Is "Mormonism" a cult?

About a month ago a woman, whom I do not know, posted in one of the many garden groups I am a member of on social media. She shared a picture of the Mesa Temple (much like the pictures below) and recommended it as a place for gardeners to see some beautiful, well-cared-for grounds.

I was saddened to read over a dozen comments that all had the same tune, “Don’t go there! They will try and reel you into their cult!. . . Block this person they just want to trick you into joining their cult. . . . RUN! RUN away quickly before they look you in the eyes. Mormons only care about getting ‘points’ for signing up more people.” The post was shortly after removed and the woman who posted was removed from the group (not the people making the disparaging comments).

I have experienced people making fun of or belittling my beliefs here and there for much of my life. I get it, things we don’t understand can seem foreign and weird, but I wish that didn't mean mocking, humiliating, and belittling others. First of all, we don’t really care for the name “Mormon.” Our church’s name is the church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints. As members of this church, we are taught that we are all children of God, and that means EVERYONE! We believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and that He lived a perfect life and died for all mankind. He gave His life freely as an offering to appease the demands of sin and death. We believe that it is only through the love, mercy, and Grace of God that we are saved. Of course, if you'd like to learn more you can click on the pic below:

We don’t get “points” for doing good. Our choices define our commitment to God and our desire to serve Him is a way of showing gratitude for giving us what we cannot do for ourselves. We feel that when we serve and love others, we are serving and showing our love to God. We are also one of the only (if not THE only) religions that have no paid clergy. We do it because we choose to serve God in this way. We are not forced. We are not shunned for saying no. Those young boys and girls knocking on your doors with nametags are paying their own way (often at much sacrifice) to be there. They are eager to share God’s love but are often laughed at, spit at, yelled at, etc. They’re JUST KIDS trying to make a difference in the world! No, we're not getting "points," but I personally feel like living a Christ-like life helps me understand Jesus a little better. I snatched this pic from one of my four nephews currently serving as a missionary. He's the cute kid second in from the left on the top row and was physically assaulted last week for no apparent reason.

Are we a cult? I guess that depends on how you define it. Many describe a cult as an organization that requires much from their ‘followers’ in time and money, has its own set of cultural norms and language that is unfamiliar with the outside world, and force or lead ‘followers’ to believe that they are incapable of functioning outside of the group. Okay, I’m guilty of choosing to spend anywhere from 2-10 hours in a week on church ‘stuff,’ I choose to pay tithing which is 1/10th of our earnings that goes toward the building of churches, temples, etc. We definitely have our own lingo too, and that can take some getting used to when you first join the community. I had the same problem when I learned how serious my husband is about college football and when our boys started playing sports. I did not grow up an athlete and so when they started saying things like, "Take the W" or yelling things like"Foul! . . . Penalty! . . .etc." I thought it was really weird and I didn't understand. Many parents also seemed overly zealous and passionate about the sport the kids were playing. They didn't seem to have anything else to talk about, as if it had consumed their life! Looking in from the outside, these sports 'fanatics' were in a cult of their own. With that being said, I think I am perfectly capable of functioning in the world outside of my religion. I don’t drink alcohol and coffee, which may seem weird, but I have many friends who do and I don’t think of them as less-than or feel that I am too different to associate with them. I actually think that many groups in the world: athletics, politics, book clubs, and even gardening groups could qualify as cults. Each has its own requirements and demands in time and money, each has its own lingo, and each has a culture and tradition based on things that aren't understood by 'outsiders.' And, like any organization or group, sometimes you come across a person who spoils it for the rest and gives the church a bad rap. I have not known many, but I know some proclaimed members of our church who abuse the good nature of followers of Christ. This is not normal, right, rewarded, or condoned. In other words, we're all individually just trying to do our best, so we shouldn't judge an entire religion on the acts of some select experiences of a few.

This morning, I was driving by the Mesa Temple and decided to stop and walk around to see the flowers, which made me think of the post I saw last month. Most people visiting the temple who are members of the church wear their "Sunday Best" as a way of showing respect to the House of God. I was there after doing some yard work and looked a little all-around messy. I guess, it was like doing a little test. Would all those "Mormons" pounce on me, like the post commenter warned? From an outside appearance, I was not there to worship by the church's traditional standards of attire visiting the temple. Well, guess what? I walked around the entire grounds in peace. A few people smiled when they walked past, but not a single person asked if I wanted to be baptized. No one asked me to meet with missionaries, and no one even tried to trick me into doing anything. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I guess you can't believe everything you read on social media. So, if you're looking to see some amazing landscaping in Arizona, go check out the Mesa Temple. If you want to learn more about what I believe JUST ASK. I promise I'll do my best to answer your questions. Hey, I might even introduce you to some missionaries who literally spend their entire day studying and teaching the gospel, but if you don't want to that's okay too. After all, I am passionate about what I believe. I don't like being labeled a cult, but I wouldn't mind being called a "Super Fan" of my religion. It makes me happy to have a community that strives for excellence, teaches our children leadership skills, and most of all centers our lives on Jesus.

At the end of the day, we are all children of God. Can we all just be a little more kind? When I see other people worship God, it brings me joy, whether you are Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, Jewish, or any faith at all. However you come closer to the Divine, let's be friends. Let's build each other up, not tear each other down. We're all trying to do the best we can with what we have. We're all trying to live a good life with the knowledge and faith we have. We're all trying to be a little more like Jesus.