Is the Mormon religion a cult?

[csiro]

I was listening to a Christian radio station the other day and there was a panel on there that were discussing the dangers and lures of cults, etc...

They mentioned groups like Scientology, Jehowah Witnesses and the Mormons. Scientology I understand, but Mormons and Jehowah Witnesses? I always
thought they were rather legit religions.

What do u guys think?

 

[Ameesh]

i think they are all scams, equally so.

 

[gopunk]

having known a few mormons in my lifetime, i don't think mormonism is a cult. at least not any more so than any other form of christianity.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: Ameesh
i think they are all scams, equally so.

Including Christianity itself?

- M4H

 

[Wallydraigle]

The definition for cult is extremely vague, and dependent on perspective. It could be applied to any religion depending on whom you asked.

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Christianity was a cult 1900 years ago...
The only difference between a cult and a religion is the number of people you scam.

 

[Swag1138]

Originally posted by: csiro
I was listening to a Christian radio station the other day and there was a panel on there that were discussing the dangers and lures of cults, etc...

They mentioned groups like Scientology, Jehowah Witnesses and the Mormons. Scientology I understand, but Mormons and Jehowah Witnesses? I always
thought they were rather legit religions.

What do u guys think?

As a Jehovah's Witness, and having grown up in WASP territory, Im quite used to hearing my religion referred to as a cult.

 

[Zebo]

I think religion is good for only one thing; spirtuality.

 

[ElFenix]

all religions are cults

 

[BillGates]

All religions are cults. Generally socially-accepted cults, but cults nonetheless.

 

[yowolabi]

the only thing that makes a religion a cult is that not enough people believe it.

 

[notfred]

cult ( P ) Pronunciation Key (klt)
n.

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.
The followers of such a religion or sect.
A system or community of religious worship and ritual.
The formal means of expressing religious reverence; religious ceremony and ritual.
A usually nonscientific method or regimen claimed by its originator to have exclusive or exceptional power in curing a particular disease.

Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing.
The object of such devotion.
An exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric, usually artistic or intellectual interest.

 

[Spac3d]

Originally posted by: gopunk
having known a few mormons in my lifetime, i don't think mormonism is a cult. at least not any more so than any other form of christianity.

Well said.

Spac3d

 

[0roo0roo]

hey, atleast the mormons think the usa is the true holy land not that hell hole in the middle east hehheeh

 

[Ameesh]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire

Originally posted by: Ameesh
i think they are all scams, equally so.

Including Christianity itself?

- M4H

mormons and jehovahs witness's are christians. all religions that accept jesus as their savior are a part of christianity.

 

[Jzero]

If one person thinks of something, he's CRAZY
If two people think the same thing, they are LOVERS
If 100 people think the same thing, they are a CULT
If 10000 people think the same thing, they are a RELIGION
If 1000000 people think the same thing, they are a SOCIETY.

Forget who said that...think it was Gallagher.

 

[csiro]

Yea I found it rather strange that radio station would call the Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses cults. I wonder if the mainstream Christians share the same opinion..

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: Jzero
If one person thinks of something, he's CRAZY
If two people think the same thing, they are LOVERS
If 100 people think the same thing, they are a CULT
If 10000 people think the same thing, they are a RELIGION
If 1000000 people think the same thing, they are a SOCIETY.

Forget who said that...think it was Gallagher.

 

[Maetryx]

Generally, orthodox Protestant Christians believe that any religion based on Jesus Christ which abridges his deity (denies to some degree his godhood) is a cult. So religions that don't involve Jesus are not referred to as cults. By this use of the word cult, Mormonism and Jehoah Witnesses are cults.

 

[Bignate603]

I'm Mormon and it's as much a cult as any other christian religion. As people become more aware that we're there just because the start meeting us the start to get a feel for who we are. I did have one girl ask if I let people take my picture or if I thought it would take my soul. I was laughing so hard I was on the ground.

 

[joohang]

It is difficult to say.

I prefer the term "New Religion" over cult. Many major religions today were once new religions, including Christianity, Islam, etc.

Many contemporary new religions could be argued as a new sect or denomination of existing religions, since they claim to or heavily draw elements from them. Mormon happens to be such a case. Is it a form of Christianity? Or is it a new religion?

To give you an interesting twist to the issue, is Islam a form of Christianity? Or is it a separate religion of its own?

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: Maetryx
Generally, orthodox Protestant Christians believe that any religion based on Jesus Christ which abridges his deity (denies to some degree his godhood) is a cult. So religions that don't involve Jesus are not referred to as cults. By this use of the word cult, Mormonism is a cult.

by that usage of the word, wouldn't catholicism be a cult?

 

[Bignate603]

Originally posted by: Bignate603
I'm Mormon and it's as much a cult as any other christian religion. As people become more aware that we're there just because the start meeting us the start to get a feel for who we are. I did have one girl ask if I let people take my picture or if I thought it would take my soul. I was laughing so hard I was on the ground.

It all depends on the definition. And while I could discuss the theology surrounding this I won't simply because there's a ton of anti-religion sentiment here and I don't feel like dealing with people harrassing me simply because I have some sort of beliefs, much less what they are.

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: Bignate603
I'm Mormon and it's as much a cult as any other christian religion. As people become more aware that we're there just because the start meeting us the start to get a feel for who we are. I did have one girl ask if I let people take my picture or if I thought it would take my soul. I was laughing so hard I was on the ground.

so how's the magical underwear holding up these days?

 

[MercenaryForHire]

As long as everyone's defining "What Cult Means To Me" then ...

Cult - noun - Any organization that sees fit to push its asshat followers upon me at all hours of the day or night, in any God damned place I am, whether that be school, the street, a mall, or my own house, in order to foist their beliefs upon my already fragile nervous system, which under the added pressure of religious stupidity simply snaps and demands that the blood of the zealots must flow in the streets.

At the rate I'm going, I'm going to have to apply for membership into the Violent ATOT Community.

- M4H