Captives of Spiritual Babylon (God's Worldview Part 3: p107-p183)
Paganisation of Christianity in the second century and beyond.
After the martyr of Christ’s disciples, who had brought His “Good News” to the world, a host of satanic spirits invaded “Christianity”, as prophesied. Many congregations had formed around deceptive leaders, who caused the ignorant to stray away from the truth in Christ, as He had prophesied. They still had the forms and appearance of godliness, but the Lord and the power of the Spirit with His fruit
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After the martyr of Christ’s disciples, who had brought His “Good News” to the world, a host of satanic spirits invaded “Christianity”, as prophesied. Many congregations had formed around deceptive leaders, who caused the ignorant to stray away from the truth in Christ, as He had prophesied. They still had the forms and appearance of godliness, but the Lord and the power of the Spirit with His fruit
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and gifts had faded away. Now, men under the inspiration of Satan’s spirit, had to
imitate the works of the Spirit. Followers of Christ still had only local autonomous
congregations, but the same spirit we first noted in Diotrephes [third John 9, 10]
became more prevalent. Leaders strived for preeminence and control over
congregations. Carnal minded men detected an easy way to control the ignorant,
including their money, by misusing religion. Peter warned against such selfish
workers of evil:
1 Peter 5:2-4
2 Be shepherds [not just hirelings Joh.10:12,13] of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers — not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
During the Jewish revolt against their Roman occupation and taxation, which led to the destruction of Jerusalem and their temple by the Roman army under Titus in 70 AD, 1,1 million people lost their lives, according to Josephus the Jewish historian. 94000 were forced into slavery. Jews were hated in the empire and expelled from Rome. Christianity was still considered an insignificant Jewish cult that believed in an executed criminal.
The failed Jewish uprising under Bar Kokhba in 132 AD, in which 580,000 Jews lost their lives, resulted in the Diaspora of the nation of Israel, and a strong sentiment of anti- Semitism in the Roman Empire. Emperor Hadrian wiped Israel of the map, replacing it with Syria- Palestina. The rebuilt city of Jerusalem was named Aelia Capitolina and was no longer accessible to Jews.
The Roman religion:
Rome’s ancestral polytheistic religion, under which the head of state also was the highest religious authority, the voice of the gods, was the unifying foundation of the state. Rome had adopted all the Gods of their conquered nations which facilitated the integration process of the population. The defeated countries accepted that the Roman Gods must be stronger than their own, so they were willing to include the new Gods in their beliefs without having to give up their familiar ones. Rome credited their victories to their good relationship with all Gods. Priests had even built in Athens an altar for a possible unknown God, whom they did not dare to ignore.
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1 Peter 5:2-4
2 Be shepherds [not just hirelings Joh.10:12,13] of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers — not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
During the Jewish revolt against their Roman occupation and taxation, which led to the destruction of Jerusalem and their temple by the Roman army under Titus in 70 AD, 1,1 million people lost their lives, according to Josephus the Jewish historian. 94000 were forced into slavery. Jews were hated in the empire and expelled from Rome. Christianity was still considered an insignificant Jewish cult that believed in an executed criminal.
The failed Jewish uprising under Bar Kokhba in 132 AD, in which 580,000 Jews lost their lives, resulted in the Diaspora of the nation of Israel, and a strong sentiment of anti- Semitism in the Roman Empire. Emperor Hadrian wiped Israel of the map, replacing it with Syria- Palestina. The rebuilt city of Jerusalem was named Aelia Capitolina and was no longer accessible to Jews.
The Roman religion:
Rome’s ancestral polytheistic religion, under which the head of state also was the highest religious authority, the voice of the gods, was the unifying foundation of the state. Rome had adopted all the Gods of their conquered nations which facilitated the integration process of the population. The defeated countries accepted that the Roman Gods must be stronger than their own, so they were willing to include the new Gods in their beliefs without having to give up their familiar ones. Rome credited their victories to their good relationship with all Gods. Priests had even built in Athens an altar for a possible unknown God, whom they did not dare to ignore.
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Acts 17:22-23
22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.”
Prophecy also indicates that this fourth beast has seven heads, representing the seven imperial state ideologies or religions in their historic times which we will consider later in more detail. Each having a blasphemous name, revealing their identity with the spirit of Satan.
Rev 13:1-3
And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. 2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.
Three likenesses, lion, bear, leopard, are the ones listed in Dan. 6:4-6. Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece. Rome was the Satanic spiritual receptacle of all three.
As a world empire, Rome needed a universal polytheistic religion, to facilitate the integration of conquered nations into the Roman society. Cicero, who was an augur [priest] considered religion to be the source of social order. The Greek and Etruscan religions with traces of the Babylonian and Persian contribution gave Rome their universal spiritual foundation. None compliance was treason, punishable by death. When Rome conquered Israel, they had a big problem with the Hebrew monotheistic religion. Many concessions had to be made, in an attempt, to integrate Israel into the Roman world. The Roman senate appointed Herod as Jewish king over Israel. He built them the temple in Jerusalem, and as long as the Jews paid the taxes to Rome there was a period of superficial peace. The two religions were totally incompatible and resulted finally in the destruction of the Jewish state. Christianity needed to be Romanized to be acceptable to Romans.
“By embracing the faith of the Gospel, the Christians incurred the supposed guilt of an unnatural and an unpardonable offence. They dissolved the sacred ties of custom and education, violated the religious institutions of their country, and
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22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.”
Prophecy also indicates that this fourth beast has seven heads, representing the seven imperial state ideologies or religions in their historic times which we will consider later in more detail. Each having a blasphemous name, revealing their identity with the spirit of Satan.
Rev 13:1-3
And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. 2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.
Three likenesses, lion, bear, leopard, are the ones listed in Dan. 6:4-6. Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece. Rome was the Satanic spiritual receptacle of all three.
As a world empire, Rome needed a universal polytheistic religion, to facilitate the integration of conquered nations into the Roman society. Cicero, who was an augur [priest] considered religion to be the source of social order. The Greek and Etruscan religions with traces of the Babylonian and Persian contribution gave Rome their universal spiritual foundation. None compliance was treason, punishable by death. When Rome conquered Israel, they had a big problem with the Hebrew monotheistic religion. Many concessions had to be made, in an attempt, to integrate Israel into the Roman world. The Roman senate appointed Herod as Jewish king over Israel. He built them the temple in Jerusalem, and as long as the Jews paid the taxes to Rome there was a period of superficial peace. The two religions were totally incompatible and resulted finally in the destruction of the Jewish state. Christianity needed to be Romanized to be acceptable to Romans.
“By embracing the faith of the Gospel, the Christians incurred the supposed guilt of an unnatural and an unpardonable offence. They dissolved the sacred ties of custom and education, violated the religious institutions of their country, and
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presumptuously whatever their fathers had believed as true, or had reverenced as
sacred.” Edward Gibbon : “The history and fall of the roman empire” p 309
Architects that Romanized the “Christian” Religion.
One of the most extreme Roman theologians was Marcion. By 144 AD , he had founded his church in Rome, wrote the first biblical canon, eliminating the entire Old Testament, because Jahweh was an evil God and created an evil society. Christ was not a Jew. From the New Testament, he only included the gospel of Luke and the writings of Paul in his canon, eliminating all his references and quotes from the Old Testament. He tried to eliminate All traces of Hebrew roots. His movement, known as Marcionism, lasted with some variations through centuries.
In Alexandria, the esoteric theologian and teacher Valentius had a large following in Egypt and Syria. His movement was known as Valentianism. By 136 AD, he became prominent in Rome. He died in 155 AD, but his disciples spread his teachings through ought the empire. He was considered the most famous and successful Gnostic theologian. His writings are still quoted by modern Gnostics. Their religion is a mixture of Greek philosophy and selective Christian writings. They believe that the physical world is created by a lesser God and it is evil. Our bodies are prisons of our spirits, and they need to be redeemed through special secret knowledge.
Another prominent teacher was the “prophet” Mani 216-276 AD. He thought that he was the incarnation of Christ, the holy spirit, Buddha and Zoroaster. His wide spread movement is known as Manichaism, which remained popular well into the 14th century. After his execution by a Persian king, His followers settled in India and China.
Around 313 AD in North Africa, the bishop Donatus Magnus proclaimed that his church was the only true church. His movement known as Donatism declined in the 7th century.
Here are a few more names of other noteworthy movements, indicating the proliferation of the denominational divisive spirit.
Palicianism, Precillianism, Audianism, Pelagianism, Euchitites, Ebionites, Sethian Ophites, etc.
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Architects that Romanized the “Christian” Religion.
One of the most extreme Roman theologians was Marcion. By 144 AD , he had founded his church in Rome, wrote the first biblical canon, eliminating the entire Old Testament, because Jahweh was an evil God and created an evil society. Christ was not a Jew. From the New Testament, he only included the gospel of Luke and the writings of Paul in his canon, eliminating all his references and quotes from the Old Testament. He tried to eliminate All traces of Hebrew roots. His movement, known as Marcionism, lasted with some variations through centuries.
In Alexandria, the esoteric theologian and teacher Valentius had a large following in Egypt and Syria. His movement was known as Valentianism. By 136 AD, he became prominent in Rome. He died in 155 AD, but his disciples spread his teachings through ought the empire. He was considered the most famous and successful Gnostic theologian. His writings are still quoted by modern Gnostics. Their religion is a mixture of Greek philosophy and selective Christian writings. They believe that the physical world is created by a lesser God and it is evil. Our bodies are prisons of our spirits, and they need to be redeemed through special secret knowledge.
Another prominent teacher was the “prophet” Mani 216-276 AD. He thought that he was the incarnation of Christ, the holy spirit, Buddha and Zoroaster. His wide spread movement is known as Manichaism, which remained popular well into the 14th century. After his execution by a Persian king, His followers settled in India and China.
Around 313 AD in North Africa, the bishop Donatus Magnus proclaimed that his church was the only true church. His movement known as Donatism declined in the 7th century.
Here are a few more names of other noteworthy movements, indicating the proliferation of the denominational divisive spirit.
Palicianism, Precillianism, Audianism, Pelagianism, Euchitites, Ebionites, Sethian Ophites, etc.
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Who is the “Little, more imposing, different Horn of Dan. 7
and the “Mother Harlot” of Rev. 17.
God gave the identifying clues.
Changing Time and Law:
Amalgamation of polytheism with monotheism: The “Trinity” concept provided to the Roman mind the first three Gods. They also could worship
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God gave the identifying clues.
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Itcameoutofthefourthbeast.Dan.7:8,theRomanEmpire.
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ItappearedbetweenthetenHorns.Dan.7:8,[afterthefalland
division of Rome by the 10 barbarian tribes.]
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ItwasdifferentthantheothersDan7:24.
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Itbecamemoreimposingthantheothers.Dan.7:20.
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Ituprootedthreeofthehorns,Kingdoms.Dan7:8,20,24.
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SpeakspompouswordsagainstGod.Dan.7:25.
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PersecutesGod’ssaints.Dan.7:25.Rev.12:13-17
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Changestimesandlaws.Dan.7:25.
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Dominatesforatimeandtimesandhalfatime.Dan7:25.
Dominion taken away. Dan. 7:26.
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Has a church organization with a hierarchy and centralized
government. 2.Thes,2:4
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Proclaims it is the only saving church.
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Has a universal identifying name. Rev. 17:5
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It will stay in power over Europe for 1260 years.
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It will be stripped of its political power by Napoleon in 1798.
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It will lose its reputation, influence, and popularity. Rev.17:16
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It will be destroyed by Christ’s judgement. Rev.18
Changing Time and Law:
Amalgamation of polytheism with monotheism: The “Trinity” concept provided to the Roman mind the first three Gods. They also could worship
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Mary; and if they had a statue of the goddess Diana, they could keep it by just
renaming her, Saint Mary. If it was an image of the God Jupiter, just call it Saint
Peter and you can pray to it. In addition, there came a multitude of images of
saints to choose from, who could mediate for favors with the “Trinity”. There
was just one problem: “The first two commandments of God’s law”
Ex 20:1-3 The first commandment: “And God spoke all these words, saying:
I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
You shall have no other gods before me.
Ex 20:4-6 The second Commandment:
"You shall not make for yourself a carved image — any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. “
So, the designers of the “Christian” religion for the Romans took the liberty to delete the second commandment for obvious reasons in their instruction manuals, the catechisms. They also split the 10th commandment to come up with 10 again.
Ex 20:17 The tenth commandment:
17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
The Roman custom of making statues, pictures and immages of their God’s was adopted in the newly organized catholic system in disobedience to the second commandment.
Plese note:
Christ taught plainly, that not even the smallest letter from God’s law will be changed or taken away untill heaven and earth pass away. He said: “Do not teach about any changes” and “Do not even think that I authorized any aterations”.
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Ex 20:1-3 The first commandment: “And God spoke all these words, saying:
I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
You shall have no other gods before me.
Ex 20:4-6 The second Commandment:
"You shall not make for yourself a carved image — any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. “
So, the designers of the “Christian” religion for the Romans took the liberty to delete the second commandment for obvious reasons in their instruction manuals, the catechisms. They also split the 10th commandment to come up with 10 again.
Ex 20:17 The tenth commandment:
17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
The Roman custom of making statues, pictures and immages of their God’s was adopted in the newly organized catholic system in disobedience to the second commandment.
Plese note:
Christ taught plainly, that not even the smallest letter from God’s law will be changed or taken away untill heaven and earth pass away. He said: “Do not teach about any changes” and “Do not even think that I authorized any aterations”.
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Matt 5:17-20
17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth will disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, by any means
disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
James 2:10-11
10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
Matt 7:21-24
21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
Any one tampering with God’s law, even just one, practices lawlessnessand and is a lawbreaker.
James 2:10-11
10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
Below is a coppy of the 10 Commandments Of God in the altered form of the Catholic Catechism.
17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth will disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, by any means
disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
James 2:10-11
10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
Matt 7:21-24
21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
Any one tampering with God’s law, even just one, practices lawlessnessand and is a lawbreaker.
James 2:10-11
10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
Below is a coppy of the 10 Commandments Of God in the altered form of the Catholic Catechism.
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Amalgamation of holy days: The Romans venerated the first day of the week
Sunday in honor of the Sun God Apollo. Christians kept the seventh day Sabbath
holy, in obedience to the fourth commandment of God:
Ex 20:8-11. The fourth commandment:
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do
all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it”.
Christ made sure, His disciples would understand that there will absolutely no change be made to God’s Law, neither by Him nor the Father:
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Ex 20:8-11. The fourth commandment:
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do
all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it”.
Christ made sure, His disciples would understand that there will absolutely no change be made to God’s Law, neither by Him nor the Father:
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Matt 5:17-19
17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
The “syncretizers” just changed the fourth commandment to: “Remember to keep holy the Lords Day”.
Emperor Constantine noted these contradictions in the theological debates and in the practice of Roman citizens. In order to have unity in the empire, he issued the first Sunday law in 321 AD.
17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
The “syncretizers” just changed the fourth commandment to: “Remember to keep holy the Lords Day”.
Emperor Constantine noted these contradictions in the theological debates and in the practice of Roman citizens. In order to have unity in the empire, he issued the first Sunday law in 321 AD.
“On the “venerable day of the Sun” let the magistrates and people
residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country
however persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue
their pursuits because it often happens that another day is not suitable for
grain-sowing or vine planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment for
such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost”.
time”. Codex Justinianus, lib. 3, tit. 12, 3; translated by Philip Schaff,
Given the 7th day of
March, Crispus and Constantine being consuls each of them for the second
History of the Christian Church, Vol. 3 (1902), p. 380, note. [Emphasis is
mine]
Please note that this law had nothing to do with a Christian holy day. It was
given in honor of the Roman Sun God.
“This tendency on the part of “Christians” to meet paganism half-way was very
early developed; and we find Tertullian, even in his day, about the year 230,
bitterly lamenting the inconsistency of the disciples of Christ in this respect... To
conciliate the Pagans to nominal Christianity, Rome pursuing its usual policy, took
measures to get the Christian and Pagan festivals amalgamated.”
“The Two Babylons” by Hyslop pages 93, 105.
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“The Two Babylons” by Hyslop pages 93, 105.
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For greater detail on this subject, see my script:” God is Love. He loves
you. Do you love Him?”
The first Satanic Lie to men.
The Roman religion had adopted the Platonic philosophy, that men had an
immortal soul, which was fundamental in all pagan religions. It originated
with the first satanic lie to men:
Gen 2:16-17
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any
tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."
Gen 3:2-3
2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the
garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in
the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'"
Gen 3:4-5
4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman.
God informed men, that disobedience to His word is sin and causes death.
It is that serious.
The deceiver implied that God is the liar by refuting His word, stating: “you
will not surely die”, and humanity still believes in that original deception
which is the basis for many other erroneous concepts in religions and
church doctrines.
“The belief in the immortality of the soul is...speculation...nowhere
expressly taught in Holy Scripture...The belief in the immortality of the soul
came to the Jews from contact with Greek thought. The belief that the soul
continues in existence after the dissolution and chiefly through the
philosophy of Plato, its principal exponent, who was led to it through
Orphic and Eleusinian mysteries in which Babylonian and Egyptian views
were strangely blended.”
( Jewish Encyclopedia, 1941, Vol. 6, “Immortality of the Soul,” pp. 564, 566).
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Plato (428-348 B.C.), “the Greek philosopher and student of Socrates,
taught that the body and the ‘immortal soul’ separate at death.”
“We are influenced always more or less by the Greek, Platonic idea that the
body dies, yet the soul is immortal. Such an idea is utterly contrary to the
Israelite consciousness and is nowhere found in the Old Testament”
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 1960, Vol. 2, “Death,” p. 812).
Man is mortal. Death is cessation of life. God’s children will receive
immortality at the end of this world disorder when Christ returns and the
dead will be resurrected immortal:
1 Cor 15:50-54
50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the
kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be
changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For
the trumpet, will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will
be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable,
and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been
clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality,
then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been
swallowed up in victory."
For more detailed information on this subject, see my script: “The two
greatest mysteries of our world”.
Second through fifth century religious leaders, or using the biblical
prophetic term: spiritual “prostitutes or harlots” had to invite and embrace
many ungodly spirits in their efforts to Romanize or adulterate the Word of
God and the gospel of Christ. We can see the gradual formation of “the
great harlot” and her adulterous relationship with the Roman Empire.
The torture in purgatory of the not completely saved became the favorite
and very profitable doctrine for the Catholic Church. The faithful would be
scared into submission, and if the purification sufferings of purgatory did
not suffice, then the never-ending agonies, tortures and horrors of eternal
hell fires would force any free thinker to surrender to the rulers over their
souls.
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The immortality of the soul deception also conflicted with Christ’s teaching
of the resurrection at His coming, because, according to Catholic and
Protestant doctrine, the immortal souls were already in heaven or in hell.
So, they invented the idea of the resurrection of the flesh, when the
immortal soul will be reunited with the physical body. This meant that they
had to ignore and falsify scripture:
1 Cor 15:35-37,38,44.46-48,50
35 But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind
of body will they come?" 36 How foolish! What you sow does not come
to life unless it dies. 37 When you sow, you do not plant the body that will
be,
38 But God gives it a body as he has determined,
44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that
the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second
man from heaven.
50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the
kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the
imperishable.
The invention of the title Father by Clerics:
The title Pope, meaning father, was first used by Heraclas of Alexandria around 248 AD, contrary to the commandment of Christ:
Matt 23:9
9 And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.
Obviously, Christ did not mean our physical fathers because He taught us to honor them. But there are only two spiritual fathers. One is the creator God, the origin of good. The other is the destroyer, Satan the originator of evil.
To all who are born of God, He is their only spiritual Father. His children have no other Spiritual Father.
Your life reveals who your spiritual father is:
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The title Pope, meaning father, was first used by Heraclas of Alexandria around 248 AD, contrary to the commandment of Christ:
Matt 23:9
9 And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.
Obviously, Christ did not mean our physical fathers because He taught us to honor them. But there are only two spiritual fathers. One is the creator God, the origin of good. The other is the destroyer, Satan the originator of evil.
To all who are born of God, He is their only spiritual Father. His children have no other Spiritual Father.
Your life reveals who your spiritual father is:
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John 8:42-46
42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!
When authorities repeat a lie often enough, it is accepted as truth.
The Rise of Catholic Influence in the Roman Empire.
Gradually authority shifted to the bishops of Rome. They used the label “catholic church” meaning universal church, to distinguish themselves from other assemblies. The Christology debates between the priest Arius of Alexandria [256- 336] and bishop Athanasius of Alexandria [296-373] caused the big split between Catholics. Alexandria still was the spiritual and cultural center of the Roman Empire. Rome recognized that Christianity had become the most viable religion and incorporated it into its religious system.
When Emperor Constantine included the Catholic Athanasian version of the “Christian” Religion by his Edict of Milan in 313 AD as part of the Roman State Religion with all the State “Benefits,” he opened the flood gates for a mass invasion of the prophesied satanic spirits. Ambitious preachers received titles, honors, temples for indoctrination, and financial security; they only had to compromise with Rome. They became, together with their pagan Roman theological partners, the spiritual guides of the Empire under the headship of the emperor. What a potpourri of tolerance and syncretism. Now the “Christian” clerics had established their first hierarchy, claiming a direct linage to Peter, claiming God given authority over all Christianity; but the Emperor was still the highest or Devine authority over church and state. Distinctive ornamental vestments demonstrated order and rank in the religious order. Paganizing of “Christianity” was in full swing. To promote this adulterated brand of religion, the church fathers established seminaries to indoctrinate, train and ordain a priesthood that was submissive to the hierarchy. The sacraments including baptism, the communion service, salvation and remission of sin, could only be administered by an ordained priest, making every believer a dependent on the priesthood and the hierarchy, the new mediators between Christ and the believer, denying them the
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42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!
When authorities repeat a lie often enough, it is accepted as truth.
The Rise of Catholic Influence in the Roman Empire.
Gradually authority shifted to the bishops of Rome. They used the label “catholic church” meaning universal church, to distinguish themselves from other assemblies. The Christology debates between the priest Arius of Alexandria [256- 336] and bishop Athanasius of Alexandria [296-373] caused the big split between Catholics. Alexandria still was the spiritual and cultural center of the Roman Empire. Rome recognized that Christianity had become the most viable religion and incorporated it into its religious system.
When Emperor Constantine included the Catholic Athanasian version of the “Christian” Religion by his Edict of Milan in 313 AD as part of the Roman State Religion with all the State “Benefits,” he opened the flood gates for a mass invasion of the prophesied satanic spirits. Ambitious preachers received titles, honors, temples for indoctrination, and financial security; they only had to compromise with Rome. They became, together with their pagan Roman theological partners, the spiritual guides of the Empire under the headship of the emperor. What a potpourri of tolerance and syncretism. Now the “Christian” clerics had established their first hierarchy, claiming a direct linage to Peter, claiming God given authority over all Christianity; but the Emperor was still the highest or Devine authority over church and state. Distinctive ornamental vestments demonstrated order and rank in the religious order. Paganizing of “Christianity” was in full swing. To promote this adulterated brand of religion, the church fathers established seminaries to indoctrinate, train and ordain a priesthood that was submissive to the hierarchy. The sacraments including baptism, the communion service, salvation and remission of sin, could only be administered by an ordained priest, making every believer a dependent on the priesthood and the hierarchy, the new mediators between Christ and the believer, denying them the
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direct access to Christ and the Father; thus, contradicting the prime principle of the
Kingdom of God:
1.Tim. 2:5,6.
“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the men Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men.”
The spiritual “Babylonic Captivity” was complete. Escapees were condemned to hell.
Several unbiblical doctrines had been incorporated in to the Catholic religion which were justified only by church authority that was based on isolated selected parts of scripture and tradition. Popes also claimed a God given authority to change God’s law, as revealed to the prophet Daniel:
Dan,7: 25
“He shall speak pompous words against the Most- High, and shall intend to change times and law.” [That is God’s times and law.]
Here are a few quotes from catholic catechisms, that highlight this position of the church:
“Question.- Have you any other way of proving that the church has power to institute festivals of precept?
Answer.- Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her – she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority.” Stephen Keenan. “A doctrinal Catechism.” Page 174.
“Q.- How prove you that the church has power to command feasts and holy days? “A.- By the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants allow of; and therefore, they fondly contradict themselves by keeping Sunday strictly, and breaking most other feasts commanded by the same church.
“Q.- How prove you that?
“A.- Because by keeping Sunday they acknowledge the church’s power to ordain feasts and command them under sin.”
Henry Tuberville, ”An Abridgement of the Christian Doctrine.” Page 58.
Q.- “What is the third commandment?”
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1.Tim. 2:5,6.
“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the men Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men.”
The spiritual “Babylonic Captivity” was complete. Escapees were condemned to hell.
Several unbiblical doctrines had been incorporated in to the Catholic religion which were justified only by church authority that was based on isolated selected parts of scripture and tradition. Popes also claimed a God given authority to change God’s law, as revealed to the prophet Daniel:
Dan,7: 25
“He shall speak pompous words against the Most- High, and shall intend to change times and law.” [That is God’s times and law.]
Here are a few quotes from catholic catechisms, that highlight this position of the church:
“Question.- Have you any other way of proving that the church has power to institute festivals of precept?
Answer.- Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her – she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority.” Stephen Keenan. “A doctrinal Catechism.” Page 174.
“Q.- How prove you that the church has power to command feasts and holy days? “A.- By the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants allow of; and therefore, they fondly contradict themselves by keeping Sunday strictly, and breaking most other feasts commanded by the same church.
“Q.- How prove you that?
“A.- Because by keeping Sunday they acknowledge the church’s power to ordain feasts and command them under sin.”
Henry Tuberville, ”An Abridgement of the Christian Doctrine.” Page 58.
Q.- “What is the third commandment?”
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A.- “The third commandment is, ‘Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.’
Q.- “What are we commanded by the third commandment?”
A.- “ By the third commandment we are commanded to keep the Sunday holy.”
“The Jew’s Sabbath Day was the Saturday: we Christians keep the Sunday holy. The church, by the power our Lord gave her, changed the observance of the Saturday to the Sunday.” H. Canon Cafferata. “The Catechism Simply Explained.” Page 89.
Please note: This commandment in Scripture is actually the fourth commandment, because the church, for obvious reason, deleted the second commandment for the catechism, and split the tenth commandment to end up with ten.
For greater detail on this study, please see my script: “God is Love. He loves you.
Do you love Him?”
“The subjects of the Roman Empire, in adopting the new religion in exchange for their own, had mingled with it many of their heathen notions and rites...The result was that the mediaeval Church became very different from that of the primitive age of Christianity...Many of our religious ideas, festivals and ceremonies...may be traced back to an origin in the practices and beliefs of our heathen ancestors.”
In 380 AD Emperor Theodosius made the Catholic-“Christian” religion, which was based on the Athanasian Christology, the sole State Religion of the Roman Empire. The “Arian Christian” religion was outlawed in Rome, but flourished in Africa as well as in the northern and eastern states.
This religious system that is identified as the spiritual harlot in prophecy, that was first persecuted by the Roman state because it had dealt the 5th head the “deadly wound”, then accepted, the deadly wound was healed, and now is climbing on top of the beast to become its rider, its master as the 6th head of the beast.
A.- “ By the third commandment we are commanded to keep the Sunday holy.”
“The Jew’s Sabbath Day was the Saturday: we Christians keep the Sunday holy. The church, by the power our Lord gave her, changed the observance of the Saturday to the Sunday.” H. Canon Cafferata. “The Catechism Simply Explained.” Page 89.
Please note: This commandment in Scripture is actually the fourth commandment, because the church, for obvious reason, deleted the second commandment for the catechism, and split the tenth commandment to end up with ten.
For greater detail on this study, please see my script: “God is Love. He loves you.
Do you love Him?”
“The subjects of the Roman Empire, in adopting the new religion in exchange for their own, had mingled with it many of their heathen notions and rites...The result was that the mediaeval Church became very different from that of the primitive age of Christianity...Many of our religious ideas, festivals and ceremonies...may be traced back to an origin in the practices and beliefs of our heathen ancestors.”
In 380 AD Emperor Theodosius made the Catholic-“Christian” religion, which was based on the Athanasian Christology, the sole State Religion of the Roman Empire. The “Arian Christian” religion was outlawed in Rome, but flourished in Africa as well as in the northern and eastern states.
This religious system that is identified as the spiritual harlot in prophecy, that was first persecuted by the Roman state because it had dealt the 5th head the “deadly wound”, then accepted, the deadly wound was healed, and now is climbing on top of the beast to become its rider, its master as the 6th head of the beast.
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MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF
THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
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Rev 17:3-6
3 Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. 5 This title was written on her forehead: “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”
6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.
7 But the angel said to me, "Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.
Captives of spiritual Babylon.
Dan. 7: 7,8.
“After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast-
terrifying and frightening and very powerful.
It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns. While I was thinking of the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of men and a mouth that spoke boastfully”.
The fourth beast represents the Roman Empire, as we have previously seen. But this image takes us to the historic time when the Empire was broken up into the ten horns, the states of Europe: Alemanni, Franks, Burgundians, Suevi, Visigoths, Lombards, Saxons, Ostrogoths, Vandals, and Heruli. It also announces the arrival of the little horn that uprooted three existing horns and became more formidable. The men like eyes indicate its very effective network of information gathering, like mandatory confession to the priest by every individual etc. The boastfully spoken mouth will become more obvious on further examination.
These are the three uprooted horns that stood in the way of the distinctive superior newcomer. The three Arian nations that did not bow to the Papacy had to be crushed. The Heruli were routed by 493 AD, the Vandals by 534 AD, and the
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3 Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. 5 This title was written on her forehead: “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”
6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.
7 But the angel said to me, "Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.
Captives of spiritual Babylon.
Dan. 7: 7,8.
“After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast-
terrifying and frightening and very powerful.
It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns. While I was thinking of the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of men and a mouth that spoke boastfully”.
The fourth beast represents the Roman Empire, as we have previously seen. But this image takes us to the historic time when the Empire was broken up into the ten horns, the states of Europe: Alemanni, Franks, Burgundians, Suevi, Visigoths, Lombards, Saxons, Ostrogoths, Vandals, and Heruli. It also announces the arrival of the little horn that uprooted three existing horns and became more formidable. The men like eyes indicate its very effective network of information gathering, like mandatory confession to the priest by every individual etc. The boastfully spoken mouth will become more obvious on further examination.
These are the three uprooted horns that stood in the way of the distinctive superior newcomer. The three Arian nations that did not bow to the Papacy had to be crushed. The Heruli were routed by 493 AD, the Vandals by 534 AD, and the
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Ostrogoths, who controlled most of Italy, were defeated by 538, when the Emperor
of the eastern empire Justinian sent his armies under General Flavius Belisarius
who crushed them, took Ravenna, their capital in 538 AD, and brought the
territories under control of the Catholic Byzantine Empire, thus ending Arianism as
a state religion.
In 533, Justinian also established Pope John of Rome as the supreme authority over all religion and condemned all none-conformists as heretics.
In 533, Justinian also established Pope John of Rome as the supreme authority over all religion and condemned all none-conformists as heretics.
“Belisarius in 536 took Rhegium and Naples, entered Rome in triumph,
seized Ravenna, sustained a siege in Rome till 538, when the Goths retired”.
Catholic Encyclopedia, Justinian, Military Triumphs.
The following is the text of the letter of the Emperor Justinian, Victorious,
Pious, Triumphant, always Augustus, to John, Patriarch, and most Holy
Archbishop of the fair City of Rome:
“Therefore, we have exerted Ourselves to unite all the priests of the East and
subject them to the See of Your Holiness, and hence the questions which have at
present arisen, although they are manifest and free from doubt, and, according to
the doctrine of your Apostolic See, are constantly firmly observed and preached
by all priests, We have still considered it necessary that they should be brought to
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the attention of Your Holiness. For we do not suffer anything which has reference
to the state of the Church, even though what causes the difficulty may be clear
and free from doubt, to be discussed without being brought to the notice of Your
Holiness, because you are the head of all the Holy Churches, for We shall exert
Ourselves in every way (as has already been stated), to increase the honor and
authority of your See.” www.moellerhaus.com studies/jus533.HTM.
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“The decrees of the four general councils
From THE CODE OF JUSTINIAN.
538 AD, the beginning of the prophesied 1260 years of Papal domination over the European States, the “ten horns”:
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538 AD, the beginning of the prophesied 1260 years of Papal domination over the European States, the “ten horns”:
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were incorporated in the civil law. There
was no toleration of dissent.” Catholic Encyclopedia, Justinian, Ecclesiastic Polity.
“Any religious assembling, even meetings in private homes, without the sanction
of the Pope, was outlawed.”
The 7 scripture passages relating to this time prophecy:
Dan 7:23-25
23 "He gave me this explanation: 'The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. 24 The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. 25 He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.
Dan 12:7
7 The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, "It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed."
Rev 12:14
14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach.
Rev 12:6
6 The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
Rev 11:1-2
11 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.
Rev 11:3
3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth."
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Dan 7:23-25
23 "He gave me this explanation: 'The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. 24 The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. 25 He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.
Dan 12:7
7 The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, "It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed."
Rev 12:14
14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach.
Rev 12:6
6 The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
Rev 11:1-2
11 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.
Rev 11:3
3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth."
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Rev 13:5-8
5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. 6 He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.
All seven passages describe the same event and the same time span, using only different vocabulary.
The time span:
In Biblical Hebrew, “time, times, and a half a time” means 3 1/2 lunar years, or 1260 days or 42 months.
Example where the 2 expressions are used interchangeable:
In Revelation 12:6, “The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by
God, where she might be taken care of for 1260 days.”
Rev 12:14
14 “The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach.”
One day of prophetic time equals one year.
Several prophecies relating to historic time periods can only be understood by using this scripture revealed key.
Num. 14:34-35
34 For forty years — one year for each of the forty days you explored the land — you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.' 35 I, the Lord, have spoken,
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5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. 6 He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.
All seven passages describe the same event and the same time span, using only different vocabulary.
The time span:
In Biblical Hebrew, “time, times, and a half a time” means 3 1/2 lunar years, or 1260 days or 42 months.
Example where the 2 expressions are used interchangeable:
In Revelation 12:6, “The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by
God, where she might be taken care of for 1260 days.”
Rev 12:14
14 “The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach.”
One day of prophetic time equals one year.
Several prophecies relating to historic time periods can only be understood by using this scripture revealed key.
Num. 14:34-35
34 For forty years — one year for each of the forty days you explored the land — you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.' 35 I, the Lord, have spoken,
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Ezek. 4:4-8
4 "Then lie on your left side and put the sin of the house of Israel upon yourself. You are to bear their sin for the number of days you lie on your side. 5 I have assigned you the same number of days as the years of their sin. So, for 390 days you will bear the sin of the house of Israel.
6 "After you have finished this, lie down again, this time on your right side, and bear the sin of the house of Judah. I have assigned you 40 days, a day for each year. 7 Turn your face toward the siege of Jerusalem and with bared arm prophesy against her.
Beginning date for this time frame:
Dan 7:24-25
24 The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.
538 AD, the last of the three Arian kingdoms, the Ostrogoths, were defeated.
Rev 17:7-11
7 But the angel said to me, "Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9 "Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.
The seven [eight] Heads:
See” prophetic terminology and symbolism” for detailed information on Heads and Mountains.
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4 "Then lie on your left side and put the sin of the house of Israel upon yourself. You are to bear their sin for the number of days you lie on your side. 5 I have assigned you the same number of days as the years of their sin. So, for 390 days you will bear the sin of the house of Israel.
6 "After you have finished this, lie down again, this time on your right side, and bear the sin of the house of Judah. I have assigned you 40 days, a day for each year. 7 Turn your face toward the siege of Jerusalem and with bared arm prophesy against her.
Beginning date for this time frame:
Dan 7:24-25
24 The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.
538 AD, the last of the three Arian kingdoms, the Ostrogoths, were defeated.
Rev 17:7-11
7 But the angel said to me, "Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9 "Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.
The seven [eight] Heads:
See” prophetic terminology and symbolism” for detailed information on Heads and Mountains.
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At the time when the harlot was the rider of the beast, that is, roman Catholicism,
the sixth head, under the papacy dominating the European states, the ten horns,
five of the great imperial ideologies, their heads, that had a great impact on God’s
children, were already history.
7 But the angel said to me, "Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9 "Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.
By 538 AD, the three Arian kingdoms that did not bow to papal domination, had been defeated and the papacy had become the supreme spiritual authority of the European nations for the next 1260 years.
The harlot has become the rider of the “beast that was”, the Roman State under the 5th head, the open anti- God, anti -Christ pagan Roman religion before 313 AD, “is not”, because the European states were now under the 6th head, the adulterated “Christian” Catholic religion, confessing Christ, but being the wolf in sheep attire, the hidden Anti-Christ, “yet is”, the beast had to be there because it carried the harlot, but now it was only the sub-serving carrier of the harlot until its resurgence from the bottomless pit under the 7th and 8th head after the 1260 years in 1798 AD.
Events during this time frame of 1260 years:
Papacy supreme ruler of Europe. Rev. 13:5
Persecution of the saints, outlawed. They had to go underground.
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7 But the angel said to me, "Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9 "Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.
By 538 AD, the three Arian kingdoms that did not bow to papal domination, had been defeated and the papacy had become the supreme spiritual authority of the European nations for the next 1260 years.
The harlot has become the rider of the “beast that was”, the Roman State under the 5th head, the open anti- God, anti -Christ pagan Roman religion before 313 AD, “is not”, because the European states were now under the 6th head, the adulterated “Christian” Catholic religion, confessing Christ, but being the wolf in sheep attire, the hidden Anti-Christ, “yet is”, the beast had to be there because it carried the harlot, but now it was only the sub-serving carrier of the harlot until its resurgence from the bottomless pit under the 7th and 8th head after the 1260 years in 1798 AD.
Events during this time frame of 1260 years:
Papacy supreme ruler of Europe. Rev. 13:5
Persecution of the saints, outlawed. They had to go underground.
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Trampling of the holy city, for 1260 years.
God’s 2 witnesses prophesied in sackcloth for 1260 years.
At the end of their witness, the beast returns from the bottomless pit.
Justinian’s ambitions to unify east and west Rome again, could only be partial realized. He was considered the last Roman in modern historiography.
By the time of his death in 565, his western ventures and his Persian wars, had weakened the eastern empire and eventually led to a clear split between Western and the Eastern Romans, the still enduring “Great Schism,” between the Roman Catholic Church and the Greek Orthodox Churches in 1054. Islam was on the rise and the Ottoman Empire under Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II conquered Constantinople and ended the Eastern Roman Empire on 05-29-1453.
Justinian‘s abortive “reconquest” had left the Franks and the Germans as the most powerful force in the West. Only after their alliance with the Church of Rome, the continuance of Rome’s classical past was preserved. By 800 AD, Germany had become the strongest nation, and by design of the Papacy, became the political and military power of Europe.
Holy Roman Empire of a German Nation 800-1806.
On December 25, 800 AD, Charlemagne, [Charles the Great, King of the Western Franks, Germany, Italy and Burgundy,] was crowned Emperor of the Romans by Pope Leo III.
“ This newly formed Empire was a multi-ethnic complex of territories in
central Europe that evolved into a decentralized, limited elective monarchy composed of hundreds of
subunits: kingdoms, principalities, duchies, counties, Free Imperial Cities, and their domains.[9][18] The power of the emperor was limited, and while the various princes, lords, bishops, and cities of the empire were vassals who owed the emperor their allegiance, they also possessed an extent of privileges that gave them de facto independence within their territories. Emperor Francis
II dissolved the empire on 6 August 1806, after the creation of the Confederation of the Rhine by Napoleon.” Wikipedia.
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God’s 2 witnesses prophesied in sackcloth for 1260 years.
At the end of their witness, the beast returns from the bottomless pit.
Justinian’s ambitions to unify east and west Rome again, could only be partial realized. He was considered the last Roman in modern historiography.
By the time of his death in 565, his western ventures and his Persian wars, had weakened the eastern empire and eventually led to a clear split between Western and the Eastern Romans, the still enduring “Great Schism,” between the Roman Catholic Church and the Greek Orthodox Churches in 1054. Islam was on the rise and the Ottoman Empire under Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II conquered Constantinople and ended the Eastern Roman Empire on 05-29-1453.
Justinian‘s abortive “reconquest” had left the Franks and the Germans as the most powerful force in the West. Only after their alliance with the Church of Rome, the continuance of Rome’s classical past was preserved. By 800 AD, Germany had become the strongest nation, and by design of the Papacy, became the political and military power of Europe.
Holy Roman Empire of a German Nation 800-1806.
On December 25, 800 AD, Charlemagne, [Charles the Great, King of the Western Franks, Germany, Italy and Burgundy,] was crowned Emperor of the Romans by Pope Leo III.
“ This newly formed Empire was a multi-ethnic complex of territories in
central Europe that evolved into a decentralized, limited elective monarchy composed of hundreds of
subunits: kingdoms, principalities, duchies, counties, Free Imperial Cities, and their domains.[9][18] The power of the emperor was limited, and while the various princes, lords, bishops, and cities of the empire were vassals who owed the emperor their allegiance, they also possessed an extent of privileges that gave them de facto independence within their territories. Emperor Francis
II dissolved the empire on 6 August 1806, after the creation of the Confederation of the Rhine by Napoleon.” Wikipedia.
127
During this period, the developing European Nations settled their border
disputes. Catholicism was the only State Religion in the “Holy Roman Empire”,
protected and enforced by the Civil Power under the guidance of the church.
The papacy dominated Europe. The papal hierarchy began to lay also claims over the civil power. For support they used some church documents, later named “Pseudo Isidorian Decretals”, they included Konstantin’s and other Royal alleged giftings to the church. Constantin supposedly gave to Pope Silvester authority over the city of Rome and the western part of his empire and bestowed on the See of Peter “Power, Dignity of Glory, Honor, Imperial Supremacy over the four principal Sees, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem and Constantinople and all churches of the entire world. He also granted to Silvester and his successors Imperial Insignia, the Tiara, the City of Rome and large Landed Estates. Many contested the authenticity of these documents. Lorenzo Valla, a catholic priest, was the first to prove the forgeries with solid philological evidence in 1440. He stated that “the papal usurpation of temporal power had corrupted the church, caused the wars of Italy and reinforced the overbearing, barbarous, tyrannical priestly domination.” The catholic church later admitted that most of the decretals are forgeries. [See Catholic Encyclopedia and Wikipedia]
The Papacy quoted such forgeries to support their position that the Holy See is the rightful Ruler of the world, the voice of God on the planet, the only way to salvation. All differing beliefs had been outlawed as heresies under the penalty of death. Clerics became the wealthy bishop-princes. By the 8th century, popes wore single crowns. By the 14th century they were crowned with the triple crowns, the tiaras.
Disagreements between Church and State authority intensified. The investiture controversy had reached a breaking point between Henry V, [1056-1106] Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, and Pope Gregory VII [1073-1085]. Emperors exercised supreme authority in the appointment of clerical positions, including the selecting and disposing of popes. Henry discharged Gregory, while Gregory excommunicated Henry and declared that he is no longer Emperor unless he repented within one year. In January 1077, Henry had to cross the snow -covered Alps to come to Canossa were Gregory was guest at the castle of Matilda, the Countess of Tuscany. For three days, Henry had to
128
The papacy dominated Europe. The papal hierarchy began to lay also claims over the civil power. For support they used some church documents, later named “Pseudo Isidorian Decretals”, they included Konstantin’s and other Royal alleged giftings to the church. Constantin supposedly gave to Pope Silvester authority over the city of Rome and the western part of his empire and bestowed on the See of Peter “Power, Dignity of Glory, Honor, Imperial Supremacy over the four principal Sees, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem and Constantinople and all churches of the entire world. He also granted to Silvester and his successors Imperial Insignia, the Tiara, the City of Rome and large Landed Estates. Many contested the authenticity of these documents. Lorenzo Valla, a catholic priest, was the first to prove the forgeries with solid philological evidence in 1440. He stated that “the papal usurpation of temporal power had corrupted the church, caused the wars of Italy and reinforced the overbearing, barbarous, tyrannical priestly domination.” The catholic church later admitted that most of the decretals are forgeries. [See Catholic Encyclopedia and Wikipedia]
The Papacy quoted such forgeries to support their position that the Holy See is the rightful Ruler of the world, the voice of God on the planet, the only way to salvation. All differing beliefs had been outlawed as heresies under the penalty of death. Clerics became the wealthy bishop-princes. By the 8th century, popes wore single crowns. By the 14th century they were crowned with the triple crowns, the tiaras.
Disagreements between Church and State authority intensified. The investiture controversy had reached a breaking point between Henry V, [1056-1106] Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, and Pope Gregory VII [1073-1085]. Emperors exercised supreme authority in the appointment of clerical positions, including the selecting and disposing of popes. Henry discharged Gregory, while Gregory excommunicated Henry and declared that he is no longer Emperor unless he repented within one year. In January 1077, Henry had to cross the snow -covered Alps to come to Canossa were Gregory was guest at the castle of Matilda, the Countess of Tuscany. For three days, Henry had to
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wait bare-footed and bare-headed in the snow at the castle gate doing penance,
before Gregory gave him an audience and reinstated him into the church and his
position. But the controversy continued between Henry V and Pope Selixtus II and
was by compromise settled with the Concordat of Worms in 1122. The Pope
emerged as a figure above and out of the direct control of the Emperor.
“He speaks pompous words” Dan.7:20,
“Exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped.” 2.Thes.2:4
PAPA -POPE
ARTICULUS II - ARTICLE 2
Quoadea quoeconcernunt papae dignitatem, auctoritatem, seu potestatem, et
infallibilitatem.
Concerning the extent of Papal dignity, authority, or dominion and infallibility.
SUMMARIUM - SUMMARY
1. “The Pope is of so great dignity and so exalted that he is not mere man, but as it were God, and the vicar of God.”
2. “The Pope is of such lofty and supreme dignity that properly speaking he has not been established in any rank of dignity, but rather has been placed upon the very summit of all ranks of dignities.”
5.” The pope is called most holy because he is rightfully presumed to be such.” 12. “He is likewise the divine monarch, and supreme emperor, and king of kings.”
13. “Hence the Pope is crowned with a triple crown, as king of heaven and of earth and of hell.”
14.” Moreover the superiority and the power of the Roman Pontiff by no means pertains only to heavenly things, but also earthly things, and to things under the earth, and even over the angels, whom he is greater than.”
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“He speaks pompous words” Dan.7:20,
“Exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped.” 2.Thes.2:4
PAPA -POPE
ARTICULUS II - ARTICLE 2
Quoadea quoeconcernunt papae dignitatem, auctoritatem, seu potestatem, et
infallibilitatem.
Concerning the extent of Papal dignity, authority, or dominion and infallibility.
SUMMARIUM - SUMMARY
1. “The Pope is of so great dignity and so exalted that he is not mere man, but as it were God, and the vicar of God.”
2. “The Pope is of such lofty and supreme dignity that properly speaking he has not been established in any rank of dignity, but rather has been placed upon the very summit of all ranks of dignities.”
5.” The pope is called most holy because he is rightfully presumed to be such.” 12. “He is likewise the divine monarch, and supreme emperor, and king of kings.”
13. “Hence the Pope is crowned with a triple crown, as king of heaven and of earth and of hell.”
14.” Moreover the superiority and the power of the Roman Pontiff by no means pertains only to heavenly things, but also earthly things, and to things under the earth, and even over the angels, whom he is greater than.”
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15. “So that if it were possible that the angels might err in the faith, or might
think contrary to the faith, they could be judged and excommunicated by the
Pope.”
18 “As to papal authority, the Pope is as it were God on earth, Sole sovereign of all the faithful of Christ, chief king of kings, having a plentitude of unbroken power, entrusted by the omnipotent God to govern the earthly and heavenly kingdoms.”
30. “The Pope is of so great authority and power, that he is able to modify, declare, or interpret even divine laws.”
30. "The Pope can modify divine law, since his power is not of man but of God, and he acts as vicegerent of God upon earth with most ample power of binding and loosing his sheep.”
1782 edition of Prompta Bibliotheca Canonica, Juridica, Moralis, Theologica, Ascetica, Polemica, Rubristica, Historica, Volume VII, entry on Papa, Art II.
“Christopher Marcellus, at the fourth session of the fifth Lateran Council in an oration to the Pope, exclaimed: ”Thou art the shepherd, thou art the physician, thou art the director, thou art the husbandman; finally, thou art another God on earth.” Joannis Harduin, Acta Conciliorum, Vol. IX, p. 1651.
Pope Boniface VIII promulgated on November 18, 1302 his encyclical “Unam Sanctam”, proclaiming: “Urged by faith, we are obligated to believe and maintain that the church is one, holy, catholic, and also apostolic. We believe in her firmly and we confess with simplicity that outside of her there is neither salvation nor the remission of sins...Furthermore, we declare, we proclaim, we define that it is necessary for salvation that every human creature be subject to the ROMAN PONTIFF.
...In this church and in its power, are two swords; namely, the spiritual and the temporal...Both therefore, are in the power of the church, that is to say, the spiritual and the material sword, but is to be administered for the church but
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18 “As to papal authority, the Pope is as it were God on earth, Sole sovereign of all the faithful of Christ, chief king of kings, having a plentitude of unbroken power, entrusted by the omnipotent God to govern the earthly and heavenly kingdoms.”
30. “The Pope is of so great authority and power, that he is able to modify, declare, or interpret even divine laws.”
30. "The Pope can modify divine law, since his power is not of man but of God, and he acts as vicegerent of God upon earth with most ample power of binding and loosing his sheep.”
1782 edition of Prompta Bibliotheca Canonica, Juridica, Moralis, Theologica, Ascetica, Polemica, Rubristica, Historica, Volume VII, entry on Papa, Art II.
“Christopher Marcellus, at the fourth session of the fifth Lateran Council in an oration to the Pope, exclaimed: ”Thou art the shepherd, thou art the physician, thou art the director, thou art the husbandman; finally, thou art another God on earth.” Joannis Harduin, Acta Conciliorum, Vol. IX, p. 1651.
Pope Boniface VIII promulgated on November 18, 1302 his encyclical “Unam Sanctam”, proclaiming: “Urged by faith, we are obligated to believe and maintain that the church is one, holy, catholic, and also apostolic. We believe in her firmly and we confess with simplicity that outside of her there is neither salvation nor the remission of sins...Furthermore, we declare, we proclaim, we define that it is necessary for salvation that every human creature be subject to the ROMAN PONTIFF.
...In this church and in its power, are two swords; namely, the spiritual and the temporal...Both therefore, are in the power of the church, that is to say, the spiritual and the material sword, but is to be administered for the church but
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the latter by the church; the former in the hands of the priest; the latter by the
hands of kings and soldiers, but all at the will and sufferance of the priest.
However, one sword ought to be subordinated to the other and temporal
authority, subject to spiritual power...Spiritual power surpasses in dignity and in
nobility any temporal power whatever...
Therefore, if the terrestrial power err, it will be judged by the spiritual power; but if a minor spiritual power err, it will be judged by a superior spiritual power. But if the highest power of all err, it can be judged only by God, and not by man.”
2.Thes.2:3,4,7,8
“Let no one deceive you by any means, for that Day [ second coming of Christ. See verses 1 and 2 ] will not come unless the falling away will come first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” [the only and highest representative of God on earth. Vicarious Filii Dei = Vice-regent of the Son of God. His word is the word of God, when spoken ex cathedra, it is infallible.]
Infallibility, Catholic Encyclopedia
— Vatican Council, Sess. IV, Const. de Ecclesiâ Christi, Chapter iv
By this time in history, the “Harlot” was not only carried by the “Beast” she had become its ruler under the sixth head. Now the Beast only existed as her carrier, because it was stripped of its historic dominating power and character, as stated by the angel:
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Therefore, if the terrestrial power err, it will be judged by the spiritual power; but if a minor spiritual power err, it will be judged by a superior spiritual power. But if the highest power of all err, it can be judged only by God, and not by man.”
2.Thes.2:3,4,7,8
“Let no one deceive you by any means, for that Day [ second coming of Christ. See verses 1 and 2 ] will not come unless the falling away will come first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” [the only and highest representative of God on earth. Vicarious Filii Dei = Vice-regent of the Son of God. His word is the word of God, when spoken ex cathedra, it is infallible.]
Infallibility, Catholic Encyclopedia
— Vatican Council, Sess. IV, Const. de Ecclesiâ Christi, Chapter iv
By this time in history, the “Harlot” was not only carried by the “Beast” she had become its ruler under the sixth head. Now the Beast only existed as her carrier, because it was stripped of its historic dominating power and character, as stated by the angel:
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“Papal infallibility is a dogma of the Catholic Church that states that, in virtue of
the promise of Jesus to Peter, the Pope is preserved from the possibility of error
"when, in the exercise of his office as shepherd and teacher of all Christians, in
virtue of his supreme apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine concerning faith
or morals to be held by the whole Church."[1][2 "Infallibility means more than
exemption from actual error; it means exemption from the possibility of error,"
P. J. Toner,
, 1910
“ So then, should anyone, which God forbid, have the temerity to reject this
definition of ours: let him be anathema.”
(see Denziger §1839).
Rev. 17: 7, 8
“But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.
To summarize the identifying marks of this universal system: “Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the earth” Rev. 17:5, we will let God through His Word do the revealing.
Clarification:
Please keep this in mind: We are not dealing here with, or judging individual
believers of any denomination or church. Only Christ will do that, because He knows the hearts of men. He also knows where none culpable ignorance is genuine. He has honest loving children, including some priests even in the babylonic organizations.
We are here dealing with a universal politico-religious system and its offshoots; the “mother harlot and her daughter harlots” who have inherited her traits.
Her origin and end:
Her beginning was within the Christian community of the first century, by adulterating the “Good News [Gospel] of Christ.” She became the rider and dominator of the beast. First she reigned over Imperial Rome, then ruled over the 10 horns, which began in 538 AD after the defeat of the last Arian kingdom, when Catholicism became the only state religion, and the Papacy the supreme ruler of Europe for 1260 years, after which she was stripped of her power by Napoleon in 1798. Her termination will take place toward the end of this world, before the second coming of Christ, which we will consider later in more detail.
2 Thess 2:3-12
“Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the
rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
132
“But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.
To summarize the identifying marks of this universal system: “Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the earth” Rev. 17:5, we will let God through His Word do the revealing.
Clarification:
Please keep this in mind: We are not dealing here with, or judging individual
believers of any denomination or church. Only Christ will do that, because He knows the hearts of men. He also knows where none culpable ignorance is genuine. He has honest loving children, including some priests even in the babylonic organizations.
We are here dealing with a universal politico-religious system and its offshoots; the “mother harlot and her daughter harlots” who have inherited her traits.
Her origin and end:
Her beginning was within the Christian community of the first century, by adulterating the “Good News [Gospel] of Christ.” She became the rider and dominator of the beast. First she reigned over Imperial Rome, then ruled over the 10 horns, which began in 538 AD after the defeat of the last Arian kingdom, when Catholicism became the only state religion, and the Papacy the supreme ruler of Europe for 1260 years, after which she was stripped of her power by Napoleon in 1798. Her termination will take place toward the end of this world, before the second coming of Christ, which we will consider later in more detail.
2 Thess 2:3-12
“Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the
rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
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Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6
And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the
proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the
one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8
And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow
with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The
coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan
displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every
sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they
refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a
powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be
condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness”.
See cause and effect: “Not loving truth, not speaking and living it, results in believing and living lies, under powerful delusion”.
Where God’s Spirit is absent, the spirit of Satan rules – and yes, also in religious institutions. Religion is his Satan’s favored instrument for deception.
Matt 7:15-16
15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them”.
Acts 20:29-31
29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will
not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
Matt 24:24-25
24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect — if that were possible. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.
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See cause and effect: “Not loving truth, not speaking and living it, results in believing and living lies, under powerful delusion”.
Where God’s Spirit is absent, the spirit of Satan rules – and yes, also in religious institutions. Religion is his Satan’s favored instrument for deception.
Matt 7:15-16
15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them”.
Acts 20:29-31
29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will
not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
Matt 24:24-25
24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect — if that were possible. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.
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This system named itself “catholic church”, organized itself as a hierarchical
structured church, established seminaries to brain-capture and train a loyal
professional priesthood, claimed to be the only legitimate church on earth,
authorized by God, with their leader, the pope, to be the representative of God
on earth, the voice of God, salvation only possible in submission to him, crowned
as the king over kings with the tiara, changing God’s law, claiming to be the
highest judicial authority, outlawing all opposition, persecuting and killing God’s
uncompromising children in the name of God, who had to flee for their lives and
go underground.
Acts 4:10-12
Then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ
of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 He is
"'the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the capstone.'
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
Luke 21:12-13,16-19
12 "But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.
You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 All men will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By standing firm you will gain life.
Matt 24:9
Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.
Dan 7:20-22,24-25
20 I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell — the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully. 21 As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and defeating them,
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Acts 4:10-12
Then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ
of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 He is
"'the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the capstone.'
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
Luke 21:12-13,16-19
12 "But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.
You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 All men will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By standing firm you will gain life.
Matt 24:9
Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.
Dan 7:20-22,24-25
20 I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell — the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully. 21 As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and defeating them,
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24 The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them
another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings.
25 He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change
the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time,
times and half a time.
Rev 12:6,14-15
6 The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach.
Oppression of God’s Saints:
and lasted into the early 19th-century.
Rev 12:6,14-15
6 The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach.
Oppression of God’s Saints:
and lasted into the early 19th-century.
“The Inquisition was a group of institutions within the government system of
the Catholic Church whose aim was to combat heresy. It started in 12th-century
When a suspect was convicted of unrepentant heresy, the inquisitorial tribunal
was required by law to hand the person over to the secular authorities for final
sentencing, at which point a magistrate would determine the penalty, which was
usually burning at the stake.
The Inquisition was permanently established in 1229, run largely by the
Dominican and Franciscan Orders. Pope Innocent IV's papal bull Ad extirpanda of
1252, which explicitly authorized the use of torture by the Inquisition for eliciting
confessions from heretics. By 1256 inquisitors were given absolution if they used
instruments of torture.
In 1492 all Jews who had not converted were expelled
from Spain, their possessions confiscated; those who converted became subject
to the Inquisition. (Jews were not heretics, but "Catholics" who practiced the Jewish faith were regarded as heretics.)
to the Inquisition. (Jews were not heretics, but "Catholics" who practiced the Jewish faith were regarded as heretics.)
left Spain for Portugal but eventually were targeted there as well. Royal
The Portuguese Inquisition principally
targeted the Sephardic Jews, whom the state forced to convert to Christianity.
Spain had expelled its Sephardic population in 1492; many of these Spanish Jews
decrees issued in 1492 and 1502 ordering Jews and Muslims to convert to
Catholicism or leave Spain.
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As a result of the Alhambra decree and persecution in prior years, over 200,000
Jews converted to Catholicism and between 40,000 and 100,000 were expelled,
an indeterminate number returning to Spain in the years following the expulsion.
A defense in the Inquisition is of little use to the prisoner, for a suspicion only is
deemed sufficient cause of condemnation, and the greater his wealth the greater
his danger.
When the impeached person is condemned, he is either severely whipped, violently tortured, sent to the galleys, or sentenced to death; and in either case the effects are confiscated. After judgment, a procession is performed to the place of execution, which ceremony is called an auto da fe, or act of faith.
Of the multitudes who perished by the Inquisition throughout the world, no authentic record is now discoverable.
Yet, even in Spain, thus gleaned of all heresy, the Inquisition could still swell its lists of murders to thirty-two thousand! The numbers burned in effigy, or condemned to penance, punishments generally equivalent to exile, confiscation, and taint of blood, to all ruin but the mere loss of worthless life,
amounted to three hundred and nine thousand.”
(from Fox's Book of Martyrs, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
“The general persecutions in Germany were principally occasioned by the doctrines and ministry of Martin Luther. Indeed, the pope was so terrified at the success of that courageous reformer, that he determined to engage the emperor, Charles V, at any rate, in the scheme to attempt their extirpation.
To this end
1.He gave the emperor two hundred thousand crowns in ready money.
2.He promised to maintain twelve thousand foot, and five thousand horse soldiers, for the space of six months, during the campaign.
3.He allowed the emperor to receive one half the revenues of the clergy of the empire during the war.
4.He permitted the emperor to pledge the abbey lands for five hundred thousand crowns, to assist in carrying on hostilities against the Protestants.”
“Thus prompted and supported, the emperor undertook the extirpation of the Protestants, against whom, indeed, he was particularly enraged himself; and, for this purpose, a formidable army was raised in Germany, Spain, and Italy.
136
When the impeached person is condemned, he is either severely whipped, violently tortured, sent to the galleys, or sentenced to death; and in either case the effects are confiscated. After judgment, a procession is performed to the place of execution, which ceremony is called an auto da fe, or act of faith.
Of the multitudes who perished by the Inquisition throughout the world, no authentic record is now discoverable.
Yet, even in Spain, thus gleaned of all heresy, the Inquisition could still swell its lists of murders to thirty-two thousand! The numbers burned in effigy, or condemned to penance, punishments generally equivalent to exile, confiscation, and taint of blood, to all ruin but the mere loss of worthless life,
amounted to three hundred and nine thousand.”
(from Fox's Book of Martyrs, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
“The general persecutions in Germany were principally occasioned by the doctrines and ministry of Martin Luther. Indeed, the pope was so terrified at the success of that courageous reformer, that he determined to engage the emperor, Charles V, at any rate, in the scheme to attempt their extirpation.
To this end
1.He gave the emperor two hundred thousand crowns in ready money.
2.He promised to maintain twelve thousand foot, and five thousand horse soldiers, for the space of six months, during the campaign.
3.He allowed the emperor to receive one half the revenues of the clergy of the empire during the war.
4.He permitted the emperor to pledge the abbey lands for five hundred thousand crowns, to assist in carrying on hostilities against the Protestants.”
“Thus prompted and supported, the emperor undertook the extirpation of the Protestants, against whom, indeed, he was particularly enraged himself; and, for this purpose, a formidable army was raised in Germany, Spain, and Italy.
136
The cruelties used by the imperial troops, under Count Tilly of Saxony, are thus
enumerated.
Half strangling, and recovering the persons again repeatedly. Rolling sharp wheels over the fingers and toes. Pinching the thumbs in a vice. Forcing the filthiest things down the throat, by which many were choked. Tying cords around the head so tightly that the blood gushed out of the eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. Fastening burning matches to the fingers, toes, ears, arms, legs, and even the tongue. Putting powder in the mouth and setting fire to it, by which the head was shattered to pieces. Tying bags of powder to all parts of the body, by which the person was blown up. Drawing cords backwards and forwards through the fleshy parts. Making incisions with bodkins and knives in the skin. Running wires through the nose, ears, lips, etc. Hanging Protestants up by the legs, with their heads over a fire, by which they were smoke dried. Hanging up by one arm until it was dislocated. Hanging upon hooks by the ribs. Forcing people to drink until they burst. Baking many in hot ovens. Fixing weights to the feet, and drawing up several with pulleys. Hanging, stifling, roasting, stabbing, frying, racking, ravishing, ripping open, breaking the bones, rasping off the flesh, tearing with wild horses, drowning, strangling, burning, broiling, crucifying, immuring, poisoning, cutting off tongues, noses, ears, etc., sawing off the limbs, hacking to pieces, and drawing by the heels through the streets.”
[from Fox's Book of Martyrs]
Persecution of the Waldenses and Albigenses.
Half strangling, and recovering the persons again repeatedly. Rolling sharp wheels over the fingers and toes. Pinching the thumbs in a vice. Forcing the filthiest things down the throat, by which many were choked. Tying cords around the head so tightly that the blood gushed out of the eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. Fastening burning matches to the fingers, toes, ears, arms, legs, and even the tongue. Putting powder in the mouth and setting fire to it, by which the head was shattered to pieces. Tying bags of powder to all parts of the body, by which the person was blown up. Drawing cords backwards and forwards through the fleshy parts. Making incisions with bodkins and knives in the skin. Running wires through the nose, ears, lips, etc. Hanging Protestants up by the legs, with their heads over a fire, by which they were smoke dried. Hanging up by one arm until it was dislocated. Hanging upon hooks by the ribs. Forcing people to drink until they burst. Baking many in hot ovens. Fixing weights to the feet, and drawing up several with pulleys. Hanging, stifling, roasting, stabbing, frying, racking, ravishing, ripping open, breaking the bones, rasping off the flesh, tearing with wild horses, drowning, strangling, burning, broiling, crucifying, immuring, poisoning, cutting off tongues, noses, ears, etc., sawing off the limbs, hacking to pieces, and drawing by the heels through the streets.”
[from Fox's Book of Martyrs]
Persecution of the Waldenses and Albigenses.
Popery having brought various innovations into the Church, and overspread the
Christian world with darkness and superstition, some few, who plainly perceived
the pernicious tendency of such errors, determined to show the light of the
Gospel in its real purity, and to disperse those clouds which artful priests had
raised about it, in order to blind the people, and obscure its real brightness.
Pope Alexander III being informed by the bishop of Lyons of these transactions,
excommunicated Waldo the reformer and his adherents, and commanded the
bishop to exterminate them, if possible, from the face of the earth; hence began
the papal persecutions against the Waldenses
These persecutions were continued for several centuries under different popes
and other great dignitaries of the Catholic Church.
By 1215, the Waldensians were declared heretical and subject to intense
persecution; the group was nearly annihilated in the 17th century
137
Massacre of Mérindol (1545)
“Little children were torn from the arms of their mothers, clasped by their tiny
feet, and their heads dashed against the rocks; or were held between two soldiers
and their quivering limbs torn up by main force. Their mangled bodies were then
thrown on the highways or fields, to be devoured by beasts. The sick and the aged
were burned alive in their dwellings. Some had their hands and arms and legs
lopped off, and fire applied to the severed parts to staunch the bleeding and
prolong their suffering. Some were flayed alive, some were roasted alive, some
disemboweled; or tied to trees in their own orchards, and their hearts cut out.
Some were horribly mutilated, and of others the brains were boiled and eaten by
these cannibals. Some were fastened down into the furrows of their own fields,
and ploughed into the soil as men plough manure into it. Others were buried
alive. Fathers were marched to death with the heads of their sons suspended
around their necks. Parents were compelled to look on while their children were
first outraged [raped], then massacred, before being themselves permitted to
die.”
[History of the Waldenses, Wyllo J. A. P. 132]
Martyrology counts the number of Waldensian martyrs during the first half of the 13th century in France alone at two million.
Catholic historian Vergerius admits gleefully that during the Pontificate of Pope Paul IV (1555-1559) "the Inquisition alone, by tortures, starvation, or the fire, murdered more than 150,000 Protestants."
Martyrology counts the number of Waldensian martyrs during the first half of the 13th century in France alone at two million.
Catholic historian Vergerius admits gleefully that during the Pontificate of Pope Paul IV (1555-1559) "the Inquisition alone, by tortures, starvation, or the fire, murdered more than 150,000 Protestants."
Pope Francis’s apology:
In 2015, after a historic visit to a Waldensian Temple in Turin, Pope Francis, in the
name of the Catholic Church, asked Waldensian Christians for forgiveness for
their persecution. The Pope apologized for the Church's "un-Christian and even
inhumane positions and actions". [Catholic Herald 6-22-2015.]
The Albigenses were a people of the reformed religion, who inhabited the
country of Albi. They were condemned on the score of religion in the Council of
Lateran, by order of Pope Alexander III.
Several eminent noblemen embraced their doctrines. The Albigensian Crusade or
the Cathar Crusade (1209–1229) was a 20-year military campaign initiated by
Pope Innocent III to eliminate Catharism in Languedoc, in southern France.
Between 1022 and 1163, the Cathars were condemned by eight local church
138
councils, the last of which, held at Tours, declared that all Albigenses should be
In 1208, Innocent III declared
a crusade against the Cathars. He offered the lands of the Cathar heretics to any
French nobleman willing to take up arms.
When Languedoc was invaded by these monsters, one hundred thousand Albigenses fell in one day! See Bruys vol. iii. 139. page 346
French nobleman willing to take up arms.
When Languedoc was invaded by these monsters, one hundred thousand Albigenses fell in one day! See Bruys vol. iii. 139. page 346
put into prison and have their property confiscated.
of the 14th century, any discernible traces of the Cathar movement had been
Because of these efforts, by the middle
eradicated.
Mark Gregory Pegg writes that "The Albigensian Crusade ushered genocide into
the West by linking divine salvation to mass murder, by making slaughter as loving
an act as His sacrifice on the cross.
Lollard movement) was a pre-Protestant Christian religious movement that
existed from the mid-14th century to the English Reformation. It was initially led
by John Wycliffe,[1] a Roman Catholic theologian who was dismissed from
the University of Oxford in 1381 for criticism of the Roman Catholic Church.
Lollards were persecuted again between 1554 and 1559 during the Revival of the
Heresy Acts, under the Catholic Mary I of England, which specifically suppressed
heresy and Lollardy. Many were executed. Wycliffe translated the Bible into
English while in hiding. He died before the executioners found him. Some years
later they exhumed his remains, burned them to ashes and disposed them in a
river.
Lollards were persecuted again between 1554 and 1559 during the Revival of the
Heresy Acts, under the Catholic Mary I of England, which specifically suppressed
heresy and Lollardy.
The Unity of the Brethren, Moravian church also known as
the Czech or Bohemian Brethren, is a Protestant Christian denomination whose
roots are in the pre-Reformation work of Petr Chelčický and the priest and
philosopher Jan Hus, who was martyred in 1415.
In 1414 he was summoned to
the Council of Constance, with the Emperor guaranteeing his personal safety even
if found guilty. He was tried, and ordered to recant certain heretical doctrines. The Council found him guilty of heresy, and he was burned at the stake on 6 July 1415. His co-reformer Ierom of Prague and others suffered the same fate. Some
139
if found guilty. He was tried, and ordered to recant certain heretical doctrines. The Council found him guilty of heresy, and he was burned at the stake on 6 July 1415. His co-reformer Ierom of Prague and others suffered the same fate. Some
139
historians claim the Moravian Church was the first Protestant
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church.
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The Bartholomew Massacre, August 23, 1572.
“The massacre caused a "major international crisis".[48] Protestant countries were
horrified at the events,
The king Charles IX ordered the killing of a group of Huguenot leaders, [Calvinist
Protestants] including Admiral Coligny their leader, and the slaughter spread
throughout Paris. Lasting several weeks, the massacre expanded outward to other
urban centers and the countryside.”
“The pope sent the king a Golden Rose. The pope ordered a Te Deum to be sung
as a special thanksgiving (a practice continued for many years after) and had a
medal struck with the motto Ugonottorum strages 1572 (Latin for "overthrow" or
"slaughter," "of the Huguenots") showing an angel bearing a cross and sword
before which are the felled Protestants.
Throughout Europe, it "printed on Protestant minds the indelible conviction that
Catholicism was a bloody and treacherous religion".
“Even Tsar Ivan the Terrible expressed horror at the carnage in a letter to the
Emperor.” Wikipedia,
The Bartholomew Massacre At Paris, Etc.
"Many of the wretched victims fled to the water side, and some swam over the Seine to the suburbs of St. Germaine. The king saw them from his window, which looked upon the river, and fired upon them with a carbine that had been loaded for that purpose by one of his pages; while the queen-mother, undisturbed and serene in the midst of slaughter, looking down from a balcony, encouraged the murderers and laughed at the dying groans of the slaughtered. This barbarous queen was fired with a restless ambition, and she perpetually shifted her party in order to satiate it.”
"This horrid butchery was not confined merely to the city of Paris. The like orders were issued from court to the governors of all the provinces in France; so that, in a week's time, about one hundred thousand Protestants were cut to pieces in different parts of the kingdom! Two or three governors only refused to obey the
king's orders. “
(from Fox's Book of Martyrs, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
"From the birth of Popery in 606 to the present time, it is estimated by careful and credible historians, that more than fifty millions of the human family, have been slaughtered for the crime of heresy by popish persecutors, an average of
140
"Many of the wretched victims fled to the water side, and some swam over the Seine to the suburbs of St. Germaine. The king saw them from his window, which looked upon the river, and fired upon them with a carbine that had been loaded for that purpose by one of his pages; while the queen-mother, undisturbed and serene in the midst of slaughter, looking down from a balcony, encouraged the murderers and laughed at the dying groans of the slaughtered. This barbarous queen was fired with a restless ambition, and she perpetually shifted her party in order to satiate it.”
"This horrid butchery was not confined merely to the city of Paris. The like orders were issued from court to the governors of all the provinces in France; so that, in a week's time, about one hundred thousand Protestants were cut to pieces in different parts of the kingdom! Two or three governors only refused to obey the
king's orders. “
(from Fox's Book of Martyrs, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
"From the birth of Popery in 606 to the present time, it is estimated by careful and credible historians, that more than fifty millions of the human family, have been slaughtered for the crime of heresy by popish persecutors, an average of
140
more than forty thousand religious murders for every year of the existence of
popery." "History of Romanism," pp. 541, 542. New York: 1871.
“In one word, the church of Rome has spent immense treasures and shed,
in murder, the blood of sixty-eight million and five hundred thousand of
the human race, to establish before the astonished and disgusted world,
her fixed determination to annihilate every claim set up by the human
family to liberty, and the right of unbounded freedom of conscience. Popery an enemy to civil liberty, 1836, pp. 104-105.
‘To sum up the whole, the Roman Catholic church has caused the ruin, and
destruction of a million and a half of Moors in Spain; nearly two millions of
Jews in Europe. In Mexico, and South America, including the islands
of Cuba and St. Domingo, fifteen millions of Indians, in 40 years, fell victims
to popery. And in Europe, and the East Indies, and in America, 50 millions
of Protestants, at least, have been murdered by it!” W. C. Brownlee, Letters in the Roman Catholic controversy, 1834, pp. 347-348.
This is just a brief historic window into the horrible murderous past of the “harlot”, as foretold in Bible Prophecy.
Rev 17:6
6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.
The satanic spiritual intoxication and captivity of religious and political institutions, in the name of God, have no limits in their implementation of evil. The indoctrinated loyal, patriotic and fickle ignorant masses under their institutionalized authorities, become enabled to commit the most horrendous atrocities to their fellow- men, even to their own families. Ignorance makes loyal spiritual captives.
“Even the Romanists themselves shame you in their clear-sighted comprehension of the issues of this question. Cardinal Manning says, "The Catholic Church is either the masterpiece of Satan or the kingdom of the Son of God." Cardinal Newman says, "A sacerdotal order is historically the essence of the Church of
141
“In one word, the church of Rome has spent immense treasures and shed,
in murder, the blood of sixty-eight million and five hundred thousand of
the human race, to establish before the astonished and disgusted world,
her fixed determination to annihilate every claim set up by the human
family to liberty, and the right of unbounded freedom of conscience. Popery an enemy to civil liberty, 1836, pp. 104-105.
‘To sum up the whole, the Roman Catholic church has caused the ruin, and
destruction of a million and a half of Moors in Spain; nearly two millions of
Jews in Europe. In Mexico, and South America, including the islands
of Cuba and St. Domingo, fifteen millions of Indians, in 40 years, fell victims
to popery. And in Europe, and the East Indies, and in America, 50 millions
of Protestants, at least, have been murdered by it!” W. C. Brownlee, Letters in the Roman Catholic controversy, 1834, pp. 347-348.
This is just a brief historic window into the horrible murderous past of the “harlot”, as foretold in Bible Prophecy.
Rev 17:6
6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.
The satanic spiritual intoxication and captivity of religious and political institutions, in the name of God, have no limits in their implementation of evil. The indoctrinated loyal, patriotic and fickle ignorant masses under their institutionalized authorities, become enabled to commit the most horrendous atrocities to their fellow- men, even to their own families. Ignorance makes loyal spiritual captives.
“Even the Romanists themselves shame you in their clear-sighted comprehension of the issues of this question. Cardinal Manning says, "The Catholic Church is either the masterpiece of Satan or the kingdom of the Son of God." Cardinal Newman says, "A sacerdotal order is historically the essence of the Church of
141
Rome; if not divinely appointed, it is doctrinally the essence of antichrist." In both
these statements, the issue is clear, and it is the same. Rome herself admits,
openly, that if she is not the very kingdom of Christ, she is that of antichrist. Rome
declares she is one or the other. She herself propounds and urges this solemn
alternative. You shrink from it, do you? I accept it. Conscience constrains me.
History compels me. The past, the awful past rises before me. I see THE GREAT
APOSTASY, I see the desolation of Christendom, I see the smoking rains, I see the
reign of monsters; I see those vice-gods, that Gregory VII, that Innocent III, that
Boniface VIII, that Alexander VI, that Gregory XIII, that Pius IX; I see their long
succession, I hear their insufferable blasphemies, I see their abominable lives; I
see them worshipped by blinded generations, bestowing hollow benedictions,
bartering lying indulgences, creating a paganized Christianity; I see their liveried
slaves, their shaven priests, their celibate confessors; I see the infamous
confessional, the mined women, the murdered innocents; I hear the lying
absolutions, the dying groans; I hear the cries of the victims; I hear the
anathemas, the curses, the thunders of the interdicts; I see the racks, the
dungeons, the stakes; I see that inhuman Inquisition, those fires of Smithfield,
those butcheries of St. Bartholomew, that Spanish armada, those unspeakable
dragonnades, that endless train of wars, that Romanism and the Reformation - H.
Grattan Guinness 69 dreadful multitude of massacres. I see it all, and in the name
of the ruin it has wrought in the Church and in the world, in the name of the truth
it has denied, the temple it has defiled, the God it has blasphemed, the souls it
has destroyed; in the name of the millions it has deluded, the millions it has
slaughtered, the millions it has damned; with holy confessors, with noble
reformers, with innumerable martyrs, with the saints of ages, I denounce it as the
masterpiece of Satan, as the body and soul and essence of antichrist.”
Romanism and the Reformation, Guinness p. 68-69
The Lord Himself identified the same spirit of harlotry in His time on earth:
Matt 7:15-16
15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them.
John 8:40,42-45
40 As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.
142
Romanism and the Reformation, Guinness p. 68-69
The Lord Himself identified the same spirit of harlotry in His time on earth:
Matt 7:15-16
15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them.
John 8:40,42-45
40 As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.
142
42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came
from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. 43 Why
is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's
desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there
is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and
the father of lies.
They murdered the Son of God, and they murdered Him countless times over, when they murdered Him in His children.
Matt 25:40
40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' - OR TO ME.
Prohibition of bible possession and reading:
They murdered the Son of God, and they murdered Him countless times over, when they murdered Him in His children.
Matt 25:40
40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' - OR TO ME.
Prohibition of bible possession and reading:
It is only in the beginning of the last five hundred years that we meet with a
general law of the Church
concerning the reading of the Bible in the vernacular.
On 24 March, 1564, Pius IV promulgated in his Constitution, "Dominici gregis", the
Index of Prohibited Books. According to the third rule, the Old Testament may be
read in the vernacular by pious and learned men, according to the judgment of
the bishop, as a help to the better understanding of the Vulgate. The fourth rule
places in the hands of the bishop or the inquisitor the power of allowing the
reading of the New Testament in the vernacular to laymen who according to the
judgment of their confessor or their pastor can profit by this practice. Sixtus
V reserved this power to himself or the Sacred Congregation of the Index,
and Clement VIII added this restriction to the fourth rule of the Index, by way of
appendix. Benedict XIV required that the vernacular version read
by laymen should be either approved by the Holy See or provided with notes
taken from the writings of the Fathers or of learned and pious authors. It then
became an open question whether this order of Benedict XIV was intended to
supersede the former legislation or to further restrict it. This doubt was not
removed by the next three documents: the condemnation of certain errors of
the Jansenist Quesnel as to the necessity of reading the Bible, by
the Bull "Unigenitus "issued by Clement XI on 8 Sept., 1713 (cf. Denzinger, "Enchir.", nn.
143
1294-1300); the condemnation of the same teaching maintained in the Synod of
Pistoia, by the Bull "Auctorem fidei" issued on 28 Aug., 1794, by Pius VI; the
warning against allowing the laity indiscriminately to read the Scriptures in the
vernacular, addressed to the Bishop of Mohileff by Pius VII, on 3 Sept., 1816.
Catholic Encyclopedia, art. Scripture.
Pope Innocent III stated in 1199 : ... to be reproved are those who translate into
French the Gospels, the letters of Paul, the psalter, etc. They are moved by a
|
certain love of Scripture in order to explain them clandestinely and to preach
them to one another. The mysteries of the faith are not to be explained rashly to
anyone. Usually in fact, they cannot be understood by everyone but only by those
who are qualified to understand them with informed intelligence. The depth of
the divine Scriptures is such that not only the illiterate and uninitiated have
difficulty understanding them, but also the educated and the gifted. (Denzinger-Schönmetzer, Enchiridion Symbolorum 770-771) |
The Council of Toulouse-1229, which met in November of 1229, about the time of
the crusade against the Albigensians, set up a special ecclesiastical tribunal, or
court, known as the Inquisition (Lat. inquisitio, an inquiry), to search out and try
heretics. Twenty of the forty-five articles decreed by the Council dealt with
heretics and heresy. It ruled in part: Canon 1. “We appoint, therefore, that the
archbishops and bishops shall swear in one priest, and two or three laymen of
good report, or more if they think fit, in every parish, both in and out of cities,
who shall diligently, faithfully, and frequently seek out the heretics in those
parishes, by searching all houses and subterranean chambers which lie under
suspicion. And looking out for appendages or outbuildings, in the roofs
themselves, or any other kind of hiding places, all which we direct to be
destroyed.”
Canon 6. Directs that the house in which any heretic shall be found shall be destroyed.
Canon 14. “We prohibit also that the laity should be permitted to have the books of the Old or New Testament; unless anyone from motive of devotion should wish to have the Psalter or the Breviary for divine offices or the hours of the blessed Virgin; but we most strictly forbid their having any translation of these books.”
144
Canon 6. Directs that the house in which any heretic shall be found shall be destroyed.
Canon 14. “We prohibit also that the laity should be permitted to have the books of the Old or New Testament; unless anyone from motive of devotion should wish to have the Psalter or the Breviary for divine offices or the hours of the blessed Virgin; but we most strictly forbid their having any translation of these books.”
144
Source: Heresy and Authority in Medieval Europe, Edited with an introduction by Edward Peters, Scolar Press,
London, copyright 1980 by Edward Peters, ISBN 0-85967-621-8, pp. 194-195, citing S. R. Maitland, Facts and
Documents [illustrative of the history, doctrine and rites, of the ancient Albigenses & Waldenses], London,
Rivington, 1832, pp. 192-194.
1234 Council of Tarragona: “Laity is prohibited to own the old and new testament
in Romaic language. Any such books have to be turned in to the local bishops to
be burned.”
1246 Synod of Beziers: “No lay person or priest can own theological literature in
their own language.”
1486 Bishop of Mainz: “Prohibits the printing of biblical books in German under
the punishment of excommunication.
1564 Council of Trient : “Prohibits to read the catholic bible translation without a
written permission.
1852 In Florenz, the protestant Francesco Madai, received 4 years and 8 month
jail sentence for reading and distributing the scripture.
1713 Pope Clemens XI in his bull “Unigentius” condemned the reading of the bible
as wrong, deceptive, troubling and dangerous.
1794 Pope Pius VI in his bull “Auctorem Fidei” pronounced the reading of the
bible as false, unwise, for pious ears offensive and for the church a disgraceful
teaching.
1816 Pope Pius VII in his “Breve” to the bishop of Gnesen, wrote about the Bible
Societies as “the most deceptive invention, a pestilence to be eliminated”
1824 Pope Leo XII in his encyclical, called the Bible Societies, “corrupting snares”
Pope Pius XIII called them: “The most dangerous of all infectious
Pestilences.”
1844 Pope Gregor XVI in his encyclical against the Bible Societies, ordered priests:
“To tear the translated bibles out of the hands of believers.”
1864 Pope Pius IX in his Syllabus P4 called the: “Insidious Bible Societies pests
infectious diseases,” He ordered 3000 New Testaments to be burned.
Ignorance makes loyal spiritual captives.
Renaissance: 1300- 1600.
“The Renaissance began in the 14th century in Florence, Italy.
The Renaissance was a fervent period of European cultural, artistic, political and
economic “rebirth” following the Middle Ages. Generally described as taking place
from the 14th century to the 17th century, the Renaissance promoted the
rediscovery of classical philosophy, literature and art.
145
The Renaissance spread ideas of humanism. ... Humanism, then, set the stage for
the Protestant idea that people could interact with and understand God by
themselves. Second, the technological advances of
the Renaissance helped lead to the invention of the printing press.
Although the Renaissance saw revolutions in many intellectual pursuits, as well as
social and political upheaval, it is perhaps best known for its artistic developments
and the contributions of such polymaths as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo,
who inspired the term "Renaissance man".
In the revival of neo-Platonism Renaissance humanists did not reject Christianity;
quite the contrary, many of the Renaissance's greatest works were devoted to it.
However, a subtle shift took place in the way that intellectuals approached
religion that was reflected in many other areas of cultural life.”
This new engagement with Greek Christian works, and particularly the return to
the original Greek of the New Testament promoted by humanists Lorenzo
Valla and Erasmus, would help pave the way for the Protestant Reformation.”
Wikipedia
The Reformation: The sixteenth century.
If you look for truth, you will never find it in the majority.
The extreme mind captivity by “mother Babylon” - the Catholic hierarchy, their oppression and persecution of progressive thinkers had reached a boiling point. Truth loving scientists, educators, philosophers, politicians and theologians were ready to break out of the “Babylonian captivity”. Some took some of the inherited traits from their “mother harlot” with them and became her “daughter harlots” when they organized their partly reformed churches.
Historians usually write about major events in the public arena, while God’s children, the “Virgin”, always a nameless minority, lived in obscurity, the “wilderness” through Christ in God, persecuted and martyred, but never defeated, because all the power of heaven was with them every day, as promised. He prepared their place and sustenance. Rev. 12:6,14.
If you look for truth, you will never find it in the majority.
The extreme mind captivity by “mother Babylon” - the Catholic hierarchy, their oppression and persecution of progressive thinkers had reached a boiling point. Truth loving scientists, educators, philosophers, politicians and theologians were ready to break out of the “Babylonian captivity”. Some took some of the inherited traits from their “mother harlot” with them and became her “daughter harlots” when they organized their partly reformed churches.
Historians usually write about major events in the public arena, while God’s children, the “Virgin”, always a nameless minority, lived in obscurity, the “wilderness” through Christ in God, persecuted and martyred, but never defeated, because all the power of heaven was with them every day, as promised. He prepared their place and sustenance. Rev. 12:6,14.
Children
of God have always been reformed, transformed and conformed in the
whole will of God. They are identified in God’s Revelation.:
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Rev 14:12
12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's
commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.
Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Reformation of religious establishments is close to impossible. If one is well
established and has become popular, it is impossible. Leaders who have become
economically successful and comfortable in managing their organizations,
consider a potential reformer an adversary that needs to be denounced, silenced
and eliminated. God sent frequently prophets to bring reformation to His people.
The establishment hated and killed them. Then the Son of God, the incarnated
Love, Truth and Life for the world arrived. He tried to free them from Satan’s
spiritual captivity and bring them home to the loving Father, who desires to give
them their citizenship to His Eternal Kingdom. The establishment rejected,
persecuted and killed Him. He made this universal diagnosis about religious
establishments and their chances to consider reformation:
Matt 9:16-17
16 "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will
pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. 17 Neither do men pour new
wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and
the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and
both are preserved."
John 5:43-44
I come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else
comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe if you accept
praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from
the only God?
“The Reformation is usually considered to have started with the publication of
the Ninety-five Theses by Martin Luther in 1517... but earlier reformers such
as Arnold of Brescia, Peter Waldo, Jan Hus, Tomáš Štítný ze Štítného, John
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Wycliffe, and Girolamo Savonarola,” some of whom were martyred, had laid
important groundwork” wikipedia.
The Protestant Reformation was a major 16th century European movement
aimed initially at reforming the beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic
Church. Its religious aspects were supplemented by ambitious political rulers who
wanted to extend their power and control.
Some of the German nobility saw the reformation as an opportunity to escape
from the papal oppression.
“Different reformers arose more or less independently of Luther in 1518 (for
example Andreas Karlstadt, Philip Melanchthon, Erhard Schnepf, Johannes
Brenz and Martin Bucer), In 1519 (for example Huldrych Zwingli, Nikolaus von
Amsdorf, Ulrich von Hutten) and so on.” Wikipedia.
God’s Spirit began to enlighten the world again with His Good News of love peace
and freedom to humanity. Luther’s translation of the Word of God, from the
Greek text into the common German language, soon flooded the minds of
Christians who loved God and His truth. Also, Tyndale’s English translation of the
Bible provided Christ’s invitation to every individual personally:
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matt 11:28-30
“Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." John 14:6-7
This truth was at the heart of the reformation. You do not need a church or priest to communicate with your heavenly Father, He Himself loves you personally and is delighted to commune with you through His Word, enlightened by His Spirit. What would you think of an “official” that tells you: “You cannot come and communicate with your earthly father personally; you can only do it through my mediation”? Would you not say that he is ridiculous or much more? : I am his son and I know my father; he loves me and he is always there for me; I just talked with him.”
Only in Jesus do we have the true revelation of our spiritual Father. He is the only mediator:
148
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matt 11:28-30
“Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." John 14:6-7
This truth was at the heart of the reformation. You do not need a church or priest to communicate with your heavenly Father, He Himself loves you personally and is delighted to commune with you through His Word, enlightened by His Spirit. What would you think of an “official” that tells you: “You cannot come and communicate with your earthly father personally; you can only do it through my mediation”? Would you not say that he is ridiculous or much more? : I am his son and I know my father; he loves me and he is always there for me; I just talked with him.”
Only in Jesus do we have the true revelation of our spiritual Father. He is the only mediator:
148
1.Tim 2:5
For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ
Jesus.
John 16:26-27
“I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you. “
Another important principle that needed to be established in the reformation was:
“The origin and foundation of our faith.”
History is the document, that religion, without God, transformed humanity into horrendous mass murderers in the name of God. It was Satan’s favored tool for deception and destruction. And is shameful to see, that the so called Christian nations have done more bloodshed than all the others combined. Catholics against Protestants, even Catholics against Catholics and Protestants against Protestants; reformers against reformers.
Christ taught, that by their fruits, actions, you will know if they are God’s or Satan’s children.
John 8:42-45
Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
It became evident that the dismal church history indicated that their origin and foundation of faith was not inspired by the holy spirit, but by the spirit of their evil master. Jesus taught us how to diagnose the spirits correctly: “Thus, by their fruit [by what they do] you will recognize them.” Matt.7:20.
“Different reformers arose more or less independently of Luther. In 1518 (for example Andreas Karlstadt, Philip Melanchthon, Erhard Schnepf, Johannes Brenz and Martin Bucer). In 1519 Huldrych Zwingli, Nikolaus von Amsdorf, Ulrich von
149
For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ
Jesus.
John 16:26-27
“I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you. “
Another important principle that needed to be established in the reformation was:
“The origin and foundation of our faith.”
History is the document, that religion, without God, transformed humanity into horrendous mass murderers in the name of God. It was Satan’s favored tool for deception and destruction. And is shameful to see, that the so called Christian nations have done more bloodshed than all the others combined. Catholics against Protestants, even Catholics against Catholics and Protestants against Protestants; reformers against reformers.
Christ taught, that by their fruits, actions, you will know if they are God’s or Satan’s children.
John 8:42-45
Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
It became evident that the dismal church history indicated that their origin and foundation of faith was not inspired by the holy spirit, but by the spirit of their evil master. Jesus taught us how to diagnose the spirits correctly: “Thus, by their fruit [by what they do] you will recognize them.” Matt.7:20.
“Different reformers arose more or less independently of Luther. In 1518 (for example Andreas Karlstadt, Philip Melanchthon, Erhard Schnepf, Johannes Brenz and Martin Bucer). In 1519 Huldrych Zwingli, Nikolaus von Amsdorf, Ulrich von
149
Hutten) and so on. Many different denominations had their ruts in the early
protestant Reformation”. Wikipedia.
The Catholic church claimed that their beliefs are based on scripture and church tradition. This led to practices that are in opposition to scripture, which gave rise to the reformation.
Protestants stated that our faith originates in God and is based on His word only. “The Scripture only”. In theory, this was the best foundation, but in practice, it looked quite different.
The Catholic hierarchy freely claimed that they had authority from God to even change His laws, so they did not need to justify their discrepancies with the Word of God. But the Lutheran reformers did. Here are a few examples:
During the Catholic counter reformation debates of the 17 th session at the council of Trent 1545 to 1563 the Catholics embarrassed the Protestants by proving that they did not really believe in their fundamental doctrine of “Scripture only”, because they had adopted Catholic Traditions.
On Jan. 18- 1562, the Archbishop of Reggio Gaspar de Fosso, made the following
speech before the debating assembly:
“The Protestants claim to stand on the written word only. They profess to hold
the Scripture alone as the standard of faith. They justify their revolt by the plea
that the Church has apostatized from the written word and follow tradition. Now
the Protestants claim, that they stand upon the written word only, is not true.
Their profession of holding the Scripture as the standard of faith, is false. PROOF:
The written word explicitly enjoins the observance of the seventh day as the
Sabbath. They do not observe the Sabbath day, but reject it. If they do truly hold
the Scripture alone as their standard, they would be observing the seventh day as
is enjoined in the Scripture throughout. Yet they not only reject the observance of
the Sabbath enjoined in the written word, but they have adopted and do practice
the observance of Sunday, for which they have only the tradition of the Church.
Consequently, the claim of “Scripture alone as the standard” fails, and the
doctrine of “Scripture and Tradition” as essential, is fully established, the
Protestants themselves being judges.” J. H. Holtzman Cannon and Tradition”P.263 and in Mansi SC, Vol 33, cols.529,530. Latin.
Luther retained the unbiblical Catholic tradition of keeping Sunday as their day for rest and worship, for which there is no support in Scripture.
150
The Catholic church claimed that their beliefs are based on scripture and church tradition. This led to practices that are in opposition to scripture, which gave rise to the reformation.
Protestants stated that our faith originates in God and is based on His word only. “The Scripture only”. In theory, this was the best foundation, but in practice, it looked quite different.
The Catholic hierarchy freely claimed that they had authority from God to even change His laws, so they did not need to justify their discrepancies with the Word of God. But the Lutheran reformers did. Here are a few examples:
During the Catholic counter reformation debates of the 17 th session at the council of Trent 1545 to 1563 the Catholics embarrassed the Protestants by proving that they did not really believe in their fundamental doctrine of “Scripture only”, because they had adopted Catholic Traditions.
On Jan. 18- 1562, the Archbishop of Reggio Gaspar de Fosso, made the following
speech before the debating assembly:
“The Protestants claim to stand on the written word only. They profess to hold
the Scripture alone as the standard of faith. They justify their revolt by the plea
that the Church has apostatized from the written word and follow tradition. Now
the Protestants claim, that they stand upon the written word only, is not true.
Their profession of holding the Scripture as the standard of faith, is false. PROOF:
The written word explicitly enjoins the observance of the seventh day as the
Sabbath. They do not observe the Sabbath day, but reject it. If they do truly hold
the Scripture alone as their standard, they would be observing the seventh day as
is enjoined in the Scripture throughout. Yet they not only reject the observance of
the Sabbath enjoined in the written word, but they have adopted and do practice
the observance of Sunday, for which they have only the tradition of the Church.
Consequently, the claim of “Scripture alone as the standard” fails, and the
doctrine of “Scripture and Tradition” as essential, is fully established, the
Protestants themselves being judges.” J. H. Holtzman Cannon and Tradition”P.263 and in Mansi SC, Vol 33, cols.529,530. Latin.
Luther retained the unbiblical Catholic tradition of keeping Sunday as their day for rest and worship, for which there is no support in Scripture.
150
For more information on this subject, please see my blog: article “God is Love. Do
you love Him.”
Luther also retained the Catholic interpretation regarding the Eucharist, that the bread is literally transformed into the real flesh of Christ’s body. Catholics believe that it is not necessary to serve the blood [wine] since blood is already contained in the flesh. Luther taught, that it is necessary to also serve the wine [blood] in the communion service.
Other reformers taught, that the flesh and blood are symbolic of “Christ’s Whole Being,” the “Word that became Flesh”, that every disciple would imbibe and consume, to be transformed into His image. based on the Master’s interpretation:
John 6:56,61,63
56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him
61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them,
63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
Matt 4:4
4 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
Luther also retained the Catholic interpretation regarding the Eucharist, that the bread is literally transformed into the real flesh of Christ’s body. Catholics believe that it is not necessary to serve the blood [wine] since blood is already contained in the flesh. Luther taught, that it is necessary to also serve the wine [blood] in the communion service.
Other reformers taught, that the flesh and blood are symbolic of “Christ’s Whole Being,” the “Word that became Flesh”, that every disciple would imbibe and consume, to be transformed into His image. based on the Master’s interpretation:
John 6:56,61,63
56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him
61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them,
63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
Matt 4:4
4 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
“But in Luther’s mind, Karlstadt’s views of the Lord’s Supper were picked up by
Zwingli and ultimately stimulated the Sacramentarian Controversy. (In later years,
Luther would link Karlstadt and Zwingli as willful liars, “sect leaders,” and “novices
in the sacred Scriptures.”)
In November 1524 Luther read a copy of a letter in which Zwingli said he admired
Karlstadt’s boldness on the subject of the Eucharist. Zwingli agreed with Karlstadt
that the bread and wine were symbols, and in March 1525, he published
a Commentary on True and False Religion, declaring that Christ was not physically
present in the bread and wine.
The Lutheran reformers soon responded, and the battle was joined.
Karlstadt anticipated many Anabaptist and Baptist ideas of the 1500s and 1600s.
He rejected infant baptism, stressed the need for an adult conversion experience,
declared the parity of laity and clergy, embraced congregational church polity,
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and viewed the Lord’s Supper as a memorial service. He wanted to return to the
beliefs and practices of primitive Christianity.
Luther had also adopted the Catholic Tradition of infant baptism:
“But the act or ceremony is this, that we are sunk under the water, which passes
over us, and afterwards are drawn out again. These two parts, to be sunk under
the water and drawn out again, signify the power and operation of Baptism,
which is nothing else than putting to death the old Adam, and after that the
resurrection of the new man, both of which must take place in us all our lives, so
that a truly Christian life is nothing else than a daily baptism, once begun and ever
to be continued. For this must be practised without ceasing, that we ever keep
purging away whatever is of the old Adam, and that that which belongs to the
new man come forth. But what is the old man? It is that which is born in us from
Adam, angry, hateful, envious, unchaste, stingy, lazy, haughty, yea, unbelieving,
infected with all vices, and having by nature nothing good in it. Now, when we are
come into the kingdom of Christ, these things must daily decrease, that the longer
we live we become more gentle, more patient more meek, and ever withdraw
more and more from unbelief, avarice, hatred, envy, haughtiness.
A young child has no special vice; but when it grows up, it becomes unchaste and
impure, and when it reaches maturity real vices begin to prevail the longer, the
more.”
The large Catechism by Martin Luther “Baptism”
“The second part of baptism is the sign, or sacrament, which is that immersion in
water from which it derives its name, for the Greek ‘baptizo’ means ‘I immerse,’
and ‘baptisma’ means, ‘immersion'” (186). “It is therefore indeed correct to say
that baptism is a washing away of sins, but the expression is too mild and weak to
bring out the full significance of baptism, which is rather a symbol of death and
resurrection. For this reason I would have those who are to be baptized
completely immersed in the water, as the word says and as the mystery indicates.
Not because I deem this necessary, [!!!] but because it would be well to give to a
thing so perfect and complete a sign that is also complete and perfect. And this is
doubtless the way in which it was instituted by Christ. The sinner does not so
much need to be washed as he needs to die, in order to be wholly renewed and
made another creature, and to be conformed to the death and resurrection of
Christ, with whom he dies and rises again through baptism” (191). “Baptism
swallowed up your whole body and gave it forth again”
152
“The Babylonian Captivity of the Church” By Martin Luther.
Luther had a rather clear theoretical understanding about the meaning of Biblical
baptism. And yet he retained the Catholic practice of infant baptism, which he
tried to defend. Reformers that urged for the continuation of the reformation, he
denounced, and urged the government to outlaw and administer corporal
punishment on Anabaptists.
The formerly persecuted Protestant reformers became the persecutors of the
new reformers. But despite men’s fickle nature between zeal and fear, purity and
compromise, humility while being rejected and persecuted and proud when
honored for accomplishments, reformation never stopped. Light will banish
darkness and truth and life will triumph over error and death, because it is the
work of God.
The Anabaptists and Baptists:
Luther had cast his lot with the princes and adopted the state-church model for
his reform. Luther looked to the German princes both for protection and
direction. This decision set Luther and other reformers, like the Anabaptists,
against one another.
In his Exposition of Psalm 82 and in 1531 in his concurrence with Melanchthon he
|
said that heretics (Anabaptists) should be condemned even without trial and
process of law. Even if the potentate acts too hastily, he is still
right (WA 31, 1, p. 309 Corp. Ref. IV, 740). |
Luther had become the celebrated reformation hero by many German princes. He
promoted only his version of the unfinished protestant reformation to become
the State Religion. All others were outlawed, branded as extremists and heretics.
153
Commitment to a believers community allowed Anabaptists to reshape basic
|
Christian beliefs and practices. Anabaptists emphasized baptism based on adult
|
confessions of faith, instead of infant baptism. Church leaders were chosen from
|
within the community of believers instead of being appointed by church hierarchies,
|
or by state officials. Reforms were based on the church community’s reading of
|
scripture, rather than based on what was politically expedient and approved by
|
princes. Church discipline and social shunning replaced trials and executions of those
|
with whom they disagreed.
|
To evaluate the exact nature of this diverse group is difficult since they were
hunted, their works destroyed wherever possible and their theologically trained
leaders systematically eliminated by whatever authorities, Catholic or Protestant,
apprehended them. They left relatively few writings to posterity and, as historians
of their day tended to be quite provincial, they were often misrepresented and
greatly misunderstood.
Beliefs of Anabaptists: |
Common Anabaptist beliefs and practices of the 16th century continue to
influence modern Christianity and Western society.
|
▪ Voluntarychurchmembershipandbeliever'sbaptism
▪ Freedomofreligion–libertyofconscience
▪ Separationofchurchandstate
▪ Separation or nonconformity to the world
▪ Nonresistance, in modernized groups interpreted as pacifism ▪ Priesthood of all believers
▪ Freedomofreligion–libertyofconscience
▪ Separationofchurchandstate
▪ Separation or nonconformity to the world
▪ Nonresistance, in modernized groups interpreted as pacifism ▪ Priesthood of all believers
The Anabaptists were early promoters of a free church and freedom of religion
(sometimes associated with separation of church and state). When it was
introduced by the Anabaptists in the 15th and 16th centuries, religious freedom
independent of the state was unthinkable to both clerical and governmental
leaders. Religious liberty was equated with anarchy. Wikipedia
Luther's famous official opinion of 1531 in cooperation with the Wittenberg
theologians. (Corp. Ref. IV, 737 ff.).
154
John of Saxony had requested an opinion of the theological faculty as a whole
and of Luther in particular. The opinion was formulated by Melanchthon, but
Luther added the words "I approve," and expressly sanctioned the executions of
heretics. [Catholics were not included in the list of heretics]
Anabaptists in the 16th century were persecuted by both Protestants and
Catholics. In 1529, at the Diet of Speyer, the Anabaptist Mandate reanimated the
old Codex Justinianus
, which declared that anyone who rejected infant baptism
would be put to death.
Anabaptism was made a capital crime. Prices were set on the heads of
Anabaptists. To give them food and shelter was made a crime. The duke of
Bavaria, in 1527, gave orders that the imprisoned Anabaptists should be burned at
the stake — unless they recanted, in which case they should be
beheaded. In Catholic countries, the Anabaptists, as a rule, were executed by burning at the stake; in Lutheran and Zwinglian states, Anabaptists were generally executed by beheading or drowning. Thousands sealed their faith with their blood.
Many emigrated eventually to North America, were the Baptist denomination became the most popular church.
Andreas Rudolph Bodenstein von Karlstadt:
beheaded. In Catholic countries, the Anabaptists, as a rule, were executed by burning at the stake; in Lutheran and Zwinglian states, Anabaptists were generally executed by beheading or drowning. Thousands sealed their faith with their blood.
Many emigrated eventually to North America, were the Baptist denomination became the most popular church.
Andreas Rudolph Bodenstein von Karlstadt:
The Amish, Hutterites, and Mennonites are direct descendants of the early
Anabaptist movement. [Wikipedia]
“Karlstadt received his doctorate of theology in 1510 from the University of
Wittenberg
he became archdeacon and the chair of the theology department. In
1511 he became chancellor of the Wittenberg university. In 1512 he
awarded Martin Luther his doctorate. From 1515–16, he studied in Rome, where
he obtained two doctor degrees in canon and civil law
155
Karlstadt was a close associate of Martin Luther and one of the earliest Protestant
Reformers.
On 15 June 1520 Pope Leo X issued the papal bull Exsurge Domine that
threatened Luther and Karlstadt with excommunication, and condemned several
of their theses. Both reformers remained steadfast, and excommunication
followed in 1521 in the papal bull Decet Romanum Pontificem.[2]
Karlstadt was a church reformer pretty much in his own right and after coming in
conflict with Luther, he switched his allegiance from Lutheran to
the Reformed camp. Luther said that he was convinced that Karlstadt had
revolutionary tendencies, despite the fact that Karlstadt had all along rejected
violence in the name of religion,
He, and some of the other reformers, did consider the reformation to be the
Work of God; so, they did not worry about what the princes would approve or
not, nor did they consult with them. They longed for their Master’s approval and
to do His Will. If rejection and persecution was their future, they knew and
believed the word of their Lord:
Matt 24:9-14
9 "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
Matt 5:11-12
11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
156
Matt 24:9-14
9 "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
Matt 5:11-12
11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
156
“From Spring 1524, Luther started to campaign against Karlstadt, denying his right
to publish and preach without Luther's authorization. In June, Karlstadt resigned
as archdeacon. In July, Luther published the Letter to the Saxon Princes, in which
he argued that Thomas Müntzer and Karlstadt agreed, and were both dangerous
sectarians with revolutionary tendencies.
He continued wearing peasants' clothing, asked to be called "Brother Andreas,"
and became disillusioned with academic life. In fact, he renounced his three
doctoral degrees.”
Luther said that he was convinced that Karlstadt had revolutionary tendencies,
despite the fact that Karlstadt had all along rejected violence in the name of
religion.
In September 1524 Karlstadt was exiled from Saxony by Frederick the
Wise and George, Duke of Saxony. Luther also wrote against Karlstadt in his
1526 The Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ—Against the Fanatics.
Fleeing Saxony, Karlstadt served as a minister in Switzerland
in Altstätten and Zürich. [2] In 1534, he went to Basel as minister of the university
church and Professor of Hebrew and Dean of the university. He remained in Basel
until he died of the plague on 24 December 1541. [Wikipedia]
Thomas Muntzer:
In June 1519, Müntzer attended the disputation in Leipzig between the reformers
of Wittenberg (Luther, Karlstadt, and Philip Melanchthon) and the Catholic
Church hierarchy (represented by Johann Eck). This was one of the high points of
the early Reformation.
Müntzer was preaching his version of the reformed doctrines, and delivering the
standard church services and masses in German. Such was the popularity of his
preaching and the novelty of hearing services in German that people from the
surrounding countryside and towns were soon flocking to Allstedt. Some reports
suggest that upwards of two thousand people were on the move every Sunday.
Luther did not hold back: he published his Letter to the Princes of Saxony about
the Rebellious Spirit demanding the radical's banishment from Saxony.
Muntzer’s anti-Lutheran pamphlet A Highly Provoked Vindication and Refutation
of the unspiritual soft-living flesh in Wittenberg,[19]
So, to expect visions and to receive them while in tribulation and suffering, is in
the true spirit of the apostles, the patriarchs, and the prophets. Hence it is no
wonder that Brother Fatted Pig and Brother Soft Life (i.e. Luther) reject them. But
when one has not yet heard the clear word of God in the soul, one has to have
visions.[27]
157
During the last two years of his life, Müntzer had come into contact with a
number of other radicals; prominent amongst them were Hans Hut, Hans
Denck, Melchior Rinck, Hans Römer, and Balthasar Hubmaier. All of them were
leaders of the emerging Anabaptist movement, which nurtured similar reformed
doctrines to those of Müntzer himself
.
However, it is clear that Luther considered
that Müntzer was moving ahead too fast, and correspondence (now missing) from
Wittenberg seems to have contained explicit criticisms of his activities. By March
1522, Müntzer was writing to Melanchthon in Wittenberg, warning that "our
most beloved Martin acts ignorantly because he does not want to offend the little
ones... Dear brothers, leave your dallying, the time has come! Do not delay,
summer is at the door. ... Do not flatter your princes, otherwise you will live to
see your undoing."[
Muntzer was hated and persecuted by Catholics and some protestants. Finally,
tortured and executed, because he dared to speak against the social injustice that
enslaved the general population, the pheasants.
Peasants War. A rebellion that lasted from 1524 to 1525 in German-speaking domains
of the Holy Roman Empire. The revolt originated in opposition to the heavy burdens of
taxes and duties on the German serfs, who had no legal rights and no opportunity to
improve their lot. The "great tithe" was assessed by the Catholic Church against the
peasant's wheat crop and the peasant's vine crops. The great tithe often
amounted to more than 10% of the peasant's income.[46]) The Twelve Articles also
demanded the abolition of the "small tithe" which was assessed against the
peasant's other crops.
It failed because of the intense opposition by the aristocracy, who slaughtered up
to 100,000 of the 300,000 poorly armed peasants and farmers.[1] The survivors
were fined and achieved few, if any, of their goals. Radical
Reformers and Anabaptists, most famously Thomas Müntzer, instigated and
supported the revolt. In contrast, Martin Luther
and other Magisterial
Reformers condemned it and clearly sided with the nobles. In Against the
Murderous, Thieving Hordes of Peasants, Luther condemned the violence as the
devil's work and called for the nobles to put down the rebels like mad
dogs.[3] Wikipedia
These are the 12 requests of the peasants from their government:
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158
1. “Everymunicipalityshallhavetherighttoelectandremoveapreacherifhebehaves
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improperly. The preacher shall preach the gospel simply, straight and clearly without any
human amendment, for, it is written, that we can only come to God by true belief.
|
2. Thepreachersshallbepaidfromthegreattithe.Apotentialsurplusshallbeusedtopayfor
the poor and the war tax. The small tithe shall be dismissed, for it has been trumped-up by
humans, for the Lord, our master, has created the cattle free for mankind.
3. Ithasbeenpracticesofar,thatwehavebeenheldasvillein,whichispitiful,giventhatChrist redeemed all of us with his precious bloodshed, the shepherd as well as the highest, no one excluded. Therefore, it is devised by the scripture, that we are and that we want to be free. 4. ItisunfraternalandnotinaccordancewiththewordofGodthatthesimplemandoesnot have the right to catch game, fowls, and fish. For, when God our master created man, he gave him power over all animals, the bird in the air and the fish in the water. 5. Thehighgentlemenhavetakensolepossessionofthewoods.Ifthepoormanneeds something, he has to buy it for double money. Therefore, all the woods that were not bought |
(relates to former community woods, which many rulers had simply appropriated) shall be
given back to the municipality so that anybody can satisfy his needs for timber and firewood
thereof.
6. Thematterofexcessiveservicesdemandedofusshouldbeproperlylookedintoasweare only required to serve according to God 7. Thenobilityshallnotforcemoreservicesorduesfromthepeasantwithoutpayment.The peasant should help the lord when it is necessary and at proper times. 8. Manypropertiesarenotworththerentdemanded.Honestmenshallinspecttheseproperties and fix a rent in accordance with justice 9. Thereareconstantlynewlawsbeingmade.Onedoesnotpunishaccordingtotheoffence but at discretion (raising fines and arbitrary punishment was common). It is our opinion that we shall be judged according to the case's merits, and not with partiality 10.Several have appropriated meadows and acres (community land that was at the disposition of all members), that belong to the municipality. Those we want back to our common hands. 11.The “Todfall” (a sort of inheritance tax) shall be abolished altogether and never again shall widows and orphans be robbed contrary to God and honour. 12.It is our decision and final opinion that if one or several of the articles mentioned herein were not in accordance with the word of God, those we shall refrain from if it is explained to us on |
the basis of the scripture. If several articles were already granted to us and it emerged
afterwards that they were ill, they shall be dead and null. Likewise, we want to have
reserved that if even more articles are found in the writ that were against God and a
grievance to though neighbor”. Wikipedia
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Priesthood of all believers:
1 Peter 2:5.9
5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy
priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
159
1 Peter 2:5.9
5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy
priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
159
Derived from the theology of Martin Luther and William Tyndale, it became
prominent as a tenet of Protestant Christian doctrine, and the exact meaning of
the belief and its implications vary widely among denominations.[2]
Protestants believe that through Christ they have been given direct access to
God, just like a priest; thus the doctrine is called the priesthood of all believers.
God is equally accessible to all the faithful, and every Christian has equal potential
to minister for God. This doctrine stands in opposition to the concept of a spiritual
aristocracy or hierarchy within Christianity.
Neither Christ, nor His disciples named His fellowship or community:
Martin Luther, the great reformer and founder of the Lutheran church, said:
"I pray you to leave my name alone, and call not yourselves 'Lutherans,' but 'Christians.' Who is Luther? My doctrine is not mine. I have not been crucified for anyone. St. Paul would not permit that any should call themselves of Paul, nor of Peter but of Christ. How, then, does it befit me, a miserable bag of dust and ashes, to give my name to the children of Christ? Cease, my dear friends, to cling to these party names and distinctions; away with them all; let us call ourselves only 'Christians' after him from whom our doctrine comes."
("Life of Luther," by Stork, page 289.)
"I pray you to leave my name alone, and call not yourselves 'Lutherans,' but 'Christians.' Who is Luther? My doctrine is not mine. I have not been crucified for anyone. St. Paul would not permit that any should call themselves of Paul, nor of Peter but of Christ. How, then, does it befit me, a miserable bag of dust and ashes, to give my name to the children of Christ? Cease, my dear friends, to cling to these party names and distinctions; away with them all; let us call ourselves only 'Christians' after him from whom our doctrine comes."
("Life of Luther," by Stork, page 289.)
This was Luther’s conviction and communication during the early phase of the
reformation. What did the “Lutheran Church” do???
History shows us, that denominations that inherited administrative or doctrinal traits from “Mother Babylon,” have become her daughters and are in need of reformation.
The Enlightenment period: 1685-1815.
Thinkers resented the spiritual captivity and mind control by the Catholic hierarchy. Knowledge, the door to freedom began to crack open and no Pope, no persecution could close it again. Now ideas could develop into ideology and
160
History shows us, that denominations that inherited administrative or doctrinal traits from “Mother Babylon,” have become her daughters and are in need of reformation.
The Enlightenment period: 1685-1815.
Thinkers resented the spiritual captivity and mind control by the Catholic hierarchy. Knowledge, the door to freedom began to crack open and no Pope, no persecution could close it again. Now ideas could develop into ideology and
160
In his essay 'What Is Enlightenment?' (1784), the German philosopher
Immanuel Kant summed up the era's motto in the following terms: 'Dare to
know! Have courage to use your own reason!'
speedily shape a new Zeitgeist through the invention of the printing press. We see
here already the early beginning of the prophesied “sevens head” to form.
“European politics, philosophy, science and communications were radically
reoriented between 1685-1815 as part of a movement referred to by its
participants as the Age of Reason, or simply the Enlightenment.
Scientists, philosophers and educators questioned traditional authority and
embraced the notion that humanity could be improved through rational
change. The Enlightenment produced numerous books, essays, inventions,
scientific discoveries, laws, wars and revolutions. The American and French
Revolutions were directly inspired by Enlightenment ideals.
Francis Bacon, Thomas Hobbes, Renee Descartes and the key natural
philosophers of the Scientific Revolution, including Galileo, Kepler and
Leibniz.
Isaac Newton published his “Principia Mathematica” (1686)
and John Lockehis “Essay Concerning Human Understanding” (1689)—two
works that provided the scientific, mathematical and philosophical toolkit
for the Enlightenment’s major advances.
Enlightenment thinkers often had very different approaches. Locke differed
from Hume, Rousseau from Voltaire, Thomas Jefferson from Frederick the
Great. Their differences and disagreements, though, emerged out of the
common Enlightenment themes of rational questioning and belief in
progress through dialogue.”
“The signature publication of the period was Diderot’s “Encyclopédie”
(1751-77), which brought together leading authors to produce an ambitious
compilation of human knowledge.
Many of the enlightened would-be revolutionaries like Thomas Paine and
Thomas Jefferson, whose “Declaration of Independence” (1776) framed
the American Revolution in terms taken from of Locke’s essays.
The French Revolution of 1789 was the culmination of the High
Enlightenment vision of throwing out the old authorities to remake society
along rational lines.” Wikipedia
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The French Revolution: 1789-1798.
A watershed event in modern European history, the French Revolution began in 1789 and ended in the late 1790s with the ascent of Napoleon Bonaparte. During this period, French citizens razed and redesigned their country’s political landscape, uprooting centuries-old institutions such as absolute monarchy and the feudal system. Clerics, royalty and nobility formed the first and second estate, outvoting and overruling the 98% of the non-aristocratic members of the third estate.
The French Revolution was influenced by Enlightenment ideals, particularly the concepts of popular sovereignty and inalienable rights. “Freedom and Equality”. Freedom from the suppressive religious hierarchical power of the catholic church. Although it failed to achieve all its goals and at times degenerated into a chaotic bloodbath, the movement played a critical role in shaping modern nations by showing the world the power inherent in the will of the people.
As the 18th century drew to a close, France’s extravagant spending by King Louis XVI (1754-1793) and his predecessor had left the country on the brink of bankruptcy. Not only were the royal coffers depleted, but two decades of poor cereal harvests, drought, cattle disease and skyrocketing bread prices had kindled unrest among peasants and the urban poor. Many expressed their desperation and resentment toward a regime that imposed heavy taxes yet failed to provide relief by rioting, looting and striking.
Rioters stormed the Bastille fortress to secure gunpowder and weapons; many consider this event, now commemorated in France as a national holiday, as the start of the French Revolution. The wave of revolutionary fervor and widespread hysteria quickly swept the countryside. Revolting against years of exploitation, peasants looted and burned the homes of tax collectors, landlords and the seigniorial elite. Known as the Great Fear (“la Grande peur”), the agrarian insurrection hastened the growing exodus of nobles from the country and inspired the National Constituent Assembly to abolish feudalism on August 4, 1789, signing what the historian Georges Lefebvre later called the “death certificate of the old order.”
The political crisis took a radical turn when a group of insurgents led by the extremist Jacobins attacked the royal residence in Paris and arrested the king on
162
A watershed event in modern European history, the French Revolution began in 1789 and ended in the late 1790s with the ascent of Napoleon Bonaparte. During this period, French citizens razed and redesigned their country’s political landscape, uprooting centuries-old institutions such as absolute monarchy and the feudal system. Clerics, royalty and nobility formed the first and second estate, outvoting and overruling the 98% of the non-aristocratic members of the third estate.
The French Revolution was influenced by Enlightenment ideals, particularly the concepts of popular sovereignty and inalienable rights. “Freedom and Equality”. Freedom from the suppressive religious hierarchical power of the catholic church. Although it failed to achieve all its goals and at times degenerated into a chaotic bloodbath, the movement played a critical role in shaping modern nations by showing the world the power inherent in the will of the people.
As the 18th century drew to a close, France’s extravagant spending by King Louis XVI (1754-1793) and his predecessor had left the country on the brink of bankruptcy. Not only were the royal coffers depleted, but two decades of poor cereal harvests, drought, cattle disease and skyrocketing bread prices had kindled unrest among peasants and the urban poor. Many expressed their desperation and resentment toward a regime that imposed heavy taxes yet failed to provide relief by rioting, looting and striking.
Rioters stormed the Bastille fortress to secure gunpowder and weapons; many consider this event, now commemorated in France as a national holiday, as the start of the French Revolution. The wave of revolutionary fervor and widespread hysteria quickly swept the countryside. Revolting against years of exploitation, peasants looted and burned the homes of tax collectors, landlords and the seigniorial elite. Known as the Great Fear (“la Grande peur”), the agrarian insurrection hastened the growing exodus of nobles from the country and inspired the National Constituent Assembly to abolish feudalism on August 4, 1789, signing what the historian Georges Lefebvre later called the “death certificate of the old order.”
The political crisis took a radical turn when a group of insurgents led by the extremist Jacobins attacked the royal residence in Paris and arrested the king on
162
August 10, 1792. The following month, amid a wave of violence in which Parisian
insurrectionists massacred hundreds of accused counterrevolutionaries, the
Legislative Assembly was replaced by the National Convention, which proclaimed
the abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of the French republic. On
January 21, 1793, it sent King Louis XVI, condemned to death for high treason
and crimes against the state, to the guillotine; his wife Marie-Antoinette (1755-
1793) suffered the same fate nine months later.
Following the king’s execution, war with various European powers and intense divisions within the National Convention ushered the French Revolution into its most violent and turbulent phase. In June 1793, the Jacobins seized control of the National Convention from the more moderate Girondins and instituted a series of radical measures. They unleashed the bloody Reign of Terror (“la Terreur”), a 10-month period in which suspected enemies of the revolution were guillotined by the thousands. Many of the killings were carried out under orders from Robespierre, who dominated the draconian Committee of Public Safety until his own execution on July 28, 1794. His death marked the beginning of the Thermidorian Reaction, a moderate phase in which the French people revolted against the Reign of Terror’s excesses.
Following the king’s execution, war with various European powers and intense divisions within the National Convention ushered the French Revolution into its most violent and turbulent phase. In June 1793, the Jacobins seized control of the National Convention from the more moderate Girondins and instituted a series of radical measures. They unleashed the bloody Reign of Terror (“la Terreur”), a 10-month period in which suspected enemies of the revolution were guillotined by the thousands. Many of the killings were carried out under orders from Robespierre, who dominated the draconian Committee of Public Safety until his own execution on July 28, 1794. His death marked the beginning of the Thermidorian Reaction, a moderate phase in which the French people revolted against the Reign of Terror’s excesses.
On 2 November 1789, France’s new National Assembly, known as the Constituent
Assembly, passed a decree that placed all Church property ‘at the disposition of
|
the nation’. Church property rightfully belonged to the nation and that its return,
by helping to bring about a better society, should therefore be viewed as a
‘religious act’.
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The new French state had not only taken control of the Church’s revenue and
property, but, through such radical intervention, seemed to be redrawing the
boundaries between church and state. The Assembly decreed on 27 November
1790 that all clergy must take a public oath of loyalty to the Constitution or
surrender their salary and position. On April 6, 1792 it banned all forms of
religious dress, seeking to abolish this visible reminder of the ancient régime and
force people to see priests as ‘citizens like any others’. Laws of September 1793
and June 1794 targeting ‘enemies of liberty’ and ‘enemies of the people’ saw
mounting numbers of priests and nuns arrested and placed on trial. Their charges
included not only counter-revolution but ‘fanaticism’ and possession of items
used in the celebration of mass, again demonstrating the suspicion now attached
to religious worship. The Convention now considered Catholicism in any form
163
suspicious. From here sprung a movement referred to as ‘Dechristianization’,
which aimed to excise religion from French society. God was pronounced dead.
His word given to the terminating flames. The godless celebrated their imagined
freedom from His laws and moral standards. There was no sin, no guilt and no
accountability. They crowned the “Goddess of Reason,” who’s worshippers had
become extremely unreasonable. Constitutional priests were advised to abandon
the priesthood and were encouraged – or in some cases forced – to marry. Any
priest that continued to practice, whether constitutional or refractory, now faced
arrest and deportation. In October 1793, public worship was forbidden and over
the next few months all visible signs of Christianity were removed, a policy
pursued with particular enthusiasm by revolutionary armies eager to seek
revenge on the institution that harbored so many counter-revolutionaries. Church
bells were pulled down and melted, ostensibly to help the war effort, crosses
were taken from churches and cemeteries, and statues, relics and works of art
were seized and sometimes destroyed. On 23 November 1793, churches were
closed, to be converted into warehouses, manufacturing works or even stables.
Streets and other
public places bearing the names of saints were given new, often Republican
themed names, and time itself was recast to further repudiate France’s Christian
past. The Revolutionary calendar started with the advent of the French Republic
as Year 1. The names of its months reflected the seasons and its ten-day week
eliminated Sunday as a day of rest and worship. Although such measures were
unevenly applied, and in many cases met with considerable local opposition, they
reinforced the message that Christianity had no place in the Republic.
On August 22, 1795, the National Convention, composed largely of Girondins
who had survived the Reign of Terror, approved a new constitution that created
France’s first bicameral legislature. Executive power would lie in the hands of a
five-member Directory (“Directoire”) appointed by parliament. Royalists and
Jacobins protested the new regime but were swiftly silenced by the army, now
led by Napoleon Bonaparte. This ended the prophesied three and a half years of
atheism’s triumph in the “Reign of Terror”.
164
164
the spread of liberalism, radicalism, nationalism, materialism, socialism
Globally, the Revolution accelerated
the demise of monarchies and the rise of republics and democracies. It became
the focal point for the development of all modern political ideologies, leading to
and secularism, among many others. Some of its central documents, such as
the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, continued to inspire
movements for abolitionism and universal right to vote in the next century and
beyond. It took the violent period of communism to bring down the harlot
controlled monarchies in eastern states.
The time for the seventh head had come with the arrival of the beast from the bottomless pit.
When was this to take place?
Time of the return of the beast from the Abyss:
Also translated “Bottomless Pit.”
Prophecy is very precise in giving us the date:
Rev 11:2,3,7
They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will give power to my
two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.
7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them.
End of the “trampling”, persecution of the Holy City, which is Gods community, for the prophetic lunar 42 month are 1260 days which are in prophetic time years ending in 1798.
The two witnesses were killed and so ended their witness in sackcloth for 1260 prophetic day-years or years in 1798.
This is the year when the beast returned from the Abyss or Bottomless pit.
What took place at the end of the 1260 years in 1798?
“General Berthier with his troops marched to Rome, entered it unopposed on February 10, 1798, and, proclaiming a Roman Republic, demanded of the Pope Pius VI the renunciation of his temporal power”. Napoleon and the Catholic Church.
Attempts by the Papacy to reclaim their former authority failed.
165
The time for the seventh head had come with the arrival of the beast from the bottomless pit.
When was this to take place?
Time of the return of the beast from the Abyss:
Also translated “Bottomless Pit.”
Prophecy is very precise in giving us the date:
Rev 11:2,3,7
They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will give power to my
two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.
7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them.
End of the “trampling”, persecution of the Holy City, which is Gods community, for the prophetic lunar 42 month are 1260 days which are in prophetic time years ending in 1798.
The two witnesses were killed and so ended their witness in sackcloth for 1260 prophetic day-years or years in 1798.
This is the year when the beast returned from the Abyss or Bottomless pit.
What took place at the end of the 1260 years in 1798?
“General Berthier with his troops marched to Rome, entered it unopposed on February 10, 1798, and, proclaiming a Roman Republic, demanded of the Pope Pius VI the renunciation of his temporal power”. Napoleon and the Catholic Church.
Attempts by the Papacy to reclaim their former authority failed.
165
“In 1796, French Republican troops under the command of Napoleon
Bonaparte invaded Italy, defeated the papal troops and occupied Ancona and
Loreto”.
“
[Wikipedia “Napoleon and the Catholic Church.” Wikipedia
[Wikipedia “Napoleon and the Catholic Church.” Wikipedia
At the end of the second session of the Second Vatican Council in 1963, Pope
Paul VI descended the steps of the papal throne in St. Peter's Basilica and
ascended to the altar, on which he laid the tiara as a sign of the renunciation of
human glory and power in keeping with the renewed spirit of the council.”
“In 1929, with the Lateran Treaty the Italian state [represented by Benito
Mussolini] and the papacy agreed to recognize each other.
The pope was recognized as sovereign of a new state, the Vatican City, over which
he continues to exert temporal power.” [Wikipedia “Papal temporal power.”]
The Vatican State comprises about 100 acres and has as of Dec.31,2011 594
citizens. Outside of the Vatican, the church and its leaders are subject to civil and
criminal law and are prosecuted by independent courts. Church and State are
separated constitutionally.
The harlot no longer sits on the 7 mountains, the centers of authority, security,
and influence that form and express society, like philosophy, politics, science,
technology, education, economy, civil law, art, military and police etc. None of the
European States asks the Pope how to conduct their business; they have received
power as independent kingdoms with the arrival of the beast from the
“bottomless pit”, that began in the French Revolution and will fully unfold under
the 8th head.
The last great enlightenment:
The Good News of the Kingdom of God to the world, before Judgement.
Rev 11:11-12
11 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, [the two witnesses] and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.
Matt 24:14
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
166
The last great enlightenment:
The Good News of the Kingdom of God to the world, before Judgement.
Rev 11:11-12
11 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, [the two witnesses] and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.
Matt 24:14
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
166
Rev 14:6-7
6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth — to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."
Rev 6:1-2
6 I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!" 2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.
Freedom of religion became one of the rights of man, which gave rise to the proliferation of diverse protestant denominations. Bible Societies promoted and distributed the Word of God in the languages of the world, it became the most printed and read book. But that was of short duration. The prophesied period under the seventh head was to be short. Rev. 17:10.
Rev 6:3-8
3 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" 4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword.
5 When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6 Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!"
Because of mankind’s abuse of their ecology, the essential food supply will be Severely reduced. Draughts and floods become more extreme with increasing frequency. Well established olive trees and grape wines will be less effected by draught.
167
6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth — to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."
Rev 6:1-2
6 I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!" 2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.
Freedom of religion became one of the rights of man, which gave rise to the proliferation of diverse protestant denominations. Bible Societies promoted and distributed the Word of God in the languages of the world, it became the most printed and read book. But that was of short duration. The prophesied period under the seventh head was to be short. Rev. 17:10.
Rev 6:3-8
3 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" 4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword.
5 When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6 Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!"
Because of mankind’s abuse of their ecology, the essential food supply will be Severely reduced. Draughts and floods become more extreme with increasing frequency. Well established olive trees and grape wines will be less effected by draught.
167
7 When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living
creature say, "Come!" 8 I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider
was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given
power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the
wild beasts of the earth.
Finally, before the end of this world’s disorder, killings, famines, plagues, along
with the ever mutating untamable micro pathologic agents that plague mankind,
will get out of control.
Children are the most visible victims of undernutrition—is a cause of 3·1 million
child deaths annually or 45 percent of all child deaths in 2011. (UNICEF, World Health Organization [WHO], & The World Bank, 2018).
Finally, before the end of this world’s disorder, killings, famines, plagues, along
with the ever mutating untamable micro pathologic agents that plague mankind,
will get out of control.
Children are the most visible victims of undernutrition—is a cause of 3·1 million
child deaths annually or 45 percent of all child deaths in 2011. (UNICEF, World Health Organization [WHO], & The World Bank, 2018).
A 2008 study published in Science suggested that, due to climate change,
"southern Africa could lose more than 30% of its main crop, maize, by 2030. In
South Asia losses of many regional staples, such as rice, millet and maize could
top 10%".[13][14]
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has produced several reports that have assessed the scientific literature on climate change. The IPCC Third Assessment Report, published in 2001, concluded that the poorest countries would be hardest hit, with reductions in crop yields in most tropical and sub- |
tropical regions due to decreased water availability, and new or changed insect
pest incidence. In Africa and Latin America many rain fed crops are near their
maximum temperature tolerance, so that yields are likely to fall sharply for even
small climate changes; falls in agricultural productivity of up to 30% over the 21st
century are projected. Marine life and the fishing industry will also be severely
affected in some places.
In the report published in 2014 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change claimed that the world may reach "“a threshold of global warming beyond which current agricultural practices can no longer support large human |
civilizations.” by the middle of the 21th century. In 2019 it published reports in
which it says that millions already suffer from food insecurity due to climate
change and predicted decline in global crop production of 2% - 6% by decade[15].
Climate change induced by increasing greenhouse gases is likely to affect crops |
differently from region to region. For example, average crop yield is expected to
drop down to 50% in Pakistan according to the Met Office scenario whereas corn
|
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production in Europe is expected to grow up to 25% in
optimum hydrologic conditions. Wikipedia.
God’s judgements of the Mother Harlot and her Daughters:
Rev 17:1-2,15,18
17 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication."
15 Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.
18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth."
The major topic of Revelation 17, is God’s Judgement of the harlot, that great city Babylon. The Papal hierarchy had intoxicated and dominated Europe for 1260 years with their Wine of the Catholic Adulterated Romanized, falsely named, “Christian” Religion.
Between 1789 and 1798 AD, the tenth part of the great city fell, in the French Revolution. The rising secular spirit, the “eighth head,” began also to sweep over all of Europe and beyond. Judgement over the harlot had begun. By 1798, the Papacy had lost its control over civil power.
The ten horns, the kingdoms of Europe, received their sovereignty with the beast, the eighth head, which is the last Anti-Christ global ideology. United and driven by the new Zeitgeist, they hate the harlot and work together toward her demise. They also will fight a futile battle against the Lamb, who is Christ, because their spirit is Anti-Christ and anti-religion.
Rev 17:1-2,15,18
17 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication."
15 Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.
18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth."
The major topic of Revelation 17, is God’s Judgement of the harlot, that great city Babylon. The Papal hierarchy had intoxicated and dominated Europe for 1260 years with their Wine of the Catholic Adulterated Romanized, falsely named, “Christian” Religion.
Between 1789 and 1798 AD, the tenth part of the great city fell, in the French Revolution. The rising secular spirit, the “eighth head,” began also to sweep over all of Europe and beyond. Judgement over the harlot had begun. By 1798, the Papacy had lost its control over civil power.
The ten horns, the kingdoms of Europe, received their sovereignty with the beast, the eighth head, which is the last Anti-Christ global ideology. United and driven by the new Zeitgeist, they hate the harlot and work together toward her demise. They also will fight a futile battle against the Lamb, who is Christ, because their spirit is Anti-Christ and anti-religion.
Rev. 17: 11-14
169
11 The beast who once was, [under the spirit of imperial Rome] and now is not,
[during the 1260 years of Papal dominance] is an eighth king. He belongs to the
seven and is going to his destruction.
12 "The ten horns you saw are ten kings [the ten European nations under Papal authority] who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour [a certain period] will receive authority as kings along with the beast. [European nations after the 1260 years.] 13 They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings — and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers."
Rev 17:16-17
16 The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish His purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God's words are fulfilled.
Rev 18:1-6
18 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations [the global reach] have drunk of the wine [spirit] of the wrath [with terrible consequences] of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich [false religion has been good for business] through the abundance of her luxury."
Since the catholic church, along with her offspring that includes all the other compromised adulterous denominations, are now subject to state civil and criminal law, their crimes are prosecuted and judged by the state legal systems. What used to be done and hidden in secrecy, is now open in public domain and it is published globally.
The harlot’s reputation and influence has fallen globally, as foretold in God’s Word. “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known”. Math.10:26. The global heavenly message, about the foul state of the Babylon, cannot be quenched.
170
12 "The ten horns you saw are ten kings [the ten European nations under Papal authority] who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour [a certain period] will receive authority as kings along with the beast. [European nations after the 1260 years.] 13 They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings — and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers."
Rev 17:16-17
16 The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish His purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God's words are fulfilled.
Rev 18:1-6
18 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations [the global reach] have drunk of the wine [spirit] of the wrath [with terrible consequences] of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich [false religion has been good for business] through the abundance of her luxury."
Since the catholic church, along with her offspring that includes all the other compromised adulterous denominations, are now subject to state civil and criminal law, their crimes are prosecuted and judged by the state legal systems. What used to be done and hidden in secrecy, is now open in public domain and it is published globally.
The harlot’s reputation and influence has fallen globally, as foretold in God’s Word. “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known”. Math.10:26. The global heavenly message, about the foul state of the Babylon, cannot be quenched.
170
Sexual Immorality, even pedophilia by priests and cover ups by the hierarchy, has
severely marred the image of the church. Her credibility is at an all- time low,
from which she will never recover.
Rev 17:16-17
16 The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked;
Sexual abuse of minors by catholic priests: United Nations Report:
Rev 17:16-17
16 The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked;
Sexual abuse of minors by catholic priests: United Nations Report:
The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, in early 2014, issued a
report asserting that the pope and the Roman Catholic Church have not done
enough and protect their reputation rather than protect children.[282] The panel of
the committee wants all known or suspected child molesters removed, archives
on abusers and Bishops who covered up abuse opened, and instances of abuse
handed to law enforcement agencies to be investigated and prosecuted. A joint
statement of the panel said,
The committee is gravely concerned that the Holy See has not acknowledged the |
extent of the crimes committed, has not taken the necessary measures to address
cases of child sexual abuse and to protect children, and has adopted policies and
practices which have led to the continuation of the abuse by, and the impunity of,
the perpetrators[283][284]
Due to a code of silence imposed on all members of the clergy under penalty of excommunication, cases of child sexual abuse have hardly ever been reported to the law enforcement authorities in the countries where such crimes occurred.[284] |
United Nations Committee [edit]
“The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, in early 2014, issued a
report asserting that the pope and the Roman Catholic Church have not done
enough. They protect their reputation rather than protect children.[282] The panel
of the committee wants all known or suspected child molesters removed,
archives on abusers and Bishops who covered up abuse opened, and instances of
171
abuse handed to law enforcement agencies to be investigated and prosecuted. A
joint statement of the panel said,
The committee is gravely concerned that the Holy See has not acknowledged the extent of the crimes committed, has not taken the necessary measures to address cases of child sexual abuse and to protect children, and has adopted policies and practices which have led to the continuation of the abuse by, and the impunity of, the perpetrators[283][284] |
Due to a code of silence imposed on all members of the clergy under penalty of
excommunication, cases of child sexual abuse have hardly ever been reported to
the law enforcement authorities in the countries where such crimes
occurred”.[284]
|
“In the United States the 2004 John Jay Report, commissioned from the John Jay
College of Criminal Justice and funded by the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops (USCCB), was based on volunteer surveys completed by the Roman
Catholic dioceses in the United States. The 2004 John Jay Report was based on a
study of 10,667 allegations against 4,392 priests accused of engaging in sexual
abuse of a minor between 1950 and 2002.”[139]
Lawsuits and their effects[edit]
“The Associated Press estimated the settlements of sex abuse cases from 1950 to
2007 totaled more than $2 billion.[123] Bishop Accountability puts the figure at
more than $3 billion in 2012.[50][120]
United States[edit] Main article: Settlements and bankruptcies in Catholic sex abuse cases BishopAccountability.org, an "online archive established by lay Catholics," reports that over 3,000 "civil lawsuits have been filed against the church" in the United States, some of these cases have resulted in multimillion-dollar settlements with |
many claimants.[120]
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas paid $30.9 million in 1998 to twelve victims of one priest.[121] In July 2003 the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville paid $25.7 million to "settle child sexual-abuse allegations made in 240 lawsuits |
naming 34 priests and other church workers."[121]
|
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In 2003 the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston also settled a large case for
$85 million with 552 alleged victims.[145]
In 2004, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange settled nearly 90 cases for $100 million.[146] In April 2007 the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon agreed to a $75 million settlement with 177 claimants and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle agreed to a $48 million settlement with more than 160 victims.[147] |
In July 2007 the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles reached
a $660 million agreement with more than 500 alleged victims, in December 2006, the archdiocese had a settlement of 45 lawsuits for $60 million.[123][148] In September 2007 the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego reached a $198.1 million "agreement with 144 childhood sexual abuse victims."[149] In July 2008 the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Denver agreed "to pay $5.5 million to settle 18 claims of childhood sexual abuse."[150] The Associated Press estimated that the total from settlements of sex abuse cases from 1950 to 2007 to be more than $2 billion.[123] According to BishopAccountability reports that figure reached more than $3 billion in 2012.[50][120] Most sex abuse cases are subject to the laws of each individual state. As of April 2010 many sex abusers associated with the Church in several countries have been |
tried by secular authorities and some have been convicted and sentenced to
imprisonment.
Addressing "a flood of abuse claims" five dioceses (Tucson, Arizona; Spokane, Washington; Portland, Oregon.; Davenport, Iowa, and San Diego) got bankruptcy protection.[123] Eight Catholic diocese have declared bankruptcy due to sex abuse cases from 2004 to 2011.[124] According to Donald Cozzens, "by the end of the mid 1990s, it was estimated that [...] more than half a billion dollars had been paid in jury awards, settlements and |
legal fees." This figure grew to about one billion dollars by 2002.[151] Roman
Catholics spent $615 million on sex abuse cases in 2007.[152]
As of March 2006, dioceses in which abuse was committed or in which abuse allegations were settled out of court had made financial settlements with the victims totaling over $1.5 billion.[141] The number and size of these settlements |
made it necessary for the dioceses to reduce their ordinary operating expenses by
|
173
closing churches and schools in order to raise the funds to make these
payments.[131] Several dioceses chose to declare Chapter 11 bankruptcy as a way
to litigate settlements while protecting some church assets to ensure it continues
to operate.
By 2009, U.S. dioceses have paid more than US$2.6 billion in abuse-related costs since 1950.[153][154] In many instances, dioceses were forced to declare bankruptcy as a result of the |
settlements. At least six U.S. dioceses sought bankruptcy protection. In some
cases, the dioceses filed bankruptcy just before civil suits against them were
about to go to trial. This had the effect of mandating that pending and future
lawsuits be settled in bankruptcy court. The sexual abuse scandal costs each of
the 195 dioceses "an average of $300,000 annually."[155]
In November 2009, Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse reported its findings in which it concluded that: "the Dublin Archdiocese's pre-occupations in dealing with cases of child sexual abuse, at least until the mid 1990s, were the maintenance of secrecy, the avoidance of scandal, the protection of the reputation of the Church, and the preservation of its assets. All other considerations, including the welfare of children and justice for victims, were subordinated to these priorities. The Archdiocese did not implement its own canon law rules and did its best to avoid |
any application of the law of the State".[164]
|
At mid-year, amidst a series of abuse scandals in many countries, including the
revelation that over a 50-year period, more than 300 priests were plausibly
accused of abuse in the state of Pennsylvania alone, Pope Francis spoke of his
"shame", without however offering concrete steps to remove abusive priests or
sanction those who took part in cover-ups.[247]
Wikipedia.
Between 1950 and August of this year, the church has paid out
|
$3,994,797,060.10, NCR found.
|
The Catholic Church assets involved in settlements include cash, stocks, and land.
That figure is based on a three-month investigation of data, including a review of
more than 7,800 articles gleaned from LexisNexis Academic and NCR databases,
174
as well as information from BishopAccountability.org and from reports from the
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
In addition, separate research recently published calculates that other scandal-
related consequences such as lost membership and diverted giving has cost the
church more than $2.3 billion annually for the past 30 years”.
Rev, 17: 16 And the ten horns on the beast will hate the harlot... they will eat
her flesh.....
Decline of church membership: “They will eat her flesh”
Accurate statistics about Church Disaffiliation are only available from countries were the government collects church taxes for the two major churches, as in Germany. One must register in writing with the government his or her resignation from the church to be exempt from taxation. When parents had their infants baptized in a catholic or Lutheran Church, their names are kept on church registers as members even if they have never attended any of their services. Statistics of catholic church membership are highly inaccurate, because every baptized individual is never deleted from the register, even if he or she has become an atheist or communist.
Catholic teaching on membership in the Church Wikipedia “Lapsed Catholic”
Decline of church membership: “They will eat her flesh”
Accurate statistics about Church Disaffiliation are only available from countries were the government collects church taxes for the two major churches, as in Germany. One must register in writing with the government his or her resignation from the church to be exempt from taxation. When parents had their infants baptized in a catholic or Lutheran Church, their names are kept on church registers as members even if they have never attended any of their services. Statistics of catholic church membership are highly inaccurate, because every baptized individual is never deleted from the register, even if he or she has become an atheist or communist.
Catholic teaching on membership in the Church Wikipedia “Lapsed Catholic”
“According to Catholic belief, baptism "seals the Christian with the indelible
spiritual mark of belonging to Christ. No sin can erase this mark, even if sin
prevents baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation”."[11]
“Even the form of censure known as excommunication does not in itself make a person an ex-Catholic in the eyes of the Church: excommunicated persons are "cut off from the Church", barred from receiving the Eucharist and from taking an active part in the liturgy (reading, serving at the altar, etc.), but they remain |
Catholics according to Church doctrine”.[12
|
Usually, churches like to play the number game. They try to impress authorities
and the public with their high membership statistics. But the real numbers are
very different.
175
175
Below are some statistics from official German records:
Church Disaffiliation in Germany:
Protestant Church Catholic Church Combined
Church disaffiliation during 2018 and 2019 have sharply increased, because more cases of pedophilia by clerics globally, have been prosecuted and brought to public attention.
Secularisation Theory is the theory in sociology that as society advances in modernity, religion retreats and becomes increasingly hollow. The theory holds that intellectual and scientific developments have undermined the spiritual, supernatural, superstitious and paranormal ideas on which religion relies for its legitimacy, and, the differentiation of modern life into different compartments (i.e. work, politics, society, education and knowledge, home-time, entertainment) have relegated religion to merely one part of life, rather than an all-pervading narrative. As this continues, religion becomes more and more shallow, surviving
176
Church disaffiliation during 2018 and 2019 have sharply increased, because more cases of pedophilia by clerics globally, have been prosecuted and brought to public attention.
Secularisation Theory is the theory in sociology that as society advances in modernity, religion retreats and becomes increasingly hollow. The theory holds that intellectual and scientific developments have undermined the spiritual, supernatural, superstitious and paranormal ideas on which religion relies for its legitimacy, and, the differentiation of modern life into different compartments (i.e. work, politics, society, education and knowledge, home-time, entertainment) have relegated religion to merely one part of life, rather than an all-pervading narrative. As this continues, religion becomes more and more shallow, surviving
176
for a while on empty until loss of active membership forces it into obscurity -
although most theorists only hold this happens for organized public religion, not
for private spirituality. ⇒ See: Definitions of Secularisation Theory: Why is Religion Declining?
“Atheists (those who do not believe in any god), and humanists (those who embrace a morality that does not appeal to any supernatural source), and others who consider themselves non-religious, are a large and growing population across the world. A detailed survey in 2012 revealed that religious people make up 59% of the world population, while those who identify as "atheist" make up 13%, and an additional 23% identify as "not religious" (while not self-identifying as "atheist"). The report by the Gallup International Association (available at http://www.wingia.com/web/files/news/14/file/14.pdf) is in line with other recent global surveys. It shows that atheism and the non religious population are growing rapidly - religion dropped by 9% and atheism rose by 3% between 2005 and 2012 - and that religion declines in proportion to the rise in education and personal income, which is a trend that looks set to continue.” "Freedom of Thought" by IHEU (2012)6
“Over the last 60 years, religion in Europe has seen a strong decline. On average
throughout the 27 EU countries, only half of its people believe in God7 and 25.4%
directly say that they have no religion8. There is much variation from country to
country. Only 16% of the populace of Estonia believe in God and the Scandinavian
countries are highly atheist. But 95% believe in Malta. Two main social groups are
particularly prone to belief in God; those over 55 years old and those whose
education did not proceed beyond the 15-year-old stage”.7. For a discussion on
secularization in general, see: "Secularization Theory: Will Modern Society Reject Religion? What is Secularism?" by Vexen Crabtree
Rev 18:4
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say:
"Come out of her, my people,
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
177
“Atheists (those who do not believe in any god), and humanists (those who embrace a morality that does not appeal to any supernatural source), and others who consider themselves non-religious, are a large and growing population across the world. A detailed survey in 2012 revealed that religious people make up 59% of the world population, while those who identify as "atheist" make up 13%, and an additional 23% identify as "not religious" (while not self-identifying as "atheist"). The report by the Gallup International Association (available at http://www.wingia.com/web/files/news/14/file/14.pdf) is in line with other recent global surveys. It shows that atheism and the non religious population are growing rapidly - religion dropped by 9% and atheism rose by 3% between 2005 and 2012 - and that religion declines in proportion to the rise in education and personal income, which is a trend that looks set to continue.” "Freedom of Thought" by IHEU (2012)6
“Over the last 60 years, religion in Europe has seen a strong decline. On average
throughout the 27 EU countries, only half of its people believe in God7 and 25.4%
directly say that they have no religion8. There is much variation from country to
country. Only 16% of the populace of Estonia believe in God and the Scandinavian
countries are highly atheist. But 95% believe in Malta. Two main social groups are
particularly prone to belief in God; those over 55 years old and those whose
education did not proceed beyond the 15-year-old stage”.7. For a discussion on
secularization in general, see: "Secularization Theory: Will Modern Society Reject Religion? What is Secularism?" by Vexen Crabtree
Rev 18:4
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say:
"Come out of her, my people,
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
177
“Europe’s march towards a post-Christian society has been starkly illustrated by
research showing a majority of young people in a dozen countries do not follow a
religion”.
“Christianity in Europe is dying out as young people continue to turn away from
religion, new research has suggested.”
178
“The survey of 16- to 29-year-olds found the Czech Republic is the least religious
country in Europe, with 91% of that age group saying they have no religious
affiliation. Between 70% and 80% of young adults in Estonia, Sweden and the
Netherlands also categorise themselves as non-religious.
70% of young people in the UK identify with no religion.
70% of young people in the UK identify with no religion.
59% of young people in the UK never attend religious services.”
“Secularization is widespread in Western Europe, but most people in the region still identify as Christian. Rising shares of adults in Western Europe describe themselves as religiously unaffiliated, and about half or more in several countries say they are neither religious nor spiritual. Still, when asked, “What is your present religion, if any?” and given a list of options, most people identify as Christian, including 71% in Germany and 64% in France.” Pew Research Center.
“Secularization is widespread in Western Europe, but most people in the region still identify as Christian. Rising shares of adults in Western Europe describe themselves as religiously unaffiliated, and about half or more in several countries say they are neither religious nor spiritual. Still, when asked, “What is your present religion, if any?” and given a list of options, most people identify as Christian, including 71% in Germany and 64% in France.” Pew Research Center.
According to Bullivant, “many young Europeans will have been baptised and then
never darken the door of a church again. Cultural religious identities just aren’t
being passed on from parents to children. It just washes straight off them.”
“The new default setting is ‘no religion’, and the few who are religious see
themselves as swimming against the tide,” he said.
Rev 17:16
“They... will burn her with fire.” Rev 18:8-12 8 “Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. |
She will be consumed by fire,
for mighty is the Lord God who judges her. 9 When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her |
luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. 10
Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry:
179 |
"'Woe! Woe, O great city,
O Babylon, city of power! In one hour, your doom has come!' 11 "The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes any more”. |
Rev 18:14-17,21
14 "They will say, 'The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your riches and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.' 15 The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn 16 and cry out: 'Woe! Woe, O great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, |
and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!
17 In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin’! 21 Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: ‘With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, |
never to be found again’.
|
This final judgement will take place within the timing of the seventh plague.
Rev 16:17-21
180
|
17 ”The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple
came a loud voice from the throne, saying, "It is done!" 18 Then there came
flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No
earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth, so tremendous
was the quake. 19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the
nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup
filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath.
|
Since the harlot, the great city Babylon, the mother of prostitutes, the emblem of
the defiled, prostituted “Christian” Religion, that had occupied European thinking
and had shaped the western culture, and also spread its effective global influence
to many nations, some of them still officially endorsing and profiting from the
adulterous relationship with Mother Babylon or her daughters, they will be
especially effected by God’s judgements in that final great nuclear conflict in
which “one third of mankind will be killed”. Their economies will collapse, their
wealth and luxury will be gone, their cities in ruins. Their trading partners will
lament from a distance. Rev. 18: 15,16.
Greater detail on the conflict will be considered later. The last uncivil civilization under the secular Zeitgeist. |
Characterized by: Godlessness, violence, immorality, rudeness, materialism, self-
indulgence.
God’s inspired prophetic diagnosis: 2 Tim 3:1-5 3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to |
their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without
self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers
of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying
its power. Have nothing to do with them.
2 Tim 4:3-5 |
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3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead,
to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of
teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears
away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
Science and technology has brought great enlightenment to the world. But where ever light shines, the prince of darkness and his host are at work, to distort it with his deceptive errors. There is science based on verifiable facts, and there is |
pseudo-science founded on hypothesis and theories, but presented as facts.
Our culture under the secular Zeitgeist: Secular Science: |
The English naturalist Charles Darwin published in 1859 his observations and
interpretation of nature in his book: “The Origin of the Species.”
He formulated the theory of evolution that deals with
He formulated the theory of evolution that deals with
organisms change over long time as a result of changes in heritable physical or
behavioral traits and natural selection, in contrast to other theories,
the process by which
including divine design and extraterrestrial origins. Two scientists can observe the
same subject in nature and come to different conclusions. One needs billions of
years and some unknown events for his hypophysis, that something came from
nothing; while the other is amazed to see the super intelligent design in
everything and concludes that there must be much greater intelligence than ours,
for the origin of all matter and life; and that there is more in the universe than
what we understand with our limited five- sensory three- dimensional perception.
Nothing comes from nothing and life only comes from life, are still verifiable laws
of nature.
If you search and love truth, you will find it. But if you have an agenda, truth will
elude you, and you will find what you wanted.
Atheists embraced the evolution theory, because it was compatible with their life
style.
There has never been a Creator God:
In the 19th century, the idea that life had evolved, was an active source of
academic debate centered on the philosophical, social and religious implications
|
of evolution. Today the theory is taught as scientific fact to our children.
|
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Globally, there is a wide variety of views on the topic. Most western countries
have legislation that mandates only evolutionary biology is to be taught in the
appropriate scientific syllabuses.[1]
Internationally, evolution is taught in science courses with limited controversy,
with the exception of a few areas of the United States and
several Islamic fundamentalist countries. Wikipedia.
In the United States, the Supreme Court has ruled the teaching
of creationism as science in public schools to be unconstitutional.
Edwards v. Aguillard, 482 U.S. 578 (1987
Global Communication:
.
Global communication through internet services, and social media such as
Facebook, Imo, Instagram and Twitter etc., have both positively and
negatively influenced today’s understanding of culture. We can say through internet services and social media, now the diversified world has become a global village, which is accessed through our smartphones and computers.
negatively influenced today’s understanding of culture. We can say through internet services and social media, now the diversified world has become a global village, which is accessed through our smartphones and computers.
increasingly engaging with media in all aspects of our lives. You will find what you
are looking for, edifying or destructive. Unfortunately, many do not use the off or
We are
change button wisely. A University of Illinois study found that TV influences our
children more than any other societal factor, including their families. By the time
they reach high school they would have seen 33,000 murders, 200,000 acts of
random violence, 15,000 acts of sexual acts and innuendos in a given year. They
learn bad habits, use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs, disrespect for parents, bad
vocabulary, wastefulness etc. Hollywood has opened the flood gates for much evil
and the mind conditioning for their new normal. Film makers outdo one another
with extreme actions of violence and horrendous explosions and of immorality.
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