How is the LDS a cult?

[TexanKnight]

OK, you convinced me I will read the threads! I never claimed to be an expert, but I believe in Christian unity and I hate the idea of Christians alienating one another. My defense of these people was only with the best intentions, nothing more or less.
Peace be with you

Pay close attention to those of who served and were members of the LDS Church.

But even more importantly, recognize that even the Catholic Church does not consider them true Christians. The Catholic Church, though it recognizes the baptisms of many denominations, does not recognize the Baptism of the LDS Church.

 

[exMormon]

Pay close attention to those of who served and were members of the LDS Church.

But even more importantly, recognize that even the Catholic Church does not consider them true Christians. The Catholic Church, though it recognizes the baptisms of many denominations, does not recognize the Baptism of the LDS Church.

This is true. Take a look at my post “Difference of views: Mormons and Catholics” and check out the links from the Vatican.

Disclosure: I am a Former Temple attending Mormon. I am not Catholic yet however after much research and prayer I know it is Christ’s Church.

 

[Pepband_Mom]

As you can tell like you I am a Catholic. I never claimed to be an expert, all I said was that I have met these people and read some of the literature I received from them. Nowhere in that literature did I see anything that you describe, now I know that’s not much to go by. I don’t understand why they see the Book of Mormon as a holy book on par with the Bible, but from what I know, I consider them Christian at least for now. You may be a former Mormon, but that also doesn’t say much. I hated Christianity not very long ago as an Agnostic, hating the faith of my birth. Your accusations are new to me and I will look into them, but at this second I consider them Christian.

J: You may consider LDS Christian in their *charity *but never in their THEOLOGY as will they never be on par with mainstream Christianity let alone the RCC UNTIL they admit their gross errors and come into the fold. There is NO need for a “prophet” whatsoever. They are a non-Christian world organization according to RCC Apologist Patrick Madrid.

Christ established “my Church” & this is NOT Joseph or Brigham’s invention.

 

[kimg901]

As you can tell like you I am a Catholic. I never claimed to be an expert, all I said was that I have met these people and read some of the literature I received from them. Nowhere in that literature did I see anything that you describe, now I know that’s not much to go by. I don’t understand why they see the Book of Mormon as a holy book on par with the Bible, but from what I know, I consider them Christian at least for now. You may be a former Mormon, but that also doesn’t say much. I hated Christianity not very long ago as an Agnostic, hating the faith of my birth. Your accusations are new to me and I will look into them, but at this second I consider them Christian.

And you wont find in their handouts what we are telling you. You never will. I understand and respect your views and opinions on this but trust us here when we tell you these things. We have documentaion of their teachings (you can just research it too) that dont go out to the mainstream public. All we can do is pray for these folks and their souls.

 

[KathleenGee]

J…

Your basic foundation is dialogue and good relationship who do not share the same faith with you.

You also must realize that the Mormon religion passes out tracts and literature that makes it sound Christian. We have a popular poster here who years ago joined the Mormon religion. She was rushed in thinking it was this and that. After baptism, she was then shown their true beliefs and left with a hurry. Milk before the meat.

Or there are new Mormons who are being taught new beliefs that are more about becoming a better person with the help of Christ, and continuing to becoming a better person in the next life…eternal progression. In the meantime, every Mormon temple is going 24/7 baptizing the dead.

Did you know that John Paul II was baptized 6 times after his death into Mormonism? Did you know when they run out of names, dead people are baptized several times? Or that recently the Mormon religion got hold of sacramental records of priests and nuns going back a thousand years…a treasure trove one commentator said…and how unjustly the Vatican in 2008 prohibited the Mormon religion from ever treating our baptized people as such again. It is still going on. I live 2.3 from the State Temple and wondered in the past what was going on in there in the middle of the night, while coming home from night shifts.

Likewise, you must study the history of Mormon belief and practice. You should find out what former Mormons experienced growing up in Mormon communities, particularly rural.

It is a work of mercy to instruct the ignorant or those who are misled as doing so fulfills Christ’s exhortation to us.

 

[J_the_Centrist]

J…

Your basic foundation is dialogue and good relationship who do not share the same faith with you.

You also must realize that the Mormon religion passes out tracts and literature that makes it sound Christian. We have a popular poster here who years ago joined the Mormon religion. She was rushed in thinking it was this and that. After baptism, she was then shown their true beliefs and left with a hurry. Milk before the meat.

Or there are new Mormons who are being taught new beliefs that are more about becoming a better person with the help of Christ, and continuing to becoming a better person in the next life…eternal progression. In the meantime, every Mormon temple is going 24/7 baptizing the dead.

Did you know that John Paul II was baptized 6 times after his death into Mormonism? Did you know when they run out of names, dead people are baptized several times? Or that recently the Mormon religion got hold of sacramental records of priests and nuns going back a thousand years…a treasure trove one commentator said…and how unjustly the Vatican in 2008 prohibited the Mormon religion from ever treating our baptized people as such again. It is still going on. I live 2.3 from the State Temple and wondered in the past what was going on in there in the middle of the night, while coming home from night shifts.

Likewise, you must study the history of Mormon belief and practice. You should find out what former Mormons experienced growing up in Mormon communities, particularly rural.

It is a work of mercy to instruct the ignorant or those who are misled as doing so fulfills Christ’s exhortation to us.

  I am looking into this as we speak and no I didn't know about John Paul the Great and those baptisms. I knew about those baptisms, but I always assumed that it was just some bizarre practice of theirs and nothing more. Not only am I looking at the threads, but my personal library is quite extensive and I may already have something about them. I will also try to investigate further when I go to the campus library at my school.
 In any case I am beginning to believe that you guys may be right. This upsets me for three reasons. First, I always assumed they were Christian and facing the possibity that they may not be makes me feel inept for not figuring this out. Second, is the fact that they are (if non-Christian) brainwashing millions of people into their religion on false pretenses and that makes this Brooklyn boy enraged. Finally, for some reason the possibility of them not being Christian depresses me. First and foremost I am very tolerant of other religions (see my other posts where I describe Islam's influence on me) and I believe very strongly in Christian unity. However, the thought of a religion parading itself as Christian, while not being Christian is something I personally find insulting and if I discover that this is the case I will be incensed. To be continued...........

 

[KathleenGee]

First of all, your basic approach J, is in the spirit of the Church. We are all human beings called to salvation by the same Savior. Hold on to that.

I will try to find our CAF member’s experience.

And most of all, it is so important we pray for the Mormon people. There is also ex-mormon.org…and a number of posts and topics are quite informative…you have to study to discern which testimonies are isolated cases, and others which reflect common practices, even if they originate in local areas. Ten testimonies of same are worthy of documentation.

 

[twopekinguys]

I am looking into this as we speak and no I didn’t know about John Paul the Great and those baptisms. I knew about those baptisms, but I always assumed that it was just some bizarre practice of theirs and nothing more. Not only am I looking at the threads, but my personal library is quite extensive and I may already have something about them. I will also try to investigate further when I go to the campus library at my school.
In any case I am beginning to believe that you guys may be right. This upsets me for three reasons. First, I always assumed they were Christian and facing the possibity that they may not be makes me feel inept for not figuring this out. Second, is the fact that they are (if non-Christian) brainwashing millions of people into their religion on false pretenses and that makes this Brooklyn boy enraged. Finally, for some reason the possibility of them not being Christian depresses me. First and foremost I am very tolerant of other religions (see my other posts where I describe Islam’s influence on me) and I believe very strongly in Christian unity. However, the thought of a religion parading itself as Christian, while not being Christian is something I personally find insulting and if I discover that this is the case I will be incensed. To be continued…

Now we’re talking.

Sometimes it takes a harsh does of the truth to open our eyes.

Study what you can, read it for yourself. We have just given you a starting point for you to see the truth.

 

[KathleenGee]

Hi J Centrist…

I went back on some old threads…but I was unable to find the actual testimony from one of our members who was rushed into baptism and then afterwards told their actual beliefs.

There was a thread around election time, ‘Americans Learned Little About Mormon Fatih, But Some Attitudes have Softened’…in World News archives.

About Mormon baptisms…Feb 8, 2012, in Non Catholic Religions forum, 'Ancestry.com and Mormon Church.

You can learn about our old former Mormon members, ‘All Opposition to Mormonism Comes from Satan’ on Non Catholic Religions…Parkerd, Dianaid, Zerinus. Theosis was playing both sides as we began to see, he was a Catholic and then became Mormon, and was banned for some reason.

ParkerD was suspected of being a Mormon high priest. Dianaid is a Mormon theologian.

Zerinus was a former Moslem and now Mormon convert. He was here gleaning all he could about our faith in the Eucharist. Finally, he showed us his link where he was ‘proving’ to the Mormons the falsehood of transubstantiation referencing Catholic belief and practice and showing how it is wrong. That got him banned soon after. He never made any sense to me.

ParkerD was very nice. But some times a former Mormon would catch him on PC…and finally joked with him that some day when he is on his planet and now a god, he will be watching us…still laugh about that comment.

On Non Catholic Religion forum, Feb. 13, 2010, ‘Why Try to Convert Catholics; What do We Lack for Salvation’. Check out the comment about Mormon PC, Post 81, and…
pertaining to this thread, about LDS possibly a cult, a member was attending a Mormon missionary meeting and a question was asked to the LDS bishop about Mormonism possibly a cult, and he responded, ‘Is being a cult a bad thing?’ on post 96.

Then there is the psycho thread, probably made that way by me as I mixed up the title of some Mormon book at the LDS store, Dec 12, 2009, ‘Mormon Apostasy and Restoration’. Note posts 167 and 464, but there are alot there to think about.

I think what caused such a reaction was my book mix up and exposing Mormon beliefs about Catholics. Mormons are hiding their anti-Catholic past. I know they were doing anti-Catholic priest rituals up into the 1990’s. And on Ex Mormon.org there is some mention of it…a gathering of Mormon priests and bishops all started laughing and ridiculing the Nicene Creed in the late '80’s.

It is a big deal to the Mormons that they now have their grandiose Mormon Temple going up on 15 acres in the northern countryside of Rome, Italy. They will use any Christian bible except a Catholic one. Their foundation is inherently anti-Catholic…all other creeds are an abomination…creed coming from the Latin word, credo.

Their stereotyping and ill will towards the Church was revealed in their tv program on their channel last year on the ‘King James Bible’. It was pretty upsetting and alot of cherry picking going on.

 

[Daniel_Stinson]

My sister-in-law who’s born and raised in Theravada Buddhism has wondered from her religion and was taking an interest in Christianity, because of a relationship that she was about to engage in. Knowing my wife and I are Christian, she was looking for some pointers on what to do and the process involved in entering into the Christian faith. Then we got hit with the headliner, Mormonism, and I promptly got engaged further. She was trying to come into Christianity for the wrong reasons, to please a guy that peek her interest to date at some point. I explained that it wasn’t really Christian at all and apparently, she had already stopped by, and the Mormon elders had given her a Book of Mormon and she wasted a lot of time reading it. She engaged us because she generally thought all Christianity is the same and we could helper her understand Mormonism better.

My wife sent me over one afternoon, when she was available, and she was trying to drive me down to the Mormon temple to debate the elders. I explained that I’m here to tell her about Christianity and not to waste my time debating trained elders within their own temple about a religion I don’t know that much about. She showed me what they wanted of her and I went through her Book of Mormon and had her read from the Bible to see how much it’s different and how the Book of Mormon erratically jumps around without consistency or meaning. They didn’t even provide her with a Bible, just a Book of Mormon. The next think I know, she has me on speaker phone with her elder, who couldn’t hardly answer any of my questions. Before I know it there’s five elders on the call trying to win over my sister-in-law’s religious compass. She had broke down in tears as she realized that they were using semantics to betray the Trinity, Sacrament of the Alter, Baptism, and her personal integrity.

She basically had an extremely negative experience with her first trial run at so called Christianity. We’ve tried to get her engaged again, but she’s very independent and young and feels the need to find a religion away from family. She has the point of view that she’ll find religion rather than the Good Shepard finding her. She has distanced herself from both the Mormon temple and Buddhist temple and participates in neither, we’re patiently awaiting her heart to soften and accept some form of organized religion again.

A childhood friend of my little brother was raised under an atheist father, Roman Catholic mother, and Southern Baptist step-father. After the second divorce, he became a bit much to handle, and his mom sent him off to live with a close friend of their family in Utah. Needless to say, she was Mormon, and he’s told me a lot of stories about how strict it was and how friends couldn’t sleep over inside the house, but had to camp outside on the lawn and other such extremes. He was baptized as an infant under Roman Catholicism, but they made him get baptized a second time, and he was at a lost with what they called a sacrament. He occasionally comes to Church with us, but not consistently, and he’s somewhat hostile towards Christianity due to all the variations that he’s come across.

 

[Marie5890]

ParkerD was suspected of being a Mormon high priest.

Being a high priest in the LDS church is not as big as a deal as people would think. Many if most men end up being one. In order to serve as a bishop or at the stake level etc etc, one is set apart as a high priest.

 

[Marie5890]

we’re patiently awaiting her heart to soften and accept some form of organized religion again.

Just be consistent in demonstrating God’s love, without being pushy, and continue to pray. It’s those seemily “small” things that softens a person’s heart.

 

[RebeccaJ]

Deseret Industries is a program designed to help people find employment, especially those who may have a handicap or speak little English.

When my granddaughter was a Senior in high shool she moved to Utah. When she graduated she didn’t know anyone in the new area, she had no work experience and she was very shy. Her bishop recommend her to work at DI.

Her job at DI would be for a maximum of four months. While employed there, DI trained her how to write a resume and how to interview. They taught her good work habits such as proper dress and punctuality, and of course, she received experience in retail sales.

She loves animals, so while working at DI she applied for a job at a pet store. They needed help but couldn’t afford to hire a young non-experienced person. Deseret Industries told the pet store that they would pay her salary for two months. They said OK, but they would not be able to keep her after the two months. DI payed her salary for two months while she worked at the pet store. At the end of the two months, the pet store gave her a full time job.

I thought some here might enjoy this story of how another cruel Mormon bishop, instead of giving her charity, made a sweet innocent 18 year old girl work work work.

Nice and thanks for sharing.

But they are still selling, and the profits are still going somewhere. Having worked for an LDS church-owned organization, who gave 10% of their profit to the LDS Church…well, I’m not interested in supporting the mission of the LDS. which is opposed to Christ’s Church.

 

[ru1too]

“Whoever seeks peace and the good of the community with a pure conscience, and keeps alive the desire for the transcendent, will be saved even if he lacks biblical faith.”

Pope Benedict XVI

 

[Daniel_Stinson]

“Whoever seeks peace and the good of the community with a pure conscience, and keeps alive the desire for the transcendent, will be saved even if he lacks biblical faith.”

Pope Benedict XVI

John 1 The Word Became Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life,a and the life was the light of men.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

 

[KathleenGee]

Hi Marie…

Good you clarified…yes, a former Mormon explained to me high priest. We think of it in Catholic terms of somebody in white robes with a hat on, and ritualistic anti-Catholic.

I did not see a Mormon high priest either the same as a Masonic high priest or those who are in cults as such.

Aren’t they like a bishop emeritus … or somebody who is out there to evangelize … us?

 

[kimg901]

High Priest, Bishop, President = No Authority

 

[mtolympus]

“For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, niether should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busy-bodies, Now them that are such we command in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.” (2 Thess. 3:10-12)

You are taking these verses out of context, ignoring the back round and who they were addressed to.

The qoute above was not taken out of context at all. It says what it says. In fact the previous verses strengthen the context:

“For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you; Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.” (2 Thes. 3:7-9)

Paul was speaking to people like this
Quote:
“44* And all who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts”

Your quote from Acts 2:44-46 shows that the New Testament church had all things in common. This made it even more essential for those who were able to, be willing to work.

Those verses are not a countermand to Christ’s command to feed the hungry.

I abolutely agree.

 

[zaffiroborant]

Your quote from Acts 2:44-46 shows that the New Testament church had all things in common. This made it even more essential for those who were able to, be willing to work.

Um that’s what I said, but that is the way we work together, it is not license to put others to work for food (it just gives you license to judge whether or not someone is worthy to receive aid). Christ simply commanded you feed them. If you want them to work for it fine but it is not charity, it is absolutely not giving if you require something in return. Giving help to someone because they deserve it is really not the point. and Christ never said anything like it.

 

[mangy_dog]

Why do so many people believe the LDS is a cult? I personally think otherwise. How could a church with nearly 15 million members, be a cult? And I know some Mormons and they told me the church doesn’t dictate what they can and cannot do. Look at many Mormon politicians. They let their positions known and receive no criticism towards them from the LDS church. It’s not like Mormons are held on a leash or anything.

Also, the church has no charismatic or authoritarian leader, and I recently talked to a Mormon who told me they don’t worship any of their prophets (even Joseph Smith!). The current president seems like a genuinely nice, and democratic leader.

Here’s what a cult is defined as:

1. A system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object.
2. A relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister.

If the LDS is a cult, then us Catholics and protestants are as well, since we devote our lives to Jesus Christ. Also, the LDS is by no means small, and it’s practices are not too strange (besides wearing special undergarments and not being able to drink coffee or alcohol).

Also, I don’t want to come off as pro-Mormon or anti-Catholic (I love my Catholic faith). So lets keep this civil.

Regards,
Kanuck

If I had a nickel for everytime someone asked this…be that as it may.

The Divinity of Christ. Same thing with the JW’s-the Divinity of Christ.