Fundies some of you call catholicism (and jw, mormonism but they are anyways) a cult but when was the last?

Question

time a catholic didn't go to mass and people were wondering where they were or even contacted them to ask why they didn't come or when someone new comes to mass who notices... well this is the opposite in protestant churches where they basically monitor you, it might be the churches I attended growing up but iv notice this, which steps on the line of cultism

(my question was somewhere up there....)

Answer 1

Would anyone consider Jesus as a cult member? There are scriptures that prove Jesus Christ himself was accused of being a drunkard, a glutton, a Sabbath breaker, a false witness, a blasphemer of God, and a messenger of Satan. He was also accused of being subversive. - Matthew 9:34; 11:19; 12:24; 26:65; John 8:13; 9:16; 19:12.

After Jesus’ death and resurrection, his disciples were were the target of serious accusations. One group of first-century Christians were dragged to the city rulers by accusing ‘These men have overturned the inhabited earth.’ (Acts 17:6) On another occasion the apostle Paul and his companion Silas were taken to the authorities and charged with greatly disturbing the city of Philippi.—Acts 16:20.

Paul was later accused of being a “pestilent fellow and stirring up seditions among all the Jews throughout the inhabited earth” and of trying “to profane the temple.” (Acts 24:5, 6) The principal men of the Jews in Rome accurately described the situation of Jesus’ followers when they acknowledged: “For truly as regards this sect it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against.”—Acts 28:22.

Because people were uneducated about Jesus and his apostles, they were considered by some to be a religious group with radical views and practices that clashed with what was accepted in those days as normal social behavior or a "cult". People who accused Jesus and his apostles of this were respected members of the community.

Would you consider Jesus to be part of a cult? Every one of these charges was false! The fact that people said these things did not make them true.

Research would be necessary before labeling a religion as a "cult". Here are some articles from newpapers and encyclopedia regarding Jehovah's Witnesses.

A government official of the city of St. Petersburg, Russia, explained: “Jehovah’s Witnesses were presented to us as some kind of underground sect sitting in the darkness and slaughtering children and killing themselves.” However, the people of Russia have recently become better acquainted with the true nature of the Witnesses. After working with Jehovah’s Witnesses in connection with an international convention, the same official observed: “Now I see normal, smiling people, even better than many people I know. They are peaceful and calm, and they love one another very much.” He added: “I really do not understand why people tell such lies about them.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses do not hold ritualistic meetings, nor is their worship cloaked in secrecy. Non-Witness author Julia Mitchell Corbett notes: “When they meet, usually more than once a week, in Kingdom Halls (their meeting sites are not called churches), most of their time is spent in Bible study and discussion.” Their meeting places are clearly marked with a sign. The meetings are open, and the general public is invited to attend. Unannounced guests are more than welcome.

The “Witnesses have earned the reputation of being honest, courteous, and industrious,” adds Corbett in her book Religion in America. Many who are not Witnesses readily acknowledge that there is nothing freakish or bizarre about Jehovah’s Witnesses. Their conduct does not clash with what is accepted as normal social behavior. The New Encyclopædia Britannica accurately states that the Witnesses “insist upon a high moral code in personal conduct.”

The director of news and special projects for a television station in the United States wrote to Jehovah’s Witnesses in response to a biased report about the Witnesses on the TV news show 60 Minutes. He said: “If more people lived the way your faith does, this nation wouldn’t be in the shape it is in. I am one newsman who knows that your organization is founded on love and a strong faith in the Creator. I want you to know that not all News people are as biased.”

Answer 2

I've noticed this same thing, too. My best friend and her husband attended the same Assembly of God church for over 30 years, and if they missed a service, someone was calling to find out why. It wasn't a "We're concerned about you" kind of call -- more like "You know God EXPECTS you to be there unless you're dying."

Owing to some major problems in the church leadership and misuse of money by the pastor, my friends felt they had no choice except to leave. They later found out that the pastor's wife is going around telling people that "They aren't *real* Christians anyway."

This isn't the first time some of my Protestant friends have had various churches try to dictate their every move and then attack them when they finally couldn't take it any longer. If that's not skating on the thin ice of cultism, I don't know what is.

In the 30+ years that I've been a Catholic, I've never had anyone demand to know where I was when I missed Mass due to illness, etc. People have come up to me and said, "Hey, we've missed you -- glad to see you're back," but they've never made me feel like they were tracking my every move.

Ditto with how much I put in the plate every week. Sufficient to say, the Catholic church has never made me feel less than a real Christian just because of my offerings. I can't say that about a bunch of my friends' Protestant (predominantly Pentecostal and Assembly of God) churches, sadly enough.

Answer 3

The relevant definition of a cult from DIctionary.com is "a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader."

Catholicism, which dates from 30 AD under the leadership of Jesus' handpicked disciples, is certainly not a cult. Mormonism was a cult in the days of polygamy, but it's gone mainstream. Neither is JW a cult.

The Islamist terrorists living in Pakistani caves, eager to kill for Osama bin Laden, clearly constitute a cult. A few years ago, Jonestown, Guyana, made the news when all the cult members controlled by Jim Jones drank cyanide kool-aid.

Whether you get phone calls for missing church or not does not define an organization as a cult. However, it does seem like an effective way to express care for missing members.

Catholics understand that they have an obligation to God to worship him once a week. Faithful Catholics don't need phone calls from anyone at church because they get a conscience call from themselves.

Cheers,
Bruce

Answer 4

Being concerned about your fellow Brothers and Sisters does not define a cult nor is it "monitoring" that person.

Jesus was described as a Shepherd, as were the Elders of the church. A Shepherd always knows where his "sheep" are and keeps them safe.

Jesus taught us about fellowship and concern for each other in the following parable.

"How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray." Matthew 18:12-13

If we are Brothers and Sisters in Christ we should be concerned about one another. We should not be "strangers" to each other. I would much rather attend a church that was friendly, notices when visitors are there and is concerned when a "regular" member is missing, than a church that is "cold" and doesn't care about their members.

Answer 5

I've spotted this identical aspect, too. My satisfactory buddy and her husband attended the equal meeting of God church for over 30 years, and within the occasion that they lost sight of a supplier, anybody was once as soon as calling to observe why. It wasn't a "We're concerned approximately you" type of brand name -- additional like "you already know God EXPECTS you to be there till you're dying." Owing to a few important issues inside the church management and misuse of cash via the pastor, my neighbors felt that they had no option except to go away. They later found out that the pastor's partner is going circular telling participants that "they are not *precise* Christians besides." This isn't the primary time a couple of of my Protestant neighbors have had fairly plenty of church buildings attempt to dictate their each and every transfer and then assault them after they finally might no longer take it any more. If that is no longer skating at the thin ice of cultism, I have no idea what's. Within the 30+ years that i have been a Catholic, I've certainly not had someone call for to understand the location I was while I uncared for Mass since of ailment, and many others. Individuals have come up to me and mentioned, "whats up, we have disregarded you -- completely happy to seem you're again," however they have certainly not made me consider like they have got been monitoring my each and every transfer. Ditto with how a lot I positioned inside the plate every week. Adequate to mention, the Catholic church has most likely no longer made me remember lower than an precise Christian simply given that that of my offerings. I can't say that a couple of bunch of my peers' Protestant (predominantly Pentecostal and assembly of God) church structures, lamentably ample.

Answer 6

Actually, I think you've attempted to answer your own question. I don't call the catholic church a cult. I do question the jw's and mormons because of some of their beliefs about God.

Calling on someone who missed a service might be monitoring, but could also just be showing that you care about that person. Welcoming a new person to a service works the same way.

Answer 7

People who say so do it in order to try and criticize the church without any real information.

People around here like to throw around the word cult like it is the plague. There is nothing negative implied in the definition. It is just a set of beliefs that are seen as unorthodox or formal religious veneration. To me it seems that all religions can be called a cult.

Answer 8

I never knew showing people that you cared they were there was so offensive or even "monitoring". I would be offended if I came to a church and no one cared whether I was there or not. They're the one that walked into the church in the first place right?

Answer 9

Are you talking to fundie Christians or fundie Atheists?

Answer 10

CJ, who pees in your Wheaties every day??


Atheist nun, you can defend me anytime you want! I've seen your posts and know that you call it like you see it, including calling us out at times. Peace.