A cult claims that they are the true cult and have the true priesthood, and without the true cult and its ordinances and ceremonies, you will be damned. Leave the cult and you will abandon your salvation.
Geeze! Talk about psychologically and spiritually abusive! Instead of Christ being our salvation it is the cult.
Yes, I would agree with you it has all of the hallmarks of a true cult. As you point out, instead of the emphasis being upon “He must increase and we must decrease”, they pound upon mandatory membership, revered relics (give me a break, Peter’s pelvis????), central collection of money, required celibacy (that would be enough to wake me up), prayer to dead people, and...
Smells like a power club to me.
Of course, it should be Christ, risen, reigning on high.