The answer is (in my opinion) yes, it does sound like conspiracy theories. It also sounds like the paranoia and Red baiting of the McCarthy era.

Masonry developed in Europe and while I don’t think most if any of the Masons are secretly infiltrating The Church or Government, (They are in fact very overt about themselves) I find the [i:396vyamk][b:396vyamk]The Permanent Instruction of the Alta Vendita[/b:396vyamk][/i:396vyamk] and the book [u:396vyamk][b:396vyamk]AA-1025[/b:396vyamk][/u:396vyamk] both published by Tan (http://www.tanbooks.com) to be as credible as the [i:396vyamk][b:396vyamk]Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion[/b:396vyamk][/i:396vyamk]. Both I find to be hysterical rantings of someone who needed to make some money and wanted to frighten the gullible. Tan has published some very good and some very spurious books. Thomas Nelson has grown and developed over the years, and his choices in what he publishes, with the advise of a few good priests has improved, but he still prints books (like the above) that I find spurious to say the least.

I fear your argument that there are no encyclicals against Buddhists and Hindus to be without merit. As I mentioned above Masonry, (Which equates the Buddhist and Hindu, as well as Muslim and Pagan Naturalism) as equally valid as any Protestant, or Orthodox “Church” is a danger to the Church based on it’s false teachings. If Buddhism had become half as popular as Masonry and posed a threat by it’s influence to Catholics in Europe or the USA at the time of the American and French Revolutions, I do think the Pope would have written against it. But I just don’t buy your argument, nor the spurious books that claim to be secret documents that have been uncovered. If the Masons where as powerful, demonic and cunning as they are presented in these (most probably) fictional books, I am sure they would have never been printed. I also know a few former 33rd Degree Masons, now loyal Roman Catholics who would be either dead or have hidden their former membership in the Masons if the conspiratorial theories where true.

As for Fr. Gobbi, I have a few of his books, I don’t remember them having Imprimaturs by one let alone many Cardinals and bishops, but I’ll dig them out of the box they may be in and see, Unlike spurious seers, I don’t myself claim the charism of infallibility. And while we are discussing his less than credible and atypical of approved seers, long term visions, view this priest’s site…. http://www.catholicdoors.com/isit/isit01.htm

I would ask you Cub if you have not already, to seek a priest faithful to Holy Mother the Church to be your Spiritual Director rather than take my word as having any authority on the subject.

I’d also ask for your reply to a posting I made several months ago about the Alleged Apparitions in Cairo. So you don’t have to look through the postings, you stated that the Alleged sitings of our Lady where approved by Archbishops and Bishops of the Church. Those Abps and Bps I pointed out are not Catholic Bishops but Coptic Orthodox bishops who follow the Arian heresy.

One last thing before I take the dogs out for a walk. The opinions I have shared are my own, not those of this board or it’s moderator.