Okay the fried who thinks the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints is some kind of cult is willing to write out an essay on the subject and I'ld like to pass it to someone (not publicy I don't want to offend anyone) who can answer a reply to each point raised pass it back to me, and I'll pass it to him.
This way I don't offend anyone asking stupid questions, no little thread sniping wars are started and I don't butcher an arguement since I don't know anything and thus its really really hard to debate this if I don't know anything.
So ya, reply if your interested and I'll pass it to you, if PJ says its okay I'll post and let the Community at large to answer it, (i don't have it yet expect at least a week, college students are lazy).
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
I wouldn't mind doing this by e-mail. Of course, have you asked him to research his conclusions before he writes them? lds.org and mormon.org have a large body of searchable information that may open his eyes about a couple of things.
Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
They also have great recipes for cooking babies.
What definition of "cult" is your friend using? I've read some Protestant Christian material that defines it as a religion that calls itself Christianity, but doesn't fit the definition of Christianity that the author of the material uses.
So far as I've seen, Mormons are no more cult-like than your average Protestant Christian. Unless you're talking about the wackos in Colorado City. Though I think the main LDS church may have excommunicated them...
Posted by Jacare Sorridente (Member # 1906) on :
Feel free to e-mail me as well.
Shigosei- babies in coconut sauce are divine Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
I wouldn't post it on Hatrack.
Taalcon has seen just about everything anti that has been put out. He'd be an excellent resource.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Yeah, I forgot to say please don't post it on Hatrack. There's enough anti stuff on the internet already. Plus, it's disrespectful to your hosts.
Posted by FlyingCow (Member # 2150) on :
I'm just surprised the LDS had cannons. I mean, they afraid pirates are going to raid Utah? Do they have a gangplank, too?
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
lol, only afriad that the Union will invade them... oh wait a minute...
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
quote:Do they have a gangplank, too?
Yes, we make the parents walk it if they won't give up their babies for us to eat. Posted by Taalcon (Member # 839) on :
I've actually been answering a lot of "essays" like this lately on other forums. Feel free to send it my way. I may actually be able to cut-and-past a lot of what I've already written to answer many of his statements Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
Sure, that'll be great once he's finished I'll send it to you.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
And everyone else who answered the call as well, more brains poweer y'know.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Once again in my fundamentalist upbringing, I was taught that "cult" refers to any sect claiming Christianity but with a non-standard concept of the nature of God and/or Jesus Christ. This includes modifications on the concept of the Trinity (notwithstanding that the word Trinity isn't actually in the Bible) and addendums or explanations of Jesus Christ being fully God and fully man.
The term is mainly applied in modern times to LDS and Jehovah's Witnesses, though I believe Christian scientists may fall in as well, and Seventh-day adventists are borderline, the Gnostics would be an more ancient example.
"Cult" does not equal "occult" though some folks confuse the two. However the two concepts can overlap in some varieties of voodoo practice.
Fundamentalist protestant evangelical Christians also feel that some Catholic practices such as the elevation of Mary to co-redemptrix are bordering on the lines of "cult" as well as veneration of saints crossing too near the line of the occult. In fact you'll find many fringe fundamentalist websites that paint Catholics and LDS with about the same brush.
(though some of the fringe fundy groups have become "cults" in their own way)
AJ
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
BTW Blayne, this was a very good way to discuss this in a non-confrontational manner.
Posted by Brinestone (Member # 5755) on :
Huh. I always thought cults were small, bizarre religions such as the one that thought there were UFOs behind the comet and whatnot.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
The big established religions were, at one time, small, and seemingly bizarre.
Just saying.
Posted by Puppy (Member # 6721) on :
Blayne, you can also contact me about this if you like I've done quite a bit of this sort of thing myself, though I lack the giant bucket of references and quotes that some people seem to have.
And I'm sorry for my jabs over on the other thread I really didn't mean to be too seriously critical, but I'm betting that after OSC's giant post, it was hard not to come across that way.
Posted by Amanecer (Member # 4068) on :
I took a History of American Religion class. My professor said that historians use the term "sect" to refer to variations of a particular religion that have the same doctrine but different cultures- like the Amish. "Cults" refer to groups that have similar cultures but different doctrines. According to this definition, the LDS church is a cult.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
A cult is just a religion that you are choosing to demonize. You get to tailor your definition of cult so that it includes who you want it to.
Posted by Puppy (Member # 6721) on :
Amanecer, I don't think we could say that Mormon culture is particularly similar to traditional Christian culture ...
Posted by Amanecer (Member # 4068) on :
Edited: Nevermind, this is too sensitive of an issue to argue. I do think that professor was making a useful and non-offensive distinction with the terms. But since that is certainly not what Blayne's friend meant, it doesn't really matter. *steps out of thread*
[ September 14, 2005, 07:51 PM: Message edited by: Amanecer ]
Posted by FlyingCow (Member # 2150) on :
I just wanted to also applaud your handling of this issue, Blayne.
Posted by Will B (Member # 7931) on :
I think the way people use "cult" these days means something like "religious, or even non-religious, group, that makes the personal decisions for its members." If a church urges you to tithe or not hit people, that doesn't make it a cult, but if it decides what house you should buy and makes out your daily planner, it is.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
Is Falun Gong a cult? And yay!! I'm not being critisized! I feel so happy! *basks in praise*
*rolls dice* Aha! 500 dmg with a fire ball!
...
Waaaaaaaait..... Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Ok....now to do something about the DnD references...
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
pffft, getting back into the mood. I hope to play in school nowadays.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
quote:Originally posted by Kwea: Ok....now to do something about the DnD references...
You crack me up!
Posted by steven (Member # 8099) on :
"is falun gong a cult?"
Not really. They are a mishmash of Taoist and Buddhist philosophy and qi gong. Speaking loosely.
Members are free to leave the group any time. In terms of Chinese stuff, it's nowhere near the most violent (so far) short-term group movement that China has seen. There was a guy who believed he was the reincarnated brother of Jesus Christ back in the 1860's. His followers killed several million people before stopping. I'd have to research it to find the guy's name.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
i dooon't knooow..... I've heard that the falun leader claims you can get xray vision and stuff if they follow him.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Yeah, and where did you hear that? Did you hear it from the leader, or an official website or publication of the group, or even from a member of the group? Or did you hear it from somewhere else?
'Cause I've heard that us Mormons worship the Devil in the Temple. Funny, I've never noticed that when I go there...
Posted by Amanecer (Member # 4068) on :
quote: There was a guy who believed he was the reincarnated brother of Jesus Christ back in the 1860's. His followers killed several million people before stopping. I'd have to research it to find the guy's name.
You're thinking of the Taiping Rebellion led by Hong Xiuquan. Simplifying that movement into a purely religious things is too condensed. China was ruled by the Manchu, an ethnic minority, and was essentially a puppet of Western powers. The Taiping had very anti-Western and anti-Manchu politics. A lot of people joined them for those reasons and not for religious ones.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
heard it third hand. I don't believe it, I'm just suspiscious.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Maybe you should research it before you repeat it next time.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
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I've done quite a bit of this sort of thing myself, though I lack the giant bucket of references and quotes that some people seem to have.![[Cool]](cool.gif)
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