pious fraud
"Pious fraud" involves deceitful actions taken with the belief that they serve a higher moral or religious purpose.
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Definition
C1Ethics
(formal)A deceptive act performed with the belief that it serves a higher moral or ethical purpose.
Example
- He justified the misleading information as a pious fraud, believing it would ultimately help the community.
C1Religion
(formal)A deceitful act committed to advance religious beliefs or practices, under the belief that the deception is morally justified.
Example
- The relics were later discovered to be a pious fraud, created to inspire faith among the followers.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "pious fraud":