Why would having many high-profile individuals make Scientology not a cult?

I would also disagree with your assertion that the Catholic Church doesn't allow people to question. Of course it tells people what to believe (religions have BELIEFS after all), but even the doctrine of papal infallibility is very limited in scope. There's a reason so many people will describe themselves as lapsed Catholics, but former Scientologists tell stories of physical intimidation against leaving.

Scientology requires money to get into the higher levels of the organization.

Of course, Catholics ask for tithes, but they do allow anyone of any financial status to attend.

Scientology requires money to get into the higher levels of the organization.

Of course, Catholics ask for tithes, but they do allow anyone of any financial status to attend.

I went to Catholic School for one year.

When I was 6, our Catholic Church/School built a dorm style living quarters for the Nuns and asked for donations of plates, silverware, etc. for the communal kitchen. We were quite poor, but my mother boxed up half of our own stuff from our kitchen and took it to them. They turned her away and told her that they had a specific pattern, etc. and where we could purchase place settings. My parents could not afford it.

The following year, when my sister was 6 and old enough to enter into the Catholic School, my parents were informed that there was not room for her. My Father believed that my sister was denied entry, because we were not able to donate the previous year to the Church. He pulled me out of Catholic School and told them now they had room for other kids, because none of his would be attending. It was almost 40 years before my Father and Mother ever attended Catholic services again.

Catholicism is no different that Scientology. Money Talks. They are both cults.

That's interesting because most of the kids I knew who went to Catholic school were there on full scholarship and paid nothing.

One's experience with the Catholic Church can depend entirely on your parish and the priests."

I was too young to know the finances. They may have paid nothing, or they may have paid with the help of my Fathers' parents. I know that when my parents separated from the Church is cause a riff with my Grandparents.

My father had very serious health issue and slipped into a coma for several months. About 10 years ago. when he came out of it, he claimed to have made contact with God. He went back to the Catholic Church after many decades. He passed on a couple years later. My Mother went to the Priest and asked him to speak at my Fathers' funeral. He wouldn't. It hurt her.

I have no use for the Catholic Church. Or organised religion for that matter.

Sounds like you had a very bad priest. I'm not Catholic but most of my friends are or were and my mom went to Catholic school from kindergarten through high school (my grandmother is full-blooded, first generation Italian, so obviously!). My aunt divorced her first husband, who she was married to for only two years, no children and he cheated and beat her. Her second husband was raised Methodist and was also divorced (no kids).

They were married more than 30 years with four children and my aunt decided to go back to the church. The first priest she saw was very, very nasty to her (sounds like your mother's priest) and she went away in tears, it was so awful. But they ended up finding a new parish with a wonderful, understanding and forgiving priest and are very happy with it now. It REALLY does come down to the priest and the parish.

Personally, I have a lot of issues with the theology of most organized religions, so would never be a member of any of them, but the problems mostly lie with the people you deal with. It's sad because the Catholic Church does often do a lot of good along with the bad. The priest sex abuse scandal, though, is a tough thing to get over. Not that sexual abuse happened, but the Church's response.

Kookier how? Their beliefs are completely strange to me as are every other religions. And like all other religions, I agree with some of their doctrine, some I don't. I can not say whether or not they do good works, I have yet to hear of any of their charity work ( never looked into it, not saying it doesn't happen). But even if they don't do charity, they also haven't commited any atrocities or evils other than telling Brook Shields she didn't need anti-depressants for post partum. That's pretty mild compared to telling Africans that rubbers are worse than AIDS in they eyes of god.