Roman Catholicism , cult or not?

[shannonL]

It has become quite trendy today in some evangelical circles to cozy up to the catholic church and its teachings. Earlier in church history it was not uncommon for pastors to speak out and teach and preach against the false teaching of RCism.
If you do a little research you will find that it is evangelicals that have changed not the RCC. In the signing of the Vatican II the Pope still endorsed the Council of Trent which was drawn up during the days of Luther in order to fight against the Reformation.
The RCC still believes in works as apart of Salvation.
They still pray to Mary
They still believe in purgatory, the indulgences,the praying to dead saints, the church plus the Bible has authority, the Pope at times can speak infallibly. I could go on.
In these times where evangelicals have been duped into thinking we need to show the world what we are for instead of against we are in turn doing our parishners a disservice. They don't know the pitfalls and false teachings because nobody is teaching them.
I personally believe this fad of teaching heavy onf felt needs and lite on doctrine has lulled or is lulling more people into believing a more inclusive type of belief system instead of the exclusive message of the Bible.
I conclude that the RCC is one of if not the biggest heretical cults that has ever been brought before the eyes of man. Its power, longevity and it's superb yet suttle distortion of the "true Gospel" is what makes me draw this conclusion.
Can a person be a saved Catholic? I suppose there are saved catholics. Yet that doesn't make the RCC church doctrine non heretical. It just means that person got saved in spite of RCC teachings.
Roman Catholic Doctrine will lead one to hell not heaven. It's belief system has the ear marks of false teaching that is mentioned throughout the Scriptures.
Are catholics moral? Sure. Being moral doesn't get you to heaven. It might make you a better catholic but that is it.
I'm afraid in our battle to maintain our christian heritage in this country we have became less vocal as baptists, evangelicals in speaking out against RCC. I mean if we did that we couldn't work together to fight the immoral social ills of our day. I'm simply saying working together for a good cause is no excuse not to point out the heresy of the false teachings of RCC.
It seems to me that these days the only people who speak up boldly and adamently against the RCC are the dear folk who have been saved out of its clutches.
I believe RCC teaches a false Gospel that is going to continue to send people to hell. Let us remember that alot of the Reformers were burned at the stake for speaking out against the RCC. Their doctrine hasn't changed for centuries. The RCC has learned to become ecumenical itself only to one day bring us protestants and baptists back into the true church.
I want to hear some thoughts on your views concerning RCC doctrine. Is it heretical? If you led a person to Christ would you disciple them to come out of the RCC? On the foreign field should baptists proselyte Catholics. I think so. What say you? I think tactfulness is always in order don't think I'm being ignorant in my approach. Yet we should speak out fiercely against this false teaching.

 

[OldRegular]

Cult!

 

[Linda64]

The RCC is definitely a CULT! Yes, we need to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the Catholics--

 

[OldRegular]

I believe that the RCC is a cult just as I believe that the Word Faith is a cult. However, I believe that there are true believers, though sadly misguided, within both movements.

 

[Humblesmith]

Having studied the cults for 20 years, I've come to the point where I've decided to stop using the word "cult." The reason is that people get all wrapped around the axle about "you called this one a cult, why not that one?" and people get all emotional over the word, and don't focus on the main points: whether the group teaches doctrine that is essentially christian, or do they teach doctrine that is, at its core, essentially non-christian. Too many times the discussion gets sidetracked over whether we're defining an official cult or not, instead of focusing on the teachings and how they compare with the bible.

The RCC is wide and broad, and despite what some say, are not entirely consistent. Within the RCC, there are those who are very liberal, very conservative, and all in between.

The RCC teaches some doctrines that are of major conflict with the scriptures. They are wrong on some very key, essential issues.

 

[webdog]

I would agree it's a cult. Any religion that prays to someone other than God would fall into that camp.

 

[mima]

The RCC is the worst cult hiding under the umbrella of "Christian" in the world. In China many non-Christians wanted to refer to the Crusades, and all the horrors that took place during the Crusades, as an example of why they should not trust Christians. But of course the Crusades are a perfect example of the RCC in action. I witnessed to RCC people all the time, and some of them even seek me out. And ask me, please tell me what you told so and so that cause them to leave the Catholic Church. When this happens you know you have a willing listener, and many of these turn themselves from thier life time association with the RCC.

 

[DeclareHim]

The RCC is filled with rampant heresy but I don't think we can call them an cult. The reason? Most cults generally deny the diety of Christ. Or deny the Trinity. The RCC holds to many Orthodox Christian truths they just messed up when they added man's tradition and replaced the authority of Scriptures with men word. But I don't think they quite qualify as a cult.

 

[Gold Dragon]

Not cult. I agree with DeclareHim that on Trinitarian and Christological issues, the RCC is as orthodox as they come. There are some doctrines that I disagree with them about and some practices that I would not encourage, but by and large, I find that Catholics are generally more biblically sound and Christ-like than some baptists I've met. Of course you have fundamentalist Catholics and liberal Catholics who are just as off-their-rocker as some of the extreme protestant varieties.

The traditional definition of the word cult can apply to them as it would to baptists as one of devoted following.

The modern definition of the word cult in the vein of David Koresh, et al obviously does not qualify for Catholicism. This is the defintion I use most often.

The fundamentalist definition of the word cult which applies to anyone who differs in biblical interpretation from said fundamentalist does apply to Catholicism. But it also applies to pretty much the rest of orthodox Christianity as well.

 

[Magnetic Poles]

The use of the word "cult" seems to have become a perjorative description, although that isn't the only definition. I think the definition plays an important role. From Merriam-Webster.com:

Etymology: French & Latin; French culte, from Latin cultus care, adoration, from colere to cultivate -- more at WHEEL
1 : formal religious veneration : WORSHIP
2 : a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents
3 : a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents
4 : a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator <health cults>
5 a : great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad b : a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion

By definitions 1 or 2, Baptists are a cult. I think it is definition 3 that is how it is being used in the OP, although an organization as large and old as the RCC hardly seems like it qualifies as "unorthodox" or "spurious", due to the sheer size it has.

 

[webdog]

From Webster's...

Main Entry: cult
Pronunciation: 'k&lt
Function: noun
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: French & Latin; French culte, from Latin cultus care, adoration, from colere to cultivate -- more at WHEEL
1 : formal religious veneration : WORSHIP
2 : a system of religious beliefs and ritual ; also : its body of adherents
3 : a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents
4 : a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator <health cults>
5 a : great devotion to a person, idea, object , movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad b : a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion

 

[webdog]

We posted that at the same time...freaky!

 

[JackRUS]

For us their are two kinds of cults. The Biblically wrong kind, and the ones that rule with mind control. Many are both like JW's. Mormons would only be a Biblically wrong cult.

I think that Biblically the Roman Catholic Church could be defined as a cult, but no longer are they a sociological cult. I mean one that rules the people through mind and fear control.

They used to be a sociological cult since they claimed to be the sole agent by which one could get to heaven. And if they pronounced you to be anathema, you went to hell. (Hense the fear tactic of The Council of Trent). But very few if any Catholics today fear this decree of excommunication. And because of money donations from members, they almost never wield it as a power any more.

They do hold to many of our teachings, but the devil is fine with this since they miss the mark on salvation. Satan just loves religion. Especially works based religion.

 

[Petrel]

Originally posted by JackRUS:
They used to be a sociological cult since they claimed to be the sole agent by which one could get to heaven. And if they pronounced you to be anathema, you went to hell.

And this differs from some Baptist groups how?

I wouldn't say they are a cult.

 

[JackRUS]

Originally posted by Petrel:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by JackRUS:
They used to be a sociological cult since they claimed to be the sole agent by which one could get to heaven. And if they pronounced you to be anathema, you went to hell.

And this differs from some Baptist groups how?

I wouldn't say they are a cult. </font>[/QUOTE]LOL. I quess that the difference is that we don't have a pope of a Magisterium like Rome.

Hey! Maybe this board is a find of Magisterium for Baptists.

 

[Mexdeaf]

Originally posted by Petrel:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by JackRUS:
They used to be a sociological cult since they claimed to be the sole agent by which one could get to heaven. And if they pronounced you to be anathema, you went to hell.

And this differs from some Baptist groups how?

I wouldn't say they are a cult. </font>[/QUOTE]Baptists have never claimed 'the church' saves. That is the difference.

As to the cult thing... a definite 'maybe'. Depends on your definition.

 

[Alexander]

The Catholic church is most definitely NOT a cult.

Alexander

 

[Eliyahu]

Cult never call themselves Cult.

We need a special tool for identifying counterfeit supernotes printed by a big scale counterfeit printer. I think that tool is Bible

 

[BobRyan]

Originally posted by OldRegular:
I believe that the RCC is a cult just as I believe that the Word Faith is a cult. However, I believe that there are true believers, though sadly misguided, within both movements.

True enough.

They "CLAIM" vocally and forcefully that they DO NOT follow "Sola scriptura" as their guide for doctrine. Instead they have a "cult leader" that they claim "Doctrinally" to be their guide on infallible doctrine.

This is not a claim that Non-RC's "imagine" for them to make them look bad. The posts AGAINST "Sola Scriptura" are already here for review. It is their public position.

That alone would make them a cult.

Having said that I agree with your point above.

The "reason" for discussing the errors of that group are two fold.

#1. SEE what the Bible predicted and SEE how they fit into the end-time picture as they were the leading power in Europe for 1260 years.

#2. Become familiar with the "hard arguments" and doctrinal questions they raise. They have become the largest Christian church in America and in some cases it is because non Catholics engage in isolationism and under-estimating their ability to convince Baptists and anyone else of their views.

(Though the birth control thing has a huge part to play in their growth)


In Christ,

Bob

 

[BobRyan]

Originally posted by Alexander:
The Catholic church is most definitely NOT a cult.

Alexander

I would agree that an objective standard is the past way to go.

#1. The non-Cult will not setup a cult leader in STATED opposition to the Bible. "Sola Scriptura" doctrinal teaching!

#2. The non-Cult will not pray to the dead, kill Christians and then call that an "infallible position" - will not call for the extermination of Christians.

#3. The non-cult will not "Worship a piece of bread" as the RCC CLAIMS it is doing IF we conceed that they are in error on the Eucharist.

#4. The nonCult will NOT burn the bible and declare it illegal for Christians to read their Bibles.

(These are a few easy tests)