Anna Posted May 29, 2004 Share Posted May 29, 2004 "[b]President of Alabama’s Christian Coalition converts to Catholicism[/b] MONTGOMERY, USA, May. 25 (CNA) - It was a long journey. But after six years, the president of the Christian Coalition of Alabama, John Giles, and his wife, Deborah, were confirmed and welcomed into the Roman Catholic Church at St. Peter's Parish in Montgomery this past Easter. In an interview, Giles told The Associated Press that when he first sat in on a Catholic mass six years ago, he couldn’t really follow it, but he was reduced to tears and he didn’t know why. He pursued this new interest and became fascinated by the Catholic Church’s history and ritual. He continued to learn about the faith, visiting Israel and Rome, and learning always more, until finally realizing that many of his past beliefs about the Catholic Church and its teachings had been wrong. Unlike most people, Giles conversion to Catholicism has not been a private affair, but he understands the public interest given his job as president of the Christian Coalition of Alabama. Most people seem to want to know why he converted, Giles told AP, and he has tried to answer all of these questions and explain his reasoning in an eight-page letter. Giles said he relates to their questioning since, as a Protestant he, too, had misperceptions about Catholicism. [color=red]He illustrated this point in recounting an experience that he had at a friend’s house one evening in Florida. There he met a lady, who was teaching a Sunday School class on cults. When describing her class, her list of cults included Catholicism.[/color] Giles admits that his decision to convert from Protestantism to Catholicism is not a popular one in the majority Protestant state of Alabama, but he hopes that it will help in building bridges between Christian groups where there were none before. He hopes that his constituents will keep an open mind." I think in several fundamentalist denominations, the sentiment in red above is a widely held belief! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellenita Posted May 29, 2004 Share Posted May 29, 2004 [quote]I think in several fundamentalist denominations, the sentiment in red above is a widely held belief! [/quote] Sadly Anna, believe you are right! Even in the UK, where as I've posted in another thread, religion is often regarded as a personal matter and therefore not commented on in general conversation, it can happen. My neice and nephew go to a children's club run by a fundamentalist protestant group and were told by someone there that I wasn't a Christian because I was 'becoming' catholic! I don't know what they were told in entirety but it was enough to scare them into having a very concerned conversation with my family! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolmom Posted May 29, 2004 Share Posted May 29, 2004 sad, but true. While not all evangelical protestants believe that Catholicism is a cult, many do. And those that don't, probably believe it can be cult-like... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Adam Posted May 29, 2004 Share Posted May 29, 2004 Interesting. Is this group associated with the NEA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilroy the Ninja Posted May 29, 2004 Share Posted May 29, 2004 Part of the problem here is the word "cult". In and of itself the definition of the word "cult" means a devotion to, or a devotional group. It's the current [i]conotation[/i] of the word that has everyone up in arms. Right now, in our modern society we have made the word "cult" a bad thing. We have, many times, mistakenly lumped it together with "occult" which is an entirely different thing. There are cults within the Catholic Church. For example, the Cult of Mary - those who are devoted to Mary. But the Catholic church itself is not a cult. When the word cult is used now in modernity, we should re-examine what the true reason behind using that word. More than likely we should be using the word "sect" which by definition means a religious denomination, especially one deviating from a generally accepted tradition. Of course, I think as people we should all try to be a little more thoughtful about the words we choose to use. They are meaningful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopeful1 Posted May 29, 2004 Share Posted May 29, 2004 i remember in my senior religion class, my teacher said that all religions are "cults" but necessarily with the connotation that "cult" has in modern society (ex. The Heaven's Gate cult a few years ago where everybody committed suicide, i don' remember all of it but it had something to do with the Hale-bob comet, or the moonies). there are cults which are socially acceptable, and then there are cults who are out there like the ones i mentioned. just expanding on what Kilroy said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted May 29, 2004 Author Share Posted May 29, 2004 The lady mentioned in the article was preparing a presentation on cults [b]for her protestant Sunday school class[/b], teaching that Catholicism is a cult -- in other words, teaching that Catholics are not Christians. I expect that a Sunday school teacher is selected by the pastor and/or church elders to instruct their youth in the beliefs of their denomination. Therefore, teaching their youth about "cults," and including Catholicism in that category, must reflect the beliefs of the adults in that denomination. The modern-day loose definition of 'cult' distinguishes between Christians and non-Christians; any group that is non-Christian is classified as a 'cult'. Many Evangelical and Fundamentalist denominations put Catholics in the "non-Christian" category. A Sunday school teacher calling the Catholic Church a cult is to lumps the Catholic Faith (from which her own religion sprang!) with Jehovah's Witnesses, Moonies, Mormons, Heaven's Gate, Spiritism, the Theosophic Society, and others listed in "The Kingdom of the Cults," by Dr. Walter Martin. (BTW, the Catholic Church is not among the 'cults' Dr. Martin, a Protestant, identified.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quietfire Posted May 29, 2004 Share Posted May 29, 2004 (edited) Sadly, it's true. You are all in a cult. Get over it. Just admit it, pick up your 'beads' and statues and be happy. Just kidding. he,he. Actually, (on a more serious note.) I was at a Christian website doing some research on a particular cult and as I scrolled down the list, there it was.... Catholicism-Roman. I nearly burst out laughing. it was 2 am so I didnt. I thought I had mistakenly gone onto the 'accepted Christain' belief list but I double checked and sure enough....you be a cult. I dont think I've been back to that website since. After all, it didnt list Born again, Presbyterian, Methodist, Luthernan, or any other Christian denomination except Catholicism (which isnt a 'denomination'.. it's a way of life. ) Peace. Edited May 29, 2004 by Quietfire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted May 29, 2004 Share Posted May 29, 2004 Sadly, I too have heard Catholicism described as a cult. Back when I was Presbyterian yet felt attracted to Catholicism, a man at my church at the time said Catholicism was a cult. I really had to bite my tongue, as it wasn't really the time or the place to tell im off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted May 29, 2004 Author Share Posted May 29, 2004 [quote name='Brother Adam' date='May 29 2004, 12:24 PM'] Interesting. Is this group associated with the NEA? [/quote] Brother Adam, I'm not ignoring this question. I just don't know what you are talking about! Are you asking if the Christian Coalition is affiliated with the National Education Association????? The Alabama Christian Coalition is a state branch of the national organization, established by Pat Robertson. It is basically a lobbying organization that seeks to unite Christians to influence our elected officials to keep our country's laws in conformity with God's laws...(Well, that's my definition...you could read their mission statement!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EcceNovaFacioOmni Posted May 30, 2004 Share Posted May 30, 2004 National Evangelical Association. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolmom Posted May 30, 2004 Share Posted May 30, 2004 [quote name='Brother Adam' date='May 29 2004, 10:24 AM'] Interesting. Is this group associated with the NEA? [/quote] NEA= National Education Association NAE= National Association of Evangelicals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted May 30, 2004 Author Share Posted May 30, 2004 Oh. Well how would I know? I belong to a non-Christian cult!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopeful1 Posted May 30, 2004 Share Posted May 30, 2004 [quote name='thedude' date='May 29 2004, 09:00 PM'] National Evangelical Association. [/quote] i believe Intervarisity is involved with them. What is the NAE about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorphRC Posted May 30, 2004 Share Posted May 30, 2004 Pax Iesus [quote]I think in several fundamentalist denominations, the sentiment in red above is a widely held belief![/quote] The majority of heretics believe this. Pentacostals, Mainstream Protestants, even certain Lutherans, Some Anglicans, 95% of ALL Ministrial sects, Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, Joyce Meyers etc those types. Baptists believe it, then the split off's from Baptists believe it, but more stauchly, 7th DA's do for sure, JW's, Easily the 85% of heretical sects do, btw thats probably a understatement! Pax Iesus Christi Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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