Is Mormonism a cult or a branch of Christianity?

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The most common definition of a cult is a group where coercion is used.

According to the Cult Information Centrem, characteristics of a cult include, but are not restricted to:

1.) Members lie about the doctrine in order to get more members
2.) You have to pay to join (not always monetary)
3.) The others will make it difficult for you to leave, using tactics ranging from emotional blackmail to all-out violence
4.) The leader(s) don't have accountability

This definitely applies to some branches of Mormonism such as the FLDS, but I would not know how much of the more 'mainstream' LDS can truly be considered a cult.

Mormonism is generally thought of a branch of Christianity. It differs from the usual Christianity by an extra Testament. But then, Christianity itself differs from Judaism by an extra Testament and is NOT classified as a branch of Judaism. The deciding factor seems to be self-identification - Mormons consider themselves Christians, and indeed worship Jesus. Christians, on the other hand, do not consider themselves Judaists....Show more

To many christians the definition of cult literally is, anything outside their own faith.

So in that respect, sure we are.

I guess the answer to your question is, how do you define Christianity, and how do you define cult.

From the horses mouth, (im lds), we believe in christ, we teach of christ, we follow christ to the very best of our ability. We dont badmouth other religions and we try to reach out to others in practice instead of only a sunday doctrine. We repent, we serve, we look to God for all direction.

People are welcome to come and go as they want. I do, and have. AS have several of my friends. I tend to define a cult as a group which is so extreme one cant leave without severe persecution. And as much as ex-mos like to pretend their persecution is of note, it actually boils down to their mom making comments worrying about their eternal state and maybe a couple calls from a bishop or missionary making sure everything is ok. Hardly harassment. More like people who have cared about you and known you since you were a child being sincerely worried about your abrupt change in belief. Would seem rather calous for people to not give a crap about such a hufe life choice. But no, there is no "brain control" or creepy tactics. Its a freaking church.

But like I said, the answer will depend wholly on who you ask and how they define those 2 words....Show more

Mormon is a sort of Christian,and there bible is seemlier,regardless of the undeniable fact that it has cult ties dating back long be for they settled in Salt Lake city.having greater desirable than one spouse became allowed by way of a guy if he could desire to help them.The church bandied this theory because of the fact of regulations of marriage and society.There are spin off cults and a guy can no longer legally marry a woman of 13-15 with mothers permission who continuously supplies it...Show more

Our church is restored.

Dictionary definitions of a cult have these elements in common:
Relatively small group
Excessive devotion to a person or idea
Unethical techniques
Control by threats and isolation
Powerful group pressures
Fear of consequences of leaving
Abnormal dependency on the group
Strange beliefs
To someone who knows Mormonism, these descriptions don’t match up with our characteristics, but let’s consider them one by one.
Small? We have 14 million members in 132 countries. In America, there are more Mormons than there are Presbyterians or Jews.
The average American thinks that most Mormons live in Utah, but over half of all Mormons are not residents of the United States, and only 14% live in Utah, a percentage that is decreasing. For some name-callers, however, size doesn’t matter: they even label Catholics a cult.
Excessive devotion? We are devoted to the Savior, but in appropriate measure we think He would approve of.
Unethical techniques? Ask the pie-throwers to name one.
Control by isolation? Even if we wanted to, this would be impossible with 14 million members in 28,000 congregations throughout the world.
Control by threats? Again, evidence? Our missionaries may be exuberant, but we do not threaten.
Dependency on the group? Our goal is just the opposite. We want our members to be self-reliant and independent so they in turn can help others.
Powerful group pressure? Only if that’s the way our critics prefer to define love.
Strange? There they’ve got us. We plead guilty to all the strange things that were done by Christians in New Testament times that were lost during the great falling away in the aptly named Dark Ages, among them temple worship, vicarious baptism for the dead, prophets and apostles, unpaid clergy, and continual revelation from God to guide His church.
Let others call us a cult if they feel such tactics will, more effectively than doctrine, attract followers. When Mormons hear that word spit at us, we can only wonder whether our accusers are all that confident in their own positions and legitimacy.
Ridicule Comes With the Territory
Calling us a cult today cannot be the first time in history that a religion has been ridiculed with that word or an equivalent pejorative.
If Adam and Eve had had contemporary critics, our first parents surely would have been mocked as members of a nudist cult. And can you imagine the fun mockers must have had when Noah built a boat and gathered animals?
The Savior Himself did not escape it. He was mocked, scourged, spit upon, and put to death by the most cruel method devised by man because He dared to form what the elite, powerful, and supposedly wise of His day undoubtedly considered a cult.
Not every person who is smeared with ridicule is a prophet of God, but every prophet of God has been and will be smeared....Show more

It is not a true christian religion.

If you read the book of mormon, they do not believe that jesus is divine. They believe jesus was a prophet.

Mormons will tell you they are christian, and they may believe it.

In some ways, it does constitute a cult. it requires a 10% tithe, or so I believe. It keeps non believers away from its secret ceremonies that included weddings. It also baptises dead people, non christians. There have been problems because they have baptized posthumously people who were jewish, catholic. probably hindus etc...Show more