece called "Springfield joins a cult", comparing the Movementarians' plans to travel to "Blisstonia" to [[Heaven's Gate (religious group)|Heaven's Gate]]'s promises of bliss after traveling to the [[comet Hale–Bopp]]. However, it also notes that "The Joy of Sect" is a commentary on organized religion in general, quoting Bart as saying, "Church, cult, cult, church. So we get bored someplace else every Sunday."<ref name="koski">{{cite news |last=Koski |first=Genevieve |author2=Josh Modell |author3=Noel Murray |author4=Sean O'Neal |author5=Kyle Ryan |author6=Scott Tobias |title=Features: Inventory: 15 ''Simpsons'' Moments That Perfectly Captured Their Eras |work=[[The A.V. Club]]|date=July 23, 2007 |url=https://www.avclub.com/15-simpsons-moments-that-perfectly-captured-their-eras-1798211882 |access-date=January 23, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071107101018/http://www.avclub.com/content/feature/inventory_15_simpsons_moments/2 |archive-date=November 7, 2007 }}</ref> ''Planet Simpson'' discusses ''The Simpsons''<nowiki>'</nowiki> approach to [[deprogramming]] in the episode, noting groundskeeper Willie's conversion to the philosophy of the Movementarians after learning about it while attempting to deprogram Homer.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=269}} Author Chris Turner suggests that Marge should have instead gone with the "Conformco Brain Deprogrammers" used in the episode "[[Burns' Heir]]" to convince Bart to leave Mr. Burns and come back home.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=269}}

In ''[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]'', the authors cite "escaping from a cult commune in 'The Joy of Sect'" as evidence of "Aristotle's virtuous personality traits in Marge."<ref name="irwin">{{cite book |last=Irwin |first=William |author2=Aeon J. Skoble |author3=Mark T. Conard |title=The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer |publisher=Open Court Publishing |year=2001 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/simpsonsphilosop00irwi/page/48 48–49] |isbn=0-8126-9433-3 |url=https://archive.org/details/simpsonsphilosop00irwi/page/48 }}</ref> As the title suggests, the book ''[[The Psychology of The Simpsons|The Psychology of the Simpsons: D'oh!]]'' examines "The Joy of Sect" from a [[psychology|psychological]] point of view. It discusses the psychology of decision-making in the episode, noting, "Homer is becoming a full-blown member of the Movementarians not by a rational choice,&nbsp;... but through the process of escalating behavioral commitments."<ref name="brown">{{cite book |last=Brown |first=Alan S. |author2=Chris Logan  |title=The Psychology of the Simpsons: D'oh! |title-link=The Psychology of The Simpsons |publisher=BenBella Books, Inc |year=2006 |pages=211–212 |isbn=1-932100-70-9}}</ref> ''The Psychology of the Simpsons'' explains the key recruitment techniques used by the Movementarians, including the charismatic leader, established authority based on a religious entity or alien being (in this case "Blisstonia"), and the method of taking away [[free choice]] through acceptance of the Leader's greatness.<ref name="brown" /> The book also analyzes the techniques used during the six-hour Movementarian recruitment film. In that scene, those who rise to leave are reminded that they are allowed to leave whenever they wish. They are, however, questioned in front of the group as to specifically why they wish to leave, and these individuals end up staying to finish watching the film.<ref name="brown" /> The book describes this technique as "subtle pressure", in contrast to the "razor wire, landmines, angry dogs, crocodiles and evil mystery bubble Marge confronts to escape, while being reminded again that she is certainly free to leave".<ref name="brown" /> ''The Psychology of the Simpsons'' writes that "the Leader" is seen as an authority figure, because "he has knowledge or abilities that others do not, but want".<ref name="brown" /> Instead of traditional [[mathematics]] textbooks, the children on the compound learn from ''Arithmetic the Leader's Way'' and ''Science for Leader Lovers''.<ref name="gimple">{{cite book |last=Gimple |first=Scott M. |others=Introduction by [[Matt Groening]] |title=The Simpsons Forever!: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family&nbsp;...Continued |title-link=The Simpsons Forever!: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family&nbsp;...Continued |publisher=[[HarperCollins]] |date=December 1, 1999 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/simpsonsforeverc00groe/page/26 26–27] |isbn=978-0-06-098763-3 }}</ref>

In Pinsky's ''The Gospel According to the Simpsons'', one of the show's writers recounted to the author that the producers of ''The Simpsons'' had vetoed a planned episode on Scientology in fear of the Church's "reputation for suing and harassing opponents".<ref name="pinsky" /> Pinsky found it ironic that [[Matt Groening]] spoofed Scientology in spite of the fact that the voice of Bart Simpson, [[Nancy Cartwright]], is a Scientologist,<ref name="pinsky" /><ref name="Brockes"/> having joined in 1991.<ref name="Burnett"/> Pinsky notes that Groening later "took a shot at Scientology" in ''[[Futurama]]'' with the [[List of fictional religions|fictional religion]] "[[Religion in Futurama|Church of Robotology]]".<ref name="pinsky">{{cite book |last=Pinsky |first=Mark I. |author2=Tony Campolo |title=The Gospel According to the Simpsons |publisher=Westminster John Knox Press |year=2001 |isbn=0-664-22419-9 |url=https://archive.org/details/gospelaccordingt00mark }}</ref> Groening said he received a call from the Church of Scientology concerned about the use of a similar name.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2003). Commentary for "[[Hell Is Other Robots]]", in ''Futurama: Volume One'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox. "I did get a call from a Scientologist who had somehow gotten hold of the script."</ref>

==Cultural references ==
When Marge attempts to leave the compound, she is chased by the [[Rover (The Prisoner)|Rover]] guard "balloon" from the 1967 television program ''[[The Prisoner]]''.<ref name="BBC" /><ref name="booker">{{cite book |last=Booker |first=M. Keith |title=Drawn to Television: Prime-Time Animation from the Flintstones to Family Guy |publisher=Greenwood Press |year=2006 |isbn=0-275-99019-2 |page=66}}</ref> [[Neal Hefti]] and [[Nelson Riddle]]'s [[theme music]] to the 1960s ''Batman'' series is used in the episode to indoctrinate Homer.<ref name="BBC" /> When Mr. Burns introduces his new religion, most of the sequence is a parody of the promotional video of [[Michael Jackson]]'s 1995 album ''[[HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I]]''.<ref name="Mirkin" />

Willie scratching his nails along the church window to get Marge and Reverend Lovejoy's attention is a reference to the 1975 film ''[[Jaws (film)|Jaws]]'', in which the character Quint performs a similar action.<ref name="ult">{{cite book |title=Simpsons World The Ultimate Episode Guide: Seasons 1–20 |title-link=Simpsons World The Ultimate Episode Guide: Seasons 1–20 |publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Collins Publishers]] |year=2010 |editor=Bates, James W. |editor2=Gimple, Scott M. |editor3=McCann, Jesse L. |editor4=Richmond, Ray |editor5=Seghers, Christine |isbn=978-0-00-738815-8 |edition=1st |page=441}}</ref> The Springfield Airport contains the "Just Crichton and King Bookstore", referencing [[Michael Crichton]] and [[Stephen King]], authors famous for their [[airport novel]]s, carrying only their works.<ref name="ult" />

==Reception==
In its original broadcast, "The Joy of Sect" finished 27th in ratings for the week of February 2–8, 1998, with a [[Nielsen ratings|Nielsen rating]] of 9.6, equivalent to approximately 9.4 million viewing households. It was the fourth highest-rated show on the Fox network that week, following ''[[The X-Files]]'', ''[[King of the Hill]]'', and ''[[Ally McBeal]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=CBS takes gold as Fox flexes muscle |work=Sun-Sentinel |agency=Associated Press |page=4E |date=February 12, 1998}}</ref>

In a 2006 article in ''[[USA Today]]'', "The Joy of Sect" was highlighted among six other episodes of [[The Simpsons season 9|''The Simpsons'' season 9]], along with "[[Trash of the Titans]]", "[[The Last Temptation of Krust]]", "[[The Cartridge Family]]", "[[Dumbbell Indemnity]]", and "[[Das Bus]]".<ref>{{cite news |last=Clark |first=Mike |title=New on DVD |work=[[USA Today]] |date=December 22, 2006 |url=https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/2006-12-21-new-on-dvd_x.htm |access-date=2022-01-23}}</ref> ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' featured the episode in its analysis of "15 ''Simpsons'' Moments That Perfectly Captured Their Eras".<ref name="koski" /> The ''[[Daily Mirror]]'' gave the episode positive mention in its review of the Season 9 DVD release, calling it "hilarious".<ref name="mirror">{{cite news |last=Staff |title=DVDS: NEW RELEASES |work=[[Daily Mirror|The Mirror]] |page=7 |date=February 2, 2007 }}</ref> Isaac Mitchell-Frey of the ''[[Herald Sun]]'' cited the episode as the highlight of the season.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mitchell-Frey |first=Isaac |title=Comedy&nbsp;– The Simpsons, Series 9 |work=[[Herald Sun]] |page=E12 |date=February 11, 2007 }}</ref>

The ''[[Sunday Mail (Scotland)|Sunday Mail]]'' highlighted the episode for their "Family Choice" segment, commenting: "Normally, a show about religious cults would spell doom and gloom. Only Bart, of The Simpsons, could make a comedy out of it but then, he and his cartoon family are a cult in their own right anyway!"<ref>{{cite news |last=Staff |title=Family Choice: Today's TV highlights |work=[[Sunday Mail (Scotland)|Sunday Mail]] |publisher=Scottish Daily Record & Sunday Mail Ltd |date=March 15, 1998 }}</ref> Jeff Shalda of [[The Simpsons Archive]] used the episode as an example of one of the "good qualities present in The Simpsons", while analyzing why some other aspects of ''The Simpsons'' make Christians upset.<ref>{{cite web |author=Shalda, Jeff. |title=Religion in the Simpsons |version=Online |publisher=The Simpsons Archive |date=December 29, 2000 |url=http://www.snpp.com/other/papers/jsh.paper.html |access-date=2007-02-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140727053533/http://snpp.com/other/papers/jsh.paper.html |archive-date=July 27, 2014 }}</ref>

The authors of the book ''I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide'' commented that the episode was "an odd one" with "a lot of good moments", and went on to state that it was "a nice twist to see Burns determined to be loved". However, the book also noted that "The Joy of Sect" is "another one where the central joke isn't strong enough to last the whole episode".<ref name="BBC"/>

In a lesson plan developed at [[St Mary's College, Durham]] titled ''An Introduction to Philosophy: The Wit and Wisdom of Lisa Simpson'', the episode is described in a section on "False Prophets" as applicable for "...studying the more outrageous manifestations of 'religion' or those simply alert to the teachings of Christ on the subject".<ref name="farmington">{{cite book|last=Taylor |first=Tessa |title=An Introduction to Philosophy: The Wit and Wisdom of Lisa Simpson |publisher=Farmington Institute |date=2004 |location=[[St Mary's College, Durham]] |pages=30–32 |url=http://www.farmington.ac.uk/documents/new_reports/ME17.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002094454/http://www.farmington.ac.uk/documents/new_reports/ME17.pdf |archive-date=2011-10-02 }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|The Simpsons}}
* [[Parody religion]]
* [[Religion in The Simpsons|Religion in ''The Simpsons'']]
* [[Religious satire]]
* [[UFO religion]]

== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== General and cited sources ===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Turner |first=Chris |author-link=Chris Turner (author) |title = Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Defined a Generation |title-link = Planet Simpson |edition = 1st revised |year=2005 |location = [[Cambridge, MA]] |publisher=[[Da Capo Press]] |oclc=670978714 |isbn=978-0-306-81448-8 }}
{{refend}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite journal|last=Gray |first=Jonathan, [[Fordham University]] |title=Imagining America: The Simpsons Go Global |journal=Popular Communication |volume=5 |issue=2 |pages=129–148 |publisher=Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. |location=[[Mahwah, New Jersey]] |year=2007 |url=http://www.leaonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15405700701294111 |access-date=2007-10-28 |doi=10.1080/15405700701294111 |s2cid=143311566 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130127151553/http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15405700701294111 |archive-date=2013-01-27 |url-access=subscription }}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote|The_Simpsons#The_Joy_of_Sect_.5B9.13.5D|"The Joy of Sect"}}
* {{Snpp capsule|5F23}}
* {{IMDb episode |id=0779676}}

{{Scientology in popular culture}}
{{The Simpsons episodes|9}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Joy of Sect, The}}
[[Category:1998 American television episodes]]
[[Category:Television episodes about religion]]
[[Category:Fiction about cults]]
[[Category:Scientology in popular culture]]
[[Category:The Simpsons season 9 episodes]]
[[Category:Works about Heaven's Gate (religious group)]]
[[Category:Television episodes directed by Steven Dean Moore]]