Cult thinking...need help

[Paris_Blues]

I had this post on the non-Catholic Forum but I thought I better ask some “Catholic experts” about it. This is what I wrote:

“I remember the other day or so before going to work I was watching Daily Mass on EWTN and I think it was Fr. Angelus said something like** 'don’t put the Catholic church down or deny it…if you do that, you’re putting down Jesus Christ!”**

Isn’t that the truth?http://forum.catholic.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif I’m glad he made that point!"

Now some person with the username of Cheddarworth or Cheddar something told me this:

**That is cult thinking. When the church says that it is the truth and that anything else is an attack, not merely on you, but on Christ himself. CULT thinking. When the church says anything that it hasn’t already told you is true is the work of the devil. CULT thinking. When anytime you question, challenge, or speak out that the teachings don’t match your experience, and you are told you are the enemy and under the ruse of the devil. That is simply classic cult mind control.

You are being told that anything that doesn’t 100% agree with the church is the enemy and is attacking you. That is cult mind control. Or are you too far gone to see that?

You have free will…as long as it makes you do exactly what you are told too, if not, you are the enemy…you are the attacker. I’m sorry folks, that is CULT MIND CONTROL.

I don’t know if that is an official teaching of the church, but this priest is doing the church a huge disservice by speaking thusly. He is making the church sound like a cult. He is not supporting the church through this type of speech.

cheddar**

How on earth is that cult thinking? Or is this cheddar person just trying to make me feel bad or the priest?

 

[fix]

757 "The Church, further, which is called ‘that Jerusalem which is above’ and ‘our mother’, is described as the spotless spouse of the spotless lamb. It is she whom Christ ‘loved and for whom he delivered himself up that he might sanctify her.’ It is she whom he unites to himself by an unbreakable alliance, and whom he constantly ‘nourishes and cherishes.’"149

**
779** The Church is both visible and spiritual, a hierarchical society and the Mystical Body of Christ. She is one, yet formed of two components, human and divine. That is her mystery, which only faith can accept.

780 The Church in this world is the sacrament of salvation, the sign and the instrument of the communion of God and men.

 

[Christy_Beth]

It isn’t cult thinking. To be “cult” thinking, this would have had to be said about a living person. Take the Branch Davidions. You know, David Koresh? If that group were to say, anything said against us is said against Daved, that would definately a cult thinking.

The church isn’t a cult for one main reason. It is based on God himself. Jesus was, and is, God. To speak out against the church, is to speak out against him. Why? Because He founded it, it’s HIS church. No one elses. And that’s my final answer! :twocents:

 

[Ahimsa]

Paris,

The “Cheddar” guy means that the word ‘cultic’ can be applied to any group of humans (church, government, family, school, etc.). By ‘cultic’ he means any group whose leaders and members attempt to suppress the exercise of free thought, questioning, and doubt. Even if what the group teaches is TRUE, to suppress the natural human desire to question and exercise free thought, would be ‘cultic’.

 

[Spooky7272]

Also, with most cults (Jim Jones, Branch Davidians), there is an element of secrecy. Only once you have completely given over to the cult thinking do you REALLY know what they believe… Scientology anyone? They also try to separate the members from non-members which isn’t always a bad thing (think cloistered nuns), but they do it as in “Your is evil and must be avoided” I just read a book about cults not too long ago… now I can’t remember the name or author… I’ll see if I can find it