Catholic Church A "Cult"?

[newenglandsun]

It HAS TO BE a cult for Protestantism to make sense, of course.

It is of my opinion actually that Protestantism is closer to being cult-like, but not quite, than
the Catholic Church. WHY?! It essentially deviated away from the ORIGINAL CHURCH.

This is actually where these accusers of the Catholic Church fail, because they got it
backwards. When a certain body in the Pentecostal Church became Unitarian, it was
excommunicated, becoming the United Pentecostal Church International, and is now
deemed by it’s ancestral church as a Cult. Such is the conflict between the Catholics
and Protestants, as I see it.

But anyway, back to why the Catholic Church “HAS TO BE a cult” “in order for Protestantism
to make sense.” If the Roman Catholic Church is not the Whore of Babylon, if the Pope is not
the Antichrist or False Prophet, if the Catholic Church is NOT a CULT, then maybe Protestant
churches have been wrong this whole time.

“NO!” some Protestants say, “My Church is True, BECAUSE the Catholic Church is cult,
and mine is not,” is the train of thought of some Protestants. The key is to vilify the One
Holy Catholic & Apostolic Church, because once somebody does that, he/she has justif-
ied his/her own sect in his/her own mind.

Heavy Question Now:The Roman Catholic Church was here FIRST, then Protestantism showed up, **
in the 16th Century**, while the Catholic Church has been since the days of
Saint Peter . . .

So come on now, Who’s the the cult here?

​

No, I’m not necessarily calling Protestantism a cult, just
saying that anyone who calls the Catholic Church a cult
is really not in a good position to talk.
​

Well, there’s your problem. Protestants would contend that it was the Catholic Church that deviated from the true faith.

However (and this is the funny part), they appeal to a distorted version of history to do so (my dad claimed the Catholic Church began infant baptism in response to the Muslims however it was as early as St. Ireneaus, St. Augustine, and St. Ambrose). They also can’t agree on how far back to stretch what they mean. For instance, Jehovah’s Witnesses (and Protestant won’t contend these are genuine Protestants), will say the Church went astray at the Council of Nicae. The Restored Church of God will say that it was the Council will say it was the First Council of Constantinople.

If you want to add insult to injury, my dad a few weeks ago was dialoguing about Mary as the theotokos being a “much ado about nothing”. Then he asserts he accepts all seven ecumenical creeds yet is a universalist and denies Mary is the theotokos.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

It’s always a good idea to define terms before entering into a discussion. My friend who was a long time devoted Presbyterian finally felt comfortable enough with me to tell me her minister said Catholicism was a ‘cult’. I asked her what he meant by that and she said a church that was not based on the Bible alone. We had a fruitful four hour discussion about how the Church views the Bible, Tradition, and the Magisterium.

BTW, she’s now Catholic and very active in her parish.

 

[EIF5A]

 

[sousley]

Here is an excerpt from Lumen Gentium:

1. Placed by the grace of God, as God’s Mother, next to her Son, and exalted above all angels and men, Mary intervened in the mysteries of Christ and is justly honored by a special cult in the Church. Clearly from earliest times the Blessed Virgin is honored under the title of Mother of God, under whose protection the faithful took refuge in all their dangers and necessities.(21*) Hence after the Synod of Ephesus the cult of the people of God toward Mary wonderfully increased in veneration and love, in invocation and imitation, according to her own prophetic words: “All generations shall call me blessed, because He that is mighty hath done great things to me”.(301) This cult, as it always existed, although it is altogether singular, differs essentially from the cult of adoration which is offered to the Incarnate Word, as well to the Father and the Holy Spirit, and it is most favorable to it. The various forms of piety toward the Mother of God, which the Church within the limits of sound and orthodox doctrine, according to the conditions of time and place, and the nature and ingenuity of the faithful has approved, bring it about that while the Mother is honored, the Son, through whom all things have their being (302) and in whom it has pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell,(303) is rightly known, loved and glorified and that all His commands are observed.

I’ve always understood the use of “cult” in its relation to a “culture” of people that are focused on their vocation. So, in my view, monks might reflect a cult of Christianity; the one-hour a week Christians… well not so much.

 

[tvknight415]

I think that many groups that refer to the Catholic Church as a cult exhibit far more cult-like tendencies than the Catholic Church.

 

[Judas_Thaddeus]

AMEN!