Catholics Piety Piousness Liberal Reformers Protestants

SO YOU THOUGHT PIETY WAS A BAD THING? 

TIME TO THINK AGAIN!

Did you know that 400 years ago, before the protestant reformation, piety formed a natural part of Catholic life. Piety was seen as a worthy trait. Have you ever wondered why so many of our popes have the name Pius if it is such a bad thing???

When the protestants and non-conformists became dominant all this quickly changed.  PDA's (public displays of affection adoration) became frowned upon because the 'state' sanctioned religions turned their back on the sacred practices that had formed part of the Catholic faith. This was because the 'state' wanted no vestige of Catholicism left in England. Note that this was the 'first time the baby was thrown out with the bath water'!

 All was not lost and piety once again took hold after the Catholic Relief Act and Act of Emancipation meant that we were once again legally allowed to practice our faith. As Catholics we returned to our old traditions, and piety was allowed to flourish. However, we then had the beginning of what some Catholics call the 'Second Internal Protestant  Reformation' which occurred after Vatican II. This once again involved the sacred aspects of Catholicism being discarded, but this time the 'second baby' was being thrown out with the bath water by internal forces from within the Church who were only interested in liberal reform.

SO WHAT WAS THE CONSPIRACY THEORY THAT THEY USED TO MAKE YOU BELIEVE THAT PIETY WAS BAD (EVEN TO THIS DAY)?

Well both the original 'state' reformers, and internal Catholic reformers (clergy & laity) told everyone (and still do) that displays of piousness were/are to be avoided because:

1. Those being pious are really 'acting' holier than thou.

2. These displays were not genuine and equated to the outward signs of the Pharisees.

HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THE REFORMERS WERE/ARE ALL WRONG?

1. The Pharisees were known for their outward signs, however the rules in the Catholic Church (including those involving reverence) are for internal conversion toward Christ (and are NOT Pharisaic).

2. One of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit is REVERENCE which is also known as the GIFT OF PIETY. [Geddit!]. Proof that genuine piety is of God and 'anti-piety' is of man, because any self respecting theologian will tell you that the Holy Spirit can not contradict Himself.

WHEN LIBERAL REFORMERS (CLERGY & LAITY) STOP CHRISTIANS BEING PIOUS (i.e. SHOWING REVERENCE) THEY BECOME COMPLICIT IN PLACING
BARRIERS BETWEEN GOD AND MAN 

i.e. 
THEY BECOME COMPLICIT IN DOING 
SATAN'S WORK FOR HIM.

It only takes one genuinely pious person in a Church to encourage others to be inwardly reverent and to show them the way to God.