Educated: A Memoir

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

Fundamentalist Mormonism—Religion or Cult?

In this activity, students will reflect on Westover’s experiences growing up in an extremist Mormon household, and then engage their critical thinking skills as they debate this hotly contested question.

Fundamental Mormonism is at the center of family life for Gene Westover. As detailed throughout Educated, the Westovers were not like other families: They did not believe in doctors’ offices or hospitals, the children did not receive birth certificates, and they were deeply mistrustful of the US government.

Given the relationship between extremism and fundamentalist Mormonism, many have questioned—is fundamentalist Mormonism actually a cult? In this activity, you will debate this question, as follows:

• Break into groups. Your teacher will split the class into two groups. One side will argue that fundamentalist Mormonism is a “cult,” and the other side will argue against it. Keep in mind that members of the LDS Church, or mainstream Mormons, reject principles that are upheld by fundamentalist Mormons; this is not a debate of Mormonism itself but of extremist contexts like the one Westover was raised in.
• Research. Each team will conduct their own independent research to come up with at least 4 compelling arguments to support their stance. In addition to your own research, here are a few articles that will get you started: (1) Penn Today’s “Is it a Cult, or a New Religious Movement?”, (2) Boston University’s “Why We’re Afraid of Mormons,” and (3) The New Yorker’s “What Makes a Cult a Cult?.” To help you formulate your argument (and to prepare for possible rebuttals), you may elect to use this argumentation worksheet in preparing your position.
• Debate. Each group will present their 4 primary arguments and then have the opportunity to provide rebuttals to the opposing team’s points.

At the end of the debate, the teacher will declare a winner using this Classroom Debate Rubric to determine the best argument. At the end of the debate, students can reveal their personal beliefs – after going through this exercise, do you think fundamental Mormonism is a cult?

Teaching Suggestion: Explain to students the ground rules for debate, using English-Speaking Union’s debate club guide, if need be. Also, remind students that they should be respectful when forming their arguments. Draw students’ attention to the rubric on which you will be judging them, as another way to help them organize their arguments. They will be graded on the following 6 points: (1) Respect for the other team, (2) quality of information, (3) their rebuttal, (4) use of facts/statistics, (5) the organization of their presentation, and (6) the overall understanding of the topic.