Pope Francis and the assembled cardinals of Canada are under fire for participating in a pagan “smudging” ceremony during the Pope’s recent Canadian visit. Unless this was sprung on them without their foreknowledge, I agree. The self-ordained shaman with his turkey bone is probably simply a fraud. If so, the pope and cardinals participating make themselves, and the church, look ridiculous. Sitting there in silent assent to New Age pseudo-profundity like “the heart is like a talking stick.”
But if he is not a fraud, he is summoning demons: calling on the “Western grandmother” to gather the “circle of spirits.”
There is a vital distinction here between monotheistic religions and paganism. Muslims, Jews, or devotional Hindus all worship the same one true God. All other “gods” are demons. The Bible, either Old Testament or New Testament, is clear that Christians must not participate in their worship.
If Francis and the cardinals do not understand this, they cannot represent the Christian religion.