[Greek] ἀπατάω (apataō), [Latin] seducere, [Latin] decipere, [French] surprendre, [French] separer: to deceive, to seduce, to beguile; Eph.5:6, 1Tim.2:14, Jas.1:26
[Greek] ἐξαπατάω (exapataō): [Latin] seducere: to seduce wholly, to deceive wholly; Rom. 16:18
Pope Francis and his fellow Modernists are “remaking” and “reforming” Jesus’ Church in a worldly synodal Church in the image of man (and his lived experiences). Changing doctrine ==> changing understanding of salvation ==> heresy of Indifferentism (“Doesn’t make any difference in how to obtain salvation”).
Background information:
Mythology: The Greek goddess of deceit, fraud, and trickery is Apate. The corresponding Roman goddess is Fraus.
Greek Hellenism: This term means to trick, to fool, to deceive, to beguile, and to cheat.
Aristophanes’ Peace 1070: “If only the Nymphs had not fooled Bacis; and if the Nymphs had not tricked Bacis a second time.”
Plato’s Gorgias 499c: “And yet I started with the notion that I should not have to fear any intentional deception on your part. But now I find I was mistaken.”
Plato’s Cratylus 413d: “Perhaps I may deceive you into thinking that all I am going to say is my own.”
Old Testament: This term means to deceive, to entice, to be tempted (into idolatry), and to tempt.
Jdgs. 14:15: Coax your husband to answer the riddle
Jdgs.16:5: Beguile him and find the secret of his strength
Judith 13:16: It was my face that seduced Holofernes
Jer.20:7: I let myself be duped
Job 31:27: To blow them (sun or moon) a kiss
Blowing kisses to idols: Idol worshippers would ordinarily kiss the idols in their presence. When an idol was unavailable or unreachable, the idol worshipper would kiss his hand and wave it toward the idol (sun and moon god).
New Testament: This term means to deceive, to delude and to trick.
Eph.5:6: “Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient.” (Paul was warning his followers against the empty deceptive arguments from the age of the world. Paul warned against worldly beliefs that argue against accepted moral, religious, and social norms. These things: sin, worldly values, secularism, relativism, synodalism, transgenderism (gender theology), Modernism, human traditions, etc.)
Jas.1:26: “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, his religion is vain.” (The tongue can defile with unkindness, untruth, wickedness, malice, slander, pride, rebellion, heresy, and blasphemy.)
Rom.16:18: “For such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites, and by fair and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the innocent.” (Paul warns others to avoid those who create dissensions and obstacles to the faith. These people seek their own agenda. Paul warns others to be aware of what is good and evil.)
1Tim.2:14: “Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed.” (The serpent used trickery to deceive Eve. Yet, Adam failing to protect or help Eve, is also culpable.)
What does Satan seek to accomplish?
- Satan seeks to deceive, destroy, and undermine the Church, Church teachings, social precepts (morals), social institutions, and people.
- Satan is all in for creating and fostering divisions, heresies, schism, confusion, and affirming and encouraging sin in the Church.
- [Paul]: Where there is evil in the Church, there is the devil.
- One does not need to full-blown possessed to be influenced by the devil. Satan can subtly influence one through distractedness, weakness, busyness, and preying upon our weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
- One must not forget that the world and worldly values are part of earthly domain of the devil.
- Those who are most caught up in sin are the most potentially vulnerable to the devil’s influence.
Indifferentism: This is a heresy, in which one believes that all religions are equally valid paths to God. It doesn’t matter as to which faith one adheres to.
- Material heretic: A person who believes, asserts, or teaches material heresy, WITHOUT KNOWING that it is contrary to definitive Church teaching. This is not a deliberate choice. This person has not committed a sin.
- Formal heretic: A person who believes, asserts, or teaches material heresy, KNOWING that it is contrary to definitive Church teaching. This is a deliberate choice. This person has committed a sin.
What were Pope Francis’ troublesome statements about salvation? ==> [What difference does it make to achieve salvation?]
“Every religion is a way to arrive at God.”
“Different religions lead to the same God.”
Why would Pope Francis make these statements? Because Pope Francis is a Modernist.
How do Modernists think? (Yes. this is lengthy, but still this is very important in understanding Modernists.)
- The Modernist starts with agnosticism (the belief that human reason is confined to perceived phenomena).
- What is outside of human reason (pertaining to God and supernatural reality) remains unknowable. The Modernist is less concerned for the Divine.
- The Modernist finds an explanation (and evolution) for religion, faith, doctrine, and revelation (within himself and his lived experiences). This is called vital immanence.
- The Modernist calls for “new Catholic social teaching” when or should the need arise.
- Modernists seek to explain all religious phenomena. Therefore, Catholicism is put on an equal footing with all other religions.
- The Modernist believer asserts that one’s intuition of God is the only true means of knowing God. Therefore, all religions are true.
- Tradition is only valuable if it brings about the experience in new adherents. All else is rigid dogmatism and Pharisaism.
- The Modernist holds that the Church is collective conscience of all believers.
- The threefold authority (scripture, Tradition, and magisterium) derives directly from the consent of all believers. The Church must democratize.
- The Modernist holds that faith must be separated and even subordinate to science.
- The Modernist has the incessant drive to “reform” and “renew” the Church.
- The two immediate moral causes of Modernism are curiosity and pride.
- The primary intellectual cause of Modernism is ignorance.
- The reformer Modernist, perceiving the lived experiences (marginalization) of others, calls for the need to reform or change rigid Church doctrine and teachings.
You can refer to my catechetical analysis of Pope Pius X’ prophetic warnings about Modernism (and the Modernists). https://resoundingthefaith.com/2024/01/29/17119/
Conclusion:
Deceive, deceit, seduce, seduction, separate, separation, fraud, fraudulent
The Old Testament introduces the notion of deceiving and being deceived through the enticement of idolatry (idol worship).
It is also important to note that religious teachers (popes, cardinals, bishops, priests, pastors, and RE teachers should and will be judged more harshly by God. (They already should no better!)
Update: In a sense, many of us are like little pagans worshipping various “gods” such as: social media, electronic devices, technology, fame, celebrity, power, wealth, status, etc.
Many of us are actually bowing bowing down to our electronic devices. In fact, many suffer from a medical condition called “tech neck” (shoulder and neck strain, tightness).
Many clergy often remain silent and cowardly not speaking out against serious theological concerns and issues for fear of being cancelled, deposed, removed, and laicized. Some clergy also cling to their status (and following) [in the world] rather than act like shepherds.
Pope Francis and his fellow Modernists are now remaking Jesus’ Church into a worldly synodal Church made in the image of man and his lived experiences, resulting in: liturgical confusion (chaos), marginalization of Catholics, bringing into the Church: human traditions and novelties, sin, worldly values, and evil.
It is always important to be reminded that one does not have to be full blown possessed to be influenced by the devil.
Modernism consists of empty and deceptive human traditions.
Vatican II’s most recent synodal Penitential Celebration (creating new sins) is now equating doctrine with a stone. Therefore a traditional Catholic is likened to a Pharisee or one throwing his doctrine at someone!
Pope Francis’ own tongue (words) has caused great controversy for him and others concerning salvation.
The Modernist’s lived experience is subjective. That is why Catholicism can be one path (among others) to salvation.
Pope Francis and his fellow Modernists believe that Tradition is rigid and fossilized.
Paying lip service to Jesus [with just social work rather than focusing on the salvation of souls] can become a form of practical atheism.
Modernist tendency toward Indifferentism finds its beginnings with agnosticism.
Traditional teachings can sometimes be harmful to marginalized groups. Therefore, the theology must change. (Fiducia Supplicans)
Pope Francis often refers to the “Holy Spirit of Surprises” to initiate need change in the new synodal Church.
Pope Francis should already know better about what he said about salvation. After all, he is the Pope! As expected, we are now having this debate: “Has Pope Francis committed material heresy or formal heresy?” Then we have all the popesplainers chiming in, seeking to clean up, to defend, and to explain what Pope Francis really meant. This is where we are in this controversy.
My final thought: Pope Francis is a “true believer” in Modernism. I am really NOT that surprised that Pope Francis would make these controversial statements. But this does not diminish the serious nature of the controversy.
Indifferentism undermines the notion of Jesus (and His Church) as the only path for salvation. (Jn.14:6)
Quotes by St. Pius X:
“Progress of dogmas is in reality, nothing but corruption of dogmas.”
“Modernism is a synthesis of all heresies.” (This cumulative embracing of human subjective errors ultimately leads to atheism. Indifferentism is just one of these heresies.)
“The true friends of the people are neither revolutionaries, nor innovators, but traditionalists.”
Next post: to differ