When Does a Religion Become a Cult? - Wall Street Journal

[_Ceeboo]

You might want to clarify your question Ceeboo, you may end up with a discourse on masturbation. :)

He he he he he :)

by the way: How do you manage while sitting on a fence? (Dangerous, no?)

Peace,
Ceeboo

[_Fence Sitter]

You might want to clarify your question Ceeboo, you may end up with a discourse on masturbation. :)

He he he he he :)

by the way: How do you manage while sitting on a fence? (Dangerous, no?)

Peace,
Ceeboo

It is a wide fence. :)

by the way the bishop of the ward conducts interviews with the youth in his ward on a frequent basis. Inquiring about masturbation is sometimes part of these interviews.

[_Simon Belmont]

Dead serious. I know JWs strictly forbid it, and you can get (their version) of disfellowshiped (think Ex'ed) for just owning apostate materials, but every group discourages reading criticisms, I'm wondering what people's experience within Mormon culture are, and how far do some leaders take it.

This is a serious answer: of course the general membership is not encouraged to go seeking out anti-Mormon material. And for good reason: much of it amounts to half-truths and sensationalism.

Some of the LDS criticism, however, does not consist of lies or half truths. All LDS Members are encouraged to read "from the best books"-- does this mean The God Makers? I doubt it. But go on down to the BYU bookstore and examine all of the material that could be considered critical there.

[_Dad of a Mormon]

Some of the LDS criticism, however, does not consist of lies or half truths. All LDS Members are encouraged to read "from the best books"-- does this mean The God Makers? I doubt it. But go on down to the BYU bookstore and examine all of the material that could be considered critical there.

I don't have access to the BYU bookstore, so could you please give a few examples of critical materials that can be found there?

[_Dwight Frye]

This is a serious answer: of course the general membership is not encouraged to go seeking out anti-Mormon material.

Simon is correct. If you would like to see what "not encouraged" looks like at LDS.org, see here and here (please note, however, the disclaimer at both).

[_Simon Belmont]

I don't have access to the BYU bookstore, so could you please give a few examples of critical materials that can be found there?

I haven't been there for a couple of years, but I believe they stocked Quinn's book, one or two Tanner books, and it seems like I saw Abanes book -- could be mistaken about that. Next time I'm in Utah I'm going to go down there.

In addition, they are an outlet for the Maxwell Institute publications: Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture, The FARMS Review, Studies in the Bible and Antiquity, and Insights. Many of these publications examine the current critical scholarship (i.e. display what these critical books and articles argue, then analyze them).

[_Fence Sitter]

I think there is a difference between available critical material and what is acceptable within the church. By acceptable, I mean what you could bring up in the course of a discussion in church or even with most church members. While the material is available to all, publicly using it is not acceptable. Try using Quinn's Magic World View as part of a Sunday School lesson

[_sock puppet]

the Mormon Church

There is no such church.

You're right.

The Mormon Corporation. Feel better?

[_sock puppet]

Dead serious. I know JWs strictly forbid it, and you can get (their version) of disfellowshiped (think Ex'ed) for just owning apostate materials, but every group discourages reading criticisms, I'm wondering what people's experience within Mormon culture are, and how far do some leaders take it.

This is a serious answer: of course the general membership is not encouraged to go seeking out anti-Mormon material. And for good reason: much of it amounts to half-truths and sensationalism.

Yes, the Brethren much prefer the membership of the Mormon Corporation to read just the correlated 100% falsehoods. Any truth is an anathema to the Mormon Corporation.

[_Tchild]

From the article:

Yet every coercive religious group harbors one telltale trait: untoward secrecy. As opposed to a cult, a [1]religious culture ought to be as simple to enter or exit, for members or observers, as any free nation. [2]Members should experience no impediment to relationships, ideas or travel, [3]and the group's finances should be reasonably transparent. Its doctrine need not be conventional—but it should be knowable to outsiders. Absent those qualities, an unorthodox religion can descend into something darker.

Numbering is mine.

1) fairly easy to enter and exit.
2) Some have no impediment. Others extreme difficulties. Probably the majority have less, rather than more impediments to relationships, is my guess. Ideas, probably very low, and travel? N/A.
3)#3 screams cult concerning the closed financials of the church.