why are Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses considered cults?

Question

I do consider them cults as they do weird stuff.

Answer 1

Mostly because they use other documents as scripture and claim that belonging to their church is salvation. Their system is also built on good deeds.

Answer 2

One you think they're cults because they are weird? First you have to know what weird means, strikingly odd or unusual. You may indeed say this is what the groups mentioned are. Thats only a personal opinion, but as the question asks "Why are Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses considered cults?" Well it is because they are one of the only peoples in church that do in fact go door to door to spread their message. Is this always the right thing to do? No. They are considered weird because of their friendliness and their openness to spread their word.

Answer 3

I guess it is in the eye of the beholder. However, cults cut you off from the rest of the world and don't allow you contact with any of your immediate family. They also seem to require its members to turnover all the worldly possessions to the "church".

The Mormon Church does not do either. They do not cut you off from the rest of the world and only "require" that you pay tithing (10% which is what other churches do.)

I'm sure all Religions do "weird stuff", but the Mormon church seems to be single out more than others, which I don't think is particularily fair. There are other religions that are not generally considered to be cults, although I might.

Also, if doing "wierd stuff"makes you a cult, then how come Native Indians and Budism isn't consider a cult. There Religions do "wierd stuff" compare to Christian Churches.

Answer 4

Well Jehovah's Witnesses only use the Bible, not other books, But then I do not under stand either of these religions described as cults. No members has commit Mass suicide, no members have commit mass murder. There are to many of both to fit in a Wacko Texas compound, or a space ship!Oh and by the way, they both work in the community at regular jobs,pay taxes, sent the kids to public school for the most part. a few don't! So were is the cult??????

What weird stuff do they do? Jesus said preach door to door and in the Synagogue and by twos. So what is weird??? really...

Answer 5

Most people do not consider them cults although I will agree they are on the outer fringes of mainstream Christianity. Many of their customs seem weird to outsiders (such as not allowing blood transfusions, not celebrating birthdays, having separate parts of the worship for males and females, etc.) but what religion doesn't? For the record, mainstream Mormons do not believe in polygamy. The group that practices that is a break-off fundamentalist Mormon sect. They are as different from regular Mormons as the suicide bombers are from regular Muslims. Back to my point on weirdness though, banning birth control(Catholics) or banning dancing (Baptists) can seem pretty weird to outsiders too but would you consider those religions to be cults as well? I guess it all depends on your definition of a cult.

Answer 6

Some of the most frequently quoted characteristics of a cult are:

1) centered on a charismatic leader and/or prophet who is considered absolutely right and, in the case of Christian-based cults, is considered at least as important as Jesus.

2) additional revelations that are added to an accepted canon of holy writings

Both Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses have a leader figure who added new revelations to the Bible, especially the Mormons.

Of course, it always depends on your perspective:

Who is the Pope, but a charismatic leader, who is "infallible"....? Yet Catholicism is not considered a cult.

In its beginnings, people considered Islam a Christian sect, because the Koran contains parts of the Torah and the New Testament. And Mohammed, what is he? .... yet now Islam is considered a different religion.

Answer 7

In religion and sociology, a cult is a term designating a cohesive group of people (generally, but not exclusively a relatively small and recently founded religious movement[1]) devoted to beliefs or practices that the surrounding culture or society considers to be outside the mainstream. Its status may come about either due to its novel belief system, its idiosyncratic practices, its perceived harmful effects on members, or because its perceived opposition to the interests of the mainstream culture. Non-religious groups may also display cult-like characteristics.

In common usage "cult" has a negative connotation and is generally applied to a group by opponents for a variety of reasons. "This popular use of the term has gained such credence and momentum that it has virtually swallowed up the more neutral historical meaning of the term from the sociology of religion" James T. Richardson wrote in 1993. Understandably, most, if not all, groups that are called "cults" reject this label. Some anthropologists and sociologists studying cults have argued that no one has yet been able to define “cult” in a way that enables the term to identify only groups that have been identified as problematic: Richardson's 1993 article summarized the scholarly dialogue.

The literal and traditional meaning of the word cult is derived from the Latin cultus, meaning "care" or "adoration," as "a system of religious belief or ritual; or: the body of adherents to same" 32. In English, it remains neutral and a technical term within this context to refer to the "cult of Artemis at Ephesus" and the "cult figures" that accompanied it, or to "the importance of the Ave Maria in the cult of the Virgin." This usage is more fully explored in the entry Cult (religious practice).

In non-English European terms, the cognates of the English word "cult" are neutral, and refer mainly to divisions within a single faith, a case where English speakers might use the word "sect," as in "Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism are sects (or denominations) within Christianity." In French or Spanish, culte or culto simply means "worship" or "religious attendance"; thus an association cultuelle is an association whose goal is to organize religious worship and practices.

The word for "cult" in the popular English meaning is secte (French) or secta (Spanish). In German the usual word used for the English cult is Sekte, which also has other definitions. A similar case is the Russian word sekta.

Answer 8

When Christians teach about cults they are mostly referring to a theological, not necessarily a behaviorial sense (doing "weird stuff", as you said). They are cults in the way that both groups deny orthodox Christian teaching on the nature of God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, the Trinity, the Bible and salvation. These groups claim to believe in all these things, but on closer inspection, the definition of these terms is very different when compared with orthodox meanings.

They would also claim to be the "One True Church" -anyone outside their organization would be condemned for not following their "truth". For LDS, Joseph Smith told them that practitioners and clergy who taught in Christian Churches were an abomination. For JW, Christians are not followers of Jehovah and will not inherit Paradise Earth.

These statements will make their members very angry; however, if they are honest with us and themselves, they will admit that they do not believe in the teachings that most people who identify as Christians follow. It really is dishonest to say, "We're Christians, just like you!" while adamantly disagreeing with the doctrines essential to the Biblical definition of Christianity

Answer 9

Counter question, what weird stuff? JW's rewrote the bible I guess. The Mormons have a Book of Mormon. Both are pretty fervent in their beliefs. But over all, I think that the Catholics have all the most mystic stuff, exorcism and selling of indulgences and that difficult to interpret Nicene creed. Well, whatever. You can't be a hater in this day and age.

Answer 10

Here's a more objective reason to consider them cults (Webster's New World College Dictionary):

1 (a) a system of religious worship or ritual (b) a quasi-religious group, often living in a colony, with a charismatic leader who indoctrinates members with unorthodox or extremist views, practices or beliefs 2 (a) devoted attachment to, or extravagant admiration for, a person, principle, or lifestyle, esp. when regarded as a fad [the *cult* of nudism] (b) the object of such attachment 3 (a) group of followers; sect

"1 (b)" should do it.

If you really want to explore this further, here's a good site: http://www.lcms.org/graphics/assets/media/CTCR/Overview%20of%20Cults.pdf#xml=http://www.lcms.org/ca/search/dtsearch.asp?cmd=pdfhits&DocId=1311&Index=F%3a%5cinetpub%5cwwwroot%5clcmsorg%5cdb%5csearch%5clcmsnew&HitCount=23&hits=1+e+84+d8+157+165+176+17d+198+1ab+1b7+1bb+1dd+1e4+1e8+3be+3e8+463+470+47f+48d+4fb+519+&hc=490&req=cults

Answer 11

Definition of Cult:
1: formal religious veneration : worship
2: a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents
3: a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents
4: a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator
5 a: great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad b: the object of such devotion c: a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion


It's not that it's necessarily from any weird, or "secret" practices. It's just about what the actual definition of a "Cult" is.