Apostasy In Our Time

 One of the most pernicious documents ever to come out of the Modernist Second Vatican Council was Nostra Aetate ("In Our Time"). Promulgated on October 28, 1965 by Montini ("Pope" Paul VI), it deals with the relation of the Vatican II sect to non-Christian religions. It specifically names four of the largest such sects, to wit: Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Much has been said concerning the evils of Islam and modern day Judaism. In this post, I will focus on two less discussed pagan sects, Hinduism and Buddhism, and how Vatican II facilitated their acceptance in our Western Society.

Nostra Aetate, Hinduism and Buddhism

 In paragraph # 2 of Nostra Aetate, we read, "Thus in Hinduism, men contemplate the divine mystery and express it through an inexhaustible abundance of myths and through searching philosophical inquiry. They seek freedom from the anguish of our human condition either through ascetical practices or profound meditation or a flight to God with love and trust.Again, Buddhism, in its various forms, realizes the radical insufficiency of this changeable world; it teaches a way by which men, in a devout and confident spirit, may be able either to acquire the state of perfect liberation, or attain, by their own efforts or through higher help, supreme illumination. Likewise, other religions found everywhere try to counter the restlessness of the human heart, each in its own manner, by proposing "ways," comprising teachings, rules of life, and sacred rites. The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions. She regards with sincere reverence those ways of conduct and of life, those precepts and teachings which, though differing in many aspects from the ones she holds and sets forth, nonetheless often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men. Indeed, she proclaims, and ever must proclaim Christ "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6), in whom men may find the fullness of religious life, in whom God has reconciled all things to Himself." Is this an accurate description of Hinduism and Buddhism? Should we "regard with sincere reverence" those precepts and teachings "that...reflect a ray of Truth"?  Is it possible to do so while proclaiming Christ as "the Way, the Truth, and the Life?" 

1. Hinduism

Hinduism is the third largest religion in the world today with about 800 million adherents. Hinduism does not have an individual founder.  Scholars typically trace its origins to around 1500 B.C. in what is now known as India.  It began as a polytheistic and ritualistic family of religions with various sacred rites performed by the heads of particular households or tribes. Around 800 to 300 B.C. the Upanishads were written.  The Upanishads might be very loosely considered Hinduism's equivalent of the New Testament.  This book expounds on the idea that behind the many gods stands one ultimate reality known as Brahman.  Brahman is an impersonal essence that is the basis of all existence.  Hindu thinkers of the time began to understand Brahman as "nirguna," which means "without attributes or qualities." 

Herein lie the three major false teachings within Hinduism: (a) it is polytheistic, (b) it is pantheistic, and (c) it is inherently immoral. 

2. The Teaching of the Church

The First Vatican Council decreed in the Dogmatic Constitution On The Catholic Faith ("Dei Filius") Chapter 1: 

"The Holy Catholic Apostolic Roman Church believes and confesses that there is one true and living God, Creator and Lord of heaven and earth, Almighty, Eternal, Immense, Incomprehensible, Infinite in intelligence, in will, and in all perfection, who, as being one, sole, absolutely simple and immutable spiritual substance, is to be declared as really and essentially distinct from the world, of supreme beatitude in and from Himself, and ineffably exalted above all things which exist, or are conceivable, except Himself." 

Hinduism is polytheistic, believing in a multiplicity of "gods." These so-called gods are part of the ultimate impersonal reality of Brahman. This is a form of pantheism which teaches that "God" and nature are the same thing. Pantheism comes from two Greek words, pan meaning "all" and theos meaning "god."  Since God is the Supreme Being, it is illogical to assert more than one "god," unless you lower the definition for "god" which is exactly what Hindus have done. The "gods" have power over certain things and sometimes even need things from us. This is not God. 

Pantheism, either asserts that the universe and God are identical (which is basically atheism with reverence for nature), or nature is an integral part of God (for example, my heart is not me, but an essential part without which I cannot survive). Now, read again the definition of the First Vatican Council. It is unambiguously monotheistic (One True God distinct from the universe He created). To what "god" do Hindus take "a flight to God with love and trust" as Vatican II taught? 

Hinduism is inherently immoral. There can be no Divine Commandments. Hindus consider "everything to be sacred." Sacred to whom? If everything is "sacred" how do I survive by eating meat or vegetation which are also "sacred"? If there is no objective standard outside yourself, there are no objective moral standards either. To kill someone or not to kill someone is therefore a mere matter of preference or dislike. Who, or what, determines that which would be "sacrilegious"? This is a blueprint for moral relativism and chaos. Hinduism's teaching on reincarnation leads to a "caste system" where poor people are in that state allegedly because of their past life of which they have no remembrance (since it's not true). Eventually the soul will become "one with Brahman."  

Infallibly taught by Vatican I:

1. If anyone shall deny One true God, Creator and Lord of things visible and invisible; let him be anathema. 

2. If anyone shall not be ashamed to affirm that, except matter, nothing exists; let him be anathema. 

3. If anyone shall say that the substance and essence of God and of all things is one and the same; let him be anathema. 

4. If anyone shall say that finite things, both corporeal and spiritual, or at least spiritual, have emanated from the Divine substance; or that the Divine essence, by the manifestation and evolution of itself, becomes all things; or, lastly, that God is a universal or indefinite being, which by determining itself constitutes the universality of things, distinct according to genera, species and individuals; let him be anathema. 

3. Hinduism Grows in Influence

 As a result of Vatican II, Hinduism has gained a strong foothold here in the West. According to The Yoga Tradition. Its History, Literature, Philosophy and Practice by Georg Feuerstein, PH.D. (Hohm Press, Prescott, Arizona, [1998], xviii), "Yoga is the union of the individual psyche with the transcendental Self."  The "god" expressed in Yoga is spoken of as the Absolute, Higher Self, Ultimate, Divine Consciousness, Transcendental Self, and a plethora of other titles that speak of an impersonal, pantheistic deity that is in all things, though transcendent beyond them. Yoga is pushed during Vatican II retreats, and is even offered in their schools and churches. 

Pantheism is surreptitiously advanced in popular movies such as Avatar (2009), and the Star Wars franchise ("May the Force be with you"--an impersonal energy that pervades the universe). 

4. Buddhism

Buddhism began as a reform movement within Hinduism. As of 2010, it has approximately 500 million adherents. It started with Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha is a title meaning "enlightened one"). His basic beliefs are summed up in the Four Noble Truths:

• Life is suffering

• Suffering is caused by desires for pleasure and prosperity

• Suffering can be overcome by eliminating desires

• Desire can be eliminated by the Eightfold Path

The Eightfold Path teaches: (1) right knowledge ("Four Noble Truths"), (2) right intentions, (3) right speech, (4) right conduct, (5) right occupation, (6) right effort, (7) right mindfulness, and (8) right meditation (Yoga again). It suffers from all the same defects as Hinduism, but with atheistic and profound sounding nonsense ("What is the sound of one hand clapping?"). The goal of all Buddhists is not Heaven, because there is no God in Gautama’s teaching. Rather they seek Nirvana, the elimination of all suffering, desires, and the illusion of self-existence. Buddhism, like Hinduism, teaches a cycle of births and re-births (reincarnation) until one's "karma" which is generally defined as "the sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences" is good enough to acquire Nirvana. 

The problems with Buddhism's teachings are manifold. In addition to those of Hinduism, since Buddhism denies a spiritual soul, what exactly gets "reincarnated"? Since there is no God and all is "One," who judges what is good karma and bad karma when you die? 

5. Vatican II "popes" and paganism

• Almost exactly 21 years after Nostra Aetate, on October 27, 1986, with permission of John Paul II, the Dalai Lama and the  Tibetan Buddhist monks of his sect placed a small statue of Buddha over the tabernacle of St. Peter Church in Assisi at the first Assisi Prayer Meeting for Peace with all the false religions. 

The True Church teaches: "And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish," (Deuteronomy 8:19).

• Upon his arrival to celebrate a "mass" at a stadium in New Delhi, India, John Paul II receives a "blessing" from a Hindu religious woman for protection from their demon "gods." 

The True Church teaches: "Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods," (Joshua 24:16).

• Under Ratzinger ("Pope" Benedict XVI), The "Pontifical Council For Interreligious Dialogue" wrote in 2007: "As Diwali approaches, your religious feast, I am sure all of you in your respective families, neighborhoods and communities will be taking time to share your joy with one another. On behalf of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue I am happy to have this opportunity, for the first time since taking office, to send you my greetings. Sensitive to your religious feelings and respectful of your ancient religious tradition, I sincerely hope that your search for the Divine, symbolized through the celebration of Diwali, will help you to overcome darkness with light, untruth with truth and evil with goodness." (Emphasis mine)

"Diwali" is the pagan Hindu festival of lights celebrated in autumn each year (October 19, this year of 2017). It symbolizes the victory of "light over darkness." Yet the light of Christ has no place in their demonic religion. "Bear not the yoke with unbelievers. For what participation hath justice with injustice? Or what fellowship hath light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14). 

• Bergoglio ("Pope" Francis) "canonized" Wojtyla ("Pope" John Paul II). 

"Woe to you that call evil good, and good evil: that put darkness for light, and light for darkness: that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. " (Isaiah 5: 20). 

Conclusion

The growth of paganism and its ideas continue to grow unabated after Vatican II. Not only are there more adherents to these false religions, but their evil teachings, such as reincarnation, have reached an acceptance in the West unthinkable 50 years ago. The basic principle enunciated in Nostra Aetate is wicked, namely, to "reject nothing that is true and holy" in these religions (Judaism and Islam, as well as Hinduism and Buddhism). On that basis, one could esteem and respect Satan worship, because they believe certain things that are true. A car that has all working parts except the battery has many "true parts" of a car. However, you shouldn't put your faith in it to get you where you need to go. Only the Truth, entire and unadulterated, has the ability to save you and bring you to Heaven. This Truth is found in the only Ark of Salvation, the Traditionalist Catholic Church. Hold fast to the True Faith, for many souls are being damned in false religions with the approval of the Vatican II sect "in our time."