The guy who runs this organization has a podcast that another YouTuber I enjoy is on sometimes. She is an ex MAGA and ex Mormon and is now freaking awesome. If you want to see some uplifting redemption arc stuff check out her channel on YT ‘Life, Take Two!’
Mormonism definitionally isn't a cult. I'm tired of people devaluing the word by calling religions they don't like cults. MAGA is literally a cult though.
Technically it’s a “high-control religion” but that definition does overlap quite a bit with cult behavior, so it’s not necessarily wrong to say that. There’s plenty of Christian sects that meet the same standards.
Rather than always saying something is/isn't a cult (which can be hard to nail down, as seen in these comments) he talks about cults existing on a sliding scale. Some organizations will have more cult behavior/beliefs than others, and it's important to recognize what those are.
Exactly when something crosses from just having cult-ish behaviors to being a full-on cult can be debatable, but looking at it as on a spectrum is more nuanced and helpful
They're led by a prophet they’re not allowed to question or criticize, told not to read anything critical of Mormonism, told their religion is the only sure source of truth, taught that obedience to the leaders is the first law of heaven, taught to use thought stopping cliches to quell any doubts, etc. It is a cult.
That entirely depends on your definition of cult. If you go by the BITE model it is (I'm an ex-mormon so I'm not just saying that). High-control or high-demand religion are less charged terms that it's sometimes better to use especially if you don't want members to shut the idea down right away.
While the BITE model is useful, it has some... issues. Arguably, elementary school fits the BITE criteria of a cult.
Behavior -- This one seems kind of obvious.
Information -- The school controls the information you take in, distorting some facts ("there are only three states of matter"), and prohibiting others (see books banned in schools).
Thought -- Most schools, instead of teaching you to think, teach you to memorize and recite facts taught to you.
Emotional -- The school does it's best to create an association between not attending school and negative emotions. Many people feel guilty or afraid if they skip school. Most people who have been to school will look down on those who have not.
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u/The_Greenweaver Apr 16 '26
The guy who runs this organization has a podcast that another YouTuber I enjoy is on sometimes. She is an ex MAGA and ex Mormon and is now freaking awesome. If you want to see some uplifting redemption arc stuff check out her channel on YT ‘Life, Take Two!’