Cult

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The term cult refers to a group or religion that has been deemed heretical and is often accompanied by strong social controls. Historically, Mormonism has been labeled a cult, while some have preferred to merely call them a heretical religion.

Contents

[edit] Reasons why Mormonism is viewed as cultic

Mormonism is considered to be cultic in at least the following ways:

"I tend to think of such material as spiritual pornography. The aforementioned friend gave me something to read and although I only read a bit (wanted to understand where she was coming from... ugh) it took a year to really get it out of my system. It’s dangerous stuff."[3]
"First of all, anti-Mormon literature, Internet sites, conversations, ideas, etc. are like spiritual pornography. Once they are in the mind, they are very difficult to get rid of. As you try to reach out to your husband, I would advise you to avoid any material, even if you think it might help you understand him better. You don’t want those seeds of doubt planted in your own mind, because no one is immune to them."[4]

[edit] Quotes

[edit] Notes

  1. "[M]ost LDS converts come from nominal Protestant and Catholic backgrounds, which makes sense given the way in which Mormon missionaries present their message. They offer a Restored Gospel, a term that is easy to understand if one already has an idea of what "gospel" means. LDS missionar­ies offer instruction to their prospective apostles, churches, beliefs, angels, God, Jesus, and Scripture--none of which make any sense unless the listeners and their ecclesiastical predecessors are the result of traditional Christian evangelism, catechism, and Bible study. The Bible used by LDS missionaries in their quest for converts, the King James Version, is a translation produced by non-LDS Christian scholars. Consequently, LDS success, according to Mosser, is parasitical on Catholic and Protestant missionary work, education, and scholarship." -Francis Beckwith, "Sects In The City: Mormonism and the Philosophical Perils of Being a Missionary Faith" [1] (PDF)
  2. "I do not suggest to anyone, especially you, that you go through the claims of anti-mormon groups if you are at all shaky or uncertain in your testimony. Seek for your answers to whether the gospel is true in the Lord. Then you can seek to answer the why's and how's for the good of knowledge and not in a desperate race to save your testimony." (BYU's 100 Hour Board)
  3. http://www.bloggerofjared.com/2006/09/11/four/
  4. Joni Hilton, "Tips to Keep Your Testimony from Toppling".
  5. "They were either led astray by Satan with lies about the Church, they did something horribly immoral and refused to repent, they were offended by something someone said to them at church, or they were extremely lazy and couldn’t live up to the Lord’s requirements." - Chris, an ex-Mormon describing his previously Mormon attitude toward ex-members. Source here. See also Andrew Ainsworth's Slandering the Lost Sheep:
    "There seems to be a strong presumption in Mormon culture that anyone who cites theological differences or personal revelation as their reason for leaving the Church is being insincere and dishonest, and that the real reason such a person leaves the Church is that he is guilty of some serious sin... The presumption that a person's decision to leave the Church must be motivated by serious transgression has deep roots in Mormon culture. As I've studied early Mormon history, I've been struck that those who had once been among the most faithful laborers in the Church were quickly denounced as 'adulterers' as soon as they left it."
    Also see this video.
  6. "Mormonism is a homogeneous culture. To be exact, it is a religious subculture that was born in America, flourished in America and concludes in America." [2]

[edit] External links

[edit] Non-Mormon

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