Why do a lot of people refer to Mormons (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) as a cult?

Question

It seems that everytime I ask about Mormons I get a response refering to them as a cult or cult-like. Why?

Answer 1

It depends on what a person's definition of what a cult is. The definition of the word is a system of religious worship, much broader than what most people define it as. Then, a lot of religions fall under the definition, not just the Mormons.

Usually, narrow minded people call the Mormons a cult because they don't like them and don't think they should be called a religion because it's different from their own. The word cult just sounds bad.

Don't believe all of the other answers you'll read here ... a lot of people are misinformed about Mormons.

Answer 2

Mormons believe that Jesus was born in heaven as the spirit child of Elohim (Heavenly Father) by one of his wives, and Jesus' brother was Lucifer, who became Satan. Jesus is only one of many Gods. This is unbiblical.
Definition of a religious cult: Counterfeit Christianity.
Counterfeit Christianity is an imitation of real Christianity. Bible terms like "Jesus Christ", "Resurrection", Salvation" and "Atonement are used by the cult, but entirely different meanings have been assigned to these terms by the various cult groups.
Cults believe in MORE THAN THE BIBLE.
The Mormons will SAY they believe the Bible, but they will be anxious to let you know that they have FURTHER REVELATION in the form of the Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, etc., which they also consider inspired.
If you want to learn more about cults and how to recognize them you can go to MacGregor Ministries on the Web.

Answer 3

All right, I will give you the information about mormon, and let you decide ..
MORMONISM (The Latter Day Saints). (Follow the teachings of Joseph Smith.) The doctrine of Mormonism is completely unscriptural and dates back to about 1830. They believe that God the Father and Jesus Christ physically appeared to Joseph Smith and told him that the churches were all wrong. The Book of Mormon was to be added to the Bible. In other words, Christianity was all lost.
Supposedly, Joseph Smith stated that Elijah appeared personally to him on April 3, 1836, at Kirtland, Ohio, fulfilling Mal 4:5,6. They believe that Elijah also came in 1844.
The Mormons reject the finality of the Bible. They both take away from and add to God’s Word. The Bible gives a severe warning about this in Rev 22:18,19. The Mormon Church is run by revelation. It is not committed to any fixed creed. It can be said it creates doctrine as time goes on.
They use biblical terms, but their beliefs are far removed from true Christianity.
Their book, the Doctrine of Covenants, speaks against having more than one wife in 101:4, 1835 edition. However, in 1887, Mormon Church historian listed 27 women that were married to Joseph Smith. This occurred during a time when such a thing was viewed as a crime before God. It is reported that Smith finally admitted it and changed the law of polygamy in 1843 (which showed up in 1876) and then the 1835 edition just disappeared. It is reported that some of his wives were still married to other men.
Mormon leaders apparently believe that the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine of Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price do not contradict each other. This is far from the truth.
Contrary to 1 Sam 15:29, Joseph Smith believed that God was once as we are, that Jehovah was the firstborn spirit child of Elohim. They believe He is not just Spirit and is not omnipresent. They believe we have to learn how to be gods ourselves.
Jesus shedding His blood for our sins is apparently nonsense to them—the blood of Jesus could not make one clean by itself. Mormonism seems to believe that Christ and the devil are brothers, and Christ was married.
They seem to believe the Holy Spirit is a substance or fluid and not omnipresent.
They believe in baptismal regeneration. They believe baptism is the way to heaven and that the saints can be baptized for those that have passed away unbaptized.
They believe there will be a resurrection of every living thing including animals and fish.
All that are in glory are also gods. There are gods and other worlds. They also believe in heavenly marriages and in having spirit children. There is no burning hell. Punishment without end may last for a short time or a long time.
They seem to believe that people will raise children after they leave earth. Their faith appears to be in Joseph Smith and changing revelations. It is certainly not in the God of the Bible. It is certainly not in Jesus Christ

Answer 4

The definition of a cult is one which is either extreme, false or faddish in it's beliefs ..

That's the dictionary definition.

All christian denominations subscribe to a basic minimum core set of beliefs which is the definition of what 'christian' means. This core set of beliefs is called the Nicene Creed.

Mormons don't agree to it.

The Nicene Creed came about back when certain heretical teachings started being taught (this was way before the printed bible) in 325 ad.

At that time Constantine (the first christian Roman Emporer) called together the council of Nicaea to set down what it is exactly that christians actually believe.

It is said that it was at this council, that, which books were to be in the bible was decided. Something of interest to anyone who's read/seen Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown himself has said that what he has researched - the 'facts' his book was based on, were fictional).

The references used within each of the books themselves, were used to specfically include books that were seen as 'canonical' .

Constantine had sent an invitation to every single christian church that existed at that time. And the journey was free for each of their leaders to attend. Thus a vote was taken by pretty much every church leader, and the resulting vote - an overwhelming majority of 300 to 2 decided what was canonical.

Since the LDS, (the term 'Mormons' is pejorative) believe themselves to be christian, the fact that they dont hold to the full Nicene Creed makes them by (christian definition) a cult. Ie, applying the dictionary definition, they are false/faddish as far christianity is concerned (as they claim to be christian).

For the same reason the Jehovah's Witnesses are also doctrinally defined as a cult - they don't believe in the full definition of what is commonly accepted as being christian.

Generally most churches are careful about being heretical, since you are either a christian or you are not. It is the same one faith,one truth. Being loose and easy with the truth (and effecting someone else's relationship with God) is quite a serious thing..

Truth is not seen in the relatavistic sense it is seen outside christian spirituality. It is absolute, and intrinsically bound to the fabric of the spiritual laws (and the person of Jesus and the Spirit).

And incidently, it don't make a blind bit of difference whether you're a believer or not, if your values are in accord with the truth, it will be seen, and will have it's effect in your life (not being bound up does make a difference though).


It is not wrong to be in ignorance of aspects of the truth, but by keeping to the truth, references in the New Testament unify and define it in christians by the Spirit.

The largest book in the bible Psalm 119 (the Psalms are themselves a collection of books) expounds how King David saw the connection between truth and spiritual laws.

Jesus says that whoever would hold to his teachings .. would know the truth and that it would set them free. It is implicitly understood that the Spirit defines truth to every believer.

Answer 5

Let me tell you a little story. They have a commerical on TV talking about Jesus, and they advertised a free tape. So I called the listed number to get the tape about Jesus. They said they would come out to talk to me, and bring the tape. When they showed up, it must have been about 6 of them. Only thing that pushed me really away, was the fact they kept talking about a man named Joseph Smith more than Jesus. I was already saved, and know the truth...There is none higher than Jesus other than God the Father. And I actually told them why do you always end every sentence with Joseph Smith.?
They have their own so-called translation of the Bible, which is the Book of Mormons. As a Christian it was a bizarre experience. I threw their tape and so-called Book of Mormon away.

Answer 6

Because that is what most of the major religions consider them to be. Out on the fringe.

The Book of Mormon was written by a man named Solomon Spaulding, not transcribed from magic tablets plowed up in New York. There were many cults formed in the first half of the 19th. century in the U.S. a few survive, the Mormons being perhaps the largest of them.

.

Answer 7

all religions are a cult
The word "culture" comes from it.
So long as they are not "occult" it's okay.
The negative connotations of "cult" came in the sixties when every man and his dog started their own religion based on their own idea of what God wanted them to do. Cults of this sort came and went. Men set up themeselves as leaders, and did what they wanted using God as an excuse. Some were well-intentioned, but most died a quiet death.

Thinking of an established religion as a cult seems odd after that, but indeed, it is, as is any religion. In fact, there are even cults within religions, such as the cult of the Blessed Virgin Mary within the Catholic Church.

The base word, interestingly is also used in "cultivate" which means to help things grow.

Answer 8

What is your definition of a cult?

Wikipedia says:

A cult is a cohesive group of people (often a relatively small and recently founded religious movement) devoted to beliefs or practices that the surrounding culture or society considers to be far outside the mainstream.

LDS certainly satisfies all three conditions.

By this definition, many of the more conservative Protestant groups (e.g., those who take Genesis literally) are also considered cults. I certainly consider them to be cults.

Two thousand years ago, Catholicism was a cult (by this definition). Today is is the largest religion in the world (one out of every six people is a Catholic).

Answer 9

The word cult is a relative term. To us they are a cult, to them we are the cult. In Christianity the cult term has to do with religions that accept or reject the deity of Christ. Since the Mormons do not accept the idea that Christ is God then to us they are a cult. Catholics accept the deity of Christ so they are classified as a false religion.

Answer 10

Good answer Prav! top notch; gets my vote.

Heavy shepherding, and unspiritual revelations leading people away from the Authority of Jesus Christ all add up to one thing! Cult manipulation. Youch :s