Sunday, May 16, 2010

Episcopal church ordains 2nd openly gay bishop


By ASSOCIATED PRESS

LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) -- Seven years after the Episcopal Church caused an uproar by consecrating its first openly gay bishop, it has done the same thing again -- only this time with a woman.

The Rev. Canon Mary Glasspool, of Baltimore, was ordained and consecrated on Saturday, making her the second openly gay bishop in church history and one of the first two female bishops in the Diocese of Los Angeles' 114-year history.

The ceremony was at Long Beach Arena before 3,000 people, who burst into applause at the end, church spokesman Bob Williams said.

The Rev. Canon Diane M. Jardine Bruce, of San Clemente, Calif., was also ordained Saturday.

The two women were elected last December to serve as assistant bishops in the diocese's six-county territory but conservative Episcopalians had urged the church not to ordain Glasspool. The decision to do so highlights a continued Episcopal commitment to accepting same-sex relationships despite enormous pressure from other Anglicans.

The Episcopal Church, which is the Anglican body in the United States, caused turmoil in the church in 2003 by consecrating the first openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.

Breakaway Episcopal conservatives have formed a rival church, the Anglican Church in North America.

Several overseas Anglicans have been pressuring Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, spiritual leader of the world's 77 million Anglicans, to officially recognize the new conservative entity.

In 2004, Anglican leaders asked the Episcopal Church for a moratorium on electing another gay bishop while they tried to prevent a permanent break in the fellowship.

Since the request was made, some Episcopal gay priests have been nominated for bishop, but none was elected before Glasspool. In July 2009, the Episcopal General Convention, the U.S. church's top policy making body, affirmed that gay and lesbian priests were eligible to become bishops.

Glasspool and Bruce, who leaves her post as pastor of St. Clement's Episcopal Church in San Clemente, will also be the 16th and 17th women to be elected bishops since the first was selected for such a post in Massachusetts in 1988.

Glasspool, 56, an adviser, or canon, for eight years to the Diocese of Maryland's bishop, said in an essay on the Los Angeles diocese Web site that she had an "intense struggle" while in college with her sexuality and the call to become a priest.


.

Tusk wins Charlemagne award


By Constant Brand


13.05.2010 / 13:15 CET


Poland's prime minister becomes the second Pole to win European prize.

Donald Tusk, Poland's prime minister, was today awarded this year's Charlemagne Prize for his “outstanding contributions to the cause of European understanding”.

The prize, which was created after the Second World War by city officials in Aachen to promote European unity, is named after the Frankish King Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, who managed to united most of western Europe under his rule during the Middle Ages.

Charlemagne's capital was Aachen, which is now in Germany, and he is buried in the city's main cathedral.

The award committee noted Tusk, 53, who was active in Poland's Solidarity movement that helped to topple Communist rule in the 1980s, was a “patriot and a great European who helped ... lay the foundation for the reunification of Europe”.

He is the second Pole to win the award, after Pope John Paul II, the recipient in 2004.

Last year's winner, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, attended Thursday's ceremony as did other past winners, including Luxembourg's Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker.

European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek also attended.

Other notable past winners of the prize include former UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill, ex-US President Bill Clinton, Dutch Queen Beatrix, and former French President François Mitterrand.

..

.
.
P.S. This is truly a time of a covert resurgence of the Holy Roman (polanski) Empire...
Peek a boo! Holy Romans we see you!
.
.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Editor Laments Pentecostals' 'Epidemic Of Moral Failure'

First Posted: 05-12-10 06:00 PM Updated: 05-12-10 06:00 PM



Jim Bakker, shown here in 1987, built a multimillion-dollar evangelism empire and then saw it collapse in disgrace.

By Steve Rabey
Religion News Service

(RNS) After Ted Haggard confessed to a gay sex and drug scandal, he lost his Colorado Spring pulpit, his job as head of the National Association of Evangelicals and underwent a lengthy period of counseling and discipline.

For the most part, he hasn't been seen much since.

Other fallen charismatic/Pentecostal superstars, however, have rapidly reemerged into the spotlight with a new wife, a new church, new TV ministry or a new message from God that seems to dismiss the gravity of their sins.

Lee Grady has seen it all, and he's had enough.

Grady, a longtime editor of the widely read Charisma magazine, says the miraculous and transforming power of the Holy Spirit he and other charismatic/Pentecostal have experienced is under assault by the "epidemic of moral failure among our leaders."

"We can have the gifts of the Holy Spirit in operation without this circus sideshow going on," Grady said in an interview. "I'm waving my hands in the air because this is a huge problem, and we are going to experience even more serious problems in our churches if we don't know how to apply godly discipline to our wayward leaders."

It's a message he's preaching in his new book, "The Holy Spirit is Not for Sale," and one that's roiling the waters in one of the fastest-growing segments of evangelical Christianity.

Charismatic and Pentecostal Christians--who embrace speaking in tongues, healing and other signs and wonders--have been raising eyebrows ever since the Holy Spirit first descended on Pentecost. At the time, skeptical observers figured they were drunk.

Things haven't changed much since; Aimee Semple McPherson, a pioneer of the Pentecostal movement that grew out of Los Angeles in the early 20th century, was known for her fervor, her pioneering use of radio, and her mysterious 1926 disappearance. The 1980s were rocked by the sexual and financial shenanigans of Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart and others.

Grady was a member of a Southern Baptist church when, in 1976, he was filled with the Holy Spirit--"when I became a really radical Christian," he says now. From 1992 until earlier this year, he was editor at Charisma, and he still writes a column for the magazine called "Fire in My Bones."

Grady says the movement remains as controversial on the dawn of its second century as it was in its first. Yet the movement's embrace of technology--especially television--carries added risks.

His book explores the fall of leaders like Bishop Earl Paulk of Atlanta's Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, who confessed to decades of sexual misconduct before his death last year; divorced evangelists Randy and Paula White, whose lavish lifestyle at Tampa's Without Walls International Church piqued the interest of congressional investigators; abuse charges leveled against Bishop Thomas Wesley Weeks III and his ex-wife Juanita Bynum, and the affair that toppled evangelist Todd Bentley's Lakeland Revival in Florida.

As if to prove his point, soon after the book was published, the wife of famed faith healer Benny Hinn filed for divorce. Hinn defended his sexual purity and said the divorce filing caught him off guard.

Grady said there's nothing unusual about leaders falling--they're sinners just like anyone else, and charismatic/Pentecostal leaders are no guiltier than others. It's just that their failures are more publicized.

"Our movement has a lot of television personalities," he said.

What does concern him, however, is fallen leaders who try to emerge from scandal without publicly acknowledging their sin, repenting, submitting to discipline or undergoing counseling.

In other words, it's not the fall, but the response, that matters.

"Instead of giving into our celebrity culture and allowing fallen leaders to reappear in a new pulpit the next week, we need to preserve a sense of purity with standards of righteousness and systems of accountability," he said.

Historian Vinson Synan, who has spent decades researching the charismatic and Pentecostal movements, shares many of Grady's concerns.

"Lee's book is accurate and fair," said Synan, dean emeritus at Regent University, the Virginia school founded by charismatic broadcaster Pat Robertson. "And I share many of the same concerns Lee has about the lack of discipline and order in our movements."

Grady said he will continue his vigilant crusade to do whatever he can to keep modern-day Elmer Gantry's from "hijacking our whole movement."

"I'm unapologetically part of this movement. That's who I am and there's no changing that," he said. "But just as the Apostle Paul was outspoken about false prophets, bad doctrine and bad methodology, I'm going to continue offering words of correction and brotherly rebuke."
.
.
.

MARY WORSHIP by Mary Ann Collins (A Former Catholic Nun)

MARY WORSHIP?

A Study of Catholic Practice and Doctrine



by Mary Ann Collins (A Former Catholic Nun)

July 2001

INTRODUCTION




Jesus said that the truth will set us free. (John 8:32) However, He did not say that the truth would necessarily be easy to accept. It was painful for me to learn the information that I am about to share with you, but it was also liberating and it led to a closer relationship with God.

As a faithful Catholic, and later as a nun, I practiced Mary worship for many years without realizing it. The prayers and practices were so familiar. They were taught to me by good people, sincere people that I trusted. I prayed rosaries and wore a scapular and engaged in other “devotions” which I honestly thought were good and pleasing to God. Because of my lack of knowledge of the Bible and of Church history, I honestly had no idea that I was actually worshipping Mary.

If modern Catholic teachings and doctrines about Mary are true, then they will not be contrary to Scripture, the writings of the Early Fathers, or the decrees of past popes. For a devout Catholic to question these issues and put them to the test can be painful. It certainly was for me. However, it would be far more painful to have God correct us when we face Him on Judgment Day.



LETTING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH SPEAK FOR ITSELF

I believe in letting people speak for themselves. Therefore my primary sources about Catholic doctrines and history come from the Catholic Church.

First and foremost is the official Catechism of the Catholic Church which was written for the purpose of summarizing the essential and basic teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. It was approved by Pope John Paul II in 1992 and the English translation was released in 1994. The latest English edition was printed in 2000. Most of my other sources are either practicing Catholics or else former Catholics whose approach is loving and respectful and who have thoroughly documented their work.

When I cite the Catechism I will give paragraph numbers rather than page numbers. I will summarize what it says. If you want to see the paragraphs for yourself, there are two web sites with search engines for the Catechism. (Their addresses are given in the Notes.) You can search by topic or by paragraph number. [1]

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.

If you really want to understand Catholic teaching in the light of Scripture and the history of the Catholic church, then I strongly recommend reading the following two books. The authors are former Catholics who love and respect Catholics. They are gentle and respectful in their approach. (See the Bibliography for information about these books.)

The Gospel According to Rome: Comparing Catholic Tradition and the Word of God, by James G. McCarthy. This book is easy to read, well documented, objective, and gentle. It is a comprehensive guide to Catholic beliefs, based on Catholic sources. It examines Catholic teachings in the light of Scripture.

The Church of Rome at the Bar of History by William Webster. This book compares modern Catholic doctrines with the teachings of the early Church.

For a good overview of Catholicism, I recommend the video Catholicism: Crisis of Faith. A friend of mine said that in one hour, this video gave him a better understanding of Catholicism than he had received from a college course on the subject. This video is gentle and respectful. An annotated transcript is available on‑line. (Information about videos follows the Bibliography.)



WILL THE REAL CATHOLIC CHURCH

PLEASE STAND UP?

When I was in the convent, our mother superior told us about Catholics in Mexico who, in their devotion to Mary, were doing things that we would only do when worshipping God. We were concerned about this. We considered this practice to be unusual and unbalanced. We thought that the American practice of Catholicism was the true thing. However, many years later I realized that if you want to know what something really is, then look at how it behaves when it is in a position of power. In America, Catholics are in the minority. To see the true spirit behind Catholicism, watch what the Catholic Church does in countries where it is in power.

One place where the Catholic Church is strong is Spain, which is known for the Spanish Inquisition. I always thought that the Inquisition was ancient history. However, the last official Spanish execution for heresy occurred in 1826. A schoolmaster was hanged because he substituted the phrase “Praise be to God” in place of “Ave Maria” (“Hail Mary”) during school prayers. [2]

I always thought that abuses of power by the Catholic Church were something that happened long ago. However, look at the following example from the Philippines, where the Catholic Church is strong.

Beginning in 1948 there was a series of apparitions of Mary in the city of Lipa. These apparitions were sometimes accompanied by showers of rose petals and other supernatural phenomena. They occurred in a convent. The local bishop personally experienced a shower of rose petals and thereafter supported the apparitions. The media mocked the supernatural events in Lipa and street vendors sold phony “holy rose petals.” In response to the bad publicity, the Vatican sent a Papal Administrator to take over the diocese where the apparitions occurred. He replaced the bishop and the mother superior. The nun who saw the apparitions was forced to leave the convent. The nuns were ordered to destroy all materials associated with the apparitions, including a statue. The convent was sealed and the nuns were not allowed to talk to anyone outside the convent. An official Commission of Inquiry was convened, which unanimously ruled that the apparitions were not valid. However, they did not interview anybody who had personal, first-hand knowledge of the events. Several of the bishops who were part of the Commission of Inquiry stated on their deathbeds that the Papal Administrator had forced them to sign the verdict by threatening to excommunicate them if they did not sign it. [3]

After years of no longer being a Catholic, I attended a Catholic funeral. When I went into the church something hit me hard. It had always been there, but I had never noticed it before because I was used to it. There were statues of Mary and the saints. They looked solid, real, as if they represented people of power. Jesus only appeared as a helpless baby in Mary’s arms, as a dead man nailed to a cross, and as little wafers of bread hidden inside a fancy box. Visually and emotionally the message was very clear ‑- if you want real power, if you want someone who can do something for you, then go to Mary and the Saints.



DEVOTION TO MARY

If you want to see what a person's real priorities are, then watch what they do when their life, or the life of a loved one, is in danger. When Pope John Paul II was shot, while the ambulance was rushing him to the hospital, the Pope was not praying to God or calling on the name of Jesus. He kept saying, over and over, “Mary, my mother!” Polish pilgrims placed a picture of Our Lady of Czestochowa on the throne where the Pope normally sat. People gathered around the picture. Vatican loudspeakers broadcasted the prayers of the rosary. When the Pope recovered, he gave Mary all the glory for saving his life, and he made a pilgrimage to Fatima to publicly thank her. [4]



Jesus said, “[W]here your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Luke 12:34) Some statues of Mary have real crowns made of gold. The web sites listed in the Notes show pictures of statues of Our Lady of Fatima and Our Lady of Lourdes wearing crowns. [5] The statues in the pictures are replicas, and their crowns are ceramic and painted gold. But the crowns on the original statues at Fatima and Lourdes are real crowns made of real gold.

Vast sums of money are spent on some special statues of Mary. For example, the statue of Our Lady of the Pillar in Saragossa, Spain has a crown made of 25 pounds of gold and diamonds, with so many diamonds that you can hardly see the gold. In addition, it has six other crowns of gold, diamonds and emeralds. It has 365 mantles which are embroidered with gold and covered with roses of diamonds and other precious stones. It has 365 necklaces made of pearls and diamonds, and six chains of gold set with diamonds. [6]

In Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico, preparations are underway to construct a huge statue of Our Lady of the Rosary. Inside the base of the statue there will be chapels, conference rooms, apartments, a food court, and radio and TV stations. There will also be observation decks. This statue will be part of a 500-acre “Mystical City” complex. According to an article in Caribbean Business, this statue “will top at 1,500 feet”. According to an article by the Associated Press, the statue will be 305 feet high. [7] The discrepancy in numbers can be explained by looking at the Statue of Liberty, which is a 151 foot statue on top of a 154 foot base. Some sources say that the Statue of Liberty is 305 feet high (which includes the height of the base) and some say that it is 151 feet high (which is the height of the actual statue). What we probably have in Sabana Grande is a 305 foot statue with a 1,200 foot base.

I have personally participated in American processions which honored Mary. We walked through the streets following a statue of Mary which was carried on a platform, high up where it was clearly visible. We sang songs in Mary’s honor. We prayed rosaries and other prayers to her. These were small processions. At Fatima, Portugal, crowds of over a million people gather on the anniversary of the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima. The celebration includes a procession of a million people following a statue of Mary and singing her praises. [8]

One popular prayer in Mary’s honor is the Hail Holy Queen, which is known in Latin as the Salve Regina. It is traditionally included as part of praying the rosary.

For Catholics who are reading this, please try to overcome your familiarity with this text and really look at the words. Doesn’t this sound like worship?

“Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy! Our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping, in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us; and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.”

Alfonsus de Liguori (1696-1787) was a principal proponent of the Marianist Movement, which glorifies Mary. He wrote a book entitled The Glories of Mary which is famous, influential and widely read. In this book, de Liguori says that Mary was given rulership over one half of the kingdom of God; Mary rules over the kingdom of mercy and Jesus rules over the kingdom of justice. De Liguori said that people should pray to Mary as a mediator and look to her as an object of trust for answered prayer. The book even says that there is no salvation outside of Mary. Some people suggest that these views are extreme and not representative of Catholic Church teaching. However, instead of silencing de Liguori as a heretic, the Catholic Church canonized him as a saint and declared him to be a “doctor of the Church” (a person whose teachings carry weight and authority). Furthermore, his book is openly and officially promoted by the Catholic Church, and his teachings have influenced popes. [9]

Pope Benedict XV said of Mary that “[O]ne can justly say that with Christ, she herself redeemed mankind.” [10] Pope Pius IX said, “Our salvation is based upon the holy Virgin... so that if there is any hope and spiritual healing for us we receive it solely and uniquely from her.” [11]

A lay movement called “Vox Populi” (“Voice of the People”) gathers signed petitions to send to the Pope, seeking to have him officially declare that Mary is Co‑Redemptrix. Over six million signatures have been sent to him, representing 138 countries and all seven continents. This doctrine is supported by over 40 cardinals and 600 bishops worldwide. [12]

The Catholic Church exalts Mary as an idealized, larger-than-life, perfect mother. However, the Bible shows that at one point Mary misunderstood Jesus’ calling to the point that she thought He was insane and she tried to prevent Him from doing what God wanted Him to do. Look at Mark 3:20-34.

“And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.’” (Mark 3:20-21, emphasis added)

The New International Version says “His family”. The New King James Version says “His own people.” The King James Version says “his friends”. According to Strong’s Greek/Hebrew Dictionary the Greek word has a variety of meanings, including “kinsmen”. However, we don’t have to depend on the exact meaning of the word here because it will be made clear in verse 31. Strong’s defines “lay hold on” as “to use strength, i.e. seize or retain”. It defines “beside himself” as “become astounded, insane”.

Verses 22 through 30 describe a confrontation between Jesus and the scribes. Then we get back to what is happening with the people who thought that Jesus was out of His mind and were so concerned that they were coming to “lay hold on him” (seize him).

“There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him calling him. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.” (Mark 3:31-35, emphasis added)



CATHOLIC DOCTRINES ABOUT MARY

COMPARED WITH WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS

My sources for this section are the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which has numbered paragraphs. For the sake of simplicity and brevity, I will just say Catechism plus the number of the paragraph (s). For example, “Catechism 411, 493” means “Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs numbered 411 and 493”.

For each doctrinal category, I will indicate the Catholic doctrine, followed by the appropriate references from the Catechism. I will follow this with quotations from the Bible which relate to the doctrine. For the sake of clarity, I will emphasize some portions of Biblical quotations by using boldface type. The last book in the Bible is called “The Book of Revelation” in Protestant Bibles and “The Apocalypse” in Catholic Bibles. I will refer to it as “Revelation”.



IMMACULATE CONCEPTION -- Mary was preserved from all stain of original sin from the first instant of her conception. (Catechism 490-492).

In Luke 1:46-47, Mary said: “My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour”. Mary knew that she needed a savior.

The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception was first introduced by a heretic (a man whose teachings were officially declared to be contrary to Church doctrine). For centuries this doctrine was unanimously rejected by popes, Fathers and theologians of the Catholic Church. [13]



ALL-HOLY ‑- Mary, “the All-Holy,” lived a perfectly sinless life. (Catechism 411, 493)

Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”. Revelation 15:4 says, “Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? For thou only art holy”. Romans 3:10 says, “There is none righteous, no, not one”.

Jesus is the only person who is referred to in Scripture as sinless. Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 1 Peter 2:22 says, “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth”.

In contrast, Mary said that God is her Savior. (Luke 1:47) If God was her Savior, then Mary was not sinless. Sinless people do not need a Savior.

In the Book of Revelation, when they were searching for someone who was worthy to break the seals and open the scroll, the only person who was found to be worthy was Jesus. Nobody else in Heaven or on earth (including Mary) was worthy to open the scroll or even look inside it. (Revelation 5:1-5)



PERPETUAL VIRGINITY ‑- Mary was a virgin before, during and after the birth of Christ. (Catechism 496-511)

Matthew 1:24-25 says, “Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.” “Till” (until) means that after that point, Joseph did “know” (have sexual relations with) Mary. (See Genesis 4:1 where Adam “knew” Eve and she conceived and had a son.)

Jesus had brothers and sisters. The Bible even tells us their names. Matthew 13:54-56 says,

“And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hatch this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us?”

Other Scripture verses which specifically refer to Jesus’ brothers are: Matthew 12:46; John 2:12; John 7:3; Acts 1:14; and Galatians 1:19.

I was always taught that “brothers” and “sisters” were general terms that really could refer to any kind of kinsman, including cousins. This is true in the Hebrew language. However, the New Testament is written in Greek, which is an extremely precise language. It makes a clear distinction between the words used to describe family relationships. There is a Greek word which refers to people who are relatives but not of the immediate family, such as aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces and cousins. There are other Greek words which refer specifically to a person’s brother or sister within a family. [14]


MOTHER OF GOD ‑- Because she is the mother of Jesus, and Jesus is God, therefore Mary is the Mother of God. (Catechism 963, 971, 2677).

The Incarnation means that Jesus was both fully God and fully man. Mary was only the mother of Jesus as man, and not the mother of Jesus as God. According to the Bible, the world was created through Jesus. This was long before Mary was born. Hebrews 1:1-2 says,

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds”.

Colossians 1:16-17 says,

“For by him [Jesus] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things [including Mary] were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things [including Mary] , and by him all things consist”.

John 8:58 says, “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am.” Jesus existed before Abraham was born. That means that He also existed before Mary was born. In John 17:5, Jesus says, “And now O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” So Jesus existed even before the world began. Jesus came first ‑- not Mary.


MOTHER OF THE CHURCH ‑- Mary is the Mother of the Church. (Catechism 963, 975).

Acts 1:13-14 gives a picture of a group of people praying together. Mary is mentioned as one of them, but nothing indicates any special prominence.

“And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Phillip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.”

Mary was probably in the Upper Room when the tongues of fire fell upon the 120 disciples. However, she is never mentioned again in the Book of Acts, which is our only historical record of how the Church was born. She is also not specifically identified in the epistles. Paul did send greetings to “Mary”, but that was a common name. (In the Gospels and in the Book of Acts, she is referred to as “Mary the mother of Jesus” to distinguish her from other women named Mary.)
It is notable that John, who took Mary into his home after Jesus was crucified, does not mention her in his epistles, and he only mentions her on two occasions in his Gospel (the wedding at Cana and the crucifixion of Jesus). John mentions Mary Magdalene more than he mentions Jesus' mother.


ASSUMPTION ‑- At the end of her life, Mary was taken up (“assumed”) body and soul into Heaven. (Catechism 966, 974)

There is no biblical reference to the assumption of Mary. The Gospel of John was written around 90 A.D., which is more than 100 years after Mary was born. (Surely Mary was more than ten years old when Jesus was conceived.) If Mary had been supernaturally assumed into Heaven, wouldn’t John (the disciple that Mary lived with) have mentioned it? When Enoch and Elijah were taken up to Heaven, the Bible recorded it. With Elijah it was recorded in some detail. (See Genesis 6:24 and 2 Kings 2:1‑18.)

The Assumption of Mary was officially declared to be a dogma of the Roman Catholic faith in 1950. This means that every Roman Catholic is required to believe this doctrine without questioning it. However, as we will see, the teaching of the Assumption originated with heretical writings which were officially condemned by the early Church.

In 495 A.D., Pope Gelasius issued a decree which rejected this teaching as heresy and its proponents as heretics. In the sixth century, Pope Hormisdas also condemned as heretics those authors who taught the doctrine of the Assumption of Mary. The early Church clearly considered the doctrine of the Assumption of Mary to be a heresy worthy of condemnation. Here we have “infallible” popes declaring something to be a heresy. Then in 1950, Pope Pius XII, another “infallible” pope, declared it to be official Roman Catholic doctrine. [15]


CO-MEDIATOR ‑- Mary is the Co-Mediator to whom we can entrust all our cares and petitions. (Catechism 968-970, 2677)

There is only one mediator and that is Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5-6 says, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus: Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” Hebrews 7:25 says,Wherefore he [Jesus] is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Ephesians 3:12 says, “In whom [Jesus} we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.”

If Jesus is constantly interceding for us and He is able to save us “to the uttermost,” (utterly, completely) then He doesn’t need Mary’s help. If we can approach God with “boldness” and “confidence” because of our faith in Jesus, then we don't need Mary’s help either.


QUEEN OF HEAVEN ‑- God has exalted Mary in heavenly glory as Queen of Heaven and earth. (Catechism 966) She is to be praised with special devotion. (Catechism 971, 2675)

Psalm 148:13 says, “Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.” This makes it quite clear that only God’s name (not Mary’s) is to be exalted. (In Catholic Bibles the numbering of the chapters and verses of some of the Psalms is slightly different.)

When people tried to give Mary special honor and pre-eminence because she was His mother, Jesus corrected them.

“And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” (Luke 11:27-28)

In chapters four and five of the Book of Revelation, we are given a quite detailed picture of Heaven. God is seated on the throne, surrounded by 24 elders and four living creatures. The Lamb (Jesus) is standing in the center of the throne. Thousands upon thousands of angels circle the throne, singing God's praises. And Mary is not in the picture at all.


COMPARING CATHOLIC TEACHINGS ABOUT MARY

WITH MODERN GODDESS WORSHIP

Goddess worship is not ancient history. It is going on today. It is practiced in Wicca and a variety of modern pagan religions. (Wicca is a religion based on witchcraft. It involves goddess worship, rituals and spells.)

The credibility of goddess worship has been increased through its acceptance by university professors and its incorporation into textbooks. Wiccan doctrines are being promoted in publicly funded, accredited colleges and universities. Nursing school textbooks are overtly promoting goddess worship, including textbooks written by the National League for Nursing (an accrediting agency for nursing schools). [16]

The following table compares the Mary of Roman Catholic theology and religious practice with the Biblical portrayal of Mary and with the goddess which is worshipped by Wiccans and modern pagans. My information about Wicca comes from the book Wicca: Satan's Little White Lie by Bill Schnoebelen (who was the high priest of a Wiccan coven before he became a Christian), the World Book, the on-line version of The Encyclopedia Brittanica, and numerous web sites. [17]


BIBLICAL MARY
CATHOLIC MARY
THE GODDESS

Humble and obedient. Calls herself “the handmaid of the Lord.”
The Pope officially gave Mary the title “Queen of Heaven” and established a feast day honoring Mary, Queen of Heaven.
Wiccans call their goddess the “Queen of Heaven”.

Knew she needed a savior: “And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” (Luke 1:47)
“Immaculate Conception” (Mary was conceived sinless, without original sin) and “All-Holy” (Mary lived a sinless life).
Goddesses don't need salvation. They make the rules.

Normal wife and mother who had other children.
“Perpetual Virginity” (Jesus' brothers and sisters are considered to be cousins).
Goddesses don't have human children.

No biblical evidence that Mary didn't die like a normal person.
“Glorious Assumption” (Mary was bodily taken up into Heaven).
Goddesses don't die.

Jesus told John to take Mary into his home and take care of her as if she was his own mother.
Catholics are the adopted children of Mary. “Woman behold your son” (John 19:26) is taken to apply literally to every Catholic.
Witches are the adopted, “hidden children” of the Queen of Heaven.

Normal woman.
Sometimes pictured standing on a crescent moon, wearing a crown or with a circle of stars around her head.
Moon goddess.

Normal woman.
Supernatural (apparitions accompanied by miracles and healings).
Supernatural.

Points people to Jesus. Mary said, “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.” (John 2:5)
Can make Jesus do things. A full page newspaper ad showing Mary and Jesus says, “He hasn't denied her anything in 2,000 years. What would you have her ask Him?” This is not official Catholic doctrine but it is a widespread attitude which is encouraged by pious literature.
Points to herself.

Wants to be worshipped.

Knew that she needed a savior. (Luke 1:47)
Apparitions of “Mary” have promised that if people wear certain objects (such as a Scapular or Miraculous Medal) or say certain prayers then they are guaranteed to go to Heaven. The Catholic Church has not officially approved of these practices, but it has also not discouraged them.
Invoked to make supernatural things happen through witchcraft (the use of special objects and special verbal formulas).

Goddesses don't need a savior.


Goddess worship has infiltrated main-line Christian denominations. In November 1993, a Re‑Imagining Conference was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Most of the 2,000 participants were women. This ecumenical church conference was sponsored by and attended by members of over a dozen denominations, including Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Catholics, Lutherans and Methodists. They prayed to Sophia, the goddess of Wisdom, calling her their Creator. They did rituals for this goddess, including a communion service where bread and wine were replaced by milk and honey. They openly rejected the doctrines of the incarnation and the atonement. This conference was repeated in 1996, 1998 and 2000. [18] An on‑line report (with photographs) is available at http://www.layman.org/layman/news/reimagining‑revival.htm

There are Wiccan web sites with web pages devoted to individual goddesses. The Virgin Mary is included among the goddesses of the following web sites: The Spiral Goddess Grove, The White Moon, and Goddess 2000. They consider Mary to be the “Divine Feminine” and say that for centuries, many people have “blended” their ancient goddesses with Mary. [19]



HOW DID WE GET HERE?

How did modern Catholic doctrine about Mary wander so far away from the teachings of the Bible and the Early Fathers? Two reasons are the importance given to Church tradition and the doctrine of papal infallibility.

The Catholic Church officially states that Church tradition is equal in authority to the Bible. (Catechism 80, 84, 86, 97) The problem is that Catholic tradition consists of various expressions of worship and belief of the Catholic people. (Catechism 78, 98, 113, 2650, 2661) It is nebulous. It keeps changing. You cannot find it written in one place. You can’t really put your hands on exactly what it is.

The Early Fathers used Scripture as the standard against which they tested Church tradition. The modern Catholic doctrine that Church tradition is equal in authority with the Bible is contrary to the writings of the Early Fathers. [20]

According to Jesus, Scripture is the plumb line for measuring everything else. He judged religious traditions by comparing them to Scripture. When religious traditions contradicted Scripture, he condemned them. This shows clearly that nothing is equal in authority to Scripture. The Bible stands alone as the standard by which all other things are to be judged.

“Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.” (Mark 7:1-13, emphasis added.)

According to the official teaching of the Catholic Church, Catholic men and women are not allowed to believe what they read in the Bible without checking it out with the Catholic Church. They are required to find out how the bishops of the Church interpret a passage and they are to accept what the bishops teach as if it came from Jesus Christ Himself. They are not allowed to use their own judgment or follow their own conscience. They are required to believe whatever the bishops teach without questioning it. (Catechism 85, 87, 100, 862, 891, 939, 2034, 2037, 2041, 2050)

The Catholic Church teaches that when the bishops officially teach doctrine relating to faith and morals, then God super­naturally prevents them from making any errors. This is called “infallibility”. It applies to official councils, such as the Second Vatican Council. It also applies to other teachings, as long as the bishops and the Pope are in agreement about them. (Catechism 890, 891, 939, 2033, 2034, 2049)

The Pope is said to be infallible whenever he makes an official decree on matters of faith and morals. According to Catholic doctrine, it is impossible for the Pope to teach false doctrine. Catholics are expected to obey the Pope without question even when he is not making an “infallible” statement about doctrine. They are expected to submit their wills and minds to the Pope without question. (Catechism 892, 2037, 2050)

The Early Fathers, and the theologians and canon lawyers of the Middle Ages, never taught that the bishops or the Pope were infallible. This is demonstrated by the fact that in 680 A.D. the Sixth Ecumenical Council condemned a pope as a heretic. It was not until the fourteenth century that the theory of infallibility began to emerge. With the development of this theory came a change in the interpretation of some biblical passages. [21]

The history of the early Church shows that the Bishop of Rome was considered to be just another bishop. For example, Pope Gregory (590-604 A.D.) explicitly stated that all of the bishops were equal. He specifically repudiated the idea that any one bishop could be the supreme ruler of the Church. [22]

The claim for papal infallibility does not stand up to the test of history. For example, Pope Zosimus (417-418 A.D.) reversed the pronouncement of a previous pope. He also retracted a doctrinal pronouncement that he himself had previously made. Pope Honorious was condemned as a heretic by the Sixth Ecumenical Council (680-681 A.D.). He was also condemned as a heretic by Pope Leo II, as well as by every other pope until the eleventh century. So here we have “infallible” popes condemning another “infallible” pope as a heretic. In 1870, the First Vatican Council abolished “infallible” papal decrees and the decrees of two “infallible” councils. [23]

In the seventeenth century, the Catholic church officially condemned Galileo as a heretic because he taught that the earth revolves around the sun. This did not conflict with the Bible or with the teachings of the Early Fathers. However, it was contrary to seventeenth century Catholic theology. The Greek philosopher Aristotle taught that the sun revolves around the earth. Aristotle influenced Thomas Aquinas, a thirteenth century theologian and “doctor of the Church” whose theology had a major impact on the Catholic Church. Some modern astronomers believe that Galileo was right. Others believe that Einstein's theory of relativity makes the question irrelevant. [24] Either way, Galileo was not a heretic for disagreeing with Aristotle. The “infallible” pronouncement of the Catholic Church regarding Galileo's teaching was wrong.

Most people have heard of “papal bulls” and “infallibility”. Have you ever seen what they actually look like? Following is the ending of the bull Ineffabilis Deus in which Pope Pius IX declared the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary in 1854:

“Therefore, if some should presume to think in their hearts otherwise than we have defined (which God forbid), they shall know and thoroughly understand that they are by their own judgment condemned, have made shipwreck concerning the faith, and fallen away from the unity of the Church; and, moreover, that they, by this very act, subject themselves to the penalties ordained by law, if, by word or writing, or any other external means, they dare to signify what they think in their hearts.” [25]

The phrase “subject themselves to the penalties ordained by law” is significant because less than 30 years earlier, a man in Spain was executed for heresy. [26]



MARIAN APPARITIONS

On May 13, 1981, a man shot Pope John Paul II. As the ambulance carried him to the hospital, the Pope kept praying, “Mary, my mother! Mary, my mother!” One year later, the Pope made a pilgrimage to Fatima to thank Our Lady of Fatima for saving his life and to consecrate the entire human race to her. [27] The video Catholicism: Crisis of Faith shows the Pope kissing the feet of a statue of Mary. [28]

Millions of pilgrims go to shrines which honor apparitions of Mary. Every year fifteen to twenty million pilgrims go to Guadalupe in Mexico, five and a half million go to Lourdes in France, five million go to Czestochowa (Jasna Gora) in Poland, and four and a half million go to Fatima in Portugal. Special dates draw huge crowds. On August 15, half a million pilgrims go to Czestochowa. On October 13, a million people go to Fatima. On December 12, 1999, five million pilgrims went to Mexico to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe. [29]

Are these pilgrims worshipping Mary? You can observe them and see for yourself, thanks to a video entitled Messages from Heaven. (Information about this video is given following the Bibliography.)

If you watch the video, you will see the Pope bow in front of a painting of Mary and cover the area with incense. You will see a million pilgrims walking in a procession, following a statue of Our Lady of Fatima and singing songs in her honor. You will see several million people in a procession following a painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe. You will see people weeping and raising their arms towards Mary. You will see the largest assembly of bishops and cardinals since the Second Vatican Council, gathered together to join Pope John Paul II in solemnly consecrating the entire world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.



CONCLUSION

Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Our minds can be deceived and so can the minds of bishops and popes. Only the Bible is totally trustworthy. When religious traditions conflict with the plain meaning of Scripture then we need to discard those traditions. We cannot afford to do otherwise, because our eternal destiny is at stake.

The Apostles told the religious leaders of their day, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29b) As an old hymn says, “On Christ the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand.”

If you are not persuaded that Catholicism encourages and even requires a level of “devotion” to Mary that really is a form of worship, then I challenge you to ask God what He thinks about it. If you are sincere in your prayer and open to letting God show you the truth, then He will.


CONTACTS

To contact the author, send an e-mail message to MaryAnnCollins@juno.com.

If you would like to discuss specific issues, please contact the following ministry. The members are former Catholics. Their approach is loving, respectful and well informed. Their web site has many documents which you can print, including an annotated transcript of the video Catholicism: Crisis of Faith. Some of their documents are also available in Spanish.

Good News for Catholics

P.O. Box 595

Cupertino, CA 95015

E-mail: gnfc@gnfc.org

Web Site: http://www.gnfc.org



USING THIS ARTICLE

You have my permission to copy this article, in whole or in part. You have my permission to quote from it. You have my permission to post it on your web site. You have my permission to incorporate the entire article, or portions of it, into publications of your own. You have my permission to sell it for profit. I do not want any fees or royalties or financial remuneration of any kind.

The information in this article is the result of many years of personal struggle and search for truth. I want to make it as easy as possible for people to get this information and to pass it on to anyone who might be helped by it.

May the Lord bless, guide, and reveal His truth to everyone who reads this article,

Mary Ann Collins

July 1, 2001

{Now that's what I call a faithful servant; in comparison to the "countless" hirelings that hoard and sell the word of God! Arsenio.}

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aardsma, Gerald E. “Geocentricity and Creation”, Vital Articles on Science/Creation, July 1994, Impact No 253. Santee, California: Institute of Creation Research. It is available on‑line at http://www.icr.org/pubs/imp/imp-253.htm.

Anderson, James (Associated Press). "Giant statue of Mary part of shrine plan," Lexington Herald-Leader, July 17, 1999. This is available on-line with two different titles, at: http://www.kentuckyconnect.com/heraldleader/news/071799/faithdocs/shrine17.htm and http://www.star-telegram.com/news/doc/1047/1:RELIGION64/1:RELIGION64071699.html

Beauclair, Steve. "Skyscraper statue slated for Sabana Grande; $42 million Virgin Mary part of Mystical City," Caribbean Business, February 26, 1998 (Late News cover story).

Bloesch, Donald G. Essentials of Evangelical Theology, Vol. I. San Francisco, California: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1982. The author is an evangelical Christian. He quotes some papal encyclicals.

Catechism of the Catholic Church. Washington, DC: U.S. Catholic Conference, 2000. This book comes in numerous editions and languages. Because it has numbered paragraphs, statements can be accurately located in spite of the variety of editions.

Davis, Philip G. Goddess Unmasked: The Rise of Neopagan Feminist Spirituality. Dallas, Texas: Spence Publishing Company, 1998. This book can be ordered directly from the publisher (888‑773‑6782).

Heintz, Peter. A Guide to Apparitions of Our Blessed Virgin Mary, Part I, 20th Century Apparitions. Sacramento, California: Gabriel Press. This is a Catholic book. It covers 60 apparitions in detail. It is methodical, with 33 categories of information for every apparition. The book is out of print. According to the publisher (who is now out of business), copies of the book were sent to major Marian institutions. The book can be obtained from the following web site: http://www.marianland.com/101books.html

Hunt, Dave. A Woman Rides the Beast. Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 1994.

Johnson, Paul. A History of Christianity. New York: Simon & Schuster, a Touchstone Book, 1995. The author is Catholic.

McCarthy, James G. The Gospel According to Rome: Comparing Catholic Tradition and the Word of God. Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 1995. The author is a former Catholic.

Queenship Jubilee Year 2000 Catalog. Queenship Marian Center for World Peace. This is a Catholic publication. The catalog has a section called “Vox Populi” where they promote books which support the doctrine that Mary is our Advocate, Mediator, and Co-Redemptrix. They promote petitions asking the Pope to officially give Mary those titles. They promote an inexpensive pamphlet (for wide distribution) which supports those doctrines. They also summarize the status of the petition, giving numbers of people who have signed it, and the numbers of cardinals and bishops that support the doctrines.

Schnoebelen, Bill. Wicca: Satan's Little White Lie. Chino, California: Chick Publications, 1990. Before his conversion to Christianity, the author was the high priest of a Wiccan coven for over 12 years. He taught and initiated hundreds of Wiccan novices. He shows the truth behind “white” witchcraft and “Earth Religion” including insights which trace the epidemic of child abuse directly to the root of the rapid spread of Wicca.

Tetlow, James. Messages from Heaven. This book is scheduled to be published in the summer of 2001. It can be ordered by phone (877-370‑7770). James Tetlow is a former Catholic. In doing the research for this book, he read literally hundreds of Catholic books about Marian apparitions.



Webster, William. The Church of Rome at the Bar of History. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1996. The author is a former Catholic.



VIDEOS

Catholicism: Crisis of Faith. Lumen Productions, P.O. Box 595, Cupertino, CA 95015. ISBN Number 0-962-9152-0-3. This video was produced by James G. McCarthy, a former Catholic and the founder of Good News for Catholics. It covers a wide range of issues, including Mary. You can order it through D&K Press (800-777‑8839). An annotated transcript of the English version, with 83 footnotes, is available on‑line at http://www.gnfc.org/transcript.html Information about foreign language versions is available at http://www.gnfc.org/ccf.html

Messages from Heaven. Eternal Productions, P.O. Box 324, Fairport, NY 14450. ISBN Number 1-57341-119-1. This video deals primarily with apparitions of Mary. It also deals with UFOs and angels. The producer is a former Catholic who has read literally hundreds of Catholic books about Marian apparitions. You can order the video by phone (877-370‑7770) or on‑line at http://video.labargemedia.com It is also available at D&K Press (800-777‑8839).




NOTES

[1] http://www.christusrex.org/www2/kerygma/ccc/searchcat.html and http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm This second address didn’t always work for me. If you have a problem with it, then go to http://www.scborromeo.org and click under “Must Know” where it says “The Catechism of the Catholic Church”. If these addresses don’t work for you, then you can do an Internet search for catechism + Catholic.
[2] Paul Johnson, A History of Christianity, page 308. Paul Johnson is a prominent historian and a Catholic.
[3] Peter Heintz, A Guide to Apparitions of Our Blessed Virgin Mary, pages 151-164. The author is a Catholic. The following web site gives a brief summary of the events, including the rose petals, but it fails to mention the forceful Church politics involved: http://198.62.75.1/www1/apparitions/pr00013.htm
[4] James G. McCarthy, The Gospel According to Rome: Comparing Catholic Tradition and the Word of God, pp. 181-184; 199-200.
[5] http://www.pacificheritage.com/images/Products/fatimachild22.JPG

http://www.pacificheritage.com/images/Products/fatimag45.JPG

http://www.pacificheritage.com/images/Products/Lo90.JPG
[6] Dave Hunt, A Woman Rides the Beast, pages 239-240.
[7] Steve Beauclair, "Skyscraper statue slated for Sabana Grande; $42 million Virgin Mary part of Mystical City," Caribbean Business, February 26, 1998 (Late News cover story). James Anderson (Associated Press), "Giant statue of Mary part of shrine plan," Lexington Herald-Leader, July 17, 1999. This article is available on-line at http://www.kentuckyconnect.com/heraldleader/news/071799/faithdocs/shrine17.htm
[8] James Tetlow, Messages from Heaven, Chapter 1. (I read a pre-publication manuscript and therefore don’t know what page this information will occur on when the book is published.)
[9] William Webster, The Church of Rome at the Bar of History, page 87.
[10] In the Encyclical Intersodalicia (1918). Quoted in Donald G. Bloesch, Essentials of Evangelical Theology, Vol. 1, page 196.
[11] In the Encyclical of February 2, 1849. Quoted in Donald G. Bloesch, Essentials of Evangelical Theology, Vol. 1, page 196.
[12] Queenship Jubilee Year 2000 Catalog, page 92. This is a catalog of the Queenship Marian Center for World Peace, which promotes the doctrine of Mary as Advocate, Mediator, and Co-Redemptrix. It also promotes the petition. The catalog gives information about the petition's progress, and about church leaders who support the doctrine.
[13] William Webster, The Church of Rome at the Bar of History, pages 72-77.
[14] William Webster, pages 79-80.
[15] William Webster, pages 81-85.
[16] Philip G. Davis, Goddess Unmasked: The Rise of Neopagan Feminist Spirituality, pages 29-33. The author is a university professor who wrote this book because of his concern about Wiccan teaching at his university.
[17] World Book, Millennium 2000 is a CD-ROM by IBM. For information about Wicca, see “Contemporary Witchcraft,” an article from the on‑line version of The Encyclopedia Brittanica which describes Wicca: http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=115001&tocid=214884
[18] Philip G. Davis, pages 3-4 and 28-29. Dates of follow-up conferences are given at http://www.rexp.com/rc.html
[19] http://www.goddess2000.org/Mary.html http://www.thewhitemoon.com/mary/main.html

http://www.spiralgoddess.com/Mary.html
[20] William Webster, The Church of Rome at the Bar of History, pages 22-33. For a description of how pious practices can become official Catholic doctrine, and how this conflicts with both Scripture and the writings of the Early Fathers, see James G. McCarthy, The Gospel According to Rome: Comparing Catholic Tradition and the Word of God, pages 281-309.
[21] William Webster, pages 34-55.
[22] William Webster, pages 56-63.
[23] William Webster, pages 63-71.
[24] Gerald E. Aardsma, “Geocentricity and Creation,” Vital Articles on Science/Creation July 1994. Information about Aristotle's influence on Thomas Aquinas comes from a class on Metaphysics which I took at Catholic University.
[25] Philip Schaff, The Decree of Pope Pius IX on the Immaculate Conception, in The Creeds of Christendom, vol. II (New York: Harper, 1877), pages 211-212. Quoted in William Webster, pages 187-188.
[26] Paul Johnson, A History of Christianity, page 308.
[27] James G. McCarthy, The Gospel According to Rome: Comparing Catholic Tradition and the Word of God, pages 181-184 and 199-200.
[28] This video covers a broad range of topics, including Mary. The producer is a former Catholic.
[29] James Tetlow, Messages from Heaven, Chapter 1. Mr. Tetlow also produced a video with the same title. If you can afford to get both, I would recommend it. The book gives a lot of information and it is thoroughly documented. The author is a former Catholic. The book and video are respectful and gentle in their approach.
.
.
Source: http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Religions/Roman%20Catholicism/mary_worship_a_study.htm
.

Mary Worship, Christianity and Roman Catholicism


To Whom Should We Pray? Roman Catholic False Doctrine Of
Mary As Co-Mediatrix And Co-Redemptress



While doing some conference browsing, I came upon the
following quoted material:


"Catholics would agree that the Blessed Virgin Mary should
not be worshipped; that is taught by the Catholic Church to
be a sin."

"There is no reason to suppose that it is inappropriate to
ask for her prayers, though. The word "pray" means "ask,
beg, petition or entreat." There is nothing that limits our
requests, petitions or entreaties to the mighty Triune God
only."


Read More @ http://cc.bingj.com/cache.aspx?q=Mary+is+%22not%22+a+co-mediatrix+with+Jesuschrist&d=4758089417359406&mkt=en-US&setlang=en-US&w=eef796c4,ec706233

Demonic Influence


1Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

2Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

3Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

4For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

5For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
1Timothy 4:1-5.
.

You never want a serious crisis to go to waste

http://



bombledotcom — February 09, 2009 — "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before."Let's put this in the "things not to say before trying to spend a trillion dollars" column...

.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Seducers shall wax worse and worse


But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

2 Timothy 3:13.
.
.

Never Let A Good Crisis Go To Waste


This "story" is getting more airplay than American Idol!
.

Prejudice on the Increase


Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 1 John 3:13, 14.


He who is closely connected with Christ is lifted above the prejudice of color or caste. His faith takes hold of eternal realities. The divine Author of truth is to be uplifted. Our hearts are to be filled with the faith that works by love and purifies the soul. The work of the good Samaritan is the example that we are to follow.

It will be impossible to adjust all matters regarding the color question in accordance with the Lord's order until those who believe the truth are so closely united with Christ that they are one with Him. Both the white and the colored members of our churches need to be converted. There are some of both classes who are unreasonable, and when the color question is agitated, they manifest unsanctified, unconverted traits of character. Quarrelsome elements are easily aroused in those who, because they have never learned to wear the yoke of Christ, are opinionated and obstinate. In such, self clamors with an unsanctified determination for the supremacy.


As time advances, and race prejudices increase, it will become almost impossible, in many places, for white workers to labor for the colored people. Sometimes the white people who are not in sympathy with our work will unite with colored people to oppose it, claiming that our teaching is an effort to break up churches and bring in trouble over the Sabbath question. White ministers and colored ministers will make false statements, arousing in the minds of the people such a feeling of antagonism that they will be ready to destroy and to kill.

The powers of hell are working with all their ingenuity to prevent the proclamation of the last message of mercy among the colored people. Satan is working to make it most difficult for the gospel minister and teacher to ignore the prejudice that exists between the white and the colored people.

Let us follow the course of wisdom. Let us do nothing that will unnecessarily arouse opposition--nothing that will hinder the proclamation of the gospel message.


Maranatha, Ellen G. White, p.142.
.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

A New Ecumenical Wind

A New Ecumenical Wind
Will the Global Christian Forum unite the churches?

By William G. Johnsson

A new wind is blowing across the Christian landscape, one with the potential to transform the ecumenical movement. How should Seventh-day Adventists, with our keen interest in end-time developments, relate to it?

November 6-9, 2007, some 250 Christian leaders from more than 70 nations came together in Limuru, Kenya. The extremely diverse group, which gathered under the rubric of the Global Christian Forum (GCF), was a meeting unlike any other in modern times. For the first time Pentecostals and Evangelicals sat down with Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox, and representatives of the African Instituted Churches. Many of those present called the meeting historic; certainly it was unprecedented.

The gathering at Limuru took place on the eve of the sixtieth anniversary of the World Council of Churches (WCC). Major changes have occurred in the Christian world since 1948, when the WCC was formed in high hopes of uniting Christians:



UNITED IN PRAYER: Vibrant worship services, as well as personal interaction, were featured prominently in the meeting of the Global Christian Forum in Limuru, Kenya.♦


The center of gravity has moved south. No longer do Europe and the United States set the pace. Christianity is growing rapidly in Africa and Asia, but is stagnant in its old “home base.” There are now about four times more Christians in the global South than in the North (or “West”). “Southern” missionaries now outnumber their traditional Western counterparts.

Beyond the numbers, however, we should note an even more important change. “Southern” Christianity is much more conservative than that of the “mainline” churches that constitute the bulk of the WCC. It assigns greater authority to the Scriptures; it has a holistic understanding of the natural and supernatural worlds; and it gives the Holy Spirit a much more prominent role in doctrine and experience.

♦ The Evangelical movement, cutting across denominational lines, has become a global force. Evangelicals, regardless of their parent church home, are united in belief in the reliability of the Bible, in the atoning work of Christ by His death on the cross, in the need for conversion and evangelism, and in the second coming of Christ. The World Evangelical Alliance counts some 420 million Christians in its fellowship.

♦ Growing even more rapidly are the Pentecostals. In its modern manifestation the movement began as a marginalized fringe Christian phenomenon in Los Angeles in 1904. Primarily a revival movement appealing to the poor, and disdained by society, Pentecostalism has spread globally. It has no central structure or organization; rather, it centers in the congregation, emphasizing the personal experience of the Holy Spirit. Because a clear definition of what constitutes a Pentecostal is hard to come by, estimates of the strength of the worldwide movement vary widely; generally, however, observers agree that globally Pentecostals-Charismatics number more than 500 million.

♦ On the continent of Africa Christianity has exploded. Many new, indigenous churches have arisen around charismatic figures. Some of these churches, known generally as African Instituted Churches, have congregations beyond their national boundaries and even in Europe and America. Offering a religion of celebration, they use symbols, music, and dance reflective of African culture. Probably about 100 million Christians belong to the African Instituted Churches.

These major changes largely bypassed the WCC. Evangelicals have been disenchanted by the sharp turn toward social and political action that the WCC took at its world assembly in 1968 at Uppsala, Sweden. Pentecostals, initially scorned by the mainline churches, harbor hostility toward the ecumenical movement represented by the WCC. And the new African churches and the WCC generally find little in common.


Major changes have occurred in the Christian world since 1948, when the World Council of Churches was formed.

Today, 60 years after its founding, the WCC is looking for a sense of direction. Its budget and staff have been drastically reduced from 20 years ago. It has failed to attract groups representing large numbers of Christians. And, in spite of earnest efforts, its member churches have not been able to achieve the basic step of accepting one another at the Lord’s table.

Out of this background the concept of the Global Christian Forum was conceived in 1998. Hubert van Beek, who served many years with the WCC, spent the following nine years as a retired planner and organizer of the event that eventually took place last November at Limuru. Van Beck was assisted by an essentially volunteer steering committee drawn from several traditions. Mel Robeck, professor of church history at Fuller Seminary in California, and a Pentecostal, played a key role in persuading many Pentecostal leaders to attend the GCF.

The ideas of the GCF were first tested in regional meetings in various parts of the world. The steering committee concluded that the only way for Pentecostals to feel comfortable enough to participate would be to ensure that they and Evangelicals comprised at least 50 percent of all those present. This is indeed what happened at Limuru. Pentecostals formed the largest single group and played a major role in plenary sessions and discussion groups. Both of the major papers presented at the plenaries came from Pentecostal scholars.

The GCF met for four days at Limuru, 19 kilometers (11.8 miles) from Nairobi, at a resort center owned by the National Council of Churches of Kenya. The WCC and its partners put up most of the funding for the event. Many of those who came had their expenses paid by the organizers. Three Adventists attended: John Graz, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty director at the General Conference; John Kakembo, Ministerial director of the East Central Africa Division, which has its headquarters in Nairobi; and I.

The stated purpose of the GCF was to “create an open space wherein representatives from a broad range of Christian churches and interchurch organizations, which confess the triune God and Jesus Christ as perfect in His divinity and humanity, can gather to foster mutual respect, to explore and address together common challenges.” Unlike past ecumenical gatherings I have attended, at the GCF the affective (emotional) element played a significant part. Worship services, except for the one conducted by the Orthodox, were lively. Africans brought a distinctive flavor to the gathering.

For many the high point came on the first day. All attendees joined in preassigned groups of 30 and spent, person by person, about 15 minutes each relating in personal testimony their journey with Jesus Christ. The common elements of divine calling and intervention, regardless of the tradition, were powerful and moving. In these groups the denominational barriers came down; the remaining days built on the goodwill that had been established.



BROAD REPRESENTATION: Representatives to the Global Christian Forum included delegates from the Salvation Army, Assemblies of God, Orthodox Church in America, World Council of Churches, Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and Conference of Christian Communicators.


The GCF spent its final day and a half evaluating what had transpired and trying to ascertain the form and direction it should take. Attendees expressed appreciation for the event, which they viewed as a breakthrough, and urged that structures be kept to a minimum, the GCF avoid becoming a new organization, the process continue at regional and local levels, and the committee that planned the GCF be reconstituted and enlarged to guide the process. The unfolding future will determine whether another global meeting should be arranged.

Most of those who came to Limuru left on a high note. They felt they had been a part of something special, perhaps historic. Will the GCF subsequently be seen as the turning point when the WCC and the old ecumenism faded away, and a new and unpredictable ecumenism was born? Only time will tell.

How Adventists relate to these winds of change will call for alertness and careful thought. We have never been a member of the WCC and have kept at a distance the ecumenism that organization espouses. For us, a sense of divinely ordained mission to the entire world cannot be weakened or compromised by organic linking with other Christian bodies. We do not take upon ourselves the role of judge: we simply focus on our mission and leave others to answer to the Lord for their calling.

Yes, we too desire the unity of believers for which our Lord prayed before He went to the cross. But unity on what basis? And at what price? For us, Christian unity can come only from shared beliefs based on the Bible.

Further, our understanding of history and prophecy makes us wary of Christian coalitions. Too often the result has been coercion of conscience, and Revelation 13 points to another such development just before Christ returns.

We applaud men and women of goodwill everywhere. For some 80 years the Working Policy of our church has stated: “We recognize those agencies that lift up Christ before men as a part of the divine plan for evangelization of the world, and we hold in high esteem Christian men and women in other communions who are engaged in winning souls to Christ” (p. 110). We enter into theological conversations with other churches, seeking to understand and to be understood. Where possible, we make common cause in endeavors such as religious liberty and aid to the needy, just as Ellen White in her day joined with other Christian bodies in fighting the alcohol traffic.

We gladly worship with other Christians, praying with and for them, including their ministers. And here Adventists are way out in front of the churches of the WCC: we open the Lord’s table to all who present themselves, regardless of denomination. That is the sort of ecumenism—and only that—in which we feel free to participate.

William G. Johnsson is assistant to the president for interfaith relations for the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
.

Source: http://adventistworld.org/article.php?id=288
.

The Church to Be Sifted


The Church to Be Sifted.--It is always difficult to hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end, and the difficulty increases when there are hidden influences constantly at work to bring in another spirit, a counterworking element, on Satan's side of the question.

In the absence of the persecution there have drifted into our ranks men who appear sound and their Christianity unquestionable, but who, if persecution should arise, would go out from us. In the crisis they would see force in specious reasons that have had an influence on their minds. Satan has prepared various snares to meet varied minds.

When the law of God is made void, the church will be sifted by fiery trials, and a larger proportion than we now anticipate will give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. Instead of being strengthened when brought into strait places, many prove that they are not living branches of the true Vine, they bear no fruit, and the husbandman taketh them away. --Letter 3, 1890.
.

Evangelism, Ellen G. White, pp. 360,361.

.Note: Bolds, Highlights, and Italics added.
..

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Pope Benedict XVI: Church's own 'sins' are greatest threat to Catholicism

Editorial Board Blog


Pope Benedict XVI: Church's own 'sins' are greatest threat to Catholicism


After weeks of defensive comments from the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI strikes a note of candor.


Pope Benedict XVI gestures during his remarks aboard a plane to Portugal today. He said that "sins inside the church" posed the greatest threat to Catholicism.
AFP PHOTO / VINCENZO PINTO / NEWSCOM






By Josh Burek / May 11, 2010



Whether in business, church, or government, every organization finds it easier to point fingers than look in the mirror.
So it was no surprise – though still jaw-dropping – when a senior Vatican priest last month compared world outrage over new reports of sexual abuse by Roman Catholic priests to the persecution of the Jews. Other Vatican officials had called media reports of the scandal a "defamatory campaign."

Today, however, in remarks to reporters aboard a plane en route to Portugal, Pope Benedict XVI struck a different tone.

“The biggest weight on the church doesn’t come from the enemies outside, but is born from sin inside the church,” he said. “The church has a profound need to relearn penance….”

The vigor of the Roman Catholic Church’s efforts to come to terms with past abuses and prevent future ones will determine the sincerity of the pope’s statement. His acceptance this weekend of the resignation of a German bishop at the heart of the scandal is a step in the right direction.

Still, the humility of Pope Benedict XVI’s remarks is itself an important milestone. Imagine if we heard such self-critical admissions from…

Detroit automakers: “The biggest weight on the industry doesn’t come from Japanese carmakers, but from management mistakes.”

Consumers: “The biggest weight on my credit card statement doesn’t come from seductive retailers, but from my own gadget lust.”

The Boston Celtics: “The biggest weight on the team doesn’t come from the Cavaliers’ LeBron James, but from the weakness of our transition defense.”

Honest self-reflection and accountability should be the standard, not the exception. The pope’s comments today help pave the way.
,
,
.

Catholic Church Facilitates Foreign Invasion


AIM Column By Cliff Kincaid April 29, 2010


Many Americans don’t realize that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), which receives a federal tax exemption as a non-profit entity, gets one-third of its annual $146 million budget from the government.
The controversy over Arizona's immigration law should be used to highlight the shameful role of the Roman Catholic Church in facilitating the foreign invasion of the U.S.
This scandal deserves as much attention as the seemingly never-ending cases of sexual child abuse involving priests.
In a major embarrassment for followers of the U.S. Catholic Church, Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles compared Arizona's new law to "German Nazi and Russian Communist techniques." He actually wrote this on his personal blog, under the headline, "Arizona's Dreadful Anti-Immigrant Law."
Mahony is described by the Los Angeles Times as "a nationally influential figure who heads the nation's largest Roman Catholic archdiocese with 4.3 million members." In other words, he is not a fringe player. Indeed, he is typical of Catholic Church leaders.
Why do Catholic officials want to encourage illegal immigration? The answer is quite simple. Most of the illegal aliens are Catholics. Plus, the church makes lots of government money by hosting and serving the immigrants.
These facts are considered by some to be anti-Catholic, which is why you seldom read or hear about them in the major media. But the fact is that millions of American Catholics are disgusted and outraged by the Catholic hierarchy's statements and antics on this issue. They are organizing across the country.
James Russell, a Catholic who serves as National Secretary of Catholics for a Moral Immigration Policy, tells the story of betrayal of America by the Catholic Bishops in the book, Breach of Faith: American Churches and the Immigration Crisis.
In a major decision this week, the Supreme Court ruled that a Christian cross could remain on public land, despite the so-called separation of church and state. It has become a national controversy. But where is the debate or discussion over the Catholic Bishops getting $51 million a year from the government? A lot of that money is being used to cater to immigrants, legal and illegal. These immigrants, in turn, go to church, contribute to the collection plate, and vote the way the liberal priests and bishops dictate.
In short, the evidence shows that the Catholic Church hierarchy has become an agent of the government in facilitating a foreign invasion of the United States. There is no other way to describe it.
This explosive story of scandal and corruption must be told because "comprehensive immigration reform" cannot be defeated unless the role of the Catholic Church is exposed and addressed.
If you are in the market for more outrageous statements from Catholic officials, take a look at Russell's book, Breach of Faith. He notes that Cardinal Edward Egan of New York and Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn supported and addressed a 2003 illegal alien "Freedom Riders" rally in Flushing Meadows Park in New York, "not far from the site where five illegal aliens had assaulted a woman and her boyfriend, then dragged her to a makeshift hut in the vicinity of Shea Stadium, where they repeatedly raped her and nearly beat her to death."
Russell formed the group, Catholics for a Moral Immigration Policy, in order to expose the Mahony-type characters in the church and church institutions.
In another book, On the Immorality of Illegal Immigration, also distributed by Catholics for a Moral Immigration Policy, Father Patrick Bascio notes that an estimated 70,000 criminal gang members have infiltrated U.S. cities. His book charges that Catholic Church leaders have aided and abetted "all the evils connected with illegal immigration" and have become corrupted in the process.
In going into detail about Catholic Church corruption on the immigration issue, Russell notes that the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) promotes amnesty for illegal aliens through its funding of such groups as ACORN and the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC). The CCHD is funded by ordinary parishioners asked to provide money to assist the poor.
He says one of many American Catholic Bishops who have "achieved notoriety" for pro-immigration activism is Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson, Arizona, who solicits donations of cash and first-aid items for illegal aliens making their way into Arizona.
So the Catholic Church in Arizona has aided and abetted the problem that the citizens of Arizona, through their elected representatives, have now decided to confront. It is a major breakthrough.
Russell traces the church's involvement in the entry of illegal aliens into the U.S. to the Marxist-oriented "liberation theology" movement, also known as "social justice." Russell particularly faults Jesuit Catholic institutions such as Georgetown University for adopting this approach and indoctrinating students to be in favor of liberalized immigration policies.
Russell is honest about the motivation behind these efforts, noting that the Catholic Bishops and their agencies, some of which get government money to provide services to illegal aliens, "benefit from immigration by increasing the number of Catholics in the United States."
He cites figures that most of the new immigrants to the United States are Catholics coming from Latin America.
He goes on, "When Catholic immigrants become naturalized, they may vote for candidates who support church policies." What's more, he writes, "The network of Catholic agencies relies on high rates of immigrants in need of social services to maintain government funding."
Many Americans don't realize that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), which receives a federal tax exemption as a non-profit entity, gets one-third of its annual $146 million budget from the government.
"The USCCB is generally recognized as the single most active and most influential religious force for liberalization of American immigration policy, as well as for refugee resettlement, and hence merits our scrutiny," Russell writes.
Pastor Ralph Ovadal of Pilgrims Covenant Church in Monroe, Wisconsin, is also providing that scrutiny. Ovadal has been pointing out for years "that the Roman Catholic Church is aiding and abetting the criminal invasion of America from Mexico because the illegals are almost all Roman Catholics."
Ovadal says the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church is "looking to turn America, founded and still a Protestant country, into a Roman Catholic country."
These comments may sound harsh, but when a Catholic writer such as James Russell documents most of the information that lies behind such tough statements, one has to pay serious attention.
If anything, Russell writes, the position of the USCCB over the years has become more radical, to the point where the Bishops are emphasizing that amnesty for illegals--they call it "legalization"--has to be a "central component" of any federal immigration proposal.
Russell makes the case that current religious attitudes toward immigration "did not evolve slowly and authentically from traditional Christianity, but rather have been assiduously advanced by radical intellectuals, both Protestant and Catholic, whose goals have been primarily political, and have run counter to the best interests of the vast majority of native-born American citizens."
The hijacking of the Catholic Church by Marxist elements is now front and center. Who in the major media has the courage and guts to write about it?



Cliff Kincaid is the Editor of the AIM Report and can be reached at cliff.kincaid@aim.org


.

.