[Greek] παραιτέομαι (paraiteomai), [Latin] excusare, [Latin] viduare, [Latin] evitare, [French] decliner, [French] refuser, [French] disculper: to make excuses, to beg off, to excuse, to refuse, to decline; Lk.14:18-19, Acts 25:11, 1Tim.4:7, 1Tim.5:11, 2Tim.2:23, Tit.3:10, Heb.12:19,25
Pope Francis’ inner circle, in their outreach to the LGBTQ community, is making a concerted effort to excuse, to de-stigmatize, and to normalize homosexuality. (See comments below.)
Background information:
Greek Hellenism: This term means to excuse, to ask a favor, to seek permission, to beg one’s pardon, to entreat, to decline, and to refuse.
Plato’s Republic 3.387b: “We will beg Homer and the other gods not to be angry if we cancel these and all other passages.”
Plato’s Apology 27b: “I asked you in the beginning not to make a disturbance if I conduct my argument in my accustomed manner.”
Herodotus’ The Histories 3.132: “With permission from the king, Democedes interceded for them and saved them.”
Andocides’ On The Peace 3.21: “If I am about to cause distress to any of you, I ask for forgiveness, as I shall be stating nothing but the facts.”
Polybius’ Histories 5.27.3: “The Athenian Strategi however refused to admit [decline], and there he resumed his journey to Thebes.”
Old Testament: This term means to seek, to require, to request, to implore, to show favor, to ask, and to beg.
New Testament: This term means to excuse, to refuse, to avoid, and to beg.
Lk.14:18: One by one, they all began to excuse themselves [from the Great Feast]
Acts 25:11: I [Paul] do not seek to escape [refuse to abide to] the death penalty
1Tim.4:7: Avoid profane and silly myths. Train yourself for devotion
2Tim.2:23: Avoid foolish and ignorant debates, for you know that they breed quarrels
Tit.3:10: Break off contact with a heretic, realizing that such a person is perverted and sinful and stands self-correction
Heretic: One who holds a doctrine at variance with established teachings
Heb.12:25: Do not reject the one who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused the one [Moses] who warned them on earth, how much more so [they will not escape] if we turn away from the one who warns from heaven.
Parable of the Great Feast: This parable is an illustration of those who refuse or decline to share in the heavenly banquet. These people make excuses for not attending. They have no time (too busy) for God.
Etymology: The Greek prefix (para-) gives the sense of aversion, repudiation, rejection, and disdain. The Latin verb recusare means to reject, to refuse, to object, and to decline. The French verb disculper means to be separate (away from) blame. The Latin verb viduare means to deprive or to bereave. A widow is one who bereaves. The Latin verb evitare means to avoid for to shun. Something inevitable is unavoidable. Something evitable is avoidable.
Conclusion:
Excuse, excusable, exculpatory, inevitable, evitable, recuse, recusal, decline, widow, refuse
Luke 14:18: The parable of the great feast can illustrate the excuses (reasons) that one may give for not participating in God’s grace (because we are busy).
Acts 25:11: As a Roman citizen, Paul had the right to face his accusers and to be decapitated (a more dignified means of execution??) rather than being crucified.
1Tim.4:1-7: Paul makes references to false teaching, led by heretical teachers, and teaching subjected by demons.
Tit.3:10: Paul tells Titus to stand firm against heretics.
Confusing, questionable, concerning and even heretical views on the Church’s teachings on homosexuality from Pope Francis’ inner circle:
“Homosexuality should not be a restriction on the ability of becoming a priest.” Cardinal Marx (What reality is this cardinal living in? So homosexuality had no bearing on the Church sex scandal? Not surprising, since he is promoting this agenda.)
“But there is no homosexuality in the New Testament. There is only the mention of homosexual acts, which were in part pagan ritual acts.” Cardinal Hollerich In other words, when Church teaching was made, the term homosexuality did not even exist. (This cardinal is trying to redefine homosexuality. This cardinal claims that the Church’s teaching on homosexuality is false.)
“Homosexuality is not a sin. It corresponds to a Christian attitude when two people, regardless of gender, stand up for each other, in joy and sorrow.” Father James Martin (Father James Martin also seeks to promote this agenda. He evidently has no qualms overlooking or ignoring this sinful and disordered behavior.)
“The intrinsically disordered language [of the state of homosexuality] is a disservice. It is a terrible word and it should be taken out of the catechism.” Cardinal McElroy (This cardinal not surprisingly conflates the person with the sin. The Catechism’s statements refer to sinful behavior, not the person. The LGBTQ community also often defines themselves by their sexual inclinations rather than by their whole identity.)
Pope Francis, speaking to a transgender person, says,” God love us as we are.” (Pope Francis characteristically evokes confusion with his statements. Whether he realizes it or not, Pope Francis appears to be granting legitimacy to transgender ideology.)
Previously, Pope Francis made this following statement: “Gender ideology is one of the most dangerous ideological colonizations. Because it blurs the differences between the values of men and woman.” (Pope Francis is literally speaking from both sides of his mouth in regard to gender ideology. It seems that Pope Francis is theologically lazy, ignorant, and inconsistent in stating Church teachings. Pope Francis conflates the sinful behavior with the person in relationship with God. On one occasion he is against gender ideology, and then later tacitly supports it. Perhaps this could even be intentional.)
Update: There has become a very clear connection with homosexuality and the elevation of so many cardinals, bishops, and priests who advocate for a new interpretation for homosexuality. Church leaders, with questionable or controversial backgrounds, are the ones who are being appointed. Cardinal-designate Fernandez (from Argentina) is a perfect example of Pope Francis’ hiring choices.
Homosexuality is a disordered state in opposition to God’s order of human creation. We also must not understate the devil’s efforts in upending and destroying God’s laws and creation. Looking at the bigger picture, the devil would happily approve of these efforts to upend, redefine, and destroy God’s plan for marriage and procreation.
Pope Francis and his inner circle also intentionally hand pick those who will approve their agenda. Therefore, they can claim that the Holy Spirit will ratify their agenda. (Sounds like a stacked deck or a pre-determined end result to me.)
Many abortion rights supporters continue to refuse the sanctity of life in the womb.
The FBI and Dept. of Justice are asking the American people to trust them in doing their job. Many continue to refuse to believe this.
President Biden’s supporters would have you believe that he is not creepy. But President Biden yet again sniffed a young child!
Many continue to reject the competency of Vice President Harris as she continues to spout “word salad” and continues to fail at assigned tasks.
A political narrative has been created that President Biden is an uniter. Yet it is shown that he often “chews out” his staff.
It is very disturbing, disappointing, and unsettling to have a pope (pontiff) to be unable to consistently state Church teachings. That is why confusion continally follows Pope Francis.
Many Catholic and Christian leaders, often resorting to using “verbal gymnastics”, continue to excuse, to overlook, to tolerate the sinful behavior of homosexuality.
In light of what is happening in Pope Francis’s inner circle with changing the Church’s teaching on homosexuality, it no longer seems outrageous to use the terms heresy and heretic in today’s conversation. It looks like we could be potentially heading towards SCHISM in the Church! (Just remember, it is the Modernists who are causing this.)
“But now they have no excuse for their sin.” Jn.15:22