photo #8350440

Jimmy on June 16, 2025

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"One man's religion is another man's cult." This is one of those sayings that sounds clever at first, like it’s profound, but when you look closer, it’s a gut punch. This post by Jimmy is a claim about my faith. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My church. The one so many love to sla... View More"One man's religion is another man's cult." This is one of those sayings that sounds clever at first, like it’s profound, but when you look closer, it’s a gut punch. This post by Jimmy is a claim about my faith. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My church. The one so many love to slap with that ugly word: cult. I’m not here to throw punches or start a shouting match. I’d rather light a candle than curse the darkness. But when someone calls my faith a cult, I can’t just sit here and shrug. I’ve got to say something, because this isn’t just about me. It’s about millions of good, hardworking, God-fearing people who get smeared with a label that’s meant to shut us up, push us to the margins, and make us feel like we don’t belong in the conversation. Let’s unpack this phrase: "One man’s religion is another man’s religion." What is it really saying? It’s saying truth is relative. That faith is just a matter of opinion, like picking a team in a football game. Yes, people have different beliefs. That’s America. That’s freedom. And that is beautiful. But when you use a word like cult, you’re not just disagreeing. You’re weaponizing language to dehumanize. To say, “Your faith? It’s not just wrong. It is dangerous. You’re brainwashed. You are not one of us.” (Sounds like the liberal media and those burning down cities because someone has a different opinion or believes in something different than them. My faith isn’t some shadowy club meeting in a basement with shape-shifting reptilians and mind control. It’s a church with over 17 million members worldwide. It’s families praying to God together, missionaries knocking on doors, and communities rebuilding homes after hurricanes. It’s a faith rooted in Jesus Christ, in scripture, in the belief that we’re all children of God with a purpose bigger than ourselves. Does that sound like a cult to you? Or does it sound like Christianity lived out loud? The “cult” label is not new. Crack open a history book. The early Christians? Called a cult by the Romans. Thrown to the lions for it. The Pilgrims were hounded out of England for their “dangerous” beliefs. Every faith that has ever challenged the status quo gets slapped with a scarlet letter because it’s easier to demonize than to understand. It’s easier to mock than to sit down and have a real conversation. There was a time when that word stung me. I’d hear the word “cult” and feel this knot in my stomach, like I had to prove something. But you know? I have never apologized for my faith. I am not letting someone else’s ignorance define what I believe. My church teaches me to love my neighbor, to serve, to seek truth. It’s given me hope when I was lost, strength when I was broken. And if that’s a cult, then sign me up for life. I would rather live my life doing all of these things only to find out the LDS church was wrong than to avoid the teachings of Christ only to find out that the LDS church was right. Part of me wants to turn the other cheek and move on. But when I see that word thrown around it’s a warning sign. Today it’s the Mormons. Tomorrow it’s the Catholics, the Baptists, the Jews, or anyone who dares to believe in something bigger than the cultural mainstream. If we let these labels stick, we’re handing over our freedom to a mob that gets to decide what worship is and what is not. So here’s my challenge to you. Next time you hear someone call a faith a cult, ask yourself: Is this about truth, or is it about control? Is this about understanding, or is it about shutting someone up? And if you’re curious about what I believe, ask. Ask a member of my church. We’re not hiding in the shadows. We’re your neighbors, your coworkers, your friends. "One man’s religion is another man’s cult"? Nah. I say one man’s faith is another man’s reason to hope. I’ll stick with that. God bless you.

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June 16, 2025