“”C.S. Lewis once remarked that he was a converted pagan living in a nation of apostate Puritans - to a large extent, that’s the situation in which American Christians find themselves today. When one reflects it appears to have happened really quickly, it didn’t, our downfall was that we weren’t paying attention because we were too busy being robotic slaves and didn’t pay attention. The Church has been warning us over the centuries.””
Exactly true!
I always appreciate this when people understand this! Sadly,very few people do,but as you pointed out through various papal encyclicals(some of my favorites),the Church saw the error immediately because it has battled similar things through the ages.
I’ll send you something you might like through freepmail-It’s not appreciated in open forum here on FR
HUMANUM GENUS
Pope Leo XIII April 20, 1884 - (excerpts)
‘The race of man, after its miserable fall from God, the Creator and the Giver of heavenly gifts, “through the envy of the devil,” SEPARATED INTO TWO DIVERSE AND OPPOSITE PARTS, of which the one steadfastly contends for truth and virtue, the other of those things which are contrary to virtue and to truth. THE ONE IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH...THE OTHER IS THE KINGDOM OF SATAN, in whose possession and control are all whosoever follow the fatal example of their leader and of our first parents, those who refuse to obey the divine and eternal law, and who have many aims of their own in contempt of God, and many aims also against God.’
‘THIS TWOFOLD KINGDOM St. Augustine keenly discerned and described after the manner of two cities, contrary in their laws because striving for contrary objects; and with a subtle brevity he expressed the efficient cause of each in these words: Two loves formed two cities: the love of self, reaching even to contempt of God, an earthly city; and the love of God, reaching to contempt of self, a heavenly one...’
‘The first warning of the danger was given by Clement XII in the year l738, and his constitution was confirmed and renewed by Benedict XIV. Pius VII followed the same path; and Leo XII, by his apostolic constitution, Quo Graviora, put together the acts and decrees of former Pontiffs on this subject, and ratified and confirmed them forever. In the same sense spoke Pius VIII, Gregory XVI, and, many times over.....’
‘Our duty to use Our authority to the very utmost against so vast an evil. We have several times already, as occasion served, attacked certain chief points of teaching which showed in a special manner the perverse influence of MASONIC opinions. Thus, in Our encyclical letter, Quod Apostolici Muneris, We endeavored to refute the monstrous doctrines of the SOCIALISTS AND COMMUNISTS...’
‘It is now Our intention, following the example of Our predecessors, directly to treat of the masonic society itself, of its whole teaching, of its aims, and of its manner of thinking and acting, in order to bring more and more into the light its power for evil, and to do what We can to arrest the contagion of this fatal plague.’
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/leo_xiii/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_18840420_humanum-genus_en.html
Pope Leo XII - Albert Pikes responded to Humanum Genus -
http://www.scribd.com/doc/911698/Humanum-Genus-Pope-Against-Freemasons-Albert-Pike-Response
In St Augustine’ time I believe there were at least 30 gnostic religions. The Holy Father(s) threw down the gauntlet - it’s astounding how Pope Leo XII and our other dear Popes were proven right in all of their predictions.
As Fred Hayek posted above - “There is nothing new about “New Age”,in fact it is the oldest lie. “The Serpent said to Eve “You shall be as gods...’”.”