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Robert_Sock
Guest
I’m not asking what degree other people are duped, but you? How does the world work, and how much is out of your sight?
Feel free to speculate here.
Feel free to speculate here.
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LegoGE1947
Guest
I feel duped every time I try a product advertised on some tv “infomercial” and it doesn’t work as advertised. Also you see a big, juicy burger on a billboard so you go to the restaurant advertising it and the real one doesn’t look or taste all that impressive. I also felt duped by the ads recruiting people for military service and when I joined, I couldn’t wait for the day I’d be discharged.
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Robert_Sock
Guest
I personally feel duped in that I sense another world (in addition to God and Heaven) controlling our world.
I also feel duped thinking that the body and soul are one. I know it is a Catholic teaching that they are one, but I sense that the soul is independent of the body (as in Judaism) and longs to be united with God.
I also feel duped thinking that the body and soul are one. I know it is a Catholic teaching that they are one, but I sense that the soul is independent of the body (as in Judaism) and longs to be united with God.
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Burdensome1
Guest
I’m not much of a conspiracy theorist. I think that chaos does an ample job of creating bizarre situations without much need for recourse to conspiracies.
However, I do feel duped as concerns my own life. The same types of empty promises people make about small things such a potato slicer or a feature film are made about careers, colleges, churches, leaders and nations.
However, I do feel duped as concerns my own life. The same types of empty promises people make about small things such a potato slicer or a feature film are made about careers, colleges, churches, leaders and nations.
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GratefulFred
Guest
The flip side of being duped is being gullible, being naive.
It is in our nature to want to love and want to trust. Few of us try to do harm and it hard for us to suspect those, who seem nice, are trying to harm us.
Con artist intentionally take advantage of our nature to trust. Sadly it seems, many of us have not been taught the value of prudence and foresight. Or we forget those valuable lessons we were taught long ago.
Given our imperfect nature, I think we all have been duped to one degree or other. I have been.
BUT, then there is God. He neither deceives nor can He be deceived. The more we trust God, try to follow Chirst, the more the Holy Spirit can guide us, protect us from being duped too often or too seriously. Knowing God reasonably well we also know the devil does exist and he is the one that tries to dupe us the most. Knowing that, we develop prudence and become less gullible, less naive.
It is in our nature to want to love and want to trust. Few of us try to do harm and it hard for us to suspect those, who seem nice, are trying to harm us.
Con artist intentionally take advantage of our nature to trust. Sadly it seems, many of us have not been taught the value of prudence and foresight. Or we forget those valuable lessons we were taught long ago.
Given our imperfect nature, I think we all have been duped to one degree or other. I have been.
BUT, then there is God. He neither deceives nor can He be deceived. The more we trust God, try to follow Chirst, the more the Holy Spirit can guide us, protect us from being duped too often or too seriously. Knowing God reasonably well we also know the devil does exist and he is the one that tries to dupe us the most. Knowing that, we develop prudence and become less gullible, less naive.
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Melvin
Guest
Off topic, perhaps, but I feel duped by the Church and the protestant churches more than I do by the “world.”
I became Catholic, based primarily on apologetic arguments that I studied diligently from multiple sources. I leaned in that process that the Protestant churches were not valid…and that they had, to a large extent, left the Faith. Having been Protestant for 30+ years, I obviously felt duped by those Protestant teachings. I recall quite a bit of anger over that, for a time.
In an interesting contradiction, however, I have discovered that the conspiracy theories presented by the Protestant churches regarding the Church’s support of a “New World Order” is actually true…voiced by at least three of the most recent Popes…and I finally only understood that writings by Catholic authors.
So, on the one hand, I am convinced that the Catholic Church does teach the Truth regarding Faith and Morals…especially on the personal level. I am also, however, convinced that it is in error regarding its open backing for the eventual elimination of nation-states, the imposition of a world wide financial authority, and that such an authority should have the ability to “enforce” its decisions. And, I find the argument for “subsidiarity” more of an enabling rationalization than anything.
I feel “duped” because the issue never came up in any context during my conversion process. I know to most it may be a small thing…but to me, having been exposed to Protestant teaching and a different perspective, it is almost frightening…because I truly believe that such a transition really does portend the advent of Anti-Christ…
Still working on reconciling these things…without much success, I might add…
I became Catholic, based primarily on apologetic arguments that I studied diligently from multiple sources. I leaned in that process that the Protestant churches were not valid…and that they had, to a large extent, left the Faith. Having been Protestant for 30+ years, I obviously felt duped by those Protestant teachings. I recall quite a bit of anger over that, for a time.
In an interesting contradiction, however, I have discovered that the conspiracy theories presented by the Protestant churches regarding the Church’s support of a “New World Order” is actually true…voiced by at least three of the most recent Popes…and I finally only understood that writings by Catholic authors.
So, on the one hand, I am convinced that the Catholic Church does teach the Truth regarding Faith and Morals…especially on the personal level. I am also, however, convinced that it is in error regarding its open backing for the eventual elimination of nation-states, the imposition of a world wide financial authority, and that such an authority should have the ability to “enforce” its decisions. And, I find the argument for “subsidiarity” more of an enabling rationalization than anything.
I feel “duped” because the issue never came up in any context during my conversion process. I know to most it may be a small thing…but to me, having been exposed to Protestant teaching and a different perspective, it is almost frightening…because I truly believe that such a transition really does portend the advent of Anti-Christ…
Still working on reconciling these things…without much success, I might add…
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GratefulFred
Guest
I am not familiar with the particular sources you rely on to reach your perception. I would have to read them to see if I agree or not.
As I understand it all, the Second Coming of Christ will start a thousand year reign BY CHRIST. In that period there will be real peace on earth. Christ is indeed a King and the world will eventually be subjected to His Rule. As He is indeed the Living Son of God, that sounds wonderful to me. And that would be a new world order indeed.
Meanwhile the Church does, as it should, constantly remind successful nations of our moral responsiblity to help lift improverished nations. The World Bank and the International Money Fund (IMF) and others have been working on that for decades.
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Qoeleth
Guest
Not at all. I take it for granted that this world is an illusion, a deception and a passing vanity, a lie.
I believe in God alone. Everything else is dust.
I believe in God alone. Everything else is dust.
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Pat_Albertson
Guest
That’s a nice thought. I like it.
On another note, I feel lately as if I’m in some sort of synchronistic modality where everything I read and think seems to be pointing me towards the idea that the world is a fake, and that none of this is real. This has been a recurring theme in my life ever since I was a tiny tot.
Perhaps it’s a hint of heaven . . . or maybe not . . . I dunno . . .
:twocents:
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manualman
Guest
Humans are social creatures. We’re SUPPOSED to be influenced by one another. In a state of Grace, that’s entirely a good thing. But because of sin, we can also influence each other negatively, and boy, do we.
One of the major blunders catholics made after Vatican II (not necessarily that it was called for) was to forget to make a distinction between ourselves and the culure we live in. We HAVE to view all cultural influences with a bit of suspicion and caution, but few of us do anymore. We blithely accept the influences of the world for 165 hours a week and are surprised that the 3 hours we allocate to God and faith influences aren’t enough to counter-act it.
One of the major blunders catholics made after Vatican II (not necessarily that it was called for) was to forget to make a distinction between ourselves and the culure we live in. We HAVE to view all cultural influences with a bit of suspicion and caution, but few of us do anymore. We blithely accept the influences of the world for 165 hours a week and are surprised that the 3 hours we allocate to God and faith influences aren’t enough to counter-act it.
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