Everybody knows that Mormonism is a cult. Sure, we all deny it, but deep down we all think it's true anyway. Mormon bashers, of course, know it's true in spades. As for myself, I can't even count how many times I've been called a cult member, either in person or online. Even more appropriate is when I get called a "Mormbot", because most Mormons don't even think for themselves. We just toe the line that the prophet gives us and then we don't have to worry about little things like realizing there is a whole world of religious experience outside of our own inbred clans.
Everybody knows this, but wouldn't it be nice to have the research to back it up? Then evangelical Christianity in particular could really trumpet just how right they've always been about us belonging to a cult. But, hmmmm . . . what type of research could really drive home the point that Mormons are cult members who don't analyze and think for themselves?
Ooh, ooh, I know! How about a national survey that measures people from different religious backgrounds on general knowledge about religion? Clearly us cultists would score low on knowledge of anything outside Mormonism. After all, the whole point of a cult is that it is inwardly focused. A cult actively discourages and tries to eliminate knowledge of the outside world. It's the only way a cult can maintain control. Knowledge is like kryptonite for cults. Yes, that's it! Measure Mormons' general knowledge and then the world could see that the true and knowledgeable evangelical Christians are objectively superior in their spiritual savvy than us whackjobs. Then there'd be proof that Mormons only know their own religion. I mean, surely we Mormons wouldn't remain Mormon if only we actually read stuff that wasn't church approved and thus learned how wrong our religion really is (again, if only I had a nickel for every time . . . )
Thank heavens there is the U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey. The Pew Research Center gave a general religious knowledge survey to thousands of Americans from all sorts of religious backgrounds. This has to be the answer to all of evangelical Christianity's prayers! Now, what did that survey say?
The survey showed that Atheists, Jews and some "M-sounding" group collectively take the top spot in the general religious knowledge survey (statistically non-significant differences). Atheists? Really? Actually that makes a lot of sense. Most atheists have left a religion, thus making their "conversion" to atheism the result of much intellectual research. Then of course there's Jews. They're supposed to be super-smart, right? And then of course there's the other top scoring group, the evang . . . . . wait WHAT!!! WE CULT MEMBERS KNOW MORE ABOUT GENERAL RELIGION THAN ANY OTHER CHRISTIAN GROUP?????? That can't be right.
Well, maybe it makes sense that Mormons would know more about stuff that wasn't Christianity. Hey - we're not even Christian, right? Surely Mormons know less about the Bible and "real" Christianity than any other Christian group. Okay then, scroll down, scroll down, scroll down - ah, here are the direct comparisons for knowledge about Christianity and the Bible. And as expected, it is of course the evangelic..... WHAT!!! MORMONS KNOW MORE ABOUT CHRISTIANITY AND THE BIBLE THAN "REAL" CHRISTIANS??????
Okay, my head hurts now. Reality is warping. Up is down, left is right and Mormons as a group are objectively better educated on general religious perspectives, and Christianity specifically, in comparison to real Christians. I'm sorry, this is too much to absorb. It's just easier to know that I MUST be a cult member. That's the way it's always been and ain't nuthin' gonna change it. Yup, that's simpler. Alrighty then. Don't ask me to explain, but we can all agree then, it's been proven that Mormonism is a cult. And life goes on unchanged.
P.S. - I'll get back to aliens and theology this weekend. Gotta make up for the past three (stupidly busy) days.
Yeah, I saw that survey a few days back and smiled. I'm not sure which group is more ignorant: the liberal elitist, anti-faith element who believe they are the keepers of superior thought or the Palinesque anti-intellectuals.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that's gonna leave a mark.
ReplyDeleteAll I have to say is that survey was not done here in Utah, or at least not just in Utah. Utah Mormons are different and you have to admit that. I call them Utards to portray my dislike of them (no offense to the mentally handicapped whom I hold in higher regard). Utards probably brought down the score for the rest of the country. I think if your beliefs are at all different you are forced to know more about other religions to be able to defend your own. Most here can't even carry on a conversation about their own religion beyond the surface basics, let alone any other ideology or religion. It's like they have the box marked for religious choice so there's nothing left to think about. In Utah LDS is such the default religion that they really don't have to think about it. My Step-dad (a card-carrying Mormon) calls it "living behind the Zion curtain".
ReplyDeleteThe thing that bothers me most about any religion, other than ignorance, is that they believe that without religion, there can be no morals. As if without the (insert religious text here), people would just kill each other right and left, molest children, steal from each other, etc. People with and without a religion do those things. I consider myself anti-religion but am a very spiritual and moral person. Spirituality and religion are not synonyms in my book.
I think Monty Python said it best in an interview talking about "The Life of Brian" it went something like this "Jesus said to love everyone and be happy, then we've spent the last 2000 years killing and having wars with each other over how exactly he said it."
Really that has been the message of every religious sage. Find peace within yourself and with others. Religion should not make you want to kill, invade, torture, or judge anyone else but that seems to be what it does. Look at all the atrocities that have been carried out in the name of one God or another. I don't believe in or like any of those Gods.
I have some pretty deep scars from your church but I have done a lot to work on letting go of my anger about it. It's a working progress and is going to take a bit longer. I am not rude or mean to Mormons and respect their right to believe what they want, the same goes for everyone on the planet. If they are intelligent and open minded enough I will discuss my views with them but that doesn't happen very often so I just find other things to talk about.
Personally I do not agree 100% (or even 60%) with any religion that I have seen. I think everyone should have their own religion because the idea that any two people will believe exactly the same is far fetched. Sure you might be close enough to someone's beliefs to consider yourself the same religion but everyone has a slightly different take on things, that is what makes humans so diverse and interesting.
Anyway, I could go on and on but I have to go to work.
Remember I love you no matter our disagreement on religion. You mentioned earlier you felt guilty or somehow responsible for my leaving the Mormon church. There are a select few that I feel contributed to my decision, you are not one of them. I do not regret the decision at all but also would not undo any of my experiences. They made me the strong, open minded, curious and intelligent person I am today.
Sorry, I didn't' realize how long and rant-ish that was until it posted. I guess you can say I have some strong feelings on the subject.
ReplyDeleteI liked your post very much, Nikki. I really like hearing other points of view. I didn't feel that it was rant-ish at all. Ryno and I will NEVER live in Utah for the very reasons that you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteI believe that every person needs to look within themselves and choose what is right for them. Some will choose religion and some will not.
I personally believe that God is real. He is good. He is just. He is simple. Man tends to complicate and over think things. Personal agendas are sought after "in the name of God" and others follow under false pretenses. The basics of it come down to, God loves each of us. He wants us to live good happy lives.
I think your awesome. :)
I love when non-Gra**ms, or nonogra**ms, comment here. It cuts down on the ECHO ECHo ECho Echo echo effect. Fewer "Well, actually ..." responses too ;)
ReplyDeleteSarah,
ReplyDeleteThank you, that means a lot to me.
I only moved here because Krysta wanted to move here to be with some psycho which thankfully she is not with anymore. She wouldn't let Leon stay in CO with me so I had to follow here to be close with him. I do love being so close to My mom and step-dad, Jim and his family, and of course Krysta and Leon. It would be hard to move and miss seeing them all the time. Also I found Jeff and some wonderful friends here so I can't complain too much.
Jason,
I'm not one of you but I did go to your family reunion once. I think it was 95, at Meeks Cabin. I have a horrible sense of time though but I graduated in 97 and I know it was before that. It was my first exposure to Captain Crunch mouth. I was addicted from then on but only to the Peanut Butter kind... good times.
Also I can never express how much your mother meant to me after mine left. She would make sure I was eating and sleeping, things I would sometimes forget to do as a teen. She was amazing, a roll model I could only hope to be half as awesome as. I consider Ryan like a brother and was grateful to have a family like yours to hang around.
Jeff brought up the point that many Mormons would know about different religions because so many of them are converts, much like what you said about atheists.
ReplyDeleteAlso I would think that being a missionary in a foreign land you would need to be instructed about the predominant religion of the region so you could better understand the people you are trying to convert and what their existing beliefs are.
I think that both points add to the overall picture. However, I think the biggest influence is the LDS church's strong emphasis on getting a formal education. The church pushes education hard, and it's not new converts (on average) that are 'bringing education in'. It's the longer term members who are getting more educated due to LDS teachings.
ReplyDeleteNew converts to Mormonism are more than twice as likely to have less than a high school education compared to lifelong members, and less than half as likely to have a postgraduate college education.
http://pewforum.org/Christian/Mormon/A-Portrait-of-Mormons-in-the-US.aspx