Mormon Church: Cult-Lite

[_beastie]

My long-term boyfriend, to whom I sometimes refer to as my fiancé because we’ve been engaged for ten years (smile), has been asked a simple question several times at work: Is the LDS church a cult? This recent interest is no doubt due to Mitt Romney, and will only increase if he’s the nominee. Personally, I don’t think increased attention is a good thing for the LDS church which had the misfortune of being born during the age of the printing press, but they seem to think they can control it. (snicker)

He has an interesting answer, which I think is probably fairly accurate. He says it’s “cult-lite”. That always causes some laughter, and sometimes questions why.

The LDS church is not a cult in the way that most Americans use the term today. It’s not Heaven’s Gate, for example. But it does have characteristics of a cult, but not quite full-blown. The one exception is the LDS mission, which is, in my opinion, full-blown cult.

One of the most marked characteristics of the LDS church that is “cult-lite” is the difficulty members have in leaving, particularly if they were born in the church, and more particularly if they live in an LDS dominated area. The LDS church isn’t full-blown cult in that it’s going to threaten violence or some other overt method of control over members who want to leave (although they may have in the past), but it certainly makes it socially and emotionally difficult to leave. Your LDS family has been taught that there’s something wrong with people who leave the church. They’re lazy, want to sin, etc. They’ve also been taught that if a member leaves the LDS church they will no longer be a part of the eternal family unit in the CK. That feels like an impending divorce, like a destruction of the family unit. That causes believing family members a great deal of distress, which translates into pressure on the wavering member to remain in the fold.

Then if you live in an LDS dominated area, the pressure extends to friends, social circles, and even business. The LDS church is very tribe-like. Sometimes that’s good. They extend support to one another quite a bit (not always). But it’s also bad, in that they tend to circle the wagons and ostracize apostates.

These are generalities, of course. Specific people can react differently. But I do think it’s generally accepted that it is quite difficult to leave the LDS church, and that is one way it is “cult-lite”.

[_Some Schmo]

I believe the culture of unquestioning obedience of the leaders very much qualifies the church for cult status as well.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

The Mormon church will never get away from the label of cult and it isn't any better illustrated than by Penn Jillette at the 11:27 mark of this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJGxVeQw3SE

And the typical Americans response to Mormonism isn't better captured than at the 11:58 - 12:03 mark.

V/R
Dr. Cam

[_Yoda]

The Mormon church will never get away from the label of cult and it isn't any better illustrated than by Penn Jillette at the 11:27 mark of this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJGxVeQw3SE

And the typical Americans response to Mormonism isn't better captured than at the 11:58 - 12:03 mark.

V/R
Dr. Cam

Hey, Cam, my YouTube froze up. Can you summarize what was said?

[_Corpsegrinder]

One of the most marked characteristics of the LDS church that is “cult-lite” is the difficulty members have in leaving, particularly if they were born in the church, and more particularly if they live in an LDS dominated area. The LDS church isn’t full-blown cult in that it’s going to threaten violence or some other overt method of control over members who want to leave (although they may have in the past), but it certainly makes it socially and emotionally difficult to leave.

Very true. The Church has come a long way since 1857, when a desire to apostatize could get you killed. The wide-spread belief that apostates had joined the Fancher Train for protection was a contributing factor in the massacre that followed.

The one exception is the LDS mission, which is, in my opinion, full-blown cult.

LoL! +1

[_selek]

The Mormon church will never get away from the label of cult and it isn't any better illustrated than by Penn Jillette at the 11:27 mark of this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJGxVeQw3SE

And the typical Americans response to Mormonism isn't better captured than at the 11:58 - 12:03 mark.

V/R
Dr. Cam

A great video, Doctor CamNC4Me. Thanks for sharing.

It reminds me of a conversation I had with a work colleague a while back. By way of background, she’s a devout Catholic. But in her work life, she’s a very data-driven “show me the facts” type.

Our conversation was about politics, Mitt Romney, Mormonism and how Mitt could believe in some of the bogus claims of the LDS religion.

I respectfully reminded her that all candidates of any religion believe in bogus claims that are completely contrary to science, reason or logic. It’s not just the Mormons.

I used transubstantiation as an example.

She got quiet.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Hi Liz,

Man, you're really putting me to work on my day off.. ;)

Penn:

"Mitt Romney, uh, is... Uh... Wearing crazy underwear. He's wearing Magic Underwear. *inhale* He is. I mean, uh, uh, under his pants he is wearing Magic Underwear. *hands waving* Magic Underwear. And he believes that a convicted Con Man got Golden Tablets that no one else could see and sat with an angel to find out that the original Jews of the Bible were living in North America.

*He shakes his head violently and it sounds like this*

WWWWHHHHHUUUDDDUUUBBBPPPTHWHAT????

Crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy, BUT...

Just more modern, not more crazy than other religions..."

It's actually more interesting via video. :)

V/R
Dr. Cam

[_Wisdom Seeker]

The previous mentioned video shows that Penn Jillette hates that few if any "believers" are willing to state that their specific religion has some aspects that are simply bat-crap crazy. What these political and religious believers try not to do is demonstrate the uniqueness of their own religion and all try their best to fall under the banner of Christians. The LDS church and to a smaller degree Mitt Romney continue to downplay the uniqueness of the LDS church and promote it as Christian just like all the others.

[_Ceeboo]

I respectfully reminded her that all candidates of any religion believe in bogus claims that are completely contrary to science, reason or logic.

You gotta love the MDB! :) (The only place on earth where one can find people that possess sound reason and logiic)


Peace,
Ceeboo

[_Corpsegrinder]

I respectfully reminded her that all candidates of any religion believe in bogus claims that are completely contrary to science, reason or logic. It’s not just the Mormons.

I used transubstantiation as an example.

She got quiet.

QFT.

From the Oxford English Dictionary:

Cult
noun
1. a system of religious worship directed towards a particular figure or object. 2. a small religious group regarded as strange or as imposing excessive control over members. 3. something popular or fashionable among a particular section of society.

The Evangelicals have highjacked the term "cult" to refer to anyone with a belief system that differs from their own.

But all religions are, to varying degrees, cult-like.