There are wheat and weeds. There are the saved and the lost. There are those within The Sheepfold and those without. In the final analysis, there is either Catholicism or schismism.
Schismism has a definition: schismism: preferring to be in a schism; separated from The Church Jesus Founded. syn: believing that simply saying “I believe, therefore I am saved.” is sufficient for salvation.
There are two types of those in schism. Willful schismatics are familiar with the founding of The Church by He Who fulfilled the prophecies. Despite that knowledge they reject both the history of The Church, it’s exclusive founding by Jesus, and its claims to be the only path to Heaven.
The second type of those in schism are simply unaware of The Roman Catholic Church. The current state of public education at every level has purposely made people unfamiliar with any history deemed to be politically incorrect. There is no fact more politically incorrect than “There is no salvation outside the Catholic Church.”
May we reasonably assume that, at Judgment, those who are not Catholic because they simply do not know about The Church may be judged differently than those who know about The Church and consciously choose to reject it?
One response: Every person in Europe or the Americas has seen a statue of Christ crucified. If they are not led by that to The Church He Founded, they are, quite rightly, lost.
A more charitable reaction: Many who found or lead groups in schism are skilled at confusing believers to get money from them. Those whom they fool know so little history, that they are easily led astray. The lower levels of schismism are comprised of the ignorant and gullible.
May those who consciously and knowingly reject The Church Jesus Founded in favor of one of the 40,000 schisms get into Heaven? What does The Bible say?
Matthew 18:6 must be considered. Does it apply to those who knowingly lead the less-knowledgeable into schism: “But if anyone leads astray one of these little children who believe in me he would be better off thrown into the depths of the sea with a mill-stone hung round his neck! Alas for the world with its pitfalls! In the nature of things there must be pitfalls. yet alas for the man who is responsible for them!”
We know that anyone who knowingly encourages a less knowledgeable person to leave The Church Jesus Founded is separating them from The Saving Sacraments.
The disorder has a name: schismism
