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JMJ
What is true matters, everything is untrue is a lie.
Pretty simple eh?
Getting to the truth and helping others to see it is the hard part.
For example, I was at a talk where a theologian provided an overview of the crisis of the Church from a rational / logical point of view. His assumptions seemed correct and so he seemed to be right.
The only problem is that being right doesn't automatically mean people will agree and change their beliefs.
I've encountered this a few times and concluded that the cognitive dissonance theory is, if not bang-on, a good model of human behaviour.
I've seen the pain suffered by ntCatholic's when they are confronted with the kissing the koran picture and Pope Francis' antics.
For ntCatholics, if the SSPX is right, then practically everything that they have believed about the Catholic Church crumbles. That is a huge wall and the pain is incredible.
So, being right isn't enough.
No matter how crystal clear the exposition of the crisis. No matter how damning the logic. It still isn't enough.
tCatholics need to be able to help ntCatholics through two pains.
- Unlearning the false truths that they have been fed for the last 50+ years.
- Learning the Catholic truths that they have been denied.
That's why it is critical that the Pope (Francis or his successors) come to the same realisation and perspective of tCatholics. This will be a Catholic perspective afterall that is what a Traditional Catholic perspective is supposed to be eh!
If the Pope commits a good action (ie no-compromise SSPX regularization), then a number of ntCatholics will be able to overcome the first pain.
tCatholics need to be ready to help them with the second pain, learning the Catholic Faith.
This also includes some pain for Traditional Catholics.
We need to unlearn the bitterness that comes from being persecuted and ridiculed for 50+ years and we to learn true compassionate Catholic Charity. A charity that sees each non-Traditional Catholic as a soul that God Loves and holds precious.
Even Pope Francis.
The means do not justify the ends.
We cannot adopt non-Catholic means just because the enemies of the Church do so. That is the mistake of the sede-vacantists and 'resistors'. They have deviated from both Catholic Doctrine (dogmatic facts) as well as Catholic principles (obedience).
Pope Francis is a bad Pope, perhaps the worst in history. But, following the teaching of the Catholic Church, he is still the Pope until either he or the Church tells us. If he issues a legitimate command, either we obey or we sin.
Pray for Pope Francis and the non-Traditional Catholics. A lot of them are suffereing because of what Pope Francis is doing to their beliefs.
... and now a little humour:
P^3
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