Howdy Board...

Perhaps it is one of the oldest cults that persecuted the true Bible believing Christians.
There were the Montanists. Before you label it a cult remember that Tertullian, one of you famed ECF was one of them.
There were the Waldensians. Before you label it a cult remember that Cardinal Hosius gives them a glowing report describing them as believers that lived as true to the Apostolic life as one could get.
There were the Cathari, the Albigenses, the Bogomils, and many others.

The Catholics did not even begin to exist until the fourth century, when Constantine tried to legalize Christianity and make it a state-religion. Thus the birth of the Catholic Church. He paganized Christianity (the Catholic state church). True Christianity always lived outside of this institution.
DHK </font>[/QUOTE]Oh, for goodness sake! Not this Trail of Blood nonsense again!

 

It isnt. There is only one body, and there has always been only one body.

Because we disagree on some things, as God told us to expect, does not mean there are many bodies of Christ.

If "lost person A" embraces Christ through faith alone and is added to an Assembly of God fellowship, and "lost person B" embraces Christ and is added to a Baptist fellowship, both have been added to the same church.

The body of Christ.

This crazy looney tunes idea of all these different churchs is a fabrication of the Catholic Church to attempt to draw more victims into her clutches.


Nate said...

You can be happy. There is only one church here on earth.

All the born again people.

God bless all,

Mike </font>[/QUOTE]No, there is one body that is UNITED.

I Cor 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

Does it sound like God is ok with divisions or another word for divisions is denominations?

The Church is the pillar and ground of the truth (I Tim 3:15).

II Cor 4:2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.

What was the Galatians problem? They were preaching another gospel, but there is only one gospel (Gal 1:6-9). They held the same fundamental truths concerning Jesus and His death, burial, and resurrection as many "denominations" hold today. Did Paul say it doesn't matter as long as you hold these core beliefs?

NO! "If we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed."

What was the contrary gospel? That circumcision was a requirement for salvation (Ch 5). He did not rebuff them for not believing in Jesus. No, they thought circumcision was an everlasting requirement, and began to teach that.

Let's say you have a group of people who study the bible. They believe in Jesus and are obedient to the gospel (whatever that means in your mind). They look at various denominations and see division so they instead decide to worship by emulating the church of the first century, doing bible things in bible ways, calling bible things by bible names, speaking where the bible speaks and silent where the bible is silent, having a thus saith the Lord, an approved example, or a necessary inference for all they do, and reject all manmade creeds and doctrines and simply rely on the truth and simplicity of God's word.

What church would they be added to? That's the church I want to be a part of.

 

oh no! Not this - trail of blood bashing nonsense "again"! Let the saints slaughtered by the RCC rest in peace.

 

The "pagan" Constantine was not one to follow for doctrine. And yet the Catholic Church did that when they assimilated paganism into the Christian practices in Rome!

 

oh no! Not this - trail of blood bashing nonsense "again"! Let the saints slaughtered by the RCC rest in peace. [/QB]</font>[/QUOTE]And let history do its proper job.

 

Here is some history as told by the RCC

Catholic Digest 11/1997 pg 100
The question:
A Baptist family who lives across the street gave me a book called the “Trail of Blood”, by J.M. Carroll. It attacks Catholic doctrine on infant Baptism, indulgences, purgatory, and so on. But I am writing to learn if there is anything in history that would justify the following quotation:

The answer from Fr. Ken Ryan:

In the article above – Fr. Ken Ryan makes the meaning of “extermination” of that group and “many other groups” clear for modern readers.
Catholic apologists like Catholic Digest’s Fr. Ken Ryan quoted above often argue that the RCC isn't accountable for the Inquisition, since the state carried out the torturing and the executions. It was the RCC who defined these people as "heretics", however, and the RCC handed them over to the state (John 19:11).

 

We know from the decrees of Popes and councils that the RCC viewed itself as having authority over the state.

The Fourth Lateran Council, for example, the ecumenical council that dogmatized transubstantiation, declared (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/lat4-c3.html):

Other councils, such as Vienna, issued anti-Semitic decrees that ordered the persecution of Jews. The persecution of other groups, such as the Waldensians, was also ordered by the RCC.
For example, Pope Innocent VIII issued a bull in 1487 ordering that people "rise up in arms against" and "tread under foot" the Waldensians.
Roman Catholic and former Jesuit Peter de Rosa writes in Vicars of Christ (Crown Publishers, 1988),

 

The Catholic historian von Dollinger writes in The Pope and the Council,

Consider the following news stories from the Vatican City.

============================================================

 

Those who "trust" in the culprit responsible for "Crimes against humanity" for their "Data" on the character of the saints - show the conflicted nature of their logic in their every post.

 

"Nasssty cruel Catholicses! We hates 'em! We hates 'em forever!"

Sorry, Bob but I did warn you...

 

Indeed! I am fully warned! Thanks!

 

dp

 

Why do so many of the people on this Board claim that the Catholic church is a cult?

I would agree that the Catholic church and many protestant religions have differences of opinion on interpretation of scripture, but a CULT. Isn't that a bit much?

 

Yep. But try telling that to some people here who are full of 16th and 17th century polemic and rhetoric from which, thank God, most of us have moved on.

 

Matt Black,

If we hated Catholics Matt wouldnt we keep quiet so as to allow as many as possible of those we hate to be lost forever?

The fact that we share the gospel truth with them...over and over and over again...proves our love for them.

"Have I become your enemy for telling you the truth?"

-Paul the Apostle.

God bless,

Mike

 

Because they are a cult. Here are the characteristics of a cult according to www.carm.org

# What is a cult?

1. Generally, it is a group that is unorthodox, esoteric, and has a devotion to a person, object, or a set of new ideas.
1. New Teaching - has a new theology and doctrine.
2. Only True Teaching - often considers traditional religious systems to be apostate and it alone possess the complete truth.
3. Strong Leadership - often an individual or small but powerful leadership group holds control of the group’s teachings and practices.
4. Asset Acquirement - often requires tithing and/or property transfer to the religious system.
5. Isolationist - to facilitate control over the members physically, intellectually, financially, and emotionally.
6. Controlling - exercises control over the members. Sometimes this is through fear, threatening lose of salvation if you leave the group. Sometimes through indoctrination.
7. Indoctrination - possesses methods to reinforce the cult’s beliefs and standards where opposing views are ridiculed and often misrepresented.
8. Apocalyptic - to give the members a future focus and philosophical purpose in avoiding the apocalypse or being delivered through it.
9. Experience - various practices including meditation, repetition of words and/or phrases, and ‘spiritual’ enlightenment with God are used as confirmation of their truth.

1. Depravation - sleep and food deprivation which weakens the will of the subject.
2. This is uncommon, though practiced by more severe cults

10. Persecution - predictions of being persecuted and often combined with claiming any opposing views demonstrated against them as a form of persecution.

2. Many have a non-verifiable belief systems
1. For example, they would teach something that cannot be verified.

1. A space ship behind Hale-Bop come
2. Or, that God, an alien, or angel appeared to the leader and gave him a revelation
3. The members are seeded angels from another world, etc.
2. Often, the philosophy makes sense only if you adopt the full set of values and definitions that it teaches.

1. With this kind of belief, truth becomes unverifiable, internalized, and easily manipulated through the philosophical systems of its inventor.

3. The Leader of a Cult
1. Often charismatic who is considered very special for varying reasons:
1. The leader has received special revelation from God.
2. The leader claims to be the incarnation of a deity, angel, or special messenger.
3. The leader claims to be appointed by God for a mission
4. The leader claims to have special abilities

2. The leader is often above reproach and is not to be denied or contradicted.

4. Cult ethos
1. Usually seek to do good works, otherwise no one would join them.
2. They are usually moral and possess a good standard of ethical teaching.
3. Many times the Bible is used or additional "scriptures" are penned.
1. The Bible, when used, is always distorted with private interpretations.
4. Many Cults recruit Jesus as one of their own and redefine him accordingly

5. Cult groups vary greatly.
1. From the ascetic to the promiscuous.
2. From esoteric knowledge to very simple teachings.
3. From the rich and power to the poor and weak.

 

The statements were not made "by pagans" the quotes are from recognized RC church authorities.

The practice of turning a blind eye to the things the RC authorities say that do not flatter the RCC - is the sign of blind devotion left over from the dark ages - not enlightenment and reading with understanding.

 

The response to the mere QUOTE of these RC authorities has been "How dare a non-Catholic source HEAR and QUOTE well respected Catholic authorities".

How "odd"!

Imagine someone saying "HOW DARE the public press quote Billy Graham!"

Consider the following news stories from the Vatican City.

============================================================

[/QB]</font>[/QUOTE]