I recently have been reading some essays and books by Steven Hassan, a well-known therapist who deals primarily with the victims of destructive cults like the Heaven’s Gate group or the Moonies. Although I do not consider myself an expert, I wrote a reply to an individual on a message board who asked “Is Mormonism a Cult?”.
It looks like a simple question. I don’t believe, however, that a black-and-white answer is adequate. Different people at different times have had vastly different experiences. Mormonism has spawned over 11,000 splinter groups which may or may not be destructive cults, and among all these groups are individual congregations which vary dramatically.
Note that Hassan’s use of the word “cult” differs from that used by Evangelical Christians, for whom “cult” appears to refer to any organization with heretical or blasphemous beliefs compared to mainstream Christianity. Hassan’s approach deals mainly with the use of personal influence in destructive, unhealthy, or controlling ways. (See: “Influence: Science and Practice” by Robert Cialdini) Hassan also distinguishes between cults and “destructive cults”, and appears to be very picky about when he uses which term.
Picture a triangle with a circle in the middle touching each side. The circle within the triangle represents the experience of the average member of a group. Those outside the circle at the top represent the leadership, whose experience in the organization is dramatically different than that of the average member. To the bottom left are the experiences of those who are not very active in the group, and to the right are those who are extremely active. The experiences of these four groups within a large organization are sufficiently unlike one another that they can be considered individually. Even if the rest of the group is not this way, the outliers may exhibit symptoms of being in a destructive cult. Many groups — even some corporations — have sub-groups which exhibit cult-like behavior.
As an example, I point to the coercive interviews I experienced as a teenager. The bishop of the ward would pull me into his office and question me explicitly about my relationships with my girlfriends, personal sexual and cleanliness habits, and basic worthiness. This was done twice a year. It included lines of questioning which, due to the family-oriented nature of this site, I’d rather not delve into. Accompanying these were demands for confession of other sins, and information about these transgressions became common knowledge among the ward leadership.
My wife, on the other hand, remembers no such explicit questions while growing up. Her family went to church most of the time, and she recalls having worthiness interviews prior to going to the temple to do baptisms for the dead or advancing in the Young Women’s program. For her, these were not bizarre or sinister experiences, and they were not terrifically detailed examinations or demands for confession. And as far as I know, her leaders maintained the sanctity of the confessional.
The mission field is a special case within the church. In my opinion, there is no question those in the mission field have mind-control methods used on them, and are taught principles of personal influence with the goal of gaining converts. Many of the worst abuses symptomatic of destructive cults, however, are absent in the field. A distinguishing feature of the mission field is one shared by the U.S. Military, and Hassan considers it reason enough to exempt the military from being considered a destructive cult:
There is a way to honorably exit.
For soldiers, it’s to serve your tour. For missionaries, it’s to serve your two years (or eighteen months). Hassan gives organizations which have a method of honorable exit a “pass” on being considered a destructive cult because they have a job to do which requires mind-control methods.
Here’s a list from Hassan’s book to evaluate whether a loved one is involved in a destructive cult:
COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF A MIND CONTROL ENVIRONMENT
Exclusivity/isolation
* manipulation, deception, dependency and isolation * all the other churches are dead and unspiritual * demanding a one-over-one discipling relationship * has turned his back on all his friends. * spending more and more time with her * secret meetings * moved into the group’s headquarters * the cult member refuses to respond to letters and phone calls * the family doesn’t even know where their loved one is
Abuse of power
* psychological blackmail * threatening prophecies * gives her large sums of money * the group will extract as much money as it can * her guru wants to get his hands on our property and savings * he wanted to have sex with me
Creation of the cult identity
* I don’t recognize my own bright, warm, loving son. * controlled my behavior, my thoughts and my emotions * a cult member is like an actor/ they actually come to believe the “role” is reality
If more than one of these characteristics sound familiar, there is a good chance that the group in question is a destructive cult. The chapters that follow will give you more specific criteria for evaluating the destructive potential of a group.
Is Mormonism a destructive cult? That’s a simple question with a complicated answer.
2 things..
If you had to choose, yes or no, based on a 51% to 49% ratio of culto to non- cult, where would you put Mormonism?
Oh.. and the other thing..
Don’t start with the lumping of all Evangelicals into people who call everyone but evangelicals cults. Its true sometimes, of some people.. and is not really the norm.
Visit the Official Justin Timpane Website Music, Acting, and More! http://www.timpane.com
I don’t think that’s what was said:
The phrase wasn’t that Evangelicals call anyone who’s not evangelical a cult. It said evangelical Christianity calls anything that’s not *mainstream* Christianity a cult. Which covers a whole lot more ground.
Considering what *mainstream* Christianity usually covers, than the Christian denominations most likely to be called cults would be the Mormon church, the Catholic church, Christadelphians, maybe Christian Science.
But that’s not remotely the same as saying that evangelicals believe non evangelical denominations are cultish.
Official Stances
I’m chasing you all over the board today.
The criteria you mention does not exist, though. Some Christians will look at those faiths and say “cult”.. but most avoid that kind of labeling in general.
Keep in mind that it is only the loudmouth rudies who get the press time.
Visit the Official Justin Timpane Website Music, Acting, and More! http://www.timpane.com
Yes or no…
Disclaimer: I am a secular humanist, and think all organizations are flawed and can be improved. Without rigorous self-examination, organizations tend to exercise influence in a coercive manner. This includes corporations, governments, and religions. Many are “cult-ish”. The LDS church was the one I was raised in, so that’s my frame of reference. I also thiink that honest, socially-conscious organizations, once made aware of their abuses of power, will strive to reduce or eliminate them rather than cover them up. I think that it is a hallmark of a destructive cult organization to ignore, belittle, or deceive about these abuses.
There are LDS contingents for whom it is decidedly destructive. Some examples include:
* The type who pay full tithing (10%) on the gross of their income, Fast Offerings ($20+ per month), Missionary Fund (optional, but I often donated quite a bit), and more to the church, despite being unable to feed or house their family. A friend elected to pay a full gross tithe, yet is unable to pay the mortgage and will be foreclosed upon as a result. That’s ludicrous. Take care of your own house, and you will eventually be able to help take care of the house of the Lord.
* The type who have huge families without being able to support them because they think it is their duty to bring more souls into God’s kingdom. You know what? Have as many kids as you like, within the bounds of what you can afford. If you’re on welfare and have thirteen children, then wrong answer.
* The type who believe that, because they were married in the temple, everything will work out without working on the relationship. This was me, ten years ago. That was a very destructive belief and leads to couples staying together, yet hating one another while pretending to be perfect. I love my wife more than ever now that I don’t pretend everything is perfect anymore.
* The type who over-commit to callings because they believe it’s God’s will, and the type who solemnly give talks about how it’s a sin to refuse a calling. If you’re the librarian, nursery leader, Ward Employment Specialist, and Ward Mission Leader, scale back! Do what you can with perhaps an extra few hours per week; the church should not be a full-time job unless they pay your salary.
* As mentioned, the missionaries. You want to convince someone what they are doing is absolutely right? Stick ’em in a training camp for several weeks, restrict their access to the outside world, dramatically cut back on how much sleep they get, tell them what their roles are, put some in control of the others, and watch what happens.
I think the “destructive cult” definition mostly applies to the leadership-bound, uber-Mormon types. I know quite a few of them, and their devotion approaches that of an Amway rep. But I no longer think these are the majority.
So the short answer? I can’t give a yes or no answer since the organization is too large for me to come up with a concrete answer. Insofar as the current leadership tends to recruit successful, influential business-men into positions of power, though, it certainly seems to be. Insofar as people are born into the faith and just go to church on Sunday, I don’t think it is.
And I reserve the right to change my opinion any time!
—
Matthew P. Barnson
Your new avatar
Can I say how happy I am that you grapped the Grumpy Goat for your new pic?
I seriously want to put that entire picture, with descriptions, on a t-shirt, so everyone who meets me knows how wary I am of atheists…
Avatars..
My Angel puppet is better than YOUR Angel puppet.
Visit the Official Justin Timpane Website Music, Acting, and More! http://www.timpane.com
Angel puppet?
Dude… I don’t HAVE an Angel puppet. I have a picture of an Angel puppet.
I’m not some kind of freak fanboy who spends $100 on a puppet from some silly show I can’t let go of. 😛
Heh
Who got Buf iss. 1 first.. and made role playing Buffy group.. and hasn’t even seen all the eps?
And.. you have stupid hair.
Visit the Official Justin Timpane Website Music, Acting, and More! http://www.timpane.com
Missed Opportunity
Oh, my young padawan… you sadden me… You completely missed an absolute broadside of ripostes that I deliberately left for you.
“At least I didn’t spend $100 on a puppet of Angel.”
To which the reply could have been. “No, you spent $100 on one of David Boreanaz’s shirts.”
However… stupid hair… always a fine finisher. 🙂
Shirt..
Oh I forgot the shirt.. And the dressing up as Angel / Angelus for a weekend so you could try and kill Batman and Capt. Reynolds.
Still, Charisma, there is strength in the mention of DC after dark..
(Of course, I poured hours into comic book pics for them.. so who is the more foolish… the fool or the fool who follows him?)
Visit the Official Justin Timpane Website Music, Acting, and More! http://www.timpane.com