Color me shocked and amazed.
Mormonism is polytheistic (many gods) and as such has much more in common with other polytheistic religions, than Judaism or Christianity.
Amazing statement!
I’ve heard that the Mormon religion requires practicing Mormons to divorce their spouses (and, of course, seek custody of kids) if the spouse leaves the religion. This is in stark contrast to Catholicism, which forbids such divorce, and charges the faithful spouse to inspire reconversion back to the church through faithful love in the marriage. Further, Mormon friends are to shun the apostate; And what friends would an apostate Mormon in a marriage have besides Mormons? Non-Mormon must be excluded even from witnessing Mormon marriages.
If these assertions about Mormonism are true, it’s a cult.
- Charismatic founder: Joseph Smith. ✔
- Exploitation: Joseph Smith had 33+ wives. ✔
- Automatons: See Exploitation. ✔
- Withdrawal and Isolation: Utah. ✔
It's pretty obvious that Mormonism walked like a cult and quacked like a cult, at least in its early days. Whether it's still a cult is perhaps open for debate.
If Mormonism were a cult, I would know it, and I would not be in it.
Personally I think that you need to get saved!
Well what have Mormon Apostles called Catholics?
In explaining a passage from the Book of Mormon, late LDS Apostle Bruce McConkie wrote,
It is also to the Book of Mormon to which we turn for the plainest description of the Catholic Church as the great and abominable church. Nephi saw this “church which is most abominable above all other churches” in vision. He “saw the devil that he was the foundation of it” and also the murders, wealth, harlotry, persecutions, and evil desires that historically have been a part of this satanic organization. (1 Ne. 13:1-10)He saw that this most abominable of all churches was founded after the day of Christ and his apostles; that it took away from the gospel of the lamb many covenants and many plain and precious parts; that it perverted the right ways of the Lord; that it deleted many teachings from the Bible; that this church was the “mother of harlots;”… (1 Ne. 13:24-42)
Nephi beheld further that this church was the “mother of abominations,” and “the whore of all the earth”… (Mormon Doctrine, 1958 edition, page 130)
Later in the same book Apostle McConkie expanded on the doctrine a bit:
Now which is more offensive?…speaking of harlots in the figurative sense, [Nephi] designated the Catholic Church as “the mother of harlots” (1 Nephi 13:34; 14:15-17), a title which means that the protestant churches, the harlot daughters which broke off from the great and abominable church, would themselves be apostate churches.” (ibid., page 315)
A Catholic priest calling the Mormon church a "cult",
or a MORMON APOSTLE calling the Catholic Church "The great and abominable church... most abominable of all churches... mother of harlots...mother of abominations..., and the whore of all the earth"?
The Mormon pseudo-history of the Americas is not quite at the level of the beliefs of Scientologists, for instance, but it is not far off so far as I am concerned.
But what makes LDS less of less dignified and more “cult” is that it doesn’t have antiquity or history; it is ridiculous 19th century historical fiction.
There’s a good answer to a question like this. It goes something like this - by their fruits you shall know them.
Frankly, I don’t care if there are people out there who believe that some guy in upstate New York had magic spectacles to view secret tablets. My church believes a guy was killed by a powerful empire and the local rabble and returned from the dead. Other people believe teachers have found a way to remove themselves from cause and effect, traveled to Jerusalem with angels and climbed a ladder to heaven, talked to God as a pillar of fire, think that the creator of the universe is asleep and we are his dream, all history is the battle between classes and economic inequality, all women are the pawns of an all-powerful male organization known as the patriarchy, God visited the next manifestation of His glory in a dank prison in Iran, a supernatural being will rise from a well to bring chaos... gee, the list could go on and on.
I like being a Christian. I don’t pretend that it would sound sensible to anyone who does not believe.
What are the fruits? I haven’t met many Mormons who are evil, cruel, or fanatical. I’ve met a few who were not the finest examples of humanity, but only a few. On the other hand, there are religions out there where women are treated like cattle and the founder calls for endless war in an effort to convert the world. There are ideologies out there which kill millions without batting an eye. I’ll go with the “know them by their fruits” standard.
The term “cult” has been colored so that its popular meaning has no resemblance to the original.
Mind you, I have my own opinion about the validity of Mormonism...but I am not here to throw stones.
Is it only articles critical of Mormonism, or that investigate the theology of the LDS that are moved to the News forum?
Ten warning signs of a potentially unsafe group/leader.
Absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability.
No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.
No meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget, expenses such as an independently audited financial statement.
Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies and persecutions.
There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative or even evil.
Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.
There are records, books, news articles, or television programs that document the abuses of the group/leader.
Followers feel they can never be “good enough”.
The group/leader is always right.
The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing “truth” or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible.
I was reading a book on polygamy and found an Orson Card family had migrated to Canada after the Mormon church banned polygamy. I was wondering if he was related.
Card purposely picks and chooses the quotes from the ECF which he believes make his case for the “progression to godhood” doctrines of the LDS. But the church fathers never taught such heresy. They taught that there is but one true eternal God, from whom we receive communicable attributes only, like love, immortality, and holiness to those whom he provides redemption. But God is NEVER referred to as an exalted man in any of their writings. God NEVER imparts to man his unique characteristics of eternity, omniscience, omnipresence, or omnipotence to the resurrected believer.
Juxtapose the definition of the word cult with the definition of the word religion. Is it Kettles and Pots?
The noun Cult means:
1. a. 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.
1. b. 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. a. Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing.
5. b. The object of such devotion.
6. An exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric, usually artistic or intellectual interest.
The noun religion means:
1. a. Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.
1. b. A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship.
2. The life or condition of a person in a religious order.
3. A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.
4. A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion.
Charismatic Founder- Yep, their pastor is very charismatic.
Exploitation- They require members to serve in the church, to do Thursday night visitation (knocking on random doors witnessing), they must serve in missions or must house visiting missionaries. They must tithe ten percent. And they must serve in community ministries. This is a hard one, but some would say yes to this one too.
Automatons- These are KJV onlyists. Women must wear dresses even though the most popular thing for men to wear seem to be bib overalls. They are not allowed to dance, drink or listen to secular music and a long list of other things. And they must attend church at least four times a week. I would say yes to this one too.
Withdrawal and Isolation- They spurn television and movies. They cannot enter a place that sells alcoholic beverages, even Walmart. They do not send their children to public schools. Church activities keep them fairly busy most weeks and when they have revivals or missionaries who are practicing preaching, it is an all week long thing. So again yes.
So it looks like my daughter belongs to a cult. A Independent Fundamentalist Baptist Cult.
However, Joseph Smith (pbuh) did get something of great value, then and now, out of his charismatic leadership - except it wasn't measured in dollars.
His polygamy was the living out of a common male fantasy, made possible by the devotion of his followers.