[Greek] σκάνδαλον (skandalon), [Latin] scandalum, [Latin] offensio, [Latin] offendiculum, [Latin] offendere, [French] heurter: stumbling stone, obstacle, cause for stumbling, sin, offense, trap, impediment; Mt.13:41, Mt. 16:23, Lk.17:1, Rom.9:33, Rom.11:9, Rom.16:17, 1Cor.1:23, Gal.5:11, 1Pet.2:8, 1Jn.2:10, Rev.2:14
Recently, the German Bishops have been “going off the rails” doctrinally with their German Synod, heading into heresy and schism. Now many are greatly concerned about the potential heresy, schism, and evil resulting from the upcoming Synod of Synodalities. Both synods have been engaging in “syncretic” intercourse (like a harlot) mixing religion and worldly cultural values. Both synods are seeking to remake the Church in man’s image (which is a scandal!)
Background information:
Original meaning: snare, trap, movable stick (with bait) to catch animals
Greek Hellenism: This term means offense, scandal, vulnerability, obstacle, trap, and moral fault.
Aristophanes’ Archarnians 687: “The accuser, desirous of conciliating the younger man, overwhelms with his rhetoric, drags us before the judge, presses us with questions, and lays verbal traps for us.”
Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus 1189-1196: “Imitation is scandalous, creating obstacles for us. We see that person who has what we also want. That person becomes and an obstacle for what we desire.”
Epictetus: “If someone succeeds in provoking you, realize that your mind is complicit in this provocation.”
Old Testament: This term means stumbling block, blindness, deafness, slander, idolatry, stupidity, folly, and obstacle. This term can be used in a literal, figurative, moral, metaphorical and spiritual context.”
New Testament: Scandal is an obstacle to faith and a cause of going astray. Woe is a word to express regret or distress about some impending doom or condemnation from God. Woe speaks to the grave seriousness of the matter.
Scripture:
Mt.13:41: Who cause others to sin and evildoers
Mt.16:23: Get behind Me Satan [Peter]; you are an obstacle to Me
Mt.18:7: It would be better to be drowned at see rather than to cause the little ones to sin.
Rom.9:33: Jesus, a rock that will (result in) making them fall
Rom.14:13: Putting a stumbling block (hindrance) against a brother
Rom.16:17: Watch out for those who create dissension and obstacles to the faith you have learned. Avoid them.
1Cor.1:23: Christ crucified is a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles
The German bishops’ scandalous requests (to remake the Church into their own image) to the Vatican for the Catholic Church:
- Create a permanent body of bishops and laity to govern the German Church
- Allow the laity to choose the bishops instead of the Vatican
- Allow the laity to preach homilies at Mass
- End clerical celibacy
- Allow for woman deacons
- Re-examine John Paul II’s declaration that the priesthood is only allowed for men. They want women priests.
- Revise the Catechism to allow for homosexuality
- Allow the laity to govern the German dioceses
Conclusion:
Scandal, scandalous, offence, offensive, offend, hurt
Interestingly, Epictetus makes reference to the notion of having someone “living rent-free in one’s mind” in upsetting a person. (Ex. Trump Derangement Syndrome)
Mt.13:41: Who cause others to sin? who have unbelief in sin, who cause division, who cause stumbling blocks for others
Mt.16:23: Who are the obstacles to Jesus? Satan, those who think as human beings do, those who have worldly ways
Peter said to Jesus, “God, forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” Strictly speaking, Peter has just made a satanic (and evil) statement! (This statement seeks to undermine Jesus’ mission from the Father.)
Mt.18:7: Very great penalties for those who cause others to sin. Little ones can also refer to faithful Christians
Rom.9:33: Jesus’s commands can be a source of stumbling for some people
Rom.14:13: Passive scandal: one’s own corruption can lead one to sin. Active scandal: Others’ words or actions can cause one to sin.
Rom.16:17: Those who create dissension and obstacles to the faith are the scandalmongers.
Rev.2:14: Balaam instructed Balak, a religious compromiser, to put a stumbling block before the Israelites and to play the harlot.
Update: Why are the German bishops are so concerned about homosexuality? Do they have this problem in their clergy? Do they think that normalizing homosexuality will remove the Church’s sexual abuse problem?
Pope Francis and his inner circle are making concerted efforts de-stigmatize and normalize homosexuality. Evidently, they don’t seem to believe anymore that homosexuality is a sin. (They have an unbelief in the sinful nature of homosexuality). They are also ignoring Jesus’ command to sin no more. (Jn.8:11)
Yet, Catholics, who claim to know and uphold traditional teachings, are now perceived by the Modernists as “being on the road to heresy and schism”.
If a bishop (like Bishop Strickland) does not follow Pope Francis Modernist ideology, then this bishop is considered “schismatic”. (Like living in an upside-down bizarro post-Christian secular world!)
At first glance, Peter’s statement toward Jesus sounds reasonable: Peter does not want Jesus to die. However, this statement is scandalous and evil, in that it seeks to deflect Jesus’ mission to die on the cross.
Even evil Satan-inspired statements can be subtle and misleading. Therefore, statements by Pope Francis and his inner circle, are often misleading, requiring great scrutiny. Pope Francis and his inner circle are seeking to change and remake the Church in the image of man!.
Yet, many (not isolated examples) have stated Pope Francis’ papacy has been defined as evil (papal statements, synods, Mass restrictions, attacks against traditional (conservative) Catholics.
Clergy normalizing, ratifying, and even blessing the sin of homosexuality (in causing others to sin) may become the modern-day equivalent example for being thrown into fiery Gahenna. Homosexual relations are in direct opposition to God’s designs for marriage and procreation.
Jesus’ command to sin no more (Jn.8:11) has become a great stumbling block to those who engage in the homosexual lifestyle and to those clergy who preach that homosexuality is not sinful.
In not following Jesus’ command to sin no more, Pope Francis and his inner circle are actually hindering (putting a stumbling) block against potential conversion and forgiveness for the sin of homosexuality. These actions may influence one’s eternal mortal state.
It is the Modernists who are creating dissension and obstacles, remaking and changing the Church in opposition to the teaching handed down from the Apostles. We need to be wary of their actions and avoid the evil that comes from them.
Pope Francis’s papacy has been defined by compromise, “mixing”, scandal, “mercy”, “inclusion”, evil, and false compassion.
Like Balak, Pope Francis and his inner circle have played the harlot in syncretic intercourse (mixing religion with the world’s values). Pope Francis is embarking on creating a synodal church that moves with the world, rather than moving the world.
Here is another novelty (new idea) by Pope Francis, that Pope St. Pius X warned us about: It is “blessing sin” which is scandalous and evil! Under the guise of “mercy” and “pastoral prudence”, Pope Francis is open to blessing same sex couples. Again, Pope Francis dismisses and ignores the sinful nature of this behavior and continues to remake the Church in man’s image. WOE to this Modernist Pope!
The Nicolaitans’ religion mixed Christianity, paganism, and the occult, developing into a very much watered-down faith. This is why Jesus hated the works of the Nicolaitans. (Rev.2:6) How are these synods (mixing and diluting religion with worldly values) that much different? WOE to these synods!
And you wonder why many have called all of this SCANDALOUS!
“We do not want a Church that will move with the world. We want a Church that will move the world.” GK Chesterton
Next post: Why all of this is EVIL.