Are you a Pharisee?

It has been very vogue recently for Bergoglio (as you know, "Pope Francis" will not be published here again since I have claimed he has forfeited the throne of St. Peter and it is currently unoccupied) and his ilk to call those who believe in Catholic doctrine and dogma as cold hearted Pharisees.  Pharisees were a class of Jewish priests at the time of Christ who applied the Law to issues surrounding the Jewish community in and around present day Israel.  They have a reputation for being stubborn and unwilling to accept the actions of Christ and play a part in his eventual arrest, condemnation, and crucifixion of Our Lord.

Obviously, as a Christian, you really don't want to be associated with this class of people. 

And that is what Bergoglio has done.

But are you a Pharisee?  And what is Bergoglio really up to by calling faithful, believing Catholics "Pharisees"?  How is he trying to influence the opinions of everyday Catholics by using this slander?

Pharisees are connected to a stubborn adherence to the Law, to doctrine and to show no mercy, compassion or understanding for those who fail in the face of the Law.  The punishment fits the crime says the Pharisee...in comparison to that loving Argentinian who is leading a true revolution of the heart by forcing the Church to be a Church of the Poor, a poor Church where Mercy is the name of God.

Gee, who wouldn't want to be aligned with the Argentinian and keep your distance from those merciless, heartless, un-Christian Catholics that are rightfully called "Pharisees" who shouldn't be trusted to express any truthful understanding of the Lord or of the Church.

Simply by making the accusation, anyone who believes in the Truth of Catholic doctrine and dogma has now been marginalized in the eyes of the casual faithful (you know, those who don't obsessively read Catholic blogs, websites, encyclicals, etc. like some of us...).

But what is the dynamic here and how legitimate is it?

First, what's the difference between doctrine and practice?  And what does it have to do with Pharisees?

It has to do with a plan among several people which technically is a conspiracy.  It is a conspiracy that has worked several times before and is well know among Catholic blog circles:

Change the practice and you change the doctrine.

Here's an example for you:  Prior to the liturgical changes led by Archbishop Bugnini (only Google his name if you want to make yourself sick), the Eucharist was only received on your knees and on your tongue.  In this case, the practice emphasized the doctrine -- the Eucharist IS the Body of Christ and to receive Him, you must humble yourself before Him. 

Then the liturgical practices changed.  Pope Paul VI approved of liturgical changes that came to be the Novus Ordo Mass and within that "Mass", the Eucharist was to be received standing and in the hand (assuming your liturgical conference received a special indult in order to allow this (which everyone asked for and received).  Now the practice was CONTRARY to the doctrine.  The result:

The vast majority of Catholics don't believe in the Real Presence.

With all the interesting ways the Bergoglio describes the Catholic Faith and doctrine, you can understand why so many Catholics are confused about the Faith at this time. And you can also understand that if you create the false dichotomy that Bergoglio has created between "real" Catholics who subscribe to his version of the Church and those mean, traditional, cold hearted "Pharisees" who only see the Law and nothing else matters, why those same Catholics wouldn't want to be associated with the "Pharisees".

So the effectiveness of the tactic is clear. 

But is he right?  Did Christ reject the Law in instituting the Church?

Short answer: No.  He came to fulfill the Law as he said in the Gospel of Matthew  Chapter 5, verse 17

So if He came to fulfill the Law, then the Law (ie, Doctrine) can't be bad, right?  And yet, it is Bergoglio that tells us that following the Law, defending the Law and making the Law more clearly understood by the faithful is wrong, lacks mercy and compassion, and isn't true to the Faith.

Seems like there is a conflict here.  Either Our Lord is wrong or Bergoglio is wrong.

I'll let you figure that one out on your own.

Short conclusion: Being called a Pharisee by this man is probably a good indicator that you are following and believing precisely what Our Lord wants us to be.  His pathetic attempt to label us with a pejorative term in order to make our thoughts, actions and words in the Catholic world impotent in this battle over the Souls of men will come to naught.









Fight every attempt to alter practice.  Practices are physical and psychological and behavioral cues for people to understand what is going on.  Practices matter because they should reflect and emphasize doctrine.

And the Law matters.  It matters to Christ and it matters to us.