Mormonism- Cult?

[Stylesjl]

I sometimes hear this accusation crop up that Mormonism is a cult. Why do people keep saying this? It's beleifs are just as crazy and farout as just about any other organised religion.

So has anyone that thinks otherwise wish to enlighten me on this? I don't know much about Mormonism except one south park episode about it and the fact that two forum members here (at least) are Mormon

 

[Narz]

You assume correctly. Mormonism is no more or less fanciful or "cultish" than any other religion. Whoever told you that was probably just trying to bash it.

 

[jonatas]

The fact that they proselytize so actively is a big negative imo. Plus I've heard Salt Lake City can be a pretty screwed up place.

 

[shadow2k]

Just Christians bashing Christians. Pay no mind.

 

[Narz]

Plus I've heard Salt Lake City can be a pretty screwed up place.

Yeah, there's this place Israel that's pretty bad too. Lot of violence.

 

[classical_hero]

What exactly is a cult? I have heard so many definitions that it is now near impossible to understand exactly what a cult is.

 

[bhsup]

Some of my fellow right-winger Protestants can be a bit flippy and do indeed consider the LDS church to be a cult. They're wrong, of course.

 

[downtown]

People often are afraid of what they dont understand. Many folks get some misinformation about us, and freak out. There is nothing cultish about us

 

[Sidhe]

What exactly is a cult? I have heard so many definitions that it is now near impossible to understand exactly what a cult is.

Go with the dictionary definition, what anyone else says is bs.

Mormonism is a sect.

sect Audio pronunciation of "sect" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (skt)
n.

1. A group of people forming a distinct unit within a larger group by virtue of certain refinements or distinctions of belief or practice.
2. A religious body, especially one that has separated from a larger denomination.
3. A faction united by common interests or beliefs.


Like protestantism or catholicism or orthodox it is a distinct and different part of Christianity, anyone who says otherwise has no idea what they are talking about and is speaking from ignorance and probably religous propaganda.

 

[warpus]

A cult can be an unpopular religion.

EDIT: A better way to put this is that religions are just popular cults.

 

[Sidhe]

Like Scientology, but not like Mormanism, Judaism is pretty unpopular in the middle East, by your simple criteria it is a cult then?

A cult is considered false generally, that is the only criteria you really need. David Koresh was a cult leader because he had David syndrome(named after King David) And was mentally deranged IMO.

EDIT: that would piss off The Pope, careful there

 

[IglooDame]

The folks thinking Mormonism is a cult are probably the same ones that think Catholics aren't Christian - best to back away slowly and then ignore them, once you're at a safe distance.

 

[garric]

Mormonism is akin to the present day Scientology. If you consider Scientology a cult, then you should consider Mormonism a cult too.

 

[downtown]

ah, glad you could make it Garric.

Care to tell us why?

 

[downtown]

The fact that they proselytize so actively is a big negative imo. Plus I've heard Salt Lake City can be a pretty screwed up place.

I think the only thing screwed up about SLC is the fact that its tough to get a good drink there. Also, the lake smells pretty bad. I'm a pretty big Utah-hater, but theres nothing really wrong with SLC. Even non-mormons would fit in there...I think the city might have a non-mormon majority, and they have a democrat mayor if I remember correctly.

 

[garric]

ah, glad you could make it Garric.

Care to tell us why?

You are more than welcome to google it or something, I'm not going to spend my time making a laundry list, but keep in mind that it was created with a bogus story to reach a specific end, and in many ways was a religion created to make money and allow polygamy.

The point is, if you need to ~ask~ if it's a cult, then it probably is.

 

[jonatas]

I think the only thing screwed up about SLC is the fact that its tough to get a good drink there.

That's what I was referring to

 

[Elrohir]

According to dictionary.com,

cult
1.
1. A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader.
2. The followers of such a religion or sect.
2. A system or community of religious worship and ritual.
3. The formal means of expressing religious reverence; religious ceremony and ritual.
4. A usually nonscientific method or regimen claimed by its originator to have exclusive or exceptional power in curing a particular disease.
5.
1. Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing.
2. The object of such devotion.
6. An exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric, usually artistic or intellectual interest.

I don't see how Mormonism fits any of those definitions, so technically speaking, it's not. I wouldn't consider them to be Christians, in the traditional sense anyway, as I think they've strayed too far for that label to apply - but that would make them another religion, not a cult.

Hmm, well, they might have counted as a cult, when they were following one or two charismatic leaders out into the desert to live by themselves, that sounds a little cultish to me. They don't act that way anymore though, so apparently they've grown "up" the ladder.

 

[downtown]

You are more than welcome to google it or something, I'm not going to spend my time making a laundry list, but keep in mind that it was created with a bogus story to reach a specific end, and in many ways was a religion created to make money and allow polygamy.

The point is, if you need to ~ask~ if it's a cult, then it probably is.

See, normally, when one MAKES a bogus claim, you ought to bring evidence, not the other way around.

Was it created with a specific end? Of course it was, just like every other religion.

Was it created to make money? No. The early saints were dirt poor, and nobody got rich (and in fact, nobody is rich now, since Mormonism has a lay ministry...nobody is getting paid except church education workers, and the highest leadership posistions (since they cant have other jobs), and that pay is next to nothing)

What the early saints did get was a load of percecution, and they often were killed. If this was a moneymaking ploy, it was one of the worst in history.

Polygamy also didnt come into play until much later in church history, and wasnt part of the church for very long. Its also been more than 100 years since Polygamy was practiced. It is an non-issue.

There are over 12 million LDS members worldwide now. I think that constitutes mainstream

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

What Matt said. If Joseph Smith made it all up to get rich or something, he did a terrible job; he ended up dealing with all sorts of persecution, was falsely imprisoned a bunch of times, and was killed by a mob at the age of 38. I could do a much better job making a bogus religion.

Now, is Mormonism a cult? Well, again, how does one define "cult"? There is no universal definition, except its original meaning of any system of belief; and I think there it passes with flying colors. But people use the word now to imply some weirdness factor or something, and I think it's safe to say that in the eyes of a nonbeliever any religion is as weird as we are. It's all subjective.