According to the “Catechism of the Catholic Church,” the Catholic doctrine of infallibility applies not only to the Pope, but also to Church Councils (including the Council of Trent). [Note 16]

As a result, the official statements of the Council of Trent are considered to be infallible. This means that they cannot be changed. Therefore, the anathemas of the Council of Trent cannot be revoked.

The Catholic Church may find it expedient not to call people’s attention to these anathemas, but it cannot revoke them.

The present preference for a gentler approach to people who disagree with Catholic doctrine may explain the apparent discrepancy between the Council of Trent and the ecumenical movement.

The Catholic Church is engaging in ecumenical dialog with Protestants, calling them “separated brethren,” and speaking as if it respects their beliefs. But at the same time, behind the scenes, it still officially declares that they are damned to hell because of their beliefs.

According to the “Catholic Encyclopedia,” a person’s religious belief is “outside the realm of free private judgment”. This is consistent with the spirit behind the anathemas of the Council of Trent. (You can read this article online.) [Note 8]

In his opening speech to the Second Vatican Council, Pope John XXIII said that the Catholic Church has always opposed “errors” (disagreement with Roman Catholic doctrine). He said that the Catholic Church has often “condemned” them with great severity, but now it “prefers” to use mercy rather than severity. The Pope said that the Catholic Church is presently dealing with “errors” by doctrinal debate rather than by “condemnations”. [Note 9 has a link to this speech.]

The Catholic Church has never renounced its past practice of killing people that it considers to be heretics. On the contrary, the Office of the Inquisition still exists. It is part of the Roman Curia (the group of men who govern the Catholic Church). In 1965, its name was changed to “The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith”. It is headed by Cardinal Ratzinger. [Note 10]

Pope John Paul II issued a new edition of Roman Catholic Canon Law in 1983. According to Canon 752, whenever the Pope or the college of bishops makes a declaration concerning faith or morals, “the Christian faithful” are required to submit their mind and will to it. Furthermore, they must avoid anything which disagrees with it. (You can read this law online.) [Note 11]

According to Canon 1311, The Catholic Church has the right to coerce members of “the Christian faithful” who fail to comply with Canon Law. Canon 1312 says that offenses can be punished by depriving people of spiritual goods (such as the sacraments) and temporal goods (such as property, freedom, and other things relating to life in this world). [Note 12]

On December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX declared the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. After defining the dogma, the Pope said that if any person dares to disagree with his declaration then that person is cut off from the Catholic Church and is “condemned”. The Pope went on to say that if any person says, or writes, or in any other way outwardly expresses his or her “errors” then they become subject to punishment. (This encyclical is online.) [Note 13]

The Pope’s reference to punishment is significant because a man had been executed for heresy 28 years before this papal bull was issued. In 1826, a Spanish schoolmaster was hanged because he substituted the phrase “Praise be to God” in place of “Ave Maria” (“Hail Mary”) during school prayers. [Note 14]

On November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII issued a papal bull defining the dogma of the Assumption of Mary. He ended by saying that it is forbidden for any person to oppose his declaration. He also said that any person who attempts to oppose the dogma will incur the wrath of God and the wrath of the Apostles Peter and Paul. (This encyclical is online.) [Note 15]

Although this papal bull doesn’t openly threaten punishment, it still implies the possibility of some form of punishment. The difference in tone may be a result of the fact that in 1854, a man had recently been executed for “heresy”. In 1950, the Catholic Church had less power.

Spiritual intimidation is not confined to doctrinal issues. For centuries, Popes used excommunication and interdicts in order to pressure secular rulers into submitting to them. Forty years ago, the Archbishop of Malta (a small island near Sicily) used spiritual intimidation to prevent Catholics from voting for the Labour Party candidate during Malta’s 1962 election. For documented information about this, please see my paper entitled “Spiritual Coercion”.

Vince’s last blog post..Aphorisms

Paul was so clear in

Ephesians 5:11-13
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

http://www.americanpresbyterianchurch.org/section_ii1.htm#Chapter%207

which is basically a pretentious heresy rooted at

http://ldolphin.org/semir.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiramis

and can also be read at

http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0040/0040_01.asp
http://www.chick.com/bc/1997/marysaves.asp