Is the Mormon church a cult?

Some of the most defining characteristics of a cult are documented as:

- Absolute authoritarianism of leadership without accountability for their actions (in other words, their actions are always justified)

- Zero tolerance for criticism or questions outside of what is approved to discuss

- Lack of meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget (such as withholding how tithing dollars are spent from the members of the organization)

- Unreasonable fears about the outside world that often involve evil conspiracies and persecutions (such as believing that all others/supernatural powers are out to destroy you for your beliefs)

- A belief that former followers are always wrong for leaving and there is never a legitimate reason for anyone else to leave

- A belief that the leader is right at all times

- A belief that the leader is the exclusive means of knowing “truth” or giving validation

- Exclusivity to truth (meaning that we alone hold the one and only truth)

- Control over what one wears and how it is worn

- Secret rites or rituals that cannot be disclosed to outsiders without penalty

I am not attempting to define anyone's personal experience or system of belief; nor am I arguing that the Mormon church is a cult. However, the leaders of the Mormon church exercise great authority over the lives of Mormon members.

I am simply of the opinion that the abandonment of personal freedoms or thoughts for the sake of devotion to a group should always be questioned.

curtishartley

The short answer is Yes. According to the most trusted formulas of cult identification, yes. According to many who have left, yes. According to my personal experiences, yes.

Anonymous

Yes.

layhandsondeez

100% yes

kingofweird

The word cult is Latin for worship. Webster dictionary defines it as an Orthodox or spurious
the simple answer is Yes, and there are reasons why. First we need to look at the characteristic of all major cults:
• Disbelieve in Jesus Christ is god, they reject the trinity/his Deity (only 1 God).
• The may say good thing about Jesus but undermine his true Deity either lowering him to the level of a man or raising man to his level.
• They believe that ALL Christian churches are wrong.
• They claim to believe the Bible but distort teachings to suit their own view and doctrine. The source of this is usually their leader.
• Denial that people can be saved by faith in Christ alone. i.e. good works.
• Skillful of using Christian terminology but different semantics (bit.ly/…)

As you can see all the characteristic of a cult are present in the mormon church.

searjasub

The word "cult" is a red herring here. Whether or not someone applies the word "cult" to it, the Mormon church is a classic example of authoritarian control. Whether or not it's called a cult, it seriously hurts and exploits its members.

elementalepistles

Yes. Mormonism (LDS) exhibits the characteristics of a cult and/or "high demand religion" as defined by those who have significantly studied cult phenomena.

deserveliberty

Absolutely, it’s one of the biggest cults of all human history.

greensockninja

It truly depends on the member. I'd say the ones who are culty are not representative of the majority!

serene

If you look at the BITE model--absolutely. The experience of people within Mormonism varies widely based on race, gender/gender expression, sexual orientation, etc. I see the church as complicit in at least these indicators in Hassan's model: 

Behavior Control: 
- Dictates how/with whom/when a member has sex. 
- Control clothing, hairstyles
-Regulate diet
-Manipulation/depravation of sleep (missions, early morning seminary in particular)
-Financial exploitation, manipulation, dependance. 
-Permission required for major decisions
-Encourage group-think
-Instill dependency and obedience
- Separation of families

Information Control: 
- Deliberately withholding information
- Distorting information to make it more acceptable
-Minimizing or discouraging access to non-cult sources of information
-Compartmentalize information into outsider vs. insider doctrine
-Encourage spying on other members
-Extensive use of cult-generated information and propaganda (newsletters, magazines, etc.)

Thought Control: 
- Require members to internalize group's doctrine as truth (including black and white thinking, insiders vs. outsiders.)
- Change person's name/identity (Brother/Sister/Elder, new name in the temple)
- Stop critical thinking/reduce complexities with platitudinous buzz words
- Encourage only "good and proper" thoughts
- Thought-stopping techniques to only allow positive thinking 
- Rejection of rational analysis, critical thinking, constructive criticism 
- Forbid critical questions about leader, doctrine, or policy allowed
- Labeling alternative belief systems as illegitimate, evil, or not useful.

Emotional Control: 
- Manipulate and narrow the range of feelings (some emotions and/or needs are deemed as evil, wrong, selfish.)
- Teach emotion-stopping techniques to block feelings of homesickness, anger, doubt
- Make the person feel that the problems are always their own fault, never the leader's or group's fault
- Promote feelings of guilt or unworthiness. 
- Instill fear of things such as the outside world, losing salvation, leaving or being shunned by the group, other's disapproval
- Phobia indoctrination: no happiness or fulfillment is possible outside the group, terrible consequences if you do leave, never legitimate reason to leave (leaving means that you are weak, undisciplined, lazy, tempted by sin)

The Mormon church may come off as a benevolent, harmless group compared to organizations like Scientology or NXIVM, but the damage it does is real. 

Anonymous

I don’t know that the whole religion is a cult. But there are wards, families, and communities that have become cults within the religion 

troyaddington