a sign of weakness

If one is insulted then that is ipso facto a sign of weakness which is also by itself evidence there is a control of your self-being out of your control and with someone or something outside yourself. This weakness often resides in the belief the group is the supreme standard over the individual. An singular individual by himself is not subject to peer pressure. A group duplicated individual however would be.

the Pope and pagan Christians

Recently the Pope referred to some people who call themselves Christians as really pagan Christians. Pagan as term is a rather older historical reference to non-Christians more closely associated with the Christian beginnings. Another present day definition might be more up to date, Christian atheists. Atheists or humanists are in the ascendency, dominating all religions in their cultural square among academic intellectuals. There were in fact more than ten years ago about half of seminary professors who were polled, openly admitting atheism which makes you wonder how many of the rest are closet atheists.
Present day there are many attending churches who do not believe in everything Christian. Their code phrase is no longer for today. This viewpoint is like the evolvers who want to change the Constitution. They in like kind also want to change the Bible to accommodate their non Christian views. Anyone talking about God who does not believe something long held about God is an atheist on that point. Still, they believe in Jesus as Christ, they just do not believe everything. They are with Christ on some points and with atheists on certain other points.
There are many Christians who just cannot believe everything about Christianity. They lack complete belief and that is atheist as well, albeit involuntary. One cannot believe by whim. Agreement is not belief, going along is not belief, it has to be deep within the spirit of a person by reflection without considerations. As Paul suggested, there are those who believe Jesus Christ but not the power thereof.