Romney and the Mormon Cult

[Syn7]

Is the Mormon Church a cult? Well let's see. What is the definition of cult?

Cult
(kŭlt)
n. 1. a. A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader.
b. The followers of such a religion or sect.

2. A system or community of religious worship and ritual.
3. The formal means of expressing religious reverence; religious ceremony and ritual.
4. A usually nonscientific method or regimen claimed by its originator to have exclusive or exceptional power in curing a particular disease.
5. a. Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing.
b. The object of such devotion.

6. An exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric, usually artistic or intellectual interest.




OK so under those definitions most organized religion can be considered Cults. But I personally feel that the Mormon Church is right up there on that list. I bring it up because of the whole Romney deal.
Mormons pledge themselves to their church and promise to hold Mormon values above all else, even secular. So if Romney gets in (he doesn't stand a chance, but still) who will he be the most loyal to? American Taxpayers? The Mormon Church? or the 1% he already goes to bat for day in and day out? Where are this mans priorities.

Here's my problem. If he is honest and true to his religion then he MUST hold us all to Mormon values. If he isn't honest about his faith and his church and does NOT put the Mormon Church first then who will he be loyal to? Can he be loyal to anyone is he lies to himself and his family by not obeying the Mormon Values?

Where does The Waffle stand and does he even deserve a chance after so much backpeddling and inconsistent rhetoric?

Does anyone here think StinkMitt even has a chance at winning the election?

[Hebrew Hammer]

The problem with it is that from almost any perspective you can paint any of the major religions as a cult...they are almost all ruled by men or dominated by them and are used to control the flocks.

Using the definition you listed, Catholicism would fall into that definition, its ruled by Pope (God's sole representative on earth) it's priests have been committing sex crimes against children, they worship idols, and expect money from its followers.

It reeks of David Koresh but on a grander scale. My point is be careful who you are about to judge lest you be judged by someone else's perspective. You can't paint a whole religion and its people with a broad brush. Most people don't know much about Mormonism outside of it...lots of misinformation and there is even more diversity within the religion itself.

It's a brave thread though...I'm pretty sure when Kennedy was running for office, some of this same discussion was taking place.

[David Jamieson]

All churches, temples and mosques are used by cults by definition.
All organized religion is a cult, by definition.

Be they mormons, jews, muslims, buddhists, anglicans (episcopalians) catholics or otherwise.
All the people involved in that are engaged in cult practices.

Mormons aren't any different in that sense, they are just more modern than the old ones.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Cult, sect, all the same thing really like has been said.
There really hasn't been an example of Romney's faith influencing his politics in a way that is different thasn any other candidates.
Sure the Morman religion has some distinct things that are different and perhaps make people uncomfortable but that is for the individual voter to decide in regards to Romney.

I think that term cult tends to make on thing of a small, closed to the public, religious group with some practices that may be viewed as "questionable" and perhaps even "disturbing" but even to that view all religions, heck in all ideologies are cults.

I disagree with the term "false" being used to describe a cult because that would require a "judgment" called that very few are qualified to make.

[David Jamieson]

The bigger issue with Romney is his complete disconnect from the common man. That guy functions at the 80,000 feet level, where the oxygen is really thin...

He is surprisingly unaware of the plight of the common man.
Would make a useless leader simply on that point alone.

SR- the word "false" should be replaced with non-evidential. I think anyone can make the observation that the evidence is lacking without making the outright call of "False".

[mawali]

If anything, Romney fits the definition of AntiChrist far more relaibly than President Obama. Romney has the backing of the Corporate Aristocracy and despite his flipflops, he is still pursued, courted and counted as one of 'THEM' while Obama is not, does not and he usually tells it like it is instead of sugarcoating reality.

Keep in mind, all elected officials are liars to x degree but it is better to be a peoples' candidate than a candidate set up by a committee and have citizens choose the choice of said committee!

[David Jamieson]

If anything, Romney fits the definition of AntiChrist far more relaibly than President Obama. Romney has the backing of the Corporate Aristocracy and despite his flipflops, he is still pursued, courted and counted as one of 'THEM' while Obama is not, does not and he usually tells it like it is instead of sugarcoating reality.

Keep in mind, all elected officials are liars to x degree but it is better to be a peoples' candidate than a candidate set up by a committee and have citizens choose the choice of said committee!

Actually the difference between Romney and Obama versus the antichrist is that Romney and Obama are real people.

The antichrist is an idea. Anyone can be an antichrist. Typically, the christian religious will dub the non-religious as such. NO other religion really bothers with an antichrist. It's specific to christian themes.

[Lucas]

everything i know about mormons i learned from southpark

[sanjuro_ronin]

Actually the difference between Romney and Obama versus the antichrist is that Romney and Obama are real people.

The antichrist is an idea. Anyone can be an antichrist. Typically, the christian religious will dub the non-religious as such. NO other religion really bothers with an antichrist. It's specific to christian themes.

The anti-christ in PURE Christian terms is any individual that denies that Christ was the Son of God and/or came in the flesh and/or has risen.
So it obviously can apply to a whole lot of people !
Most tend to confuse the "beast" of Revelation as THE anti-christ with how the term was more widely used - to dentote those that were against the Gospel of the Kingdom Of God ( as preached by Christ) and Jesus Christ.

[Hebrew Hammer]

I thought Bawang was the Anti Christ? I have little fear of Mormonism and Rommney, even if he were elected he would be a fool to put his religion front and center. I don't know how soo many people in this country are focused on the religion of our elected leaders, its not a religious position, we ARE NOT a Theocracy...probably the too most religious Presidents that I can think of were Jimmy Carter and George Bush. One a man of peace another a man of war...interesting contrast.

[David Jamieson]

I thought Bawang was the Anti Christ? I have little fear of Mormonism and Rommney, even if he were elected he would be a fool to put his religion front and center. I don't know how soo many people in this country are focused on the religion of our elected leaders, its not a religious position, we ARE NOT a Theocracy...probably the too most religious Presidents that I can think of were Jimmy Carter and George Bush. One a man of peace another a man of war...interesting contrast.

I think a lot of it is just an invented narrative to create buzz.
Most Americans don't really care about one's religious leanings except where they might effect public policy.

In which case, it would seem that the religious right is ok with marrying church and state, the left is vehemently against that and Joe average wants them both to shut up and talk about real issues that effect real people in a real sense.

Religion is best kept private and completely and far away from government policy on any level whatsoever.

Secular humanist rule of law is the ONLY fair way forward. You can still get on your knees and pray as much as you like, but that's not going to make science stop coming to conclusions on theories and developing real usable devices for us to make our lives easier and then teaching others how to do that as well and so on.

Trying to make it about religious propensity is absurd and works with absurd thinkers. So that is why it's there. There is a surplus on absurd political thought. Go figure. lol

[wenshu]

I thought Bawang was the Anti Christ? I have little fear of Mormonism and Rommney, even if he were elected he would be a fool to put his religion front and center. I don't know how soo many people in this country are focused on the religion of our elected leaders, its not a religious position, we ARE NOT a Theocracy...probably the too most religious Presidents that I can think of were Jimmy Carter and George Bush. One a man of peace another a man of war...interesting contrast.

It's really just the Evangelicals in the south and their influence on the GOP that makes it a big deal.

Evangelicals hate Mormons. Probably because it detracts from the pool of potential born agains.

Pundits get all worked up about it because it's a divisive issue, but outside of the GOP I don't think people whose votes actually determine elections (independent swing voters) care.

I have this theory that that is the same reason the Vatican is against birth control. It has nothing to do with the supposed promotion of premarital sex. It is because the more children Catholics have means more Catholics means more tithing.

[RenDaHai]

Were always so careful to respect other peoples religious beliefs these days and publicly we try not to judge people for it. But there are beliefs which are so ridiculous that it is a necessity for the future of our society that we do judge people on them, because these people need to be kept away from things like scissors and children and the nuclear football.

Is mormonism SO ridiculous that every one who adheres to it is by extension also ridiculous? I have no idea, like Lucas everything I know about it comes from south park.

It would be really funny if at the end of it all, it turned out the mormons were right....

[mawali]

It's really just the Evangelicals in the south and their influence on the GOP that makes it a big deal.

Evangelicals hate Mormons. Probably because it detracts from the pool of potential born agains.

Pundits get all worked up about it because it's a divisive issue, but outside of the GOP I don't think people whose votes actually determine elections (independent swing voters) care.

I have this theory that that is the same reason the Vatican is against birth control. It has nothing to do with the supposed promotion of premarital sex. It is because the more children Catholics have means more Catholics means more tithing.

Words by themselves are meaningless but the 'code' works for those who use it as a gauge for whatever the person who speaks to them and how he does it.
People like Romney are successful because of the prejudices of the past that sought to demean their person as opposed to who they worshipped. So they work harder to be above the fray.

When someone like Gingrich, a good ole boy from Georgia invokes "welfare queens"
"collecting benefits those people do not deserve", or more people receiving welfare now than with Bush (an outright lie but one can surely check the statistics minus job loss, NAFTA. preference of overseas cheap labour" etc), the lazy citizenry believes what they choose to, despite the reality so if said enought itmes, it become "truth" and politics trumps anything based how on bad you are told to hate!
Believe me, we ain't see nothin' yet!

[Dragonzbane76]

I fear his mormonism less than i fear his understanding of the common man.