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.
We are not deceived by their pretenses to piety. We have seen their kind before. They are the heirs of all the murderous ideologies of the 20th century. By sacrificing human life to serve their radical visions - by abandoning every value except the will to power - they follow in the path of fascism, and Nazism, and totalitarianism. And they will follow that path all the way, to where it ends: in history's unmarked grave of discarded lies.
We have a limit, a very discouraging, humiliating limit: death.
In time you may discover everything that can be discovered, and still your progress will only be progress away from humanity. The distance between you and them can one day become so great that your joyous cry over some new gain could be answered by an universal shriek of horror.
We do not draw people to Christ by loudly discrediting what they believe, by telling them how wrong they are and how right we are, but by showing them a light that is so lovely that they want with all their hearts to know the source of it.
I am God's vessel. But my greatest pain in life is that I will never be able to see myself perform live.
When you give, give from the place of the heart because it is the right thing to do, not the easy thing to do.
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