I watched Notorious on the Biography channel yesterday, about the murders of 5 people, including 3 children, by an RLDS splinter group in Kirtland, Ohio. I was interested because this is very near where I grew up. Anyway,

The host of the show gave a good, modern definition of cult, as it's usually used today. Works for me, although I don't know his source.

"According to law enforcement, any group that is coerced and exploited by a charismatic leader, and that poses a threat, either to its own members or the community at large."

That fits Mormonism in the 19th century to a T, especially under Brigham Young. However, the slavish devotion to their dead prophet JS, especially exemplified by the devotion to that dishonest old fart Hinckley, and the behavior I personally witnessed by so many LDS members, as well as read about - In short, yes, Virginia, it's a cult.

Coersion? Exploitation? Good gawd, they take away TR's (and we all know what that entails!) if people don't pay a full tithing! Then there's the spayshul clown panties. And these people AREN'T being held by the short hairs???

Please...

I saw that same show the other day. I wished I'd researched VERY thoroughly about mormons before I joined, it would have saved some of my sanity. Proud to be free for 2 years now.