I promised myself after the election, the DC riots, and all the political noise that I would divorce myself from those issues and focus my comments more on faith and spiritual matters. However, the first 100 days of Biden’s initiatives and directives that have faith implications have got my combative blood boiling.
While there are many policies and issues that he has acted upon that merit discussion, the one topic that keeps getting my attention has to do with the constant false narrative that Biden is a “devout” Catholic and, as a consequence, his views and actions regarding issues such as abortion reflect the tenants of the Catholic Church and are acceptable. Nothing could be further from the truth. Based on his words and actions I would maintain that instead of him being a devout Catholic, he is a devious one.
Devout Verses Devious
Devout is defined as believing in and being devoted to the fulfilment of religious obligations. In the case of the Catholic Church, we have the Catechism that outlines the elements of what it means to believe and act to be a “devout” Catholic. While there are many tenants attached to being “devout” such as attending weekly Mass, saying rosaries and the like, there are some that are at the core (often called the non-negotiables) that include supporting the sanctity of life, the sanctity of marriage, and the sanctity of the human person as created man and women by God. To go against those religious tenants is to participate in grave evil.
Devious is defined many ways including being untrustworthy and dishonorable by departing from right and accepted conduct. Supporting abortion is one of the clearest cases of deviousness that departs from “right” conduct.
The Harmful Message
As the most visible Catholic figure, President Biden, unfortunately, is now being seen as the public face of what it means to be a Catholic, especially as one that is promoted as being devout. As a consequence, many Americans get their perception of what the Church stands for from his words and political actions. Given that, what is it that he is projecting about our faith? First, is that a so called “devout” Catholic, need not take seriously what the Church professes and teaches, as defined in the Catechism and by the Magisterium over the centuries. Secondly, he is projecting falsehoods about what the Church teaches about abortion, same-sex marriage and transgenderism and that they are acceptable within the faith. The bottom line is his words and actions provide a corrupt presentation of what the Church stands for.
Beyond the projected falsehoods are the effects on undermining the authority of the bishops and the Pope as the true teachers of the faith. His views and actions demonstrate a disrespect for their authority and that of the whole Church. Our culture, especially the media, has a strong anti-Catholic bias to begin with, that he is just adding to. Since his practice of the faith is highlighted and perceived as the “devout” modern and developed faith, the Church itself, especially if she confronts his deviousness, is being projected as an intolerant, medieval and narrow-minded antiquated Church.
Standing up
In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis commented that Christianity is a “fighting” religion. He was not referring to being aggressive and attacking of others but to the need to fight for the “truth” and not be “wishy washy” about what we profess. The most authoritative voices to proclaim the truth are those of the Church hierarchy and its time to “name, names” of who `is standing up for what the Church professes. Some of the hierarchy such as Archbishops Cordileone and Burke, Bishops Naumann, Olmsted, Aquila, and Strickland have spoken out against giving communion to Biden and other pro-abortion politicians. Others such as Archbishops Gregory and Bishop McElroy have given him and other Catholic politicians a pass and go so far as to support giving them communion.
Both Pope Benedict the XVI and Pope Francis have issued statements that pro-abortion politicians should be denied communion. They acknowledge that abortion is the clarifying issue because it is about the most fundamental right to life and is the lynchpin for any other political or moral issue. Yet, some of the hierarchy in our country (as mentioned) are disregarding their intentions. Needless to say, that is a scandal and it further confuses and undermines what the Church stands for in the eyes of many.
It’s time for all the leaders of the Church to stand up for the honesty of our beliefs if we are to meet the goal of evangelization and demonstrate a true integrity of faith. The alternative is for the Church to be perceived by many as just another “wishy washy” religion that accommodates to the whims of the culture. We need to encourage and support the hierarchy to stand up and profess the truth and confront the deviousness of politicians like Biden. In turn, those in the hierarchy that are accommodating to his narrative need to be held accountable by their fellow clergy.
Necessary Prayer for Biden
One of the weapons we have in our arsenal is prayer. To be honest, the warrior in me finds it hard to pray for Biden, for his fellow Catholic politicians that undermine the non-negotiables, and for those bishops who ignore or support their devious piety. However, the “better angels” twist my arm and I recognize it is time to pray for their conversion. It is a needed conversion not just for Catholic politicians such as Biden but also for our bishops to recognize the truths of their professed faith and stand up to defend the integrity of our beliefs.
“So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin”. James 4:17
13 thoughts on “Biden: Devout or Devious?”
Neither Biden nor Pelosi should receive communion. Whether or not Biden and Pelosi are corrupt cannot matter to the Catholic Church. Neither one can be allowed to call themselves Catholics. The Church response must be Excommunicating both for their abortion stance and lies that they “are practicing Catholics” That is what is required to clarify the issue to all the people. It does not interfere with their ability to govern and do what they do politically.
As for judging, this. God judges the nations in the here and now as nations do not have a soul to be judged at death as individuals do. Biden is a devious heretic so what does his and Harris’ election show. I think it shows the hard corruption of many of the electorate, especially about abortion, euthanasia, marriage and transgenderism. A very hard hearted and self willed people. It shows that the people in power intend to destroy the true Catholic Church. God has judged this nation and I think many are going to suffer as this murderous nation crashes. I think God is even now removing His Hands of protection away from America. If you love and obey God through His Catholic Church continue to do so, repent of any sins and leave the judgement of your soul in His Hands.
Since Biden is no longer capable of deep thought, one must assume that, like secular matters also, some one in the religious sphere must have convinced him that his personal judgement was superior. Sounds to me like SJ but that would be presumptive on my part. Like Don, I do not judge his soul but like any other decision we make, reception of Communion is on the best apparent information available.
I find myself flummoxed at some things here. How can a Catholic ever divorce himself from the issue of abortion? Biden is not just devious, he is a heretic, apostate and has committed murder-in-the-heart of millions of unborn babies. Why would faithful Catholics often quote Protestant C. S. Lewis when there are literally hundreds of Catholic Saints to better quote. Catholica are horrible mistaken when they pray for Bidens conversion because our prayers should be against his evil deeds – “For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked” Psalm 141:5. To say that God is leading Biden is to invite blasphemy.
“To recoil before an enemy or to keep silence when from all sides such clamor is raised against truth, belongs to a man either devoid of character or one who entertains doubt as to the truth of what he professes to believe. In both cases such mode of behaving is shameful and is insulting to God, and both are incompatible with salvation of mankind.” Leo XIII, Encyclical Sapientiae Christianae
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President Biden is not perfect; before he is to be judge, why don’t we look at ourselves. Though he may have faults, God still loves him. After all, Christ laid His life for all of us, while we were sinners. We must remember, He has a country that is deeply divided and He has to find a way to bring us together; despite our differences. Millions of people have died due to the Pandemic, and certainly, God is leading him.
Abortion is not acceptable, but again, this nation’s type of government, won’t allow forcing people not to have an abortion, it is a complex issue, but I do feel Pres. Biden is doing his best. There are many people that are a lot worse than President Biden that sit in church every Sunday that are suppose to Christ believers, yet outside of the church, they are not as Christian as they perceive. “Love one another, as Christ loves us!
I will continue to pray for Biden’s conversion back to the Catholic faith! His long history of well documented corruption has made him vulnerable to Satan’s influence and has lead him into error. This error and evil has now gained a world wide pulpit and this makes it even more dangerous. It is imperative that we pray for his conversion back to the Catholic faith and plead with our Lord to send him the Holy Spirit so that he may see his errors clearly. We must pray that he begs our Lord for forgiveness and for offending Him so deeply. Catholics, all Christians and other faiths that bend their knee to GOD are being persecuted for living the truth. Sadly, todays political class, university elites and media have pushed God aside and crowned themselves gods who have the right to decide when life begins and when it ends, how many genders are now recognized, that one the color of one’s skin determines who they are and what they represent. These are dangerous times and we cannot allow our selves to be duped by those who attempt to lull us into sleep by claims that abortion is a ‘COMPLEX ISSUE”. Catholics and Christians must stand firm and be vocal against violations of Christ’s TRUTH. Pope Benedict XV in his Encyclicalm Humanum genus states: “What Saint Paul taught us was all truths and precepts of Christ, even the most demanding ones, without silencing or WATERING DOWN ANY….and he did not fear to stress that one had to choose between serving God and serving Belail, because it is not possible to serve the two together. …..never did the Preacher of the truth think he had to omit these things because they might seem harsh to his listeners, especially in the view of the corruption of the times”. Our country is in apostasy. The corruption is deep and rampant. The truth is being hidden and attacked. We must pray for Biden’s soul and all those who are waging a devious war against Christ’s truth and crowning themselves as gods through the new “woke” religion of Satan….apostasy and atheism.
Get serious Mike, and learn a great deal more about how Jesus does and does not love us by reading the bible more thoroughly and purposefully; instead of just believing in the phony gentle and generic Jesus that too many people do both inside and outside His church.
The Bible, which has life through the breath of our Triune God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, clearly says that when anyone is committing a mortal sin in full view and knowledge of the entire church then that person is to be brought before the church for admonishment and correction. However, if said person is obstinate and does not want to repent then we are to throw them out into the world for sATAN to deal with them (i.e. for the destruction of their, sinful, flesh but the, hopeful, salvation of their soul).
Excommunication is not only commanded for such people it is also meant as a medicinal remedy for the damage they have done to their soul, which threatens to pollute others as well. That is the “love” we are called to in this cases and others like it, so please stop playing nice with sin and get serious about it in your conversations and walk with the Lord!
What the heart believes the mouth speaks (or the keystrokes write).
In Christ,
Andrew
Well said.
Logical fallacy. The fact that God loves me does not entitle me to receive the Eucharist. For example, God loves Muslims, Mormons and Satanists but they are not entitled to receive the Eucharist, regardless what their conscience may tell them. Limiting ourselves to whether a baptized Catholic may receive, both the Catechism and Canon Law state that no one who has committed a grave sin (e.g., publicly supporting and advancing the murder of the unborn) may receive without first going to sacramental confession. In order to be absolved in confession, the person must have a firm purpose of amendment (i.e., a resolve to avoid the sin in the future). No one is “judging” the state of Joe Biden’s soul before God (or, at least, they shouldn’t be). That’s between him and God. But, we can and must judge that his objective actions place him outside of Catholic communion. To allow him to receive the Eucharist risks both sacrilege and scandal and deepens the risk of his own condemnation. Therefore, to allow him to receive, while it may be an act of tolerance, is not an act of love. It is the opposite.
well said.
In Nov 2020, Biden asked us to judge him and his fitness for office. If he did not wish to have his actions judged, he should not have run for President. As I said earlier, his religion is his business and the Almighty’s but he is to account for his actions here to the people he seeks to govern.
Yeah, right.
Look at ourselves and then STFU. Do nothing, say nothing.
Nope, wrong and not sorry. The blood of the dismembered innocent children demands a lot more that what you propose….which is a path for cowards.