Dear "Brainwashed" Mormons:

Some people think the Mormonism is a cult. I don't really think that it is, but I do feel that there are pieces of the religion that need to be looked at closely. This letter is written to Mormons who need to start looking at these pieces with a logical eye.

Dear "Brainwashed" Mormons:

I know that often people refer to the Mormon church as a cult. Although there are some signs of a cult that could be lined up to the LDS religion, I really don't think it is a dangerous cult. However, it is a good idea to take a closer look at some of these signs in order to make sure that you are choosing your own ideas and beliefs, instead of being indoctrinated.

One sign of a cult is when the teachings oppose critical thinking. Although the church proclaims to allow you to question, we are told to question our doubts. And we are made to fear searching for ideas and facts that oppose the church. I know that when I was growing up, we were warned over and over to stay away from "anti-Mormon" literature. Interestingly, now that I am an adult and I have taken the time to do my research, I have found that those "anti-Mormons" were not lying. They were telling truths about the church. I have now realized that we were made to fear those teachings so that we would not learn many truths. 

Seeking inappropriate loyalties to the leaders is another thing that happens in a cult. And in the LDS church, we are told to sustain our leaders, both local and general. And, yes, we are not expected unwavering loyalty, but there is not much we can do if we doubt our leaders. The biggest problem is with our prophet. Most Mormons would say that you cannot question the prophet, yet the more we learn about our church's past, the more we learn that prophets make mistakes. This brings us to the issue of when we should follow and when we should take our own path. Yet, the church does not leave space to NOT follow the prophet, because if we pray to get confirmation of the prophet's words, the only acceptable answer is that the prophet is correct.

If a group tells you how to dress, what to eat, or what to do with your money, that could be a cult. Yes, we are told all of these things. I don't believe any of them rise to the level of a cult, but there are definitely consequences if you don't follow these rules. The worst is that you cannot make it to heaven. We all know that there are rules you must live by to earn your way into the Celestial kingdom. And, before you say that we don't believe in salvation through works, think about the questions we must answer before you can enter the temple. And remember, you cannot be saved if you don't go to the temple. And let's not even discuss how we are buying our way to salvation, since you cannot enter the temple if your tithing is not "up to date."

The one sign of a cult I think we need to be most wary of is that the group practices deceit. If you think the LDS religion is transparent, you need to do some research. Throughout the last 200 years the church has made mistakes or changes in their teachings and doctrine. For some reason, they have decided to hide or lie about these things. There have also been actions or decisions made by church authorities that have been covered up, or changed, to make them more acceptable. 

No, I don't think you are in a cult, but I want you to consider the ways you are being manipulated. The only way to know that you are making your own choices is to get all the information you can. Don't be afraid to do some research. Making the choice to believe in the church is much more meaningful when you have all the information. 

I hope you consider my thoughts.