Are Mormons Christians or a cult

[Thunderbird]

Last night PBS aired a Frontline documentary on Mormonism's {LDS} history and beliefs, and I must say it does not resemble the usual tenants of Christianity that I am familiar with.
Helping the poor
forgiveness

They also believe American Indians are the lost tribe Israel.



What do you think?

[Buffy]

Originally Posted by Thunderbird

What do you think?

I think this is troll-bait.

Either you think the word "cult" has positive connotations, or you're not-so-subtlety demeaning Mormonism.

Watch your step!

I don't hate people, I just feel better when they aren't around,
Buffy

[Thunderbird]

Originally Posted by Buffy

I think this is troll-bait.

Either you think the word "cult" has positive connotations, or you're not-so-subtlety demeaning Mormonism.

Watch your step!

I don't hate people, I just feel better when they aren't around,
Buffy

If PBS frontline seems to think this is a worthy of disscusion why not this forum.
This is the reason I bring this up now, Did you watch the documentry.

[Thunderbird]

Originally Posted by Buffy

I think this is troll-bait.

Either you think the word "cult" has positive connotations, or you're not-so-subtlety demeaning Mormonism.

Watch your step!

I don't hate people, I just feel better when they aren't around,
Buffy

Cult

A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader.
The followers of such a religion or sect.
A system or community of religious worship and ritual.
The formal means of expressing religious reverence; religious ceremony and ritual.
A usually nonscientific method or regimen claimed by its originator to have exclusive or exceptional power in curing a particular disease.

Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing.
The object of such devotion.

This definition pretty well describes what I saw last night.

[Buffy]

Originally Posted by Thunderbird

If PBS frontline seems to think this is a worthy of disscusion why not this forum.

The general *topic* is perfectly fine. The word "cult" however is your own: it does not appear anywhere on the pages on pbs.org promoting the show.

So are you claiming that the word "cult" has no pejorative connotations?

It would be disingenuous, however, not to point out that some things are considered as morally certain, that is, as having sufficient certainty for application to ordinary life, even though they may be uncertain in relation to the absolute power of God,
Buffy

[Thunderbird]

Originally Posted by Buffy

The general *topic* is perfectly fine. The word "cult" however is your own: it does not appear anywhere on the pages on pbs.org promoting the show.

So are you claiming that the word "cult" has no pejorative connotations?

:
Buffy

The only connotations besides the one I gave is the common one of "A religion younger than 500 years" in other words it is and cannot be easily defined, thus the question posed here. Keep in mind the other major Christian religions do not recognize LDS as a true Christian Religion and Mormonism does not recognize any other Christian group, but consider them as apostate. That in mind what do you suppose their official Classification of this group.

[Buffy]

Well, maybe we should start by defining "pejorative."

Originally Posted by dictionary.com

pe·jo·ra·tive –adjective
1. having a disparaging, derogatory, or belittling effect or force

The words I've bolded below qualify as such:

Originally Posted by Thunderbird

Cult

Extremist? False? Obsessive? Do you claim you would have no negative reaction if others used those words to describe you?

Originally Posted by Thunderbird

The only connotations besides the one I gave is the common one of "A religion younger than 500 years" in other words it is and cannot be easily defined, thus the question posed here.

...and that's one of the main qualities of a pejorative term: its an ill-defined epithet most often used to disparage those you disagree with.

If you want to try to clinically define "cult," why limit this discussion to Mormonism?

Note that I'm not saying that this kind of discussion is out of bounds, but you may wish to be a little bit more formal and objective than you've been so far in this thread, without resorting to definitions that actually do your argument more harm than good.

Originally Posted by Thunderbird

Keep in mind the other major Christian religions do not recognize LDS as a true Christian Religion and Mormonism does not recognize any other Christian group, but consider them as apostate. That in mind what do you suppose their official Classification of this group.

How is this different than any other minority faith? How is this different than past rifts between Catholics and Protestants or Sunni's and Shi'a? Sure Sunni's call Shi'a a "cult" but it is indeed an epithet, and you're not likely to get very far with a topic like "Is Shi'a Islam a Cult?" either...

Words, words, mere words, no matter from the heart,
Buffy

[Thunderbird]

Originally Posted by Buffy

Extremist? False? Obsessive? Do you claim you would have no negative reaction if others used those words to describe you?
...and that's one of the main qualities of a pejorative term: its an ill-defined epithet most often used to disparage those you disagree with.

If you want to try to clinically define "cult," why limit this discussion to Mormonism?


Buffy

These words your using can describe many religions, but my concern is do these religions victimize the followers. I believe this is a distinction that can be made here on what is a cult and what is a chosen religion.

"Members who question, doubt, or dissent with the group's beliefs are discouraged or punished."

"The group uses techniques that numb the mind to suppress doubts about the group and its leaders. These include long work routines, denunciation sessions, meditating, chanting, or speaking in tongues."

"The group's leaders tell members how they should act, think, and feel. For example, members must get their love life and jobs okayed. Leaders may tell them what kind of clothes to wear, where to live, how to raise their children, etc."

"The group sees itself as especially and uniquely blessed; for example, the leader is believed to be a Messiah or avatar, or the leader and the group have special orders to save the world."

"The group has an us-versus-them outlook, which puts it in conflict with mainstream culture."

"The group's leaders are accountable only to themselves and are not guided by or disciplined by any higher authorities as are, for example, military officers, and the ministers, priests, and rabbis of mainstream religions. The group believes its goals justify methods that members would have considered unethical before joining, such as raising money for fake charities."

"The leaders manipulate the members into feeling guilty in order to maintain control."

"Because members become subservient to the group, they cut ties to friends, families and the personal goals and activities they had before joining."

"The group expects its members to devote inordinate amounts of time to it."

"The group encourages or requires its members to live or socialize only with each other."

[Thunderbird]

Double post

[Pyrotex]

Originally Posted by Thunderbird

These words your using can describe many religions, but my concern is do these religions victimize the followers. I believe this is a distinction that can be made here on what is a cult and what is a chosen religion.

The bottom lines are these:
This is a Science website.
This is a privately owned and strictly moderated website.
You have been asked very politely to behave yourself.
You are obviously trying to get "as close to the line" as you can without crossing over it--at least, not with your whole foot.
We are under no obligation to prove anything to you or to accept your personal definitions.