Mormonism is a cult—because I say so

I was trolling around the net and found some comments from an old story from late October. It was the story where

Pastor Robert Jeffress, the head of the "First Baptist Church" in Dallas, says former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney isn't Christian because he's a practicing Mormon, which Jeffress calls a cult.

"Mitt Romney is a Mormon, and don't let anybody tell you otherwise," he preaches. "Even though he talks about Jesus as his Lord and Savior, he is not a Christian. Mormonism is not Christianity. Mormonism is a cult!"

Mormonism isn't a cult—because I say so

The story was from Local 8 News, the ABC affiliate in Idaho. If you don't know your geography, Idaho is adjacent Utah. And that means a substantial Mormon population, as the U.S. Census map shows.

Here's one particular elegant argument from Betty, a Mormon, explaining why Mormonism isn't a cult.

I think any FOOL who thinks the LDS Church is a cult needs to do some investigating before he gets a bad case of foot-in-mouth disease.

Why do people think they are a cult? Such a bunch of hooey. That is the statement of an extremely ingrate church leader who must doubt his faith. I think before he starts condemnation he needs do some in depth research. I can bet you my bottom dollar, he'll find we all believe in God and Heaven. There is just a slight difference on how we all get to the same place.

Now, does this sound like a Conservative or Liberal argument. It's Liberal. The name calling is one tip off. The other is the lack of any substance.

Rush Limbaugh says Liberals can't compete in the arena of ideas. So they resort to name calling and fallacious arguments.

Betty, as well as many of the other commenters here on my blog, demonstrate what I've been telling for you some time now. Mormonism is Liberal.

You may be fooled, thinking they're Conservatives because of their "values." But at best, their values are not Conservative, but rather, old fashioned. There's a difference. Over time the former stay the same. The Latter are constantly changing. (Polygamy okay. Now it's not. It will be okay again someday.)

So what is the definition of a cult?

So let's try to be Conservatives here, and argue in the arena of ideas. What is a cult? And is Mitt Romney in one?

Rejecting the Subjective

At this point, I'm going to break from many of my Christian brothers, who have a subjective definition of a cult. For example, from How to Identify a Cult, from The Utah Gospel Mission an outreach to Mormons, we read

DEFINITION: A cult is a group of people basing their beliefs upon one person's interpretation of God, life, and the hereafter; which always denies the central doctrines of Christianity as taught within the Bible.

While this is a step in the right direction, focusing on the cult behavior of focusing on one central leader for a belief system (eg. The Watchtower Society for the Jehovah Witnesses, the 'living prophet' for the Mormon church), the problem with this definition is that it's circular and subject to majority opinion. It depends in part on who's in control and who defines what "the central doctrines of Christianity" are. By this definition, Christians in the Reformation, who were awakened by Martin Luther's writings, would be in a cult

At one time, it was the Roman Catholic church who decided what "chrisitan" doctrines were. So was Martin Luther a cult leader because he rejected what the Roman Catholic church teaches about salvation? (That it is by works.)

While my Christian brothers would argue that Luther was going by what was taught in the Bible (and I agree), the Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons and Catholics also believe their doctrines are found in the Bible. (Subject to their interpretation.) No, this is just too subjective a definition of a cult, leaving the definition for the majority religion to define.


As I've said before, no one who's in a cult knows they're in a cult. If they knew, they would get out.

What's needed is a subjective test to see if you're in a cult. One that is independent of spiritual beliefs or Biblical interpretations.

The secular, objective test for a cult

If you Google around, there are several secular checklists to see if you're in a cult. They all pretty much say the same thing, so I'm going to pick one. Let's see if Mormonism meets the criteria for a cult. I'll do this is challenge/response format.

From Characteristics of Cults, by Janja Lalich and Michael D. Langone, both Ph.D.

• The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader, and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.
  
  Check.
  
  "When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done."
  
  It started with Joseph Smith. It continues to the now dead Gordon B. Hinckley, who was their previous 'living prophet.' You can download a high resolution photo of the latter, suitable for framing. Why would they offer this if they didn't venerate him?
  
  Here's a short clip from a Mormon taken from their "General Conference." (A biennial meeting in Salt Lake where Mormons get their marching orders. The photo above was taken at a General Conference.) You can hear the man blubbering about his beloved Gordon B. Hinckley. This is TYPICAL for Mormons. Go to a Fast & Testimony Sunday meeting at a Mormon ward (church building) to see for yourself. (Usually the first Sunday of every month.)
  
  If you have time, I encourage you to listen to Donny Osmond, former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt (now Secretary of Health and Human Services), Utah Senator Jake Garn, former Utah Gov. Norman Bangerter (Mormons all) and numerous Mormon callers express their zealous and unquestioning commitment to their now dead 'living prophet' on Monday, January 28's Doug Wright Show. (Doug Wright is a True Believing Mormon on KSL radio in Salt Lake.) Hour 1, Hour 2, Hour 3.


• Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.
  
  Check.
  Have you seen the actual sign from a Mormon event and listened to the creepy cult warning?
  
  The Mormons even have a colloquialism for it. From the Mormon church's own history books, "Seeds of apostasy."
  
  Ultimately you can be excommunicated for questioning. Ask D. Michael Quinn, an academic who's been excommunicated for asking too many questions. (Sadly, as often happens with dissenters, he was proved right. The Mormon church just changed its scripture to catch up to Mr. Quinn's findings.)


• Mind-altering practices (such as meditation, chanting, speaking in tongues, denunciation sessions, or debilitating work routines) are used in excess and serve to suppress doubts about the group and its leader(s).
  
  I know some former Mormons who would say this is a "Check" with respect to "debilitating work routines." The Mormon church has a plethora of programs and project for all ages to keep members busy, busy, busy.
  
  I don't know enough to prove it. (Never been Mormon.)


• The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel (e.g., members must get permission to date, change jobs, or marry—or leaders prescribe what to wear, where to live, whether to have children, how to discipline children, and so forth).
  
  "What to wear." Mormon underwear.
  
  Check.
  
  Some Mormons never take them off, even during intimate relations. Need I say more? (Click on image for details. About the underwear.)
  
  Okay, I will.
  
  The Mormon church pumps out lots of publications as to how you should think, act, feel.
  
  As to changing jobs, well, if you read my post about the latest Mormon 12th Apostle, he said, "It has been an overwhelming experience for me. In the Church we don't seek calls or have an expectation that calls should come to us, but NEITHER DO WE TURN DOWN CALLS WHEN THEY COME FROM A LOVING, FAITHFUL PROPHET."
  
  I won't beat this to death, but in Mormonism, one often talks of being "called to" and "RELEASED FROM" church work.


• The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s), and its members (e.g., the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity).
  
  Check.
  
  When asking about the other churches, Joseph Smith said that god told him that "I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof."
  
  Mormons believe they are THE ONE TRUE church.
  
  You will often hear the word "worthy" bandied about in Mormonism. As in "you have to be worthy enough to get a temple recommend."


• The group has a polarized, us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society.
  
  Duh.
  
  Check.
  
  That's what this whole Mitt Romney for President (NOT!) blog is about. And it's not just me. No one will say it, but part of the reason Mitt Romney is losing is because he's Mormon. A Mormon guest even said so on today's Hugh Hewitt show.


• The leader is not accountable to any authorities (unlike, for example, teachers, military commanders, or ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream religious denominations).
  
  Check.
  
  Except for the hierarchy murdering him, as some suspect happened with a former Mormon 'living prophet' Harold B. Lee, there is no official way to remove a Mormon 'living prophet." Whereas, in the Christian church, there is a protocol for removing an elder. (An older Christian Evangelist who had lived in Utah most of his life told me the story. Harold B. Lee was a "True Believer" and, just like Jesus clearing the money changers from the temple, was going to do same in the Mormon church. They poisoned him in a hospital. There was even an FBI investigation and missing documents.)


• The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary. This may result in members participating in behaviors or activities they would have considered reprehensible or unethical before joining the group (e.g., lying to family or friends, or collecting money for bogus charities).
  
  Check.
  
  It's called "Lying for the Lord." A.k.a. "The Higher Law."
  
  You've seen Mitt Romney doing this as he lies even about what he believes about his church.
  
  They young women even have a colloquialism called "The 3 D's." "Date 'em, Dunk 'em (get them baptized), Ditch 'em" where they will date boys just to get converts for the church.


• The leadership induces feelings of shame and/or guilt in order to influence and control members. Often this is done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion.
  
  Check.
  
  I have seen some strange behavior on the street with Mormons. You can talk to them when they're by themselves, but when their brothers and sisters see them talking to an "Anti-" (short for "Anti-Mormon. That's what they call Christian Evangelists.) they suddenly have to leave. See "Seeds of Apostasy" above.
  
  Never having been Mormon, I can't tell you the other guilt trips they put on each other.


• Subservience to the leader or group requires members to cut ties with family and friends, and radically alter the personal goals and activities they had before joining the group.
  
  Check.
  
  If you're a non-Mormon parent, you know the heart break of not being able to attend your Mormon son or daughter's wedding. You're cut off because you're not worthy enough to be allowed in their temple.


• The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members
  
  Check.
  
  Almost every Mormon church press release tells you how many members they currently have and how many missionaries are out in the field.


• The group is preoccupied with making money.
  
  Check.
  
  I've posted about this already. You HAVE to tithe to become a god.
  The Mormon church is a multi-billion dollar corporation. As with Rockefeller, you have to wonder how much money is enough to make them happy.


• Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group and group-related activities.
  Check.
  
  I've never been Mormon, so I can't list all the many groups they have. But there are a lot.



• Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.
  
  Check, as you know if you live in Utah and are a "Gentile."


• The most loyal members (the “true believers”) feel there can be no life outside the context of the group. They believe there is no other way to be, and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave—or even consider leaving—the group.
  
  Check.
  
  Just read the comments left here on my blog from Mormons. They "know" the Mormon church is true, despite the facts.
  
  Again, see my reference to seeds of Apostasy, above.

It should be clear that Mormonism has the characteristics of a cult. Therefore, Mormonism IS a cult.

But you didn't really need this checklist. You can look at the photo at the top and just tell. Just like you can tell that Tom Cruise is in a cult. There's nothing wrong with calling a cult a cult. In fact, if you love someone enough, like, say, one of your kids, wouldn't you warn them if they were involved in a cult?

But go ahead. Vote a Mormon in the White House. Vote for Mitt Romney for President. Unless you've been Mormon yourself, you'll never know what he's thinking.

And former Mormons, even those who are atheists now are desperately trying to warn you.

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