Friday, December 26, 2008

This is the fate of those who trust in themselves




Psalm 49
1Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:

2Both low and high, rich and poor, together.

3My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

4I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

5Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?

6They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

7None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

8(For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)

9That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.

10For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

11Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.

12Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.

13This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.

14Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.

15But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

16Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;

17For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.

18Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.

19He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.

20Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Archbishop rounds on HSE and Government


Bishop of Cloyne John Magee has refused to talk to the media as pressure mounts on the former Vatican secretary to resign after a damning report into his handling of abuse allegations


By John Cooney and Ralph Riegel



Wednesday December 24 2008



The national system of child protection was close to collapse last night after the country's most senior churchman openly questioned the ability of the Government, the HSE and his fellow Catholic bishops to implement a single policy that safeguards children from clerical sexual abuse.
In his first public comment on the consequences arising from a church report into the failure of the Bishop of Cloyne John Magee to apply proper standards, Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin said he was "extremely concerned" at the fact that, within a purported "one-Church-policy", a wide diversity existed in the interpretation and application of agreed procedures.



The archbishop revealed he had already warned the Irish Bishops' Conference and the Church's National Board for Safeguarding Children that if serious doubts persisted concerning the coherence and consistency of approach, he would implement his own system of accountable child protection.



Failing



Archbishop Martin also rounded on the Government and the HSE for failing to publish a national audit of the extent of clerical rape of children in each diocese that was conducted after the State inquiry into the diocese of Ferns three years ago.



The archbishop also expressed his personal dismay that he did not know the audit's findings when he was approached by other bishops to take in religious orders and priests from other dioceses. He said he needed to know if other dioceses applied equally rigorous standards as he has in place.



The extraordinary broadside from the Primate of Ireland and former Vatican diplomat immediately escalated the crisis engulfing the beleaguered Bishop Magee, almost a week after the church's board indicted him of operating inadequate procedures that endangered children, especially in the national schools in the diocese of Cloyne.
Meanwhile, as Bishop Magee continued to refuse to meet the national media, the pressure on him to resign reached a new level of intensity last night.



Probe



The bishop now faces the grim prospect that at its first cabinet meeting in the new year, the Government will instruct the Commission of Inquiry into the Dublin Archdiocese to initiate a State probe into his management practices in Cloyne.



Children's Minister Barry Andrews announced last night that he intends to publish the findings of a separate but related study into Cloyne conducted by the HSE that is also expected to be critical of the diocesan handling of allegations of abuse against two clerics.



Speaking on RTE television last night, Archbishop Martin said that this report's findings could be crucial for Bishop Magee's future. It was up to him to decide whether or not to resign, but he should make a decision based on the best interests of child protection, advised Archbishop Martin.



Mr Andrews also disclosed that he had received the HSE diocesan audit and its findings would be ready for publication early in the new year.
Last night Bishop Magee was urged to resign sooner rather than later by Geoffrey Shannon, the Oireachtas reporter on child abuse.
Meanwhile, the Cloyne diocese would not confirm if Bishop Magee will follow his traditional practice of saying Christmas Mass in his Cathedral of St Colman, in Cobh.



The bishop's first public appearance since the scandal broke last Friday will be a major media event and could draw public protest. Earlier yesterday, Bishop Magee received a little Christmas cheer when some parishioners rallied to his defence and accused the media of waging a campaign against him.



- John Cooney and Ralph Riegel

Taoiseach wishes nation a happy and peaceful Christmas


The Taoiseach is wishing everyone in the country a happy and peaceful Christmas.


Brian Cowen says there is no better way to relax and recharge batteries than in the company of loved ones.

He has also praised members of the emergency services.


Source: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/ireland/taoiseach-wishes-nation-a-happy-and-peaceful-christmas-14120489.html
-------------------------------

Related

By Fionnan Sheahan Political Editor


Wednesday December 24 2008

Taoiseach Brian Cowen has warned there will be "pain and casualties" as the Government tries to manage the public finances and the economy out of crisis.

In an interview with the Irish Independent, Mr Cowen also robustly defended his own handling of the economy saying "no-one predicted" what is now happening.

Mr Cowen does not accept that his Government is to blame for factors now seen to be exacerbating the downturn, such as difficulties with public sector reform or the management of the property boom.

He accepts people's standards of living will fall and unemployment will rise next year.

Mr Cowen says what's important now is to develop a strategy that gets us through the recession.

Opportunities

"Can you do that in a way where there won't be any pain, where there won't be any casualties? No. That's not possible. In a recession, there are people affected, there are businesses. Out of that recession will come new opportunities and new businesses and that's part of what we are talking about.

"I think it is incumbent on me as leader of the country to say to people, particularly a young generation who have seen the country on the rise all the time in their adult lives, to say to them: 'Okay, this has come to us, we have met challenges like this before and here is where we can be if we take the right decisions now and those decisions will involve difficulties for people.' But at least there is a sense that, yeah, we are going somewhere," he said.

Mr Cowen said everybody needs to accept sacrifices will have to be made.

"Of course we should be prepared, in our own interest, and in our kids' interests, to take whatever hits are necessary now. I think that's a saleable political message to the Irish people. It's also my honest assessment of how we best get through this problem, and I'm sticking by the method by which we do it, even though it's invited criticism by others to say 'Oh you're not prepared to take decisions'.

"I certainly am, but I want them to be informed decisions and I want them to be decisions that have the best possible buy-in from others," he said.

Defending his Government's performance, amid accusations it hasn't made necessary decisions, Mr Cowen said analysing what happened over previous years is an academic exercise.

"That's history now and people can go over the whyfores as much as they like and that's what they'll find: no-one predicted this. But it doesn't matter. We are where we are in my opinion. I've been given this job since June of this year and I'm getting on with this job and it presents totally new challenges and we have to bring the people with us," he said.

Mr Cowen warned that he is only willing to borrow heavily to pay for infrastructure.

"We are in this part of the cycle where we have to borrow. Fine, for capital purposes, fine, I don't have a problem, but I do have a problem on day-to-day expenditure because it's not sustainable.

"We have to build up the capacity of the country so that it can compete when things pick up and that is the difficult choice. And that is why I can understand the hesitancy that people have as to why we are going down this road suddenly or why are we in this position," he added.

- Fionnan Sheahan Political Editor


Source: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/taoiseach-warns-of-casualties-in-fightback-1584765.html

Australia serenely poised on cusp of ruin


BY DOUG CONWAY

26/12/2008 1:00:00 AM


If we're supposed to be in a crisis, why isn't anyone panicking?
Perhaps Australians are born optimists, phlegmatic by nature. Perhaps we have every confidence in those steering our ship through the stormiest economic waters for a generation.

Or maybe it's because so many Aussies are loaded up with pre-Christmas hand-outs from Kevin Rudd's $10.4 billion economic stimulus sack.

Perhaps it's because the current crisis has also helped bring petrol prices down below $1 from above $1.60 for the first time in three years.

The relative calm might also be because the Reserve Bank, after 12 years of successive rises, has slashed interest rates by a whopping 3 percentage points in four months.

That alone put another $150 a week into the pockets of homeowners with a $300,000 mortgage.

Maybe we've not entirely given ourselves over to fear because we know the worst is yet to come.

Whatever the reason, 2008 was the year we were supposed to panic but didn't, despite there being plenty to panic about.

Wall Street shed $US1 trillion ($A1.5 trillion) in value in a single day for the first time ever.

Superannuation funds took a battering as the Australian sharemarket shed 45 per cent in value, or almost $A730billion, from its all-time peak in November 2007.

The Aussie dollar plunged almost 40 per cent in three months from its post-float high of US98.47c in July.

About 250,000 Australians had $A25billion in market-linked investments frozen.

After years of economic sunshine, Australians began contemplating a series of gloomy questions.

Will there be a recession? A depression? Will my job be safe? How much is my super worth? Can I afford to retire? Can I afford the mortgage? Can I get my hands on my investments? Will we all be ruined? Unemployment rose to its highest level in a year, though the November jobless rate of 4.4per cent was less than the economists expected, and described by the Government as welcome news given the circumstances.

For most Australians, life as they know it went on pretty much the same.

If anyone felt uneasy about the new Prime Minister's first year, they weren't showing it.

Mr Rudd faced two so-called forces of nature, simultaneously, after the year's biggest domestic political change presented him with a formidable new opponent in Malcolm Turnbull just as he was grappling with all the financial upheaval.

Mr Turnbull capped off a meteoric four-year rise from new MP to Opposition Leader when he replaced Brendan Nelson. But at year's end Mr Rudd remains serenely in control, with one opinion poll showing him 47 percentage points ahead of Mr Turnbull as preferred prime minister, the same margin he held over Dr Nelson before the swap of leaders.

Mr Rudd was nothing if not energetic, implementing an array of changes both practical and symbolic. He said sorry to the Aboriginal Stolen Generations, appointed Australia's first female Governor-General in Quentin Bryce, withdrew combat troops from Iraq, ditched John Howard's unpopular WorkChoices legislation, ended Howard's Pacific solution for asylum-seekers and got the ball rolling on what to do about climate change.

NSW and Tasmania got new premiers in Mr Rudd's first year Nathan Rees and David Bartlett, respectively.

They were installed by fellow Labor MPs to replace Morris Iemma (NSW) and Paul Lennon (Tasmania), premiers who got dumped or jumped mid-stream, as had already happened in Victoria and Queensland.

WA got a new premier, too, Colin Barnett, whose Liberals won four seats fewer than Labor but negotiated their way to power by forming a coalition minority Government.

Beating the drum for women, apart from Quentin Bryce at Yarralumla, were Julie Bishop, who became the first female deputy leader of the federal Liberal Party; Carmel Tebbutt, the first female Deputy Premier of NSW; and Kay Goldsworthy, Australia's first female Anglican bishop, in Perth. Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard also impressed political observers whenever she covered for her boss's regular absences overseas.

The seamier side of politics was represented by former NSW minister Milton Orkopoulos, jailed for child sex and drug offences, and former West Australian Opposition leader Troy Buswell, who resigned after a bizarre incident in which he sniffed a woman's chair.

Former Federal Court judge Marcus Einfeld admitted telling lies over a $77 speeding fine.

Some things never change. Bart Cummings won his 12th Melbourne Cup and Australians again covered themselves in glory with 14 gold medals at the Beijing Olympics. They included memorable performances from triple-world-record-breaking swimmer Stephanie Rice, pole vaulter Steve Hooker and diver Matthew Mitcham.

One momentous change in business was Australia's biggest bank merger, the impending union between Westpac and St George, which will have a combined customer base of 10 million and a market capitalisation of $A46 billion.

Another change for the history books came when James Packer ended his family's 50-year association with Channel Nine.

One of the year's biggest shocks came with the death in New York of actor Heath Ledger, 28, from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.

A 67-year-old mystery was solved when HMAS Sydney was finally found on the floor of the Indian Ocean, where it went down with all hands in a battle with the German raider Kormoran in the navy's greatest disaster.

Mr Rudd has guaranteed bank deposits for three years and Treasurer Wayne Swan points to ''heartening'' figures indicating a recovery in economic confidence.

Australians are alert but not alarmed about terrorism, as they were instructed to be by the previous government, and this time they don't need a fridge magnet to remind them.

AAP



Be optimistic about 2009: Harper



Last Updated: Thursday, December 25, 2008 3:44 PM ET
CBC News


The coming year will be a difficult one for Canadians, said Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who steered away from directly addressing the global economic turmoil in his holiday address.

"As we face the difficult year ahead, always remember that our's is perhaps the most peaceful and prosperous society on Earth," Harper said in the prerecorded statement.

Harper urged Canadians to look to 2009 with "optimism.

"We Canadians are a generous, resilient and resourceful people who have prevailed over many challenges over the course of our history," he said.

The Conservative government's economic update on Nov. 29 sparked the near collapse of Harper's minority just six weeks after a federal election.

The fall update, which did little to address the global economic crisis and its implications for Canada, lead Liberal-NDP coalition backed by the Bloc Québécois attempted to bring down his government.

Harper asked the Governor General to prorogue Parliament until Jan. 26 when his government will table a budget and could again face a no-confidence vote in the House of Commons.

In his annual Christmas address, Harper emphasized Canada is "blessed" to be a democratic country "... where we resolve our differences peacefully ... and always count on the protection from a common rule of law."

Opposition leaders release messages
New Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff also released a holiday message that urged Canadians to commit "...to a new year of kindness and compassion towards others.

"Hope, generosity and goodwill" should extend beyond the holiday season and into 2009, Ignatieff said.

NDP Leader Jack Layton said he knows many Canadians are concerned about what the year will bring but that he has hope for 2009.

The NDP has made its resolutions for the new year and,"We promise to redouble our efforts and to stand up for you and what is right and just," Layton said in his holiday statement.

During Harper's address he also highlighted some of Canada's historic celebrations in 2008, including the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec and the 90th anniversary of the end of the First World War.

The prime minister expressed gratitude to community volunteers and those serving in the Armed Forces. He asked that Canadians "spare a thought and a prayer" for those serving overseas.

With files from the Canadian Press




(Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites - links will open in new window)




Strong earthquake jolts southern Philippines

December 25, 2008 -- Updated 0506 GMT (1306 HKT)

Story Highlights
  • NEW: No immediate reports of injuries from the 6.2-magnitude quake
  • Quake struck some 1,100 km (680 miles) south of Manila, the USGS says
  • Philippines is located on the quake-prone "Ring of Fire"
  • Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not issue a tsunami warning

(CNN) -- A strong earthquake jolted the southern Philippines on Thursday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The 6.2 magnitude quake struck at 11:20 a.m. local time (10:20 p.m. ET).
There were no immediate reports of injuries and a tsunami warning was not issued, said Jane Punongbayan of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.
"That was enough to cause panic in some people," Punongbayan said. "Some people in the mall ran out of the mall, but according to initial reports it was not strong enough to cause damage."

The quake struck 55 kilometers (35 miles) southeast of General Santos in the island of Mindanao or 1,095 kilometers (680 miles) south-southeast of Manila and at a depth of 207 kilometers (129 miles), USGS said.

The Philippines is located on the "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin that is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not issue a tsunami warning for the quake.


Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/12/24/philippines.quake/?iref=mpstoryview

Magnitude 6 Earthquake Strikes Off Pakistan’s Coast, USGS Says

By Aaron Sheldrick
Dec. 26 (Bloomberg) -- A magnitude 6 earthquake struck off the coast of Pakistan at 2:40 a.m. local time, the U.S. Geological Survey said. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

The temblor hit at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles) and the epicenter was 305 kilometers west-southwest of Karachi, the country’s main commercial center, the USGS said.

Pakistan is located in a zone where the Eurasian, Arabian and Indo-Australian tectonic plates meet and rub together, sometimes producing earthquakes.

More than 86,000 people were killed in northern Pakistan when a magnitude-7.6 quake hit in October 2005, according to the USGS Web site.

To contact the reporter on this story: Aaron Sheldrick in Tokyo at asheldrick@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: December 25, 2008 19:08 EST


Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=aduwjHnZxIXg&refer=india

Six dead as gun-toting Santa opens fire, kills self


8 hours ago

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — At least six people were killed after a man dressed as Santa Claus burst into a Christmas Eve party and opened fire before later killing himself, police said Thursday.

The body of Bruce Pardo, 45, was found with self-inflicted gunshot wounds early Thursday, hours after he had launched an assault on a party hosted by the parents of his ex-wife in the Los Angeles suburb of Covina, police said.

Local media reported that Pardo's former spouse was among three people who remained missing Thursday as the number of dead rose to six after three more bodies were pulled from the charred wreckage of the crime scene.

Pardo had knocked on the door of the home in a quiet residential neighborhood in Covina, 23 miles (37 kilometers) east of Los Angeles, just before midnight on Christmas Eve, police lieutenant Pat Buchanan said.

Local media reports said Pardo was let into the house by revelers who thought he had been hired as entertainment for children at the party.

But once inside, he produced a handgun from beneath his costume and opened fire, spraying party-goers with bullets.

After terrified revelers fled the scene, Pardo then reportedly torched the house with a homemade incendiary device before making his getaway.

He was found dead from a single gunshot to the head at his home in Sylmar, approximately 25 miles (40 kilometers) away, a few hours later, police said.

Police had received a series of emergency calls alerting them to the initial incident, and when they arrived, the house was engulfed in flames and guests were running out, Buchanan said.

Neighbors reported hearing a loud explosion before the blaze erupted.

Two girls, age 16 and eight, were hospitalized with gunshot wounds and a 13-year-old girl was treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.

Around 80 firefighters were deployed to tackle the fire that destroyed the house. Popping sounds -- possibly ammunition rounds exploding -- were heard throughout the blaze.

After the fire was extinguished, rescuers found three bodies in the basement, Buchanan said.

Buchanan told CBS2 television the shooting was "extremely unusual and very shocking." "It's just not something we see here at any time of the year -- especially during Christmas," he said.

Police were searching Pardo's home Thursday for clues to his bloody rampage.

"Maybe there's some (sign of) planning, maybe letters or anything that will give us more clues about the state of his mind," Detective Antonio Zavala was quoted as saying by the New York Times.



Date of Jesus' birth

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Catholic : One Thread

-----------------
Does any one have some idea:at what time of year was Jesus born?
Who set the date December 25?

Enrique -- Enrique Ortiz (eaortiz@yahoo.com), December 25, 1999

Answers

If you would do a study on when the people were taxed (see Luke 2:1-3) you would find that it occured during the summer months. Isreal is in the northern hemisphere so they also have winter with the rest of us on the northern half of the world. Shepherds would not be in the field grazing sheep. now for the part that burst everyone's CHRISTMAS bubble. the bible speaks of NIMROD who was amighty hunter before God. He was the one who started all the confusion at the tower of bable. What nobody has taken the time to look up is that nimrod had a son named TAMMUZ. Dec 25 is the birth of Tammuz. all of the traditions that follow christmas is built around these two people. When Nimrod was killed by Ham, noah's son, he cut him into pieces. out of the stump or the chest part of his body grew an evergreen tree. his wife SIMARAMIS claimed that it was the spirit of nimrod resurrected(this is where the idea of reincarnation came from)so people came to worship the tree. read jeremiah chapter 10:1-4 to see what God thinks of this tradition. there are so many other facts based on the life of NIMROD,SIMARAMIS & TAMMUZ (THE UNHOLY TRINITY---RA, ISIS &HORUS--- WOULD YOU BELIEVE THE ROMANS LIFTED UP A GOD CALLED TAMMUZ THAT WHEN THEY WOULD CRUCIFY SOMEONE THEY WOULD DO IT IN THE NAME OF TAMMUZ. THEY WOULD FASHION A POLE IN THE SHAPE OF A "T" TO SACRIFICE TO TAMMUZ. SOUNDS KIND OF WHAT HAPPENED ON CALVARY!!!!!!!!!!

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BELIEVE ME LOOK IT UP FOR YOURSELF . THAT IS IF YOU WANT TO DIG REAL DEEP AND GO BEYOND TRADITIONS..
-- R. Leonard (sbthkeeper@dellnet.com), January 10, 2000.

Dear Enrique, Anything I have ever read regarding this subject states that Jesus was probably born in October. His birthday was moved to Dec. 25 so the newly formed Christians could have their celebration near the same time as the Jewish Hannukah and the Moslem Ramaden and the pagan rituals of the New Year. In this way, all peoples were celebrating major feasts sort of at the same time. Ellen
-- Ellen K. Hornby (dkh@canada.com), January 14, 2000.

Thank you, Ellen, but I think you sould check your history. In my readings I have found that December 25 was set as Christ's date of birth in the IV century, long before the Moslems appeared in the world.
Enrique
-- Enrique Ortiz (eaortiz@yahoo.com), January 14, 2000.

With reasonable certainty, we know that Jesus was not born in December, or any cold month, for that matter. On the other hand, from a considerable number of data, we are reasonably certain that He was born in the fall--probably in October, BC 7. Some of these data are Biblical (information on the weather in Palestine at the time of His birth; the relationship of Jesus' and John the Baptizer's birth; and information from Daniel's prophecy concerning the death of Jesus). Secular/Biblical data include Quirinius and the census; Jesus and Herod; and the appearance of the stars.

If you would like a copy of my research on the subject, just send a brief e-mail request and I will mail or e-mail one to you. God bless.

-- chuck lee (cdlee@bellsouth.net), November 11, 2000.

+ Hello, Enrique.Dr. Warren Carroll, eminent historian, founder of Christendom College in Virginia, and an EWTN online expert, believes that the true date of Christ's birth is uncertain and not likely to be December 25. He believes that December 25 was chosen around the time of the emperor Constantine to "baptize" a pagan feast celebrated late in December.
However, the good doctor received the following very interesting message early in 1999:
"Dear Dr. Carroll: Recently a questioner asked you about the 'myth' of the date of Christmas. I know it has long been believed by many to be just that, but I was wondering if you happened to see the Dec. 24, 1998 issue of 'Osservatore Romano' (the Vatican's official newspaper), in which this very topic was addressed by Professor Tommaso Federici, Professor at the Pontifical Urbanian University and a consultant to two Vatican Congregations. In his article, Professor Federici says that December 25 is in fact an historical date for Our Lord's birth."In this article, he wrote: 'December 25 is explained as the "Christianization" of a pagan feast, 'birth of the Sol Invictus'; or as the symmetrical balance, an aesthetic balance between the winter solstice (Dec.21-22) and the spring equinox (March 23-24). But a discovery of recent years has shed definitive light on the date of the Lord's birth. As long ago as 1958, the Israeli scholar Shemaryahu Talmon published an in-depth study on the calendar of the Qumran sect, and he reconstructed without the shadow of doubt the order of the sacerdotal rota system for the temple of Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 24, 7-18) in New Testament times. Here the family of Abijah, of which Zechariah was a descendent, father of John the herald and forerunner (Luke 1,5) was required to officiate twice a year, on the days 8-14 of the third month, and on the days 24-30 of the eighth month. This latter period fell at about the end of September. It is not without reason that the Byzantine calendar celebrated "John's conception" on September 23 and his birth nine months later, on June 24. The "six months" after the Annunciation established as a liturgical feast on March 25, comes three months before the forerunner's birth, prelude to the nine months in December: December 25 is a date of history.'"Enrique, you may hear or read that December 25 has been rejected as a possibility because (allegedly) there was no grazing of sheep at that time of the year. I have read that this theory has been disproved and that shepherds were at work throughout the year near Bethlehem. (The actual date is not important to me. I just desire that people would not say outrightly that it could not be December 25.)
God bless you.
John
-- J. F. Gecik (jgecik@desc.dla.mil), November 11, 2000.

Jesus the Son of God

Luke 2

1And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

2(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

3And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.



8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

15And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

21And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

22And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;

23(As it is written in the law of the LORD, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)

24And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

25And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

26And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

27And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,

28Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,

29Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:

30For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

31Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

32A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

33And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.

34And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;

35(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

36And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;

37And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

38And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

39And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.




40And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

41Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.

42And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.

43And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.

44But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.

45And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.

46And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.

47And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.

48And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.

49And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?

50And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.

51And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

52And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
8888888877777777

P.S. Please notice that the shepherds abiding in the field in verse 8, implies that Jesus' birth took place during the grazing season in Judea (not winter); Therefore, the assumption that Jesus was born on December 25, is an incorrect one. We all know that the early Christians did not celebrate Jesus' birth at all, especially not during the pagan Winter Solstice and birth of Tammuz.*.

Arsenio.

Jesus and The Rich Young Ruler





18And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

19And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.

20Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.

21And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.

22Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

23And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

24And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

25For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.


26And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?

27And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

28Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee.

29And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake,

30Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.




Luke 18:18-30.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Jet slips off taxiway at O'Hare


December 24, 2008 at 8:40 PM


A plane taxiing to take off at O'Hare International Airport this evening hit an icy patch and slid sideways onto a grassy surface at the airport, airline and city officials said.

American Airlines Flight 1544 was scheduled to leave for Washington, D.C., and slid off the taxiway after departing the gate at 6:42 p.m.

Airline spokeswoman Mary Frances Fagan said the jet was not going very fast as it was trying to turn to get to the runway, and only the left main nose tire went off the pavement.

There were no injuries to the 54 passengers and crew of five aboard, said Fagan.

A city Department of Aviation representative confirmed there were no injuries, and said Chicago Fire Department and Police responded to the scene.

Passengers were removed and taken to the terminal by bus, where they would be placed aboard other flights, Fagan said.

Runway 22L was temporarily closed due to the incident, but flight operations were not impacted because other runways remained open, according to the Department of Aviation.

The cause of the incident has not been determined and is under investigation.

--Sam Unger and Heywood Hoffman


Source: http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2008/12/jet-slips-off-taxiway-at-ohare.html

Pope Benedict celebrates midnight Christmas mass


Pope lights candle for peace, celebrates midnight mass
By Ariel David Associated Press


December 25, 2008


VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI ushered in Christmas at the Vatican as he led the celebration of midnight mass in the splendor of St. Peter's Basilica early Thursday.

Dressed in white and gold vestments, Pope Benedict, 81, walked in a procession up the main aisle, smiling and stopping several times to shake outstretched hands and bless children.

As a choir intoned a psalm, the pope incensed the central altar under Bernini's towering bronze baldachin before opening the service with the traditional wish for peace in Latin: "Pax vobis" ("Peace be with you"). The faithful responded: "Et cum spiritu tuo." ("And also with you.")

Thousands of pilgrims, Romans and tourists packed the basilica for the midnight service. For those unable to enter, giant screens were set up in St. Peter's Square.



Earlier Wednesday, Benedict appeared briefly at his studio window to bless the crowd in the chilly square and light a single candle in a sign of peace.

Before the pope appeared in his darkened studio to light the flame, the Vatican's No. 2 official, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, said the gesture was an invitation to all to pray for peace and think of those who are less fortunate.

"I say to all those who are listening, light the candle of peace inside yourself, light the candle of welcoming and understanding that will help you listen and share the cry of the poor and of those who suffer," Bertone said.

The Vatican's Christmas festivities began with the unveiling of the larger-than-life Nativity scene next to the Vatican's largest-ever Christmas tree in St. Peter's Square. Children in red-and-white hats sang Italian holiday hymns as the Vatican's Gendarmeria band played alongside.

On Thursday Benedict delivers his traditional Christmas Day "Urbi et Orbi" speech—Latin for "to the city and to the world"—from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, in which he often touches on current events and issues of concern to the Vatican.

He is then expected to issue Christmas greetings to the faithful in more than 60 languages.

Christmas




From: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition

Date: 2008 The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press.


Christmas [Christ's Mass], in the Christian calendar, feast of the nativity of Jesus, celebrated in Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches on Dec. 25. In liturgical importance it ranks after Easter , Pentecost , and Epiphany (Jan. 6).


The observance probably does not date earlier than AD 200 and did not become widespread until the 4th cent. The date was undoubtedly chosen for its nearness to Epiphany, which, in the East, originally included a commemoration of the nativity. The date of Christmas coincides closely with the winter solstice in the Northern hemisphere, a time of rejoicing among many ancient cultures. Christmas, as the great popular festival of Western Europe, dates from the Middle Ages. In England after the Reformation the observance became a point of contention between Anglicans and other Protestants, and the celebration of Christmas was suppressed in Scotland and in much of New England until the 19th cent.


In the mid 19th cent. Christmas began to acquire its associations with an increasingly secularized holiday of gift-giving and good cheer, a view that was popularized in works such as Clement Clarke Moore 's poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" (1823) and Charles Dickens's story A Christmas Carol (1843). Christmas cards first appeared c.1846. The current concept of a jolly Santa Claus was first made popular in New York in the 19th cent.



The Yule Log [ Yule, from O.E.,=Christmas], the boar's head, the goose (in America the turkey), decoration with holly, hawthorn, wreaths, mistletoe, and the singing of carols by waifs (Christmas serenaders) are all typically English (see carol ). Gifts at Christmas are also English; elsewhere they are given at other times, e.g., at Epiphany in Spain. The Christmas tree was a tradition from the Middle Ages in Germany. The crib ( crèche ) with the scene at Bethlehem was popularized by the Franciscans. The midnight service on Christmas Eve is a popular religious observance in the Roman Catholic and some Protestant churches.


See also Advent and Twelfth Night .


Bibliography: See M. Hadfield and J. Hadfield, The Twelve Days of Christmas (1961); P. L. Restad, Christmas in America (1995).



For sin is the transgression of the law.


1 John 3

1Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

4Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

5And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

6Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

7Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

8He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

9Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

10In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

11For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

12Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

13Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

14We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

15Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

16Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

17But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

18My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

19And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

20For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

21Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

22And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

23And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

24And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

2008: "True Lies"


Not to jump on the band-wagon with the year in review; But, yet a few things just have to be highlighted in retrospect.

True Lies:
Is the most descriptive assesment for the year 2008 that I can find. It's a powerful paradoxical euphemism coined by the Governator, Arnold Swarzenegger who was coincidentally on CBS 60 Minutes this past Sunday December 21, 2008.
Made in Hollywood deception: They can't make stuff like this up. Or, can they?

Bail-out frenzy: Good Money for Them; Tax for You and I. Good Money after Bad?

High Crimes and Misdemeanors $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

The great oxymoron of the year: The American Economy

Paulson Bernanke (The Dynamic Duo)

The Best President money can buy (all the fuss for a $400k p/yr job)

The greatest irony is that record donations were collected in a time of Depression.

Election Campaign Reform: Obama $150 Million in September.


Madoff - Mad-ster (made-ster)


New six letter word; Similar to Shyster.





Constant Countdowns to the Digital TV Transformation deadline: Feb. 17, 2009.



I'll start my own countdown until September 9, 2009 (9-9-9):


California Admission Day is a legal holiday in the state of California in the United States. It is celebrated annually on September 9th to commemorate the anniversary of the 1950 admission of California into the Union as the thirty first state.
California was admitted to the Union as part of the Compromise of 1850 as a free state after being ceded to the United States by Mexico at the end of the Mexican–American War in 1848.





260 days left.......until California Admission Day. Governator and True Lies!!!




Bronx cheers for:



  • the Democrat Congress...


  • 5 to 4 Supreme Cout,


  • President Bush, V.P. Cheney.


My phrase for the year:



"More Bank for your bung"




Arsenio.

Emanuel, Blagojevich Talk Senate 21 Times


Wed, 12/17/2008 - 12:33 —Judicial Watch Blog


Barack Obama’s chief of staff was recorded discussing Illinois’ vacant Senate seat with the state’s indicted governor 21 times, even though the president elect assures his staff did nothing wrong in the bribery scandal that has rocked the nation.

To prove it, Obama conducted a thorough internal review which, for unknown reasons, can’t be released until Christmas week when few pay attention to the news. Not surprisingly, the Camp Obama probe concluded that no one in the administration had“inappropriate discussions” with Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich concerning the search for Obama’s Senate replacement.

Perhaps the mysterious report will explain why Obama’s new chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, had so many discussions with Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy. Close friends and political allies, Emanuel and Blagojevich were recorded on FBI wiretaps having 21 different conversations about Obama’s Senate replacement.

Days after the November 4 presidential election Emanuel began pushing for Obama’s successor, strongly urging the corrupt governor—charged with trying to sell Obama’s Senate seat and for years the influence of his office— to appoint Obama confidante Valerie Jarrett.

Jarrett eventually dropped out of the running to become Obama’s senior advisor, but Emanuel continued pushing for candidates that his new boss obviously endorsed. He even gave the governor a list of candidates suitable to the Obama team.

Emanuel, a veteran legislator who usually basks in the media limelight, has been suspiciously elusive and tight-lipped regarding his repeated contact with Blagojevich. The entire Obama team has tried desperately to distance itself from Blagojevich, even though the soon-to-be commander-in-chief and the Illinois governor are close pals and longtime allies who have endorsed each other’s political careers and shared a major (convicted felon Antoin Rezko) donor.

In fact, Obama’s top advisor (David Axelrod) innocently revealed during a television interview last month that his boss had spoken to Blagojevich about his Senate replacement. When the massive Blagojevich indictment became public however, Axelrod issued a statement saying that he was mistaken, claiming that Obama and Blagojevich“did not then or at any time discuss the subject.”



Aftermath NewsFront Page About Pope praises Galileo, celebrates the Solstice

December 23, 2008



Pope Benedict XVI, wearing his Saturn Hat, named after the ringed planet Saturn, smiles as he tours St. Peter’s square aboard his popemobile during the weekly open-air general audience at the Vatican Wednesday, June 25, 2008.


AP Photo by PLINIO LEPRI


Galileo magnifico?


Register Dec 22, 2008



By Joe Fay

The Pope tipped his hat to long-time Vatican bugbear Galileo this weekend as he helped kick off the 2009 International Year of Astronomy.

Pope Benedict also gave some comfort to pagans by acknowledging the connection between the date of Christmas and the Winter Solstice.

Pope Benedict’s predecessor, John Paul II, formally apologised for the Church’s hounding of Galileo for pointing out that the Earth - and therefore man - was not at the centre of the Universe, never mind the solar system. But the relationship between Benedict and the sciences in general and astronomy in particular, has been somewhat pricklier.

So, it might have seemed perverse that the pope this weekend decided to highlight Unesco’s International Year of Astronomy, which marks 400 years since Galileo first used the telescope. Still, the occasionally surprising Benedict - he wears Prada after all - rose to the occasion, paying tribute to Galileo and his ilk for promoting further understanding of the laws of nature.

Of course, in the Vatican’s world, it doesn’t stop there. Understanding the laws of nature therefore stimulates an appreciation of God’s work. This would normally be the point at which we kick off an unholy row by asking whether the pope is then saying the laws of nature were laid down by God, and are not independent of him, whether he exists or not.

But instead, we’re going to marvel at how Benedict, after veering into science, then seems to have swerved into Dan Brown territory. After pointing how Christmas uncannily coincides with the Winter solstice, he gave an account of how astronomy, and the solstice, underlie the very architecture of the Vatican.

According to AsiaNews.it, Benedict pointed out that “not everyone knows that St Peter’s Square is also a meridian: the obelisk, in fact, casts its shadow along a line that runs along the pavement toward the fountain under this window, and in these days the shadow is at its longest of the year.

“This reminds us of the function of astronomy in marking out the rhythm of prayer. The Angelus, for example, is recited in the morning, at noon, and in the evening, and with the meridian, which was used in ancient times to identify ‘true noon’, clocks were adjusted.”

Of course, this is what the Pope wants you to think. As any good conspiracy theorist knows, he is clearly trying to distract attention from the fact that the obelisk naturally points to the grave of Mary Magdalene, who is interred with the Templar’s gold, the Ark of the Covenant and the outline for Dan Brown’s next novel.



Related
The symbol we call the “Star of David” is in fact an ancient symbol of the pagan star god Saturn.





Source: http://aftermathnews.wordpress.com/

Left Behind By The Jesuits




By Steve Wohlberg


Pastor Wohlberg currently lives in Fort Worth, Texas. This article is adapted from his recent books, Truth Left Behind and The Left Behind Deception.


Modern Christianity has largely forgotten the importance of the Protestant Reformation, which took place during the 1500s. “The sixteenth century presents the spectacle of a stormy sunrise after a dismal night. Europe awoke from long sleep of superstition. The dead arose. The witnesses to truth who had been silenced and slain stood up once more and renewed their testimony. The martyred confessors reappeared in the Reformers. There was a cleansing of the spiritual sanctuary. Civil and religious liberty were inaugurated. The discovery of printing and revival of learning accelerated the movement. There was progress everywhere. Columbus struck across the ocean and opened a new hemisphere to view. Rome was shaken on her seven hills, and lost one-half of her dominions. Protestant nations were created. The modern world was called into existence.”1

For almost a thousand years, Europe had been ruled by the iron hand of Rome. Only a few Bibles existed then, and Christianity was largely permeated with superstition. Faith in Jesus Christ, heartfelt appreciation for His love, and a simple trust in His death on the cross, were almost unknown. The New Testament truth about grace, full forgiveness, and the free gift of eternal life to believers in the Son of God (Romans 6:23), had been buried under a mass of tradition. Then Martin Luther arose like a lion in Germany. After a period of tremendous personal struggle, Martin Luther began teaching justification by faith in Jesus Christ (being declared “just” by God), rather than through reliance on “creature merits,” or any human works (Romans 1:16; 3:26, 28; 5:1).

Luther’s Discovery

Eventually, Martin Luther turned to the prophecies. By candlelight, he read about the “little horn,” the “man of sin,” and “the beast,” and he was shocked as the Holy Spirit spoke to his heart. Finally, he saw the truth and said to himself, “Why, these prophecies apply to the Roman Catholic Church!” As he wrestled with this new insight, the voice of God echoed loudly in his soul, saying, “Preach the word!” (2 Timothy 4:2). And so, at the risk of losing his life, Martin Luther preached publicly and in print to an astonished people that Papal Rome was indeed the Antichrist of Bible prophecy. Because of this dual message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ apart from works and of Papal Rome being the Antichrist, the river of history literally changed its course. Hundreds of thousands of people in Europe and in England left the Catholic Church.

“‘There are two great truths that stand out in the preaching that brought about the Protestant Reformation,’ American Bible Commentator, Ralph Woodrow, reminds us, ‘The just shall live by faith, not by the works of Romanism and the Papacy is the Antichrist of Scripture.’ It was a message for Christ and against Antichrist. The entire Reformation rests upon this twofold testimony.’”2 It has been said that the Reformation first discovered Jesus Christ, and then, in the blazing light of Christ, it discovered the Antichrist. This mighty, Spirit-filled movement, for Christ and against the Antichrist, shook the world.

H. Grattan Guinness wrote these memorable words: “From the first, and throughout, that movement [the Reformation] was energized and guided by the prophetic word. Luther never felt strong and free to war against the Papal apostasy till he recognized the pope as Antichrist. It was then that he burned the Papal bull. Knox’s first sermon, the sermon that launched him on his mission as a reformer, was on the prophecies concerning the Papacy. The reformers embodied their interpretations of prophecy in their confessions of faith, and Calvin in his ‘Institutes.’ All of the reformers were unanimous in the matter, even the mild and cautious Melanchthon was as assured of the antipapal meaning of these prophecies as was Luther himself. And their interpretation of these prophecies determined their reforming action. It led them to protest against Rome with extraordinary strength and undaunted courage. It nerved them to resist the claims of the apostate Church to the utmost. It made them martyrs; it sustained them at the stake. And the views of the Reformers were shared by thousands, by hundreds of thousands. They were adopted by princes and peoples. Under their influence nations abjured their allegiance to the false priest of Rome.

“In the reaction that followed, all the powers of hell seemed to be let loose upon the adherents of the Reformation. War followed war: tortures, burnings, and massacres were multiplied. Yet the Reformation stood undefeated and unconquerable. God’s word upheld it, and the energies of His Almighty Spirit. It was the work of Christ as truly as the founding of the Church eighteen centuries ago; and the revelation of the future which He gave from heaven—that prophetic book with which the Scripture closes—was one of the mightiest instruments employed in its accomplishment.”3

A Counter-Reformation

In 1545, the Catholic Church convened one of its most famous councils in history, which took place north of Rome in a city called Trent. The Council of Trent actually continued for three sessions, ending in 1563. One of the main purposes of this Council was for Catholics to plan a counterattack against Martin Luther and the Protestants. Thus the Council of Trent became a center for Rome’s Counter-Reformation. Up to this point, Rome’s main method of attack had been largely frontal—the open burning of Bibles and of heretics. Yet this warfare only confirmed in the minds of Protestants the conviction that Papal Rome was indeed the Beast which would “make war with the saints” (Revelation 13:7). Therefore a new tactic was needed, something less obvious. This is where the Jesuits come in.

On August 15, 1534, Ignatius Loyola (in the title picture) founded a secretive Catholic order called the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits. The Jesuits definitely have a dark history of intrigue and sedition, that’s why they were expelled from Portugal (1759), France (1764), Spain (1767), Naples (1767), and Russia (1820). “Jesuit priests have been known throughout history as the most wicked political arm of the Roman Catholic Church. Edmond Paris, in his scholarly work, The Secret History of the Jesuits, reveals and documents much of this information.”4 At the Council of Trent, the Catholic Church gave the Jesuits the specific assignment of destroying Protestantism and bringing people back to the Mother Church. This was to be done not only through the Inquisition and through torture, but also through theology.

The Jesuit Commission

At the Council of Trent, the Jesuits were commissioned by the Pope to develop a new interpretation of Scripture that would counteract the Protestant application of the Bible’s Antichrist prophecies to the Roman Catholic Church. Francisco Ribera (1537-1591), a brilliant Jesuit priest and doctor of theology from Spain, basically said, “Here am I, send me.” Like Martin Luther, Francisco Ribera also read by candlelight the prophecies about the Antichrist, the little horn, that man of sin, and the Beast. But because of his dedication and allegiance to the Pope, he came to conclusions vastly different from those of the Protestants. “Why, these prophecies don’t apply to the Catholic Church at all!” Ribera said. Then to whom do they apply? Ribera proclaimed, “To only one sinister man who will rise up at the end of time!” “Fantastic!” was the reply from Rome, and this viewpoint was quickly adopted as the official Roman Catholic position on the Antichrist.

“In 1590, Ribera published a commentary on the Revelation as a counter-interpretation to the prevailing view among Protestants which identified the Papacy with the Antichrist. Ribera applied all of Revelation but the earliest chapters to the end time rather than to the history of the Church. Antichrist would be a single evil person who would be received by the Jews and would rebuild Jerusalem.”5 “Ribera denied the Protestant Scriptural Antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2) as seated in the church of God—asserted by Augustine, Jerome, Luther and many reformers. He set on an infidel Antichrist, outside the church of God.”6 “The result of his work [Ribera’s] was a twisting and maligning of prophetic truth.”7

Following close behind Francisco Ribera was another brilliant Jesuit scholar, Cardinal Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621) of Rome. Between 1581 and 1593, Cardinal Bellarmine published his “Polemic Lectures Concerning the Disputed Points of the Christian Belief Against the Heretics of This Time.” In these lectures, he agreed with Ribera. “The futurist teachings of Ribera were further popularized by an Italian cardinal and the most renowned of all Jesuit controversialists. His writings claimed that Paul, Daniel, and John had nothing whatsoever to say about the Papal power. The futurists’ school won general acceptance among Catholics. They were taught that Antichrist was a single individual who would not rule until the very end of time.”8 Through the work of these two tricky Jesuit scholars, we might say that a brand new baby was born into the world. Protestant historians have given this baby a name—Jesuit Futurism. In fact, Francisco Ribera has been called the Father of Futurism.

Defining the Issue

Before we go much farther, let’s define some terms. Historicism is the belief that Biblical prophecies about the little horn, the man of sin, the Antichrist, the Beast, and the Babylonian Harlot of Revelation 17, all apply to the developing history of Christianity and to the ongoing struggle between Jesus Christ and Satan within the Christian Church, culminating at the end of time. Historicism sees these prophecies as having a direct application to Papal Rome as a system whose doctrines are actually a denial of the New Testament message of free salvation by grace through simple faith in Jesus Christ, apart from works. Historicism was the primary prophetic viewpoint of the Protestant Reformers. In direct opposition to Historicism, and rising up as a razor-sharp counterattack on Protestantism, was that of the Jesuits with their viewpoint of Futurism, which basically says, “The Antichrist prophecies have nothing to do with the history of Papal Rome, rather, they apply to only one sinister man who comes at the end.”

Thus Jesuit Futurism sweeps 1,500 years of prophetic history under the proverbial rug by inserting its infamous GAP. This theory teaches that when Rome fell, prophecy stopped, only to continue again right around the time of the Rapture, thus the “gap” was created. The ten horns, the little horn, the Beast, and the Antichrist have nothing to do with Christians until this “last-day Antichrist” should appear. According to this viewpoint, there were no prophecies being fulfilled during the Dark Ages!

Inroads in Protestantism

For almost 300 years after the Council of Trent, Jesuit Futurism remained largely inside the realm of Catholicism, but the plan of the Jesuits was that these theological tenets be adopted by Protestants. This adoption process actually began in the early 1800s in England, and from there it spread to America. The story of how this happened is both fascinating and tragic. As I briefly share some of the highlights, I want to clarify that I am not judging the genuineness of these Christian men. They may have been sincere, yet at the same time deceived in some areas of their theological understanding.

“The Futurism of Ribera never posed a positive threat to the Protestants for three centuries. It was virtually confined to the Roman Church. But early in the nineteenth century it sprang forth with vehemence and latched on to Protestants of the Established Church of England.”9 Dr. Samuel Roffey Maitland (1792-1866), a lawyer and Bible scholar, became a librarian to the Archbishop of Canterbury. It is very likely that one day he discovered Ribera’s commentary in the library. In any event, in 1826 he published a widely-read book attacking the Reformation and supporting Ribera’s idea of a future one-man Antichrist. For the next ten years, in tract after tract, he continued his anti-Reformation rhetoric. As a result of his zeal and strong attacks against the Reformation in England, the Protestantism of that very nation which produced the King James Bible (1611) received a crushing blow.

After Dr. Maitland came James H. Todd, a professor of Hebrew at the University of Dublin. Todd accepted the futuristic ideas of Maitland, publishing his own supportive pamphlets and books. Then came John Henry Newman (1801-1890), a member of the Church of England and a leader of the famous Oxford Movement (1833-1845). In 1850, Newman wrote his “Letter on Anglican Difficulties,” revealing that one of the goals in the Oxford Movement was to finally absorb “the various English denominations and parties” back into the Church of Rome. After publishing a pamphlet endorsing Todd’s futurism about a one-man Antichrist, Newman soon became a full Roman Catholic, and later even a highly honored Cardinal. Through the influence of Maitland, Todd, Newman, and others, a definite “Romeward movement was already arising, destined to sweep away the old Protestant landmarks, as with a flood.”10

Then came the much-respected Scottish Presbyterian minister, Edward Irving (1792-1834), the acknowledged forerunner of both the Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements. Irving pastored the large Chalcedonian Chapel in London with over 1,000 members. When Irving turned to the prophecies, he eventually accepted the one-man Antichrist idea of Todd, Maitland, Bellarmine, and Ribera, yet he went a step further. Somewhere around 1830, Edward Irving began to teach the unique idea of a two-phase return of Christ, the first phase being a secret rapture prior to the rise of the Antichrist. Where he got this idea is a matter of much dispute. Journalist Dave MacPherson believes Irving accepted it is a result of a prophetic revelation given to a young Scottish girl named Margaret McDonald.11 In any case, the fact is, Irving taught it!
In the midst of this growing anti-Protestant climate in England, there arose a man by the name of John Nelson Darby (1800-1882). A brilliant lawyer, pastor, and theologian, he wrote more than 53 books on Bible subjects. A much-respected Christian and a man of deep piety, Darby took a strong stand in favor of the infallibility of the Bible in contrast with the liberalism of his day. He became one of the leaders of a group in Plymouth, England, which became known as the Plymouth Brethren. Darby’s contribution to the development of evangelical theology has been so great that he has been called The Father of Modern Dispensationalism. Yet John Nelson Darby, like Edward Irving, also became a strong promoter of a Pre-Tribulation Rapture followed by a one-man Antichrist. In fact, this teaching has become a hallmark of Dispensationalism.
Dispensationalism is the theory that God deals with mankind in major dispensations or periods. According to Darby, we are now in the “Church Age,” that is, until the Rapture. After the Rapture, then the seven-year period of Daniel 9:27 will supposedly kick in, and this is when the Antichrist will rise up against the Jews. In fact, John Nelson Darby laid much of the foundation for the present popular removal of Daniel’s 70th week away from history and from Jesus Christ in favor of applying it to a future Tribulation after the Rapture. Thus, in spite of all the positives of his ministry, Darby followed Maitland, Todd, Bellarmine, and Ribera by incorporating the teachings of Futurism into his theology. This created a link between John Nelson Darby, the Father of Dispen-sationalism, and the Jesuit Francisco Ribera, the Father of Futurism. Darby visited America six times between 1859-1874, preaching in all of its major cities, during which time he definitely planted the seeds of Futurism in American soil. The child of the Jesuits was growing up.

Futurism in America

One of the most important figures in this whole drama is Cyrus Ingerson Scofield (1843-1921), a Kansas lawyer who was greatly influenced by the writings of Darby. In 1909, Scofield published the first edition of his famous Scofield Reference Bible. In the early 1900s, this Bible became so popular in American Protestant Bible schools that it was necessary to print literally millions of copies. Yet, in the much-respected footnotes of this very Bible, Scofield injected large doses of the fluid of Futurism also found in the writings of Darby, Todd, Maitland, Bellarmine, and Ribera. Through the Scofield Bible, the Jesuit child reached young adulthood. The doctrine of an Antichrist still to come was becoming firmly established inside 20th-century American Protestantism.

The Moody Bible Institute and the Dallas Theological Seminary have strongly supported the teachings of John Nelson Darby, and this has continued to fuel Futurism’s growth. Then in the 1970s, Pastor Hal Lindsey, a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, released his blockbuster book The Late Great Planet Earth. This 177-page, easy-to-read volume brought Futurism to the masses of American Christianity, and beyond. The New York Times labeled it “The number one best-seller of the decade.” Over 30 million copies have been sold, and it has been translated into over 30 languages. Through The Late Great Planet Earth, Jesuit Futurism took a strong hold over the Protestant Christian world.

Left Behind

Now we have Left Behind. In the 1990s, Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins took the future one-man Antichrist idea of Hal Lindsey, Scofield, Darby, Irving, Newman, Todd, Maitland, Bellarmine, and Ribera, and turned it into “The most successful Christian-fiction series ever” (Publishers Weekly). Hal Lindsey’s book, The Late Great Planet Earth, was largely theological, which limited its appeal, while Left Behind is a sequence of highly imaginative novels, “overflowing with suspense, action, and adventure,” a “Christian thriller,” with a “label its creators could never have predicted: blockbuster success” (Entertainment Weekly). The much-respected television ministries of Jack Van Impe, Peter and Paul Lalonde, and Pastor John Hagee, have all worked together to produce LEFT BEHIND: The Movie. The entire project has even caught the attention of the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, resulting in an interview of LaHaye and Jenkins on Larry King Live. The Left Behind books have been made available on displays at WalMart, Fry’s Electronics, and inside countless other stores.
Again, let me clarify, I am not judging the genuineness of the authors of Left Behind and the leaders of these television ministries. They may be sincere, and have their own walk with God. But they are deceived into wrong ideas concerning Bible prophecy. God may even use Left Behind to influence people for Jesus Christ. But, in the full light of Scripture, prophecy, and the Protestant Reformation, something is terribly wrong. Left Behind is now teaching much of the same Jesuit Futurism as Francisco Ribera, which is hiding the real truth about the Antichrist. Through Left Behind, the floodgates of Futurism have been opened, unleashing a massive tidal wave of false prophecy which is now sweeping over America. Sadly, it is a false “idea whose time has come.”

The Prophetic Foundation

As we have already seen, the theological foundation for the entire Left Behind series is the application of the “seven years” of Daniel 9:27 to a future period of Tribulation. Are you ready for this? Guess who was one of the very first scholars to slice Daniel’s 70th week away from the first 69 weeks, sliding it down to the end of time? It was Francisco Ribera! “Ribera’s primary apparatus was the seventy weeks. He taught that Daniel’s 70th week was still in the future. . . It was as though God put a giant rubber band on this Messianic time measure. Does this supposition sound familiar? This is exactly the scenario used by Hal Lindsey and a multitude of other current prophecy teachers.”12

When most Christians look at the last 1,500 years, how much fulfilled prophecy do they see? None, zero, because almost everything is now being applied to a future time period after the Rapture. As we have seen, this GAP idea originated with the Jesuits, and its insertion into the majority of 21st century prophetic teaching is now blinding millions of hearts and eyes to what has gone before, and to what is happening right now inside the Church. “It is this GAP theory that permeates Futurism’s interpretation of all apocalyptic prophecy.”13 In love and in the Spirit of Jesus Christ, someone should publicly appeal to the major prophetic television ministries of today to re-evaluate their positions. Hopefully, like noble ships with a new command from their captain, they will yet change their course.

Jesuit Futurism has almost completely changed the beliefs of Protestant Historicism. “The proper eschatological term for the view most taught today is Futurism, which fuels the confusion of Dispensationalism. The futuristic school of Bible prophecy came from the Roman Catholic Church, specifically her Jesuit theologians. . . However the alternative has been believed for centuries. It is known as Historicism.”14 “It is a matter for deep regret that those who hold and advocate the Futurist system at the present day, Protestants as they are for the most part, are thus really playing into the hands of Rome, and helping to screen the Papacy from detection as the Antichrist.”15

Who Had It Right?

Who had the right theology—those who were burned at the stake for Jesus Christ, or those who lit the fires? Who had the true Bible doctrine—the martyrs or their persecutors? Who had the correct interpretation of the Antichrist—those who died trusting in the blood of Christ, or those who shed the blood of God’s dear saints? Dear friend, Jesuit Futurism is now at war with the Protestant Reformation by denying its power-packed application of prophecy to the Vatican. “The futurist school of Bible prophecy was created for one reason, and one reason only: to counter the Protestant Reformation!”16 In fact, Jesuit Futurism is at war with the prophecies of the Word of God itself! And if that’s not enough, consider this. Jesuit Futurism originated with the Roman Catholic Church, which makes it the very doctrine of the Antichrist! And when Christian ministries and movies like A Thief in the Night, Apocalypse, Revelation, Tribulation, and Left Behind, proclaim an Antichrist who comes only after the Rapture, what are they really doing? I shudder to even say it. Are you ready for this? They are sincerely and yet unknowingly teaching the doctrine of the Antichrist!

Now you know why truth has been left behind. You are now able to see The Left Behind deception. I appeal to you in the loving name of Jesus Christ, the Crucified One—Don’t fall for it.

..


Steve Wohlberg's books are available from the Laymen Ministries bookstore. Exploding the Israel Deception takes a look at the current popularity of seeking fulfillment of prophecy in the Middle East, and shows what the Bible indicates about these prophecies.

The Left Behind Deception is select chapters from Truth Left Behind. These books will give you the history of the teachings of the Rapture, and show you the truth of what the Scriptures say about it. The Left Behind Deception is a great gift for one who has questions on the Rapture, but isn't so in depth as to be overwhelming.


Source: http://www.lmn.org/magazine/170/Jesuits.html