Do Catholics have a cult-mentality?

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How doRoman Catholics know that they aren’t cult members? That’s not a facetiousquestion.
How do we usually decide thata professedly Christian movement is a cult?
Sometimes we apply a moraltest. One characteristic of cults, especially among personality cults, is thedouble standard of the cult leader or religious founder. He exempts himselffrom the moral demands his makes on his followers. Or he makes exceptions forhis own family. Practices favoritism.
A stock example is thatcult leaders frequently treat the women as their personal harem. This isdespite the fact that the cult leader may impose a strict sexual code oneveryone under him. Or they indulge themselves in conspicuous consumption whilethey require their followers to be frugal.
However, when we point outthat the Roman Catholic hierarchy is guilty of systematic sexual abuse byprotecting sexually predatory priests from legal accountability, loyalCatholics assure us that that’s no way to judge the claims of Rome.
But how does that attitude differfrom the way loyal cult members defend their “prophet,” even if he exploitswomen and children sexually?
Likewise, we frequently applya doctrinal test. If the teachings of the cult leader seriously contradict theBible, then he’s a false teacher.
By the same token, we sometimes applya factual test. If the cult leader makes erroneous predictions, then we deemhim to be a false prophet.
However, when we apply thattest to Rome, loyal Catholics remind us that only “the Church” can interpretthe Bible. So, by definition, Catholic dogma is consistent with Scriptureinasmuch as Scripture means whatever the Magisterium says it means. Meaning is unilaterallyassigned by the Magisterium.
By the same token, if Romereverses itself on geocentrism or evolution, that doesn’t make a dent.
But how does that attitude differfrom the way loyal cult members defend their “prophet”? When a countercultapologist presents an exegetical critique of the cult-leader’s idiosyncraticteachings, they defend him by claiming that only the “prophet” can interpret Scripture.Likewise, only he can interpret his own prophecies. By definition, his prophecieswere fulfilled, appearances to the contrary notwithstanding.
Faith in the pope, just likefaith in the cult-leader, is unfalsifiable. It’s equally impervious to a moraltest, doctrinal test, or factual test. For every objection, be it ethical,exegetical, or factual, is deflected by a circular appeal to the definitionalconsistency of the religious superior, regardless of the evidence. No type ofevidence ever counts against the claim.
Roman Catholics have acult-mentality. I don’t say that hyperbolically. That’s their modus operandi.