is mormonism really a cult?

Question

what exactly is a cult?

Answer 1

Cults:

The term, 'cult’, is used of a group, church or organization whose central teachings and/or practices are claimed to be biblical, but which are in fact unbiblical.

The term can also be applied to groups, organizations or churches whose statement of faith may sound orthodox, but who add aberrant, heterodox, sub-orthodox and/or heretical teachings to such an extend that the essential doctrines of the Christian faith are negatively affected.

It should be noted that in addition to aberrant, unorthodox, and/or heretical doctrines, many - but not all - religious cults also have excessive or abusive sociological characteristics (e.g. authoritarian leadership patterns, strict conformity requirements, manipulative controls, etc.)

"Central doctrines" of the Christian faith are those doctrines that make the Christian faith Christian and not something else.

The Christian faith is a definite system of beliefs with definite content (Jude 3). Certain Christian doctrines constitute the core of the faith.

Central doctrines include the Trinity (One God, three Persons), the deity of Christ as the second person of the Trinity, the bodily resurrection, the atoning work of Christ on the cross, and salvation by grace through faith. These doctrines so comprise the essence of the Christian faith that to remove any of them is to make the belief system non-Christian.

Scripture teaches that the beliefs mentioned above are of central importance (e.g., Matt. 28:19; John 8:24; 1 Cor. 15; Eph. 2:8-10).

Because these central doctrines define the character of Christianity, one cannot be saved and deny these.

Central doctrines should not be confused with peripheral issues, about which Christians may legitimately disagree. Peripheral (i.e. non-essential) doctrines include such issues as the timing of the tribulation, the method of baptism, or the structure of church government. For example, one can be wrong about the identity of "the spirits in prison" 1 Peter 3:19) or about the timing of the rapture and still go to heaven, but one cannot deny salvation by grace or the deity of Christ (John 8:24) and be saved.

All Christian denominations — whether Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Protestant — agree on the essential core. The relatively minor disagreements between genuinely Christian denominations, then, cannot be used to argue that there is no objectively recognized core of fundamental doctrine which constitutes the Christian faith.

Mormonism:

One can carefully study the doctrines and theologies of the Mormon beliefs (see sources below), and can then form their own conclusions. I see no issue with someone objectively stating their opinions if they are based on a rational analysis of the issues. I have found the non-Christian religions, such as Mormonism, to be philosophically indefensible, being internally incoherent or undermining human reason and experience.

Mormonism Summary:
http://www.carm.org/lds/nutshell.htm

Is Mormonism Christian?:
http://www.carm.org/lds/lds_christian.htm

Doctrinal Writings of Mormon Leaders:
http://www.carm.org/lds/lds_doctrines.htm

More details for those wanting to go deeper:
http://www.carm.org/mormon.htm
http://www.mormonchallenge.com/ref_compare.htm
http://www.mrm.org/

Answer 2

A ' cult' is a group who follow the teachings of a man, rather than what the Bible teaches.
Mormons follow the teachings of Joseph Smith through his book, " The book of Mormon".
They rarely use the Bible, except where it agrees with the Book of Mormon.
As such they could be classed as a cult.

Answer 3

Yes. It is largely dependent on the teachings of just one man, thus making it a cult.

1) Ask them why no archeological evidence had ever been found to validate the stories in the Book of Mormon.
2) Ask them why and how the Book of Mormon was written in some reformed Egyptian.
3) Ask them why the Book of Mormon condemns paligamy while Joseph Smith advocated it and threatened his on wife in Doctrine and Covenants 136. ( i think that chapter is right.)
4) Ask them why large chunks of scripture are lifted directly out of the New Testament, even though NT is written in Greek and the BoM is written in Reformed Egyptian. Ask them why you can't just be a Christian.
5) Ask them why the BoM came from God via 1 man, when the Bible came to man via dozens of men, 8 for the NT.

Answer 4

1)Ask them why no archeological evidence had ever been found to validate the stories in the Book of Mormon.

There is much archaeological evidence for the Book of Mormon.

2)Ask them why and how the Book of Mormon was written in some reformed Egyptian.

It was written in the language and learning of the writers.


3)Ask them why the Book of Mormon condemns paligamy while Joseph Smith advocated it and threatened his on wife in Doctrine and Covenants 136. ( i think that chapter is right.)

The Book of Mormon says that plural marriage is ONLY to be practiced when commanded by God.

There is nothing threatening Emma, and it's section 132.

4)Ask them why large chunks of scripture are lifted directly out of the New Testament, even though NT is written in Greek and the BoM is written in Reformed Egyptian. Ask them why you can't just be a Christian.

Why would Christ teach the people on one side of the world one thing, and then go to the other side of the world and teach something totally different?

To be a Christian is to follow ALL of God's commandments.

5)Ask them why the BoM came from God via 1 man, when the Bible came to man via dozens of men, 8 for the NT.v

The Bible came to us via HUNDREDS of men. The Book of Mormon came from Nephi, Jacob, Alma, Mosiah, Helaman, Mormon, Moroni, etc., before it was translated by Joseph Smith.

anti-occult, you should not spout off about things you know nothing about. Your answer was just SO wrong, it's hard to know what to correct first.

askMr... “One can carefully study the doctrines and theologies of the Mormon beliefs (see sources below), and can then form their own conclusions.” You know, I didn't see ONE LDS site in that group. All are anti-Mormon sites. Anti, means AGAINST. Means they will say anything to get you to hate us. Don't you think that, if you want to know what Mormons REALLY believe, you should go to OUR web sites? Or are you afraid to?

riverkid, One of the big reasons I joined the LDS church was because of the Bible.

Answer 5

yes almost all religions are cults

Answer 6

what is that? thats means is a cult

Answer 7

yes

just like christianity is a cult

Answer 8

Yes, they are a closed knit community who keep to themselves to keep members away from non-brainwashed folks.
They beleive they are Gods themselves, Black people are sinners, they are white supremists, why do they even worship God, since they believe themselves gods.

Answer 9

If you know anything about the Bible, you would definitely see that it is.

Answer 10

yes
but Christianity is not.
Christians believe in God and Jesus.
Mormons believe they can become God and that Jesus' brother is Lucifer.