Mormonism and Cults: Part 3 - Immorality, Secrecy and Penalties for Leaving

Another major aspect of harmful cults is that they promote immorality and are even subversive to the government.  Again, not all, but this is a characteristic of many cults.  Examples of this are the gassings on the Tokyo subways and the FLDS (Fundamental LDS - or "Fundie Mormons") in Texas that practiced forced marriages and arranged pedophilia.

Additionally, immorality and subversiveness often go hand in hand with geographical isolation discussed earlier - an example is the compound in Texas of the FLDS.  However, usually there is a cloak of secrecy that follows the immorality and the geographical isolation of harmful cults.  Teachings of the cult are kept secret and reserved only for a select few.

Lastly, there are penalties for leaving the cult or revealing the secrets of the cult - often harmful or threatening in nature.  

In all these the LDS Church or Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints does not qualify as a cult.  Immorality is against the LDS religion.  They don't even smoke or drink alcohol or use drugs outside of medicinal purposes.  Chastity is paramount.  The 12th Article of Faith even states in regards to governments: "We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law."  The precept Christ taught of "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and render unto God that which is God's" holds true in the Latter Day Saint theology. 

But this brings us to secrecy.  Unfortunately this can't be discussed without a bit of education, otherwise we descend into simple disagreement without defining the terms. 

The critics aren't convinced with the semantics that there is a difference between "secret" and "sacred" when it comes to some teachings of the church - more especially the temples.  Often the church is accused of being secretive and not upfront about what it teaches.  To say the church is "secretive" and "not upfront" about what it teaches is an inaccurate portrayal at the best - in fact I would say the anti's and critics of the church are not upfront with their portrayal - and could even go so far to say that they are dishonest in their characterization.  But I don't mean to slip into contention - I would only say there are some facts that are relevant to this discussion but which are omitted by critics in order for the characterization of "secret cult" to even be applicable. 


First - where the LDS church differs from the harmful cults in this regards is that all persons are invited to go to the temple and learn for themselves what is taught there through the waters of baptism and faithful membership.  Everyone in the world is invited to go to the temple and learn.  Anyone can ask any question when they are in the temple.  In fact - one of the members I know from Vernonia, Oregon, when he finally got his temple recommend - went and had the president of the temple show him every single closet and room in the temple to show him there were no hidden secrets or anything in there. Since this writing the temple covenants are now officially published by the church.

Even Christ himself said to his apostles in John 16:12 "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now."

Isaiah 28: 9 "Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.     UAdd a Note  10For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little".

In other words the teachings of the temple require preparation and can only be understood through preparation.   Without that they would be meaningless and there would be no point to prepare.  It would be as anything else in the world.  Given that the teachings of the church are only moral and upright - the notion that the teachings of the temple are "sacred, not secret" are quite accurate and it is not only a matter of semantics.

Even Christ himself taught in parables which many could not understand except those that are enlightened - so it is with the temple, it is sacred ground and the House of the Lord. "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."

As to penalties for revealing the teachings of the church or leaving it - we can see many are alive and well and are in fact making a ton of money off their opposition to the LDS church and for telling others what they learned inside the temple in some cases or a bunch of other things. However as a personal note, I have never seen a single account of the temple that was revealed outside it that was accurate.  At any rate, in all these things combined - the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints again fails to meet the criteria of a harmful cult.

To see part 1 - click HERE.


To see part 2 - click HERE.

Mormonism and Cults: Part 2 - Isolation

Continuing from the previous entry, another aspect of harmful cults drawn from the American Sociological Association is their geographical if not social isolation from everyday society.

Often, isolation is a means to keep the outside world from interfering with the mentality of the cult and members under the control of the leaders.

This is, yet again, another area where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints falls short in meeting the definition of a harmful cult.  The church religion exists in the open in every imaginable sort of society with its adherents living openly among all sorts of occupations. Everything from government positions to military service, to artists, entertainers, educators to blue collar workers - the Latter Day Saints can be found living everywhere associating with about every sort of people imaginable. 

Mormonism and Cults: Part 1

If you're LDS, you've heard "They're a cult!" followed by "blah blah blah" and if you're interested in the topic, you get sucked into the "rhetoric" or get led on a wild goose chase or you just let it go in one ear and out another.

In my undergraduate studies, I did some research and discovered that the one thing the LDS religion is NOT is a cult.

In fact, strictly academically speaking, Protestant Christianity is closer to being a cult than the LDS religion.

Off the top of my head I thought I'd address a couple issues of the LDS religion and cults here.

My research into definitions and operational terms was drawn from the American Sociological Association's classifications of a harmful cult while working on my undergraduate degrees of the social sciences and learning about other methodologies of study. 

Now this is not typical of all cults, but these are a few criteria that are present in many harmful cults:

The cults discourage questioning the teachings of the cult.

Education is frowned upon because it interferes with the teachings of the cults.

Also the leaders define reality.

Why does this not apply to the LDS religion?

Because the the first thing people learning about the church are told to do is study for themselves.  

Ask questions.  

Ask God.  

Study it out.  

YOU decide.  

Its up to you.  

You have to choose. 

We read in the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple in D&C 109: 14 And do thou grant, Holy Father, that all those who shall worship in this house may be taught words of wisdom out of the best ^abooks, and that they may seek learning even by study, and also by faith, as thou hast said;

The  religion, in terms of being free to think and embracing secular as well as spiritual knowledge by self directed study makes the LDS religion less like many denominations and branches of Christianity already - and definitely not a cult in this regards.