Is Mormonism a cult or a religion?

Question

What is the difference? Can a religion also be a cult. I understand that Latter Day Saints is a cult because of its racist beliefs against the African race, because they force you to tithe, and because of their beliefs asserting that men will get their own planets when they die and have a harem. Mormonism sounds a lot like Islam.

Also, how many virgins are you promised in the Mormon heaven?

Answer 1

Its a cult.

Answer 2

[What is the difference? Can a religion also be a cult.]
The most-commonly-found use of the noun "cult" is "Those people don't worship the way I do, so I am going to jeer at them." Use of the word says more for the user than it does for the target -- just as someone who uses a word rhyming with TRIGGER to describe the late Ray Charles proclaims to one and all "I am rude and tactless."
Any member of any religious persuasion can use the term "cult" to describe any other religious persuasion.
I once read a detailed definition of "cult" written by a professional cult-basher. Interestingly enough, the Original Christian Church as described in the New Testament fit each and every point exactly! (Such was not the writer's intent, but it was the result he achieved.)

[I understand that Latter Day Saints is a cult because of its racist beliefs against the African race]
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints never had racist beliefs against *any* race.
From April 1830 until June 1978, members with sub-Saharan African ancestry were not able to receive the Priesthood. Why not?
The first we read of the Priesthood in the days of Moses, it was to be given to the worthy male members of the Tribe of Levi.
Why not both the male and female members of Levi?
Why only the tribe of Levi -- why not all worthy male Israelites?
If only one tribe, why Levi? Why not Ephraim? or Judah? or Benjamin? or Dan? or another tribe?
Why didn't God want the Negroes to hold the Priesthood from 1830 to 1978? What suddenly happened in 1978 to make things different?
The answer to all of the above questions is I DON'T KNOW. The Priesthood is God's power to give or withhold. Rather than sneering at us for following the orders He gives us, it would be more-to-the-point to take the matter up with Him.

[they force you to tithe]
I have been a member since 28 May 1973 (four weeks before I turned 20), and I have *never* been forced to tithe or do anything else.
(How could a church force a member to tithe?)

[and because of their beliefs asserting that men will get their own planets when they die and have a harem.]
I don't believe any such thing, nor is any such thing a part of LDS teachings.

[Also, how many virgins are you promised in the Mormon heaven?]
*I* am promised, provided I endure to the end, life with my wife and children.

Answer 3

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is a religion. A Cult is a small, radical branch of a religion. The LDS church has 12 million members. We don't have racist beliefs against other races and no one forces you to pay a tithe. Look what tithing does- we have large, beautiful meeting houses that are always kept extremely nice, and we have temples- some of the greatest architecture of the last two hundred years.

Answer 4

Most people understand a cult to be an organization that works at isolating its followers from contact with other people who might try to remove them from the cult. The "Mormons" are not a cult, by that definition.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a religion, by all definitions of that term. The Church, as a whole, is not racist; and if it was, that would not make it a cult. All people, of all races, are invited to come and learn about the Gospel, and are invited to join. We have members of all races. The Church is quite popular in Africa.

The Church does not "force" its members to tithe. The members tithe freely.

I have been a member for 30 years, and have never heard anything about getting a planet and a harem when we die. If I had been taught that, I'd probably not have joined. Sure sounds strange to me. I was taught that if I work at perfecting myself (as all religions teach), I have the possibility of becoming "like God". That to me sounds reasonable, but may be misinterpreted by those who do not understand the Gospel plan.

Answer 5

I have seen two major definitions of what a "cult" is. From the book "Kindgom of the Cults" by Walter Martin:

"By the term cult I mean nothing derogatory to any group so classified. A cult, as I define it, is any religious group which differs significantly in one or more respects as to belief or practice from those religious groups which are regarded as the normative expressions of religion in our total culture."

I would say by this definition that every new religion can most likely be considered as a cult. That would even encompass Christianity in the time of Christ and the first few hundred years thereafter. However, this personally isn't the kind of cult I'd be worried about. It's the kind of organization next depicted that worries me.

From the second, and in my opinion more important, definition of a cult I mirror that found in "Releasing the Bonds" by Steven Hassan, America's Leading Cult Counselor:

"There are many different types of destructive cults, and the diversity of cult beliefs and practices sometimes make it hard for family members and friends to decide whether their loved one is in trouble or not. Although there are still groups whose followers cut their hair short and wear identical clothing, like the members of Heaven's Gate, this is by no means the most modern-day cult groups. Today, for example, many cults require their members to wear business suits so that they blend in with their environment.

All cult members may not look alike, but I have found that destructive cults follow specific behavior patterns that set them apart from other groups. ... A group should not be considered a "cult" merely because of its unorthodox beliefs or practices. Instead, destructive cults are distinguished by their use of deception and mind control techniques to undermine a person's free will and make him dependent on the group's leader."

If that doesn't nail Mormonism down to a "T" then I don't know what does. Check out this guy's website, book, and other references.

Answer 6

You were not kidding when you said you had "strong feelings" against the Mormon Church. In my opinion your feelings are misplaced. From what I have read in your question is that you are very much against the FLDS church which aren't Mormons at all. Hey may have started from the LDS church, but when the LDS church banned polygamy they decided that it was still a legitimate practice and therefore apostatized from the main LDS church. In the main LDS church there may be pedophiles and molesters, however, they are usually caught and excommunicated from the church and turned over to the local authorities for further punishment. Those that cause physical and mental abuse suffer the same fate as the pedophiles....excommunication. With 13 million members worldwide, Mormonism is a religion and by that definition and the definition of Merriam-Webster also a cult.

Answer 7

I think you need to learn more about cults before asserting, wrongly that a group of folks is some kind is a cult. The reasons you assert that make a religion a cult is incorrect. Part of what makes a group a cult is unquestioningly following the orders of THE one person who you probably think is God. Little if no contact with the outside world. example: Jim Jones, he had his group isolated, and when he told them to kill themselves, they did. Does that sound like Latter Day Saints? Don't think so.

Blessed Be

Answer 8

We have no racist beliefs against the "African race"; we have black members all over the world.

No one is FORCED to tithe. We are encouraged to do so. But no one is FORCED.

No man is promised any harem of virgins when he dies. That is Islam, not us. We are promised that, if we continue as God wants, we may be as He is, and our families are sealed for time and all eternity. He may be given another eternal companion, but no harem of virgins.

BTW, the anti-Mormon definition of CULT:

CULT: n., church down the road that I don't belive and don't like, that I want others to fear and hate as much as I do.

CHRISTIAN: n., someone who believes exactly as I do, and ONLY as I do, about Jesus Christ.

Answer 9

Mormonism is a religion with God at its core belief. I haven't seen any hatred against the African race. The L.D.S. Church
encourages its members to tithe.

Answer 10

A cult is defined as a group (usually small) with great "conflict" (not necessarily physical) with outside society. The Mormon Church is usually considered a sect, a group with varying degrees of acceptance with society.

I've never heard your claim that Mormons claim they get their own planets when they die.

Answer 11

All religions are cults. It all started at with the fable of the Garden, the tree was 'knowledge'. The rest of it is just an attempt to explain those things that are fearful to us..When someone/thing says to tune in to the TRUTH this S day, run, don't walk, run the opposite way for no-one knows, the TRUTH. what is it?
John Lennon might have had something; (a true)pbuh.