In spite of the rigorous, infallible logic presented on this site, some people have been offended and in their blindness and delusion, have attempted to "rebut" the truth. How can anyone rebut plain truth? By lying and deception, of course. As one of many examples, here is an attempt by a "true blue Mormon" to defend his religion against the unassailable power of the dictionary:
Your site is nonsensical and misleading for one simple reason. There is a whole field of study known as diachronic linguistics, which is about changes in language over time. The meaning of the word "cult" varies from one generation to another and even from one society to another.
In the strict Old English definition, yes, Mormonism is a cult, just as Christianity is a cult, just as environmentalism, liberalism, conservatism, and a host of other things are all cults.
The 20 and 21st century American-English definition of the word "cult" is what counts when conversing with people. I don't know about you, but when I talk with people I don't use 17th, 18th, or even 19th century English definitions. The modern definition of "cult" that 99.9% of the people know is as defined on www.dictionary.com, "a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader." While the dictionary lists many meanings, this is the one that most people know.
Would someone be confused if I referred to Saudi Arabia as a jungle? The word jungle originally meant a "place without water." The modern meaning is completely opposite, a humid, tropical area that's overgrown, out in the middle of nowhere with lots of dangerous animals and other creatures. The word can also mean competition and politics. But if I tried to use the word for any of those things people would have no idea what I'm talking about.
What if I said I liked hanging out with my friends at the shingle. What the heck does that mean? Well, it means the beach. And apparently it can also refer to a certain style of haircut. And of course the commonly understood meaning is a shingle on a roof.
When the hate-filled Southern Baptist preacher calls the LDS church a cult, he means to say it's a false, unorthodox, extremist religion, with its members living outside conventional society under the brainwashed direction of an evil leader.
Based on this commonly-held definition, NO, we absolutely are NOT a cult. I'm sorry, but you are the one who is wrong. Your site is cleverly put together and well-written, but it's very, very misleading. The church is not a cult. Mormons are not cultists. This is 100% false.
Don't give me that "diachronic linguistics" jazz! I'm sorry, but based on my survey of respected thought leaders right here in my home, that response is generally regarded as false, making YOU a cultist. The "cult = religion" definition has not been obsolesced and is still there in most dictionaries. And since you've got a religion, my dear deluded Mormon apologist, you're a cultist - just like me. (And even if we accept your attempted defense, it is based on the assumption that the LDS religion is generally regarded as true. I don't think that flies. It may be true, but the Romney campaign showed that his religion is not winning lots of votes for popularity.)
