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Is Mormonism a Cult?


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I know this topic has come up a lot lately, but I searched and I did not find a thread that specifically addressed the question I want to ask, so I thought I'd give it a go.

 

The other day my mom and sister and I were visiting with a friend who was in town for a school break. We live in Idaho and our friend lives in Salt Lake City. She is not Mormon (or any other religion) and she likes to tell snarky stories about her encounters with Mormons in Utah. When this topic came up, both my mom and sister called Mormonism a cult. I was taken aback by this because, while I know neither of them agree with Mormonism, I did not expect that level of hatred from them, especially since we all have good friends who are Mormon. The conversation soon moved on to other things, so I never got a chance to ask them why they think this, but it's been bothering me ever since.

 

I know that quite a few FJers have also said they think Mormonism is a cult, and I would be curious to know your take on it.

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I'm an ex-Mormon and went to Church on several different continents. I felt it was rather cultish in Utah, but in places where the church is not as big and the people have connection with the world outside of it, I don't think it's really a cult. It definitely fits some of the definitions of a cult, but doesn't fit others. As I said, I think it also depends a lot on the local community and leadership.

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The reason I think Mormonism is a cult is you have to buy things to be a part of the church and to keep in good standing. While being Catholic, you are not EXPECTED to donate anything. I think to me that is a pretty big distinction and I see it more in the light of scientology then a religion. I think that's why I struggle with the whole Mormon religion.

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I do think that Mormonism is a cult, but then I think all religions are or at least originated as cults and have just become accepted through numbers and familiarity. So I'm not exactly objective on that score.

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The reason I think Mormonism is a cult is you have to buy things to be a part of the church and to keep in good standing. While being Catholic, you are not EXPECTED to donate anything. I think to me that is a pretty big distinction and I see it more in the light of scientology then a religion. I think that's why I struggle with the whole Mormon religion.

I am in this camp.

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I don't think Mormonisn (regular LDS) is a cult any more than any other mainstream religion is, but I do think that Fundamental LDS (FLDS) is. Warren Jeffs is as creepy a cult leader as ever there was. Yuck.

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Just from my own exposure to Mormonism (in Ohio and Indiana, where I know it's much less prominent than in some other places) I don't think it's a cult. Giving money to the church is expected, which is a red flag for me, but aside from that mostly it comes across as just a somewhat unusual religion.

For me, the main thing that separates it from cults like Scientology (and Quiverfull) is that Mormonism doesn't seem to discourage its members from interacting with people outside the religion. In fact all the Mormons I've known were heavily involved in extra-curriculars at school and were very personable and friendly.

So I guess there's some divide in opinion about what makes a cult... most cults DO expect money from their members, but I feel the forced isolation is the most damaging and dangerous part of any cult, and without it I don't find Mormonism to be threatening or cultish. But again, things may be different in other parts of the country where Mormonism is more dominant than in the northern midwest.

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The money aspect especially showing your tax return is a red flag for me as are the confessions to the bishop. The temple ceremonies are too weird for me to take seriously as is the Mormon view of the afterlife.

I tend to tune out (not necessarily believe it's a cult but close) any group that is based on revelations of one person. That includes $cientology, LDS/Mormon, Gothard, etc.

My father always told me to run from any church or similar organization that wanted to see tax returns or bank balances so they could assess your contribution. He also said never join a religious group that charged for intro classes or a set fee for membership. I think in this area, he was onto something.

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The money aspect especially showing your tax return is a red flag for me as are the confessions to the bishop. The temple ceremonies are too weird for me to take seriously as is the Mormon view of the afterlife.

I tend to tune out (not necessarily believe it's a cult but close) any group that is based on revelations of one person. That includes $cientology, LDS/Mormon, Gothard, etc.

My father always told me to run from any church or similar organization that wanted to see tax returns or bank balances so they could assess your contribution. He also said never join a religious group that charged for intro classes or a set fee for membership. I think in this area, he was onto something.

That's very, very good advice. :D Your dad was definitely onto something.

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In the UK it tends to be thought of as at least a semi-cult or fringe group, along with Scientology but maybe not quite so wacky. Personally I think that it ticks some cult boxes but not others. FLDS is definitely a cult, and it's not hateful to think so.

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I think it's a semi-cult. Part of this is because there is a financial contribution that is mandatory. Another part is the excommunication. My friend a Mormon, was excommunicated because he had a discussion with a fellow Mormon where he expressed doubts. That was enough for him to be called in front of a council of several members that would discuss with him this assertion made in private.

Another side of it, is the retention of information and the persecution of those who try to unearth and share information about the beginnings of the Church to other members.

I would also say that the rules that no non-Mormon is allowed in the temple is sketchy too.

I think there are definitely a lot of practices that make it close to a cult, although I think that the harm of cult is more on a continuum than on a yes/no answer.

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Thanks for the replies. This is really interesting. I will admit that I find Mormonism highly attractive, probably not enough to ever become Mormon but I do think about it sometimes.

I guess the money/tithing issue doesn't stand out to me because I thought most churches/denominations at least sort of expect their members to give. We just had our yearly "you should all give more money" sermon at my church last week. Granted, no one is going to come after you if you don't, nor are they going to ask to see any of your financial info, but the general concept of a church asking its members for money doesn't seem wonky to me.

I do think that Mormonism is a cult, but then I think all religions are or at least originated as cults and have just become accepted through numbers and familiarity. So I'm not exactly objective on that score.

Do you think all religions are bad/harmful, then? I'm just curious because I find it really interesting the ways different people view religions that they don't belong to.

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Asking for money for a church or other organization isn't the problem. All organizations have to have money or some other currency (volunteers, etc) to run. The part of saying it must be 10% of gross income and then verifying it and keeping records is what I object to doing. It's a control issue. The church is into business enterprises and demands their members' money and then buys businesses. That is not right in my view of how things should be run. If they want businesses then let the businesses support the religious functions. It's a matter of how to me in this case. It's controlling and intrusive.

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"There is nothing right with religion that cannot be harmed by what is wrong with religion."

I read this on The Friendly Atheist recently and it kind of sums up my views on organized religion in general, so Mormonism is on that continuum somwhere.

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I'm an ex-Mormon and went to Church on several different continents. I felt it was rather cultish in Utah, but in places where the church is not as big and the people have connection with the world outside of it, I don't think it's really a cult. It definitely fits some of the definitions of a cult, but doesn't fit others. As I said, I think it also depends a lot on the local community and leadership.

From what I've read in this Recovery from Mormonism forum, many people agree.

That said, I've read of many cases in which people are barred from getting or renewing their "temple recommend" (a document stating that one is a Mormon in good standing and eligible to enter a Mormon temple for such ceremonies as weddings) simply because they haven't paid a full tithe.

Another thing that troubles me is the fact that the LDS has no trained, accredited clergy--just men who are "called to" positions of leadership by the higher-ups. I have also learned that the Mormon equivalent of Roman Catholic confession can be far more intrusive--as in kids being interrogated about whether or not they masturbate, and being barred from communion and so on if they confess to doing so.

An important point is that just about ANY religion or close-knit organization has the potential to get cultish under the right (wrong) circumstances. A few fellow cradle Catholics I know were raised in scary-restrictive-guilt-a-thon ways, but most of us grew up in far more liberal circumstances.

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Guest Anonymous

If you don't give the LDS church at least 10% of your income, you are in bad standing, and members can expect to be told they have to bring in proof of income to make sure they're giving 10%. Between the money mandate and the secrecy and the encouragement of members to limit friendships with those outside the church, I think they're a cult. Members who step out of line are threatened with their membership status and ability to get into heaven. Some larger areas even have select leaders who "spy" on other members.

The mandate is why I don't consider Romney's donations to be donations. They're a fee to be a member.

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Well, according to Billy Graham, it isn't a cult -at least, it is not after he decided to endorse Mittens.

I agree with Abigail and Sophie about Mormonism being a semi-cult or on the slippery slope to being one.

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They wear a special garment/underwear. I know other religions have special clothes: the yarmulke, priests’ collars/robes, and nuns’ habits, etc., but special religious underwear seems odd.

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I was really surprised to learn that Brandon Flowers from the killers is a Mormon and is even promoting the religion in an LDS campaign. Cool young guy. They can't buy that kinda PR

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So is Stephenie Meyer (Twilight) and Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn). Meyer is more offensive in my opinion because her books aren't even good, lmao.

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I'm a former member and I won't call Mormonism a cult. I do think it's very authoritarian and demanding. That said, the reason I won't call Mormonism a cult is because the word "cult" is pejorative and slung around a lot by evangelical Protestants trying to tar anything that isn't what they consider "Christian" a cult. Besides, in the cult Olympics, Mormonism doesn't hardly even rank compared to, say, the FLDS, where wives are removed from one man and awarded to another based on the whim of the leader.

Or a group I have no problem whatsoever calling a cult--Scientology--because while Mormonism wants 10 percent of your salary, Scientology wants all of it. Right now. Here, open your pockets so we can hoover it out. You got room on your credit cards? Have you cashed out your 401k for services? Put a second on your house so you can donate to this LRH library campaign or to the International Association of Scientologists? Borrowed from your relatives for your Bridge? After all, your eternity is at stake. I wish I was kidding about Scientology, but seriously, that is exactly the kind of crap that goes on down at the org, where they shake down members on a regular basis for more money, all the time. And that's just for the parishioners. I haven't even mentioned the asshattery that goes on for staff, or worse, the Sea Org.

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Asking for money for a church or other organization isn't the problem. All organizations have to have money or some other currency (volunteers, etc) to run. The part of saying it must be 10% of gross income and then verifying it and keeping records is what I object to doing. It's a control issue. The church is into business enterprises and demands their members' money and then buys businesses. That is not right in my view of how things should be run. If they want businesses then let the businesses support the religious functions. It's a matter of how to me in this case. It's controlling and intrusive.

It really is controlling, since if you don't show your tax return or bank statements, you don't get a temple recommend, so it often means that you won't be able to see a relative get married. Someone in that situation would have to wait with the non-Mormons outside the temple. The issue with garments is that it's basically a church telling you what underwear you're going to wear, and you basically have to dress modestly to hide those things.

I just found out that last weekend, they lowered the missionary age for males to 18, and females to 19 because they're desperate for more missionaries. This means that a male high school senior would be pressured to fill out his mission papers instead of college applications, and females will now be able to drop out of college earlier to serve a mission, and since there's a chance they'll meet their future spouse on their mission if they're not already waiting for someone who just left, they can get married at the age of almost 21, instead of being nearly 23 under the old system. I can imagine that BYU will someday require that all male applicants have served a mission before applying, since one thing that often happens with missions is that it keeps them in the church.

The reason I found this out was that my youngest step sister is putting in her mission papers this week so she's ready to go as soon as she turns 19. The thing that I think is creepy is that her boyfriend is already on his mission, so there's a chance that when both of them are done, there will be intense pressure to get married at 21. Her mom's 5 other children all served missions, so naturally she's happy about this mission. This mom is so devout that she won't even take headache medication if it has caffeine in it.

Despite all that, even though I'm an exmormon, I wouldn't call Mormonism cult since the FLDS is a true cult since it's even harder for someone to leave that as they're kept totally isolated. Also, Warren Jeffs is a creepy person who forced 14 year old girls to marry men old enough to be their fathers at least, and not that long ago, he banned married people from having sex. As awful as it is, I wouldn't put it past Jeffs to order a mass suicide as to me, he's that creepy.

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What makes them seem non-cultish to me is that you can leave of you want to. I know this can cause immense heartache for people if their families don't support this decision (which is the case in many religions and not unique to Mormonism), but if you really want to leave, they will not force you to stay.

The money thing, I get how that would seem controlling or like an invasion of privacy. It just doesn't seem cultish to me, but I do see why that would be a red flag.

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