Theomanatholicbserver

Is Rome a Cult?

Page 17: Revised 04/10/2000

What is a Cult?

The term 'cult' has a variety of meanings - some good, some bad (see definition below).

cult (k¾lt) n. 1.a. A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader. b. The followers of such a religion or sect. 2. A system or community of religious worship and ritual. 3. The formal means of expressing religious reverence; religious ceremony and ritual. 4. A usually nonscientific method or regimen claimed by its originator to have exclusive or exceptional power in curing a particular disease. 5.a. Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing. b. The object of such devotion. 6. An exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric, usually artistic or intellectual interest. --attributive. Often used to modify another noun: a cult figure; cult films. [Latin cultus, worship, from past participle of colere, to cultivate.

American Heritage Dictionary

From this variety of definitions, we can say that every church, every religion in the world is a cult. Why, then, is the term most often used in a derogatory manner? The answer lies within the definition itself. If you look carefully, you can see that the term 'cult' falls into one of two categories: theological (religious) and sociological (social).

From a strictly social viewpoint, all religions are cults and there is no negative connotation at all. From a theological, or religious viewpoint, all religions are not cults. Rather, a cult is seen as a false, unorthodox religious group under the direction of an authoritarian or charismatic leader.

How to Understand Orthodoxy

Because orthodoxy is the baseline from which we measure whether or not a group is a cult, it is in our best interest to know the basics of Christian orthodoxy. How do I know what is true, what is orthodox religious belief and practice? For Christianity the answer is the Bible - Sacred Scripture. Since the Bible is accepted by all Christian groups as the overall rule of faith, we are on solid ground if we look to it to find out what is true, what is real, what is orthodox.

An orthodox Christian group, therefore, is one that reflects the Biblical point of view on these critical doctrinal issues:

The basis for salvation - The grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ alone. ( Acts 15:11; Eph 2:5-9; 2 Tim 1:9). Cults demand that something must be added to the work of Christ, or that we must earn our own salvation by our own efforts, and especially by obedience to that cult's laws, dogmas and doctrines.
The Person of Jesus Christ - God in the flesh (1Tim 3:16; 1 Pet 3:18; 1 Jn 4:2-3). Cults either deny the deity of Christ, or put Christ in the same category with other 'saviors.'
The forgiveness of sins - By God, through repentance and confession to Him alone (Mat 9:13; Mk 1:4, 2:17; Luke 3:3, 24:47; Acts 5:31;1 Jn 1:9). Cults deny the existence of sin, or demand that sin can only be forgiven through their self-appointed mediators.
The object of worship - God the Father and His Son Jesus. (Mat 4:10; Luke 4:8; Jn 4:23-24; Heb 1:1-6). Cults generally worship everyone and everything but God or Jesus Christ. Cults often interpose their own members, living or dead, between you and Christ, then tell you to worship them instead. Some cults get around God's second commandment by telling you that your worship is 'passed-on' to God or Christ by way of their mediator(trix).
The believer's source of authority - The Word of God. (Mat 4:4; Acts 10:36; Ro 10:17; Heb 4:12; 2 Tim 3:16). Cults never accept the Bible as the final authority - if they did they would soon be out of business! Cults always teach that they themselves, or their leaders are the final authority. Most cults say that the Bible cannot be properly understood without their own documentation to explain it. Cults also tend to place curses and sanctions on anyone who disagrees with their position on this.

Any group that does not hold and practice these basic beliefs is not orthodox, and is, by the above definition, a theological cult. Further, if that group operates under the dictatorial direction of an uncorrectable, authoritarian leader, its position as a cult is confirmed.

Your Cult Checklist

The following table lists many hallmarks (identifying beliefs, practices, and so forth) of a theological cult. Any group that displays three or more of these hallmarks may well be a cult. Any group that displays five or more is almost certainly a cult. So you can compare, I have included the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Mormons⁽¹⁾, two groups that most of the Christian world agrees are cultic. It should be interesting to see how the Roman Catholic Church stacks up against these two false religions!

What Do You Think?

You can see that the column for the Roman Catholic Church is blank. I left it empty on purpose. Why? So that you can ask and answer the questions about the Roman Catholic Church for yourself. Are you a Roman Catholic? If you are, did your church teach you how to think, how to defend your faith? Did it prepare you to answer reasonable questions about your faith? Now is your chance to stand strongly, and prove that your church is really a theologically sound, non-cultic, Bible-based Christian church.

How to Identify a Cult
QUESTION: Does the Roman Catholic Church display any of these marks?
Hallmarks of a Theologically Cultic Group	Jehovah Witness	Mormon	Roman Catholic
1. Is it reluctant to reveal all its doctrines on request?	Yes	Yes	.
2. Is it closed to inside/outside criticism?	Yes	Yes	.
3. Does it place curses on those who disagree?	No	No	.
4. Does it have practices or doctrines that are not found in the Bible?	Yes	Yes	.
5. Has it made prophecies that have not come to pass?	Yes	?	.
6. Have its doctrines changed a lot over the years?	Yes	Yes	.
7. Does it discourage or forbid its members to read other religious literature?	Yes	?	.
8. Does it claim divine authority to interpret the Bible for you?	Yes	Yes	.
9. Does it teach that the Bible can not be understood apart from its own literature?	Yes	Yes	.
10. Does it teach that its own traditions are of equal value with the Bible?	Yes	?	.
11. Does it tell you the Bible is dangerous to read for yourself?	Yes	?	.
12. Are any of its doctrines contradicted by the Bible?	Yes	Yes	.
13. Does it say that the Bible 'contains' the truth, but is not 'the whole truth?'	?	Yes	.
14. Does it teach that all other Christian groups are false?	Yes	?	.
15. Is dissent discouraged, penalized, or punished?	Yes	Yes	.
16. Do the call all dissent 'sin, pride, or rebellion?'	Yes	?	.
17. Are members required to sever all ties with the past, or with family or previous religious friends?	Yes	?	.
18. Does it have a totalitarian or dictatorial structure?	Yes	Yes	.
19. Are its members financially exploited?	Yes	No	.
20. Is fear a primary motivating factor in its teaching?	Yes	No	.
21. Does it teach that there is no salvation outside itself?	Yes	?	.
22. Does it say that the sacrifice of Christ was not sufficient, but that you must pay the price for your own sins?	Yes	Yes	.
23. Does it ask you to pay for its prayers for dead loved ones?	No	?	.
24. Does it profit from the sale and use of icons, a practice forbidden by the second commandment?	No	No	.
25. Does it teach that Jesus was one of many saviors, avatars, or gurus?	No	Yes	.
26. Does it teach that Jesus was just an angel, or some highly evolved human being?	Yes	Yes	.
27. Does it have hidden, secret knowledge or rituals available only to its members.	?	Yes	.
28. Does it offer something other than, or in addition to Jesus Christ as our Savior?	Yes	Yes	.
29. Is attendance at its rituals mandatory, with damnation being the price of your failure?	No	?	.
30. Does it make artificial distinctions between 'levels' of sin?	No	No	.
31. Does it teach that you must 'expiate' (pay the price for) your own sins, thus negating the sufficiency of the sacrifice of Christ?	Yes	Yes	.
32. Does it tell you to confess your sins to dead people in order to obtain forgiveness?	No	No	.
33. Does it promote worship, or veneration of the dead?	No	Yes	.
34. Does it claim its leader's pronouncements are perfect, irrevocable, and unchangeable?	Yes	Yes	.
35. Does it teach that sin can only be forgiven by its own representatives?	No	No	.
36. Are its moral teachings based on its own code of law instead of the Bible?	No	Yes	.
37. Does it keep you paying for years for the spiritual benefit of deceased loved ones?	No	?	.
38. Does it tell you to pray for, or get baptized for the dead?	No	Yes	.
Total Number of "Yes" answers	24	20	.

QUESTION: Now that you have answered for yourself, I have just one question left for you: According to your own answers, is the Roman Catholic Church a cult or not?

Your answer?

Vote Your Opinion

Please use the polling feature below to tell us your opinion regarding the cultic nature of the Roman Catholic Church.

A Poetic View of a Cult

I came across this little ditty while researching the history of the Roman Catholic Church. Its author was a person named A. Nonymous (a pseudonym for a person who'd rather not be known). Since the author declined recognition, it passed into what the publishing trade calls 'fair use material.' That is, you can use it freely, as long as you give attribution (recognize the source), which I just did. I added a couple of lines to round it out. Sorry, Mr. (Mrs.?) A. Nonymous, but you left it up for grabs!

How very foolish is the practice of idolatry!
For life, man prays to that which is dead;
For health, he prays to that which has neither health nor strength;
For skill, he prays to workers long since gone to dust;
For a good journey, he prays to that which cannot move a foot;
For great success, he prays to that which cannot do a single thing;
For wisdom, guidance and blessings, he prays to senseless bits of wood or stone;
For strength, he eats a bit of lifeless bread he thinks is God;
For sins, he begs forgiveness of a man just like himself;
For forgiveness, he prays to statues that cannot hear;
For worship, he runs them all together, and will kiss the bauble on another's hand;
Yes, how foolish is the practice of idolatry!

The Final Answer!

The old saw that 'one picture is worth a thousand words' is time-proven. So, without more words (I've written enough on this topic already!), you can see below the only answer there really is, or ever was, to the question, "What must I do to be saved?!"

HE IS ALPHA AND OMEGA - FIRST AND LAST - LORD OF ALL!

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1. MORMONS: At the time of this writing, I am less familiar with the Mormons than with Catholics and Jehovah's witnesses. Thus the question marks.