Opinion: Is Mormonism a cult?

Associated Baptist Press ^ | October 31, 2011 | Jim Denison

[delacoert]

Robert Jeffress made national headlines recently with his assertion that Mormonism is a "cult" and a "false religion." Peter Wehner, a political commentator whose blog I read regularly, immediately criticized what he termed "the theological and political errors of Pastor Jeffress."

What are the facts behind the firestorm? Is Mormonism a "cult?” The answer depends on your definition of the term.

If by "cult" you mean the popular caricature of a manipulative group that practices mind control and exploits its members, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints clearly does not qualify.

However, scholars use the word differently. According to Walter Martin's definitive The Rise of the Cults, a "cult" is "a group of people polarized around someone's interpretation of the Bible and is characterized by major deviations from orthodox Christianity relative to the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith, particularly the fact that God became man in Christ Jesus." They claim a founder other than Jesus, follow a book other than the Bible, accept beliefs outside traditional Christianity, and seek salvation in ways other than by grace through faith.

There is no question that Mormons claim to be Christians. Responding to Jeffress, the church released a statement claiming that "Christ is at the center of our worship, study, service and faith." But what do they believe about God?

Their movement was founded 1,800 years after Christ by Joseph Smith (1805-44). He taught that "God was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens" (King Follett Discourses). According to Smith, "The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's" (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). The church teaches that God the Father in his glorified physical body had sexual intercourse with the virgin Mary, resulting in the conception of the physical Christ (Journal of Discourses 1:51; 4:218).

Do they follow a book other than the Bible? In addition to Scripture, they consider the Book of Mormon to be "another testament of Jesus Christ" revealed by Jesus to descendants of Israel living in early America. They also follow Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price, compendiums of theology and prescribed practices.

Do they accept beliefs outside traditional Christianity? Smith taught plural marriage as a "new and everlasting covenant" (Doctrine and Covenants 132:1,4). Though the church repudiated polygamy in 1890, some splinter groups still follow the practice. They baptize for the dead, believing that this action can speed the progress of the deceased in the afterlife.

Do they seek salvation in ways other than by grace through faith? Mormons believe that baptism purges their Gentile blood and replaces it with the blood of Abraham through the Holy Spirit. In this way they become the actual offspring of Abraham (History of the Church 3:380). They believe in three levels of glory: The telestial kingdom (for those who have no testimony of Christ); the terrestial kingdom (for those who fail the requirements of exaltation); and the celestial kingdom (reserved for members of the Mormon church who will become gods; Doctrine and Covenants 132:20)

Are Mormons Christians? That depends on the degree to which they accept the non-biblical teachings of their faith regarding God and salvation. I have met Mormons who assure me that they have asked the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive their sins and become their personal Savior and Lord. Many do not know as much about their church's doctrines as I do. However, I have also met Mormons who believe that their progress toward the celestial kingdom depends not on Jesus' sacrifice but on their missionary work and other church activities.

One final issue: Should the Mormon beliefs of Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman influence Christians as they decide which candidate to support for president? Our decision should be informed by our answers to two prior questions. First, to what extent do Romney and Huntsman accept the non-Christian elements of their faith? Second, to what degree would decisions made by the president be impacted by uniquely Mormon beliefs?

[Elsie]

Is anti-Mormonism a cult too?

Well; we DO have our secret writings. Right fellow Cultists?

[Elsie]

Every Halloween, in a sincere pumpkin patch...

[Tennessee Nana]

Late 70s early 80s

The flyleaf gave credit to the Royal Ambassadors for allowing the Royal Rangers to use some of their material i think...

and yes any boy could join...

they had much the same program my brother had been in when he was a Baden-Powell type Wolf Cub and Boy Scout...

My sisters and I were in Brownies and Girl Guides Lady Baden-Powell style...

[samtheman]

If you don’t know they’re a cult, you haven’t studied their deeper teachings, which they don’t teach to people on the street because they have a saying, Milk Before Meat.

Reminds me of the Church of Scientology with their secret higher teachings that cost more money to get to and are only shared among a select few.

It's also kind of like Islam, where there is one truth for the outside world (as in "we will negotiate with Israel") in English, and another truth for the inner group ("we will never negotiate with Israel") in Arabic.

[Elsie]

My question is a simple one, do you believe I am a Christian, based on my statement that I “I prayed for forgiveness of my sins and called on the name of the Lord for Salvation?”

I do.

---

As long as you NEVER learn any more about Christ.

When certain other knowledge is REVEALED to you; you'll HAVE to make a decision: Do I believe that, TOO?

You can BELIEVE yourself right away from the 'saving grace of Christ'!

---

 

They would not listen, however, but persisted in their former practices.

Even while these people were worshiping the Lord, they were serving their idols.

To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their fathers did.

 

 2 Kings 17:40-41 

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Bot,
You wrote: “• Small? The Church of Jesus Christ (LDS) has 14 million members in 132 countries.”

Yep, it’s small... and of course we know that the church of mormons overcounts members who are long gone out of the morg. In fact, it counts members as members until age 100. This means it counts dead people. Of course, it has long had a fascination with the dead.

There are more Jehovah’s Witnesses than mormons and they are a Great American Cult too.

[Elsie]

MORMON leaders seemed to have BELIEVED some other things:

 

"He (Joseph Smith) is the man through whom God has spoken... yet I would not like to call him a savior, though in a certain capacity he was a god to us, and is to the nations of the earth, and will continue to be."

 - Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 8:321

 

 

"You call us fools; but the day will be, gentlemen and ladies, whether you belong to this Church or not, when you will prize brother Joseph Smith as the Prophet of the Living God, and look upon him as a god..."

- Herber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses 5:88

 

 

"If we get our salvation, we shall have to pass by him [Joseph Smith]; if we enter our glory, it will be through the authority he has received. We cannot get around him [Joseph Smith]"

- (as quoted in 1988 Melchizedek Priesthood Study Guide, p. 142)

 

 

There is "no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith. If Joseph Smith was verily a prophet, and if he told the truth...no man can reject that testimony without incurring the most dreadful consequences, for he cannot enter the kingdom of God"

- Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, p.190

 

 

"I tell you, Joseph holds the keys, and none of us can get into the celestial kingdom without passing by him. We have not got rid of him, but he stands there as the sentinel, holding the keys of the kingdom of God; and there are many of them beside him. I tell you, if we get past those who have mingled with us, and know us best, and have a right to know us best, probably we can pass all other sentinels as far as it is necessary, or as far as we may desire. But I tell you, the pinch will be with those that have mingled with us, stood next to us, weighed our spirits, tried us, and proven us: there will be a pinch, in my view, to get past them. The others, perhaps, will say, If brother Joseph is satisfied with you, you may pass. If it is all right with him, it is all right with me. Then if Joseph shall say to a man, or if brother Brigham say to a man, I forgive you your sins, "Whosoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them;" if you who have suffered and felt the weight of transgression—if you have generosity enough to forgive the sinner, I will forgive him: you cannot have more generosity than I have. I have given you power to forgive sins, and when the Lord gives a gift, he does not take it back again."

 - Orson Hyde, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6, p.154-155

 

 

 

"It is because the Lord called Joseph Smith that salvation is again available to mortal men.... If it had not been for Joseph Smith and the restoration, there would be no salvation,"

 - Bruce McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 396, 670

 

---

---

They succeeded in killing Joseph, but he had finished his work.

He was a servant of God, and gave us the Book of Mormon.

He said the Bible was right in the main, but, through the translators and others, many precious portions were suppressed, and several other portions were wrongly translated; and now his testimony is in force, for he has sealed it with his blood.

As I have frequently told them, no man in this dispensation will enter the courts of heaven, without the approbation of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Jun.

Who has made this so?

Have I?

Have this people?

Have the world?

No; but the Lord Jehovah has decreed it.

If I ever pass into the heavenly courts, it will be by the consent of the Prophet Joseph.

If you ever pass through the gates into the Holy City, you will do so upon his certificate that you are worthy to pass.

Can you pass without his inspection?

No; neither can any person in this dispensation, which is the dispensation of the fulness of times.

In this generation, and in all the generations that are to come, everyone will have to undergo the scrutiny of this Prophet.

They say that they killed Joseph, and they will yet come with their hats under their arms and bend to him; but what good will it do them, unless they repent?

They can come in a certain way and find favor, but will they?

 Brigham Young,

--JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES, vol. 8, p. 224

[Elsie]

I also ‘believe’ the Parable of the Sower may have some bearing here.

[Elsie]

...but they do NOT believe that I am a Christian but still tell me that "we're Christians too."

I 'believe' there is a word for that and it starts with the letter aich.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Control??

How about one of the most personal parts of a person’s life - underwear?

... Did you type your post while wearing magic underwear?
... Did the leadership insist you to wear it to be acceptable to one of the mormon gods?
... If you don’t wear it, are you pleasing to your leadership or to your gods?

[ScubieNuc]

Where do the various creeds fit into this definition?

I'm sure the creeds were created with the best of intentions. I believe they were a way to summarize what the leaders at the time thought were the core of Christianity. Most people were illiterate so memorizing the Creeds was easier then memorizing the all of scriptures.

Basically, I would say that whatever there is in the creeds that can be fully substantiated in Scripture is good, but those parts which are ambiguous (Jesus decending into Hell) or not supported (specific mention of the Catholic church) should not be followed or believed out right. Because those kinds of things are mentioned, though, it does mean that early Christians valued them, so studying them is worth while.

I look at the creeds like the writings of Billy Graham, they have some insight, but they aren't infallible. Where Billy's thoughts and writings can be confirmed in Scripture, great, follow it. But where it doesn't, don't.

[Elsie]

ARRRGH!!!

Mom was a MORMON!!!

She ALWAYS wanted to make sure I wore CLEAN ones!

[Elsie]

GOOD Mormons are Temple Worthy - they pass this test EVERY year:

Temple Recommend Questions

---

1 Do you have faith in and a testimony of God the Eternal Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost?

2 Do you have a testimony of the Atonement of Christ and of His role as Savior and Redeemer?

3 Do you have a testimony of the restoration of the gospel in these the latter days?

4 Do you sustain the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the Prophet, Seer, and Revelator and as the only person on the earth who possesses and is authorized to exercise all priesthood keys? Do you sustain members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators? Do you sustain the other General Authorities and local authorities of the Church?

5 Do you live the law of chastity?

6 Is there anything in your conduct relating to members of your family that is not in harmony with the teachings of the Church?

7 Do you support, affiliate with, or agree with any group or individual whose teachings or practices are contrary to or oppose those accepted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

8 Do you strive to keep the covenants you have made, to attend your sacrament and other meetings, and to keep your life in harmony with the laws and commandments of the gospel?

9 Are you honest in your dealings with your fellowmen?

10 Are you a full-tithe payer?

11 Do your keep the Word of Wisdom?

12 Do you have financial or other obligations to a former spouse or children? If yes, are you current in meeting those obligations?

13 If you have previously received your temple endowment:

Do you keep the covenants that you made in the temple?
Do you wear the garment both night and day as instructed in the endowment and in accordance with the covenant you made in the temple?

14 Have there been any sins or misdeeds in your life that should have been resolved with priesthood authorities but have not been?

15 Do you consider yourself worthy to enter the Lord's house and participate in temple ordinances?

 

 

1 Timothy 4:1-2
1. The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
2. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.

 

1 Timothy 1:3-4
3. As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer
4. nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work--which is by faith.

 

1 Timothy 6:3-5
3. If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching,
4. he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions
5. and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

Temple Recommend Questions

---

1 Do you have faith in and a testimony of God the Eternal Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost?

2 Do you have a testimony of the Atonement of Christ and of His role as Savior and Redeemer?

3 Do you have a testimony of the restoration of the gospel in these the latter days?

4 Do you sustain the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the Prophet, Seer, and Revelator and as the only person on the earth who possesses and is authorized to exercise all priesthood keys? Do you sustain members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators? Do you sustain the other General Authorities and local authorities of the Church?

5 Do you live the law of chastity?

6 Is there anything in your conduct relating to members of your family that is not in harmony with the teachings of the Church?

7 Do you support, affiliate with, or agree with any group or individual whose teachings or practices are contrary to or oppose those accepted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

8 Do you strive to keep the covenants you have made, to attend your sacrament and other meetings, and to keep your life in harmony with the laws and commandments of the gospel?

9 Are you honest in your dealings with your fellowmen?

10 Are you a full-tithe payer?

11 Do your keep the Word of Wisdom?

12 Do you have financial or other obligations to a former spouse or children? If yes, are you current in meeting those obligations?

13 If you have previously received your temple endowment:

Do you keep the covenants that you made in the temple?
Do you wear the garment both night and day as instructed in the endowment and in accordance with the covenant you made in the temple?

14 Have there been any sins or misdeeds in your life that should have been resolved with priesthood authorities but have not been?

15 Do you consider yourself worthy to enter the Lord's house and participate in temple ordinances?

 

 

1 Timothy 4:1-2
1. The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
2. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.

 

1 Timothy 1:3-4
3. As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer
4. nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work--which is by faith.

 

1 Timothy 6:3-5
3. If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching,
4. he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions
5. and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

1 Timothy 1:3-4
3. As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer
4. nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work--which is by faith.

 

1 Timothy 6:3-5
3. If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching,
4. he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions
5. and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

[delacoert]

starlifter Is anti-Mormonism a cult too?

Elsie Well; we DO have our secret writings. Right fellow Cultists?

If you'd just tell me where the meetings are, I'll bring tea.

[Colofornian]

Strange? ...and continual revelation to guide His Church

"Continual" revelation?

(I think you needed, Bot, to put "continual" in quotations!)

I looked at the "depository" for Mormonism's so-called "continual" canonized revelations from the Mormon god.

Since 1847, I see a grand total of three:
* D&C 138...a discussion of which was posted last weekend as it focused on a vision of the dead: LDS Vision of the dead claimed as ‘revelation’ on Halloween, 1918 [The OTHER World Series: Vanity]
* The other two weren't even written in the authoritative form as "revelations" -- but were social-flip-flop "manifestos" where the mormon god(s) changed his/their mind(s) on both the # of marriage partners and skin-color acceptance.

[And we wonder where Romney secured his social-issue "flip-flop" skills from!]

That means discounting these unrevelatory-like "manifestos," you've got a grand total of...
...0 "revelations" over the past 93 years...[so much for "continual" guidance...what? Is the Mormon god upset with his church?]
...and 1 "revelation" revealed to a post-Brigham Young "prophet" over the past 164 years!

You've had, Bot, 14 so-called "Living Prophets" since Brigham Young in over 130 years...
...Let's see if you can spout their "continual" revelation track record for us...
...we're waiting...
...and waiting...
...and waiting...

What? You mean to tell us that the only non-manifesto "revelation" came from a near-80-year-old sick and heartbroken old man about to die [a few months from death]...
...and that revelation was a dream about dead people...
...less than a year after the death of his oldest son [Hyrum Mack Smith]...
...+ I seem to recall that he had lost a daughter in law recently as well???????????????????????

"By 1918, he had experienced the loss of siblings, a wife, and his children. Joseph F. Smith felt each loss keenly, but the death of his eldest son, Hyrum Mack Smith, in January 1918 was especially difficult. It is no wonder that in the months leading up to the receipt of the revelation, President Smith’s mind repeatedly returned to those beyond the veil. (Plenary speaker @ a BYU event, George S. Tate - see BYU Studies Blog: Saturday Morning: Plenary Session)

Indeed, no wonder Joseph F. Smith kept dreaming about the dead! And IF the Mormon god gave this guy a vision of the dead when he was in poor health and about the die, as he was grieving over recent losses in his own family, why then did the Mormon church just sit on it for almost 60 years before treating it as "official" Mormon "scripture"??? [Boy, "good news" travels fast in Mormon circles...Maybe the Mormon god had to wait...in case he changed his mind again on his teachings...]

ALL: See also: “And I Saw the Hosts of the Dead, Both Small and Great" (Mormonism - Open)

An excerpt from this linked article where author is discussing Joseph F. Smith: Considered an indispensable contribution to...performances of proxy ordinances for the dead, including baptism for the dead and confirmation, and of the relationship between the living and the dead, it has been heralded as “central to the theology of the Latter-day Saints because it confirms and expands upon earlier prophetic insights concerning work of the dead.”

Hmm...one sentence...and he mentions "the dead" four times!!! (Can you say, "Obsessed" w/the dead?...and he's quite representative of this religion)

[ejonesie22]

Mormonism is a non Christian Cult that uses the name of Jesus for its own benefit.

Case closed.

[ejonesie22]

Mormonism is a non Christian Cult that uses the name of Jesus for its own benefit.

Case closed.

[CynicalBear]

Great post and I agree.

[Ransomed]

There are many usages of the word “cult”. I think most folks tend think of satanists of the human sacrifice kind, scientologists, some occult groups. I don’t think pastor Jeffress used the word as most folks understand it today, because I don’t believe pastor Jeffress would vote for anyone belonging to those groups under any circumstances. He said he would vote for Romney if he unfortunately wins the nomination.

Freegards

[Ransomed]

“Really? It’s the lds who call Catholics the “whores of Babylon”.”

Do you think pastor Jeffress, a Christian pastor, would tend to disagree or tend to agree with the LDS concerning what they say about the Catholic Church?

And anyhow, I was talking about on FR. As in any time I see that cult garbage about the Catholic Church on FR it doesn’t come from LDS but a small percentage of nonCatholic Christians. Like on this thread.

FReegards