False Mysticism: A Hidden Crime?
“False mysticism” refers to the attempted moral legitimization of an immoral act with theological-spiritual  reasoning that instrumentalizes the invocation of the name of God, supported (1) by an incorrect reading of Christian revelation, (2) by misleading biblical exegesis, and (3) by a groundless set of ethics. It is an act with anti-juridical implications, in the face of which however canonical penal law currently does not seem to offer adequate means for the restoration of justice and the amendment of the allegedly offending party responsible for these acts. This article analyzes the phenomenon of false mysticism, its moral gravity, and the current possibilities of its penal prosecution in canon law, identifying a potential juridical solution by characterizing the specific form an applicable canonical norm might take.
Keywords: false mysticism; penal law; delicts; can. 1399; second commandment.