Identifying and Responding to Imposter Catholics

[JanR]

Nancy Pelosi is another.

 

[JanR]

No one should be sentenced to death unless there is irrefutable proof of their guilt. While the law says that “guilty beyond a reasonable doubt” is sufficient, in the case of someone’s life, I would want proof of their guilt beyond all possible doubt. Just “reasonable” isn’t enough. Different people have different ideas about what “reasonable doubt” is, and it just doesn’t work in a case the could result in execution.

Once an innocent person is executed, there’s no rectifying that. If I were on a jury in a capital case, I would insist upon knowing beyond any and all doubt that the defendant is guilty. Anything less, and I would vote either to acquit, or convict of a lesser charge for which there is more substantial evidence.

Just my two cents worth…

 

[Jen95]

Jen95:

Not to mention Biden promising to enact the Equality Act, which is not good for Catholic institutions.

The good news, the Equality Act applies to public authorities and public sector, not to private Catholic institutions.

As for the other claims, I have not seen Mr Biden make the claims of:

“I’m Catholic, look at me performing a same sex marriage!” “I’m Catholic, vote for me! Look at me, abortion is sacred ground!”

I think that’s fine for people who aren’t running around in public life proclaiming themselves Catholic and doing things like performing same sex marriages.

Last election I was very loudly encouraged not to hold Mr. Trump’s past public life and public sins against him. I think that holds true for our fellow Catholics.

Do you think Biden thinks that was a sin? Was he ashamed to do it? Has he apologized or repented of it? Or does it seem likely that he might just do that again?
It was a public act, seems like if he was sorry or even acknowledged that it was problematic he would say something publicly.

 

[Jen95]

Would someone like you even be chosen for a capital case? Or would you be weeded out of the jury pool? I don’t know how it works but I have the sense that you are not who they’re looking for.

 

[BornInMarch]

I don’t like this article because it reinforces the idea that laypeople can appoint themselves arbiters of who is and isn’t Catholic. “Anyone who isn’t as traditional as me is an imposter Catholic!”, “You can’t be Catholic and liberal. Period”, etc. People who say this themselves go against the teaching of the Church.

If you’re baptized in the Church then you are a Catholic and always will be. You may be misguided, or you may hold bad theology, you may hold heretical beliefs, you are still a Catholic. Even if you have been excommunicated you are still a Catholic, as an excommunication is just an extreme warning meant to pull someone back towards repentance after other chastisements failed.

 

[BornInMarch]

I think the moniker is intended for people who claim to be Catholic while actively rejecting or even working against the teachings of the Church.

Then call them “misguided Catholics” or “rogue Catholics” or even “bad Catholics” - calling them “imposter Catholics” wrongfully implies that baptism does not permanently mark someone as belonging to the Church.

 

[Jen95]

Rogue Catholics! Sounds good to me.

 

[whatistrue]

Could make for a good band or biker gang name…

 

[Jen95]

Could make for a good band or biker gang name…

Or political party!

 

[whatistrue]

You win…

 

[ProdglArchitect]

Then call them “misguided Catholics” or “rogue Catholics” or even “bad Catholics” - calling them “imposter Catholics” wrongfully implies that baptism does not permanently mark someone as belonging to the Church.

I respectfully disagree. An imposter is a person who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive others, especially for fraudulent gain. Biden pretends to be a faithful Catholic in order to deceive people into voting for him. The fact that he is a Catholic doesn’t not change that he is lying when he presents himself as faithful.

Jesus warned about wolves in sheep’s clothing. This is a perfect example. Just because Biden is a baptized Catholic doesn’t prevent him from becoming the wolf preying on the sheep.

 

[TheLittleLady]

Do you think Biden thinks that was a sin? Was he ashamed to do it? Has he apologized or repented of it? Or does it seem likely that he might just do that again?

I am not Mr Biden’s spiritual director nor his confessor.

Again, I am so thankful that my fellow Catholics don’t ask “do you think LittleLady was ashamed of that thing she did? Has she repented of it? Does it seem likely that she might just sin again?”

Seem to recall Christ’s instructions about splinters in eyes.

 

[Aulef]

Hint #6 is the one that bothers me the most lately, especially seeing it among so called ‘traditionalists’ and ‘sedes’ …

 

[TheLittleLady]

Will you show me the Scripture containing the list of which offices are designated to such scrutiny?

 

[JerryZ]

I have heard of Mafia dons attending mass each week while ordering executions on their enemies.

You are absolutely correct on that. It is weird to see but true none the less.
It goes further than that. In Italy there is a criminal organization separate from the “Mafia” that calls itself “Sacra Corona Unita” translated would be “United Sacred Crown” its a fully fledged criminal endeavor “racketeering”.
The bosses of this “team” also “participate” to church and even have Saints statues in their houses. It’s like they believe the live 2 different lives.

Peace!

 

[BornInMarch]

I respectfully disagree. An imposter is a person who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive others, especially for fraudulent gain.

If someone baptized in the Church claims to be Catholic then they are not pretending.

 

[stpurl]

Perhaps somebody can move to address this more appropriately as responding and identifying CINOs (Catholics in name only) in order to help them to realise that they are rejecting Catholic teachings; this will also help those who might have been confused into thinking that because a person with great ‘media’ appeal identifies as Catholic but does things against the Faith that those things are somehow “OK for Catholics because X does them.”

IOW, educate everybody.

 

[EssentialBeing]

Biden pretends to be a faithful Catholic in order to deceive people into voting for him

Is this the same as Trump holding up the bible in front of St. Johns Episcopal Church?

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Among other things, the sacraments, starting with Baptism is what defines a practicing Catholic. An impostor would be one that partakes in the sacraments, without ever believing in the grace of God.

If someone baptized in the Church claims to be Catholic then they are not pretending

It would be extremely hard to find any person that is Baptized to be in total contradiction to the grace of God. Sure, what we label as “non practicing” or “by name only” are Catholics that may have contradictions or issues with some aspects of our religion, however it does not mean they are totally ignorant or blind to ALL of its teachings, after all we are not perfect & always learning.

I know we should accept everything the Church teaches, but we should not condemn those as impostors who are not yet fully awake to the truth.

 

[Jen95]

Right - I think it was unanimous that “rogue Catholic” is a better term!

 

[o_mlly]

Right - I think it was unanimous that “rogue Catholic” is a better term!

No. “Protestant” would be the more accurate description IMO.

As the Council declared, all who are baptized and believe in Jesus Christ are in “a certain but imperfect communion” with the Catholic Church.

For men who believe in Christ and have been truly baptized are in communion with the Catholic Church even though this communion is imperfect. The differences that exist in varying degrees between them and the Catholic Church - whether in doctrine and sometimes in discipline, or concerning the structure of the Church - do indeed create many obstacles, sometimes serious ones, to full ecclesiastical communion (UNITATIS REDINTEGRATIO, Chapter 1, p3).