When St. Paul Apostle he arrives at the Areopagus delivered himselfof a justly celebrated speech. In accord with the old rhetorical device of captatio benevolentiae (capturing the goodwill of one’s audience), compliments the Athenians on their spirituality:
So Paul stood before the whole council of the Areopagus and made this speech: 'Men of Athens, I have seen for myself how extremely scrupulous you are in all religious imatter, because, as I strolled round looking at your sacred monuments, I noticed among other things an altar inscribed: To An Unknown God (Acts of Apostles 17, 22-23; www.catholic.org/bible/book.php)
Saint John Paul II did the same (captatio benevolentiae). There is no internal act of idolatry when it is not conscious and intentional.
St. Paul quoted a pagan hymn of Kleantes (pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleantes)to Zeus (Acts 17:28; look at the comment: biblia.deon.pl/rozdzial.php) because pagans cannot be evangelized by insulting them (it has the opposite effect).
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