How is the LDS a cult?

[Angelina5]

If you look into it…Mormonism use to have a lot more practices which were done away with to save there public image when Utah became a state.

Do you mean the Blood Atonement doctrine or the partaking of tobacco and alcohol even though it was forbidden by the WoW?

 

[icouch]

I think using the term “cult” in this case is a little derogatory. Mormonism is a religion - they have their doctrines and beliefs, just like Catholics, protestants, etc…

Are their doctrines and theology considerably different? Yes. I don’t think that qualifies them as a cult, though.

 

[TexanKnight]

I think using the term “cult” in this case is a little derogatory. Mormonism is a religion - they have their doctrines and beliefs, just like Catholics, protestants, etc…

Are their doctrines and theology considerably different? Yes. I don’t think that qualifies them as a cult, though.

If you had been a Mormon, you would understand

 

[SpeSalvi]

I deny that!

 

[SpeSalvi]

I think using the term “cult” in this case is a little derogatory. Mormonism is a religion - they have their doctrines and beliefs, just like Catholics, protestants, etc…

Are their doctrines and theology considerably different? Yes. I don’t think that qualifies them as a cult, though.

I think it’s the initiatory rites that are performed as well as their aggressive fellowshipping that has them classified as a cult. There are, of course, other things that would allow for the “cult” label being slapped on the church (Following your feelings when you join, being able to be put “on trial” and excommunicated if you deviate from their teachings, having yearly “tithing settlement” meetings where you have to meet with the bishop and account for how much money you’ve “donated” to the church, among a few).

I would never tell a mormon to his or her face that they were part of a cult. No one ever told that to me when I was LDS. However, after being able to step back and objectively look at the LDS church, there’s no question in my mind that they aren’t strictly a cult, they at least have SEVERAL cult-like tendencies.

 

[Nabooru]

I think our typical definition of a cult involves small groups of people living in a single household, like the Ant Hill Kids or People’s Temple. But just because it has a large following doesn’t mean it isn’t a cult. It’s just a very successful cult. If it quacks like a duck…

 

[vera_dicere]

Well, Catholicism could be considered a cult by most people, especially some of those curmudgeonly atheists!

They do have the wrong end of the stick, and are such a false religion. But a cult? I think the term “cult” is to broad to apply to them. Yet, like members of a cult, the ones I’ve spoken to don’t like answering the hard questions about their faith, they beat around the bush.

If it was truth, it’d stand up to criticism strongly and with logical responses. So far, haven’t seen that.

 

[Pepband_Mom]

Better than voting for obama, who thinks he is a god now

(off the subject, sorry, but important info to consider: I read today where an Illinois Private Investigator, very experienced in social security numbers, filed suit against Obama applying for Democrat candidate in Presidential, general election this November. Seems his 0-- social security # originates from Connecticut whereas he was clearly in Hawaii at the time & his sister’s s.s.n. is from Hawaii; sounds like sticky wicket time!).

Getting back to the subject @ hand:

When you have:
people “training” you & family several days a week
checking on your donations or you’re not “worthy”
everyone else is going to hell → clearly using fear tactics, manipulation & secrecy doesn’t that, like it or not, add up to a “cult”?

If you don’t toe the mark & spout the party line, you’re harassed, threatened, ultimately headed for “outer darkness”

The RCC, discontinued pounding the very large candle sticks 3x on the floor to emphasize excommunication a very long time ago did it not? We can simply excommunicate ourselves. I’ve NEVER heard of anyone being harassed…

 

[tarboy]

When you have:
people “training” you & family several days a week
checking on your donations or you’re not “worthy”
everyone else is going to hell → clearly using fear tactics, manipulation & secrecy doesn’t that, like it or not, add up to a “cult”?

SHazzam! Did you go to the same Catholic school that I did?
Those nuns were vicious when you didn’t follow their direction.
And I recall some Catholic neighbors being nosy and gossiping about who did what, with whom! The pressure did drive some people away.

So by your def the RCC of my youth was a cult,
where people were influenced to obey and be loving.
I miss the RCC of my youth.

 

[Stephen168]

SHazzam! Did you go to the same Catholic school that I did?
Those nuns were vicious when you didn’t follow their direction.
And I recall some Catholic neighbors being nosy and gossiping about who did what, with whom! The pressure did drive some people away.

So by your def the RCC of my youth was a cult,
where people were influenced to obey and be loving.
I miss the RCC of my youth.

Ezra Taft Benson:

In conclusion let us summarize this grand key, these “Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet”, for our salvation depends on them.

1. The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything.
   **2. The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.
2. The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.**
3. The prophet will never lead the church astray.
   5. The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.
4. The prophet does not have to say “Thus Saith the Lord,” to give us scripture.
5. The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.
   **8. The prophet is not limited by men’s reasoning.
6. The prophet can receive revelation on any matter, temporal or spiritual.**
7. The prophet may advise on civic matters.
8. The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.
9. The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly.
10. The prophet and his counselors make up the First Presidency—the highest quorum in the Church.
11. The prophet and the presidency—the living prophet and the First Presidency—follow them and be blessed—reject them and suffer.

 

[twopekinguys]

SHazzam! Did you go to the same Catholic school that I did?
Those nuns were vicious when you didn’t follow their direction.

How does this apply? It has nothing to do with the Church’s theological stance.
Can you say red herring?

And I recall some Catholic neighbors being nosy and gossiping about who did what, with whom! The pressure did drive some people away.

Don’t the mormons have home teachers have those that go out the the fallen away, and report back? Ever heard of Love Bombing in the mormon church? How about all of those people who gossip about why someone resgins or gets ex’d?

.There is no control in the Catholic Church. No required amount of tithing is required to be worthy. Nobody is guilted into doing anything in the Church.

If someone decides to leave the Church, we don’t shun them, we pray for them.

We don’t delete their baptisms. We pray for them.

If they decide to come back, great! We pray for them.

We don’t have to rebaptize them. One valid baptism lasts a lifetime.

We don’t have yearly interviews with our priests or bishops to discuss how much money we gave. We pray for them.

We don’t need a bar coded card in our wallets to enter any Catholic Church.

We don’t turn non Catholics away at the door because they aren’t worthy.

Mormon missionaries don’t go out alone. They are to always to have a companion.

Mormons are told not to read anything that isn’t faith promoting. Catholics aren’t.

Mormons are too much about control, which is what a “cult” is all about.

 

[Pepband_Mom]

SHazzam! Did you go to the same Catholic school that I did?
Those nuns were vicious when you didn’t follow their direction.
And I recall some Catholic neighbors being nosy and gossiping about who did what, with whom! The pressure did drive some people away.

So by your def the RCC of my youth was a cult,
where people were influenced to obey and be loving.
I miss the RCC of my youth.

IF you weren’t such a rotten kid, maybe the nuns would not have been “vicious”!
Sorry, couldn’t resist! I’m just messin’ with ya.

Nosy neighbors have been a problem in all ages, places, Catholic or not. I don’t think the Church told them to be nosy. Perhaps they stopped going to Confession & Mass. We all have our faults don’t we? But some use the smallest excuse to ditch Holy Mother Church, sad isn’t it?

We didn’t have $ to buy much let alone go to private Catholic school- that would have been amazing! We were lucky to have popcorn on friday night. Life was basic. 1 TV set (black and white) 1 coat, 1 pair of shoes, 1 dog, 1 car & a whole bunch of brothers & sisters. Attending Mass transported me to a wonderful place with the Latin, incense and music. It affected my senses, mind & soul as a kid in grade school. Except though if it was really hot, it was difficult to kneel for a long time.

I’d have to say twopekinguys hit the nail on the head. Bravo!:tiphat:

 

[Jerusha]

Not only that, but in Mormon-dominated areas, incomplete converts import some negative aspects of their culture into the Catholic community, and Mormon cultural influence in general can have a negative influence on the whole community.

A Mormo-Catholic cousin recently asked me, “You aren’t a practicing Catholic, are you?” Relatives casually said, “That is just the way ______ is.” All one can do is laugh, and accept the shortcomings of our relatives.

 

[LivingWaters7]

How does this apply? It has nothing to do with the Church’s theological stance.
Can you say red herring?

Don’t the mormons have home teachers have those that go out the the fallen away, and report back?

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have home teachers and visiting teachers. These roles are based on the principle of taking care of each other and looking out for the spiritual (and temporal) well-being of our brothers and sisters in Christ (or, put simply, that when we are converted, we strengthen our brethren (Luke 22:32)). Each month, home and visiting teachers visit the persons they take care of, share a spiritual message, and help them with any spiritual or temporal issues as they desire. Home teachers many times are asked to give a blessing, administering/anointing the afflicted, help someone move, etc. If a person they are assigned to is “falling away”, they help guide them back to the Church, and of course can ask for the help of our spiritual leaders, such as the bishop, in such matters.

Ever heard of Love Bombing in the mormon church?

Yes, from critics of The Church of Jesus Christ. Latter-day Saints strive to love our neighbors as ourselves, and strive to be an example of disciples of our Savior Jesus Christ.

How about all of those people who gossip about why someone resgins or gets ex’d?

I have personally experienced (and have heard many stories) such in non-LDS churches, including the Catholic Church.

There is no control in the Catholic Church. No required amount of tithing is required to be worthy. Nobody is guilted into doing anything in the Church.

No one is guilted into doing anything in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints either. Also, tithing is not something that is separate from the other commandments, contrary to how critics always seem to focus on it. Latter-day Saints believe that God asks us to follow His commandments, with continuous repentance, and one of those is tithing. Personal “worthiness” is based on the belief that we should strive to follow the Lord’s commandments as best as we can, recognizing that as fallible humans, Jesus Christ’s atonement provides the opportunity for us to repent and be forgiven of our sins when we falter.

If someone decides to leave the Church, we don’t shun them, we pray for them.

Nor do we shun them, and we pray for those that leave the Lord’s Church. However, it is obvious that when someone believes that their Church is the “one true Church”, if someone leaves it, many times the family members are disappointed that they have left “the Truth”, and then “shun” them for that (which is not the same as saying that “the Church” practices shunning). Many churches claim that if someone leaves that faith, the person is in danger of going to Hell. This is not something unique to the Church, but is found in the faithful of various other churches, including the Catholic Church. Latter-day Saints always hope and pray that those that leave the Church of Jesus Christ will come back and partake of the blessings found their again. Also, interestingly, a form of shunning was previously performed by the Catholic Church, with the designation of vitandi vs tolerati.

We don’t delete their baptisms. We pray for them.

Latter-day Saints always pray for each other, and those not members of the Church, as well as those having difficulty in the faith. Members of the Church believe that baptism, as well as all other sacred ordinances, are also covenants. A covenant is essentially (to put it simply) a two-way agreement or promise. When we do our part of the covenant agreement, God blesses us. When someone is excommunicated, they are no longer members of the Church. To become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ again, after repentance, they must be baptized, since they did not uphold the baptismal covenant previously. Even when someone is excommunicated, we view this as a period of reflection and repentance, with the hope and prayer that the individual will come back unto Christ.

If they decide to come back, great! We pray for them.

Agreed.

We don’t have to rebaptize them. One valid baptism lasts a lifetime.

See above.

We don’t have yearly interviews with our priests or bishops to discuss how much money we gave. We pray for them.

The “interview” that you are referring to is a simple “are you a full tithe payer”, with a yes or no answer. Latter-day Saints believe that tithing is one of many commandments of God. If someone is not following this commandment, or any other for that matter, priesthood leaders can offer guidance on how to follow the Lord’s commandments, whatever that commandment may be.

We don’t need a bar coded card in our wallets to enter any Catholic Church.

We don’t turn non Catholics away at the door because they aren’t worthy.

Latter-day Saint churches, meetinghouses, are open to all, whether members of the Church or not. All are welcome to participate in our Sacrament Meetings (Communion), Sunday school, Priesthood and Relief Society (and all other organizations) meetings, as well as various activities and religious classes during the week.

Latter-day Saints believe that temples are very sacred, literal houses of God, and that one must be following the commandments of God and have faith in the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to enter into His presence (i.e. in the temple and on into the afterlife). This is similar in some senses to the Catholic practice of not allowing Protestants and non-Christians to partake of the Eucharist, or Catholics who are in a state of mortal sin (i.e. “not worthy” essentially). It is also similar to practices in other faiths of restricting access to sacred places, such as the Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox practice of restricting access to behind the iconostasis into the sanctuary.

Mormon missionaries don’t go out alone. They are to always to have a companion.

Yes, they go two-by-two, which is preferable for a number of reasons.

Mormons are told not to read anything that isn’t faith promoting. Catholics aren’t.

Latter-day Saints are counseled to have a pure body, mind, and spirit. In that manner, and in concert with our firm belief that we members of the true Church of Jesus Christ, we should focus on reading and viewing material that is uplifting, both spiritually and temporally. First and foremost is study of the scriptures. However, no one is disciplined for reading works critical of the Church. Indeed, I have read and own many of the popular critical and “anti” Latter-day Saint books, and have read a large number of critical and anti articles (including the ones on this site), videos, etc., most of which I read before my conversion to the Lord’s Church.

Mormons are too much about control, which is what a “cult” is all about.

Of course.

 

[RebeccaJ]

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have home teachers and visiting teachers. These roles are based on the principle of taking care of each other and looking out for the spiritual (and temporal) well-being of our brothers and sisters in Christ (or, put simply, that when we are converted, we strengthen our brethren (Luke 22:32)). Each month, home and visiting teachers visit the persons they take care of, share a spiritual message, and help them with any spiritual or temporal issues as they desire. Home teachers many times are asked to give a blessing, administering/anointing the afflicted, help someone move, etc. If a person they are assigned to is “falling away”, they help guide them back to the Church, and of course can ask for the help of our spiritual leaders, such as the bishop, in such matters.

While I think the intent is good, the practice is bureaucratic. I lived in one place for 13 years without Mormons bothering me. One day, I’m out getting the mail and a complete stranger who I have never met in my life says “hey Rebecca do you have minute?” Well, since I didn’t know this guy from Adam, I knew right off he was a Mormon. How else did he know my name, except…wait for it…he was assigned to talk to me, aka, be my visiting teacher.

I know for a fact that guy would have never said diddly-squat to me if he wasn’t assigned to do so. He wasn’t concerned for me. He was concerned for his visiting teaching numbers. Period. Bureaucracy in action.

I never heard from, or saw him again. Which is fine by me.

Nor do we shun them, and we pray for those that leave the Lord’s Church.

Your church is Smith’s church, not the Lord. Perhaps you could post for us the lessons you receive on personal apostasy.

Latter-day Saints always hope and pray that those that leave the Church of Jesus Christ will come back and partake of the blessings found their again.

haha, all I can do is laugh at this one. lol.

The “interview” that you are referring to is a simple “are you a full tithe payer”, with a yes or no answer.

Maybe, maybe not. Depends on the bishop. Some ask for statements of income, such as federal tax forms. Usually, they ask for more money.

The point is, it’s nobody’s business.

Latter-day Saints believe that tithing is one of many commandments of God. If someone is not following this commandment, or any other for that matter, priesthood leaders can offer guidance on how to follow the Lord’s commandments, whatever that commandment may be.

Pray, pay, obey.

Latter-day Saints believe that temples are very sacred, literal houses of God, and that one must be following the commandments

…and people are assigned to check up on you to make sure you are.

This is similar in some senses to the Catholic practice of not allowing Protestants and non-Christians to partake of the Eucharist, or Catholics who are in a state of mortal sin (i.e. “not worthy” essentially).

Again, no one is interviewing anyone before we receive communion. People are asked to not receive communion. No one standing there disallowing them, except in the rare case where the priest suspects a person is not Catholic, they may ask and give them a blessing instead of communion. Mormons have no interest in blessing non-Mormons.

Anyone can attend Mass, we don’t interview people before allowing them into our churches. Why? Because they are there for a reason. If God leads someone to show up at mass, who are we to stop them from entering?

It is also similar to practices in other faiths of restricting access to sacred places, such as the Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox practice of restricting access to behind the iconostasis into the sanctuary.

It is an area of the church, not the entire church. And you can ask any Eastern catholic why you can’t go behind there, and you’ll get a clear and concise reason. No secrets. No keeping family from attending a wedding in a church because there is something secret going on behind a rood screen.

oh wait, the secret thing for a mormon is the wedding.

 

[twopekinguys]

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have home teachers and visiting teachers. These roles are based on the principle of taking care of each other and looking out for the spiritual (and temporal) well-being of our brothers and sisters in Christ (or, put simply, that when we are converted, we strengthen our brethren (Luke 22:32)). Each month, home and visiting teachers visit the persons they take care of, share a spiritual message, and help them with any spiritual or temporal issues as they desire. Home teachers many times are asked to give a blessing, administering/anointing the afflicted, help someone move, etc. If a person they are assigned to is “falling away”, they help guide them back to the Church, and of course can ask for the help of our spiritual leaders, such as the bishop, in such matters.

And won’t take no for an answer in many cases.

Yes, from critics of The Church of Jesus Christ. Latter-day Saints strive to love our neighbors as ourselves, and strive to be an example of disciples of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Why does it have to be a critic? There are many people out there who could give two hoots about mormonism, or any religion for that matter, and they talk about being love bombed by mormons. All in an effort to get more members. But if it doesn’t pan out, that’s the last time you’ll see a smile on the mormons face.

I have personally experienced (and have heard many stories) such in non-LDS churches, including the Catholic Church.

It goes on everywhere, not just in churches, but if you actually read what I was responding to in Tarboy’s post, you would see his comment was specifically directed at Catholics.

No one is guilted into doing anything in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints either. Also, tithing is not something that is separate from the other commandments, contrary to how critics always seem to focus on it. Latter-day Saints believe that God asks us to follow His commandments, with continuous repentance, and one of those is tithing. Personal “worthiness” is based on the belief that we should strive to follow the Lord’s commandments as best as we can, recognizing that as fallible humans, Jesus Christ’s atonement provides the opportunity for us to repent and be forgiven of our sins when we falter.

How long have you been mormon? People are guilted into all sorts of things, all the time. Callings, when they are already swamped with life, and trying to take care of their families. Adequate tithing, “volunteering” to clean the chapels, and the list goes on, and on. Read around,

Nor do we shun them, and we pray for those that leave the Lord’s Church. However, it is obvious that when someone believes that their Church is the “one true Church”, if someone leaves it, many times the family members are disappointed that they have left “the Truth”, and then “shun” them for that (which is not the same as saying that “the Church” practices shunning). Many churches claim that if someone leaves that faith, the person is in danger of going to Hell. This is not something unique to the Church, but is found in the faithful of various other churches, including the Catholic Church. Latter-day Saints always hope and pray that those that leave the Church of Jesus Christ will come back and partake of the blessings found their again. Also, interestingly, a form of shunning was previously performed by the Catholic Church, with the designation of vitandi vs tolerati.

I’m sure you know better than this. I have witnessed it first hand when my cousin and her family resigned, and from more than one member of their ward too. It may not be a “doctrine”, but it sure is an accepted practice.

Latter-day Saints always pray for each other, and those not members of the Church, as well as those having difficulty in the faith. Members of the Church believe that baptism, as well as all other sacred ordinances, are also covenants. A covenant is essentially (to put it simply) a two-way agreement or promise. When we do our part of the covenant agreement, God blesses us. When someone is excommunicated, they are no longer members of the Church. To become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ again, after repentance, they must be baptized, since they did not uphold the baptismal covenant previously. Even when someone is excommunicated, we view this as a period of reflection and repentance, with the hope and prayer that the individual will come back unto Christ.

Mormon baptisms may have to be redone after someone leaves, but a valid Christian baptism does not. That is the BIG difference.

See above.

Notice the word “valid”.

The “interview” that you are referring to is a simple “are you a full tithe payer”, with a yes or no answer. Latter-day Saints believe that tithing is one of many commandments of God. If someone is not following this commandment, or any other for that matter, priesthood leaders can offer guidance on how to follow the Lord’s commandments, whatever that commandment may be.

As Rebecca pointed out, that is not always the case. Again, my cousin who resigned has had a completely different experience. Speaking of other commandments, how about these bishops that call in young children for their temple recommend interview, and are literally drilled about their masturbation habits? Again, I’m my cousin will have a totally different view than you. It is bad enough they ask adults these questions, but to drill kids on it is repugnant.

Latter-day Saint churches, meetinghouses, are open to all, whether members of the Church or not. All are welcome to participate in our Sacrament Meetings (Communion), Sunday school, Priesthood and Relief Society (and all other organizations) meetings, as well as various activities and religious classes during the week.

Latter-day Saints believe that temples are very sacred, literal houses of God, and that one must be following the commandments of God and have faith in the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to enter into His presence (i.e. in the temple and on into the afterlife). This is similar in some senses to the Catholic practice of not allowing Protestants and non-Christians to partake of the Eucharist, or Catholics who are in a state of mortal sin (i.e. “not worthy” essentially). It is also similar to practices in other faiths of restricting access to sacred places, such as the Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox practice of restricting access to behind the iconostasis into the sanctuary.

Again, you have to pay to go to a temple. We don’t have to pay to go to any Catholic, Church, Chapel, Cathedral, Basilica, or even the Vatican. Anyone is allowed to attend any and all services and Mass. Mormons exclude families from their temple ceremonies, like temple weddings.

There is no comparison with entering a building, and attending a Mass, and receiving the Eucharist, and Rebecca pointed that out.

Yes, they go two-by-two, which is preferable for a number of reasons.

Control being the primary one.

Latter-day Saints are counseled to have a pure body, mind, and spirit. In that manner, and in concert with our firm belief that we members of the true Church of Jesus Christ, we should focus on reading and viewing material that is uplifting, both spiritually and temporally. First and foremost is study of the scriptures. However, no one is disciplined for reading works critical of the Church. Indeed, I have read and own many of the popular critical and “anti” Latter-day Saint books, and have read a large number of critical and anti articles (including the ones on this site), videos, etc., most of which I read before my conversion to the Lord’s Church.

Unfortunately, you aren’t in the Lord’s Church. Mormonism in no way relates to mainstream Christianity. Mormons created their own version of the godhead, they created their own scriptures, and are constantly providing their own definition of words that are contrary to what is commonly understood.

Study of scriptures is extremely important, understanding them correctly is even more important. Given that there are 13 million mormons, I can almost guarantee that there are 12 million different understandings. I have been to mormon services, and I can tell you, there is little scripture involved. Especially the Bible.

While no one is “disciplined” for non faith promoting works, it is definitely frowned upon, and people are told about it. That is where the internet is making such a big dent in mormon membership.

 

[BListon]

Just my two cents here, but I have family that are LDS, and I don’t see them knocking my beliefs, so I don’t knock theirs. I don’t consider them a cult. They have yet to drink the kool aid.

 

[BListon]

Just my two cents here, but I have family that are LDS, and I don’t see them knocking my beliefs, so I don’t knock theirs. I don’t consider them a cult. They have yet to drink the kool aid.

 

[Jerusha]

Allowing for limited numbers and geographical distribution, Mormons vary more than Catholics. That is because of the internal inconsistencies of their doctrines. There tends to be more malignancy among Utah Mormons.

Even I would give one particular person a chance if he would just disclose more information on what makes him tick.

 

[LivingWaters7]

While I think the intent is good, the practice is bureaucratic. I lived in one place for 13 years without Mormons bothering me. One day, I’m out getting the mail and a complete stranger who I have never met in my life says “hey Rebecca do you have minute?” Well, since I didn’t know this guy from Adam, I knew right off he was a Mormon. How else did he know my name, except…wait for it…he was assigned to talk to me, aka, be my visiting teacher.

I know for a fact that guy would have never said diddly-squat to me if he wasn’t assigned to do so. He wasn’t concerned for me. He was concerned for his visiting teaching numbers. Period. Bureaucracy in action.

I never heard from, or saw him again. Which is fine by me.

It is clear that in every religion (and non-religion for that matter), there are people that do things for the wrong reasons. It is not surprising to a Latter-day Saint that there are people that do their home teaching or visiting teaching simply for the numbers and to say that they did it. That is not the purpose nor the spirit behind home and visiting teaching. The actual purpose of these practices is to care for our brothers and sisters in Christ on our spiritual journey. If someone is doing it for the wrong reasons, it is just that, the wrong reasons. This applies for the practices in all faiths.

Your church is Smith’s church, not the Lord. Perhaps you could post for us the lessons you receive on personal apostasy.

My Church, in my belief, is the Lord’s Church, the Church of Jesus Christ. You are entitled to your belief.

haha, all I can do is laugh at this one. lol.

Wonderful.

Maybe, maybe not. Depends on the bishop. Some ask for statements of income, such as federal tax forms. Usually, they ask for more money.

The point is, it’s nobody’s business.

There is no need to “ask for more money” (or, I assume you mean that the bishop would guide someone in their following of the commandment of tithing) if someone is already following this commandment.

Pray, pay, obey.

Latter-day Saints believe that God asks us to follow His commandments, one of which is tithing (one demonstration of sacrifice in the Lord’s Church).

…and people are assigned to check up on you to make sure you are.

Latter-day Saints believe that our priesthood leaders guide us on our spiritual journey, and help us in following God’s commandments, including our reliance on Christ’s atonement in repentance.

Again, no one is interviewing anyone before we receive communion. People are asked to not receive communion. No one standing there disallowing them, except in the rare case where the priest suspects a person is not Catholic, they may ask and give them a blessing instead of communion. Mormons have no interest in blessing non-Mormons.

Unfortunately this has nothing to do with the actual point. The Latter-day Saint practice on entrance to the House of the Lord is based on the belief that one should be following God’s commandments and have faith in the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is similar to the Catholic practice on the Eucharist (noting that I clearly stated “in some senses”, implying obvious differences between practices) in that those that do not believe in the fulness of the Truth (in the Catholic belief) are not permitted to partake of the Eucharist, and those who are in a state of mortal sin are not permitted to partake of the Eucharist.

Anyone can attend Mass, we don’t interview people before allowing them into our churches. Why? Because they are there for a reason. If God leads someone to show up at mass, who are we to stop them from entering?

Anyone is allowed to attend Sacrament Meeting and enter the churches of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

It is an area of the church, not the entire church. And you can ask any Eastern catholic why you can’t go behind there, and you’ll get a clear and concise reason. No secrets. No keeping family from attending a wedding in a church because there is something secret going on behind a rood screen.

oh wait, the secret thing for a mormon is the wedding.

Obviously it is an area of the church. The point is on restriction of access to certain sacred spaces, and the fact that in certain churches (including in the Eastern Catholic churches which are part of the Catholic Church), many people are not allowed in that sacred portion of the church.