Who are these people? Redux

Two years ago I wrote this post... the update occurs at "Nothing is hidden that will not be revealed."

The Anonymous Commenter.

Dianah Vaughan, Leo Taxil, and "April's Mom".

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Who are these people?

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Leo Taxil lived in late 19th century France and was a contemporary of St. Therese of Lisieux, who for a time had been taken in by his scam. Taxil had stunned European society with his conversion from Free-Masonry to Catholicism, and subsequent pamphlets detailing the evil Satanic sect within Masonry. (Read more.) Later he invented a persona named Dianah Vaughan, whom he claimed also converted, with startling details of the diabolic cult. Taxil, an anti-clerical free-thinker from the start, delighted in deceiving and mocking the Catholic Church; the Lisieux Carmel and St. Therese just happened to be amongst those duped. It is said the following lament from St. Therese may be directly related to the farce.

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"I was unable to believe there were really impious people who had no faith... [but] Jesus made me feel that there were really souls who have no faith, and who, through the abuse of grace, lost this precious treasure, the source of the only real and pure joy." - Therese of Lisieux

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The recent discovery that a blogger who wrote under the name of "April's Mom" is likewise a hoax, reminded me of the Taxil story.

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The woman behind the hoax isn't "April's Mom" — a single expectant mother who lay awake at night terrified her unborn child would die at any time, according to the Chicago Tribune.
She is actually Beccah Beushausen, a 26-year-old social worker from the Chicago suburb of Mokenka who says she didn't know how to free herself from the web of lies she wove. "I know what I did was wrong," Beushausen told the Tribune. "I've been getting hate mail. I'm sorry because people were so emotionally involved." - Story

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Pro-life hearts had been touched by her story of carrying a terminally ill baby to term, only to have the infant die shortly after birth. Beushausen made the whole thing up - before long her blog was receiving 100,000 hits a week - she says she didn't know how to stop the lies. Good people cared about her, prayed for her, supported her, only to be scandalously betrayed.

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This stuff happens - and continues to happen.

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Look at Fr. Maciel, the founder of the Legion of Christ. Not long ago there was a top blogger in California whom everyone believed to be an orthodox Catholic - it turned out he was a lot more 'liberal' in the dissenting sense, than his readers and $contributors$ imagined. 
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Nothing is hidden that will not be revealed.
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UPDATE August 20, 2011:  As I stated at the top, this post is a couple of years old - but now things have gotten markedly worse, haven't they?  Like... 
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First Archbishop Weakland reveals he's gay in a tell-all book - who knew?!  Then the exorcists' stories catch up with him and Tom Euteneuer is revealed as a deceiver - as was his friend Corapi.  Fr. Cutie runs off with a woman.  We all know this stuff - it's old news.  Except it really seems as if it has been one scandal upon another scandal, doesn't it?
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Yesterday I got scammed - by Catholic deceptives online - the 'anonymous' ones.  I'm amazed at how mean-spirited religious people can become.  A friend of mine once told me, "I am frequently taken aback by the hostility shown by so many Catholics towards those who simply disagree with them.  Many of the tactics used by 'good' Catholics mirror those used by those they condemn as CINO or liberals and dissenters.  They strike me as just as dangerous as those they call their enemies."
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But who am I to quibble - what goes around comes around - my hands have been sullied writing little tabloid posts myself, playing the inquisitor and judge at times - yep, I'm guilty as hell.  Sincere thanks to my anonymous commenters for reminding me how I've wasted my time and how much I have to account for.  It is refreshing and truly a wonderful grace to have someone tell you your faults.  Many thanks.
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Anyway - here are a few maxims I've concocted that may be useful to keep in mind:

• Except for a few exceptions, most online friendships are not like real, personal friendships.  Undoubtedly we make new friends, but not everyone who links, subscribes, comments or signs on to one's Follower app is a friend.
• Online enemies are real however.  We don't need to know them, as in 'know your enemies'; Christ simply instructed us to love them, do good to them, and to pray for them.
• As I said before, and I stand by it:  If anyone thinks they are sent by God to save the world in and through their website, their blog, their incessant twittering and Facebook updates, not to mention their not to be ignored comments, I'd really think that one through again.
• If anyone claims to be more Catholic than the Church - be on guard.
• Never take yourself too seriously and always keep a sense of humor - even if they 'don't get it'. 

Fun as they can be, Anonymous comments will no longer be permitted on this blog.  Though I find them instructive and helpful to myself, other commenters do not deserve to be insulted and intimidated by strangers.  Thanks for your understanding.
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That's all.