Growing up in the LDS church, I came into contact with many people who thought that I was part of a cult. And they didn’t mean the white-washed definition of “religion.” They meant to use the derogatory definition—with all of its allusions to brain-washing, blind obedience, and lack of critical thinking.
When I was younger, I felt it much easier to deflect any such accusation, in part, because the church taught (or, at least, I was taught) that we were to live by the Spirit. In recent years, I have seen that teaching slowly go down the drain, only to be, sadly, replaced with the idea that we should live according to the latest press release from the First Presidency.
People I know are going to reject that notion, but, more and more, there is mounting evidence in favor of my position.
Several people I know who had, at first, decided that injecting themselves with an experimental concoction of who-knows-what might be a bad idea have now decided that it couldn’t possibly be a bad thing. Want to know what made them change their minds?
“The prophet said so.”
Their words, not mine.
This is the fullest expression of cult mentality. Anyone who does this doesn’t have much to consider in determining whether or not they would have been drinking Kool-aid with Jim Jones in the late 70s, though they will refute that with every excuse to preserve their perception of their own sanity.
Those who put such absolute trust in the leaders of the LDS church fail to recognize what the Lord has clearly laid out in scripture—Hosea 7, for example. Let those who take pride in the fact that they are of Ephraim follow its implications to their ends:
1 When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.
2 And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.
3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
4 They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.
5 In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.
6 For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.
7 They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.
8 Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.
9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.
10 And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek him for all this.
11 Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
12 When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard.
13 Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.
14 And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me.
15 Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me.
16 They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt. (Hosea 7)