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Colorado-Sunshine t1_j6v17dh wrote

Reply to comment by [deleted] in An alleged $500 million Ponzi scheme preyed on Mormons. It ended with FBI gunfire. by Chino_Blanco

Specifically Mormons. The religion started as a long con. The true believers are guaranteed to be gullible because anybody with common sense finds it laughable and walks away.

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groveborn t1_j6v1zdr wrote

You'd think so, but for every objection raised they have an answer that is plausible to anyone who might believe in God (and already believe what they do).

I had to already be on my way out to even be able to hear the problems. It's pretty much this way in all religions, too.

If you are thinking "I don't suffer from this", whether that's because you're religious or not, you do. Nobody is immune to errors in thinking.

We all know things that are simply wrong.

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[deleted] t1_j6v2c4b wrote

[deleted]

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groveborn t1_j6v2qmx wrote

I'm in general agreement.

I like you. Let's make a religion together

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[deleted] t1_j6v3e9l wrote

[deleted]

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NoYoureTheAlien t1_j6v8cv1 wrote

It’s a religion to all the mouth breathing acolytes, but you’ll know. You’ll know, and profit too. The profit (prophet) part is my favorite.

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Golluk t1_j6xbaii wrote

Perhaps a religion for the non religious. Maybe call it Mormon't.

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East_Living7198 t1_j6w0c72 wrote

Good con man has an answer for every objection as well. The similarities don’t end there.

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WhileNotLurking t1_j6win8p wrote

Not sure how Mormons are and more or less of a con than any other organization religion practiced today.

They are all cons (perhaps with different motives) but all generally rely on obedience, dogmatic practices, faith, and other qualities that mimic the Mormons.

We just give a pass to more mainstream religions - often because people grew up in them (or still are).

We refer to Greek and Roman "mythology" but people get really pissed when you call it Christian mythology

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9Wind t1_j6wl0rq wrote

That is a very abrahamic view on religion that thinks every religion acts like the abrahamic religions common to Europe, and ignores mormonism's creation by rewriting the history of indigenous people for financial gain and racism.

Mormonism is closer to the Hoteps saying native americans were black settlers from of a long lost black empire than it is a religion.

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Golluk t1_j6xbset wrote

I was under the impression Mormonism was a continuation/update of abrahamic religion after Jesus. Similar to Islam and Muhammed, but now it's Joseph Smith and Mormon.

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omganesh t1_j6xhtc6 wrote

I think that's accurate. The book of Mormon is fan fiction of the sequels of the Torah.

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9Wind t1_j6zcwkb wrote

Mormonism is a strain of american pseudohistory like the hoteps

They say the aztecs were a lost jewish tribe, quetzacoatl was jesus, native americans are red because they are cursed by god, and a lot of other racist attacks on history. During the time mormonism rose, it was one of many ideas trying to justify genocide.

Saying mormonism is a continuation is like saying the third reich is just a contuation of the 2nd reich ignoring all the things that made the 3rd reich unique like racial essentialism and pseudoscience ideas on race.

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gandalf_el_brown t1_j72tr6x wrote

>by rewriting the history of indigenous people for financial gain

That describes most religions during their expansion phase

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atomic1fire t1_j6yxjas wrote

Nah.

It's probably more so that if the scam artists can convince a few members of the congregation to go in on it, their interpersonal relationships and religious background ("They'd never give me a bad deal") will keep anyone from looking too closely at it, and of those that are skeptical, they're probably not going to say anything to the FBI or secret service because they don't want their friends or church leadership to lose all their money to an investigation or attract unwanted attention from people aware of the sudden financial windfall.

Given the reports that people were told to keep it "hush hush", I'm guessing a few knew the money wasn't legit but went along with it anyway because they were profiting off it at the time, and too much oversight might damage that income.

It wouldn't shock me if MLMs targeted any closely knit group that could give their scam a sense of legitimacy.

e.g #girlboss and the terms affiliation with MLM schemes targeting women.

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