Cult
From MormonWiki.org
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.
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[edit] Reasons why Mormonism is viewed as cultic
Mormonism is considered to be cultic in at least the following ways:
- Mormonism puts an excessive amount of focus around it's founding, charismatic human leader (see Adulation of Joseph Smith).
- It's missionary endeavors are almost completely parasitical on Catholic and Protestant missionary work. Mormonism thrives on drawing converts out of nominal Christianity.[1]
- Mormonism teaches that their sect's leaders have a direct, exclusive line to God.
- The sect won't disclose major financial data that nearly every other religious organization will. There is no public financial accountability.
- It is often difficult for Mormons to leave even when they find out the organization is fraudulent. Mormonism fosters an inordinate social and psychological dependency.
- Mormons seem inordinately paranoid about reading literature opposed to Mormon truth-claims (a form of isolation).[2]
- "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]
- Mormonism fosters a deceitful rhetoric which avoids clear disclosure of fundamental Mormon beliefs (see Lying for the Lord).
- Mormonism fosters a persecution complex.
- Mormons ostracize, slander, and cruelly stereotype ex-members.[5]
- Mormonism fosters elitism with secretive ceremonies.
- Although not a mantra, Mormons repeat to each other over and over again in church life, almost word for word, "I know the Church is true. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God." Mormons are taught, "Bear your testimony often" [3].
- Mormonism is a culture unto itself. Whereas true Christianity is genuinely cross-cultural, Mormonism is resistant to cross-cultural adaptation, and missionary efforts, generally speaking, Americanize converts.[6]
[edit] Quotes
- “Today you can travel over the Pacific isles from Hawaii to New Zealand, and you will find that they are all Christians, they all believe in God. Our work now is to convert them to the true form of Christianity, and make them Latter-day Saints, that they might have a fulness of the gospel; that they might go on, learning day by day the principles of the gospel, until they shall be exalted in the kingdom of heaven.” - E. Wesley Smith, Conference Report, June 1919, 123.
[edit] Notes
- ↑ "[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)
- ↑ "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)
- ↑ http://www.bloggerofjared.com/2006/09/11/four/
- ↑ Joni Hilton, "Tips to Keep Your Testimony from Toppling".
- ↑ "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."
- ↑ "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
- Characteristics Associated with Cultic Groups - Revised, by Janja Lalich and Michael D. Langone
- Questions to Help the Assessment Process (Freedom of Mind Center)
- Are you in love with God? or your Church!, by Melissa
- The BITE Model and Mormon Control, by Luna Flesher
- Cult: Should We Stay or Should We Go?