Is it a Christian's duty to confront deception?

[onthenarrowpath]

I hope I don’t confuse anyone with this question - and when answering this, if there are perhaps any Scriptures or passages from the Catechism or other authorititave writings to support your answer, they would be most welcome: Is it our duty as believers to engage and fight deception when we encounter it in the spiritual path we walk - or do we ignore it and keep moving along, allowing it to remain unchallenged so long as we recognize it for what it is and do not allow it to affect us?

 

[JM3]

James 2:15-16

 

[baltobetsy]

James 2:15-16

It would be so helpful to your readers to simply include the text. Not everyone has the Bible memorized, a Bible handy or the time to search online. Thanks for your consideration.

 

[sea_krait]

newadvent.org/bible/jam002.htm

 

[Barbkw]

Engage and fight, is exhausting.

Present Catholicism for their consideration.

 

[Spencerian]

I hope I don’t confuse anyone with this question - and when answering this, if there are perhaps any Scriptures or passages from the Catechism or other authorititave writings to support your answer, they would be most welcome: Is it our duty as believers to engage and fight deception when we encounter it in the spiritual path we walk - or do we ignore it and keep moving along, allowing it to remain unchallenged so long as we recognize it for what it is and do not allow it to affect us?

Hi.

You cannot fulfill your mission in spreading the Gospel (the Truth, the Good News) if you fail to share it. We cannot covet the so-called “secrets” to everlasting life, involved only in the affairs of our own, or we will lack it ourselves, as St. Paul notes so often in his letters.

What you’re describing may be religious indifferentism: In short, “lip service” about a faith but not applying it in one’s own life.

God does not dither between what is or isn’t truth. Christ called anyone who deceived themselves–and we should emulate Christ, as well, as best we can.

Paraphrasing Archbishop Sheen: A truth is still true even if only one person believes it, and a lie is still a lie even if almost everyone believes it.

Run the race. Fight the lie.

God bless.

 

[ANNE_2]

The “CCC 2nd Ed” has an entire section on “truth” - too much to reprint. See the index.

Here is just one:
CCC " 2505 Truth or truthfulness is the virtue which consists in showing oneself true in deeds and truthful in words, and guarding against duplicity, dissimulation, and hypocrisy."

Admonishing sinners, Instructing the uninformed, Counselling the doubtful, and Being patient with those in error are 4 of the Spiritual Works of Mercy - #2447.

 

[edwest2]

Deception is the chief weapon of the devil. When we identify deceptive statements and tell others why they are deceptive, we are just presenting the truth. We should point this out in a kind way.

Peace,
Ed

 

[JM3]

It would be so helpful to your readers to simply include the text. Not everyone has the Bible memorized, a Bible handy or the time to search online. Thanks for your consideration.

Sorry, I wasn’t aware that anyone was paying attention to what I write. In my defense, it is a commonly held position that people learn more when they do it themselves. Of course, I have been wrong before.

As others have posted above: Christianity is an action verb.

 

[Crumpy]

James 2:15-16

You can put this in your bing search engine or most of the others and the engine will come back with the verses.

I guess there’s supposed to be some way to embed verses in these posts, but I haven’t figured out yet how to do it.

does this work?

[bibledrb]James 2:15-16[/bibledrb]

 

[Crumpy]

Well, John the Baptist lost his head for confronting the truth, but he was a Jew, a priest, in fact.

I think we have to confront deception. I do it all the time at my city government meeting. I wonder if I’m going to walk out of there and get jumped or have my legs broken for saying the things I do.

I write letters to the local newspaper, too. I may lead, but I don’t see anybody following me. There’s too many people locally with vested interests. They don’t tell the absolute truth, they just say things the way they want them to be. Half-truths are big business around here.

 

[John21652]

Can any of you guess who said this -

Few men are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, the wrath of their society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential, vital quality of those who seek to change a world which yields most painfully to change.

Or who said this -

All that is necessary for evil to triumph is that good men (and women) do nothing:

Both quotes are about Moral Courage. Without it, deception will fester. Without Moral Courage, a Christian is hardly a Christian.

 

[layperson2011]

I did just that last week. I brought up the fact the the Rosary Apostalate at our son’s elelmentary school was not a Catholic, was living in a common-law relationship and had a child out of wedlock that is also not baptised Catholic. I spoke to our Parish Priest about this. He said that God doesn’t close doors on anyone and that this person should be encouraged to be active in the Church and to be baptised. I thought it was a strange oxymoron that a non-Catholic with such an untraditional Catholic lifestlye would be teaching the rosary, but that was the result of my inquiry. My inquiry also seemed to have offended some people and have them thinking I’m on some sort of a witchhunt. Finally, I just say to myself that at least I stood up for something that I believe in. I don’t think that vanity or deception is a good enough reason to be active in the church. Stand up and be heard!
May God bless us and guide us in all our decisions.

Regards,
Layperson 2011