Mormonism: is it a cult?

[giblets]

You argued that murderous rampages exist because they are necessary for free will to exist, and free will is somehow really awesome. But there are other things like mental illnesses that also seem to make murderous rampages more probable. Oh whatever, i guess you won't read this

[Jon Miller]

I mean your implication that I think that homosexuality is evil, when I have repeatedly said otherwise here.

JM

[giblets]

It was an example. A lot of Christians seem to think it's bad. I didn't know your position on it.

[Tupac Shakur]

I'm not the one believing in some sort of invisible sky-daddy...

I already **** on all religions in this very thread, you ****ing moron. It's completely possible for a non-religious person to think your idiotic views on what constitutes a cult are, in fact, idiotic.

[Ben Kenobi]

You cannot argue for logical limitations on omniscience. The omni part means there are no limitations. If you want to argue that he's not omniscient, and that he just knows a lot, that's fine, but good luck finding scripture to support that claim.

He does know everything. Not just what did happen but what could have happened.

[Asher]

He knows about your hot dog fetish?

[giblets]

Yes, and he's very angry that Ben hasn't asked God to remove it yet.

[Tupac Shakur]

A chronic problem with religious people is they view their religion as sane or sensible just because it's been around for "thousands of years", while new upstart religions like Scientology are "cults". They're the ****ing same thing. One is older than the other, that's it.

I'm not religious. I am, however, a fan of precise language. Religions and cults are not the same thing; the difference between the two may be somewhat arbitrary, but it does exist.

[Tupac Shakur]

Not necessarily. If he can see all possible futures, then he can be omniscient and still not know until after the event which choices are made.

So God's superpowers are the same as Muad'Dib's now? Jesus, this is stupid...

[Asher]

I'm not religious. I am, however, a fan of precise language. Religions and cults are not the same thing; the difference between the two may be somewhat arbitrary, but it does exist.

I don't see a discernible difference. Mass groupthink, social manipulation, mythology, and blind faith.

I think it's actually more precise to refer to organized religions as cults, rather than a euphemism with a different connotation. They're the same thing, call them the same thing. Precision.

No one who is in a cult admits they are in a cult. That's the only reason there's the "arbitrary" difference between cult and religion.

[Tupac Shakur]

You obviously can't think clearly on this issue. We even have legal mechanisms to differentiate between religions and cults, for Christ's sake.

[Asher]

You obviously can't think clearly on this issue. We even have legal mechanisms to differentiate between religions and cults, for Christ's sake.

I just see past the psychological flaws. Guess who wrote those laws?

I recognize society is imperfect and discard the flaws. The fact that Christians write laws saying Christianity is not a cult while Jonestown was doesn't mean Christianity isn't a cult in actuality. It just means they don't think they are. But they are, by definition.

Self-delusion is one of the fundamental tenets of a successful cult/religion. Many Christians have this in spades. Some people, like Ben, have enough self-delusions for dozens of people combined.

[Asher]

FWIW, I don't even think Christianity itself is a cult. The cults are the organized churches.

[Tupac Shakur]

Since its organization in New York in 1830, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has had a presence in Canada. The first Latter Day Saint missionaries to preach outside of the United States preached in Upper Canada; the first stake to be established outside of the U.S. was the Alberta Stake; and the Cardston Alberta Temple was the first church temple to be built outside of the current boundaries of the United States.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints_in_Canada

Alberta

[Egbert]

I am, however, a fan of precise language.

An example of precise language? Or is it ****ing ****ing ****ing precise language?

I already **** on all religions in this very thread, you ****ing moron. It's completely possible for a non-religious person to think your idiotic views on what constitutes a cult are, in fact, idiotic.