Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt

Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt - FUD

I was first exposed to this concept during a job interview with Digital (rip) Corporation for a technical sales support role.

While I did not get the job, I have never forgotten the acronym FUD that was used:

FUD is the tactic of instilling fear, uncertainty, and doubt in the minds of potential customers about a competing product when your own product is not competitive.

This is very close to the quotation provided in the linked wiki article and more importantly FUD is basically an "appeal to fear" fallacy.

The FUD strategy works by planting a seed of doubt in the mind of the listener, then nurturing that doubt with further insinuations.

It is remarkably similar to the method of conspiracy theorists.

Conspiracy theories are unsubstantiated, less plausible alternatives to the mainstream explanation of an event; they assume everything is intended, with malignity.Crucially, they are also epistemically self insulating in their construction and arguments. (PsyPAG)

The key word is 'unsubstantiated'.

The real problem with conspiracy theories occurs when a person believes so strongly in them, that when presented with proof that the belief is false, they will modify their perception in order to retain the belief (see 'cognitive dissonance') .

The persistent belief that Bishop Fellay is going to 'sellout' the SSPX / Tradition is a good example of cognitive dissonance.

In this case, ever since the communications with Rome started in 2000, there has been a fear that the SSPX would compromise. This came to a head in 2012 when, by all appearances, it seemed that the Pope was going to accept the SSPX 'as they are'. The predictions of 'sell out' were screamed, especially by Bishop Williamson, Fr. Pfeiffer et al. When the predicted compromise did not occur, en-masse the Resistors switched to a number of alternative perceptions of the reality. Such as either the compromise has occurred or it is still in process.

This is a perfect example of cognitive dissonance and it is scary how close to the behaviour of Bishop Williamson et al (including lay resistors) match the theoretical predictions.

I believe that for Bishop Williamson et al, there is another belief that is the foundation for their 'cognitive dissonance'. While Bishop Williamson et al's discourses normally stay at a superficial level, a few times they have shone a little light on their underlying reasons. The defense of Bishop Williamson's 'Various Churches' article by Fr. Rua is just one such occasion.

Where is the error in Bishop Fellay’s theology? It is the ecclesiological model from which he draws his conclusions. He considers the visible structure of the church to be the Conciliar Church. (Fr. Rua - Resistance to What Rebuttal)

Bishop Fellay believes that the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church is the one united under the Pope (currently Francis, but at the time Benedict). Furthermore, he sees the 'conciliar Church' as a label for a movement within the Church. This is evident from his speeches / letters and is completely consistent with Catholic theology and dogma.

Bishop Williamson et al, due to the scandals etc, cannot accept this belief. To the extent that they see any link between the SSPX and what they perceive as the 'conciliar Church' as a schism from Tradition.

I will examine this thought in another article, because it touches on a number of areas key to the Faith.

So beware of FUD, because a person who operates from misguided fear, abandoning Catholic princpiples is:

Susceptible to manipulation because their reaction is predictable (Sun Tzu comes to mind)
In danger of significant errors in judgment as the engendered mistrust will narrow the perceptions of situations requiring decisions based on limited information.

P^3
Prayer
Penance
Patience

Reference: wiki FUD article

The Catholic Church and the Rule of Law- Part II: Dr. John Lamont

+ JMJ This is the second article from Dr. Lamont from his lecture given in May 2014. P^3 Source Part A: Society of St. Hugh of Cluny Source Part B: Society of St. Hugh of Cluny 8 May2014 The Catholic Church and the Rule of Law- Part II By John Lamont To understand how the Jesuit conception of obedience departed from earlier conceptions, it is helpful to compare it with the teaching of St. Thomas on obedience. The fundamental difference between the two is that St. Thomas considers the proper object of obedience to be the precept of the superior (2a2ae q. 104 a. 2 co., ad 3). Obedience that seeks to forestall the expressed will of the superior does not bear on what the superior wants or thinks in general, but only on what the superior intends to command. St. Ignatius’s lowest degree of obedience, which he does not consider to be virtuous, is thus what St. Thomas considers to be the only form of obedience. St. Thomas holds that St. Ignatius’s alleged higher forms of o...

Open Letter to Cardinal Gantin - July 6, 1988

There has been some discussion (read lots) about the term 'Conciliar Church'. I have posted this letter written by the Superior General and District Superiors of the SSPX after the 1988 Consecrations. Of particular interest is that the 'Conciliar Church' being referred to as a system. My paraphrase would be that the SSPX regards the 'conciliar Church' as an error within the Church. Source Open Letter to Cardinal Gantin Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops

Morning and Evening and other sundry Prayers

+ JMJ Along the theme of P^3 (Prayer, Penance, Patience), and for my own reference ... here is a collection of Morning and Evening prayers from the Ideal Daily Missal along with some additional prayers. In this crisis of the Church, I do not think it is possible to do too much prayer, penance and have patience. P^3

Rome and the SSPX - Version 2026 Part 6b: Principles and Rules for Surviving this Crisis of the Catholic Church (Principle 1)

+ JMJ Principle 1: Realize that something is amiss in the Catholic Church The world in which I had my Traditional Awakening, is one in which practically anything pre-Conciliar such as liturgy, doctrinc, and even dogmas are either suppressed, ignored or re-framed to be acceptable to the ‘world’. What is more, the people adhering to these pre-conciliar teachings and liturgy are persecuted by other members of the Catholic Church. The things that non-Trads say about Trads can be quite extreme. For example, accusations against Traditionalists include that they are: A revival of the Jansenists (link) , Schismatics, Heretics, Uncharitable, Lefebrists Radicals Integrists When one group of Catholics is persecuted by the others for simply wanting to live as Catholics before them did for generations … well something is wrong. Further, we need to realize that when what was previously condemned is now promoted and what was previously promoted as the trut...

Forget the Reformation - It is time for Abrogation - Louie Verrecchio

Mr. Verrecchio has pointed out one solution to this crisis that is a dream of many Traditional Catholics of my acquaintance: The complete obliteration of the Novus Ordo Missae. If this were to occur, undoubtedly a revolt would occur within the Church, but the battle lines would be much clearer. I assume that a lot of material heretics would make the transition to being formal heretics. P^3 Prayer Penance Patience Courtesy of Louie Verrecchio A recent article by Fr. Thomas Kocik on the New Liturgical Movement website, Reforming the Irreformable? , is getting some well-deserved attention in traditional circles. (Do yourself a favor and read it in its entirety if you haven’t already.)

Tradicat

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