From my study of eschatology, I know what the Antichrist’s false religion will be like, it’s perverse imitation of the Sacraments, its priestesses and female head (similar to a Pope), its encouragement of grave sins of sex, violence, greed, pride, and much more. And I see elements in secular society and in religious error today which is aimed in that direction. These things get worse and worse until they reach their height during the Antichrist’s reign.
And this is what is meant by the spirit of the antichrist: the errors and sins that build as time passes, preparing the way for his evil reign. As the holiness of the Israelites prepared the way for the true Messiah, Jesus Christ, so conversely does the evil in society and in religion prepare the way for the false Messiah, the Antichrist.
This rebellion against Pope Francis is the spirit of the Antichrist. It is not Francis who is preparing the way for his future evil reign (in the 25th century), but rather his opponents. The Roman Pontiff represents Christ, and speaks with His authority. So those who rebel against the Pope are rebelling against Christ. They are part of this spirit of the Antichrist. And yet, in their arrogance, they think themselves to be the saviors of the Church and the world.
Like the Antichrist: They reject Church authority. They scribe to themselves a role above all temporal societies and all religions. They promote grave sexual sins (e.g. sins within marriage), while pretending to be holy. They wish to guide others to be like themselves, rather than to be like Jesus. They think they can decide all questions on faith and morals. They attack anyone who disagrees. They judge and condemn Christ, by judging and condemning His Vicars. They wish to form a religion patterned after their own desires. And they think themselves to be holier than (the Vicar of) Christ. All these things are the spirit of the Antichrist.
In the best case, the papal accusers will suffer in Purgatory until the end of time. Some are probably not in the state of grace and are in grave danger of eternal punishment. They accuse the Pope of not believing in Hell, yet they are well on the way there themselves.
Ronald L Conte Jr
There is an odd logic fallacy in the anti-Bergoglian party that will be probably exposed when our Holy Father resigns or dies. I believe that, as you already said, the next Pope will be a conservative. It’s inevitable. Now the question is: how can they believe, without inconsistencies, that he will be a valid Pope? If Bergoglio is an Antipope, as they say, then many cardinals in the current College will be invalid. According to Wikipedia, the current College of Cardinals is formed by 59 cardinal electors chosen by Bergoglio, with only 47 created by Pope Benedict and 19 by Pope John Paul II.
The current rules of the Church establish that the Pope must be elected by 2/3 of the College of Cardinals, but if Bergoglio is an invalid Pope, only 53% of the cardinals would be valid electors for a new Pope.I think that this might be a premise to the double conservative-progressivist schism that will happened under Francis’ successor. He will disappoint both parties, because he will be a conservative that will not meet the most extreme demands of the ultra-reformists on issues such as women priests, abortion etc., but at the same time he will not condemn his predecessor, probably keeping some of his reforms, just with a few more conservative adjustments.
The conservatives will start to attack the new Pope, claiming that he is invalid because he was elected by fake Cardinals chosen by an Anti-Pope. They will probably investigate the Conclave, looking for the name of the second runner for the Papacy, will be pointed out as the valid Pope and proposed as a valid successor to Ratzinger after a supposed sede vacante. The reformists will probably side with the new Pope for a while, until they understand that he is no supporter of their extreme views. And the Church will break apart. What do you think, Ron?
“He will disappoint both parties, because he will be a conservative that will not meet the most extreme demands of the ultra-reformists on issues such as women priests, abortion etc., but at the same time he will not condemn his predecessor, probably keeping some of his reforms, just with a few more conservative adjustments.”
I’ve been saying the same thing. Once you reject a Pope, you are stuck rejecting all of his successors, because they are not going to reject any predecessor.
Many conservatives will depart under Francis, and not return under his successor (Pius 13). Many liberals will depart under Pius 13. But the Church will continue indefectible.
I still cannot in good conscience agree with what the Pope thinks vis a vis the death penalty in modern times, nor can I accept the abominable practice of aiding millions of illegal immigrants break the law every year as just. What does that make me?
“Not all moral issues have the same moral weight as abortion and euthanasia. For example, if a Catholic were to be at odds with the Holy Father on the application of capital punishment or on the decision to wage war, he would not for that reason be considered unworthy to present himself to receive Holy Communion. While the Church exhorts civil authorities to seek peace, not war, and to exercise discretion and mercy in imposing punishment on criminals, it may still be permissible to take up arms to repel an aggressor or to have recourse to capital punishment. There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty, but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia.” -Cardinal Ratzinger as Prefect of the CDF