My Five Year Plan

My Five Year Plan - When I first started reading the Bible, I thought that it might be nice if someone listed the 613 commandments of the Mosaic Law and gave the rationale as to whether each is binding on Christians. I finally decided to take on the task myself. However, at the rate that I'm going, this will take me about five years. For more background on this blog, click here. If you take issue with any conclusions please post them. I'll be happy to engage in cordial discourse. ...Finally, if you are here for the first time, it's probably best to scroll down and read the posts in chronological order. The archive is to the right.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Curses, Dedications, Consecrations, and Blood Contracts

I am going to do this post, one on fasting, and also finish the series on religious ecstasy before the start of Lent. Therefore, my posts on Mosaic Law might be a bit scarcer over the next couple of weeks.  

I’m starting with this post because the information below helped me to take the first step of my spiritual journey at about the start of Lent six years ago.

Six years ago I was a secular humanist. I was wavered between being an atheist and an agnostic. I thought religions were convenient stories, invented by man, that parents could tell their kids so that the kids would be “good.”

I was closed to the truth. St. John of the Cross said that mortal sin produces total blindness. Fr. John Corapi says, “When good becomes evil, and evil becomes good, the light goes out, darkness falls, and indeed, if your light is darkness, how deep, how very deep will the darkness be.”

On or about February 6, 2005, I was driving home from work flipping radio stations. I stumbled upon the Drew Mariani show on Relevant Radio. Normally I would have immediately switched stations. At that moment, however, his guest Fr. Robert Altier was talking about curses, and it piqued my interest.

I don't remember everything he said, but it had a big impact on me. On that day I took the first step out of the darkness. Though it was a very small step, it was the first step, in about thirty years, that I took in the right direction . I had finally heard the truth and started to recognize it as such.

On the radio, Fr. Altier said that he could have his office fax a copy of a prayer to break curses, dedications, consecrations and blood contracts to listeners. The next morning I called his office and asked for a faxed copy.

I did a word search on the Internet and it doesn’t appear to be posted anywhere, so I thought that I’d re-type it here in its entirety. I didn’t change anything but a bit of formatting and I fixed some typos (and might have accidentally added a few typos).

Though there are a couple of things in the introduction (describing acupuncture and tattoos as being sinful) with which some could take issue, it is a powerful prayer and maybe someone could use it.

I don’t know Fr. Altier, but from what I’ve read about him on the Internet, he seems to be a very holy man. There are some parallels between his career as a priest and the careers of Padre Pio and St. John of the Cross.

For the breaking of Dedications, Consecrations and Blood Contracts

Dedications are acts done to a child or on behalf of a child prior to seven years of age, which would give the devil some kind of legal right in the area of the dedication, e.g. child abuse (physical or sexual), parents going to a psychic, a guru, or some other new age practitioner with a child in utero, bringing the child with them or somehow giving the children over to some kind of new age or Satanic influence: parents allowing young children to play "magic" games, e.g., magic eight ball, light as a feather stiff as a board, Ouija boards, séances, etc.

Consecrations are acts which are done by persons seven years of age and older by which they forge a legal bond with the devil in the area to which the act pertains, e.g., mortal sins against the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd Commandment, involvement in anything, New Age or occult, ingestion of semen, spilling of semen (even through masturbation) or "withdrawal" in the marriage act, use of condoms or other non-abortifacient contraceptives, going to concerts by bands whose music is Satanic, taking of illegal drugs, suicide attempts, etc. N.B. All blood contracts are also consecrations.

Blood Contracts are mortal sins, which also involve blood in one manner or another, e.g., formally making a pact with the devil and signing with blood, becoming "blood brothers/sisters," murder, abortion, contraceptive abortions, sodomy, violating or losing virginity outside of marriage (even if the person eventually became your spouse), intercourse during the menstrual period outside of a sacramental marriage, ingestion of blood (includes oral sex practices during menstruation outside of marriage) tattoos, acupuncture, sterilization, injections of illegal drugs, mutilation, body piercing, etc.

Directions: Using the prayers below - the first with the heading of Formal Rejection of a Satanic Consecration say the prayer entitled Person's Act of Rejection three times in its entirety inserting the names of the dedications, consecrations, and blood contracts of which you are aware into the spot near the end of the prayer where instructed. After praying the prayer three times, then pray the prayer with the heading, Person's Act of Re-Consecration three times in its entirety.

After the above prayers are completed, a priest must break the dedications, contracts, and consecrations (these can be done separately) with the prayers sent directly to him. The priest should name the dedications, contracts, and consecrations in his prayer, so it would be good for you to have a list for him. A Mass must also be said for the breaking of all blood contracts (you can have a Mass said for a "Special Intention" in order to maintain anonymity and propriety).

Formal Rejection of a Satanic Consecration

If a person has been consecrated to the devil, three times this wicked act must be personally rejected, three times the priest must break the seal, and three times the person must be re-consecrated to Jesus and Mary.

Person's Act of Rejection
I reject any consecration, dedication, contract (blood or otherwise), vow, pact, endowment, empowerment, hooks, lines, tentacles, roots, attachments, attenuations, bonds, ties or attachments, attractions or any connections with persons or beings, or promises to Satan of myself (my spouse, my children, grandchildren, lineage) my ego, psyche, heart, spirit soul, body, mind, memory, imagination, intellect, will, thoughts, (conscious, inner, subliminal, subconscious), thought patters, thought processes, ruminations, obsessing, deliberations, mental harassments, brooding, dwell gloomily, mental obfuscations, dreams, nightmares, faculties (my priestly ecclesiastical faculties), five senses of touch, taste, smell, sight, hearing, habits, appetites, passion, emotions, feelings, the brain, cranium, superior sagittal sinus, cerebral cortex, dura matter; falx cerebri, tentrium cerebella, arachnoid and subarachnoid space, pia matter, forebrain: cerebrum, lateral ventricles, interventricular foramen, third ventricle, cerebral aqueduct, fourth ventricle, choroids plexus, central canal, cisterns: great, superior, pontine, interpenduncular, lumbar cistern, basal nuclei, caudate nucleus, lenticular nucleus, subdivisions of white matter, corpus callosum, projection tracts, corona radiate, internal capsule, association tracts, amygdala, thalamus, hypothalamus, pineal gland/epithalamus, hypophsis, internal capsule, pituitary gland, cerebrospinal fluid, frontal lobe: (Broca and Wernike's areas - speech) pre-central gyrus (motor area), post-central gyrus (sensory area), temporal lobe-auditory area, occipital lobe - visual area, major fissures, longitdian and lateral fissures, central sulcus, midbrain (mesencephalon) cerebral peduncles, cerebral aqueduct, superior and inferior colliculi, superior cerebellar puduncle, cerebellum, hindbrain (metencephalon), pons, arbor vitae, middle cerebellar puduncles,(myelencephalon) medulla oblongata, pyramids, central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, 12 cranial nerves, eyes, retina, optic nerve, optic chiasma visual interpretive centers in the brain, inner, middle and external ears, and all of their parts including the tympanic membranes, anvil, stirrup, stapes, and ear canals skin, nose, nasal passages, nasal cavity, nasal pharanx, oropharanx, sinuses, epiglottis, thyrohyoid ligament, thyroid cartiledge, cricoids cartiledge, trachea, alimentary canal, mouth, teeth, toungue, soft palate, uvula, throat, thyroid gland, tonsils, adenoids, vocal cords, voice, larynx, laryngopharanx, esophagus, stomach, fugus body, pylorus, pyloric sphincter, rugae, stomach muscosa and muscularis muscosa, gastrointestinal hormones, gastric juices, vagus nerve, parietal peritoneum, lesser omentum, greater omentum, transverse mesocolon, mesentery, sigmoid mesocolon, diaphragm, duodenum, intestinal wall and constitutive parts, villi mucosa, ileum, ileocecal valve, cecum, ascending, transverse and descending colon, sigmoid colon, rectum, anal canal, anus, liver, gall bladder, kidneys, pancreas, spleen, adrenal glands, urinary system and tract, sexuality, reproductive system (male: penis, corpos cavernosum, crus and bulb, scrotum, testes, epididymis, cowpers glands, vas and ductus deferens, seminal vesicle, ejaculatory duct, urethra, bulbourethral gland, prostate gland, urogenital diaphragm, spermatic cord, spermatozoa) - (women: breast, mamillary glands, suspensory ligament, lactiferous duct, sinus, glandular lobe, ovaries, fallopian tube, uterus, vagina, clitoris, labia majora and minora, cervix) chest, ribs, scapulae, back: cervical thoracic, lumbar vertebrae, facet joints, spinal canal, discs, sciatic nerve, piriformis muscle, hips, legs, knees (patella, ACL, PCL, MCL, LCL, medial and lateral meniscus, patellar tendon), feet, toes, arms, hands, fingers, muscles, skeletal system, pain receptors, heart, aorta, cardiac arteries, veins, capillaries, and the cardiovascular system, circulatory system, my blood pressure, cholesterol, blood (red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets), bones with their marrow, ligaments, tendons, connective tissue, fascia, healthy bacteria, immune system, lymph system, lungs, bronchioles, alveoli and the pulmonary system, endocrine system, skeletal-musculo system, fatty tissue, waste system and products of sweat, saliva, urine, feces, hormonal system, nervous system, all bodily functions, and all unnamed body parts, functions, systems, and all named or unnamed internal processes (Now insert all consecrations, dedications, etc.) in the Name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Repeat three times).

Prayer for a Person's Act of Re-Consecration
I consecrate and rededicate and offer myself (if married and a parent, insert children, grandchildren, lineage, and spouse's name), myself, my ego, psyche, heart, spirit soul, body, mind, memory, imagination, intellect, will, thoughts (conscious, inner, subliminal, subconscious), thought patters, thought processes, ruminations, obsessing, deliberations, mental harassments, brooding, dwell gloomily, mental obfuscations, dreams, nightmares, faculties (my priestly ecclesiastical faculties), five senses of touch, taste, smell, sight, hearing, habits, appetites, passion, emotions, feelings, the brain, cranium, superior sagittal sinus, cerebral cortex, dura matter; falx cerebri, tentrium cerebelli, arachnoid and subarachnoid space, pia matter, forebrain: cerebrum, lateral ventricles, interventricular foramen, third ventricle, cerebral aqueduct, fourth ventricle, choroids plexus, central canal, cisterns: great, superior, pontine, interpenduncular, lumbar cistern, basal nuclei, caudate nucleus, lenticular nucleus, subdivisions of white matter, corpus callosum, projection tracts, corona radiate, internal capsule, association tracts, amygdala, thalamus, hypothalamus, pineal gland/epithalamus, hypophsis, internal capsule, pituitary gland, cerebrospinal fluid, frontal lobe: (Broca and Wernike's areas - speech) pre-central gyrus (motor area), post-central gyrus (sensory area), temporal lobe-auditory area, occipital lobe - visual area, major fissures, longitdian and lateral fissures, central sulcus, midbrain (mesencephalon) cerebral peduncles, cerebral aqueduct, superior and inferior colliculi, superior cerebellar puduncle, cerebellum, hindbrain (metencephalon), pons, arbor vitae, middle cerebellar puduncles,(myelencephalon) medulla oblongata, pyramids, central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, 12 cranial nerves, eyes, retina, optic nerve, optic chiasma visual interpretive centers in the brain, inner, middle and external ears, and all of their parts including the tympanic membranes, anvil, stirrup, stapes, and ear canals skin, nose, nasal passages, nasal cavity, nasal pharanx, oropharanx, sinuses, epiglottis, thyrohyoid ligament, thyroid cartiledge, cricoids cartiledge, trachea, alimentary canal, mouth, teeth, toungue, soft palate, uvula, throat, thyroid gland, tonsils, adenoids, vocal cords, voice, larynx, laryngopharanx, esophagus, stomach, fugus body, pylorus, pyloric sphincter, rugae, stomach muscosa and muscularis muscosa, gastrointestinal hormones, gastric juices, vagus nerve, parietal peritoneum, lesser omentum, greater omentum, transverse mesocolon, mesentery, sigmoid mesocolon, diaphragm, duodenum, intestinal wall and constitutive parts, villi mucosa, ileum, ileocecal valve, cecum, ascending, transverse and descending colon, sigmoid colon, rectum, anal canal, anus, liver, gall bladder, kidneys, pancreas, spleen, adrenal glands, urinary system and tract, sexuality, reproductive system (male: penis, corpos cavernosum, crus and bulb, scrotum, testes, epididymis, cowpers glands, vas and ductus deferens, seminal vesicle, ejaculatory duct, urethra, bulbourethral gland, prostate gland, urogenital diaphragm, spermatic cord, spermatozoa) - (women: breast, mamillary glands, suspensory ligament, lactiferous duct, sinus, glandular lobe, ovaries, fallopian tube, uterus, vagina, clitoris, labia majora and minora, cervix) chest, ribs, scapulae, back: cervical thoracic, lumbar vertebrae, facet joints, spinal canal, discs, sciatic nerve, piriformis muscle, hips, legs, knees (patella, ACL, PCL, MCL, LCL, medial and lateral meniscus, patellar tendon), feet, toes, arms, hands, fingers, muscles, skeletal system, pain receptors, heart, aorta, cardiac arteries, veins, capillaries, and the cardiovascular system, circulatory system, my blood pressure, cholesterol, blood (red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets), bones with their marrow, ligaments, tendons, connective tissue, fascia, healthy bacteria, immune system, lymph system, lungs, bronchioles, alveoli and the pulmonary system, endocrine system, skeletal-musculo system, fatty tissue, waste system and products of sweat, saliva, urine, feces, hormonal system, nervous system, all bodily functions, and all unnamed body parts, functions, systems, and all named or unnamed internal processes to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the Just Heart of Joseph, in the Name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen (Repeat three times).

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

35. Do not derive benefit from it

The 35th commandment of Mosaic Law is to not derive benefit from it (a city that has turned to apostasy and burnt down as a consequence).

Where in scripture?
Deuteronomy 13:18
You shall not retain anything that is doomed, that the blazing wrath of the LORD may die down and he may show you mercy and in his mercy for you may multiply you as he promised your fathers on oath.

New Testament References
Romans 12:19
Beloved, do not look for revenge but leave room for the wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."

In the previous post, I discussed how the Mitzvah to burn a city that has turned to idol worship is not binding on Christians. Since we should not burn down a city that has turned to apostasy, the question as to whether anything can be derived from it, such as pillaging it before it is burnt, is moot.

Conclusion
Not binding on Christians  

Monday, January 3, 2011

St. John of the Cross and dialectical materialism

St. John of the Cross and dialectical materialism

In the 1800’s Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels developed the theory of dialectical materialism. It became the philosophy and foundation of Marxist communism.

Marx (like the Church) relied heavily on natural law in the development of his theories. His mistake was trying to divorce God from natural law. It was a mistake because God created natural law and the two are inseparable.

Marx used dialectical materialism to provide a scientific and orderly view of history.

Its basic tenets are that change takes place through "the struggle of opposites." Because everything contains elements that are in opposition, "self-movement" automatically occurs; the conflict of opposing forces leads to growth, change, and development, according to definite laws.

Personally, I have no disagreement or problem with this aspect of his beliefs.

About 350 years earlier, St. John of the Cross wrote, “Wherefore, as in natural generation no form can be introduced unless the preceding, contrary form is first expelled from the subject, which form, while present, is an impediment to the other by reason of the contrariety which the two have between each other; even so, for as long as the soul is subjected to the sensual spirit, the spirit which is pure and spiritual cannot enter it.”

The two processes seem very similar to me.

It would be interesting to find out whether Marx was influenced in any way by the writings St. John of the Cross.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Religious Ecstasy - Pt. 1

Religious Ecstasy

God calls each of us to religious ecstasy, though the phenomenon is not common. We cannot achieve it through the mere power of the will. Like all the good things in life, it is only achieved through the grace of God. “Grace” is an unmerited gift from God. We do not earn it. In the case of religious ecstasy, also known as mystical union, it is achieved through extraordinary grace. There are steps that we can take to make us more receptive to grace - and religious ecstasy - which will be discussed in the next post.

Catechism of the Catholic Church
2003 Grace is first and foremost the gift of the Spirit who justifies and sanctifies us. But grace also includes the gifts that the Spirit grants us to associate us with his work, to enable us to collaborate in the salvation of others and in the growth of the Body of Christ, the Church. There are sacramental graces, gifts proper to the different sacraments. There are furthermore special graces, also called charisms after the Greek term used by St. Paul and meaning "favor," "gratuitous gift," "benefit." Whatever their character - sometimes it is extraordinary, such as the gift of miracles or of tongues - charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for the common good of the Church. They are at the service of charity which builds up the Church.

Although we can’t earn grace or bring it about through human effort, we know that everyone is given sufficient grace. Grace is given abundantly to everyone and through the use of free will we can choose to either accept or reject grace.

There are many things we can do to make ourselves more receptive to the grace and extraordinary grace of God. If it is God’s will, we can receive the gift of religious ecstasy.

Religious ecstasy is the polar opposite of drug-induced euphoria. Religious ecstasy comes about through prayer and the worship of God. Drugs are a shortcut to euphoria, which usually draws users away from God. The popularity of drug usage is a phenomenon of the modern age where we tend to worship ourselves through self-indulgence and pride and sometimes give lip-service to the worship God.

Catechism of the Catholic Church
2014 Spiritual progress tends toward ever more intimate union with Christ. This union is called "mystical" because it participates in the mystery of Christ through the sacraments - "the holy mysteries" - and, in him, in the mystery of the Holy Trinity. God calls us all to this intimate union with him, even if the special graces or extraordinary signs of this mystical life are granted only to some for the sake of manifesting the gratuitous gift given to all.

Mystical Theology is the study of the processes of purification an individual must pass through in order to achieve religious ecstasy. The peak of the study of mystical theology was during 1500’s when two Doctors of the Church, St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila, wrote extensively on the subject and developed the inquiry as a science.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia:

The contents of mystical theology are doctrinal as well as experimental, as it not only records the experiences of souls mystically favoured, but also lays down rules for their guidance, which are based on the authority of the Scriptures, on the teachings of the Fathers of the Church, and on the explanations of theologians, many of them eminent as mystics. Its rules and precepts are usually framed for the special use of those who have occasion to direct souls in the ways of mysticism, so as to preserve them from error while facilitating their advancement.

…As for the history or development of mysticism, it is as difficult to record as a history of the experiences of the human soul. The most that can be done is to follow its literature, mindful that the most extraordinary mystical experiences defy expression in human speech, and that God, the Author of mystical states, acts upon souls when and as He wills, so that there can be no question of what we could consider a logical or chronological development of mysticism as a science. Still, it is possible to review what mystical writers have said at certain periods, and especially what the Carmelite saint, Teresa of Avila, did to treat for the first time mystical phenomena as a science. Before her, mystics were concerned principally with ecstasies, visions, and revelations; she was the first to attempt a scientific analysis of the process of mystical union brought about by contemplation.

The development of Moral Theology started at the beginning of the Age of Faith – coinciding with the fall of the Roman Empire – and reached its zenith at the end of the Age of Faith (one thousand years later). It is noted, however, that Christian mysticism is present in scripture and has been present in the Church from its very beginning to this day.

The hubris of the modern age, dismisses religious faith, and leaves the discussion of such profound experiences to be exiled from mainstream thought only to be relegated to the blogosphere.

When an individual experiences the phenomenon associated with religious ecstasy, he should consult a spiritual adviser in order to discern whether the experience comes from God, or whether they are demonic in nature.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia “mystical writers treat at length the deceits, snares, and other arts practiced by the Evil One to lead souls astray in the quest for the mystical union.”



Saturday, January 1, 2011

34.Do not rebuild it as a city

The 34rd commandment of Mosaic Law is to not rebuild it (a city that has turned to apostasy) as a city

Where in scripture?
Deuteronomy 13:17
Let it be a heap of ruins forever, never to be rebuilt.


New Testament References
Romans 12:19
Beloved, do not look for revenge but leave room for the wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."

In the previous post, I discussed how the Mitzvah to burn a city that has turned to idol worship is not binding on Christians. Since we should not burn down a city that has turned to apostasy, the question of whether the city can be rebuilt is moot.

Conclusion
Not binding on Christians  

33. Burn a city that has turned to idol worship

The 33rd commandment of Mosaic Law is to burn a city that has turned to idol worship

This Mitzvah deals with apostasy.

Where in scripture?
Deuteronomy 13:13-17
If, in any of the cities which the LORD, your God, gives you to dwell in, you hear it said that certain scoundrels have sprung up among you and have led astray the inhabitants of their city to serve other gods whom you have not known, you must inquire carefully into the matter and investigate it thoroughly. If you find that it is true and an established fact that this abomination has been committed in your midst, you shall put the inhabitants of that city to the sword, dooming the city and all life that is in it, even its cattle, to the sword. Having heaped up all its spoils in the middle of its square, you shall burn the city with all its spoils as a whole burnt offering to the LORD, your God. Let it be a heap of ruins forever, never to be rebuilt.

New Testament References
Matthew 12:31
Therefore, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.



Romans 12:19
Beloved, do not look for revenge but leave room for the wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."

According to Hasidic Judaism:

… the punishments to which a city led into idolatry is liable—the smiting of its inhabitants, the burning of its spoil—are averted if the people repent of their collective sin. This is a unique instance of repentance affecting the ruling of a human court.

…To become liable for the death sentence an individual must be warned that the act he is about to commit is a capital offense. But in the case of an idolatrous city, the warning about its conduct is collective, addressed to the people as a whole. Therefore the normal requirement of individual caution is not present, and therefore, repentance averts the punishment.

Catechism of the Catholic Church
2089 Incredulity is the neglect of revealed truth or the willful refusal to assent to it. "Heresy is the obstinate post-baptismal denial of some truth which must be believed with divine and catholic faith, or it is likewise an obstinate doubt concerning the same; apostasy is the total repudiation of the Christian faith; schism is the refusal of submission to the Roman Pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him.”

Christian tradition with respect to apostasy has changed over the centuries. As noted in a previous post, tradition is subject to change, while Sacred Tradition (with a capital “T”) is eternal and does not change.

The Catholic Encyclopedia has an excellent article on the evolution of Christian tradition regarding apostasy:

The "Shepherd" of Hermas, a work written in Rome in the middle of the second century, states positively that there is no forgiveness for those who have wilfully denied the Lord. …Apostasy belonged, therefore, to the class of sins for which the Church imposed perpetual penance and excommunication without hope of pardon, leaving the forgiveness of the sin to God alone. …St. Cyprian and the Council of the African Church which met at Carthage in 251 admitted the principle of the Church's right to remit the sin of apostasy, even before the hour of death. Pope Cornelius and the council which he held at Rome confirmed the decisions of the Synod of Carthage, and the discipline of forgiveness was gradually introduced into all the Churches. …When the Roman Empire became Christian, apostates were punished by deprivation of all civil rights. They could not give evidence in a court of law, and could neither bequeath nor inherit property. …The Spanish Inquisition was directed, at the end of the fifteenth century, chiefly against apostates, the Maranos, or new Christians, Jews converted by force rather than by conviction; while in 1609 it dealt severely with the Moriscos, or professedly-converted Moors of Spain.

Today the temporal penalties formerly inflicted on apostates and heretics cannot be enforced, and have fallen into abeyance. The spiritual penalties are the same as those which apply to heretics.

The current penalty for apostasy is provided in the Code of Canon Law of the Catholic Church.

Code of Canon Law
364 …an apostate from the faith, a heretic, or a schismatic incurs a latae sententiae excommunication…

Latae sententiae is a Latin term for a given (already passed) sentence. The excommunication follows automatically, by force of the law itself, when the apostasy occurs.

Summary
Christians are not required to burn a city that has turned to idol worship.

Conclusion
Not binding on Christians  

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

32. Do not turn a city to idolatry

The 32nd commandment of Mosaic Law is to not turn a city to idolatry    

Where in scripture?
Deuteronomy 13:13-15
If, in any of the cities which the LORD, your God, gives you to dwell in, you hear it said that certain scoundrels have sprung up among you and have led astray the inhabitants of their city to serve other gods whom you have not known, you must inquire carefully into the matter and investigate it thoroughly…

New Testament Reference
Ephesians 5:5
Be sure of this, that no immoral or impure or greedy person, that is, an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Mark 9:42
Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe (in me) to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

Conclusion
Binding on Christians