Diabolical error decks itself out with ease in lying colors with some appearance of truth, so that the force of pronouncement is corrupted by a very brief addition or change, and the confession of faith which should have resulted in salvation, by a subtle transition leads to death!
Interpretation
The quote warns that deceit can disguise itself as truth, leading to destructive outcomes.
Pope Clement XIII's quote emphasizes the dangers of misrepresentation and deceit, particularly in matters of faith and belief. It suggests that even minor alterations to truth can lead individuals away from salvation, illustrating how easily one can be misled by seemingly credible falsehoods that superficially appear truthful. This serves as a cautionary reminder to remain vigilant and discerning in our pursuits of truth and understanding.
In practice
This quote could be used in a sermon discussing the importance of genuine faith and the dangers of false teachings.
I find increasingly that the more extreme are the things going on in your life, the more cultural reference points fail you. More mythical reference points actually help, and you realise that's what myths are for. It's for human beings to process their experience in extremis.
God is not something I think about but something I experience as an energy, a Presence. I do find it easier to pray to a female Presence or an androgynous Presence.
We can't leave people in abject poverty, so we need to raise the standard of living for 80% of the world's people, while bringing it down considerably for the 20% who are destroying our natural resources.
It is left... to the juries, if they think the permanent judges are under any bias whatever in any cause, to take on themselves to judge the law as well as the fact. They never exercise this power but when they suspect partiality in the judges; and by the exercise of this power they have been the firmest bulwarks of English liberty.
Money motivates neither the best people, nor the best in people. It can move the body and influence the mind, but it cannot touch the heart or move the spirit; that is reserved for belief, principle, and morality.
There's this man who lives in the sky, and he has ten things he doesn't want you to do, and you'll burn for a long time if you do them. But he loves you.
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