Is the Roman Catholic religion a cult?

Answer 1

No.

cult: "a religion or sect considered to be unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader."

But then again, it depends on what you believe. But I still wouldn't say that the Catholic church is a cult. when i think of cult tho, i think of Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses. no offense to anyone out there by the way.

Another opinion:

I would say the Catholic church is a false church, a false religion.

Another opinion.

Cult is a word that has various definitions, some of which I believe apply to Catholicism. But I would more likely use the term false religion. For example, "cult" is the beinning of the word "culture." It is something that is "formed." The uneducated often confuse the word "cult" with that of "occult." The custom of using a birthday cake is a "cult." "Cult" used in an intellectual fashion does not have a negative conotation. It mean that something has been raised and formed. Yes, the Catholic Church, as any church, is a "cult." It is not of the "occult."

Answer 2

I've never heard this before. There are no indications of it being a cult, it does not match the description of one. Never heard of anybody being held against their will or forcibly indoctrinated. You must take classes of your own free will and go through this whole long process. You don't have to give up your family and friends, and they have never forced people to drink grape kool-aide.

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Catholic AnswerThe answer to such a question would be contingent on who was considering it a cult! The few people I have heard of who have issued such an accusation are, shall we say, not in a position to be throwing stones. In other words, the only people I have ever heard voice such an opinion are themselves part of a cult. Certainly, the Church is not now, nor ever has been considered a "cult". The word is used in the Church:

from Modern Catholic Dictionary by John A. Hardon, S.J. Doubleday & Co., Inc. Garden City, NY 1980

Cult. A definite form of worship or of religious observance, sometimes rendered "cultus," especially when referring to the worship of the saints. Also a particular religious group centered around some unusual belief, generally transient in duration and featuring some exotic or imported ritual and other practices. (Etym. Latin cultus, care, adoration; from coltere, to cultivate.)

Answer 3

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Catholic AnswerThat depends on how the person asking the question defines cult. In classical terms, a cult is a definite form of worship or of religious observance, sometimes rendered "cultus". In the classical Latin definition, then, yes, the Catholic faith could be viewed as a cult.

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However, modern culture, in the 20th and 21st centuries define cult as "A relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister." Fr. Hardon in his Modern Catholic Dictionary mentions that in the second sense of the word, the worship spoke of is generally transient in duration and featuring some exotic or imported ritual and other practices. This is how the word is used in modern day culture, and Catholicism doesn't fit that definition at all. Catholicism has been basically unchanged for twenty centuries, and is the basis for most of western civilization.

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There is, however, a group of current protestants, who could be defined as a cult themselves, who use this word of Catholicism in order to put it down. As the people in this category belong to religions which have only been invented within the last 100 years or so, they should be very careful about the use of this term.

Answer 4

No, the Catholic Church is the first and primary of all Christian religions. It is not a cult.

Answer 5

No, Catholicism is not a cult. It is the Christian religion.

Answer 6

no, not at all