Fraudulent Faith and Genuine Freedom
A swindler who exploits religious beliefs for his own purposes acts as a cunning manipulator: he deceives people by exploiting their trust and fear in order to profit from their hope and need. In an example from file link txt, it is described how a swindler, upon receiving money from a distressed woman, claims that through his "service" he helps her husband's soul find peace, thereby turning a person's faith into a convenient tool for personal gain.In contrast to such deceit, for the believer, God appears as freedom—an entity that does not impose itself but communicates freely with the individual. As stated in the second quotation from file link txt, "We can voluntarily accept or reject God. God is freedom. He does not impose Himself upon us and communicates with us from the distance of two freedoms: His freedom and our freedom..." This emphasizes that a genuine relationship with God is built on free choice and sincere faith, with the individual deciding to open up to the grace and love that emanate from God.Thus, the main difference is as follows: the swindler uses religion as a means of control and profit, deceiving people through false rituals and promises, whereas the believer perceives God as a free, ineffable Entity, whose communication requires a personal and voluntary revelation grounded in free will.Supporting citation(s):"— the distressed woman thought. — I'll give him some money so that he can pray for my husband's soul… ... and people are deceived; they don't go for confession, don't invite a priest to their home to perform the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick or to recite the appropriate prayer, yet they go to these swindlers." (source: link txt)"We can voluntarily accept or reject God. God is freedom. He does not impose Himself upon us and communicates with us at the distance of two freedoms: His freedom and our freedom. If a person has no desire to receive the Holy Spirit, then nothing will happen..." (source: link txt)