Many modern scholars question the historical accuracy of the story and argue that the star was a pious fiction created by the author of the Gospel of Matthew.

He was a type of clergyman favored in pious fiction, yet he actually did exist.

Juan Diego, Father Poole says, is a "pious fiction."

Some scholars have concluded that her legend is the result of pious fiction being mistaken for history.

A pious fiction is a narrative that is presented as true by the author, but is considered by others to be fictional albeit produced with an altruistic motivation.

The Book of Daniel has also been described as a pious fiction, with the purpose of providing encouragement to Jews.

The Koran, the sacred text of Islam, has been described as a pious fiction by several authors.

The hadith, likewise, have been described as a collection of various pious fictions by several authors.

Fredrick Pike describes some morale-boosting efforts during the Great Depression as pious fictions.

More people than ever are seeing more ambitious exhibitions; the complaint that a mass art audience dilutes the quality of shows is a pious fiction, embraced mainly by cranks.