MORMONS SAY THEIRS IS THE ONLY TRUE CHURCH - LDS Hymn Parody #57

When I was doing my research about the Mormon Church, its history and its doctrines, I began to realize that what I had heard growing up about the Mormon Church being a cult might actually be true.  Of course, when I was growing up and heard anyone say that the Mormon Church was a cult, I was adamant in my defense of it, saying "Oh no, it's not a cult."  Back then, though, I thought of cults as extremist organizations that require their members to wear weird clothing (or costumes), live in a commune of some sort, or stand on street corners chanting weird verbiage.  But those characteristics are not what makes a cult a cult.  It's their belief system, usually extreme, and always very rigid and inflexible.

So when I began to examine Mormonism very closely, I decided to read a few books about cults - and I very quickly came to the conclusion that Mormonism is, indeed, a cult.  After all, it fits all of the characteristics of being a cult.

I won't go into a lot of detail here since I delve into that topic in-depth in the book I wrote that is posted on this blog (in Chapter 11 - Is the Mormon Church a Cult?), but as stated there, one of the characteristics of a cult is EXCLUSIVISM - or in other words, a religion stating that it is the only true church and that adherence to its tenets is the only way to gain eternal salvation.  Does that sound familiar?  Of course it does... because that's Mormonism to a T.  Interestingly, that premise is also expounded by the Jehovah Witnesses and other religions.  

Here is an interesting article on cults (You Might be in a Cult if...), that discusses the characteristics of cults, including Mormonism.  And here is another article discussing why Mormonism is a cult (http://www.believeallthings.com/5303/mormonism-cult/).

www.howcultswork.com

The philosophy of Exclusivism has always bothered me - even when I was a devout member of the Mormon Church.  I always had trouble believing that only Mormons were going to gain eternal salvation "in the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom."  I struggled with the concept that there is "only one way" to "get to heaven" or gain eternal salvation - and that only the Mormon Church provides that possibility.  Of course, the Mormons are very "generous" in that they say that those who do not accept Mormonism on this earth still have a chance in the Afterlife... and that's what temples are for, performing baptisms and other ordinances for the dead so that if they accept Mormonism in the Spirit World, then they can be exalted regardless of whether they were Mormon in this life.  Isn't that nice of the Mormon God?  What a guy, huh?!!

But of course, there's a catch... and my very TBM father used to preface that supposed doctrinal statement with saying that people's personalities and thought processes won't change after this life, so if they didn't accept the gospel here, then the likelihood of them accepting it in the Afterlife is very slim.  Kind of a disclaimer clause (and Mormonism is full of them).

And so, here is my 57th LDS Hymn Parody...

MORMONS SAY THEIRS IS THE ONLY TRUE CHURCH
Sung to the tune of Teach Me to Walk in the Light - #304

Mormons say theirs is the only true church,
And who am I to their doctrines besmirch.
But it’s apparent that it’s filled with lies,
Research, research may open their eyes.

It is through research that I found the truth,
Wish I had studied much more in my youth.
But I believed it as they said I should,
Rewind, rewind my life if I could.

Going along when they say just believe
Is what they want as they work to deceive.
Good little sheep, what the members should be,
Yielding, yielding their free agency.

It might be clear if they opened their eyes,
Truth so apparent, there’s no compromise.
Dishonesty manifested throughout,
Fiction, fiction, without any doubt.

© Diane Tingen, 02/14/2012