JACK O'LANTERN

The Tale of Jack O'Lantern

A Read-aloud Story from Catholic Update

Jack, the Irish say, grew up in a simple village where he earned a reputation for cleverness as well as laziness. He applied his fine intelligence to wiggling out of any work that was asked of him, preferring to lie under a solitary oak endlessly whittling. In order to earn money to spend at the local pub, he looked for an "easy shilling" from gambling, a pastime at which he excelled. In his whole life he never made a single enemy, never made a single friend and never performed a selfless act for anyone.

One Halloween, as it happened, the time came for him to die. When the devil arrived to take his soul, Jack was lazily drinking at the pub and asked permission to finish his ale. The devil agreed, and Jack thought fast. "If you really have any power," he said slyly, "you could transform yourself into a shilling."

The devil snorted at such child’s play and instantly changed himself into a shilling. Jack grabbed the coin. He held it tight in his hand, which bore a cross-shaped scar. The power of the cross kept the devil imprisoned there, for everyone knows the devil is powerless when faced with the cross. Jack would not let the devil free until he granted him another year of life. Jack figured that would be plenty of time to repent. The devil left Jack at the pub.

The year rolled around to the next Halloween, but Jack never got around to repenting. Again the devil appeared to claim his soul, and again Jack bargained, this time challenging him to a game of dice, an offer Satan could never resist, but a game that Jack excelled at. The devil threw snake eyes—two ones—and was about to haul him off, but Jack used a pair of dice he himself had whittled. When they landed as two threes, forming the T-shape of a cross, once again the devil was powerless. Jack bargained for more time to repent.

He kept thinking he’d get around to repentance later, at the last possible minute. But the agreed-upon day arrived and death took him by surprise. The devil hadn’t showed up and Jack soon found out why not. Before he knew it Jack was in front of the pearly gates. St. Peter shook his head sadly and could not admit him, because in his whole life Jack had never performed a single selfless act. Then Jack presented himself before the gates of hell, but the devil was still seething. Satan refused to have anything to do with him.

"Where can I go?" cried Jack. "How can I see in the darkness?"

The devil tossed a burning coal into a hollow pumpkin and ordered him to wander forever with only the pumpkin to light his path. From that day to this he has been called "Jack o’ the Lantern." Sometimes he appears on Halloween!

Source: http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Halloween/jack-o-lantern.asp

WITCHES, GHOSTS AND MAGIC

Witches, Ghosts
And Magic

What Catholics Believe

by Page Zyromski

Matt called one of those psychic hotline numbers advertised on television. His parents didn't find out until they saw the whopping charge on their phone bill.

I asked Matt why he did it and he says he was just curious. He's still delivering pizzas to pay off his debt.

Jessica had some friends who were experimenting with witchcraft. She was curious too. It was just something to do, she says.

Tony went to a meeting of a satanic group. He got out of there as quickly as possible. He tells me he knew he wasn't supposed to do it, but "wanted to see what it was all about."

What's happening here? What does the Church believe about these things?

Honest Questions

It's natural to explore the supernatural, especially during your teen years. After all, you have a spiritual soul as well as a body. Now is the normal time to ask honest questions about God and the spiritual world, and about life after death. The Church wants you to ask these questions so you can grow in your knowledge of God and set priorities in your life.

But like everything else, there's a right way and a wrong way to explore. When you were two years old, you were curious about electrical outlets and probably wanted to poke your finger into one. When you were 10, you were curious about firecrackers and cherry bombs. When you're 16, you might be curious to see just how fast your car will go if you "open it up."

At each of these stages someone guides you and teaches you about these unseen forces so you don't harm yourself. If they do a good job, you grow up without exaggerated fear of electricity or fireworks or cars. But you also learn not to mess around!

In a similar way, the Church wants you to grow up with neither an exaggerated fear of the supernatural nor an unhealthy curiosity about it. The temptation to mess with the occult (o-CULT) has been around for centuries, which is why clear teachings have been set up to help you. In general, the occult is anything that claims to have secret knowledge from supernatural sources.

Is the Devil Real?

Yes, the Church says, the devil exists. But the first thing to remember is that the devil is not the equal and opposite of God. There is no equal and opposite of God. If the devil is the equal and opposite of anyone, it would be Michael the Archangel. But even so, Michael has the power of Almighty God behind him and the devil does not. No contest.

The Church teaches that the devil is a fallen angel called Satan and "the father of lies." There should be no exaggerated belief in the power of the devil. With Jesus' death and resurrection "the ruler of this world" was cast out.

No baptized Christian needs to fear the devil and the lesser demons sometimes called goblins, because by our Baptism we share in Jesus' death and resurrection. Your Baptism is more important than you think!

The Church doesn't want you to fool around with the occult, but neither does it want you to be afraid that the devil lurks behind every bush. It's true that satanic cults exist. You may have heard of groups in your area by word of mouth, the way Tony did. Maybe you've seen classmates drawing upside-down stars (pentagrams) on their notebooks. Don't worry that they're satanists. Maybe they're just doodling!

But if these same friends become withdrawn, if their grades drop, if they say things that are truly bizarre, then you should probably mention it to your guidance counselor or to your pastor. Most likely, the local police and your pastor already know about any active cults in your area.

What about exorcisms? Do they exist? Videos and song lyrics sometimes provoke a fear of demonic possession. Yes, the Church provides for exorcisms. Exorcism is the formal expelling of the devil, performed only by a priest with permission of the bishop. It is not taken lightly. Evil is not trivial.

In September 2000, the pope performed an exorcism on a teenage girl right in St. Peter's Square. It was definitely not as sensational as the movie The Exorcist. He simply prayed with authority over her, commanding the demon to leave. Most people at the weekly audience didn't even know it happened.

Besides exorcism, the Church provides other ways that are so ordinary you may not have noticed. Some of these are noted in a box on the last page of this Youth Update. Others include the "deliver us from evil" phrase in the Our Father and the Sign of the Cross with holy water when you enter and leave the church, another reminder of your Baptism.

No New Temptation

Whether you think the devil is a real person or just a symbol, his temptation is the oldest one in the world: power and control. "You will be like God" were the serpent's words to Eve (Genesis 3:5). The ultimate power is "to be like God."

God alone has power over the future. God alone knows what's in store for us. How tempting it is to want to know the future and try to control it! Who wouldn't want this, at least to some degree? Especially in this millennium when technology is moving so fast nobody can keep up with it. Especially since traditional values have been thrown out the window. Especially for young people who feel powerless in the face of it all.

It's hard to put ourselves completely in God's hands. No wonder fortune-telling has become a multimillion-dollar business! The psychic hotline charged $4.99 a minute to Matt's phone bill. His so-called psychic was trained to keep him on the phone as long as possible, to draw him out. She was paid according to how long she could keep him talking. Matt talked for an hour, even though he knew she was fake. You do the math!

You've seen advertisements for palm readers, crystal-ball readers and astrologers, who tell your future from your sign of the zodiac. You've heard about "white" witches who practice "wicca" to influence the future as Jessica's friends were trying to do. You may have seen a ouija (wee-jee) board which has a marker moving across letters. You know that "channeling" doesn't mean surfing with a remote.

All this stuff flirts with wanting to control the future. The Church tells us flatly to reject it as a sin against the First Commandment. These things "conceal a desire for power over time, history and other human beings" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2116). They feed into the temptation to be like God.

What About ESP?

Does the Church think there are ever people who can see the future for real? Yes, says the Church. Our tradition is full of prophets and saints who have seen the future. This didn't stop when the last ink dried on the Bible.

In the 500s, St. Benedict had an ESP experience when his twin sister died. He "saw" her soul rising to heaven in the form of a dove. He was so sure of his vision that he sent some monks to bring her body back to be buried at his monastery.

In the 1800s, St. John Bosco had so many ESP dreams that the pope ordered him to write them down. He dreamt not only about people's deaths and the future of his Salesian Order, but also about geography, of all things. He described valleys and mountains in the Andes that weren't even guessed at in his day. (He had missionaries in South America.) Experiences like Benedict's and John Bosco's were special graces and not something they could turn on and off like a spigot.

It's not uncommon to hear an ESP story about the death of a loved one. Love is stronger than death, the Bible tells us. My son, for example, knew exactly when his grandfather died even though he was 500 miles away. It's important not to stretch the truth if this happens to you. Pray for your loved one and don't be afraid.

What about ghosts? Does the Church believe in ghosts? If you're thinking about creatures with sheets over their heads, of course not. If you're asking whether spiritual souls live on after the body dies, though, the answer is a definite yes.

These are not the same as angels but the souls of human beings like you and me which will live forever. At the end of the ages we'll get our glorified bodies back again in the resurrection of the body, but nobody claims to know how that's going to work. We all just hope that our glorified bodies will be better looking than the ones we have now!

The communion of saints is one of the most fascinating teachings of the Church. All of us—living and dead, official saints and ordinary sinners—are united in the Body of Christ. Jesus' love unites us in a love so strong that death has no power over it. We don't communicate with the dead like in a séance.

We don't worship them. But we do pray for each other. We offer prayers for those who have died. We ask those who have died to intercede for us while we're still here on earth. The love that flows back and forth goes beyond space and time.

Heads-up on Halloween Symbols

Around Halloween it's important to get your head straight about these things. Halloween (the "e'en" or evening before "All Hallow's," or all the "Holy Ones," the saints) is the vigil of two feast days. All Saints Day is November 1, and All Souls Day is November 2.

On All Saints we celebrate the lives of the saints, especially those in heaven. On All Souls Day we remember those who have died, especially in our immediate family.

Stories of ghosts first became associated with Halloween in Ireland. It was said that if someone had died the previous year and you were still holding a grudge against that person, he or she would appear to you on the evening before All Saints. You'd be so startled you'd run to do whatever would make your forgiveness complete. Not a bad reminder any time of the year!

Skeletons and skulls are naturally symbols at Halloween because of All Souls Day, "the Day of the Dead," as some countries call it. It doesn't hurt us to think about death once a year. We're all going to die someday. Skeletons and skulls remind us of this. Figures of devils and witches can also remind us of the ever-present temptation to be like God.

Halloween is not "of the devil," as some fundamentalists say. Many denominations don't teach about the communion of saints, so naturally they don't celebrate All Saints Day or All Souls Day. All they have left of Halloween is pre-Christian superstition about the dead.

All the same, if I had to pick decorations for a Halloween party, I'd go with skeletons and skulls rather than devils, just to separate the symbols. Since the holiday sometimes brings out warped people who commit copycat crimes, I'd stick with friends and places I know. It's always good to choose carefully how you have your fun.

Magic in Media

Four Harry Potter books are on the best-seller list. J.K. Rowling has given the world a character who received an invitation to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on his 11th birthday. Each book tells of one more year in Harry's education.

Are these books evil because they use wizardry as a background? Let me answer a question with a question. After you finish a Harry Potter book are you tempted to dig into the occult so you can be like God, or do you admire Harry's truth, courage and loyalty to his friends? Do you want to change a teacup into a mouse or do you want to change your habits so you won't be like Harry's rich and bratty enemy, Draco Malfoy?

You could ask the same question about other fictional creations such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Buffy protects her friends and "saves the world—a lot" in a universe threatened by evil and ghoulish creatures. Do you admire Buffy's commitment and self-sacrifice, or do you wish you could turn yourself into a ghoul?

A lot of people get nervous about fiction that involves the forces of evil. You've already learned in English class that there are different categories of fiction, like mysteries, fantasy, westerns, science fiction, Stephen King-type horror. Fantasy almost always includes magic and wizards the same way that westerns include cowboys. Whatever the category, the best works of fiction will lift the human spirit.

But if anything gives you nightmares, stay away from it. If a TV program or a book or a song lyric gives you weird ideas, switch the channel, close the book and turn off the song. You're the only one who knows what's getting stirred up inside. Trust your gut. If it's good for you it'll inspire you to be a better person and to love God more.

Up or Down?

When you are weighing your choices and the value of your activities, I'd like to suggest the "upward and outward" or "downward and inward" rule. In other words, do songs, books and games lift your heart up (to appreciate God's love and care for you) and out (to widen your compassion and understanding of other people)? Or do they pull you downward (diminish your trust in God's care, make you depressed) and inward (make you more self-focused and even morbid)?

See the difference? You're old enough to notice such things about yourself and to quit taking in the garbage.

Page McKean Zyromski is the mother of three children and a contributing editor of Catechist magazine. She has taught at the college, high school and junior high levels. She's the author of Pray the Bible (St. Anthony Messenger Press).

Holly Brown (18), Beth Burke (16), Shawn Heilers (18) and Stacy Lunz (17) met at the Heilerses' home in Glynnwood, Ohio, to discuss this issue. Shawn's mother, Irene Heilers, is director of religious education for St. Patrick Parish in Glynnwood, where these teenagers are quite active.

Ghostbusters Some television stations are such calamity channels that just watching the news makes you doubt whether God's still in charge. You're bombarded with advertising from fortune tellers. Temptations against the First Commandment surround you. What can you do about it? 1. Ask yourself: Am I doing the everyday things that equip me for the future, even though they might be boring? Do I really believe that God cares for me? Do I trust that God knows what's best for my future life? 2. Renew your baptismal promises: Do you reject sin so as to live in the freedom of God's children? I do. Do you reject the glamour of evil and refuse to be mastered by sin? I do. Do you reject Satan, father of sin and prince of darkness? I do. 3. Pray the "Deliver us" prayer from the Mass: Deliver us, Lord, from every evil, and grant us peace in our day. In your mercy keep us free from sin and protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Source : http://www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/YU/ay1001.asp

HILLARY WALKS THE TALK

Junior Senator from New York Hillary Rodham Clinton pontificating, as usual.
Hey, Hillary, you and Bill sure cost taxpayers a bunch of money. Two details of Secret Service agents. One for the ex-president, and one for you. Yet, you still want to put your two cents in, not only in New York, you also want to occupy the White House again. That's unprecedented and totally unwarranted. Here's a New York expression they haven't taught you in the suburbs: Hey lady, cop a walk! Will ya?

THE HOLE THING

BUSH SAYS CONGRESS IS WAISTING TIME

Bush Says Congress Is Wasting Time

By BRIAN KNOWLTON

Published: October 30, 2007

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 — President Bush lashed out at Congress today, the third time he has done so in two weeks, this time saying the House had wasted time on “a constant string of investigations” and the Senate had similarly wasted its efforts by trying to rein in the Iraq war. Its failure to send a single annual appropriations bill to his desk, he said, amounted to “the worst record for a Congress in 20 years.”

“Congress is not getting its work done,” the president said in brief remarks from the North Portico of the White House.

He urged Congress to act on defense-funding legislation and on a compromise on the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, or S-CHIP.

As he spoke, Mr. Bush was flanked by two senior Republicans, Representative John Boehner of Ohio, the minority leader, and Representative Roy Blunt of Missouri, the minority whip. The three had emerged from a meeting in the East Room of the House Republican Conference, and perhaps reflecting the campaign season under way, the president’s words took on a partisan edge.

Representative Nancy Pelosi, the House speaker, responded sharply to the president’s criticisms.

“The president calls Congressional oversight that has uncovered tens of billions of dollars in waste, fraud and abuse in Iraq a ‘waste of time.’ We call billions spent in no-bid contracts to Halliburton a waste of money,” she said in a statement released by her office.

“Instead of criticizing Congress,” Mrs. Pelosi continued, “the president’s time would be better spent working in a bipartisan way to end this disastrous war in Iraq, keep our promises to our veterans by providing the largest veterans’ health care investment in history, and providing health care for 10 million children.”

Republicans have chafed amid the nearly continuous investigations, many by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which that panel’s Democratic leadership describes as accountability.

Referring to the current congressional session, Mr. Bush said: “We’re near the end of the year, and there really isn’t much to show for it. The House of Representatives has wasted valuable time on a constant stream of investigations, and the Senate has wasted valuable time on an endless series of failed votes to pull our troops out of Iraq.”

Members of the Democratic-led Congress, he added, hadn’t “seen a bill they could not solve without shoving a tax hike into it.”

“Proposed spending is skyrocketing under their leadership,” he said.

But Democrats, and some Republicans, have regularly criticized the administration for spending increases since Mr. Bush came to office.

The president again criticized Democrats over the S-CHIP bill, saying the Senate had taken up a second version of the legislation passed by the House “despite knowing it does not have a chance of becoming law.”

While the president vetoed the first version, saying it spent too much money and covered not just the poor children it is intended to help but some middle-class children and adults, he said this version would spend even more.

“After going alone and going nowhere, Congress should instead work with the administration on a bill that puts poor children first,” he said. “We want to sit down in good faith and come up with a bill that is responsible.”

Mr. Bush was also sharply critical of a reported plan by congressional leaders to combine the Defense Department appropriations bill with bills for domestic departments.

“It’s hard to imagine a more cynical political strategy than trying to hold hostage funding for our troops in combat and our wounded warriors in order to extract $11 billion in additional social spending,” he said.

The president had used scathing language about the Democratic majority during an Oct. 17 news conference, saying Congress was dragging its feet on a range of important legislation while spending time debating whether the deaths of more than a million Armenians in the early 20th century amounted to a genocide at Turkish hands.

The president had continued his denunciations of Congress last Friday, saying its leaders had also failed to act yet to confirm Michael Mukasey as attorney general, despite Democrats’ complaints about a lack of leadership at the Justice Department. “This is not what congressional leaders promised when they took control of Congress earlier this year,” he said then.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/30/washington/30cnd-policy.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

P.S. Well excusssssse me! Look who's talking about 'wasting time'? The last time I checked the Despot in Charge had not accomplished a single thing since he galavanted into the White House almost 7 years ago; With his "mandate" or capital, which he so flamboyantly flaunted; Yet, he hasn't accomplished an iota, except to bankrupt the country, a billion at a time. Always with his hand out asking for more Billions$$$ for his military ambitions around the world. His repudiation of the principles of the Constitution, and his restrictive Patriot Acts. He has also stocked the Supreme Court chock full with Vatican operatives. And lest we forget the endless war on terror which has cost more lives than can be counted. Nothing of any redeeming value has been achieved under his watch. History will only remember all that was lost while this president sat in the Oval Office. No child left behind was his motto? Yet, he has the audacity to point out the Congress lolly-gagging?

Is this what they call the bully pulpit??? Blogmaster.

CHRISTIANS SHOULD BOYCOTT HALLOWEEN

Christians should Boycott Halloween's Evil

While there may be innocent intentions, celebrating witches, demons, occult symbols, possession, cruelty, haunted houses, goblins, ghosts is not becoming those who should emulate saints.

October 24, 1998

Dear Editor,

Christians should not patronize the evils of Halloween!

Think about it. It=s a pagan holiday celebrating the occult: witches, demons, ghosts, dementia, possession, horror, torture, killing. God=s people are to be a peculiar people, departing from the ways of the world -- especially these ways!

What? there is no policy against it in the church? What about not being a slothful servant that must be commanded in all things!

It seems pretty obvious to me.

It is individuals who take righteous initiative out of love of their Savior and his teachings who inherit the highest glories of heaven. The kingdom of God will be a nation of kings and priests, not peons. (Rev. 1:6.) Let=s get with it.

Sterling D. Allan; Mapleton, Utah
Brian J. Gibson, Provo, Utah

p.s. Yes, the costume thing may be lots of fun. But just as Christmas has become secularized and many observe it who do not believe in its true purpose -- though they are touched by it nonetheless -- so also is Halloween a secularized occult holiday, and those who observe it though non-adherents to occultism are touched by it nonetheless. Perhaps you should have your costume parties another time, and think carefully about what you are role playing. (11/3/98)

Source: http://www.greaterthings.com/Editorial/Halloween.htm

SHOULD YOU OBSERVE SATAN'S HOLY DAY?

Should You Observe Satan's Holy Day?
by Wayne Blank

A lady in the United States invited me to be a guest (by telephone) on her Public Radio program about this time last year. I didn't accept the offer, not just because she only made her invitation by email a few hours before the program was to begin (and I didn't read the email until about an hour before "show time") but because from her email I could see that the lady assumed that I was a Christian who went along with Halloween. Out of consideration for her, there was no time to explain to her that her last-minute guest would have surprised, and perhaps embarrassed her, by my speaking on her program, not about how Christians should observe Halloween (as she requested, as the topic of her show), but that Christians should have absolutely nothing to do with Halloween.
I realize now that I should have accepted the offer anyway. Perhaps she would not have asked me to be on her program for anything after that (as she hasn't anyway, perhaps because I didn't accept her offer the first time) but at least for that one program the host and her audience would have heard the Biblical Truth about Halloween, if they weren't already aware of it (as many people actually are). Henceforth, whenever asked, by anyone, anywhere on earth, I will be there, not because I've become less considerate over the past year, but because now more than ever I realize that nothing is more important than the Truth, regardless of who likes it or not.

This study is published well before Halloween not only for that reason, but also to give time for people to make other arrangements for themselves (surely you aren't going to any Satanic Halloween parties, are you?) or their children (parents who do not want their children to participate in Satanic Halloween activities, but at the same time not have the little ones feel "left out" have some other activity that night that the children will very much enjoy but which is not evil - Satan has been making substitutes for the true Biblical Holy Days for thousands of years, so substituting something good for something bad on his "holy day" is a reasonable turnabout).

"The only day on which the help of the devil was invoked"

As many already know, but who observe it anyway (sometimes even in church buildings), Halloween had its origin and basis in evil paganism, which God condemns (see Witchcraft). Halloween may perhaps best be described by its associated name, Devil's Night.

The respected and authoritative Encyclopedia Britannica has a startling account about what's behind Halloween i.e. "the only day on which the help of the devil was invoked":


"Halloween, in medieval times All Hallows Eve, a holy or hallowed evening observed on October 31, the eve of All Saints Day [Author's note: "a tradition of men" religious observance that is not found anywhere in God's Word]; in modern times, it is the occasion for pranks and for children requesting treats or threatening tricks."
"In ancient Britain and Ireland, the Celtic festival of Samhain was observed on October 31, the end of summer. The date was also the eve of the new year in both Celtic and Anglo-Saxon times and was the occasion for one of the ancient fire festivals when huge bonfires were set on hilltops to frighten away evil spirits. The date was connected with the return of herds from pasture, and laws and land tenures were renewed. The souls of the dead [see What Happens When You Die? and Where Is Your Soul?] were supposed to revisit their homes on this day, and the autumnal festival acquired sinister significance, with ghosts, witches, hobgoblins, black cats, fairies, and demons of all kinds said to be roaming about. It was the time to placate the supernatural powers controlling the processes of nature. In addition, Halloween was thought to be the most favorable time for divinations concerning marriage, luck, health and death. It was the only day on which the help of the devil was invoked for such purposes." (Encyclopedia Britannica, 15th Edition, volume 4, page 862)

And what does God's Word say about participating in activities based on paganism, witchcraft, demons, divination, and "seeking the help of the devil"? From the pages of The Bible:


"But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils." (1 Corinthians 10:20-21 KJV)
"There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto The Lord" (Deuteronomy 18:10-12 KJV)

Fact Finder: Does Satan masquerade, not only on Halloween, but on every day of the year?

Source: http://www.keyway.ca/htm2004/20041029.htm

A HISTORY OF FUTURISM AND PRETERISM

A History of the Foundation of Futurism and Preterism

The papacy suffered a major setback through the Reformation. The help of the monastic orders was sought, but they were so decadent that they had lost the respect of the people. The Dominicans and Franciscans, peddling relics and indulgences, had become the butt of ridicule and mockery.

At this crisis Loyola and his companions offered their services, to go wherever the pope should designate, as preachers, missionaries, teachers, counselors, and reformers. A new order was created, authorized in 1540, which infused a new spirit and spread rapidly in Europe. Like a wounded giant, Romanism arose in desperation to recover her lost prestige and shrunken territory.

Their ambitious goal was to become the universal and principal order of the Roman church. Though they took the name Society of Jesus (Jesuits), the Protestants termed them Jesuwider (against Jesus).

Their influence was immediately felt. They grew more powerful and comprehensive year by year, employing science, art, culture, politics, foreign missions, trades and industry. They began to preach, as Protestants were accustomed to do, in the streets and marts, coming to be among the most eloquent preachers of the age. The churches were too small to accommodate the multitudes that flocked to hear them. At Rome, they were scattered throughout the various churches. Then they began to spread throughout Italy, Portugal, Germany, and especially Austria and Bavaria. They hemmed in the Protestant movement on all sides. Some cities, such as Ingolstadt and Cologne, opened their doors; others opposed them.

In 1558 Lainez was elected second general of the order. At the Council of Trent he successfully exerted his power and skill in behalf of papal supremacy. The Jesuits became entrenched in universities throughout various countries. They were among the best teachers in the land. Even Protestants began to send their children to them because of the scholastic progress they could make.

The conflict between Protestantism and Catholicism was basic and irreconcilable. The Romanist believed in the authority of the church; the Protestant, in that of the Bible. The one yielded his conscience to the priest; the other to God alone. The Romanist believed in the pope as the visible representative of Christ on earth; the Protestant looked, instead, upon the pope as Antichrist. The one regarded the church—meaning the hierarchy—as the depository of all spiritual truth; the other looked upon the clergy as ministers of the church, not as the church itself. The Romanist, satisfied with the teaching of the church, was content to leave the Bible to the learned; the Protestant, on the other hand, held that it was to be diligently and reverently studied, by all, as the word of God. The one dreaded its spread as tending to heresy; the other multiplied translations as the assurance of soundness, and sought to introduce them to every household. Between the time of Luther’s appeal to a general council, in 1518, and the convening of the Council of Trent in 1545, Bibles in German, Danish, Swedish, Icelandic, and English (Tyndale’s New Testament and Coverdale’s complete Bible) had been published, and the Reformation established in Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, and England.

The two systems stood forth in absolute and irreconcilable opposition at the Council of Trent, where the council expressly condemned what the Reformation taught.

The Council of Trent—beginning in 1545 under Paul III and ending in 1563 under Pius IV—crystallized its actions into decrees that became permanent law of the Catholic church. Reformation truths were there rejected and stigmatized as pestilential heresy. In one sense Trent became the culmination of the Counter-Reformation. It was Rome’s definitive answer to the Reformation.

The molding Jesuit influence was attested to by the fact that the two noted Jesuits, Salmeron and Lainez, who served as the pope’s theologians, and who had been enjoined by Loyola to resist all innovation in doctrine, were invited to preach during the council. They soon ingratiated themselves into the good will of the delegates. And by their unusual knowledge of the fathers, the conclusions of scholastic philosophy, and of Catholic doctrine, they came to wield a preponderant influence in the council.

Jesuits Introduce Futurist Counterinterpretation

For some time following the launching of the Reformation, Roman Catholic leadership carefully avoided exposition of the prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse. They seemed unable to parry the force of the incriminating Protestant applications of the prophecies concerning Antichrist, which were undermining the very foundations of the Catholic position. Upon the first outbreak of Luther's antipapal protest two Catholic doctors, Prierias and Eck, in the true spirit of the Fifth Lateran Council (1512-1517), had boldly reasserted the Lateran theory and declared the papal dominion to be Daniel's fifth monarchy, or reign of the saints, and identified the existing Roman church with the New Jerusalem.

But the reformers, with declarations by pen and voice, forcefully stated that the Papacy was the specified Antichrist of prophecy. The symbols of Daniel, Paul, and John were applied with tremendous effect. Hundreds of books and tracts impressed their contention upon the consciousness of Europe. Indeed it gained so great a hold upon the minds of men that Rome, in alarm, saw that she must successfully counteract this identification of Antichrist with the Papacy, or lose the battle. The Jesuits were summoned to aid in the extremity, and cleverly provided the very method needed both for defense and for attack.

From the ranks of the Jesuits two stalwarts arose, determined to lift the stigma from the Papacy by locating Antichrist at some point where he could not be applied to the Roman church. It was clearly a crisis of major proportions.

Two Conflicting Alternatives Brought Forth

Rome’s answer to the Protestant Reformation was twofold, though actually conflicting and contradictory. Through the Jesuits Ribera, of Salamanca, Spain, and Bellarmine, of Rome, the Papacy put forth her futurist interpretation. Almost simultaneously Alcazar, Spanish Jesuit of Seville, advanced the conflicting preterist interpretation. These were designed to meet and overwhelm the Historical interpretation of the Protestants. Though mutually exclusive, either Jesuit alternative suited the great objective equally well, as both thrust aside the application of the prophecies from the existing Church of Rome. The one (preterism) accomplished it by making prophecy stop altogether short of papal Rome's career. The other (futurism) achieved it by making it overleap the immense era of papal dominance, crowding Antichrist into a small fragment of time in the still distant future, just before the great consummation. It is consequently often called the gap theory.

According to the Protestants, the vision of Babylon and the supporting Beast is divinely interpreted in chapter 17 of the Apocalypse. It was on this that the Reformers commonly rested their case—the apostate woman, the Roman church; the city, seven-hilled Rome; the many waters, the many peoples; the Beast, the fourth, or Roman beast of Daniel; the sixth head, the Caesars; and the seventh, the popes.

Roman Catholics as well as Protestants agree as to the origin of these interpretations. The Roman Catholic writer G.S. Hitchcock says:

• “The Futurist School, founded by the Jesuit Ribera in 1591, looks for Antichrist, Babylon, and a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, at the end of the Christian dispensation.
• “The Praeterist School, founded by the Jesuit Alcasar in 1614, explains the Revelation by the Fall of Jerusalem, or by the fall of Pagan Rome in 410 A.D.” (G.S. Hitchcock, The Beasts and the Little Horn, p. 7.)

Similarly, Dean Henry Alford (Protestant), in the "Prolegomena" to his Greek Testament, declares:

• “The founder of this system [Futurist] in modern times…appears to have been the Jesuit Ribera, about A.D. 1580." (Henry Alford, The New Testament for English Readers, vol. 2, part 2, p. 351 [bottom numbering].)
• “The Praeterist view found no favour, and was hardly so much as thought of , in the times of primitive Christianity. … The View is said to have been first promulgated in anything like completeness by the Jesuit Alcasar … in 1614.” (Ibid, pp. 348, 349 [bottom numbering].)

Francisco Ribera (1537-1591).

About 1590 Ribera published a 500-page commentary on the Apocalypse, denying the Protestant application of Antichrist to the Church of Rome. Ribera’s death at fifty-four halted the preparation of further commentaries. Those that were printed passed through several revised editions—at Salamanca about 1590, Lyons and Antwerp in 1593, Douay in 1612, and Antwerp in 1603 and 1623.

Since its inception his basic thesis has been virtually unchanged. He assigned the first few chapters of the Apocalypse to ancient Rome, in John’s own time; the rest he restricted to a literal three and a half year’s reign of an infidel Antichrist, who would bitterly oppose and blaspheme the saints just before the second advent. He taught that antichrist would be a single individual, who would rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, abolish Christian religion, deny Christ, be received by the Jews, pretend to be God, and conquer the world—all in this brief space of three and one half years!

• Places Antichrist’s coming at the close of the seals
• Places trumpets under the seventh seal
• Death of the witness is literal time
• Antichrist's persecutions last three and one half years
• Judgements upon Rome for ultimate apostasy—in Revelation 17 Ribera admits the woman to be not only pagan Rome but also Rome Christian after a future falling away from the pope. (Francisco Ribera, Sacram Beati Ioannis … Apocalypsin Commentarij, chap. 14, pp. 282, 283).
• Repudiates Augustinian earthly millennium
• Antichrist’s reign counted by literal days
• Babylon is Rome past and future, not present

Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621), focused his attack on the year-day principle.

• Capitalized on Luther’s hesitation over Apocalypse
• Main assault centered on year-day application
• Assigns symbols to past and future, thereby eliminating application to the long papal ascendancy of the Middle Ages.
• Exploits variations on time of the Antichrist

The heart of Bellarmine’s thesis was both clever and plausible, though deceptive. (1) Antichrist is an individual Jew, and not an apostate Christian system. (2) Therefore the length of his exploits must harmonize with the life period of one man—three and one half literal years, and not 1260 years.

Luis de Alcasar (1554-1613), Spanish Jesuit of Seville.

• Made the seals the early expansion of apostolic Christianity
• God’s longsuffering, warnings, and punishments were allotted to the Jews
• The trumpets were judgments on fallen Judaism
• The two witnesses—the doctrine and holy lives of the Christians
• After the persecutions Christianity would arise with new glory and convert many Jews
• Revelation was the apostolic church, bringing forth the Roman church
• The first beast of Revelation 13 declared to be the persecuting arrogance of pagan Rome—the second beast, its carnal wisdom
• Revelation 17, the mystical meaning of idolatrous ancient Rome
• Revelation 18, its conversion to the Catholic faith

LeRoy Edwin Froom, The Prophetic faith of Our Fathers, The Historical Development of Prophetic Interpretation, Vol. 2, Review and Herald, Washington, D.C., 1948, excerpted, pp. 464-532.

Source: http://www.gospel-herald.com/futurism_history.htm

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P.S. Jus t a minor observation on the 3rd from last conclusion:

---the second Beast its carnal wisdom.

My opinion is that the Second Beast is the Image of the Beast or the Apostate (United States) union of Church and State; The antithesis of what is was established to be; Protestant and Republican. With no higher (no King or Pope) authority but, that of the people and their God. The Second Beast is like its Vatican counterpart which is one part sovereign nation and one part church. Blogmaster.

FEMA: A GAFFE OR A FIB? DISASTER RELIEF?

From my perspective in the case of FEMA : Two strikes you're out!

On Friday, October 26, 2007, FEMA apologized for conducting a 'staged' press conference, on 10/23/07 without reporters. Instead, it utilized its own staffers, who posed as reporters. These fake reporters asked preconceived questions of the agency's deputy administrator, Harvey Johnson, about FEMA's response to the California wildfires. Of course, a favorable report of FEMA's efforts was expressed to the friendly reporters. This was such a sham and travesty of the public's confidence.
Again, lack of character and judgement is displayed by the Agency. When Hurricane Katrina assaulted the Gulf Coast States in 2005, it was utterly inept, and refused to accept responsibility for not responding quicker; Or, for providing a more decisive effort in the rescue and assistance of Gulf Coast residents. I see a clear and present dereliction of duties on the part of FEMA. And can perceive a decided mission to obstruct, rather than assist in disaster relief. The old proverb comes to mind: "You're either part of the part of the problem, or you're part of the solution." I see the problem here, and it's clearly FEMA! "WITH LIES AND INCOMPETENCE ARE NO WAY TO RUN AN AGENCY DESIGNED TO HELP". Two strikes you're out, FEMA.

Arsenio

THEY CONFISCATED HIS KORAN

In a file photo a statue on a flagpole, left, is shown outside the U.S. Supreme Court, right, on a rainy Sunday, Nov. 26, 2000, in Washington.

Monday, October 29, 2007

WASHINGTON - A Muslim inmate says prisoners around the country are regularly mistreated by their jailers because of religious faith. The Supreme Court is considering his case Monday.

The issue in the inmate's lawsuit is whether he can sue prison officials for allegedly confiscating two copies of his Quran and his prayer rug.

Abdus-Shahid M.S. Ali, a convicted murderer, says the books and rug are among the personal items that have been missing since 2003, when he was moved from a federal penitentiary in Atlanta to a facility at Inez, Ky.

Muslim inmates have been subjected to "very hard times and bad treatment" at the hands of federal, state and local prison employees because of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Ali says in court papers.

Ali is serving a sentence of 20 years to life in prison for committing first-degree murder in the District of Columbia.

It seems as though "the many prison employees think that they can hurt you best taking your personally owned property," Ali wrote.

Ali added that because he has "practiced his faith to the fullest" he has been subjected to prison officials repeatedly confiscating and destroying his legal and religious property.

He said he has been harassed for his religious beliefs "year after year" in both the District of Columbia Department of Corrections and the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

Ali says the items he turned over to prison officers in Atlanta for shipment never arrived at Inez.

In the Supreme Court, the question is whether federal prison officials qualify as law enforcement officers and are therefore exempt from suit under the Federal Tort Claims Act of 1946. The statute bars liability claims against law enforcement officers involved in detaining property. Two lower federal courts ruled against Ali.

Besides the two copies of the Quran and the prayer rug, Ali is missing stamps and other personal items worth $177 that he says weren't sent along to Big Sandy penitentiary in Kentucky.

The case is Ali v. Federal Bureau of Prison, 06-9130.

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On the Net:

Supreme Court: http://www.supremecourtus.gov/

Source: http://home.peoplepc.com/psp/newsstory.asp?cat=topstories&id=20071029/472568d0_3421_1334520071029-1974349467

P.S.
This brings to mind the persecution and intolerance that Christians face within the spectrum of Muslim Countries. You can not profess to be a Christian is most Islamic countries without the risk of being killed or imprisoned? Yet, these prisoners, claim their holy book was seized. In a 'free' country. You can not preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ within these Islamic utopias. Possesion of the Bible there is considered a capital crime. So, when I hear of these Muslims claiming their Q'ran was confiscated; I wonder if they are aware of their own intolerance to the True faith? Not the one of Mohammed, 'Ibrahim' and Ishmael as they claim; But, the one of Abraham and Jesus (not Isa, the guy they claim to know). The True God Almighty who delivered the Children of Israel from their Egyptian captivity under the Red Sea. And He continues to deliver His children in spite of the obstacles that tyrants, and unbelievers may place in their way. The sad part is the many lost and languishing souls that can not be reached with the Gospel because of these Islamists and Communists, etc. Blogmaster.

WHAT IS THE SHAKING?

See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

For our God is a consuming fire.

Hebrews 12:25-29.

WHAT IS FAITH?

What is faith?


1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2For by it the elders obtained a good report.

3Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

4By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

5By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

7By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

8By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

9By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

10For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

11Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

12Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

13These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

14For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

15And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

16But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

17By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

18Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

19Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

21By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

22By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.

23By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

24By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;

25Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

26Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

27By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

28Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

29By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

30By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

31By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

32And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

33Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.

34Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

35Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

36And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

37They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

38(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

40God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

Hebrews 11 (King James Version)

IN IGNORANCE OF THE PLAIN TRUTH

Today, thousands are proceeding to their "sunday" services believing it is the instruction of the Lord. They earnestly seek the Lord and His will. But, have erroneously mistaken the Sabbath to be the first day of the week. Among these Sun-day congregations are many 'true' children of God; Many chosen sons and daughters of Jehovah, the God of Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham. These honest and consecrated followers of Jesus are truly deceived. But, there is hope for them. The Everlasting Gospel consists not only of Jesus' sacrifice for mankind on the cross, and our need to repent and accept Him as our personal Saviour. But, also of his guidelines, HIS Character, the Ten Commandments. These were given to Moses on MOUNT SINAI, when the children of Israel wandered the desert for 40 years after the Lord delivered them of their slavery of 400 years in Egypt. The LORD ALMIGTHY (Hashem, Elohim, JVHV) wrote these precepts with HIS OWN FINGER. The Commandments are not replaceable or fluctuating:

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Hebrews 13:8;

'Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.' Matthew 24:35

God's will is that His elect come to the understanding that they are to believe HIM only, and not the False 'Profits' who lie, cheat, and deceive them into stumbling over the corner stone, Jesus. Jesus and The Father, are grieved when we break any of his commandments. Count them, they are ten. Not nine?

"But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Matthew 15:9

"Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Mark 7:7

The Creator gave Man the Sabbath as a "memorial" for a rest in The Garden of Eden. As The Lord rested from creating the heavens and the earth in 6 days. He then rested on the 7th day. He instructed man to do likewise. He did not expect man to invent convoluted formulas for which to change His Sabbath for another day of his whim. God is a jealous God. Not a wavering, temporal God. He means what he says!

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. Genesis 2:1-3.

All of God's people throughout the ages have know what the true Sabbath is. From Adam through Malachi, in the Old Testament. And from Joseph and Mary (the parents), Jesus Christ, the Apostle John, in the New Testament. All kept the true Sabbath. Jews, Ethiopians, Greeks, Romans, Samaritans, Egyptians, Babylonians, all knew, and some of them kept the real Sabbath. Yet, in the 'Dark Ages', as it had been foretold by the Jesus, and the prophets: that certain men would 'creep in unawares', false prophets, lying children, ravenous wolves, teaching heresy and apostasy; And would lead others to follow them in their folly. Such were the 'early' Roman (pseudoChristian) converts of Emperor Constantine time. Note: Rome was the preferred place to martyr (torture, murder) and imprison true Christian believers. They were slaughtered for their strong devotion to the Truth and their Creator. As the Empire had fallen at Rome, and was in serious condition at Byzantium: To maintain the Empire intact the Emperor Constantine, through ecclesiastical means, craftily devised a mixture of the popular pagan rites; Including near eastern mysticism, Roman paganism (which was an amalgam of many heathen beliefs), Greek Pantheon of gods and philo-sophy (sophisms: as if God can be explained by mortal intellectual thoughts.), and a host of other Babylonian rituals such as Sun Worship. Here began the penchant for sun-day worshiping (by decree of Constantine in AD 321), until this day. Many other Edicts were issued by successive Emperors and Popes; One of them was the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne: in 789 Charlemagne decreed that even normal "servile" work was to be avoided on Sunday so that the day could be set aside for holy worship and thanks to God for His goodness.1

The strongest proponents of Sunday worship, and resisters of the true Sabbath have been the Church of Rome, its Bishop, and her Daughters, the Protestant (now mostly known as evangelicals, a Latinised Greek word few really understand) Churches who have followed her example even after being weened off the teats of the 'Romish Church'. Throughout history many have kept the true Sabbath, such were Jesus Disciples and the first Christians, the Celtic Church (St. Patrick) of Ireland, Russian Reformation Christians, Ethiopian Sabbath worshiping Christians, Christians of Norway and Denmark.2

Churches that held to this faith and practice existed in Central Africa, and among the Armenians of Asia; Also the Waldenses of Europe.3

Many others from the time of the Reformation onward have kept the Bible Sabbath, such were Carlstad, John Frith, John Trask (brought to the infamous tribunal of the Star Chamber). Until the 18th Century when the Seventh Day Baptists first came to the new world, and many others have joined them in this return to full Christian discipleship. My prayer, dear friend is that you can also come to this understanding, and faithfully continue to grow in the sanctifying power of the Truth. May you pray for discernment and conviction from the Lord, whether you should follow God or men? The Truth of God will always cause conflict, for natural man is evil and prone to do the will of their father Satan. Resist the enemy of man's soul and heed God's will is my fervent desire. Prepare ye the way for His return.

For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Matthew 3:3.

And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. Isaiah 58:12

Isaiah 58

1Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.

2Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.

3Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.

4Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.

5Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?

6Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

7Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

8Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward.

9Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

10And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day:

11And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

12And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

13If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

14Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

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Arsenio

3. The Great Controversy, Ellen G. White, pp. 56-58, 1884 Edition.

Acknowledgements:

1. http://www.sabbath-day.com/

2. http://www.sabbath-day.net/

3. http://www.whiteestate.org/

Arsenio

ISAIAH 28 AMPLIFIED (THEN AND NOW)

Isaiah 28

1Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!

[Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. Isaiah 29:9]

[Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine: Isaiah 51:21]

2Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.

3The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet:

4And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.

5In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,

6And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.

7But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.

8For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.

9Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

10For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

[Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15]

11For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

12To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

13But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

14Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.

15Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:

[Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. Matthew 27:25. ]

16Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

17Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.

18And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand;

[Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. Matthew 27:25]

19From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.

20For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.

21For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.

22Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.

23Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.

24Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?

25When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place?

26For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.

[And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. Isaiah 29:18 ]

27For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.

28Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen.

29This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.

MARY I (BLOODY MARY)

Mary I (1553-1558 AD)

Mary I, daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, was born in 1516 and suffered through a terrible childhood of neglect, intolerance, and ill-health. She was a staunch catholic from birth, constantly resisting pressure from others to renounce her faith, a request she steadfastly refused. She married Philip II of Spain in 1555, but was unable to produce a child. Mary began her tumultuous reign at 37 years of age, arriving in London amid a scene of great rejoicing. Following the disarray created by Edward VI's passing of the succession to Lady Jane Grey (Jane lasted only nine days), Mary's first act was to repeal the Protestant legislation of her brother, Edward VI, hurling England into a phase of severe religious persecution. Her major goal was the re-establishment of Catholicism in England, a goal to which she was totally committed. Persecution came more from a desire for purity in faith than from vengeance, yet the fact remains that nearly 300 people (including former Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer and many of the most prominent members of society) were burned at the stake for heresy, earning Mary the nickname, "Bloody Mary." Mary's marriage to the militant Catholic Philip was again designed to enforce Roman Catholicism on the realm. Unfortunately for Mary, two factors compelled opposition to her plans: the English people hated foreigners - especially the Spanish - and twenty years of Protestantism had soured the English on popery. She met with resistance at every level of society, and, unlike her father and brother, failed to conform society into one ideological pattern. Philip II, cold and indifferent to both Mary and her realm, remained in England for only a short time. He coerced Mary to enter into war with France, resulting in defeat and the loss of the last English continental possession, Calais. With the retirement of his father, Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire, Philip returned to Spain; Mary died a mere ten months later. England suffered during the reign of Mary I: the economy was in ruin, religious dissent reached a zenith and England lost her last continental territory. Jane Austen wrote this rather scathing commentary about Mary: "This woman had the good luck of being advanced to the throne of England, in spite of the superior pretensions, Merit and Beauty of her Cousins Mary Queen of Scotland and Jane Grey. Nor can I pity the Kingdom for the misfortunes they experienced during her reign, since they fully deserved them..."

Source: http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon44.html

JAMES (JIM) ARRABITO ON JESUITS

RARE 1983 video Alberto Rivera and Others speak of Jesuit Infiltration - Full Version

Jim Arrabito who interviews these witnesses was EL-iminated by the Jesuits when his plane was sabotaged in 1990. Ex Jesuit Alberto Rivera was also EL-iminated by the Jesuit order with the notorious "poison cup" or "Cup of borgia" in 1997.

2 hr 1 min 23 sec

year unknown

The Jesuits (society of Jesus) have totally taken over just about every
facet of America. From all religions to all secret societies, ... ... all
government agencies, intelligence agancies in America and all over
the world. Here an ex-jesuit priest Alberto Rivera (murdered by the Vatican
in 1997 by poisoning) tells of why and how the Jesuits are doing this. We
can see the evidence of this by the attacks on our civil liberties and the
U.S. Constitution. It's time to wake up. Share this video and and post it
anywhere you can.

Source: http://www.loud-cry.com/

For More Google Video on JESUITS:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=AUJ2kbgkems

THE PURPOSE OF DIVERSITY

THE PURPOSE OF DIVERSITY! Part I
Updated 10/18/2001: Made easier to print out. Updated 12/11/2004

In our church and without, we happened to stumble upon some very strange people who kept struggling to put us into debate, claiming that this is one of the very strongest evidences that we are a free people. We then noticed that such people then began to tell us that our church and our state must change. We saw that they were very powerful and were accomplishing their objects. They arranged to have our media become debate boxes and soon we noticed that we who disagreed with their ideas for change, were not given equal billing for the exposure of our ideas. Then we were introduced to the internet, knowing that it had the potential of being a truly free medium. We saw that debate forums were already set up, but that the same people managed these forums. We went on these forums in order to defend the historic positions of our church. We quickly saw that was not an easy proposition. Those who demanded that our church must change, were very intelligent. It was clear they were trained in the doctrines and positions of our church better than we were. As we began to discuss the issues with them, we noticed that they were naturally unscrupulous. They did everything and everything to make their ideas dominate. We began to see that something was holding back our success contending against them, but didn't at first know what it was. It was then that we understood what was going on. Just from memory of what we had learned from the scriptures, we understood that neither Christ nor any of His Apostles nor any of the prophets told the people that they can entertain nor exercise any idea that is honestly believed. Jesus met different groups of people who argued with Him on doctrinal issues. Never once did He tell one group that they can just entertain what they believe and they are alright. He often told most of the groups He came in contact with that they were in error and cleared up the error for them using the scriptures. Thinking that Christ did this only because He was God, and that no one else could do this, we were reminded of the Sadducees, who presented Christ with a very difficult riddle. The Sadducees did not believe there was a resurrection. They believed that once a man died, that was it. They therefore presented against Christ a riddle none of their enemies could solve in Matt. 22:23-28: 23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, 24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: 26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh. 27 And last of all the woman died also. 28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her. Watch then how Christ easily answers the issue: 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. Notice that in the statement, Christ was showing that they were in error, but that the reason for their error was not the scriptures. CHRIST PUT THE BLAME ACTUALLY UPON THEM FOR MAKING THE MISTAKE. Christ upbraided them for not knowing that there is no marriage in heaven. He was saying that they should have known there was no marriage in heaven just by prayerfully reading and studying the scriptures. But where in the Old Testament scriptures does it say there will be no marriage in heaven?? What we got from that was that there basically is no excuse for being confused or in error with the bible in hand. This is the message Christ was giving. That sharply contrasts with what is constantly taught us today everywhere. The bible itself says that it is truth (John 17:17) with no "S" on the end. Is that why even now, many different Christian denominations exist? Taking therefore a lesson from this, we then went out in faith, understanding what was being done. As they constantly told us to dive into the sea of confusion they had created, telling us that all beliefs are equally justified, we told them NO! We had to tell them this, because we noticed THAT THEY THEMSELVES DID NOT SUBMERSE THEMSELVES INTO THE CONFUSION. We utilized all the years we had studied all the issues pertaining to our church and began to defend it. By their actions, they always claimed that they had to give the final word. They denied this by their words. When we gave different opinions that contradicted theirs, they never rested till we all believed what they wanted. They attacked us constantly every waking moment because we disagreed with their beliefs and proved them wrong. It was not long before it was seen that we then had a sizeable advantage. We were able to defeat them in most every single argument. This was quickly proven by the way new and strange people began to swarm upon us and attack us, even with accusations of insanity, bigotry, intolerance, as if those people had been looking in their mirrors all day long every day. Soon matters we could not understand were constantly and miraculously being opened to us until there was no stopping us. We were then kicked off of most of those forums with the fabricated excuses they brought, and the strange people began to babble daily to all others how what they did was not censorship. They began to attack most everything our church ever taught and then demanded that we go a certain way. While making demands on us, they constantly insisted that all opinions must be voiced and that no one can condemn an honest position that is honestly believed. It was not until we refused to jump into the confusion they brought that we were able to defeat them, and ultimately to know who they actually were. That is what we are here to teach you!...

We are in a very critical situation today. Two planes plowed into the WTC buildings penetrating straight through traditionally heavily-controlled airspace and met their targets without even a military jet to accompany them. Those planes traveled from far distances in terror attacks that were planned by Islamic extremists. From that distance how did they know they would penetrate? Such a distance to travel at the risk of being laughing stocks to the Islamic world!

After 3,000 people died, then followed a progression of certain people BENEFITING from that disaster. The American people didn't benefit: they lost some of their liberties and they are constantly even promised that more terror attacks would occur. They are told they must never go back to the days when American was considered impregnable to terrorism even while maintaining all of their privileges and liberties. When Osama Bin Laden threatens America on the media, they must listen!

Osama Bin Laden didn't benefit. He is hiding in mountains presumably. Lost world sympathy. Bush and all those who never listen to the Arab Islamic plight are stronger, and the many who would even sympathize with their plight worsened through American intervention are weaker and more silenced since the government claims liberties from them instantly. More Arab lives were lost than what Bin Laden took at 911. Now the prospect is for the United States to become a dictatorship, placing its citizens under Martial Law. With our national leaders that strong, what good will it do for the Islamic plight? Therefore a mystery presents itself before us.

With such attacks conceived to have materialized through angering the Arab Islamists, President Bush put his sights on Iraq when already the terrorism issue and offending Arab Islamists had become an issue. That country was already contained under no-fly-zones to the point where even their closest neighbors were not worried about them. Then, traditional psychiatrists who know what paranoia is, sided with Bush's call for a war in Iraq. They went in and did what was expected.

After already pulverizing Iraq a short time earlier during Operation Desert Storm, and easily defeating her with a minimum of casualties, America went over there with powerful and advanced tanks and artillery to again accomplish the same thing. We had tanks that could see their tanks long before they could see ours in the distance. We had tanks with ranges of fire far above theirs. It was a wild slaughter! When they couldn't even see our tanks we were able to blow theirs up from far distances! Many of the Iraqi tanks were taken out without even knowing what hit them! WE ALWAYS HAD SUPERIORITY IN THAT WE HAD AERIAL SURVEILLANCE OF THEIR COUNTRY. You tell me they had that advantage on ours. With aerial surveillance, it is all the more we should have known for sure that Iraq DIDN'T have weapons of mass destruction. And yet while Iraq was saying that it didn't and there was confusion over the issue, North Korea announced and unveiled its weapons of mass destruction in our faces as we were presenting to the world a moral imperative that no brutal nation should possess such. When North Korea did that, and presented the finger before us, many were not surprised that we had to ignore them.

To this day there are people who contend that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and that they had ties to the 911 tragedy. To this day when asked how those planes can penetrate our airspace like that without a single military jet present to even inquire who they are, we struggle against people telling us that the former presidential administration didn't do his job. To this day we struggle with people telling us the government needs to keep taking more of our liberties away. To this day our nation cannot seem to figure out that Bush diverted the war on terror over to Iraq, and then, after saying he wanted Osama Bin Laden "dead or alive" wound up later confessing that he is not worried about Osama. Now we can't seem to convince anyone that the enormous deficit we have allowed Bush to put us through will destroy our country, and that buying paranoia medicine for him would have been more worth while. We cannot seem to convince anyone to understand that we should not empower someone who has ties to the Bin Laden family to be able to arrest and detain anyone without charge indefinitely and without any legal recourse on the suspicion of having ties to terrorists! We cannot seem to convince anyone that the principles of the Patriot Act described above WERE ALWAYS ALREADY PRACTICED BY THE NAZIS AND COMMUNISTS, and that by accepting the Patriot Act, WE ARE GIVING HONOR TO THOSE HORRIBLE REGIMES! It's copyright infringement!

We are actually struggling with a reversal of American principle as we move closer and closer to the communist and Nazi regimes. Every step of the way as we are being forced in that direction, the ones who do it cry out "FREEDOM! FREEDOM!" to throw sand in our eyes so that they can take us backward! We struggle constantly with Nazis, when viewing our posts on the internet, merely bringing in short words of insult and accusations against us that we are insane. They can never ignore us. They keep coming in and coming in and trailing our posts in the hopes of smothering out the truths we are revealing about their ultra-treason. They refuse to contribute to discussion for obvious reasons. Why is this?

WHY IS THIS? WHY ARE WE IN THIS STRUGGLE? We are here to show you why! It was from strong and secret efforts against us dating back since the very beginnings of this country! First comes infiltration, and then it all culminates to something else seemingly harmless. Before we go into that, let's hear the assessment of someone who is working for this country to fall. On the newsgroups he attacked us and was very upset with us because we opposed the unconstitutional Patriot Act enacted by George Bush. He struggled against us persistently claiming that we are giving aid to the terrorists and destroying America by destroying that law. Later on in discussion, this is what he stated talking about THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:

http://groups-beta.google.com/group/alt.religion.christian.adventist/msg/8247c291c7896295

Already collapsed because of it's own inadequacies. It's hopeless to try
to save it now!

Our contention is that the statement is true, and we are here to show you why!

---

We have noticed that everywhere we have been hearing this great call for DIVERSITY. We have heard it loudly from our government. We have heard it clearly from our media, and we have definitely heard it loudly and clearly from our churches. All of these entities tell us that we MUST have DIVERSITY. What do they mean? What are they talking about? IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK!!

In our society, we have heard about DIVERSITY in the form of multiculturalism and the many blessings it has brought upon the world. Is multiculturalism bad??? Why are these things happening so rhythmically and universally? When did this change come and what is the purpose of this idea about DIVERSITY? Was there always this great hype about diversity and multiculturalism in the United States in previous decades? Was it really always considered a part of the American Dream? Well the actual answer to why there is this great push for diversity is found in the distant past before this nation was born. The period of time in which to find the answers can be found during the Protestant Reformation. Arguments took place during the Protestant Reformation which can enlighten us about what is going on among us today. It goes like this:

When this great nation came into being, it was established upon two basic principles: Republicanism and PROTESTANTISM. This should give us a clue as to what is taking place and who or what is behind the changes which are now coming fast upon us; for during the Protestant Reformation, the question we are now absorbed with as we are on the brink of disaster was the same absorbing one which produced this great nation: WHO OR WHAT WILL LEAD! WHO HAS THE ANSWERS!! All we need now is for some unforeseen crisis to hit and we will find ourselves back at square one asking the same questions that were asked when people started to realize what freedom was. If an unprecedented major crisis hits, how will we get out of it? If that happens, will we not hear all kinds of different opinions flying around the air telling us what we should do to get out of it?? In a situation like this, who will lead?

A typical example of this question in debate is exemplified by the confrontation between Queen Mary of Scotland and the great Reformer, John Knox. Both the Queen of Scotland, representing the Vatican, and John Knox, representing Protestantism, declared that the source of right decisions came from God's Word: the Bible.

The Vatican had always stated however that the bible of itself is rather useless to the common reader. It requires INTERPRETATION. There is where they claim the church comes in and is essential. They reasoned that the church was what created and gave the bible to the world, and that therefore the church alone could interpret that word to the people. She only will make the decisions. The issue here was who or what will lead: who will make the right decisions for the civil and religious governance of the people. It requires right decisions to preserve nations in prosperity. WHO WILL MAKE THOSE RIGHT DECISIONS?

Queen Mary said concerning the controversy between the Vatican and Knox:

"Ye interpret the Scriptures in one manner, and they [the Roman Catholic teachers] interpret in another; whom shall I believe, and who shall be the judge?"

Right here therefore we see DIVERSITY. Two different entities have different opinions or views about crucial matters. According to this quotation AND TO COMMON SENSE, this is not a desired circumstance. THIS IS CONFUSION! It doesn't profit anything to be in confusion. Is this condition regarded the same way today?

John Knox responded to the queen with the typical Protestant response:

"Ye shall believe God, that plainly speaketh in His word. And farther than the word teaches you, ye neither shall believe the one nor the other. The word of god is plain in itself; and if there appear any obscurity in one place, the Holy Ghost, which is never contrary to Himself, explains the same more clearly in other places, so that there can remain no doubt but unto such as remain obstinately ignorant." -- David Laing, The Collected Works of John Knox, Vol. 2, pp. 281, 284.

Here Knox was not denying that there was confusion, but he speaks authoritatively with a seeming answer for the problem. Knox was here stating that the decisions for who or what will lead and where the right decisions will come from centered upon each individual; that each individual could find something called TRUTH from the Bible and that this is what will build and preserve society in stability, equity and peace; for if you found out the truth about a particular subject or topic, and I found out the truth about the exact self-same subject or topic, would we disagree with each other? Obviously no.

Knox was here giving the typical Protestant argument. Each individual will study the bible and seek wisdom from God for himself and this study will enable each one to find THE TRUTH. When that happens then unity will be created. When they all know the truth, naturally they will all agree with each other. THEY, IN THE PROCESS OF TIME, WILL ALL COME TO THE SAME CONCLUSIONS! Each individual with his own unique and diverse habits, customs, cultures and temperaments will ULTIMATELY arrive at the same conclusions and ideas which will establish the laws and decisions that will govern the nation.

THE PEOPLE WILL LEAD!

But how can this be, you might question. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS WAS THE MISSION OF PROTESTANTISM! Do you understand what is being said here?! The Protestants were saying that they did not need A DICTATOR!

It was to free the world from the tyranny of Rome so that all people could discover THE TRUTH from the Bible for themselves why Protestantism arose, and the basic reason why it was necessary to find the truth was not only to preserve society, but to enable everyone to properly prepare for the coming of the Lord. When truth is found, everyone who finds it becomes "free".

Indeed it was not all kinds of different opinions warring against each other that started the Constitution of the United States. We ourselves today and now can NEVER duplicate such a document again, for we have been sabotaged into thinking that DIVERSITY of belief is a vital necessity leading us to our full potential. We will show you that this isn't true!

Yet of course, as we just saw the Catholic argument and the Protestant argument, we can plainly see that the Protestant position was a much harder act to follow. In the Vatican position, with one man at the head rendering the decisions over a host of people sworn to obedience and surrender, it is easily understood why there would be unity. One man decides. All the decisions come from one man. If everyone is sworn to surrender his individual opinions to that one man, how can there not be unity and agreement?

Yet the Protestant position was that unity could be secured in a most miraculous way--a way which passes all understanding: That bible would be given to everyone translated into his own diverse language, culture, upbringing and situation, and would possess in it definite instruction which all would be then expected to understand and abide to. This book will then ultimately bring them to the same conclusions about everything relating to life, morality and politics. HOW CAN THIS BE?? That can be because there is supposed to be one Man named Jesus Christ whom all are supposed to surrender to and follow. The problem is knowing what the Lord really says and means in His Word. The Vatican already said something about that Word that she claims makes her existence a necessity for the world. The question therefore was, can Protestantism in the process of time fulfill such a seemingly impossible expectation? Can she know what truth is and therefore gain unity of belief among her? What a seemingly impossible position! Rome said it was impossible! From that day to this, there has been a mission to thwart this purpose. Can you see the signs pointing to this mission?

The typical response to this from Rome was, "You can't find the truth without us! Only we have the truth! If we just gave you the Bible to do as you please, you will misinterpret it!" Rome said, "Only we can interpret the Scriptures!" The Vatican then said--listen now, for this is crucial: "IF WE GAVE THE BIBLE TO YOU TO INTERPRET THE SCRIPTURES, THERE WOULD BE NOTHING BUT CHAOS AND CONFUSION."

Ladies and gentlemen, look around you! What do you see! Do you see chaos and confusion? ROME WAS RIGHT! Isn't this exactly what Rome said would happen if she allowed us to have the freedom to interpret the Bible for ourselves according to the dictates of our consciences? That's exactly what we established this nation to do! Among the Protestants, it was to show the miraculous power of the Bible to create unity from each individual going up. LOOK! ROME WAS RIGHT! We established this nation, AND MADE FOOLS OF OURSELVES! ROME WAS RIGHT! But was she? How did we get as confused as we are now?

This nation was around for over 200 years. It passed many years when it was recognized as a stable fortress and a bastion of freedom. It was considered the most secure nation in the world, and there was a time when it was the undisputed superpower of the world. WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE?!! What happened was that certain "changes" began to take place. Did you not see and hear people preach to us that DIVERSITY IS THE SECRET OF OUR STRENGTH?? Did you not notice people around who were plainly not happy until we had all kinds of different views?? Who are they, and why are they here?

Haven't you noticed that seemingly all of a sudden we see people of influence and authority coming in and telling us we must have different ideas about everything? Even in church we notice that it has become a terrible burden for members to have all kinds of differing and conflicting ideas. In both church and state the necessity for diversity is all consuming. Those of influence and authority in both church and state therefore urged us to be different and to be diverse in everything--ESPECIALLY IN DOCTRINE AND MORALS which also encompasses political theory and decision making. What are they up to?

The truth is that they often flaunt diversity of races and cultures, but that is not their real target. They merely use diversity of races and cultures as a cover-up in order to appeal to you to accept another kind of diversity which is their real target: diversity over doctrine and morals: What is right and what is wrong. There is nothing wrong with having multiple cultures in any country. That, however, is not what the plan is. Those who are pushing multiculturalism for change, really do not give a hoot about multiculturalism. They have another agenda up their sleeves.

Do not be fooled. The great hype now created in all our trusted media and institutions for racial and cultural diversity is unexplainable outside of a conspiracy. For your information, in the United States of America, racial and cultural diversity was always prevalent, and was never anything new. There was never any big hype about it practically until the late 80s and 90s. Immigration here was always big because it was a nation which provided freedom from oppression. Just go visit the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City, and observe the pictures taken of the people who worked to construct it. You will find that most of them were immigrants. The Brooklyn Bridge was built in the 1880s. Yet with all this hype over racial and cultural diversity, we are given the impression that this is something new. Don't believe it! All this hype over diversity of races and cultures is to bring in another kind of diversity designed to weaken the nations. That is where all this relativism comes from.

Is it true that Protestantism could have proved that indeed the Bible in the hands of the common people itself can provide peace, sure direction, a stable society and unity? Why would anyone have a burden to teach us to think differently or to have different ideas? Why would anyone not be happy unless they create an environment of confusion with gray areas? LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. THE SECRET TO THE CHANGES TAKING PLACE IN SOCIETY TODAY, THE SECRET TO THE DECLINE OF OUR SOCIETY, THE LOSS OF POWER OF THE CITIZENRY FOR GOVERNANCE AND GOVERNMENT, THE CRIME WHICH TORTURES OUR NATION AND THE FORESEEABLE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE LIES IN A CERTAIN AND VERY COMMON EXPRESSION WE HEAR MOST EVERYDAY. THAT EXPRESSION IS:

DIVERSITY IS THE SECRET OF OUR STRENGTH!

--probably one of the biggest lies in the history of the earth! Since the inception of this principle we have seen nothing but trouble!

What could be wrong with such an expression you say?

NEXT PART

PART III

PART IV

PART V

Source: http://www.theirsecrets.info/AC/DiversityI.htm