Rome's Institutionally Sanctioned Lying

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johnbugay

johnbugay

Puritan Board Freshman
I've used the "L" word with respect to Roman Catholics, on more than one occasion. And generally speaking, these charges have been dismissed as baseless or uncharitable.

In our day, the history of that institution has been largely forgotten, or whitewashed. But the casuistry (argumentation that is specious or excessively subtle and intended to be misleading) of the Jesuits following the Reformation was well known and widespread. In our day, the Roman Catholic Church continues such practices of deceit, often which are practiced "under the radar."

But here is an instance of it that's officially documented.

There is another "sex abuse" scandal raging in Ireland; the pope just this week traveled to Ireland to meet with the Bishops there. Here is something that I found in the links to the various official reports that have been produced in conjunction with this investigation:

(Bear in mind, this is not to speak about the phenomenon of sexual abuse, which is horrible in itself. It is to speak about the policy, admitted when a government organization could twist the arm, so to speak, of one of the primary players in this scandal, who in turn admitted just one of the ways this institution has of excusing itself from lying about a grave matter):

The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform: Report by Commission of Investigation into Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin
http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Part 1.pdf/Files/Part 1.pdf
http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Part 2.pdf/Files/Part 2.pdf


Betrayal

58.14 One unifying strand in all of the complainants‟ evidence heard by the Commission was the sense of dismay and anger felt by them that their Church, in which they had placed the utmost faith and trust, had in their view, duped and manipulated them over the years and that it had done so in order to preserve its reputation and its assets. Unlike Church authorities, complainants did not perceive any distinction between their local church and the universal church. They were shocked by the growing realisation that their Church founded on a gospel of love, truth and justice could treat its own members, many of them defenceless children, so shabbily.

58.15 A common refrain amongst the complainants was that the nature of the apologies issued by the Archdiocese was general rather than specific. They stated that this type of apology was not sufficient to ease their personal pain. They felt that if they could meet someone in authority who would personally apologise to them for the hurt and trauma they had suffered this would greatly help them. Some acknowledged the fact that Archbishop Martin had met them personally and apologised to them.

58.19 Marie Collins was particularly angered by the use by Church authorities of ‘mental reservation’ in dealing with complaints. Mental reservation is a concept developed and much discussed over the centuries, which permits a churchman knowingly to convey a misleading impression to another person without being guilty of lying. For example, John calls to the parish priest to make a complaint about the behaviour of one of his curates. The parish priest sees him coming but does not want to see him because he considers John to be a troublemaker. He sends another of his curates to answer the door. John asks the curate if the parish priest is in. The curate replies that he is not. This is clearly untrue but in the Church’s view it is not a lie because, when the curate told John that the parish priest was not in, he mentally reserved to himself the words ‘to you’.

58.20 Cardinal Connell explained the concept of mental reservation to the Commission in the following way:

“Well, the general teaching about mental reservation is that you are not permitted to tell a lie. On the other hand, you may be put in a position where you have to answer, and there may be circumstances in which you can use an ambiguous expression realising that the person who you are talking to will accept an untrue version of whatever it may be - permitting that to happen, not willing that it happened, that would be lying. It really is a matter of trying to deal with extraordinarily difficult matters that may arise in social relations where people may ask questions that you simply cannot answer. Everybody knows that this kind of thing is liable to happen. So, mental reservation is, in a sense, a way of answering without lying.”
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Keep in mind this is just one of the ways that Rome bears false witness. There are all kinds of examples like this: from the known use of forgeries to support its causes, to Jesuitical casuistry, to things like this. This is just one instance that has risen to the surface because of public and governmental pressure. How many more such tactics are they holding close to their vests? (Or under their robes, as the case may be?)
 
john, as an ex-Roman Catholic, it doesn't take much to rouse my opposition to it's blatant idolatry and overt legalism. That said, broad evangelicalism, and the Reformed faith has seen men, churches, and entire denominations betray the trust of those under their charge. As bad as the past few years have been for Rome in the press, I am more concerned for those that are held captive by it's false teaching; supposing their piety to Rome will result in their eventual salvation. Many of my own family are still in that system. Their only hope is the gospel. Certainly, the recent revelations of Rome's complicity in covering up the crimes of it's priests is horrible, and those that have participated directly, or through cover-up, should face the full brunt of the law. But greater than these misdeeds is the system that perpetuates them; a system that enslaves the souls of men.
 
Thanks for your comments Bill. I see the policy of deceit as being one of the primary engines for the "false teaching" that they're putting out there. They make a big deal that Roman Catholicism is "a whole cloth," and it really is all knitted together -- the false doctrine, the policy of deceit that perpetuates the system, the misdeeds, as you say, that are a symptom of the system.

That said, even as we speak, (so to speak), there are people who are looking forward to "entering the fullness of the faith" this spring, as part of an Easter conversion package.
 
There are always two aspects to a story like this one. On the one hand, it's bad that the public in general and secularists in particular are certain to say "see what these hypocritical Christians get up to" and tar us all with the same brush.
On the other hand, it could be good if any Catholics were sufficiently disgusted to reconsider their church adherence
 
Hi Jenny -- I think that pointing out things like this will address both of the issues you bring up. I've always been impressed with the commentator George Will: he had no qualms about pointing out bad things that Republicans were doing. True, "secularists" will tend to "tar us all with the same brush." But the effect that Will had on Republicans was to hold them to account to some degree.

And also, another purpose of mine is to ask Catholics (or would-be Catholics) to re-consider whether Rome is not being dishonest with them, not only in their practices, but also in their doctrines.
 
John, where does this "teaching" of mental reservation come from? Is it from any papally sanctioned source?
 
Louis, I can't say for sure. It's less of a "teaching" and maybe more of a canon law type of thing. Sounds like a Jesuit/casuistry thing, but could have its roots in scholasticism.
 
Herald said:
john, as an ex-Roman Catholic, it doesn't take much to rouse my opposition to it's blatant idolatry and overt legalism. That said, broad evangelicalism, and the Reformed faith has seen men, churches, and entire denominations betray the trust of those under their charge. As bad as the past few years have been for Rome in the press, I am more concerned for those that are held captive by it's false teaching; supposing their piety to Rome will result in their eventual salvation. Many of my own family are still in that system. Their only hope is the gospel. Certainly, the recent revelations of Rome's complicity in covering up the crimes of it's priests is horrible, and those that have participated directly, or through cover-up, should face the full brunt of the law. But greater than these misdeeds is the system that perpetuates them; a system that enslaves the souls of men.
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:amen: brother.
 
John as a fellow ex roman catholic turned Reformed Presbyterian Protestant like you I not only agree 100% but I hope many of our cradle Protestant brothers recognize the blatent idolotry of roman catholicism and its false gospel.
 
John as another thought what is noteworthy about the Irish scandal, however, and much different from the American situation, is that the Irish church has so much further to fall than U.S. Catholicism, and that there is at least one bishop who has been willing to critique both his fellow bishops and the church culture that helped enable the abuse: Diarmuid Martin, the archbishop of Dublin.

In the United States there are 15 million ex Roman Catholics like you and me who are now Protestants. There are also as many who are now not affiliated with any church. I think the proportions will be greater in Ireland.

I believe God is allowing this to surface to expose the Roman catholic church as the Synagogue of Satan she truly is. The very notion of the Roman catholic priesthood and its maintenance of the rule of celibacy is a violation of Gods natural law. The Roman catholic church is the "Whore of Babylon" and she is being exposed for what she really is, hopefully it is the beginning of the end of the Roman catholic churches dominant grasp on the true Gospel of Jesus Christ which she has made into an abominable blasphemy. I hope many more renounce her and her anti Christ pope as you and I have and come out of her bandage and see the light of true salvation.
 
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