First, unless you're an atheist/skeptic or you believe in some sort of New Age religion with no central organization, you should be very careful about throwing around the term cult. Most of the characteristics described in here could be applied to most religions -- at least in some limited fashion -- and there are a lot of cases of "pot meet kettle" on message boards like this one, especially when other Christian denominations apply the term to Mormons. Is Joseph Smith worship really any less weird than saint or Virgin Mary worship? Is an extreme in following TSM really stranger than an extreme in following (now defunct) Ted Haggard?
Second, I think that Runtu is right. The use of the word "cult" isn't particularly useful when talking about religion because it is an ill-defined term and carries with it a lot of baggage. As shown by this thread, it is also usually used as a pejorative to indicate a religion with which the user of the word doesn't agree. So, I think that it's better to use specifics to describe a religion and not a term like cult.
I don't agree with any religion. Still, some are cults and some are not.
Parley P. Pratt wrote:We must lie to support brother Joseph, it is our duty to do so.
Buffalo wrote: I hope you know that that was not what I meant. Again, I said a dictionary is too limited in scope. Example:
cult (kʌlt)
3. a quasi-religious organization using devious psychological techniques to gain and control adherents
This is the relevant definition, but it does not go into enough detail.
It is one of a number of entries for cult. Unfortunately I don't think the LDS church today could be realistically said to be using devious psychological techniques to gain and control adherents. As a 19-20 year old missionary I had no idea how to do any of that, nor was I told to. :)
Are you the kind of guy who began every talk with a reference to Webster's?
It's always a good place to go if people have disagreements about the definitions of words. Would you agree with Runtu's comments about this subject? I know I do. It would be better to focus on what I disagree with specifically or would like to be changed then throw around a word that has so many meanings to so many people and is mainly used as an attack word.
Themis wrote: It is one of a number of entries for cult. Unfortunately I don't think the LDS church today could be realistically said to be using devious psychological techniques to gain and control adherents. As a 19-20 year old missionary I had no idea how to do any of that, nor was I told to. :)
Missionaries do use some devious practices to gain converts - such as lies, deliberate omissions of important information, the committment pattern, etc. But in regards to missionaries, the heavy-handed psychological control is directed at the missionaries themselves, not at new converts.
Parley P. Pratt wrote:We must lie to support brother Joseph, it is our duty to do so.
Buffalo wrote: Missionaries do use some devious practices to gain converts - such as lies, deliberate omissions of important information, the committment pattern, etc. But in regards to missionaries, the heavy-handed psychological control is directed at the missionaries themselves, not at new converts.
It's easy to use it on the members, especially missionary's, then it is on investigators since they usually only have young naïve 19-20 years olds to deal with. I would say there is the use of psychological control over members and especially missionary's, but it is some what weak, and much less then some of the religions people are mostly afraid of and call cults.
Simon Belmont wrote:Think "Heaven's Gate." The guy had enough control to make a group of people commit suicide!
What if the organization were able to get you to covenant, in the most sacred of places, to give your own life? A covenant that is so binding that to even think of breaking it invites damnation?
If there's one thing I've learned from this board, it's that consensual sex with multiple partners is okay unless God commands it. - Abman
I find this place to be hostile toward all brands of stupidity. That's why I like it. - Some Schmo