Thousands of years ago, every heathen nation had a group of priests who led the people. Even kings and emperors were afraid to cross these priests because they would bring terrible punishments on everyone who resisted them (both real and imaginary). They often ruled with an iron fist, and rarely would a king have the nerve to ignore them. This was not carried out in the exact same way in every nation, but most were similar. It was believed that these priests had a special knowledge of things, and an intimate connection to their nation's deities. Thus, when they made a declaration about something, or a claim about what was needed in their nation, people largely followed suit. Depending on the nation, going against the ruling clerics could lead to being ostracized, or even tortured to death. Now we live in the twenty first century, so we do not have anything like that; or do we? Consider this: the ancient heathen priests have been replaced by certain knowledgeable types (especially those with a PhD!). Think about the shame that is thrown on those who deny evolution. Think about the shame that is heaped on anyone who takes a traditional stance on the role of the wife in the home. When issues like these are treated as clearly from the dark ages, it makes it hard for the faithful to stand up for the truth. We still have the same pressure placed on us when we adhere to the truth; it is just that thousands of years ago they would sacrifice you to some false god and cut out your heart. Today they only prevent you from getting a job, and run your name through the mud so everyone hates you. The punishment might have changed, but the pressure from the elite is still there. I read stories of faithful Catholics in hollywood who say that it is almost impossible to be faithful because you are blacklisted and treated like the enemy. The same goes for academia. Try to resist sodomy in most colleges today and you will be destroyed. Every field has these kinds of pressures from the modern priests of heathen ideas. Even the Church is not immune. In case you are unaware, outside of the Ordinariate, there are numerous priests who would like to stand for tradition but are afraid to because of the likely repercussions from their own Bishop. The consequences might be dire, but we each need to consider if we are giving in to the pressures of the heathen priests. Are you afraid to speak out against someone with a PhD? Gone are the days when those with a PhD are the smart ones. Some people with numerous degrees are the most ignorant in our society. Do not accept their pressures. Be willing to be labeled a kook or backward in order to be known to stand against the errors of the world. Better for the world to hate you and Jesus to love you, than the other way around.