Papolatry: Pope And God?
For us in the Catholic Church, we have a rather sharp distinction in the type of worship that we offer.
We have Latria, which is divine worship, or the worship of God. We have Dulia, which is a mere service tendered to the Saints in heaven, and we have Hyperdulia which is the superior service which we tender to the Mother of God.
It is inconceivable that we should mix up on these and get confused. It is even more inconceivable that we should accept or permit towards ourselves anything smacking of the leastest bit of latria.
But it is precisely that the Antichurch has adopted a Hindu rite of latria which they (the Hindus) also use on ordinary persons, because they (the Hindus) believe that all lifeforms are part of and is God, and which the Antichurch uses in like manner in its liturgies. And used for its Antipope John-Paul II, with his prior knowledge and assent, since all protocols are checked and approved beforehand.
Quotations on the Aarti Ceremony
Rediff.com
"Another symbolic gesture of worship to Jesus Christ present in the form of bread and wine is the Indian Aarti."
- Interview given by Pravin Fernandes, the spokesman of the Bombay Diocese of the Antichurch, to Rediff.com
Theme Tourism in India & alacarteindia.com
TRADITIONAL WELCOME - The warmth of Indian hospitality & the custom of welcoming guests is as old as the time itself. On arrival, as you step into the hotel, ladies in traditional local costumes greet you with flowers & perform the "aarti" ceremony. After having your forehead anointed with traditional red "tikka" relax with non-alcoholic welcome drink. Available at all the Taj Group of Hotels and also at most of the other hotels.
The Vivekananda Mission in England
Aarti (waving a lamp in front of the deity) ceremony may be carried out to invoke and welcome the deity.
We may observe the 'aarti' ceremony (a lamp is gently waved in front of the deity in a clockwise direction). The lamp is passed around and everyone cups their hands over the lamp to receive blessings.
Tilak - (mark on the forehead) may be made to awaken spirituality. The mark is usually made with red powder (kumkum).
The Swaminarayan Sect
One should concentrate fully on the deities to whom he is offering the Aarti.
Frontline Magazine, report on the visit of the antipope John-Paul 2 & services he held on 7th November 1999, in New Delhi
Other Indian characteristics included the singing of a Tamil devotional song and an aarti ceremony.
My Bindi Website
Begin with Aarti to evoke the Gods and offer your prayers.
The following extract is from James Akin's "The Nazareth Resource Library"
"Q: Someone in the schismatic group the Society of St. Pius X told me that when the Pope was in India he had his forehead anointed by a Hindu 'priestess of Shiva' and that there is a photo to prove it.� Is this true?
"A: There is a photo of the pope having his forehead anointed by an Indian woman, but, she was a Catholic, not a Hindu priestess!�
She was giving a traditional Indian form of greeting known as 'Aarti,' which has no more religious significance than a handshake in western culture or giving someone a wreath of flowers as a welcome in Hawaii.
"A letter dated November 22, 1994 from the Pontifical Council for Social Communications explains the custom and its role in Indian society:
" 'Indian Catholics...use "Aarti" when a child returns home after receiving First Holy Communion, and when a newly married couple are received by their respective families.� Nowadays, "Aarti" is often performed to greet the principal celebrant at a liturgical event, as it was on the occasion shown in the photograph.� On such occasions, "Aarti" is usually offered by a Catholic married lady, and certainly not by a "priestess of Shiva" as has been alleged.'
"The letter, by Archbishop John P. Foley, president of the pontifical council, went on to note: 'Use of the "Aarti" ceremonial by Indian Catholics is no more the worship of a heathen deity than is the decoration of the Christmas tree by American Christians a return to the pagan rituals of Northern Europe.'
"Your schismatic friend in the Society of St Pius X should check his facts before spreading such malicious gossip about the Holy Father (cf. Acts 23:1-5).� He was simply about to say Mass and received the traditional Indian form of greeting for the celebrant." (2)
The Aarti Controversy
While surfing the Internet, I found an article defending the antipope Voltiva (the Polish actor) for his deliberate reception of divine worship, as if he were God, in the form of the Hindu Aarti. This is the article written by the Antichurch apologist, J. F. Loughnan.
An interconnected set of sites run by apologists of the Antichurch, such as William Grossklas, J. F. Loughnan, James Atkins, etc., set out to defend this obviously idolatrous act as a legitimate and mere act of homage in the Indian style.
Now, because I am an Indian, I am well aware that the Aarti is not a mere act of homage but an act of worship of divinity, whether of idols or of persons. The aarti is a common feature of Indian life, and features regularly on T.V., the press, etc.
It is fundamentally an expression of the Hindu Advaita belief that all souls ('atmas') are a part of the divine substance and are in fact 'God', though in delusion ('maya') by which they do not recognize this fact. Therefore, religion, accordingly consists of overcoming this delusion and attaining to this truth and reunion with the mother divine substance, the Brahmatma.
This is summed up in the famous mantra "Tat tuam ast!" "That you are!" meaning that you, me, we are all gods and part of the supreme godhead.
This belief is the core of the Hindu Advaita 'gospel.'
It has been adopted over the last few centuries in the West, since its gradual rebellion against Christianity, first in the Protestant schisms, then in the French and other Freemasonic usurpations of European and American governments, and is largely the source of the New Age movement, finding expression in such epic mythologies as the 'Star Wars' - "the force is with you!"
I wrote to the three main persons who defended this reception by Voltiva of the worship of Aarti.
But the Three Musketeers of the antipope Voltiva resolutely refused to admit the facts and persisted in defending this obscene crime! They insisted, flying in the face of the facts, that the Aarti is merely an act of homage, of greeting and respect.
The Punchline? One of the 'priests' of this very sect wrote (in an article not directly connected to this controversy) that the Aarti is indeed an act of worship, thus inadvertently exposing the falsehood of the Three Musketeers! (see From the Horse's Mouth!)
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