Catholic during the Great Apostasy

False mercy is like a stamp on the forehead, marking a person who supports modernism in today’s Church. In fact, it is no different from the attitude of people who speak, or even shout, about tolerance. They all represent a lie – a visible, unconcealed one, yet so many of us refuse to see or hear it. Tolerance is now called the acceptance of all perversions, deviations, and other faiths, but this does not apply to Christians. In practice, this is evident at every turn as fanatical devotion to leftist ideology. I will write about this fanaticism and its sources in my next text.
The communists employed one effective method: either you agree with the only righteous communist party, or you get a bullet in the back of the head. Times have changed, but the general premises remain the same and are always marked by hatred. Once, under a politician’s post conveying greetings – if I recall correctly – for Ramadan, there were dozens, if not hundreds, of comments about tolerance, love, etc. Yet when someone asked why there were no similar wishes for Christian holidays, tolerance and love quickly turned into hatred and accusations of racism.

A lack of spiritual balance, that is, weaving lies into some ideology, always leads to fanaticism and hatred. The same situation occurs among the followers of so-called false mercy, meaning salvation no matter what, which boils down to the claim that crime goes unpunished – a denial of justice. This is complete nonsense, not only in the context of faith but also in social, economic, or political life. Modernists, adherents of the ideology of love, claim, for instance, that hell is empty, yet I have often heard them say with hatred that I will be the one burning in hell. Everything based on false premises unleashes hatred and a complete lack of logic. It’s no wonder, then, that we see a rise in depression and suicides – this is the effect of a lack of spiritual balance rooted in truth.
Let’s look at the ideology of false mercy, inextricably linked to the so-called modern Catholic Church – or rather an institution that unlawfully uses that name – from the perspective of psychology, that is, science.
The concept of “false mercy” and the psyche.
The idea that everything will be forgiven without consequences can be analyzed in the context of moral psychology and motivation theory. Humans function within moral systems that regulate behavior through rewards (e.g., social acceptance, peace of conscience) and punishments (e.g., guilt, social ostracism). If someone believes there is no punishment for wrongdoings – neither in a religious sense (hell) nor a social one (accountability) – it may weaken their internal moral restraints. Studies on self-determination theory (Deci and Ryan) show that people need a sense of meaning and responsibility to maintain a healthy psyche. When moral principles lose their weight (e.g., through the belief that “everything goes unpunished”), it can lead to a loosening of self-control. In extreme cases, this results in so-called anomie – a state where the absence of norms causes disorientation and even destructive behavior. Sociologist Emile Durkheim described anomie as a factor contributing to increased crime and suicide rates in societies where traditional values lose significance.
Impact on the psyche: lack of punishment and guilt.
Psychologically, the absence of consequences for wrong actions can disrupt the mechanism of guilt, which is crucial for mental health. Guilt, though unpleasant, motivates people to repair harm and maintain social bonds. Research (e.g., Tangney, 2007) shows that individuals who do not feel guilt for their actions – like psychopaths – tend to exhibit antisocial behavior. The narrative of an “empty hell” and universal forgiveness may weaken this mechanism in believers, leading to greater indifference toward others’ suffering. On the other hand, for those with a strong conscience, such a narrative can cause cognitive dissonance – a conflict between ingrained moral principles and the idea that “nothing matters.” This, in turn, can lead to anxiety, confusion, or even depression, as confirmed by studies on stress caused by unclear moral norms (e.g., Haidt, 2012).
Social psychology perspective.
If someone perceives the Church as a place where sins are automatically forgiven and spiritual authority shields them from responsibility, it may attract individuals with personality disorders, such as narcissistic or antisocial traits.
Scientific studies: morality and the psyche.

Spiritual balance and the impact of tattoos on the psyche

Milgram’s experiments (1963): These showed that a lack of personal responsibility (e.g., “I’m just following orders”) makes it easier to commit immoral acts. Similarly, belief in the absence of punishment for sins could reduce inhibitions.
Studies on religiosity and mental health: Gordon Allport’s work (1950) and modern research (Koenig, 2012) indicate that mature religiosity – based on internal motivation and principles – supports mental health. In contrast, superficial or distorted religiosity (e.g., “everything will be forgiven”) can lead to cynicism or nihilism.
Evolutionary psychology: Jonathan Haidt, in The Righteous Mind (2012), emphasizes that morality evolved as a mechanism for social cooperation. If consequences for breaking rules are removed, group cohesion weakens, potentially increasing chaos and aggression – both at the individual and societal levels.
Summary: impact on the psyche.
A scientific approach suggests that the narrative of “false mercy” could:
– Weaken the motivation to adhere to moral principles, leading some to a greater propensity for wrongdoing.
– Cause psychological confusion in those who value justice and responsibility.
Psychological effects of such a narrative.
If “false mercy” – understood as a lack of moral demands and automatic forgiveness – is perceived as the norm, it affects the psyche in several ways:
Erosion of moral responsibility: Studies on motivation (e.g., Bandura’s self-efficacy theory) show that people need to feel their choices matter. If everything is forgiven without effort, it can lead to moral apathy – why bother striving when “everyone goes to heaven anyway”? In some, this reduces the drive for self-improvement, which over time can result in existential emptiness.
Cynicism and nihilism: When traditional boundaries of good and evil blur (e.g., “Judas wasn’t so bad”), people may begin to doubt the meaning of any principles. Research on nihilism (e.g., Nietzsche interpreted through modern psychology) indicates that a lack of clear values leads to increased cynicism and, in extreme cases, depression or self-destructive behavior.
As always, everything that contradicts the truth given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ also contradicts the laws governing this world. In the “Spiritual Balance” series, we demonstrate the destructive impact of such ideas on the human psyche. Yet the most terrifying thing is that people do not simply reject such illogical ideologies themselves – they even fanatically defend them. False mercy means they will end up after death alongside criminals like Hitler and Stalin – though certainly not in heaven, as they convince themselves and others.

Arkadiusz