Many Born Agains see Mormonism as a Cult.

[Philosoraptor]

One of them just called into cspan, regarding mitt romney, the Mormon candidate. I sometimes wonder how these people dial a phone number. A cult is a cult is a cult, and Christianity itself is a cult. Catholicism is a cult, and born againism is also a cult.

It seems the word cult is used mainly as an insult, if you don't like someones religion you call it a cult, and it's members cultists.

Yet these same callers are almost always bush lovers, and they've been able to accept his lie that he too is a born again Christian. Go figger.

[bryant69]

1. Particularly when you look at how unorthodox President Bush's

route to God was. There's a great section in Molly Ivin's Bushwhacked on it.

A cult is in the eye of the beholder I suppose.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Philosoraptor]

5. Cult: great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work

[William769]

10. Then atheism is a cult also hen when you put it that way,

[Goblinmonger]

44. Yeah, right

:eyes:

[William769]

51. Whats good for the goose is good for the gander.

But I can see why you don't want to believe it, being all powerful & mighty that is.

[Goblinmonger]

52. So please explain

how something which is ONLY, by definition, a disbelief in all gods can be a cult.

I'll be waiting on pins and needles for your detailed description rather than one-liner toss off about atheism.

[William769]

54. It's quite simple

We have a belief in one, way Atheists have a belief (yes belief) in another way. Neither side can prove or disprove their side. So yes your collective disbelief would be considered a cult by the above definition.

Hope those pins and needles don't hurt too much. Also I hear they offer classes on sarcasm, you might want to look into them.

On Edit: just to be clear it was not a "one-liner toss off about atheism", I simply stated the obvious, but some people are so touchy they can't see the trees for the forest.

[bryant69]

11. Swallow the Ape Directly! n/t

[SoCalDem]

2. You mean Dr Demento's wife?

She must have just gotten back from vacation....


on Neptune !!

[Philosoraptor]

6. I want some of what she's smoking.

[Tyler Durden]

3. Many Born Agains see PRESBYTARIANS as a cult.

Just getting way too weird for me out here.

[stirlingsliver]

27. Even Presbyterians?

Waay too weird.

[Tyler Durden]

41. They have a sort of Scottish attitude about things.

The born agains, that is. You know: "If tis na' Scottish, tis CRAP!", meaning if you're not born again, you're not going to Heaven, a Christian, etcetera.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

53. Ya, skirt-wearin' pole-tossin' cultic people

Some play cultic music, cultic dance, cultic language
:rofl:

[gollygee]

4. Just about anything could be called a cult

I've seen the word used for non-religious groups too. I know there really are "cults" but that word gets thrown around pretty casually.

[undeterred]

7. Atheism is a cult.

:hide:

[Philosoraptor]

9. And whom is the cult leader? Nobody.

[JVS]

42. Well who is the cult leader of Presbyterianism?

[hobbit709]

8. They use it that way

because they are afraid to look in the mirror. They define cult the same way they practice their particular brand of Christianity-following the parts they agree with and ignoring the parts they don't agree with.

[durrrty libby]

12. All religions are cults and a form of mind control. The world would

be better off if people got it

[YOY]

13. Just about everyone but they are "cultists", "heathens", or "pagans"

Catholics, Mormons, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Atheists, Agnostics, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists...

It's why we call them "idiots."

[WCGreen]

14. That's the kettle calling the pot black....

[Philosoraptor]

15. Fear of other religions: Is there a name for it?

Cultaphobia?

[ellacott]

16. I think an important point has been missed in the callers comment

You can argue until you are blue in face as to who is or is not a member of a cult. The point that I think that's being missed is that Christianity believes that Mormonism is a cult regardless of who else believes that. That greater question that should be asked is why is Romney not being attacked by the Christian Right as being godless in the same manner that they've attacked liberals who actually may be Christians?

It shows the hypocrisy of the Christian Right in the same manner as Mark Foley and the others who have practiced moral hypocrisy in this party.

This is an issue that they(the Christian Right) needs to be confronted with and their hypocrisy spotlighted.

[pretzel4gore]

17. nothing's as heartless as a 'born agin' christian

they eat babies, then blame it on the muslims (jews, liberal, the poor, mormans etc)

[peacebaby3]

18. Frontline did a good report on LDS and "Mormanism."

<http://www.pbs.org/mormons/>

[AlCzervik]

19. my born again neighbor thinks Mormons and scientologists are the same thing.

literally thinks it's the same religion.

[ellacott]

20. Many don't know

A lot of people think Christians and Jehovah's Witnesses are the same also.

[Goblinmonger]

45. Um

Jehovah's Witnesses are Christians. Not saying they are equal, but one is a subset of the other. Kinda like the all squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares.

[ellacott]

46. Not really

They recently started to call themselves Christians. They definately are not a subset.

[Goblinmonger]

49. They follow the teachings of Christ.

They believe they will be in heavan with jesus as the reigning king. Sounds pretty Christian to me.

[SpiralHawk]

21. "I did not have ritual with those occultists, that Mormon cabal." - Der Mittenfurher

"Do I look like some kind of Evil Doing, BFEE Skull & Boner or something.
Cut me some slack, and you will see a KINDER AND GENTLER CABAL." - Der Mittster

[mitchum]

22. Well, it is...

and that's about the only thing those born again suckers are correct about

[ellacott]

23. You still miss the point

Why do they have to be suckers? People can say the same about you. It's gets us nowhere but they are the ones that you all call intolerant. I wish we knew how to fight smarter.

[mitchum]

25. No, I don't miss the point...

I will tolerate them, but I will NOT let them create laws based on the "truths" of their delusions.
Also, the US needs to repeal the tax dodge used by the holy grifters.

[elocs]

24. Understand the context: Mormon call themselves Christians. This is about Christianity.

Most fundamentalist Christians have a simple definition of what is a cult: it adds to the Bible or has some "new" and special revelation. Mormonism does this. So to them, no matter how family oriented or values oriented Mormons may be, fundamentalists believe them to be a cult. Ultimately this will be a big problem for Romney because these fundamentalist may ultimately choose to simply not vote for the Republican presidential candidate if he is the nominee.

[ellacott]

26. That's the point! Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!

The fact that Romney gave a speech at Pat Robertson's University should be thrown back in the Republicans face. This is sheer hypiocrisy. They tried to make an issue about Kerry's morals and he was going to be denied communion because he is pro-choice.

They don't apply the same standards to themselves and this should be a big issue.

[Arugula Latte]

28. I love how people who believe in Adam and Eve think that some of Mormonism is far-fetched...

:rofl:

That's the stupid calling the stupid "stupid."

[ellacott]

30. Stupid, so sad

We all can be considered stupid by some.

[Javaman]

29. Pot meet kettle. nt

[Beelzebud]

31. All relgions are cults.

[Poiuyt]

32. I like to think of DU as a cult

Skinner is our leader

[Philosoraptor]

33. All hail the mighty leader!

Can we have multiple wives? If so, count me out.

[jollyreaper2112]

34. how big does a cult have to get before it becomes a religion?

Sort of like how big does a mobster have to get before he's known as a respectable businessman instead of a hood?

[ellacott]

35. They don't go hand in hand

A religion is not always a cult.

A religion is something you do habitually(eg. You religiously log onto DU).

[jollyreaper2112]

38. yeah, but nobody puts DU as their religion

People have a hard time coming up with an acceptable definition of cult. I think broadly you would call a cult small, usually young, and heterodoxical to the dominant religion of the society. The heterodoxy is important because it shows where the cult gets it's start and why it wouldn't be accepted by the mainstream; cults that the mainstream doesn't really have a problem with would be called denominations or sects. You don't tend to see religions spring up out of nothing, they're usually developments of existing ideas. Something like Heaven's Gate is unusual since it came completely from science fiction rather than traditional religion. David Koresh and the Branch Davidians are more typical. Much of their doctrine sounded like old-fashioned bible teaching at first which is why it seemed proper to initiates. By the time initiates got around to the moonbattery, they no longer had an objective reality to judge it by. Jim Jones was the same way. By the way most christians judge it, a christian cult (out of mainstream) would have to violate one of the core tenets of faith. If it doesn't fit with the Nicean Creed, it's probably a cult. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicean_creed

As far as fictional christian cults go, the one that always wigs me out the most is Children of the Corn. The movie falls apart at the end but the beginning is sooo damn creepy. The short story it's based on gets the evil vibe down even better. He Who Walks Behind the Rows. Gah!

[mitchum]

47. Big enough to qualify for the IRS tax dodge

[knitter4democracy]

36. It depends on their definition of "cult."

Most born-agains (evangelicals, at least) define a cult as anything that adds to the Bible--Mormons added an entire book as well as a lot of different beliefs and rituals. Christian Scientists added Mary Baker Eddy's teachings, so many born-agains think of them as a cult as well. That's also why some call Catholicism a cult, since they think the reverence of Mary and the following of tradition is an addition to the Bible.

I'm just saying . . . that's where they're coming from.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

37. Yes, Mormonism is a cult that just doesn't have the advantage of time and age,

conferring respectability on it as much as other better established cults.

If one considers an organization based on irrational belief/faith, and that extracts money from its devotees, and tries to maintain and grow its numbers through enforcing socialization and cohabitation in communities of like minded people, then all religions in my opinion fit this to a degree. It's just that the "big 3" have the advantage of time and numbers to confer greater credibility and respect upon themselves.

[tanyev]

39. One big difference--The Bible vs. The Book of Mormon

Disclaimer: I am a Christian and I fully acknowledge that it is also a cult.

But even if you don't believe the supernatural elements of the stories related in the Bible, it is still widely accepted as a document of great literary and historical value. It is rooted in reality, insofar as most of the noteworthy people, places and events are verified by other historical sources or archaeological evidence. Many of the places still exist in modern times.

The Book of Mormon is a mess. Large chunks of it are copied directly from the Bible and removed from their original context. The story it attempts to tell of people, places, and events has never had any part of it verified by a reputable archaeologist, as far as I know. I was visited by a couple Mormon missionaries and I asked them why there aren't any maps in the Book of Mormon that correlate to modern geography. One of them asked me if I thought that that kind of proof was necessary in order to believe. I said, "Well, yeah." After that the other one took over and did all the talking.

Their adherence to the Book of Mormon is the main reason that most mainstream Christian denominations consider Mormonism to be something other than Christianity.

[Philosoraptor]

40. I love the part about Jesus appearing before the Native Americans

[Dorian Gray]

43. And many Christians

see many of the Born Again groups as little more than cults. And many non-theists see any religious institutions as cults........

We all dislike what we don't know. But, I do know Romney, and my dislike for him as nothing to do with his Mormonism.

[Madspirit]

48. All Religion is a CULT!...n/t

[FreeState]

50. yes but you are missing something

First for a disclaimer - I am LDS (Mormon) - not active or believing but still consider myself mormon.

One big thing here is while Born Again Christians view other faiths as cults it has never hampered them in their common political endeavors. Look at gay marriage, ERA and gambling (these and pornography are the only political topics the LDS church has campaigned against on a national level.) Each and every time they have been successful. The reason for this is that while doctrinally they don't get along they all have one thing in common - the end goal. That is why it will not matter what faith the republican is, if he has the same stance on the three G's (God, Guns and Gays) born again Christian leaders will encourage their followers to vote for him because of the "greater good" over the "evil liberals". When pitting those two against each other as a choice I firmly believe born against will go with the "greater good."

On a side note: congrats to everyone in the thread this is the first one I have seen in weeks were I have not had to send an alert over Bigoted comments about mormons.