If you were to google “is Mormonism a cult,”
It will tell you that
“It depends on who you ask.”
At least,
That’s what it said for us!
Although we will say,
The fact that the church is compared to Scientology is no surprise to us. It’s no secret that Scientology is exclusive and, well…culty.
It’s funny, but not surprising, that Mormonism would be compared to it
and the high-demands it has for its members.
But many people who have left the LDS church would categorize the church as “cultish”, if not fully a “cult.”
(Google AI)
For us?
We think Mormonism is a cult.
A religious cult.
Sorry; but that’s how we see it.
Why?
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cult
• Indoctrination
• Financial requirements to remain in good standing
• Sexism
• Harmful rhetoric (lgbtq+, gender roles, etc.)
• The grooming of young girls for marriage
• Forcing missionaries to PAY the church to do something for the church
• Odd rituals/ceremonies that (used to) encourage death upon one who breaks their covenants (but the idea is the same, it’s just a threat of “spiritual death” now rather than physical).
• Given new names to erase individuality
• The clothes, secret handshakes, secret passwords…
Etc.
(Google)
“Don’t share that stuff!! It’s sacred, not secret!!”
First off, we got these images from GOOGLE.
They’re already out there.
And yet, the church desires every single person in the world to eventually participate in these rituals, no?
So why keep it so hush-hush?
So that the church can slowly indoctrinate it’s newer recruits before showing them the ceremony they have to participate in,
so that they’ll be more willing to engage and won’t be as freaked out and run when the time comes?
We all know why the church tries to claim it’s “sacred, not secret.”
And it’s because it’s,
Well…
CULTY.
It’s weird.
Now look; we aren’t opposed to weird things. Hell, we aren’t opposed to rituals, or symbolic clothing, or symbols and signs in general.
Many things in this world have symbols and signs.
But the Mormon church makes their rituals and rites secretive; mandatory to make it to the highest degree of heaven; an exclusive club that only those deemed “worthy” by the church can participate in.
Idk;
Sounds culty to us.
(Google)
“But LOTS of religions and groups have their own rituals, clothing, rites, etc! It’s not just us!”
Well you see,
There’s a reason we don’t believe in religion in general…
It’s ALL a little culty.
It ALL demands a certain level of devotion, financial contribution, levels to accomplish…
All for the HOPE of a return to live in the presence of a “godly being” after our inevitable death.
A ton of religions string people along and get them stuck deep inside their organizations, to the point where “religious psychosis” is a thing.
So no,
We don’t think ANY organized religion really is healthy for anyone.
In fact,
We even dare say that religion can be extremely harmful.
And the Mormon church?
Let’s just say, it damaged us GOOD.
#therapy
(Google)
While certain aspects of the ceremonies have been changed; the inherit gospel behind it has not.
Sure, things like the temple blood oaths, the oath of vengeance, etc has been officially done away with.
But the ideas behind this harmful ceremony still stand.
I can clearly remember the booming voice in the temple stating over the loud speaker during my first ceremony;
“GOD WILL NOT BE MOCKED.”
And
“If they don’t live up to every commandment they make in the temple this day, I will drag them down to hell” (or something like that), sincerely, Satan.
Talk about emotional and manipulative abuse!!
And people don’t see this as “culty??”
The ceremonies make you swear to never break your promises or you’ll face damnation and “spiritual death.”
Because fear mongering people is love; right?
(Google)
In these temple ceremonies, you promise to
• Agree to obey all of God’s laws and commandments
• Commit yourselves to the law of sacrifice; of sacrificing yourself and everyone and everything for the church.
• Keep your sexual relations in your pants or just between you and your spouse
• Dedicate all of your time, talents, and “material blessings” to the church.
Do we see it yet??
Do we see why this religion is categorized by many as a “high-demand” religion?
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/temples/what-is-temple-endowment
And the members don’t just participate in these rituals for themselves;
Just like baptisms; they also do it for the dead. Without their prior consent. Which they cannot give. Because they are dead.
Also, why is the church SO pressed and focused on adults and their sexual urges??
The church is like a parent that never allows its children to grow into fully mature adults;
always imposing laws and rules on them well into adulthood.
What do you mean the church doesn’t allow adults to have safe sex in the ways ADULTS choose to do so?
A little weird to have a billion-dollar organization make its followers promise to keep it in their pants unless they’re married to make it to the highest kingdom of heaven; no??
(Google)
“But it’s called an “endowment” because it’s a gift to us from God!”
A gift from god to you?
To what?
To learn more “knowledge” about HIMSELF? About God? Sounds a bit narcissistic though, no?
What a gift.
(Google)
Oh, you get the gift of being able to be strengthened to do…what again exactly?
To…do what God wants you to do??
And that’s considered a gift to you?
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/temples/what-is-temple-endowment
“God will guide us more, and better! And protect us even more!”
Okay.
Sure, let’s believe that’s true, why not.
Invisible promises always turn out to be true, right?
Oh and what was that last promise?
Receiving more hope, comfort and peace in life?
Guys come on.
Members of the church are promising EVERYTHING to God;
And in return?
They recieve “invisible promises.”
Members commit everything,
And receive nothing in return.
“Come enjoy the temple and earn the right to finally get to wear the sacred garments…!”
“…which you have to buy for yourselves, because it’s a commandment to wear them now; even though we’re a billion-dollar organization and could provide them for free if we wanted to!”
Recieving nothing but the hope of a promise that you will never know is true,
And the right to wear a garment that you have to pay for, that you’re commanded to wear now.
And yet, you commit yourself to keep paying the church, keep burning yourself out, keep drowning yourself in rules and laws and boxes.
All for nothing tangible in return.
Nothing but hope to possibly distill our fear of inevitable death.
That doesn’t sound worth it to us.
No way.
The church calls the ceremonies a “gift.”
We call it “a way to get people to commit themselves even deeper to our organization without actually having to give up anything to them in return.”
But members believe the rhetoric,
And they attend these ceremonies often, because of the promises they are allegedly “promised” to receive.
Or out of subconscious fear.
Either way,
It’s not a healthy psychological thing to have people engage in;
These cult-y mindsets, devotions, and promises.
Sure, we know that some people utilize religion because they have found that religion is something that assists them through life.
Life is obviously not a piece of cake.
So we get the why as to why people involve themselves with such high-demand religions and rituals;
Wear garments every day and night so they feel comforted by the idea of salvation and seeing their loved ones after death.
We get it.
But we have to understand that organized religion isn’t generally in it for the good of the people…
And it’s important to recognize the toxicity, abuse, and psychological/emotional manipulation when it appears.
And the church is FULL of it!!
And the best part?
The church starts kids young;
Age 8, to be exact
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/general-handbook/26-temple-recommends?lang=eng
To begin de-sensitizing them to the temple;
To the rituals they will perform later on in their lives…
…So that these rituals and secret handshakes and phrases will be deemed less odd than they really are.
So that red flags are muted and subdued in the member’s minds.
So that they don’t run.
And instead, they actively engage.
What’s ironic as well,
Is the story of the “great and spacious building.”
Remember that story?
The one where Lehi had a dream that the righteous walked a path of darkness but if they held onto an iron rod, it would lead them to the “tree of life” who’s fruit was “most delicious?”
And across from the tree was a chasm, and on the other side of the chasm was a “great and spacious building” full of people who mocked those who ate the fruit of the tree?
The church always told us that the building was full of the “wicked,” who chose not to eat the fruit of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
But us?
We’re starting to think that it’s actually the opposite.
I mean, we’ve been mocked and ridiculed more by active members of the church who attend that “great and spacious building,”
Than the ones who aren’t allowed inside.
I mean, doesn’t the church use the same rhetoric as above?
“Who wouldn’t want to come to the temple??”
“Come join all of your friends, family and loved ones here at the temple!”
“You want to be a part of the church and participate in these rituals!”
“We have all the tokens and passwords to the celestial kingdom!! Come join us!”
“You will be rich in spirit and glow with the countenance of Christ! Come to the temple!”
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2018/01/come-to-the-temple?lang=eng
The exclusivity of the temple, despite proclaiming that anyone can enter if they do XYZ, is pretty sus, is it not?
And what’s funny is that we have learned that even active members don’t have FULL access to all of the secret (sorry, “sacred”) rituals that the church provides and performs.
Have you heard of the “second annointing?”
“Sacred, not secret.”
Sounds pretty secret to us.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/doctrines-of-the-gospel/chapter-19?lang=eng
Allegedly, the second anointing is another ceremony ABOVE the sealing ceremony.
The sealing ceremony is often referred to, at least as we heard it, the “final step” in your covenant-keeping;
The last “ritual” you need to make it to the celestial kingdom after death;
Alongside obeying and keeping all of your covenants/commandments until the day you die.
But it wasn’t until AFTER we left the church,
That we realized that although we went as high as to receive our own sealing ordinance,
We had no idea there was a ceremony higher than that;
One that is even more secretive, and selective, than the temple already is.
Now, due to the extremely secret nature of the second announcing, it has been difficult to find information regarding what it all entails.
However, one main thing seems to be consistent;
“On the recommendation of a member of the first presidency or the quorum of the twelve, and under the direction of the president of the church.”
http://www.ldsendowment.org/secondanointing.html
The second annointing seems to be yet another “secret exclusive club” that not even all active members are able to access.
You have to be personally invited and recognized by those who run the church itself to get this ordinance.
A spiritual “popularity” contest of sorts.
And with the church’s history of free masonry involvement and how they pulled a lot of their ceremonial temple items from the free masons,
It’s no surprise that the “secret clubs” and invitations continue even within the walls of the church;
Not even available to all of it’s own members.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/masonry?lang=eng
When are we going to stop pretending that Mormonism is basically just another large, exclusive, VIP club to which you have to pay your dues?
The church preys on people’s fear of inevitable death;
And draws them into these exclusive cultish rituals and experiences,
Gets them to promise all they have and are to this organization.
And people believe the church;
Because they’re good, trusting people.
They want to believe the best.
But the church?
We’ll let you sit on that one.
–
If you’re saying,
“Yes it’s kept private, but the church has been more open lately about what goes on in the temples now, without revealing any of the sacred signs and symbols! They even have temple prep classes! What about open houses, too?”
“You just have to have faith; dedicating and promising so much to God, and to keep our covenants, is an act of faith in God! Of course the blessings we receive from God are spiritual and faith-based!”
“Having to do certain things to work up to temple ordinance ceremonies is no different than pre-requisites you have to take in college before you can advance in certain courses. It’s not malicious!”
Then tell me,
• While the temple may be more open about how the temple looks, what members wear inside, and have revealed that there are “signs and symbols” exchanged, tell me…
Do they tell people that the temple includes the fact that members who get endowed are commanded to wear their garments every day and night once they participate? And that members have to pay for them out of their own pockets??
Does the church tell people that to qualify for a recommend, they are required to pay 10% to the church to have access to their eternal blessings?
Does the church tell people that they use fear-based tactics, such as a loud speaker that will proclaim to people in the temple that if they don’t keep every single covenant, Satan will have dominion over them, and “God will not be mocked!?”
• “It’s faith-based” is fine. If people want to believe in a hope to console themselves regarding inevitable death, then sure; why not.
We suppose that people have every right to believe in invisible and non-guaranteed promises if they so desire.
• And the matter of working your way up to the temple? Temple “pre-requisites” per say? Let’s just say that college pre-requisites give you a degree and the ability to practice in a career field.
The temple “pre-requisites” involve the deep evaluation of a person and deem their souls as “worthy” or not,
And it has people make promises with a divine deity to always commit themselves, their skills, and their entire lives to an unproved God until the day they die.
Two VASTLY different things.
But then again;
People can believe in what they choose to believe, I suppose.
But it does not erase how culty the Mormon church Actually is.
And people actually go and do this for date night???
What a world.
–
Imagine shaming someone for leaving the church –
Because they don’t want to be involved in discriminatory, lifelong, cultish rituals and commitments, in exchange for invisible, un-guaranteed, empty promises.
