Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Cult! A Classic False Claim
Mormon Defense League ^ | October 9, 2011 | Mormon Defense League

Posted on 11/12/2011 10:43:37 AM PST by Saundra Duffy

Some public figures have labeled the “Mormon” church as a “cult”. Most recently, ABC News reported that Dallas Pastor Robert Jeffress applied such a label in an interview following a political gathering where Jeffress introduced a political rival to Mormon candidate Mitt Romney.

Use of such a term to describe Mormonism is highly offensive to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “Cult” carries the connotation of dangerous, even violent groups whose beliefs are irrational and whose practices are immoral and lawless (Koresh and the Branch Davidians, Heaven’s Gate, Aum Shinrikyo, and The People’s Temple are all prominent examples) . The term cannot be applied to Mormons unless it is so broadly defined that its use could be applied to virtually any religious body.

Like racist language, the use of the word “cult” to describe a religion usually tells us very little about the religion, but a great deal about the person using the word. In short, it tells us only that the person using the label “cult” doesn’t like the religion in question, or thinks it is illegitimate. Bryan Wilson, a Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, and a noted sociologist of minority religions noted:

(Excerpt) Read more at mdl.org ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: classof98opus; cult; lds; mormon; opus; zot
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 361-380381-400401-420 ... 541-552 next last
To: BlueMoose
Talking to yourself again?

At least you seem to be coming to some self realization...

Its a start...

381 posted on 11/14/2011 6:46:20 AM PST by ejonesie22 (8/30/10, the day Truth won.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 372 | View Replies]

To: Saundra Duffy

Tithing is between you and God, not you and some group.
This hardly seems “voluntary”.
“if a destitute family is faced with the decision of paying their tithing or eating, they should pay their tithing.” (Lynn Robbins, General Conference, April 2005).
(complete paragraph)
Lynn Robbins who says:

Among those who do not sacrifice there are two extremes: one is the rich, gluttonous man who won’t and the other is the poor, destitute man who believes he can’t. But how can you ask someone who is starving to eat less? Is there a level of poverty so low that sacrifice should not be expected or a family so destitute that paying tithing should cease to be required?

One reason the Lord illustrates doctrines with the most extreme circumstances is to eliminate excuses. If the Lord expects even the poorest widow to pay her mite, where does that leave all others who find that it is not convenient or easy to sacrifice?

No bishop, no missionary should ever hesitate or lack the faith to teach the law of tithing to the poor. The sentiment of “They can’t afford to” needs to be replaced with “They can’t afford not to.”

One of the first things a bishop must do to help the needy is ask them to pay their tithing. Like the widow, if a destitute family is faced with the decision of paying their tithing or eating, they should pay their tithing.


382 posted on 11/14/2011 6:52:53 AM PST by svcw (God's Grace - thank you!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 344 | View Replies]

To: svcw
Placemarker
383 posted on 11/14/2011 7:04:38 AM PST by aMorePerfectUnion (You know, 99.99999965% of the lawyers give all of them a bad name)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 382 | View Replies]

To: svcw
I can never see how anyone who loves the savior and know even a little about what the Mormons say and do about him cam give the LDS organization a pass...
384 posted on 11/14/2011 7:13:30 AM PST by ejonesie22 (8/30/10, the day Truth won.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 379 | View Replies]

To: ejonesie22

I also can’t see my ipad screen without my glasses...


385 posted on 11/14/2011 7:19:43 AM PST by ejonesie22 (8/30/10, the day Truth won.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 384 | View Replies]

To: svcw

I fail to see where they do me much harm.


386 posted on 11/14/2011 8:09:50 AM PST by wardaddy (Ethnonationalist...I'll cop to that....Suicide of a Superpower...I've decided for Newt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 379 | View Replies]

To: wardaddy

They do no harm if you totally discount what mormonISM does to a persons soul. If that does not matter to you, then so be it. Your disregard is as non Biblical as their mormonISM is non Biblical.


387 posted on 11/14/2011 8:19:17 AM PST by svcw (God's Grace - thank you!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 386 | View Replies]

To: wardaddy

You are Baptist, right?

Perhaps it is not the harm they do to you that is the issue...


388 posted on 11/14/2011 8:21:17 AM PST by ejonesie22 (8/30/10, the day Truth won.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 386 | View Replies]

To: My hearts in London - Everett
You, on the other hand, with your silence seem quite content in not rocking the boat and letting Mormons walk blindly and merrily into Hell.

Quite possibly he does not understand all of what MORMONism is all about, and merely acting out of ignorance.

FR can clear up a LOT of the misconceptions about MORMONism.

Sadly; this will NOT come from MORMONs.

389 posted on 11/14/2011 9:43:09 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 376 | View Replies]

To: svcw
How does the bishop who monitors your tithing (because it is the law) know you are obeying the law, unless you prove how much income you have - just asking.

"How?", you ask?

Simple: We MORMONs do NOT lie to each other.

--MormonDupe(At least I don't!)

390 posted on 11/14/2011 9:45:00 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 380 | View Replies]

To: wardaddy
I fail to see where they do me much harm.

How about others?

Are you aware of what your chosen religious organization says about MORMONism?

391 posted on 11/14/2011 9:46:20 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 386 | View Replies]

To: Saundra Duffy
I remember saying things like: “Joseph Smith thought he was Jesus Christ!”

CAn you SAY something about JS' LAST 'translation?

Perhaps WHY the MORMON group, based in SLC, does NOT consider it worthy enough to be called SCRIPTURE?


 
See some differences between GOD's Word and the Joseph Smith's 'translation'
 
 


Color coding explanation:
 
Added stuff... Changed stuff... Rearranged stuff... Removed stuff... 
 *(UNDERLINED stuff is the DISTRACTING reference on every tenth word or so that infuses LDS 'scripture' online.)

 
 
 
 

JOSEPH SMITH—MATTHEW
An extract from the translation of the Bible as revealed to Joseph Smith the Prophet in 1831: Matthew 23: 39 and chapter 24.
Jesus foretells the impending destruction of Jerusalem—He also discourses on the second coming of the Son of Man, and the destruction of the wicked.
1 aFor I say unto you, that ye shall not see me henceforth and know that I am he of whom it is written by the prophets, until ye shall say: Blessed is he who bcometh in the name of the Lord, in the clouds of heaven, and all the holy angels with him. Then understood his disciples that he should come again on the earth, after that he was glorified and ccrowned on the right hand of God.
2 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple; and his disciples came to him, for to ahear him, saying: Master, show us concerning the buildings of the temple, as thou hast said—They shall be thrown down, and left unto you desolate.
3 And Jesus said unto them: See ye not all these things, and do ye not understand them? Verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here, upon this temple, one astone upon another that shall not be thrown down.
4 And Jesus left them, and went upon the Mount of Olives. And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying: Tell us when shall these things be which thou hast said concerning the destruction of the temple, and the Jews; and what is the asign of thy bcoming, and of the cend of the world, or the destruction of the dwicked, which is the end of the world?
5 And Jesus answered, and said unto them: Take heed that no man deceive you;
6 For many shall come in my name, saying—I am aChrist—and shall deceive many;
7 Then shall they deliver you up to be aafflicted, and shall kill you, and ye shall be bhated of all nations, for my name’s sake;
8 And then shall many be aoffended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another;
9 And many afalse prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many;
10 And because iniquity shall abound, the alove of many shall wax cold;
11 But he that remaineth asteadfast and is not overcome, the same shall be saved.
12 When you, therefore, shall see the aabomination of bdesolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, concerning the destruction of cJerusalem, then you shall stand in the dholy place; whoso readeth let him understand.
13 Then let them who are in Judea flee into the amountains;
14 Let him who is on the housetop flee, and not return to take anything out of his house;
15 Neither let him who is in the field return back to take his clothes;
16 And wo unto them that are with achild, and unto them that give suck in those days;
17 Therefore, pray ye the Lord that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day;
18 For then, in those days, shall be great atribulation on the bJews, and upon the inhabitants of cJerusalem, such as was not before sent upon Israel, of God, since the beginning of their kingdom until this time; no, nor ever shall be sent again upon Israel.
19 All things which have befallen them are only the beginning of the sorrows which shall come upon them.
20 And except those days should be shortened, there should none of their flesh be asaved; but for the elect’s sake, according to the bcovenant, those days shall be shortened.
21 Behold, these things I have spoken unto you concerning the Jews; and again, after the tribulation of those days which shall come upon Jerusalem, if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there, believe him not;
22 For in those days there shall also arise false aChrists, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch, that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect, who are the elect according to the covenant.
23 Behold, I speak these things unto you for the aelect’s sake; and you also shall hear of bwars, and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled, for all I have told you must come to pass; but the end is not yet.
24 Behold, I have told you before;
25 Wherefore, if they shall say unto you: Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: Behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not;
26 For as the light of the morning cometh out of the aeast, and shineth even unto the west, and covereth the whole earth, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.
27 And now I show unto you a parable. Behold, wheresoever the acarcass is, there will the eagles be bgathered together; so likewise shall mine elect be gathered from the four quarters of the earth.
28 And they shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars.
29 Behold I speak for mine elect’s sake; for nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there shall be afamines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
30 And again, because iniquity shall abound, the love of men shall wax acold; but he that shall not be overcome, the same shall be saved.
31 And again, this aGospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all bnations, and then shall the end come, or the destruction of the wicked;
32 And again shall the aabomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, be fulfilled.
33 And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the asun shall be bdarkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the cstars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
34 Verily, I say unto you, this ageneration, in which these things shall be shown forth, shall not pass away until all I have told you shall be fulfilled.
35 Although, the days will come, that heaven and earth shall pass away; yet my awords shall not pass away, but all shall be fulfilled.
36 And, as I said before, after the atribulation of those days, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken, then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth bmourn; and they shall see the cSon of Man dcoming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory;
37 And whoso atreasureth up my word, shall not be deceived, for the Son of Man shall bcome, and he shall send his cangels before him with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together the dremainder of his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
38 Now learn a parable of the afig-tree—When its branches are yet tender, and it begins to put forth leaves, you know that summer is nigh at hand;
39 So likewise, mine elect, when they shall see all these things, they shall know that he is near, even at the doors;
40 But of that day, and hour, no one aknoweth; no, not the angels of God in heaven, but my Father only.
41 But as it was in the days of aNoah, so it shall be also at the coming of the Son of Man;
42 For it shall be with them, as it was in the days which were before the aflood; for until the day that Noah entered into the ark they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage;
43 And aknew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.
44 Then shall be fulfilled that which is written, that in the alast days, two shall be in the field, the one shall be taken, and the other bleft;
45 Two shall be grinding at the mill, the one shall be taken, and the other left;
46 And what I say unto one, I say unto all men; awatch, therefore, for you know not at what hour your Lord doth come.
47 But know this, if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to have been broken up, but would have been ready.
48 Therefore be ye also aready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh.
49 Who, then, is a afaithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
50 Blessed is that aservant whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing; and verily I say unto you, he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
51 But if that evil servant shall say in his heart: My lord adelayeth his coming,
52 And shall begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken,
53 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
54 And shall cut him asunder, and shall appoint him his portion with the hypocrites; there shall be weeping and agnashing of teeth.
55 And thus cometh the aend of the wicked, according to the prophecy of Moses, saying: They shall be cut off from among the people; but the end of the earth is not yet, but by and by.

KJV Matthew 23:38-39 24:1-51
39. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

1. And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
2. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8. All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
10. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
15. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
16. Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
17. Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
18. Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
19. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
20. But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
21. For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
23. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25. Behold, I have told you before.
26. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
27. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
28. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
29. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
32. Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33. So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
34. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
35. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
36. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
37. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

39. And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
45. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46. Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
47. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
48. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49. And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50. The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51. And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
King James Version of the Holy Bible
Public domain

392 posted on 11/14/2011 9:53:19 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 329 | View Replies]

To: Saundra Duffy
And by the way I forgot to mention the myriad movies and documentaries that are made that make money off of anti Mormon sentiment.

Then by all means; let me HELP you!


Besides the acreage on which the Jerusalem Motion Picture Set is located, the property includes desert similar to the Judean Plains, sand dunes, a river that ideally resembles the ancient River Jordan where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, and an area suited for the Garden of Gethsemane where the Savior atoned for the sins of mankind.
 
 
SURE He did!!!
 
http://newsroom.lds.org/article/church-goshen-movie-highlight-life-jesus-christ
 
 
Just as FAKE as MORMONism!            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0u9WVfNqLA&feature=player_embedded

393 posted on 11/14/2011 9:55:23 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 329 | View Replies]

To: Saundra Duffy
... the acreage on which the Jerusalem Motion Picture Set is located...

039° 55' 36.6"
111° 55' 52.7"

394 posted on 11/14/2011 9:58:41 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 329 | View Replies]

To: Southflanknorthpawsis

I see you have been unable to provide sources for you outlandish statement. Talk about a double standard.


395 posted on 11/14/2011 10:13:10 AM PST by BlueMoose
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 289 | View Replies]

To: BlueMoose

You know, I realize that you have to resort to these foolish points because you have no solid ground beneath your false religion.

I suppose it might be hard for you to understand but read very carefully. I said I had been told about the W-2s. What is outlandish about that? Not my claim; someone elses. So what source info would you like? A phone number? An address? Shall I find these people and have them call you?

Another point that you apparently can’t grasp is that the “double standard” was in no way related to the W-2 topic. Pay attention! It was referring to all your victimhood garbage and offense and the fact that we true Christians are entitled to be equally offended by your beliefs. Get it??????

I realize these are tough concepts when you are so tunnel visioned on what you’ve been trained to say and do, but a little independent thinking goes a long way. Try it.


396 posted on 11/14/2011 10:39:58 AM PST by Southflanknorthpawsis
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 395 | View Replies]

To: Southflanknorthpawsis; BlueMoose

BM can be very source-challenged, infact much of his posting history is such.


397 posted on 11/14/2011 10:44:49 AM PST by Godzilla (3/7/77)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 396 | View Replies]

To: SZonian; Saundra Duffy
You said an “entire industry exists”, not one or two or three people printing books or making movies. An ENTIRE INDUSTRY.

SD must not be aware of the BILLIONS spent on the shopping mall in SLC - I guess that lds inc. isn't expecting a return on their money there. Or she is forgetting the lds own farms and ranches, canning facilities and the like that sell for profit but donate less than 10% for the needy.

Or perhaps the apostles encouraging the poor to bring in their dental crowns in order to fund a temple that they will never be 'worthy' enough to enter.

398 posted on 11/14/2011 10:48:14 AM PST by Godzilla (3/7/77)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 351 | View Replies]

To: Southflanknorthpawsis

Apparently, lds do not believe personal experience as evidence. My lds family and friends have said that they are required to show proof of income (IE W2s) to make sure they are tithing the correct amount. One friend says her bishop actually sends a monthly bill for the amount.
Here is a link to what the “tithes” go for, you might find interesting:
http://mormon.org/faq/purpose-of-tithing/


399 posted on 11/14/2011 10:52:22 AM PST by svcw (God's Grace - thank you!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 396 | View Replies]

To: Godzilla; Saundra Duffy

I had thought of mentioning the mall or the banks or the other industries that SLC is involved in, but then I recalled a comment that was made on another thread.

One that accused the detractors of mormonism of being “jealous” of such endeavors. Hmmm.

I think of those poor folks in SA having their teeth taken out to pay for a temple, as you said. One they may never be “worthy” enough to enter and then think about the $5 billion and counting being spent on a shopping mall in SLC.

I wonder how that is reconciled, or if it’s even given a passing thought as to the heights of hypocrisy and depths of depravity it represents.

Still waiting on the proof that an “entire industry exists” SD.


400 posted on 11/14/2011 11:09:35 AM PST by SZonian (Throwing our allegiances to political party's in the long run gave away our liberty.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 398 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 361-380381-400401-420 ... 541-552 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson