Mormons are a cult

A while back (March 19^th to be specific), a friend of mine on facebook posted this as her status:

(Name) finds it funny that i can be having a totally amazing conversation with someone and we'd be getting along great...until they find out that im mormon. they told me im scary because of my opinions. i ask what opinions. they say that they're drawing a blank and have to go. im liek o.0

She has this amusing habit of making statuses that spark controversy (especially when she makes "Obama's a socialist" posts that she doesn't understand), and since she's friends with a bunch of Mormons as well as a bunch of non-mormons, you can imagine how pretty the comments got.

I offered my explanation, that after working to ban gay marriage in California Mormons don't have the best reputation, and rightly so. Of course, my comment was lost in a sea of "Go, (name), Go! Fight the good fight! Don't listen to those misguided fools!" Or, actually:

don't worry about what others say. stand tall with your head held high and know that you stand for truth. we stand behind the greatest person with an opinion and that is the SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.

The conversation really changed directions, however, when a friend of mine said this:

Actually, I think most people are leery of Mormonism because of the culty, secret society aspect. I think the cultural aversion to secret societies is good.

To which the "stand for truth" lady said:

show me where we are a cult and a secret society? prove before you write something that could slander an innocent people.

I'd love to!

I bring this up because Steven Novella, host of the podcast you should all be following, wrote an article which attempted to define the word "cult", and he came up with these five points:

1. Totalitarian control – Cults attempt to have total control over their members, which includes absolute dogmatic authority of their leader, who tends to be charismatic.


2. Secrecy – Cults tend not to be up front with their entire belief system. The core beliefs are revealed slowly, as members “progress” deeper into the folds of the cult.


3. Separation – Cults use many methods to separate their members from their former social network and society at large. These methods include instilling an “us vs them” or in-group vs out-group mentality, using jargon that identifies members but is unintelligible to non-members, and physical isolation. Cults also try to convince members that their family and friends are corrupt or impure and interaction with them is destructive. They also require large donations, encouraging financial dependence on the cult.


4. Mind Control – Cults are very manipulative. They use a variety of techniques to indoctrinate or “brainwash” their members. These include things like “love bombing” – overwhelming recruits with positive physical and social attention – using guilt, hypnosis, loss of privacy, deprivation, verbal abuse, and other techniques.


5. Self-contained Belief System – The cult belief system tends to be absolute – the leader has perfect authority and exclusive knowledge, they are never to be questioned, everyone who disagrees with the leader is evil and to be opposed, and members who leave the group are always wrong and degenerate. Meanwhile the doctrine tends to be confusing and only slowly revealed when members are “ready.”

Now, I feel like this list pretty much screams, "I'm describing Mormonism!", but I'll make my case anyway in the event a Mormon stumbles upon this post.

Regarding the first point, what would happen if you said, "I think the Prophet is wrong"?

Regarding the second point, I point towards the Temple, which non-members and members who don't have Temple Recommends can't enter. Having (thankfully) never been married and sealed in the Temple, I can't say whether there are specific points of doctrine you learn there, which you can't share with others. (except, of course, the infamous secret handshakes)

Regarding the third point, think back to every "stay away from the evils of the world," "don't watch R-rated movies," "be wary of non-Mormon friends," lesson you ever heard. Think back to every time you heard the phrase "we see great evil in the world today." Think back to every time you've been told that the LDS church is the "safe refuge" against the horrifying, despicable, evil world.

Then, think about whether you should read "anti-Mormon literature." Is it any more obvious that the LDS church is trying to prevent you from hearing other points of view?

Regarding the fourth point, I point to Primary. Regarding guilt, I point to masturbation, coffee, R-rated movies, etc. You NEED the church in order to be forgiven for these, and the church makes you feel like you need to be forgiven for them.

Regarding the fifth point, what would happen if you said, "I think the Prophet is wrong"? What would happen if you were caught reading "anti-Mormon literature"? Do you think ex-Mormon atheists, instead of being "servants of Satan," might have a legitimate viewpoint? If you had a strong negative reaction to any of these questions, you prove my point.

What I said then

In response to "stand for truth" lady's challenge back in March to prove Mormons were a cult, I said this:

I love facebook discussions, because they force me to be succinct in my explanations. Anyway, here's why the "Mormons are culty, secret societies" view has some validity:

Generally, when people say something is like a cult or secret society, they mean it has (1) strict rules, (2) certain customs or rituals that outsiders can't perform or view, (3) secret signs and things that outsiders can't know about, (4) brainwashes or indoctrinates its members, (5) controls information its members can see, etc., to name a few.

So, let's start with those:

(1). No going to the temple for you if you drink coffee, alcohol, or iced tea; masturbate, view pornography, or have sex outside of marriage; or openly and willingly admit to watching R-rated movies, smoking cigarettes, or anything else that is viewed as "evil".

(2). I point to the temple. You have to be a part of the group, follow all the rules, etc., in order to perform or view many rituals.

(3). The handshakes and the "magic underwear". If you're married, you know what I'm talking about.

(4). Primary. Little kids have an unwavering trust in what adults and their parents tell them, and before they have any capacity for skepticism, they're told all kinds of things -- "There is a god", "Follow the Prophet", "Jesus wants you for a sunbeam", etc. -- and just accept them as fact. Google "indoctrination".

(5) Ever heard of the Mountain Meadows Massacre? the View of the Hebrews? the Adam-God theory? the many wives of Joseph Smith?

I was then accused of being "an extreme anti-Mormon" and of "having too much time on my hands," to which I explained what an ad hominem fallacy was. Then I was told that no one was arguing with me because it was a "stupid thing to argue about" and that, if they were to actually argue with me, they'd "pwn me straight up." They didn't want to prove it.

Anyway, in the end they all avoided the topic, ran away, or called me a bunch of names (which, by the way, only demonstrates Steven Novella's third point).

Conclusion?

The LDS church is a cult, their members can't argue, and you can't reason a person out of a belief they weren't reasoned into.