Fundamentalist: the Fine Line Between Religion and Cult Essay

In the case of the church building of last mentioned Day Saints, fine lines are drawn in the societal perception of this group of people. Their doctrines and practices make the American public debate whether they are a religion or a fad. The largest factor in the decided public perception lies mainly in their feeling of polygamy. mend the Church of Latter Day Saints denounced the practice in the 1890s, fundamentalist sects formed over the subject continuing to perpetuate the connection between Mormonism and polygamy.This fundamentalist practice, along with a few doctrines, continues to keep the Mormon faith as an outside religion in the eyes of the general American public. The practice of polygamy is substitution to the tenants of Mormon faith, extending back to the founder, Joseph metalworker. Smith was not the first apparitional leader to support multiple wives. The Oneida perfectionist supported the practice of polygamy in backlash against the changing family norms payable to industrialization (White). Families no longer needed to be large in size to help in a rural farm localizeting.Smith, being of a displaced farm family, soon craved a change in family life. According to White, Jr. , Smiths personal experience of economic insecurity, death of siblings, and breakable community of interests structure as well as reinforced his quest for renewing the kinship and community bonds (White). In some sort of subconscious need for a hotshot of community stemming from childhood experiences, Smith begins the practice of taking multiple wives. His agents, according to the faith, are sound. His primary argument is that it was revealed to him by God.The belief in revelations is highly well-thought-of by Mormons and is one of the more or less distinguishing traits of the faith (Perry). It will be discussed in further detail later. Smith also called charge to multiple Old testament passages that promote polygamy. Yet, his final argument is what upholds this practice today, genteelness. Smith argued that, worldly concerns righteousness is measured by the size of his family (Anderson). A proper Mormon man was expected to extensively multiple his family in order to provide more individuals to spread the faith.After social disagreements in several states, many members of the Church of Latter Day Saints fled to western territories hoping to find geographical, social, and cultural isolation required to implement their radical social agenda (White). However, as the nation grew smaller and assimilation to the mainstream husbandry became desirable, in addition to persecution by the Federal Government, the Church of Latter Day Saints changed one of their founding principles. Essentially, in the fight for doh territory statehood, the Mormon Church traded their practice of polygamy.This trade caused dissention among the ranks and multiple fundamentalist sects formed, continuing their practices in even more isolated communities. Joseph Musser, a prophet of the faith, established a fundamentalist community at Short Creek, Utah, that still exists today. There, families persist in multi-wife homes where the domestic work is divided between eight or nine women, sometimes many more. The heteroicous relationships are consensual and most women have little complaints about their situations. There are many reasons why the women choose to persist.Mainly, they dont know anything else (Anderson). The religious beliefs they were raised with have been preparing them to be a plural wife. Rowenna Erikson, a plural wife who was excommunicated after speaking out against the treatment of women, says that growing up she comprehend that she was supposed to be a plural wife mostly because her mother guided her in that direction. She didnt really want to marry this way of life plainly she felt pressured and thought that this is what she had to do (443). However, unlike Erikson, there are many women who enjoy their polygamous contract.To th em, there is a sorority sense of community, their children are always cared for. During his stay at Short Creek, National Geographic journalist Scott Anderson also noticed a strange power that came with being a woman in the Mormon faith. Women are sought after in the community due to the need for reproduction creating a larger need for men to prove themselves as unimpeachable business officeners (Anderson). Brigham unripened, another fundamentalist sect leader, also argued that polygamy allows all women the equal opportunity for marriage and, eliminates prostitution, economic exploitation and abandoned children (White).Fundamentalist still argue procreation as a necessary reason for polygamy in the community. However, the main reasons fundamentalist broke off from the Church of Latter Day Saints were the revelations of new prophets. Both Brigham Young and Joseph Musser had revelations from God ordering them to take multiple wives and reproduce, and they werent the only ones. Fund amentalists refused to give into the assimilation of their religion. It is these radical, fundamental sects of the Church of Latter Day Saints, like Colorado City, Utah (formerly the Short Creek Community) that continue to tie the Mormon faith to the practice of polygamy.In doing so, along with ample aid from the American media, Mormonism is still considered by the mainstream to be lumped into a category of the religious outsiders (Perry). Yet, it is not only the practice of polygamy in these sects that support societies view. Several other practices continue to perpetuate their perception as part of the odd some keep Mormons in isolated communities, some condone madness, and others speak out against the American government. Firstly, the practice of polygamy not only ostracized fundamentalist from the united States Government and mainstream, but also from the central Church of Latter Day Saints.Fundamentalist were heavily persecuted by elders of the church in the 1940s and 1950s c ulminating in the Short Creek Raid of 1953. American media broadcast children being ripped from mothers hands right into mainstream Americas living rooms. Decades of persecution and media misrepresentation only supported Mormon practices that led to communal isolation. One of these is the idea of The Gathering. Mormons cerebrate that second coming of Christ is constantly near and that it is their duty to be ready no amour when it happens.Therefore, they live in tight knit communities that seek to prove their righteous existence to Christ. Secondly, their community is slightly communistic. There is the Law of Consecration that allows all property to be held in common and distributed (LeBaron). Additionally, United Order is the Mormon economic system of self-sufficiency (LeBaron). Both of these beliefs keep member separate from the mainstream and make it difficult to take leave since they dont have the rights to their own property. Additionally, many Fundamentalist believe in Blood conciliation established by Joseph Smith and Oaths of Vengeance.Blood Atonement is the basic belief of an eye for an eye. Smith preached that those who commit acts against Mormon should be punished with bloodshed for their sins. The Oath of Vengeance developed after the assassination of Smith stating that all Mormons are to pray for the sins committed against the prophet and should taught through lineages (LeBaron). Both of these practices have been used for justification for murder between sects. Murder justification has also come from the practices of personal revelation and heavenly visitations.As mentioned before, revelation is extremely important to the Mormon faith due to that fact that it is what the Church was founded on and from where most doctrines are derived. Personal revelations are the wishes of God and should be acted upon by faithful practitioners, yet, they give the prophet the okay from God to do whatever they want, even pop out if needed (LeBaron). Obviously, m urder is illegal in the United States, so how were the Mormons able, beyond personal revelation, to justify to their behavior in the court system? Fundamentalist practices believe in the triumph of Gods Law over Mans Law.Due to their beliefs that they are forming a community for the return of Christ, Mormons believe they live in a theocratic society separate from Federal Government rule. Therefore, the rules set in place by God reign higher than those set in place by the state. Mormon belief justifies most actions, even murder, by claiming it as a personal revelation and an act of Gods will. Finally, in a religion where the members ultimate goal is to prepare for the end, Fundamentalist in the Church of Latter Day Saints awaits the fall of the United States Government.This belief, fueled by bitterness from lack of Federal aid in the 1820s, only reinforces the view that there is superior judgment than the United States Court system. While separation of church and state exists in the United States, Mormon religious beliefs, to a certain extent, defy that right claiming religious rule over states. There were several acts of force-out that took place over the last forty years, all justified by different Mormon doctrines. Ervil LeBaron, a Fundamentalist prophet, used personal revelation for the reason he killed his brother in 1972.He then proceeded, with the same justification to kill dozens of others. LeBaron wasnt finished when he was finally sent to jail. While in Utah State Penitentiary, LeBaron wrote the The Book of New Covenants ordering the deaths of members on Gods Will (LeBaron). His children then proceeded to follow his will working their way down his list. Ervil wasnt the only one searching for power over the sects the Lafferty brothers had similar problems in the 1980s. These events perpetuate public stereo types of the Mormon religion and polygamy.A survey I conducted of 25 people showed 100% of them still believe the Mormon Church officially sanction s polygamy and a cult like lifestyle (Venzen). It is these acts of madness based on Gods will that raise mainstream Americas eyebrows at the true classification of this faith. The violence stemming from radical sects also calls attention to Mormonism as an other in society and religious beliefs and raises questions to the credibility of the religion. Fundamentalist dont only tie the Church of Latter Day Saints with polygamy.Acts of violence based on the will of a high power is often associated with cults as, murder and suicide have been inseparable on other cult occasions (Lamberg 2). Additionally, Rowenna Erickson considered her facts of life as a plural wife to be brainwashing, another cult practice, and even outwardly claims Mormonism as a polygamist cult. According to cult studies, the sought out isolation of the Fundamentalist communities only reflects that the, cult seeks to control disciples entire environment, not only externally but also reaching internally, as if reality were the groups exclusive possession (Lamberg 1).The question then remains. Is the practice of Mormonism, the Church of Latter Day Saints, an organized religion or a cult? The practice of polygamy leads the public to view the Church and its Fundamentalist counterparts as one. Therefore, can the debate of organized religion versus cult be separated by the central Church of Latter Day Saints and the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints?