[Greek] ψηλαφάω (psēlaphaō), [Latin] palpare, [Latin] tractare, [Latin] temptare, [French] toucher, [French] essayer, [German] prufen: to handle, to grope about, to manipulate, to touch, to search for; Lk.24:39, Acts 17:27, Heb.12:18, 1Jn.1:1
The notion of gaslighting comes from the 1944 noir movie Gaslight. Gaslighting is manipulating (emotionally or psychologically abusing) someone. This tactic seeks to make someone question themselves or to deny their reality.
Background information:
The 1944 movie Gaslight:
Where is the origin of the term gaslighting? The wife (Ingrid Bergman) sees a flickering gaslight in the house. The husband (Charles Boyer) manipulates his wife (Ingrid Bergman) in thinking that she is going crazy.
How does the husband convince his wife that she is going crazy? The husband claims that he went away somewhere. In actuality, he is searching for something valuable to her in the attic. When he turns on the light in the attic, the gaslight in the house flickers. She sees the gaslight flickering. He claims the flickering gaslight is a product of her imagination. She knows what she sees, but her husband convinces that she is going crazy.
Greek Hellenism: This term means to feel about, to grope, to touch, and to test.
Aristophanes’ Ecclesiazusae 315: I woke up and hunted in the darkness for my shoes.”
Aristophanes’ Peace 691: “Formerly we only directed our business by groping in the dark; now we shall only deliberate by lamp light.”
Plato’s Phaedo 99b: “Whoever talks in that way is unable to make a distinction and to see in reality a cause is one thing and a thing without a cause is quite another thing.”
Old Testament: This term means to grope, to feel, and to stroke.
New Testament: This term means to touch, to grope, and to try to find.
“Look at My hands and My feet, that it is Myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” Lk.24:39
Jesus seeks to provide to His disciples that He is not Spirit. Jesus asks for food to indicate to His disciples that He has a physical body.
“So that people might seek God, even perhaps grope for Him and find Him, though indeed He is not far from any one of us. Acts 17:27
Seeking out (groping for God): Acts 17:22-31
- Paul appeals to the Athenians’ religiosity
- The Athenians construct an altar to an ‘Unknown God’.
- God does not dwell in human made sanctuaries
- God gives life and breath to everyone
- God is not far from anyone of us
- We are too God’s offspring
- God’s divinity cannot be contained in idols, stone, or art
- God overlooks ignorance but demands repentance
“What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hand concerns the Word of life.” 1Jn.1:1
This hearkens back to Judas kissing Jesus, the disciples touching Jesus’ nail wounds, and Thomas touching Jesus’ wounds.
Etymology: This Greek verb psao means to touch. The Greek verb aphao means to manipulate. The Latin verb palpare means to strike and to flatter. The Latin verb tractare means to haul, to drag, to handle, to manage, and to discuss. The Latin verb temptare means to touch, to test, and to urge.
Conclusion:
Palpable, palpitations, traction, tract, tempt, temptation, touch, essay, proof
Aristophanes illustrates the notion of walking (feeling about) in darkness.
Plato illustrates the notion of ignorance or obliviousness.
Paul appeals to the Athenians’ religiosity as a means to help them understand God.
Update: In Finland a prosecutor sought to charge a pro-life Finnish politician for hate speech for quoting scripture! (Does that also mean that God is hateful?)
Jill Biden: “We have to keep fighting for abortions up to birth.” (What about fighting for the unborn!)
Cardinal Hollerich: “When Church doctrine was created the concept of homosexuality did not even exist. In St. Paul’s time, people had no idea that there could be men and women attracted to the same sex.” (Just more “verbal gymnastics” from Pope Francis’ inner circle in their outreach to the LGBTQ community to destigmatize and to normalize homosexuality!)
It is also not surprising that Pope Francis is also supportive of Fr. James Martin’s efforts to normalize homosexuality. Fr. James Martin was excitedly “doing cartwheels” right after Fiducia Supplicans. Fr. James Martin is already blessing same-sex couples!
Pope Francis, claiming that he knows better, states that Jesus’ Church must be remade in a worldly synodal Church made in the image of man. (Pope Francis is just following through on this Modernist agenda.
Pope Francis and his inner circle, in their outreach to the LGBTQ community, continue to ignore the Church’s teaching against homosexuality and same-sex unions. (By failing to uphold Jesus’ command to sin no more (Jn.8:11), the Vatican is putting many eternal mortal soul in peril. The Vatican is failing in their mission to save souls.)
The Vatican document Fiducia Supplicans, while claiming that Church teaching on marriage has not changed, then opens the door to blessing same same couples. The Vatican claims that these blessings are for individuals, but not couples in same same-sex unions. (This is more deliberate confusion and ambiguity on part of the Vatican as they are gaslighting the LGBTQ community!).
The Democrats, while claiming to protect democracy, are destroying democracy (by removing Trump off the ballot).
In response to the widespread criticism against Fiducia Supplicans, Pope Francis, who constantly creates confusion, chaos and division, states that you all must show unity. You should not hold onto to your “ecclesial ideologies” (He criticizes all those who criticize him!)
Rep. Pramila Jayapal: “The Biden administration is enforcing immigration laws.”
Nancy Pelosi: “There’s never been a question about Democrats’ commitment to securing the border.”
President Biden says the border problem is the Republicans’ fault.
On the chance that President Biden actually articulates a cogent statement, there is also a good chance that he could be lying or gaslighting.
For many months Biden sycophants, “Biden-splainers”, and supporters have been telling others that Biden is physically and mentally fit!
Pope Francis: “Nobody is scandalized if I give a blessing to a businessmen who may be exploiting people. That is a very serious sin. Whereas they are scandalized if I give it to a homosexual. This is hypocrisy.” (Pope Francis equates this general blessing with a blessing for same-sex couples. Pope Francis is gaslighting in mixing and conflating these two different types of blessings.)
It has been reported that Pope Francis is now making efforts in looking into the possibilities of having women deacons. The Vatican is now having discussions with Anglicans. (Pope Francis continues to implement his Modernist ideology against the Church.)
Father James Martin has stated: “The Church accepts homosexuality as a practice and that the traditional teachings of the Church (and natural law) on the subject can be cast aside.” (Fr. James Martin is saying that Paul is wrong! Does this mean applying two different standards of morality? Does this mean homosexuality is not a sin? This is Fr. James Martin gaslighting about the Church’s teachings on homosexuality. This is evil!)
Here is more backstory of the 1944 movie Gaslight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ibAG-f8L2I