The Religion WAR

The Religion WAR (04-08)

2008-07-12T12:06:00.000-07:00

Reading between the lines, thinking outside the box, and seeing the forest...

[Sacrum Romanum / Heiliges Römisches] [Vaticams]

Devil down-under...

B16 departs for Australia

Pope Benedict has left Rome for Australia, where he will meet hundreds of thousands of young people celebrating World Youth Day. As he did during his recent US trip, Pope Benedict is expected to offer apologies to Australian victims of sexual abuse by priests.

B16: Other denominations not true churches

Pope Benedict XVI has reasserted the universal primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, approving a document released Tuesday that says Orthodox churches were defective and that other Christian denominations were not true churches.

Benedict approved a document from his old offices at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith that restates church teaching on relations with other Christians. It was the 2nd time in a week the pope has corrected what he says are erroneous interpretations of the Second Vatican Council, the 1962-65 meetings that modernized the church.

B16's next encyclical in the works

Benedict XVI is reportedly working on his 3rd encyclical this summer, which could be ready as early as this fall.

According to the secretary of state, the encyclical "comes and goes from the Pope's desk, because he doesn't want to repeat common concepts of the Church's social doctrine, but wants to offer something original, according to the challenges of today."

Anglican bishops in secret Vatican summit

Senior Church of England bishops have held secret talks with Vatican officials to discuss the crisis in the Anglican communion over gays and women bishops. They met senior advisers of the Pope in an attempt to build closer ties with the Roman Catholic Church.

They met members of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the most powerful of the Vatican's departments, the successor to the medieval Inquisition, which enforces doctrine. The names of the bishops are known to The Sunday Telegraph, but they have asked for anonymity because the talks are of such a sensitive and potentially explosive nature.

(And: Dissident Anglican bishops may seek refuge in Rome)

(And: COE bishop will lead Anglicans to Rome)

(And: Could B16 aid an Anglican split?)

(And: B16 prays for end to Anglican rifts)

Pro-Chavez Catholics under fire

Religious leaders in Venezuela have criticised a recently formed church that openly backs President Chavez's socialist politics. The Reformed Catholic Church was set up by a group of Anglicans and Catholics who wanted to put more emphasis on helping the poor. But the ruling body of the Catholic Church says its members are criminals who are trying to divide the Church.

...EMPIRE OF THE GERMAN NATION

[Imperium Nationis Germanicae / Reich Deutscher Nation] [Satan's Throne?]

New marriage law causes controversy

German couples will soon be able to get married in church without first going through a civil ceremony in the registry office for the first time in 130 years. Civil marriages were introduced in Germany in 1875, when purely religious unions were made illegal.

MIDEAST/AFRICA/ASIA

Tablet ignites debate on a resurrected messiah

A 3-foot-tall tablet with 87 lines of Hebrew that scholars believe dates from the decades just before the birth of Jesus is causing a quiet stir in biblical and archaeological circles, especially because it may speak of a messiah who will rise from the dead after 3 days.

PROVOKING PERSIA

Mandatory execution for apostasy?

A plan is being discussed by lawmakers in Iran that would require the death penalty for anyone who leaves Islam for Christianity or someone who promotes such a conversion even on the Internet.

HOUSE OF ISRAEL

Obama seeks the help of God

Christian radio stations are broadcasting adverts in which Barack Obama describes how he let Jesus in his life as he knelt before a cross in a Chicago church 23 years ago.

Although not formally linked to Mr Obama's campaign, the network is part of a concerted effort to prise off a chunk of a Christian vote that has long been regarded as the more or less exclusive preserve of Republican presidential candidates.

McCain plans "very aggressive" outreach to Catholics

John McCain is preparing to ramp up his efforts to reach out to Catholic voters with a "very, very aggressive" campaign, spearheaded by the newly created Catholic Outreach Coalition.

Martial law vs. Xian responsibility

I'd like to take some time to examine the issue of how Christians should react to the prospect of martial law in America.

Trumpet blasts to "Jesus"

An American pastor who made news in April by studying NASA's eclipse calendar to speculate on the return of Jesus Christ to Earth is now planning a worldwide blast of trumpets this fall to get God's attention.

Mark Biltz of El Shaddai Ministries in Bonney Lake, Wash., is organizing the global "Day of Shouting" for the evening of Sept. 29, marking the annual biblical holiday known as the Feast of Trumpets.

"God wants us to look at the biblical calendar," he said. "The reason we need to be watching is [because] He will signal His appearance. But we have to know what to be watching as well. So we need to be watching the biblical holidays."

[WAR: So close, but yet so far -- by 3 days. The Feast of Trumpets will be on "Oct 3", from dawn-to-dark. Let the heavens prove it: On the night of "Sept 29," there will be no Moon visible -- both it and the Sun are in the upper portion of Virgo.

The next night (30th), there will also be no Moon visible -- being at the waist of Virgo. The next night (1st), there will be a crescent -- at the feet of Virgo, but will have disappeared by the time night falls when the stars rule.

The next night (2nd), there will be a crescent Moon (with earthshine making it look full) that will be reigning with the stars -- with the Moon being under Virgo's feet, in Libra. So looking up at the heavens on this night, a person would literally see "a woman clothed with the Sun, with the Moon under her feet..." (Rev 12:1)]

MISC

[Bible Study][The 7th Day Sabbath][[Day-Night Map][Tonight's Sky][Moon phase][Interfaith calendar][Multifaith calendar]

History of Religion in 90-seconds

[WAR: I believe I've posted this before, but just received a reminder of it. It's a great visual presentation!]

Debate: "Is religion solution or problem?"

Eight debates – including a Christopher Hitchens vs. Dinesh D'Souza bout over religion and terrorism – headline this year's FreedomFest in Las Vegas, which describes itself as the tradeshow for liberty and the world's largest gathering of free minds.

The British journalist Hitchens, who calls himself an antitheist, is the author of the recent best-seller "God is Not Great," while D'Souza hit the charts with "What's So Great About Christianity?"

Hardwired human nature

Researcher Dr. Michael Gazzaniga discussed how the structure of the brain defines humanity. He detailed how studies show that certain values are hardwired into peoples' brains, as opposed to being the result of outside forces. Aversion to murder, cheating, and incest are some of the moral judgements that cut across all cultures.

(And: He oversees an extensive and broad research program investigating how the brain enables the mind.)

[WAR: What is Satan's best way to get to people's mind? By altering the functioning of the brain -- via drugs (legal/illegal), alcohol, eating and drinking the wrong things. If the brain is not operating correctly, then the mind/behavior/emotions are ipso facto effected. For more info on the link between brain dysfunction and wrong behavior, check out Crime Times.]

Killer sects

Eternal life and promised land in return for money and soul

Specialists have not found a common definition to the word sect. Some determine it as a religious group, which does not have the recognition of the general public. Others say that a sect is an ideological group of people who follow their charismatic leader. Both of these definitions say that a sect leader has a very strong influence in his supporters. Here is a list of the most dangerous sects in the world.

Top 5 almost unkown religions

Religion has existed since man's first thought, and this list probably illustrates that it is unlikely to go away anytime soon. So here is a list of 5 religions that you (probably) never knew existed.

Holy Grail to be in exhibition

It was discovered at the beginning of the 20th century and hailed as the cup used by Christ at the Last Supper. Half a century after being redated to the 6th century, the exquisite silver treasure known as the Antioch Chalice is coming to Britain for the first time as part of an exhibition of the glories of Byzantium.

No secret code in the Bible?

God wants us to understand the message He has given to us in the Bible. He hasn't hidden it from us; He wants us to know it so we can make it the foundation of our lives.

The Religion WAR (04-01)

2008-07-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

Reading between the lines, thinking outside the box, and seeing the forest...

THE HOLY ROMAN...

[Sacrum Romanum / Heiliges Römisches] [Vaticams]

B16's ancient ornaments and vestments

B16: Xians must unite to render valid witness of Christ

B16 inaugurates the Pauline year ... (full text)

B16 homily for feast of Peter & Paul

B1 homily for feast of P&P

B16 greeting to B1

B1 says dialogue is progressing

You are Peter!

B16: Paul - dedication to Christ, openess to humanity (full text)

B16 weighing changes in the mass?

SSPX "answer without response" to Vatican ultimatum

Bishop: "Culture wars" far from over

Orthodox leader says Vatican "key ally" in defense of morality

MIDEAST/AFRICA/ASIA

Messianic Jews say they are persecuted in Israel

Saudi cleric: Sex at 9 okay

HOUSE OF ISRAEL

Neopaganism growing quickly

ACLU: "Religion in private" okay

B16 faces lack of faith in Australia [Good!]

COE: Islam is real threat to church

Anglican offshoot founded by traditionalists in Jerusalem

Archbishop of Canterbury sidelined by offshoot

Archbishop of Canterbury isn't the Empress of India

Anglican fudge or schism?

Anglican church "in chaos" say rebel leaders [Good!]

Anglican church crisis (Q&A)

Xianity in crisis [Good!]

America's Xian heritage

Xian Nation: Bush moves big bucks to religious organizations

Senate examines TV evangelists [Good! Shut 'em all down!]

Survey: US Catholics tilt left

Evangelicals say McCain's the one

Obama seeks bigger role for religious groups

Inside Obama's Xian crusade

Obama's faith-based government?

ECONOMY

Pagans prayin' at the pump...

Group asks for divine intervention to ease oil prices

[WAR: Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. "O Baal ["God/Lord/Jesus"], answer us!" they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the [gas pumps]. At noon [Michael] began to taunt them. "Shout louder! Surely he is an elohim! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened." (1Kin 18:26,27)]

MISC

[Bible Study][The 7th Day Sabbath][[Day-Night Map][Tonight's Sky][Moon phase][Interfaith calendar][Multifaith calendar]

Mediation and faith: Not a sword, but peace

Will the world end in 2012?

The Religion WAR (03-17)

2008-06-21T09:05:00.000-07:00

Reading between the lines, thinking outside the box, and seeing the forest...

THE HOLY ROMAN...

[Sacrum Romanum / Heiliges Römisches] [Vaticams]

B16: Xians called to welcome, not impose

Christians should be a sign and instrument of the compassion and mercy of Christ, Benedict XVI says.

B16: Unite contemplation and activism

Continuing his series of talks on the fathers of the early Church, Pope Benedict XVI spoke about St. Isidore of Seville at his regular weekly audience. "Just as we must love God through contemplation, so we must love others through action."

B16: All Xians should support church in Middle East

The ancient Christian communities of the Middle East must be " supported by the entire Catholic Church."

Vatican deliberately tries to bring Catholic, Orthodox churches apart

Relations between the Catholic and the Orthodox Churches can hardly be referred to as friendly. Ukraine is the biggest stumbling block at this point, as Greek Catholics seize Orthodox temples there.

The situation in the Balkans is far from being perfect too, where bellicose Catholics strive to convert the Orthodox Serbs to Catholicism and weaken Serbia as much as possible.

B1 suggests "dual unity" for Eastern Catholics

The Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew 1, has responded favorably to a suggestion by the head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church for a system of "dual unity" in which Byzantine Catholic churches would be in full communion with both Constantinople and Rome.

The acknowledged leader of the Orthodox world suggested that the "dual unity" approach would produce something akin to the situation of the Christian world in the 1st millennium, before the split between Rome and Constantinople.

Statement on Catholic-Assyrian meeting

Here is a statement regarding an informal meeting held in the US between representatives of the Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East, as a follow-up to Assyrian Patriarch Mar Dinkha IV's visit to Benedict XVI one year ago.

Meeting of Catholic-Islamic Liaison Committee

Made public today was a communique from the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue concerning the 14th meeting of the Islamic-Catholic Liaison Committee, which was held in the Vatican from 11-13 June.

Michelangelo "hid secret code in Sistine Chapel"

Michelangelo hid a secret code in the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel made up of mystical Jewish symbols and insults aimed at the pope, according to a new book.

...EMPIRE OF THE GERMAN NATION

[Imperium Nationis Germanicae / Reich Deutscher Nation] [Satan's Throne?]

Catholic church and academics battle over university

A power struggle reached a climax this week between the Catholic Church and academics at the German-speaking world's sole Catholic university, raising questions about whether faith and scholarship can get along.

Whereas the church sees its university as a refuge of faith in a nation that is increasingly hostile to religion, professors have painted the struggle as a battle for academic liberty and autonomy, as claimed by universities around the globe.

Lutherans debate election of gay bishop

German Lutherans in northern Schleswig will decide on July 12 whether to elect an openly gay bishop. Conservatives have opposed Horst Gorski's candidacy, saying it would lead to divisions within the church.

How Islam came to Germany

The history of Islam in Germany goes back as far as the 8th century. From the reign of Charlemagne, to Goethe's literature, to the Turkish guest workers who arrived in the 1950s and 60s and made a home here, the Muslim religion has been a part of German culture for hundreds of years.

MIDEAST/AFRICA/ASIA

Rabbis against gay pride parade: God is testing us

The Open House in Jerusalem announced on Monday that the city's Pride Parade would take place on Thursday of next week, with the theme of "free love". This year marks the parade's seventh anniversary in Jerusalem, and it has become well-known for sparking annual controversy among the ultra-Orthodox communities in the city.

US military's Mideast crusade for Christ

Last August the watchdog group, Military Religious Freedom Foundation, foiled a Pentagon plan that would have allowed the shipment of "freedom packages" to soldiers and Marines in Iraq.

The parcels were put together by the fundamentalist Christian ministry, Straight Up, and contained Bibles, proselytizing tracts in English and Arabic, and the apocalyptic "Left Behind" computer game, in which Christian Tribulation forces convert or kill infidels—nonbelievers, Muslims and Jews.

Reclaiming jihad

The Muslim world is engaged in a fierce theological and ideological debate about the institution of jihad and the legitimate use of force. Many in the West, however, have overlooked the significance of recent challenges to al Qa'eda's ideology, specifically to its attempts to justify the killing of innocents as jihad.

When religions talk

Religious leaders, scholars and business people are meeting all over the world to argue about free speech and Islamic sensibilities. How much does this achieve?

PROVOKING PERSIA

Looks like it is...

The Ark of Noah in Iran?

Recently the search for Noah's ark has exploded with media attention after we shared pictures of a rock formation found on a high mountain in Iran. We think that the Bible and other sources point to Iran as being the most probable resting place for the Ark.

HOUSE OF ISRAEL

The Assyrian Exile: Israel's Legacy in Captivity

Cam Rea describes the Assyrian Conquest of the northern Israelite Tribes and their subsequent history alongside that of Assyria itself. The account is historically accurate as well as exciting. Cam Rea has the ability to bring the past to life. This work encompasses original research work and pertinent insights. Anyone who wishes to know what happened to the Ten Tribes of Northern Israel after their exile should read this work

Latin mass to return to England and Wales

The traditional Latin Mass – effectively banned by Rome for 40 years – is to be reintroduced into every Roman Catholic parish in England and Wales, the senior Vatican cardinal in charge of Latin liturgy said.

Catholic congregations throughout the world will receive special instruction on how to appreciate the old services, formerly known as the Tridentine Rite. The announcement by the senior Vatican cardinal in charge of Latin liturgy, speaking on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI, will horrify Catholic liberals, including many bishops of England and Wales.

A house divided

Will the Lambeth Conference lead to schism in the Anglican Communion?

With only a month before the opening of the Lambeth Conference, the Anglican Communion looks increasingly like members of a family who cannot live in harmony yet dare not seek to part.

Anglican church homoschism declared

Hardline church leaders have formally declared the end of the worldwide Anglican communion, saying they could no longer be associated with liberals who tolerate homosexual clergy. The traditionalists dealt a serious blow to the Archbishop of Canterbury by claiming he can no longer hold the church together.

They warned that the church is gripped by its most serious crisis since the Reformation, and could only be saved by the repentance of the Americans who triggered the row by ordaining an openly homosexual bishop 5 years ago.

(And: Are Anglicans about to split?)

Not near soon enough!...

Xianity "could die out within a century"

More than half of Britons think Christianity is likely to have disappeared from the country within a century, according to a survey. "It clearly demonstrates that religion, including Judaism, is becoming unattractive to the British public."

British government without a compass

The British government is failing parts of civil society due to its lack of understanding of religion. The dire forecasts about the future of Christianity in Britain are only the latest in a series of warnings about the danger the country is facing due to its increasing secularization and the sidelining of religion.

Back to basics

Speaking to the nation on the night he clinched the Democratic nomination, Barack Obama rejected the kind of politics that "uses religion as a wedge and patriotism as a bludgeon." His words highlight the way faith has once again become a divisive force in American politics.

With the intense focus on controversial preachers and on cases where religious doctrine appears to divide voters, most notably on issues of abortion and homosexuality, we have lost sight of the ways in which turning back to America's founding values - including faith - can once again unite us in the face of common problems.

Pastors challenge law, endorse candidates from pulpit

Few Americans would invite an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, but that's exactly what Minnesota pastor Gus Booth wanted when he stood behind his pulpit and told his congregation God wanted them to vote Republican.

It is illegal for a church to endorse or oppose a candidate for president. But when Booth addressed the members of his church one Sunday in May and told them, "If you are a Christian, you cannot support a candidate like Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton for president," he very much knew he was violating the law.

He even wrote a letter to the IRS explaining what he had said and challenging the tax collection agency to do something about it.

Churches and other non-profit groups like charities and universities do not have to pay taxes. That exemption, however, comes with a price. Churches, and by extension the pastors who serve them in an official capacity, are not allowed to endorse or oppose political candidates.

Booth is one of several religious leaders who this year hope to challenge federal law by flouting the regulations about endorsing candidates from the pulpit — a move that could potentially cost them their tax-exempt status, creating financial ruin for many congregations.

[WAR: Yes! The IRS should yank every church's tax-exempt status -- and that includes every COG and all related groups. The people/citizens should be tax-exempt, not incorportated religious organizations!]

Hagee: Embarrassing Messianic Jews

John Hagee takes Christian scripture and turns it on its head. He fails to comprehend the Christian meaning of the term "Israel" to be a chunk of land, not a biblical people. Hagee has certainly defamed the very people of the Jews that he has claimed to love and defend so deeply.

How to understand that he has come to this end is beyond my simple mind. What good could he have thought to accomplish? His statements are delusional and absolutely contrary to the plain Word of God.

America's most influential (and secretive) religious organization

Jeff Sharlet's The Family is a hair-raising account that will leave you stunned by the religious motivations behind seemingly every political decision in the last 70 years. As the title suggests, Sharlet's book focuses on the Family, a highly secretive, elite fundamentalist organization that wields political power behind the scenes.

The Family, also known as the Fellowship, believes in God-driven government whose precepts are spread by top level, "key men" throughout the world. This is creepy religious imperialism at its most harrowing. As Sharlet writes, "the Family's long-term project of a worldwide government under God is more ambitious than Al Qaeda's dream of a Sunni empire."

MISC

[Bible Study][The 7th Day Sabbath][[Day-Night Map][Tonight's Sky][Moon phase][Interfaith calendar][Multifaith calendar]

New book debunks athiests' claim

Much of what atheists pass off as fact in their charges against God and religion is really based on myth. "Though the atheists claim to represent the side of reason, their arguments more often than not are ideological rather than rational."

Religion and libertarianism

The relationship of libertarianism and religion is a long and stormy one. It cannot be denied that Ayn Rand has had a long, strong and deep relationship with libertarianism. One of the strongest influences she has had on the libertarian movement is her belligerent atheism.
For many adherents of the freedom philosophy, an aggressive rejection of God and all things religious might as well be the basic axiom of their world-view.

Yes, but no...

"Last days" are imminent

There is no doubt that the drama is mounting in the Middle East, and the eyes of the world are again focused on this volatile region.

[WAR: Yes, the Paranoid Protestant Prophets are right that the "last days" are imminent. But they are completely wrong about what's going to happen and who's going to be involved. They know just enough to deceive multiple millions of people -- just like their father Satan wants it.]

"A Sabbath Test"

Booklet inspires restaurant debate

A debate of sorts is featured on the www.blowthetrumpet.org. When John Ritenbaugh, pastor of the Church of the Great God, delivered a sermon arguing that it is acceptable for a Christian to eat in a restaurant on the Sabbath -- and in doing so criticized a booklet called A Sabbath Test produced by the Blow the Trumpet ministry -- the people at Blow the Trumpet considered Mr. Ritenbaugh's sermon a challenge.

As a result, the ministry, founded by Dennis Fischer in 2004, has posted a rebuttal to Ritenbaugh's points. The refutation, written by Fischer and Art Braidic, argues that Christians should not eat out in restaurants on the Sabbath. To read both sides of the argument go to www.tinyurl.com/5nvfcq.

[WAR: It's a no-brainer...

* When the neighboring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. (Neh 10:31)

* In those days I saw men in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day. Men from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath to the people of Judah. I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this wicked thing you are doing -- desecrating the Sabbath day? Didn't your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity upon us and upon this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath." (Neh 13:15-18)

The Religion WAR (03-10)

2008-06-14T06:40:00.000-07:00

Reading between the lines, thinking outside the box, and seeing the forest...

THE HOLY ROMAN...

[Sacrum Romanum / Heiliges Römisches] [Vaticams]

B16 summarizes Xian message

The message of Christianity is one of love for God and neighbor, says Benedict XVI. The Pope reflected before praying the Angelus with several thousand people gathered Sunday in St. Peter's Square on the passage from Hosea that Jesus repeats in Sunday's Gospel: "I want love and not sacrifice."

(And: Full text of message)

B16: Take "God" out of "parentheses"

If people want to have hope and find meaning in their lives, they need to take God out of the "parentheses," says Benedict XVI.

B16 bids Catholics: Bring hope to secular Rome

Pope Benedict XVI presided at the opening of an ecclesial congress for the Rome diocese on Monday evening and told the participants that the Church might offer "the gift of Christian hope" to a skeptical society.

He argued that the people of the Rome diocese are ready to listen to that witness, because even the secular world has come to recognize the emptiness of modern life. The challenge for Christians is to "enliven the future of our beloved city."

B16: St Columbanus nourished the Xian roots of Europe

In Wednesday's general audience, which was held in St. Peter's Square, the Pope turned his attention to the figure of St. Columbanus, a famous Irish monk who lived in the 6th century and "who with good reason may be called a 'European' saint".

"He spent all his energies to nourish the Christian roots of the nascent Europe. With his spiritual strength, with his faith, with his love of God and neighbour, he became one of the Fathers of Europe, showing us today the way to those roots from which our continent may be reborn."

B16: Truth is goal of inter-religious dialogue

The Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue met for its 10th full assembly this past week to focus on the theme: "Dialogue in truth and love. Pastoral orientations." On Saturday, Pope Benedict spoke to group about the importance of truth being the goal of all dialogue and charity being the motivation behind all dialogue.

The Pope began his speech to the council by expressing his happiness that, "during these days you have sought to arrive at a deeper understanding of the Catholic Church's approach to people of other religious traditions. You have considered the broader purpose of dialogue - to discover the truth - and the motivation for it, which is charity, in obedience to the divine mission entrusted to the Church by our Lord Jesus Christ."

B16 highlights vital role of philosophy

Last Saturday morningin the Vatican, Benedict XVI received participants in the 6th European Symposium of University Professors, which is being held in Rome from 4-7 June on the theme: "Broadening the Horizons of Reason. Prospects for Philosophy".

"The Christian faith has made a clear choice: against the gods of religion for the God of the philosophers, in other words against the myth of custom and for the truth of being." In closing, Benedict XVI referred to the need to "promote high-profile academic centres in which philosophy can enter into dialogue with other disciplines, in particular with theology, to favour new cultural syntheses capable of guiding society."

Synod to focus on proper use of Scripture

The Synod of Bishops, meeting in Rome in October 2008, will discuss ways to promote the prayerful reading, understanding, and proclamation of the Word of God. At a Vatican press conference on Thursday, the secretary-general of the Synod of Bishops introduced the instrumentum laboris (the working document), for the meeting.

The Church should combat widespread "Biblical illiteracy" among the Catholic faithful, he said. At the same time, the Synod will discuss the challenge posed by fundamental sects that promote misleading interpretations of the Scriptures.

(And: Full text of instrumentum laboris)

Cardinal: Contemplating God makes for improved world

Contemplating the Lord nourishes the desire to improve the world around us, said the prefect of the Congregation for Saints' Causes.

Necropolis seen as proof 1st Xians were right

Touring a necropolis beneath the Vatican is a lesson in life and a chance to go back in time to see the faith of the first Christians, says the archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica. He reflected on the lessons to be gleaned from these tours when he recently spoke with journalists after a presentation of the restoration of the Valerii Mausoleum, one of the most important monuments of the Roman necropolis located under the Vatican Basilica.

Islamic group visits B16

Benedict XVI Wednesday received in audience the participants of a Muslim-Catholic committee meeting in Rome. He was visited after the general audience by the members of the Islamic-Catholic committee established by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the Saudi Arabia-based International Islamic Forum for Dialogue.

Vatican: People obsessed with Islam

The Vatican says the world is focusing on Islam to the exclusion of other faiths, and there needs to be a balance among the various belief systems when issues are discussed.

"Yes, the people are obsessed by Islam. For example I'm going to India next month and I want to give this message that all religions are equal. Sometimes there are priorities because of particular situations, but we mustn't get the impression there are first class religions and second class religions," said Cardinal Tauran, head of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue.

According to the United Kingdom Mail newspaper, Pope Benedict XVI has scheduled an unprecedented Catholic-Muslim meeting in October.

UN hears of church's work fighting AIDS

There is a lot of work to be done in the battle against HIV/AIDS, but the contribution of the Church in this fight is significant, the Holy See affirmed.

Archbishop Migliore, permanent observer of the Holy See to the UN, said this Thursday when he addressed the 62nd Session of the UN General Assembly's high-level meeting on a comprehensive review of the progress achieved in realizing the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS.

(And: Full text of address)

MIDEAST/AFRICA/ASIA

Birthday bash for King David

The King David Museum & Genealogy Center, a new interactive museum that officially opened its doors in March in the heart of Jerusalem's Old City, last Saturday celebrated the 3,048th birthday of King David, the 2nd biblical king of Israel.

According to tradition, King David was born and died on the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, which started last Friday night. Shavuot, 1 of 3 Jewish pilgrimage festivals, marks the day the Torah was given to the Jews on Mount Sinai.

[WAR: Yes, "the Jewish holiday of Shavuot" started last Friday night. But YAHWEH's Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) starts tomorrow (Sunday) morning at dawn.]

Jordan archaeologists unearth "world's first church"

Archaeologists in Jordan have unearthed what they claim is the world's first church, dating back almost 2,000 years, The Jordan Times reported on Tuesday. "We have uncovered what we believe to be the first church in the world, dating from 33 AD to 70 AD," the head of Jordan's Rihab Centre for Archaeological Studies, Abdul Qader al-Husan, said.

He said it was uncovered under Saint Georgeous Church, which itself dates back to 230 AD, in Rihab in northern Jordan near the Syrian border. "We have evidence to believe this church sheltered the early Christians -- the 70 disciples of Jesus Christ."

HOUSE OF ISRAEL

Bush to convert to Catholicism?!

President Bush and Pope Benedict XVI have held an intimate meeting in Rome as rumours mounted in Italy that the president may follow in Tony Blair's footsteps and convert to Catholicism.

Several Italian newspapers cited Vatican sources suggesting that Mr Bush may be prepared to convert. One source told Il Foglio, an authoritative newspaper, that "Anything is possible, especially for a born-again Christian such as Bush."

He added that while the Holy See deplored the war in Iraq, "on ethical matters he has always had a line that is practically identical to that of the Vatican."

Crisis of faith

Both Obama and McCain have problems with religion

Few Democrats have seemed more comfortable talking about God than Barack Obama has. And yet few, if any, have had more problems with God at the ballot box—from rumours that he is a Muslim to doubts among Catholic and Jewish voters to repeated "pastor eruptions". This is a serious worry for the Democrats.

The good news for Obama in all of this is that he is up against a Republican candidate in John McCain who has plenty of God problems of his own. McCain has a tin ear for religion. McCain has also been making a hash of dealing with his religion problem.

All this makes for a much more even fight for the religious vote than for a long time. But it will also make for a more intense fight. Those people, in both secular Europe and on the secular wing of the Democratic Party, who had hoped that America's God-soaked politics would disappear with Bush are in for a disappointment.

Obama targets the religious Right

Barack Obama is aiming to lure members of the religious Right, the movement that twice helped George W Bush win the White House. His campaign is set to launch the Joshua Generation Project, an initiative that will include household gatherings, blogs and concerts, to attract young evangelicals and Catholics ahead of November's election.

(And: TV ad questions Obama's statements on faith)

(And: Is Obama really a Xian?)

(Cartoon: The foxes at FOX)

McCain extends outreach, but evangelicals still wary

Viars's hesitation illustrates what remains one of John McCain's biggest challenges as he faces a general election contest with Barack Obama: a continued wariness toward him among evangelicals and other Christian conservatives, a critical voting bloc for Republicans that could stay home in the fall or at least be decidedly unenthusiastic in their efforts to get out the vote.

Hagee apologizes to Jews

A prominent American televangelist and outspoken supporter of Israel publicly apologized Friday for remarking that the Holocaust was the work of divine providence, and that "God sent Adolf Hitler to help Jews reach the promised land."

"In a sermon in 1999, I grappled with the vexing question of why a loving God would allow the evil of the Holocaust to occur," John Hagee, the Texas-based preacher wrote in a letter to Anti-Defamation League director Abe Foxman. "I know how sensitive the issue of the Holocaust is and should be to the Jewish community and I regret if my Jewish friends felt any pain as a result."

[WAR: Once you realize that there was not a "Holocaust", then the "vexing question" becomes mute. Ask a faulty question, and you'll get a faulty answer.]

Southern Baptists worried by decline in baptisms

Baptisms in the Southern Baptist Convention have fallen to a 20-year low, a trend that is setting off alarm bells in America's largest evangelical denomination. For Southern Baptists, a decline in baptisms is a worry because a major tenet of their faith is to spread it. Many believe the "unchurched" are doomed to an eternity in hell.

Quoting Scripture banned in library community room

Quoting from the Bible has been banned in a community room at the public library in Clermont County, Ohio, and now a couple who sought to use the facility for a financial planning seminar has brought a court case.

Sidelining of Xianity is "common sense"

It is "common sense" for Christianity to be sidelined at the expense of Islam, a Government minister claimed. Hazel Blears, the Communities Secretary, defended Labour's policy on religion after a report backed by the Church of England claimed that Muslims receive a disproportionate amount of attention.

Yes!...

Did Yahshua visit Britain?

An astonishing new book claims that a decade before he was crucified, Jesus sailed here on a trading ship and found inspiration in his Cornish idyll.

By collating stories from local legends, architectural evidence from 2 ancient churches and analysing letters from our earliest historians, author Glyn Lewis believes the tale of Jesus's visit to Britain is true. The key to it all is Jesus's family. Joseph of Arimathea, Jesus's uncle, was a metal trader who travelled Europe.

MISC

[Bible Study][The 7th Day Sabbath][[Day-Night Map][Tonight's Sky][Moon phase][Interfaith calendar][Multifaith calendar]

Apocalypse now: Floods, tornadoes, locusts

Weather of Biblical proportions sets off debate among theologians and scientists

God's wrath seems at work these days, as the heavens and Earth have unleashed earthquakes in China, a cyclone in Burma, killer tornadoes and record floods across the U.S. and even a plague of locusts (cicadas) in New England.

Most theologians and scientists don't take seriously warnings that the end of the world is nigh. But many reputable scholars do lend some credence to the notion that the world is in for some kind of disaster, be it meteorological, ecological or geopolitical.

Xianity and war

I would like to speak to you today about Christianity and War. I don't suppose there is anything I write and speak about with more fervor than the biblical, economic, and political fallacies of religious people. This is especially true regarding the general subject of Christianity and war.

If there is any group of people that should be opposed to war, torture, militarism, the warfare state, state worship, suppression of civil liberties, an imperial presidency, blind nationalism, government propaganda, and an aggressive foreign policy it is Christians, and especially conservative, evangelical, and fundamentalist Christians who claim to strictly follow the dictates of Scripture and worship the Prince of Peace.

Intelligent people "less likely to believe in God"

People with higher IQs are less likely to believe in God, according to a new study. Professor Richard Lynn, emeritus professor of psychology at Ulster University, said many more members of the "intellectual elite" considered themselves atheists than the national average.

A medical road back to virginity?

Like an increasing number of other Muslim women in Europe, she had a "hymenoplasty," a restoration of her hymen, the thin vaginal membrane that normally breaks during the first act of intercourse.

"In my culture, not to be a virgin is to be dirt. Right now, virginity is more important to me than life."Gynecologists report that in the past few years, more Muslim women are asking for certificates of virginity before marriage.

[WAR: Marriage is a blood covenant -- this is why adultery is so bad, compared to just fornication. The breaking of the hymen is what "seals the deal" between a man and woman. And a few months ago I found out something very interesting: not only is the menstrual cycle linked to the cycle of the moon, but the most common formation of the hymen is cresentric or crescent-shaped!]

And speakin' of the moon...

Tonight's Moon

[WAR: I was looking at my SkyGlobe astronomy software to see where the Moon is tonight -- the night before the day of Pentecost. It is in the constellation (not "sign"!) of Libra. This reminded me of something I had noticed before about 2 other appointed times this year, so I checked it out.

Sure enough, it was quite interesting: This year, the Moon was in Libra at Passover (night before the 1st Day of Unleavened Bread); it will be there tonight before Pentecost; and it will also be there the night before Trumpets -- "under her (Virgo's) feet" (Rev 12:1)!

But who's taking the time to look up and see "the heavens (that) declare the glory of Elohim" (verse 1)? Who's actually understanding that "night after night they display knowledge" (verse 2)? Who's listening to "their voice (that) goes out into all the Earth" (verse 4)?]

The Religion WAR (03-03)

2008-06-07T09:45:00.000-07:00

Reading between the lines, thinking outside the box, and seeing the forest...

THE HOLY ROMAN...

[Sacrum Romanum / Heiliges Römisches] [Vaticams]

B16's book is a best-seller

Pope Benedict XVI has emerged as one of Italy's most popular authors, after selling more than 2.5 million copies of his latest book in just over a year. The sales of Jesus of Nazareth, the 1st part of a 2-volume biography of Christ, has convinced Helder, the largest Catholic publisher in Europe, to reprint a series of Benedict's earlier scholarship.

Benedict is currently working on his 3rd encyclical, tentatively titled "Love in the Truth", and on the 2nd part of Jesus of Nazareth. He is expected to finish both works over his summer holidays, which he usually devotes to non-stop writing.

[WAR: "Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Yahshua Messiah as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist." (2John 1:7)]

B16: Xianity isn't a foreign import

Christianity isn't a mere foreign import that is alien to Asian culture, but rather the truth that resonates with the law written on the human heart, says Benedict XVI. He said this upon receiving in audience today the bishops of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, in Rome for their 5-yearly visit.

"Happily, the peoples of Asia display an intense yearning for God. In handing on to them the message that you also received, you are sowing the seeds of evangelization in fertile ground. If the faith is to flourish, however, it needs to strike deep roots in Asian soil, lest it be perceived as a foreign import, alien to the culture and traditions of your people. ... In particular, you need to ensure that the Christian Gospel is in no way confused in their minds with secular principles associated with the Enlightenment."

B16 encourages devotion to Sacred Heart

B16 address at end of Marian month

B16: Gregormagne and humility

Cardinal cautious in meeting with A2

In a personal message to Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexei II, Pope Benedict XVI thanked the Russian prelate for his "commitment to fostering relations between Catholics and Orthodox."

Cardinal Kasper, the president of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity, delivered the Pope's message when he met with Patriarch Alexei in Moscow on May 30. Cardinal Kasper was in Russia for a series of meetings with both Catholic and Orthodox officials.

Cardinal Kasper's meeting with Patriarch Alexei produced no major announcements. The Vatican has deliberately downplayed expectations for the visit, saying that the cardinal traveled to Russia in an effort to learn more about the life of the Russian Orthodox Church.

(And: Moscow discourages talk of B16-A2 summit)

Vatican sums up Xian vision of creation

Showing its support for the UN-sponsored World Environment Day, the Vatican has released the Ten Commandments of the environment, inspired by the Christian vision of creation. Bishop Crepaldi, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, presented the 10 points on the opening day of Milan's first festival of the environment, which began Wednesday.

He told Vatican Radio that the document is an attempt "to explain in 10 points the most important aspects of the chapter on the environment in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church."

He added that is an effort to enlighten Christian communities, groups and movements on "the very rich social magisterium of the Church on the specific question of the environment and its protection."

...EMPIRE OF THE GERMAN NATION

[Imperium Nationis Germanicae / Reich Deutscher Nation] [Satan's Throne?]

Biblical theme park coming to Germany

Germans fancying lunch in the Tower of Babel, a visit to an "original size" Noah's Ark or a multimedia depiction of the final battle between Good and Evil will soon be able to head to a planned biblical amusement park.

Under plans announced by a group of Swiss evangelical Christians, Genesis Park, a theme park based on the Bible, will open at a yet to be chosen site in Germany by 2012.

(And: Germans aghast at "Holy Disneyland" plan)

EUROPE/RUSSIA

Annual phallus phestival in Greece

Each year on the first Monday of Lent, the people of the tiny Greek town of Tyrnavos go crazy about penises, singing lewd songs and urging passersby to kiss their model phallusses. The pagan fertility festival is one of the most famous parties in Greece. The festival is in honor of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, madness and ecstasy. Phallic worship was popular in ancient Rome, Egypt, India and Japan.

(Wiki: The Ancient Egyptians related the cult of phallus with Osiris. When Osiris' body was cut in 13 pieces, Seth scattered them all over Egypt and his wife Isis retrieved all of them except one, his penis, which was swallowed by a fish. The phallus was a symbol of fertility.)

(And: Baal worship and phallus/oblelisks/steeples)

(And: Obelisks reverenced at Rome, stoned at Mecca)

Hallowed stones

The cathedrals of Chartres in France and St Paul's in London embody not only different aesthetics, but different versions of God and Man—one all shadowy ineffability, the other all daylight rationalism.

It is also, as 2 new books show, that Chartres and St Paul's were part of the same philosophical conversation, though at different points along its continuum—about intellectual freedom versus authority, about reason and faith.

Barroso to inaugurate European synagogue

European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso in a ceremony on Wednesday helprf dedicate a Brussels temple as the "Great Synagogue of Europe," amid prayers for EU leaders to act justly.

The synagogue - an 1878 Romanesque-style building in Brussels' central Rue de la Regence - is to become a symbolic focal point for Judaism in Europe, a little like St Peter's Basilica in Rome is for Roman Catholics.

MIDEAST/AFRICA/ASIA

Israeli rabbi says giraffe meat, milk are kosher

An Israeli rabbi has declared giraffe meat and milk to be kosher. "The giraffe has all the signs of a ritually pure animal, and the milk forms curds, which strengthened that view." Giraffe meat is also considered ritually pure because the animal has a cloven hoof and chews the cud.

Saudi king pushes inter-faith dialogue

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah described himself as "a voice for coexistence and dialogue" during a conference of Islamic legal scholars in Mecca this week. King Abdullah spoke to the 500 ulemas, or arbiters of shari'a law, about the proposal he had unveiled in March for dialogue among the leaders of the world's great monotheistic faiths.

The new face of Islam

A critique of radicalism is building within the heart of the Muslim world

Important Muslim thinkers, including some on whom Osama bin Laden depended for support, have rejected his vision of jihad. Once sympathetic publics in the Middle East and South Asia are growing disillusioned.

A new vision of Islam, neither bin Laden's nor that of the traditionalists who preceded him, is taking shape. Momentum is building within the Muslim world to re-examine what had seemed immutable tenets of the faith, to challenge what had been taken as literal truths and to open wide the doors of interpretation (ijtihad) that some schools of Islam tried to close centuries ago.

Ethiopia starts restoring obelisk

Work has begun to restore a historic obelisk in Ethiopia's ancient city of Axum, after it was returned from Italy. The Axum Obelisk, a symbol of Ethiopia's identity, was looted by troops in 1937 during Italy's brief occupation of Abyssinia. Italy returned the 1,700-year-old monument in 2005, after decades of negotiations between the countries.

HOUSE OF ISRAEL

Doomsday "could" begin Thursday?

Nuclear war will begin this coming Thursday, or sooner, according to the latest prediction of self-proclaimed prophet Yisrayl "Buffalo Bill" Hawkins, the founder of the House of Yahweh in Abilene, Texas.

"It could be turned loose before then," Hawkins told 20/20 for a report broadcasted Friday night. "You're going to see this very soon, really soon," he said.

Paranoid Protestant Prophet Preaching Poop...

Hagee: The Antichrist is gay, "partially Jewish"

In his sermon, "The Final Dictator," John Hagee described the Antichrist as a seductive figure with "fierce features." He will be "a blasphemer and a homosexual," the pastor announced.

Then, Hagee boomed, "There's a phrase in Scripture used solely to identify the Jewish people. It suggests that this man [the Antichrist] is at least going to be partially Jewish, as was Adolph Hitler, as was Karl Marx."

[WAR: Puh-leaze! This "prophet" is himself an antimessiah, because he thinks that Yahshua was "God in the flesh" -- a god-man that was "fully God and fully human."]

Lieberman to speak at Hagee-hosted conference

Senator Joe I Lieberman says he'll speak at a July conference hosted by Pastor John Hagee. In a statement, Lieberman says he considers some of Hagee's comments unacceptable and hurtful, but will judge him on his life's work fighting anti-Semitism and building bridges between Christians and Jews.

(And: Hagee's not-so-bright vision)

Saint Hillary and the Religious Left

The hallmark and the fanatical drive of the left for these past centuries has been in devoting tireless energy to bringing about, as rapidly as they can, their own egalitarian, collectivist version of a Kingdom of God on Earth. In short, this truly monstrous movement is what might be called "left-post-millennialist."

Faith and works in US politics

The repeated references to James highlight an often overlooked and controversial book of the Bible. For centuries its supposed conflict with Paul's letters and the Protestant doctrine of justification by faith alone relegated it to the sidelines of biblical scholarship, and only recently has it enjoyed more attention.

"'Faith without works is dead' translates politically into 'rhetoric without action is dead,'" said Kevin Coe, coauthor of The God Strategy: How Religion Became a Political Weapon in America.

Jesus made me puke

Undercover with the Xian Right

I had joined Cornerstone — a megachurch in the Texas Hill Country — to get a look inside the evangelical mind-set that gave the country 8 years of George W. Bush.

The church's pastor, John Hagee, is one of the most influential evangelical preachers in the country — not because his ministry is so very large but because of his near-absolute conquest of a very trendy niche in the market: Christian Zionism. The whole idea behind Christian Zionism is to align America with the nation of Israel so as to "hurry God up" in his efforts to bring about Armageddon.

How would God vote?

In this presidential election year, many Americans are wondering how to vote – or even if they should vote. Into this quandary enters a new book by David Klinghoffer of the Discovery Institute with the audacious title "How Would God Vote: Why the Bible Commands You to Be a Conservative." My reaction? Color me skeptical.

Poison or paranoid paganism?...

City decides booze is better than church

The Planning and Zoning Commission of Yuma, Arizona, denied a use permit to a church because, in part, it worried that the church would cost the city liquor license money. City staff informed the commission in a report that the church would not be "beneficial to overall economic health" of the area, a condition necessary for granting a conditional use permit.

Pagan "blessing" sought for new building

A former employee of a Tennessee insurance company is objecting to a "ceremony" held at the construction site of a new building because it called on "the gods on the structure" for "good fortune and fertility." The report on the ceremony came in an e-mail from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee, which is constructing a new nearly $300 million office building at Chattanooga.

God-denying billboard recruits atheists

"Don't believe in God?" a bright blue billboard with images of puffy white clouds asks. "You are not alone." The 20-by-60-foot sign alongside I-95 was designed by a group of area atheists as an invitation to join the Greater Philadelphia Coalition of Reason, or PhillyCoR, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Steve Rade, president of Wireless Accessories, Inc., gave the $22,500 to fund the billboard May 1, and he plans to keep it there until the end of August. He grew up as a Jew, but he told the Inquirer he is "absolutely certain" God and eternal life do not exist. His father was a synagogue president and raised his children to regularly attend Shabbat services.

Decalogues everywhere, with thanks to ACLU

Thousands of stone Ten Commandments monuments on highly visible properties in communities across the nation, millions of smaller plaques in Christian and Jewish homes, and a massive bronze showing the biblical image of Moses holding the stones on which God wrote… The target of the ACLU? Nope. Thanks to the ACLU!

The executive director for Project Moses says his organization, only a few years old, is well on its way to reaching many of its goals of placing Ten Commandments monuments all over the nation, and it's because of a complaint from the ACLU.
[WAR: "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. (But) these people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." (Deu 6:6 / Isa 29:13)]

Demi Moore supports Kabbalah project for kids

How Hollywood's A-list stars are bringing the cult of Kabbalah to inner-city schools in London. Is it sinister or safe?

Xianity "discriminated against by Brown's government"

Christianity is being discriminated against by the Government in favour of Islam and other minority faiths, according to a landmark Church of England report. The damning critique of Labour, which is endorsed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, says ministers are only paying "lip service" to the Anglican Church while "focusing intently" on other religions.

(Op-ed: Church and State)

Conscience and promoting the common good

Here is the homily given Wednesday by Cardinal O'Brien at a Mass in the Crypt of the House of Commons, in which he addressed members of Parliament and the House of Lords.

Law and religion clash in France

Forty years after the sexual revolution in France, the country is confronted with a question it thought it would never have to ask again: Can a husband annul a marriage because his new wife is not a virgin?

It has also sharpened the focus on much broader questions that all of Europe is grappling with: How much should European countries adapt their moral and legal codes to their growing Muslim communities, and how much should those communities be expected to conform to Western norms?

MISC

[Bible Study][The 7th Day Sabbath][[Day-Night Map][Tonight's Sky][Moon phase][Interfaith calendar][Multifaith calendar]

End of the world predictions in retrospect

One thing I keep an eye on is the end of the world predictions that pop up every so often. Everyone from Jehovah Witnesses to 7th Day Adventists to Fundamentalist Mormons to end of the world Christian groups is jumping on the bandwagon to "prophecy" their version of the end times.

(Cartoon: Thinning-the-herd)

Judas among the gnostics

What the Gospel of Judas really says

I regret to say that the National Geographic Society has opened itself to serious criticism regarding its publication of the now-famous Gospel of Judas.

Did captured Ark afflict Philistines with erectile dysfunction?

I've always been troubled by the Philistine hemorrhoids. The Hebrew word is 'opalim (Mylpe). That was supposedly their affliction when they captured the Ark of the Covenant and placed it before a statue of their god Dagon.

These 'opalim have caused scholars lots of problems. The root of the word is 'pl (lpe, or Ophel, as in the acropolis [upper city] of ancient Jerusalem), which means "high" or "rise," hence a swelling.

But there is something strange, even a bit peculiar about 'opalim. Is it a vulgarity? Is it simply too intimate for use in a holy text? Or does it perhaps mean something entirely different?

Based on recently recovered archaeological evidence, I believe that 'opalim refers not to hemorrhoids or tumors or the bubonic plague, but to the male sexual organ. The Philistines were afflicted in their membra virile.

The God of angel armies

I was reading the prophet Jeremiah a few weeks ago when I ran across a passage that referred to God as "the Lord Almighty." To be honest, it didn't resonate. There's something too religious about the phrase; it sounds churchy, sanctimonious. The Lawd Almiiiighty. It sounds like something your grandmother would say when you came into her kitchen covered in mud.

I found myself curious about what the actual phrase means in Hebrew. Might we have lost something in the translation? So I turned to the front of the version I was using for an explanation. Here is what the editors said:

"Because for most readers today the phrases 'the Lord of hosts' and 'God of hosts' have little meaning, this version renders them 'the Lord Almighty' and 'God Almighty.' These renderings convey the sense of the Hebrew [Yahweh Tsaba], namely, 'he who is sovereign over all the 'hosts' (powers) in heaven and on Earth, especially over the "hosts" (armies) of Israel." No, they don't. They don't even come close.

The Hebrew means "the God of angel armies," "the God of the armies who fight for his people." The God who is at war. Does "Lord Almighty" convey "the God who is at war"? Not to me, it doesn't. Not to anyone I've asked. It sounds like "the God who is up there but still in charge." Powerful, in control.

The God of angel armies sounds like the one who would roll up his sleeves, take up sword and shield to break down gates of bronze, and cut through bars of iron to rescue me. (Waking the Dead, p.160)

The Religion WAR (02-25)

2008-05-31T07:39:00.000-07:00

Reading between the lines, thinking outside the box, and seeing the forest...

THE HOLY ROMAN...

[Sacrum Romanum / Heiliges Römisches] [Vaticams]

B16 to host Italian TV show?

The Italian tabloid Chi reports that Pope Benedict XVI is considering a television program in which he would discuss the Bible. The story -- which the Vatican has not confirmed -- indicates that the Pontiff would appear on a program aired by Italy's national public-service broadcaster, Rai Uno, beginning in October of this year.

B16 on daily bread

The solemnity of Corpus Domini is celebrated in Italy and in various countries today [Sunday]. It was observed in the Vatican and in other countries Thursday. It is the feast of the Eucharist, the wondrous gift of Christ, who in the Last Supper wanted to leave us a memorial of his Passover, the sacrament of his Body and his Blood, pledge of his immense love for us.

B16 on Gregormagne

In his general audience Wednesday, held in St. Peter's Square, the Pope turned his attention to St. Gregory the Great, who was Bishop of Rome (590-604) and whom "tradition deemed worthy of the title of 'Magnus', the Great" -- and "truly was a great Pope and a great Doctor of the Church".

(And: Full text of address)

Importance of rediscovering Xian roots

Benedict XVI received in separate audiences Nikola Gruevski, prime minister of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, then Ivajlo Kalfin, deputy prime minister and foreign minister of the Republic of Bulgaria.

Benedict XVI concluded his remarks by highlighting how "the rediscovery of Christian roots is important for building a society in which the spiritual and cultural values arising from the Gospel remain present", values that "draw nourishment from constant union with God, as is evident from the lives of Sts. Cyril and Methodius who strove relentlessly to weave relationships of mutual understanding and cordiality between different peoples, and between diverse cultures and ecclesial traditions".

B16 to A2: Growing closeness between us

Pope Benedict XVI has written a Message to Alexis II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, delivered by Cardinal Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, during a meeting with the Patriarch.

In the text of his English-language Message, the Pope writes that the cardinal's visit to Russia "offers me a welcome opportunity to extend my cordial greetings, to express my esteem for your ministry in the Russian Orthodox Church and to restate my appreciation for your commitment to fostering relations between Catholics and Orthodox".

"It is with joy that I reflect on the experience of growing closeness between us, accompanied by the shared desire to promote authentic Christian values and to witness to our Lord in ever deeper communion."

(And: Full text of letter)

Secret to B16's efficacy

Benedict XVI is an effective communicator, not just because every talk he gives is like an "encyclical in miniature," but because there is a secret to his efficacy, affirmed the author of a biography of the Pope.

Vatican says will excommunicate women priests

The Vatican issued its most explicit decree so far against the ordination of women priests, punishing them and the bishops who try to ordain them with automatic excommunication. The decree was written by the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and published in the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, giving it immediate effect.

(And: Full text of decree)

The Vatican celebrates Darwin

The Vatican is planning a special conference in 2009 to mark the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of the Species, Charles Darwin's groundbreaking theory of evolution.

The Vatican has traditionally backed a more nuanced approach. Three years ago, Cardinal Poupard, the then president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, said Darwin's theory of Evolution and the Old Testament book of Genesis were "perfectly compatible" if the Bible were correctly read, saying: "The fundamentalists want to give a scientific meaning to words that had no scientific aim," explaining that the real message in Genesis was that "the universe didn't make itself and had a creator."

(The truth: The Theory of Evolution - A Fairy Tale for Adults?)

Archbishop on moral conscience

There are those who view the moral conscience as personal, internal, subjective and open to no criticism from without. Even in the Catechism of the Catholic Church one might think to find justification for such an outlook.

The problem with an overly subjective outlook is that it misses the point. It does not look at the whole question of conscience. The proper understanding of the moral conscience is basic to our understanding of morality and to the living of our lives. I would like, therefore, in this letter to address some of the most important aspects of conscience.

(Q&A: Archbishop on his letter)

New Vatican document on obedience in religious life

The Vatican has issued a new document underlining the importance of obedience in religious life. Entitled "The Service of Authority and Obedience," the 50-page document from the Congregation for Religious takes the form of an Instruction. It was presented to the superiors of male and female religious orders on May 28 at an assembly held in the Salesianum in Rome.

Vatican unveils pagan tomb

The Vatican unveiled the largest and most luxurious of the pagan tombs in the necropolis under St. Peter's Basilica on Tuesday after nearly a year of restoration work. It is one of 22 pagan tombs in the grottoes under the basilica.

...EMPIRE OF THE GERMAN NATION

[Imperium Nationis Germanicae / Reich Deutscher Nation] [Satan's Throne?]

Babylon bears scars of US-led invasion

The last outsiders to visit the ruins of the once-mighty city of Babylon in Iraq came in tanks and helicopters, leaving a blight on its historic and fragile landscape, archaeologists say. At a meeting in Berlin next month, Iraqi and other specialists will endeavour to assess the true level of damage.

Already the famous blue bricks that form the lions, bulls and dragons making up the decorations around the Gate of Ishtar, the Babylonian goddess of love, have been found to have been damaged. The original gate, on display at the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, marked the entrance to the palace, temples and domestic dwellings of the city. These buildings were fashioned out of mud bricks which still bear Babylonian and Assyrian markings.

Ahmidiyya Muslims celebrate 100 years

Muslim missionaries found in Western cities are often part of the messianic Ahmidiyya movement. The peaceful beliefs of Ahmadis, who can be found in small numbers in Germany, are seen as heretical by most Muslims.

It's been 100 years since Mirza Ghulam Ahmad founded the Ahmadiyya Muslim faith. The controversial Indian religious figure claimed to be the promised messiah awaited by all the major religions. Worldwide there are between 10 and 80 million Ahmadiyyas.

EUROPE/RUSSIA

Archbishop: Europe missing a mission

The archbishop of Trent said official European documents do not have a mission for Europe, and affirmed that their vision of the world is too "Eurocentric." "The official texts are disappointing, because they do not have in mind a mission for Europe. They only foresee new structures in a Eurocentric vision of the world, without being prepared to revise the rules of international economic exchanges if these do not imply profit for the so-called first world."

Russian scientist decodes Nostradamus prophecies

Vitaliy Khozyashev from Perm, Russia, doesn't consider Nostradamus a graph maniac, but an outstanding person. He is sure his quatrain verses, grouped in centuries, are not nonsense, but a prophesy.

Having used math and numerology, the scientist concluded that Nostradamus, while coding his verses, based himself on the self-made astrological calendar that had the 'timetable' of the Sun and other planets movement.

He was numbering the quatrain verses according to this calendar. But in his books he has the verses in the ordinary way. So this is how they are encoded. From July 1559 on, the scientist reconstructed more than a thousand of quatrain verses, having placed them according to Zodiac signs. Now he knows, which time each quatrain correlates to.

Religious sects: Different point of view

It hasn't been long after the 6-month thriller with Penza anchorites was over and the problem of religious sects is on everyone's lips again. How could a group of people shut themselves off from the rest of the world in a dark cold cave for half a year and die form the lack of fresh food and medications? The answer is still not found.

But this story sparked violent discussions about the negative effects of religious sects. Some people even proposed them to be banned. But sects can be banned only if religion is banned, as it was in the Soviet era.

MIDEAST/AFRICA/ASIA

Turkey's catalog of sins

Religious authority warns women against perfume, flirtation

Secular Turks say the government's religious authority has gone too far by advising women not to flirt with strangers or wear perfume outside their homes. The article is expected to further inflame a debate about the role of religion in the secular nation.

Prayer by proxy at Western Wall

There was a time appealing to God at the holiest place on earth for Jews - the Western Wall - was only for those physically in Jerusalem. Now anyone can say a prayer at the Wall while in the comfort of their own home, office or anywhere in between, thanks to a new Web site.

US tourist with "Jerusalem Syndrome" jumps off building

A 38-year old American tourist diagnosed as suffering from 'Jerusalem Syndrome' jumped off a 13-feet walkway at the Poria Hospital in Tiberias. Over the past few days the husband began feeling anxious and suffered from insomnia. He roamed the hills surrounding the guest house he was staying at, muttering about Jesus.

According to the doctor, the man is most likely suffering from the rare yet well-documented 'Jerusalem Syndrome.' "This psychotic state is brought on by visits to Jerusalem or the Galilee. It induces a state of religious ecstasy which overcomes the tourists. They feel euphoric at being surrounded by so many holy sites.

"This state is characterized by megalomania and delusions of grandeur. Those afflicted often believe they are the Messiah, Jesus or the Mahdi, depending on their religion and sect. They attempt to reconcile Jews and Palestinians, speak to God and genuinely believe he answers them."

PROVOKING PERSIA

Give US-Iranian theological diplomacy a try

US and Iranian clerics believe that reconciliation comes from respectful communication

Clerics on both sides believe that reconciliation must come from respectful communication. But such dialogue cannot occur in a vacuum, or in environments where people are demonising each other. The stakes are high in the Middle East, and the shrill and negative discourse of both countries' political administrations will not ease the increasing tensions between our countries.

HOUSE OF ISRAEL

Church of England to debate convert motion

A traditionalist Anglican has said he will continue with a campaign for the Church of England to work explicitly to convert Muslims to Christianity. The motion calls on the Church to proclaim Christianity as the only route to ultimate salvation.

Blair's Faith Foundation to sell religion as force for good

Tony Blair launched his Faith Foundation in New York Friday, saying that he wants to spend most of his remaining years ensuring that religion is seen as a force for good in the world.

The new organisation, for which he is seeking hundreds of millions of pounds of charitable funding, will focus on developing better understanding between faiths as well as fostering concrete action on fighting poverty and disease.

He argued that religion, particularly the Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Islam and Judaism, have to be rescued from those who would use it to create division or others who wish to write if off as an irrelevance.

(Op-ed: Blair stretches belief)

Obama and McCain have "righteous" problems

Republican presidential candidate John McCain has a "Religious Right" problem. His likely Democratic rival, Barack Obama, has a Rev. Wright problem.

In a country where high levels of belief and church attendance often translate into a major role for religion in election campaigns, analysts say faith may well be a poisoned chalice for the likely contenders in the November White House race.

Why?!...

A Jew in defense of Hagee

John Hagee is one of the most pro-Jewish Christians alive. No living Christian has devoted more of his life to combating anti-Semitism. He has received death threats from anti-Semites, and they have attacked his home. To accuse such a man of anything anti-Jewish renders both truth and anti-Semitism meaningless.

Are religious conservatives and the GOP heading for divorce?

On May 22, a new era began in the history of what is called the Religious Right. John McCain rejected the endorsements of 2 of the leading Evangelical pastors in the US, John Hagee and Rod Parsley.

The impact of McCain publicly disavowing these 2 major figures will create a new alignment among politically active religious conservatives and the political parties.

Excellent! Destroy them all!...

Secret plans under way to tear down Xian symbols

US soldiers stationed at Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo may be stunned to find 3 wooden crosses stripped from the exterior grounds of their chapel in coming weeks. Several high-ranking officers have met behind closed doors to discuss plans for the crosses.

They have decided to remove, and perhaps destroy, the Christian symbols located outside Peacekeeper's Chapel in the name of free exercise of religion. The crosses will be replaced with a stone monument engraved with the name of the chapel and the crest of US Army Chaplain Corps.

[WAR: "Do not set up any wooden Asherah pole beside the altar you build to YAHWEH your ELOHIM, and do not erect a sacred stone, for these YAHWEH your ELOHIM hates." (Deu 16:21,22)

"He even deposed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive Asherah pole. Asa cut the pole down and burned it in the Kidron Valley." (1Ki 15:13)

"He took the Asherah pole from the temple of YAHWEH to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem and burned it there. He ground it to powder and scattered the dust over the graves of the common people." (1Ki 23:6)]

Why can't all cults get a fair shake?

The disconnect, the query, the puzzlement, from whence the idea for this essay arose relates to why the State, obviously a cult, is not more vigorously decried, particularly outside libertarian circles, while voluntary organizations which have been labeled as "cults" by the State, are.

MISC

[Bible Study][The 7th Day Sabbath][[Day-Night Map][Tonight's Sky][Moon phase][Interfaith calendar][Multifaith calendar]

The end of the world is nigh

He is 1 of the 4 horsemen who will see in the end of the world, or so he says

I'm sitting in a Chelsea café having coffee with the 1st horseman of the apocalypse. He's very pleasant for a harbinger of doom and is not, as the Bible predicts, holding a bow and arrow but a Granny Smith's apple.

The horseman, or as he is known to friends, Gordon Ritchie, 50, latter day prophet and head of the Jehovah's Witness splinter group The Lords' Witnesses, is quite sure that the Bible refers to him in Revelation 6 when it predicts that the end of the world will be ushered in by four horsemen

Can science and God ever get along?

A brilliant series of 13 short essays published by the John Templeton Foundation offers different responses to the question: "Does science make belief in God obsolete?"

Origin of the sign of the cross

Writing in around A.D. 204, Tertullian explained that Christians mark their foreheads with the sign of the cross.

The heart of the matter

Against the flesh, the traitor within, a warrior uses discipline. We have a 2-dimensional version of this now, which we call a "quiet time." But most men have a hard time sustaining any sort of devotional life because it has no vital connection to recovering and protecting their strength; it feels about as important as flossing.

But if you saw your life as a great battle and you knew you needed time with God for your very survival, you would do it. Maybe not perfectly—nobody ever does and that's not the point anyway—but you would have a reason to seek him.

We give a halfhearted attempt at the spiritual disciplines when the only reason we have is that we "ought" to. But we'll find a way to make it work when we are convinced we're history if we don't.

Time with God each day is not about academic study or getting through a certain amount of Scripture or any of that. It's about connecting with God. We've got to keep those lines of communication open, so use whatever helps.

Sometimes I'll listen to music; other times I'll read Scripture or a passage from a book; often I will journal; maybe I'll go for a run; then there are days when all I need is silence and solitude and the rising sun. The point is simply to do whatever brings me back to my heart and the heart of God. (Wild at Heart , p.171–72)

[WAR: "The heart of the matter" is the heart!!

* "Love YAHWEH your ELOHIM with all your heart..." (Deu 6:5)

* "Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart..." (Jer 3:15)

* "I YAHWEH search the heart and examine the mind..." (Jer 17:10)

* "I will give them a heart to know me ... for they will return to me with all their heart." (Jer 24:7)

* "I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh." (Eze 11:19)

Once upon a time...

Why is this story so deep in our psyche? Every little girl knows the fable without ever being told. She dreams one day her prince will come. Little boys rehearse their part with wooden swords and cardboard shields. And one day the boy, now a young man, realizes that he wants to be the one to win the beauty.

Fairy tales, literature, music, and movies all borrow from this mythic theme. Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Helen of Troy, Romeo & Juliet, Antony & Cleopatra, Arthur & Guinevere, Tristan & Isolde.

From ancient fables to the latest blockbuster, the theme of a strong man coming to rescue a beautiful woman is universal to human nature. It is written in our hearts, one of the core desires of every man and every woman. (Wild at Heart , p.180–81)

The Religion WAR (02-18)

2008-05-24T08:53:00.000-07:00

Reading between the lines, thinking outside the box, and seeing the forest...

THE HOLY ROMAN...

[Sacrum Romanum / Heiliges Römisches] [Vaticams]

B16: The mission is a duty of all churches

B16: The Church's role in "torn" society

B16: Participate actively in political and social life

B16: Church is called to offer witness of Communion

B16: Eucharist unites us over and above all differences

B16: Xian culture isn't "outdated"

B16: History's dark pages lessons for today

The "dark page" of history written by Napoleon Bonaparte when he exiled Pope Pius VII from Rome is a lesson for today's Church as it teaches courage to face the challenges of the world.

That dark page of European history has, by the power of the Holy Spirit, become a rich source of grace and education, even for our own time. It teaches us the courage to face the challenges of the world -- materialism, relativism, laicism -- never giving way to compromise but ready to pay in person in order to remain faithful to the Lord and his Church."

He also recalled how "Sunday needs to be rediscovered in its Christian roots, beginning with the celebration of the risen Lord," and how "the sacrament of penance" represents a "fundamental means of spiritual development."

B16 leads traditional Rome procession

Pope Benedict led a traditional religious procession through the streets of Rome on Thursday and called on Catholics to look beyond differences like nationality and social class to the common faith that unites them.

B16 attacked by Catholic Church's most senior theologians

One of the Catholic Church's most senior theologians, and former mentor to Pope Benedict XVI, has launched a stinging attack on the Vatican. Hans Küng, 80, a Swiss priest and professor at Tübingen University [Bavaria] said it was a "tragedy" for the Catholic Church that Rome had failed to follow the path of liberalisation set out by the Vatican II council in 1965.

"Rome continues to block every sort of renewal, and is blocking any ecumenical unification with the protestant and orthodox churches. This pope has made serious mistakes."

B16, as seen up close

If you want to understand Joseph Ratzinger, the man and the Pope, the starting point is the love of God, affirmed a cardinal who has worked closely with him. He added that without leaving aside his intellectual depth, Benedict is "becoming the Pope of the people, because the people clearly perceive his message, even when it is full of uncomfortable truths, that is, demanding [truths] that call for a commitment."

(And: B16 and the press)

"Humane Vitae" a reminder of forgotten truths

P6 saw liturgical abuse as "smoke of Satan"

When Pope Paul VI spoke about the "smoke of Satan" entering the Catholic Church, he was referring to liturgical abuses, according to the prelate who served as his master of ceremonies.

The Pope "meant to include all those priests or bishops and cardinals who didn't render worship to the Lord by celebrating badly Holy Mass because of an errant interpretation of the implementation of the Second Vatican Council.

"He spoke of the smoke of Satan because he maintained that those priests who turned Holy Mass into dross in the name of creativity, in reality were possessed of the vainglory and the pride of the Evil One. So, the smoke of Satan was nothing other than the mentality which wanted to distort the traditional and liturgical canons of the Eucharistic ceremony."

On bishops, local churches and movements

About 150 bishops gathered near Rome last week for the second conference on the role of ecclesial movements.

A2 rejects Catholic-Orthodox statement on papal primacy

The Russian Orthodox Church has officially rejected a doctrinal statement approved by a joint Catholic-Orthodox theological commission. While Vatican officials hailed the agreement as an important ecumenical landmark, they cautioned that the Catholic and Orthodox churches have a different understanding of primacy.

(And: Cardinal to take A2 message from B16)

5th dogma a Marian antidote

An antidote to the challenges facing the Church and society today is the glorification of Mary through the proclamation of a 5th Marian dogma, says Cardinal Vithayathil of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church.

The text includes the petition that asks the Pope to proclaim Mary as "the Spiritual Mother of All Humanity, the co-redemptrix with Jesus the redeemer, mediatrix of all graces with Jesus the one mediator, and advocate with Jesus Christ on behalf of the human race."

(And: B16: Mary's intercession)

...EMPIRE OF THE GERMAN NATION

[Imperium Nationis Germanicae / Reich Deutscher Nation] [Satan's Throne?]

German demand for exorcisms sparks row

A growing demand for exorcisms by Germans who believe they are suffering demonic possession has sparked controversy in a country where the practice has been outlawed by the Roman Catholic Church.

EUROPE/RUSSIA

Report urges pro-natal policies for EU

A new report urges the European Union to support pro-natalist policies, the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute reports. Last week, the Spain-based Institute for Family Policy issued its second annual report at the European Parliament in Brussels, warning of the catastrophic consequences of demographic decline.

MIDEAST/AFRICA/ASIA

Proof of Red Sea drowning

Confirmation of the actual Exodus route has come from divers finding coral-encrusted bones and chariot remains in the Gulf of Aqaba.

Jerusalem says "no sex in this city"

Advertisers of Sex and the City: The Movie, have decided to refrain from marketing the film in Jerusalem or Petah Tikva, even though they weren't requested to do so by municipal officials in either city.

The billboard company that is advertising the film decided not to hang posters or billboards in the 2 cities due to potential objections by the cities' large religious populations over the use of the word "sex" in the posters along with the photos of the film's stars.

Orthodox Jewish youths burn NT

Orthodox Jews set fire to hundreds of copies of the New Testament in the latest act of violence against Christian missionaries in the Holy Land. The books were dumped into a pile and set afire in a lot near a synagogue.

Kenya mob burns 15 "witches"

Dalai Lama calls for religious tolerance

The Dalai Lama told a sold-out crowd of 7,000 in Nuremberg, Bavaria that religious tolerance is an imperative and said it was tragic that religious differences often lead to bloodshed. "We need all the different religions to serve the people, because the people are different and have different goals." He arrived in Germany for a 5-day visit of speaking engagements and has met with leaders from some of Germany's 16 states.

PROVOKING PERSIA

Clerics accuse Ahmadinejad of hiding political failures behind religion

In his 3 years as president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been harshly criticized in the West. But he is increasingly drawing fire from Shiite clerics here, who accuse him of using religion to distract attention from his government's failure to deliver on promises of prosperity and political freedoms.

In a news conference last week, the he lashed out at those who were "insulting and mocking" him about a Shiite belief that he said was based on Islamic teachings. Ahmadinejad, who took office in 2005 declaring his intention to "hasten the emergence" of Mahdi, said in a speech broadcast nationally this month that Mahdi supported the day-to-day workings of his government and was helping him in the face of international pressure.

That was too much for senior clerics, who contend they alone are qualified to speak on the topic.

HOUSE OF ISRAEL

Post-Xian America

Christianity is the cornerstone of Western Civilization. Since the fall of Rome to our own time, nations have believed and acted on the belief that marriage and traditional families are the cinderblocks on which a society must be built. When these cinderblocks crumble, the society collapses.

Weeping for Tammuz

The biblical origins of America's official religion

In Israel, at the time of Ezekiel, many were "weeping for Tammuz." God does not countenance when His people embrace the ways of pagans and sun worshippers and idolaters.

I have news for you: There are lots of Americans practicing similar forms of pagan rituals today. They are still weeping for Tammuz. Make no mistake about it; neo-paganism is the official religion of the USA in 2008.

[WAR: When I first saw this article, I thought: "Great! He's going to expose and trash Xianity for the pagan religion that it is!" But no, he ended up castigating humanism and how it's "overshadowing America's Judeo-Christian heritage." I should have expected as much from a professing Xian who celebrates Easter (the culmination of the 40 days of "weeping for Tammuz"/Lent). Oh well...]

Xians copy X killers, says Wright's magazine

"George Bush, unwitting prophets of Baal distort true practice of Gospel of Jesus"

White Christians are "make pretend" believers and conservative Christians emulate the people who killed Jesus, according to articles in a controversial magazine run by Sen. Barack Obama's longtime pastor that paint traditional Christianity as false and racist.

Pot calling kettle black...

McCain's pastor: Islam is a "conspiracy of spiritual evil"

Despite his call for the US to win the "hearts and minds of the Islamic world," John McCain recruited the support of an evangelical minister who describes Islam as "anti-Christ" and Mohammed as "the mouthpiece of a conspiracy of spiritual evil."

Is Obama the Antichrist?

Of course not. But this is the kind of garbage being passed around.

[WAR: Obama is not "the" Antichrist, but he does have the spirit of it -- just like the other 6+ billion people. It's quite simple actually. A person has the spirit of Antichrist if they do not believe that Yahshua:

* had pre-existed as YAHWEH ELOHIM;

* emptied Himself completely and became lower than the angels as a 100% mortal human being (just like you and me);

* died, and was dead for 3 days/3 nights;

* was resurrected (on the 3rd day) and born again (on the 4th day) -- His glory and immortality restored as before.

So yes, ALL of Christianity (even most COGs and other Sabbath-keeping groups!) has the spirit of Antichrist!! What an amazing deception that Satan has pulled off -- deceiving the whole world with the false/anti-messiah called "Jesus Christ"!]

The myth of the Moral Majority

Here's the church. Here's the steeple. Open the doors and — hey, where did all the evangelicals go?

Sex ed in the Bible belt

I signed a paper promising no sex until marriage. The prize for my upstanding moral rectitude? A free chicken sandwich.

MISC

[Bible Study][The 7th Day Sabbath][[Day-Night Map][Tonight's Sky][Moon phase][Interfaith calendar][Multifaith calendar]

Freemasons in midst of popularity, membership boom

When faith and culture collide

Shroud of Turin's age miscalculated?

Orthodox understanding of UFOs

Biology behind the ceremony: Incense is psychoactive

Sex and worship

The older Christian wedding vows contained these amazing words: "With my body, I thee worship." Maybe our forefathers weren't so prudish after all; maybe they understood sex far better than we do.

To give yourself over to another, passionately and nakedly, to adore that person body, soul, and spirit—we know there is something special, even sacramental about sex. It requires trust and abandonment, guided by a wholehearted devotion. What else can this be but worship?

After all, God employs explicitly sexual language to describe faithfulness (and unfaithfulness) to him. For us creatures of the flesh, sexual intimacy is the closest parallel we have to real worship.

Even the world knows this. Why else would sexual ecstasy become the number one rival to communion with God? The best impostors succeed because they are nearly indistinguishable from what they are trying to imitate. We worship sex because we don't know how to worship God. But we will.

We have grown cynical, as a society, about whether intimacy is really possible. To the degree that we have abandoned soul-one-ness, we have sought out merely sex, physical sex, to ease the pain. But the full union is no longer there; the orgasm comes incomplete; its heart has been taken away.

Many have been deeply hurt. Sometimes, we must learn from what we have not known, let it teach us what ought to be. God's design was that the 2 shall become 1 flesh. The physical oneness was meant to be the expression of a total interweaving of being. (The Journey of Desire , p.134–35)

Strength and beauty

God wanted to show the world something of his strength. Is he not a great warrior? Has he not performed the daring rescue of his beloved? And this is why he gave us the sculpture that is man. Men bear the image of God in their dangerous, yet inviting strength.

Women, too, bear the image of God, but in a much different way. Is not God a being of great mystery and beauty? Is there not something tender and alluring about the essence of the Divine? And this is why he gave us the sculpture that is woman. (The Journey of Desire , p.136)

Today in Scripture

"Each morning everyone gathered as much [manna] as he needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away." (Exo 16:21)

The Religion WAR (02-11)

2008-05-17T14:22:00.000-07:00

Reading between the lines, thinking outside the box, and seeing the forest...

THE HOLY ROMAN...

[Sacrum Romanum / Heiliges Römisches] [Vaticams]

B16: Eucharist linked to marriage

B16 restates gay marriage ban

B16: Truth is for everyone (Full text)

B16 on Pentecost

B16's Pentecost homily

B16: Globalized world needs interreligious cooperation

Plenary indulgence for Bi-millenium of St. Paul

Why B16 speaks of early Xians

Gospel commentary for Feast of the Most Holy Trinity

Vatican: Space aliens might actually exist

Vatican says little green men are part of creation

Bishop: Catholic church "under attack" from fundamentalists

Retired bishop's writings question church authority

Anglicans hesitate on the path to Rome

EUROPE/RUSSIA

Former Jordanian minister insists Islam will conquer Rome

Last doomsday cult members leave cave in Russia

MIDEAST/AFRICA/ASIA

Hagee's apocalyptic support of Israel

Israel's persecution of Xians

Ark of the Covenant altar found in Sheba's palace

Zimbabwe's rulers unleash police on Anglicans

Athletes to share love of God at Olympics

HOUSE OF ISRAEL

MPs: Loss of God is making us miserable

Pagan prisoners win right to have "magic wand" twigs

"Lost" Xians greatest crisis in American church

Hagee apologizes for anti-Catholic remarks

Catholic League president meets Hagee

Obama ads in Kentucky stress that he's a Xian

Obama meets with Michigan Shiite leader

Obama: Apostate president?

Obama's government gospel

Military honchos "supress" chaplain's Baptist services

Einstein: Belief in God "childish"; Jews not chosen people

MISC

[Bible Study][The 7th Day Sabbath][[Day-Night Map][Tonight's Sky][Moon phase][Interfaith calendar][Multifaith calendar]

Harry Potter was Jewish

Real-life skull worship inspires new Indiana Jones film

Churchgoing isn't always religious

The better angels of our natures

Polygamy: The good, the bad, and the dilemma (Cartoons)

Embryos have souls? What nonsense

Science and conscience

NT passages are "classical anti-Semitism"?

Today in Scripture: Gen 7:1-4

The Religion WAR (02-04)

2008-05-10T11:11:00.000-07:00

Reading between the lines, thinking outside the box, and seeing the forest...

THE HOLY ROMAN...

[Sacrum Romanum / Heiliges Römisches] [Vaticams]

B16 sees revival of interest in Rosary

The Rosary is "not some pious practice relegated to the past," Pope Benedict XVI remarked. In fact, he observed, "the Rosary is experience what is almost a new springtime. May evenings call up pleasant memories of evening appointments to pay homage to the Virgin Mary."

B16 visited by AOC

Pope Benedict XVI met on May 5 with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams. This was the 2nd meeting between Pope Benedict and the head of the Anglican Communion.

It came at a time when relations between the Catholic and Anglican communions are marked by serious tensions. Although ecumenical ties remain friendly, Vatican leaders have warned that the Anglican moves to ordain first women and then homosexuals as bishops are closing the door to the possibility of reunion between Rome and Canterbury.

(And: Vatican prelate: Anglicans face crucial choice)

B16 praises Melkite-Muslim relations

Benedict XVI is praising the Melkite Catholic Church for their work in establishing good relations with Islam. The Pope expressed this view today when he received some 300 members of the Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchate, headed by Patriarch Gregorios III Laham. The group is on pilgrimage in Rome.

Asking the Holy Spirit for unity

This morning the Pope received His Holiness Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. He then met with the bishops in the patriarch's delegation who were from many diverse countries.

At noon in the Clementine Hall, the Pope presided over the celebration of the Middle Hour, which was attended by Karekin II, the Armenian bishops, and a group of faithful apostolic Armenians from a number of countries in the East and West.

After the Patriarch's greeting, the Pope addressed the assembly. Referring to tomorrow's solemnity of Pentecost, he affirmed that, on this day, "we will pray in a particular way for the unity of the Church. (...) If our hearts and minds are open to the Spirit of communion, God can work miracles again in the Church, restoring the bonds of unity."

(And: B16 welcomes K2)

(And: B16 and K2 committed to Xian unity)

(And: Full text of greeting and catechisis)

K2: Modernity demands Xian unity

The Armenian Apostolic Church separated from Rome after the Council of Chalcedon in 451, over controversy arising from the council's adoption of the Christological terminology of 2 natures in 1 person.

However, most now agree that the controversy arose over semantics, not doctrine. It has since taken steps toward unity, notably thanks to a 1996 declaration signed by Pope John Paul II and Patriarch Karekin I on the nature of Jesus.

(The truth!: Jesus Christ - A Great Mystery!)

Meretrix Meretricis!...

Vatican's website launches Latin edition

The Vatican's official Web site launched an edition in the Church's official language -- Latin.

Website aims to help bring new Pentecost

The director of Catholic.net said the Web site is hoping to help bring about the new Pentecost that Benedict XVI prayed for during his trip to the US. It is designed to promote interaction and apostolic synergy among Catholics worldwide, through information sharing and online interactive tools.

Doméstico enemigo...

B16 says US Latinos can build up church

Benedict XVI expressed his hope in the contribution that Latin Americans can make to the new evangelization, particularly Latinos living in the US. He said that he felt "a strong presence of the Latin American Church in the United States."

Is liberal Catholicism dead?

He may not have been thinking about it at the time, but Pope Benedict, in the course of his recent US visit may have dealt a knockout blow to the liberal American Catholicism that has challenged Rome since the early 1960s.

The liberal rebellion in American Catholicism has dogged Benedict and his predecessors since the Second Vatican Council of 1962-65. "Vatican II," which overhauled much of Catholic teaching and ritual, had a revolutionary impact on the Church as a whole.

Pagan godess worshippers...

Cardinal on a propsed Marian dogma

Proclaiming Mary as the Spiritual Mother of All Humanity would benefit ecumenical and interreligious dialogue because it would help non-Catholics to understand many things about the Mother of God, says Cardinal Toppo.

The archbishop of Ranchi and former president of the episcopal conference of India is 1 of the 5 cardinal co-sponsors of the 2005 International Symposium on Marian Co-redemption, held in Fatima, who are asking Benedict XVI to declare a 5th Marian dogma.

The petition urges the Pope to proclaim Mary "the Spiritual Mother of All Humanity, the co-redemptrix with Jesus the redeemer, mediatrix of all graces with Jesus the one mediator, and advocate with Jesus Christ on behalf of the human race."

[WAR: Mary was not the Mother of God, she was the mother of Yahshua.]

MIDEAST/AFRICA/ASIA

Judge approves use of "Allah"

A judge in Malaysia ruled on Monday that a Catholic newspaper's lawsuit that seeks to secure the right to use the word "Allah" may proceed, the AP reports. In addition to revoking the prohibition, the newspaper also wants the court to rule that the word "Allah" is not for the exclusive use of Muslims.

The Herald has argued that "Allah" is an Arabic word that predates Islam and has been used for centuries to mean "God" in the Malay language. The government says the word refers only to the Muslim God and its use by non-Muslims might confuse Muslim believers.

PROVOKING PERSIA

Clerics rebuke Ahmadinejad over "hidden imam"

Iranian clerics have told President Ahmadinejad to stick to more worldly issues after he said the "hidden imam" of Shiite Islam was directing the country's affairs.

Ahmadinejad has always been a devotee of the Mahdi, the 12th imam of Shiite Islam, who Shiites believe disappeared more than 1,000 years ago and who will return one day to usher in a new era of peace and harmony.

But in a speech to theology students broadcast by state television on Monday, he went further than ever before in emphasising his belief that the Mahdi is playing a critical role in Iran's day-to-day politics.

"The Imam Mahdi is in charge of the world and we see his hand directing all the affairs of the country. We must solve Iran's internal problems as quickly as possible. Time is lacking. A movement has started for us to occupy ourselves with our global responsibilities, which are arriving with great speed."

HOUSE OF ISRAEL

Good!...

Blasphemy laws are lifted

Britain's ancient laws of blasphemy have been abolished by MPs. A campaign to repeal the offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel, which made it illegal to insult Christianity, was proposed in January.

"Evangelical Manifesto" ponders politics

Conservative Christian leaders who believe the word "evangelical" has lost its religious meaning plan to release a starkly self-critical document saying the movement has become too political and has diminished the Gospel through its approach to the culture wars.

The statement, called "An Evangelical Manifesto," condemns Christians on the right and left for "using faith" to express political views without regard to the truth of the Bible, according to a draft of the document obtained last Friday by the AP.

"That way faith loses its independence, Christians become `useful idiots' for one political party or another, and the Christian faith becomes an ideology."

Hagee: Deviant theology, dangerous foreign policy

Pastor John Hagee gleefully anticipates the death of hundreds of millions of people in a series of wars preparing the world for the second coming of Christ: "The end of the world is rapidly approaching . . . Rejoice and be exceeding glad."

Worse, Hagee wants to jump start what he sees as the inevitable battle between Israel and the US and an alliance of the Islamic states and Russia: "The United States must join Israel in a preemptive military strike against Iran to fulfill God's plan for both Israel and the West."

Hagee's bizarre interpretation of the Bible sees war with Iran as a "biblically prophesized End Time confrontation . . . which will lead to the Rapture, Tribulation and the Second Coming."

Hagee call Catholic church the "Great Whore" -- where's the outrage?

If the hypocrisy whipped up over Jeremiah Wright proves anything, it's that this nation's candid conversation on race has yet to begin. Are we really to believe that neither McCain nor his camp knew anything then about John Hagee's views?

Atheist goes undercover to join the flock of mad pastor Hagee

In this excerpt from his new book, Matt Taibbi shares his experiences at a Hagee's boot camp for new converts.

MISC

[Bible Study][The 7th Day Sabbath][[Day-Night Map][Tonight's Sky][Moon phase][Interfaith calendar][Multifaith calendar]

Xianity in eclipse

The Christian's attitude toward the state, its leaders, its military, its wars, its imperialism, and its interventionism should be a no-brainer: contempt, disdain, disgust, revulsion, abhorrence, repugnance, loathing – take your pick.

Yet, among Christians one continues to find some of the greatest apologists for the state, its leaders, its institutions, and its evil doings. Biblical Christianity is becoming eclipsed by state and leader worship.

Is government the left's god?

Human beings have a natural tendency to gravitate toward the levers of power and those who operate them. Perhaps it starts as babies, when we are so powerless and dependent upon those around us.

Why we gravitate toward power probably says more about us than it does about those in power. In fact, a variety of reasons probably exist within each of us.

Religion and secularism

The slogans of political Islam remain highly resonant, whether as a programme for peaceful governance or an inspiration to wage war. Two new books explain why.

In each of these books, there is at least one lacuna. Having made the fair point that scholarship and modern political Islam don't easily mix, Feldman should have said something about Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the hugely influential and telegenic sheikh based in Qatar who seems to straddle both those worlds quite happily.

Juergensmeyer distinguishes between the effects of secular nationalism and transnational religion, but he says little about religious nationalism, the opportunistic but effective combination of these 2 supposed opposites.

As any thieving Balkan warlord knows, decent people often kill in the name of a half-forgotten national cause and for a religion in which they hardly believe. Using both tricks at once is especially effective.

Evolution, creationism, and intelligent design

I am an agnostic when it comes to explaining the origin of life. I don't believe yet in evolution, creationism or intelligent design. I can see flaws in all three. I just simply don't know and frankly don't think it matters whether we know or not.

My main conflict with the evolutionists is that they wish to assert their theory as fact and to employ government power to ban discussion of creationism and intelligent design on the grounds that they are unscientific or, worse from their point of view, religious. Just remember that facts are scarcer than theories, speculation, assumptions and guesses.

(And: God made pre-humans into people, Vatican newspaper says)

(The Truth!: The Theory of Evolution - A Fairy Tale for Adults?)

Men become impotent because of flesh?

Russian physiologist Leonid Kitaev-Smyk has stated that most male diseases are caused by women who adhere to provocative clothes and behaviour. As a result, the Western civilization gradually turns into the society of sexually unsatisfied men and eventually unsuccessful and physically unhealthy men, the scientist considers.

In the street men cannot satisfy all desires they have. They see naked parts of the body – miniskirts and transparent tops. The modern fashion gives rise to male lust. So there is much lust, but little satisfaction. Thus, women dig a grave for men's health with their bare legs and low-cut dresses.

Something to not think about (cartoon)

The Religion WAR (01-26)

2008-05-03T12:54:00.000-07:00

Reading between the lines, thinking outside the box, and seeing the forest...

THE HOLY ROMAN...

[Sacrum Romanum / Heiliges Römisches] [Vaticams]

Vatican unworried by B16's exclusion from Time top-100 list

The director of the Vatican press office has said that he was not dismayed to find Pope Benedict XVI missing from a list of the world's 100 most influential people, as evaluated by Time magazine. "I'm very happy that the Pope isn't on the list, because they have used criteria that have absolutely nothing to do with the evaluation of the Pope's religious and moral authority."

B16 sends Easter greetings to Eastern Churches

Benedict XVI urged the continuation of dialogue toward Christian unity when sending greetings to the Eastern Churches that are celebrating Easter. "Today many Eastern Churches, following the Julian Calendar, celebrate the great solemnity of Easter. I would like to express my fraternal spiritual nearness to these brothers and sisters of ours.

The Council of Nicaea established that the day of Easter should fall on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. The difference of dates for the Catholic and Orthodox Churches is due to fact that they follow different calendars.

[WAR: The Whore uses the vernal equinox as the starting point to determine her pagan days, so should those attempting to observe the appointed times use the same starting point?

"He then brought me into the inner court of the house of YAHWEH, and there at the entrance to the temple, between the portico and the altar, were about 25 men. With their backs toward the temple and their faces toward the east, they were bowing down to the sun in the east." (Eze 8:16)]

Vatican clarifies holy days and '62 Missal

The Vatican clarified the celebration of holy days of obligation when celebrating the extraordinary form of the Roman rite according to the 1962 Missal, reported the bishops' conference of England and Wales.

Catholics are obliged to go to Mass on holy days of obligation. Some holy days of obligation vary according to the decisions made by local episcopal conferences. There are differences in the calendars corresponding to the extraordinary and ordinary forms of the Mass, with many feast days falling on different dates in the 2 missals.

Faith and reason are intrinsically non-violent

Following Wednesday's general audience, Benedict XVI received participants in the 6th meeting of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue and the Islamic Culture and Relations Organisation of Tehran, Iran. They have been meeting to study the theme of: "Faith and Reason in Christianity and Islam".

"Faith and reason are both gifts of God to mankind. Faith and reason do not contradict each other, but faith might in some cases be above reason, but never against it. Faith and reason are intrinsically non-violent."

"Religious traditions cannot be judged on the basis of a single verse or a passage present in their respective holy Books. A holistic vision as well as an adequate hermeneutical method is necessary for a fair understanding of them."

(And: Catholic-Mulsim statement)

(And: B16: Qur'an a precious book)

Vatican: Keep parish records from Mormons

In an effort to block posthumous rebaptisms by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Catholic dioceses throughout the world have been directed by the Vatican not to give information in parish registers to the Mormons' Genealogical Society of Utah.

Posthumous baptisms by proxy have been a common practice for the Mormons for more than a century, allowing the church's faithful to have their ancestors baptized into their faith so they may be united in the afterlife.

Vatican isn't so far from FLDS

When it comes to keeping women in their place, polygamous Mormon fundamentalists and the Pope have a lot in common.

Catholics and Buddhists: Caring for the planet

Made public today was the annual Message to Buddhists for the Feast of Vesakh, issued by the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue and signed by Cardinal Tauran and Archbishop Celata, respectively president and secretary of the council.

This year's message - published in English, French and Italian - is entitled "Christians and Buddhists: Caring for the Planet Earth". It indicates that "preservation of the environment, promotion of sustainable development and particular attention to climate change are matters of grave concern for everyone."

Vesakh, the main Buddhist festivity, marks 3 fundamental moments in the life of Gautama Buddha. It is held during the full moon of the month of May because, according to tradition, Buddha was born, achieved enlightenment and passed away in that period.

Globalizing the common good

The Vatican is considering how the principles of solidarity and subsidiarity can work together in a globalized pursuit of the common good. Today in the Vatican press office, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences presented its plenary session on "Pursuing the Common Good: How Solidarity and Subsidiarity Can Work Together."

The goal of the assembly, explained an English-language note released for the press conference, "is to give new meaning and application to the concept of common good in this age of globalization, which in certain fields is leading to growing inequalities and social injustice, laceration and fragmentation of the social fabric, in short, to the destruction of common goods throughout the world."

"The main hypothesis on which scholars are called to exchange their views is that the principles of subsidiarity and solidarity can, unlike the compromises between socialism and liberalism, mobilize new social, economic and cultural forces of civil society which, within politically shared fundamental values, can generate those common goods on which the future of humanity depends."

(And: "The programme", the note adds, "envisages a careful inspection of the current processes of radical change in the light of the 4 fundamental principles of the Catholic social doctrine {dignity of the human person, common good, solidarity and subsidiarity} to understand how and in what measure these principles are effectively applied, and to suggest new solutions where they are misconstrued, misunderstood, disobeyed or distorted.")

(And: Seminarians show Church's Social Doctrine at work)

EUROPE/RUSSIA

Doomsday sect won't leave cave

Members of a Russian doomsday sect holed up in a cave on an island in the Bering Sea now say they plan to emerge June 14. Last year, 35 people fearing the end of the world was approaching went down into the cave.

MIDEAST/AFRICA/ASIA

Malaysian Catholic paper continues legal fight to use "Allah"

A Catholic newspaper in Malaysia on Friday continued its fight to use the word "Allah" to signify God in its newspapers. The newspaper has appealed to the High Court to hear its case, Agence France Presse reports.

In January the Catholic weekly The Herald almost had its publishing license revoked because it used the word "Allah" in its Malay section. "Allah" is both the Malay and the Arabic word for God. Authorities warned the paper not to use the word again in the future.

The Malaysian Cabinet last year ruled that the word could be used only by Muslims. The internal security minister also issued a ban on its use in a non-Muslim context.

[WAR: "Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God/EL Most High..." (Gen 14:18). "Most High" = #5945/'elyown; from 5927; an elevation, i.e. (adj.) lofty (compar.); as title, the Supreme. / #5927 `alah (aw-law'); a primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative (as follow).]

HOUSE OF ISRAEL

Fiancée secures royal succession by abandoning her Catholic faith

Peter Phillips, the Queen's eldest grandson, will not have to give up his place in the succession to the throne (11th) when he marries next month after his fiancée renounced her Roman Catholic faith.

The 1701 Act of Settlement, which bars monarchs and their heirs from becoming or marrying Catholics, would have forced him to surrender his place in line if she had not converted.

Xianity and War

One of the great ironies of modern Christianity is how warlike many Christians are. Not all Christians, certainly. And many believers at many times in history have put state and ruler before church and God. Yet it remains striking how many conservative evangelicals unabashedly acted as shock troops backing the Iraq invasion.

Everyone from Jerry Falwell to Pat Robertson to Chuck Colson to D. James Kennedy to James Dobson to a host of lesser Christian leaders propagandized on behalf of President Bush.

(And: War and the morality of Americans)

(And: Pentagon mammon molds Xianity)

Are the Quakers going pagan?

The liberal end of the Society of Friends has long had members who denied God's existence or Jesus' divinity. Now hundreds of pagans call Quakerism home.

Quakers — officially the Religious Society of Friends — are divided into 4 main branches, 3 of which are explicitly Christian. Pagans have been generally joining the liberal 4th branch, the Friends General Conference.

It may seem strange that pagans would join the Quakers, which began in the 1600s with strong anti-pagan sentiment. Founder George Fox even altered the days of the week because of their pagan roots. To this day, Quakers refer to Sunday as First Day, Monday as Second Day and so on.

World Masonic leaders converge on DC

For the first time ever, the Grand Lodge of Free And Accepted Masons of the District of Columbia will play host to a historic and grand event, the 9th World Conference of Masonic Grand Lodges, at the Renaissance Washington DC Hotel (May 7-10).

This conference will bring together international Masonic leaders comprised of high-level officials in government, business and civic service. They will discuss how the Society of Freemasonry can utilize its position to promote universal understanding, enlightened ideas, and goodwill globally.

MISC

[Bible Study][The 7th Day Sabbath][[Day-Night Map][Tonight's Sky][Moon phase][Interfaith calendar][Multifaith calendar]

New documentary claims Christ married, had child

A controversial new documentary, following in the footsteps of the popular, if heretical, The Da Vinci Code, asks the brazen question: "What if the greatest story ever told was a lie?" Coming to theaters later this month, Bloodline seeks to prove the conspiracy tale that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had a child whose bloodline continues today.

Ben Hammott, an English adventurer, claims to have discovered in southwest France a remote tomb and relics from Jerusalem, dated back to the 1st century. The British Museum and Gabriel Barkay of Bar Ilan University in Jerusalem have analyzed the items.

"It is possible that artifacts excavated by the Templars on Temple Mount would find a way to Europe," said Barkay. "The finds in this chest are really intriguing and it is really something that inflames the imagination."

The tomb contained a mummified corpse lying beneath a shroud with a red cross, the symbol of the Knights Templar, a medieval Christian military order. The documentary shows that a DNA test revealed that the corpse is of Middle Eastern origin.

Results of survey into the reading of Scripture

In examining "the role of the Bible in ecumenical dialogue", the survey highlighted how "Scripture remains the most effective 'place' Christians have to progress together along the path of unity. ... The answers also showed that there no longer exists that diversity among the various Christian traditions - a diversity evident in the past - concerning their relationship with Scripture."

Professor Diotallevi noted the existence of "a gap dividing the Anglo-Saxon world from central and eastern Europe". In the former, "the sensation of the closeness of God is anything but extinct and the practice of prayer is anything but marginal. A very large majority of people look to the Bible as a source of truth, as the source of a message that has to do with life".

Might as well...

Atheists push own holidays

Now that Earth Day is over, let the planning begin for the summer solstice and World Humanist Day in June. The Institute for Humanist Studies, an Albany, NY-based nonprofit, is calling attention to its calendar of atheist holidays on its Web site, www.secularseasons.org.

The group wants nonbelievers (or at least people who don't celebrate religious holidays) to have a handy reference guide of the calendar of holidays honoring free-thinkers, banned books and nature, among other themes.

"Some religious holidays are about culture and tradition, not theology. Even people who go to church only on Christmas or to synagogue on the High Holidays do so out of cultural heritage, not because they believe the religious doctrines associated with it."

Pagans: We're not out to hurt anybody

It may not be what you believe, but it's still a religion. Pagans say they're usually misunderstood and rarely given a fair shot. They call themselves Wiccans. You know that to mean witch. But they want you to understand what that means.

"We don't go around sacrificing virgins, or killing goats, we don't ride on brooms, but if we did it would definitely save on gas. ... We don't believe in the devil or absolute evil for that matter, that's a completely separate religion all together. We worship nature and the things that Mother Earth holds for us and the gifts that we receive from her."

Wiccans don't believe in one God, they believe in many, or a God and a Goddess. The Church holds regular group meetings on Sundays, they invite anyone from any religion to come in and listen. They don't celebrate a traditional Easter and Christmas, instead, they hold 8 seasonal rituals called Sabbats, which mean celebration.

[WAR: "Paganism is an Earth religion that revolves around the cycles of the sun and the moon." ("To Drive the Dark Away", The Dallas Morning News - "Religion" section, Dec 12, 1997)

So, are those groups/individuals that determine the annual appointed times using "the cycles of the sun and the moon" actually practicing paganism? From all my years of study on the calendar issue, the overwhelming and undeniable answer is YES!]

Revealed: Secrets of how birds navigate during migration

The mystery of how migratory birds exploit the Earth's magnetic field using an internal compass may have been solved by scientists who have discovered how molecules in the eye can be orientated by weak magnetic lines.

Scientists have shown that animals can use a variety of cues to help them migrate long distances and return to the same breeding or feeding grounds. These include visual landmarks, the position of the Sun in the day or the stars at night, and even the smell of specific locations en route.

(And: "Migrant birds that travel at night use the stars to determine their bearings. In clear weather, captive migrants head immediately in the proper direction using only the stars. They can orient themselves correctly to the arrangement of night skies projected on the dome of a planetarium. Birds apparently can determine their longitude and latitude by the position of the stars."

[WAR: "Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons(times), and the dove, the swift and the thrush observe the time of their migration. But my people do not know the requirements of YAHWEH." (Jer 8:7)

Why don't His people know? Because they're following paganism/Catholicism (Sun and Moon cycles) rather than using the Moon and stars to determine what time it is.

"When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place" (Psa 8:3)

"The heavens declare the glory of Elohim; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge." (Psa 19:1,2)

"The moon and stars to govern the night" (Psa 136:9)

"Who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night" (Jer 31:35)]

Blood moon eclipses: 2nd Coming in 2015?

Will Jesus Christ return to Earth in the year 2015? And can studying NASA's website provide evidence for such a scenario? A minister who promotes the Old Testament roots of Christianity suggests a rare string of lunar and solar eclipses said to fall on God's annual holy days 7 years from now could herald what's come to be known as the "Second Coming" of Jesus.

"God wants us to look at the biblical calendar," says Mark Biltz, pastor of El Shaddai Ministries in Bonney Lake, Wash. "The reason we need to be watching is [because] He will signal His appearance. But we have to know what to be watching as well. So we need to be watching the biblical holidays."

[WAR: Yes, we need to be looking at the Biblical calendar, not the Jewish/Babylonian one which this guy is obviously using and basing his speculations on.]

The Religion WAR (01-19)

2008-04-26T11:57:00.000-07:00

Reading between the lines, thinking outside the box, and seeing the forest...

THE HOLY ROMAN...

[Sacrum Romanum / Heiliges Römisches] [Vaticams]

US Cardinal reflects on B16 visit

Wrap-up analysis of B16's US visit

B16's "warmhearted" message to Russians

Benedict XVI's video message to the people of Russia gave viewers a look at the "warmhearted" Pope of "great dignity," affirmed the Russia specialist for Aid to the Church in Need. He gave this analysis of the response to a documentary that aired in Russia. The documentary included a personal message from the Pope to all Russians.

The specialist said the film brought the Holy Father closer to many of the Russian people. Viewers saw the Pope as "a person of great dignity and at the same time kind, and [having a] warmhearted personality," he said.

Cardinal says B16 giving new direction to dialogue

Benedict XVI is encouraging the participants in interreligious dialogue to cross the bridges that have been built by decades of focus on friendship and tolerance, contended Cardinal Tauran, the president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.

He affirmed this when he opened a 5-day conference in Nairobi on "Formation in Interreligious Dialogue in Sub-Saharan Africa." The conference brought together bishops and heads of interreligious dialogue departments of the Church in Africa, as well as representatives of other religions.

He said that dialogue of theological discourse has often been postponed for the future. But, he said, "in the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI, that future is now." "The perceptible direction of Pope Benedict XVI is that, building on what his predecessors have put in place, he is now leading the Church to cross that bridge. Whereas other highlighted the common elements we share, he wants to emphasize, by use of reason, the distinctiveness of the Christian faith."

(And: Full text of address)

Why Protestants don't have a pope

The primary challenge that most Protestants have with the office of the Pope is the doctrine of papal infallibility and the role that tradition plays in establishing the doctrine of the Catholic church. Papal infallibility is especially challenging for Protestants in light of the number of contradictions in Catholic councils over the years.

(Reader response: The pope)

(Catholic response: Why we have a pope)

(Cartoon: "Where 2 or 3 Catholics are gathered..."

Misconceptions hinder communication

For the Church to communicate its message, it must take into account how it is perceived by others and how it is portrayed by the media, said the president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

Archbishop Celli affirmed this when he delivered the first keynote address at the European Communication Summit. He began his address saying he was struck by the "negative assumption of religion being associated with conflict" reflected in the theme he was asked to speak about.

The title of his talk was "The Return of Religions: Communicating Faith in the 21st Century" with three sub-themes on religious conflicts, the search for meaning, and how religious leaders communicate.
(And: Full text of address)

Xians and Muslims focus on bridge building

European Christians and Muslims are intensifying dialogue and planning future encounters focused on building bridges between their faiths. The Committee for Relations With Muslims in Europe, established by the Conference of European Churches and the Council of European Bishops' Conferences, met in Hungary. A number of Muslim guests participated in the meeting and the group jointly worked on preparations for a Christian-Muslim conference scheduled for October.

...EMPIRE OF THE GERMAN NATION

[Imperium Nationis Germanicae / Reich Deutscher Nation] [Satan's Throne?]

"Muslims have a right to be different"

Islam expert Dietrich Reetz of Berlin's Center for Modern Oriental Studies speaks to Spiegel about Muslims in Germany, social tensions and the prospects for dialogue between the communities.

EUROPE/RUSSIA

Muslim Martin Luthers

The theologians working towards a Euro-Islam

Leading Muslim scholars are laying the theological foundations for a "Euro-Islam" which would reconcile their religion with the challenges of modernity. But just how compatible is Islam with secular Western values?

Salesians launch "Project Europe"

The Salesians are aiming to have a greater impact on Europe, particularly by finding new ways of evangelizing youth. The religious community has launched "Project Europe," with the aim of leading the continent back to its Christian roots. "Project Europe" responds to desires expressed by Benedict XVI when he received the chapter fathers in audience March 30.

Russia embraces its church, distancing western faiths

There was a time after the fall of Communism when small Protestant congregations blossomed here in southwestern Russia, when a church was almost as easy to set up as a general store. Today, this industrial region has become emblematic of the suppression of religious freedom under President Vladimir Putin.

Just as the government has tightened control over political life, so, too, has it intruded in matters of faith. The Kremlin's surrogates in many areas have turned the Russian Orthodox Church into a de facto official religion, warding off other Christian denominations that seem to offer the most significant competition for worshipers.

They have all but banned proselytizing by Protestants and discouraged Protestant worship through a variety of harassing measures, according to dozens of interviews with government officials and religious leaders across Russia.

On local television last month, the city's chief Russian Orthodox priest, who is a confidant of the region's most powerful politicians, gave a sermon that was repeated every few hours. His theme: Protestant heretics.

"We deplore those who are led astray — those Jehovah's Witnesses, Baptists, evangelicals, Pentecostals and many others who cut Christ's robes like bandits, who are like the soldiers who crucified Christ, who ripped apart Christ's holy coat."

MIDEAST/AFRICA/ASIA

World's oldest temple discovered

As a child, Klaus Schmidt used to grub around in caves in his native Germany in the hope of finding prehistoric paintings. Thirty years later, representing the German Archaeological Institute, he found something infinitely more important -- a temple complex almost twice as old as anything comparable on the planet.

"This place is a supernova", says Schmidt, standing under a lone tree on a windswept hilltop 35 miles north of Turkey's border with Syria. "Within a minute of first seeing it I knew I had 2 choices: go away and tell nobody, or spend the rest of my life working here."

Behind him are the first folds of the Anatolian plateau. Ahead, the Mesopotamian plain, like a dust-colored sea, stretches south hundreds of miles to Baghdad and beyond. The stone circles of Gobekli Tepe are just in front, hidden under the brow of the hill.

Compared to Stonehenge, they are humble affairs. None of the circles excavated (4 out of an estimated 20) are more than 30 meters across. What makes the discovery remarkable are the carvings of boars, foxes, lions, birds, snakes and scorpions, and their age.

Dated at around 9,500 BC, these stones are 5,500 years older than the first cities of Mesopotamia, and 7,000 years older than Stonehenge.

HOUSE OF ISRAEL

What do evangelicals listen to on their iPods?

Daniel Radosh new book, Rapture Ready! Adventures in the Parallel Universe of Christian Popular Culture, takes readers on a trip to the parallel universe of Christian pop culture -- be prepared for a very weird, tame ride.

Polygamist wives' clothing looks to past

For a society accustomed to the likes of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, the images of the women from the polygamist compound in Texas are almost shocking in their understatement. And while no one would accuse the women of making a fashion statement, the pioneer-style outfits are a rare example of how in an age of overexposure, modesty, too, can give pause.

Oprah & Spirituality: It's no "Secret"

Oprah is pushing her New Age philosophy on the public, and the Church and other media is pushing back.

(And: A study on "New Age Christ" according to Oprah)

The Pussycat Preacher?

Loveable x-stripper turned evangelist, Heather Veitch starts a ministry to help women in the sex industries. Heather calls her group JC's Girls and starts taking the team to strip clubs and porn conventions for outreach to lap dancers, hookers and porn queens.

Ironically, the sex industry welcomes JC's Girls but powerful forces in the Christian Church refuse to tolerate Heather's "immoral ministry." Heather receives hate mail and death threats accusing her of being a fame seeking "Fake" and "Whore" who is "Softening the Gospel."

Pot warns about the kettle...

Pentecostal Church report warns of false prophets

A major Pentecostal denomination released a paper Tuesday stating the church's position on the apostolic movement that included a warning on false prophets.

MISC

[Bible Study][The 7th Day Sabbath][[Day-Night Map][Tonight's Sky][Moon phase][Interfaith calendar][Multifaith calendar]

The Libertarian from Nazareth

Whatever one's religious denomination, a careful, dispassionate analysis of the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth compels the conclusion that Jesus was an uncompromising political libertarian.

Libertarianism is of course not a faith or a creed, but rather a political theory for organizing civilized society. The written record provides strong, unambiguous support for the fact that Jesus was a political libertarian who very likely had an Austrian understanding of money.

He taught the Golden Rule and believed all individuals, including state actors, must observe it and must make reparations for violating it. He believed that taxation was theft and a violation of individual private property rights.

He believed in wise, calculated, and non-violent civil disobedience. He believed that neither the state nor any collective group has a role in punishing or enforcing victimless crimes. Finally, he believed in sound money. One does not have to accept any particular Christian creed to know that politically, Jesus was a libertarian.

Will the Earth burn up in 2012?

There has been much talk of late about the supposed doomsday prediction of December 21, 2012 as reflected in the Mayan long calendar. This apocalyptic date of December 21, 2012 is also supposedly found in Hopi myths, the I-Ching, Aztec writings, Egyptian hieroglyphs, Roman Oracles, writing of Seneca Elders, the chief Shaman of the Cherokee Tribe in NC, and even the writings of Nostradamus.

Astrologers fail to predict proof they are wrong

Good news for rational, level-headed Virgoans everywhere: just as you might have predicted, scientists have found astrology to be rubbish. Its central claim - that our human characteristics are moulded by the influence of the Sun, Moon and planets at the time of our birth - appears to have been debunked once and for all and beyond doubt by the most thorough scientific study ever made into it.

Dr Dean said the consistency of the findings weighed heavily against astrology. "It has no acceptable mechanism, its principles are invalid and it has failed hundreds of tests. But no hint of these problems will be found in astrology books which, in effect, are exercises in deception."

[WAR: This study is great ammunition against astrology, but the nuclear bomb that completely destroys it is the heavenly precession of the equinoxes (which also happens to be the key to understanding the correct Biblical calendar). Astologers lie about where the Sun, Moon and planets are in the heavens, so how can they possibly tell the truth about someone's personality?!]

Personalities transplanted?

Is it possible that a donated heart could transfer feelings from one person to another? Most conventional surgeons would quickly say no. But from the anecdotal experience noted in this case, it surely seems possible. And it's not only feelings that seem to be transferred. Memories, habits, personalities, and some even say parts of the soul, may also be transferred.

The Religion WAR (01-12)

2008-04-19T14:21:00.000-07:00

Reading between the lines, thinking outside the box, and seeing the forest...

THE HOLY ROMAN...

[Sacrum Romanum / Heiliges Römisches] [Vaticams]

B16 worries that big powers control decision-making

Pope Benedict XVI warned diplomats at the United Nations on Friday that international cooperation needed to solve urgent problems is "in crisis" because decisions rest in the hands of a few powerful nations. He also said that respect for human rights, not violence, was the key to solving many of the world's problems.

While he didn't identify the countries that have a stranglehold on global power, the pope addressed long-standing Vatican concerns about the struggle to achieve world peace and the development of the poorest regions.

On the one hand, he said, collective action by the international community is needed to solve the planet's greatest challenges. On the other, "we experience the obvious paradox of a multilateral consensus that continues to be in crisis because it is still subordinated to the decisions of a few."

(And: B16: UN has duty to protect, but shouldn't violate sovereignty)

(And: B16 makes veiled attack on US over Iraq)

(And: B16: Support and promote religious rights)

(And: B16: True rights come from human nature, not special interest groups)

(And: Full text of address)

B16 thanks UN staff

Before leaving the United Nations Friday, Benedict XVI wanted to thank the staff that keeps the organization up and running. He began with a comparison of the offices used by the UN with Vatican City State.

"Here, within a small space in the busy city of New York, is housed an organization with a worldwide mission to promote peace and justice. I am reminded of the similar contrast in scale between Vatican City State and the world in which the Church exercises her universal mission and apostolate."

(And: Full text of address)

B16 expresses joy at visit to synagogue

On his way to an ecumenical prayer service at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Pope Benedict made a quick stop at Park East Synagogue and greeted the worshippers gathered there.

He was greeted by the synagogue's chief rabbi, who recalled the progress of Catholic-Jewish relations over the past 45 years and invoked the time of renewal marked by the Passover as a sign of hope for inter-religious dialogue.

"Shalom!" the Pope greeted the Jewish congregation with. "It is with joy that I come here, just a few hours before the celebration of your Pesah, to express my respect and esteem for the Jewish community in New York City."

(And: Full text of address)

Transparent witness to the reasons for our hope

On Friday evening, the pope participated in an ecumenical meeting at the church of St. Joseph. The event was attended by 250 representatives from 10 Christian confessions.

At the beginning of his address, he expressed his appreciation "for the invaluable work of all those engaged in ecumenism: the National Council of Churches, Christian Churches Together, the Catholic Bishops' Secretariat for Ecumenical and Inter-religious Affairs, and many others. The contribution of Christians in the United States to the ecumenical movement is felt throughout the world."

He expressed the opinion that "globalisation has humanity poised between 2 poles. On the one hand, there is a growing sense of interconnectedness and interdependency between peoples even when - geographically and culturally speaking - they are far apart. ... On the other hand, we cannot deny that the rapid changes occurring in our world also present some disturbing signs of fragmentation and a retreat into individualism".

B16 calls for a new Pentecost to launch revival of US church

Six thousand people flocked to St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York this morning for a Mass that Pope Benedict celebrated for clergy and religious. In his homily, Benedict XVI called for a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Church in America so that it can overcome divisions and allow all of its gifts to be spent for the sake of spreading the Gospel.

B16 works to bring back Catholic culture

Call Pope Benedict XVI a "cultural Catholic" and you're likely to get puzzled looks if not angry rejoinders. Cultural Catholics rank right down there with "cafeteria Catholics" in the opinion of those who argue that only a deep experience of Christian faith and a tight embrace of church teachings can make one authentically Catholic.

Benedict is a thoroughgoing Catholic, by birth and upbringing. And he recognizes that Catholicism is a culture as well as a religion. Thus it should come as no surprise that Benedict has made recovering a distinctive Catholic culture a principal theme of his first visit to the US.

Bush: Privilege to welcome B16

It was a privilege to welcome Benedict XVI to the United States, President Bush told the crowd at the 5th Annual Catholic Prayer Breakfast on Friday.

"This has been a joyous week. It's been a joyous time for Catholics -- and it wasn't such a bad week for Methodists, either. The excitement was just palpable. The streets were lined with people that were so thrilled that the Holy Father was here. And it was such a privilege to welcome this good man to the United States. It was a special moment to be able to visit with the Holy Father in the Oval Office. He is a humble servant of God. He is a brilliant professor. He is a warm and generous soul. He is courageous in the defense of fundamental truths."

Doing God in the land of Mammon

I wonder if we are in not in danger of completely missing the point of the Pope's trip to America. Benedict XVI's big idea is one shared by a billion Catholics and countless other Christians, not to mention Muslims and Jews: the idea of God. Commentators are often more shy of this idea than a large proportion of their viewers and readers.

Ger-Jew: Vatican statement falls short

A German Jewish leader says she will not resume interfaith dialogue until the Vatican revises its Good Friday prayer. The president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany said in an interview that many Jews see the current prayer as a call to convert them.

Muslim cleric proclaims Rome will soon be conquered by Islam

A high profile Muslim cleric and Hamas member of the Palestinian parliament gave a sermon last Friday in which he declared that soon Rome, "the capital of the Catholics" will be soon overtaken by Islam.

"Very soon, Allah willing, Rome will be conquered, just like Constantinople was, as was prophesized by our Prophet Muhammad. Today, Rome is the capital of the Catholics, or the Crusader capital, which has declared its hostility to Islam…"

B16 and OBL

The release last month of Osama bin Laden's latest rant - which featured fulminations over cartoon images of the Prophet Mohammed and charges that Pope Benedict XVI is leading a "new crusade" against Islam - sparked a fresh round of head-scratching worldwide. So why does Benedict infuriate bin Laden?

Is the Devil gaining a foothold in Rome?

In this predominantly Catholic nation the devil is gaining a foothold. "There is a greater openness towards the devil," the Vatican's chief exorcist said. In fact, Rome has been called the most "satanized" city in Italy.

[WAR: Satan already has a foothold via the Catholic Church!]

...EMPIRE OF THE GERMAN NATION

[Imperium Nationis Germanicae / Reich Deutscher Nation] [Satan's Throne?]

Youthful German skeptics challenge religious convention

A generation of young Germans has turned its back on organized religion, finding the church outdated and irrelevant. Yet a new study shows that focusing on spirituality could win them back.

MIDEAST/AFRICA/ASIA

Self-help for self-haters

Though my detractors often claim otherwise, I see myself as anything but a "self-hating Jew", and the more vocal I am in my criticism of the Israeli government's crimes, the more credence I give that claim.

I passionately love my religion, and just as fervently defend its teachings to the hilt when it comes to how to treat our fellow man. That Zionism has come along, hijacked Jewish doctrines, and twisted them to form part of an all-out supremacist movement is not something I can swallow if I want to stay loyal to the true values of Judaism.

Unfortunately, by demanding that the world sees Zionism as a philosophy essentially based on Jewish principles, Zionists have managed to unforgivably drag the religion's name through the mud for over 60 years.

"Zionism is far, far removed from the Jewish religion. I have no issue with Jews - just as I have no problem with Christians or Buddhists. I don't mind Jews living here, just so long as they do it peacefully."

Poll: 82% of US Xians support Israel

A new survey conducted by a Washington DC-based evangelical organization among American Christians has found that 82% of them believe they have a moral obligation to support the Jews and Israel. The poll, conducted among Catholics and Protestants alike, tested their stance on Jerusalem's future and ways to deal with the Iranian nuclear threat.

According to the poll, 65% of American Christians are convinced that Iran is developing nuclear weapons, which its leaders will attempt to use in order to destroy Israel.

Saudi church project runs into the sand

Two years after Benedict XVI's comments about Islam sparked protests around the world, the pontiff is once again in conflict with Muslims. This time, friction between the Vatican and Muslims is delaying the construction of what would be Saudi Arabia's first church.

HOUSE OF ISRAEL

US Catholics: A powerful growing group

With 70 million faithful, America has the 3rd largest Roman Catholic population in the world after Brazil and Mexico. Almost 25% of the US is Catholic, and the proportion is rising with the influx of immigrants from Latin countries.

McCain keeps his faith out of politics

Don't expect any public testimonies of faith from John McCain, who is not demonstrative about his religion but who embraces a Baptist faith that is based on salvation. McCain's official congressional record identifies him as an Episcopalian, and he was raised in the Episcopal Church, but the senator said he now considers himself a Baptist.

He cut short any further inquiry by adding that he "won't have anything more to say about that. The most important thing is I'm a Christian."

Scientologists are homo novis?

"A Scientologist who's 'clear' believes he's no longer a Homosapien. He's Homo-novis, a new race. They believe they are the only hope for this section of the galaxy, starting with planet Earth."

Yes and no...

Our dishonest nation

Where did America go wrong? As our nation has turned away from (and even become hostile toward) the Ten Commandments and other biblical principles, we have seen our citizenry become progressively more dishonest and deceptive.

How can we alter this course? I believe a Christian uprising is needed. Christians must rise to confront and address the culture with reason and the truth of Scripture – not with hysteria and insensitivity.

[WAR: Yes, his analysis is right, but his solution is dead wrong! The last thing we need is a paganistic Xian uprising. We need mass repentance and a return to the faith of our real founding fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.]

MISC

[Bible Study][The 7th Day Sabbath][[Day-Night Map][Tonight's Sky][Moon phase][Interfaith calendar][Multifaith calendar]

The impossible metric

In the relationship between God and man, the things that truly matter cannot be measured—and those that can do not really matter.

Members, co-workers, visitors, and subscribers can all be tallied, yet who save God can track the increase of faith or the building of character of members of a church?

No minister can present a yearly report to a church board on the ratios of sheep to goats or wheat to tares. No quarterly reports can be given on the ripening of the fruit of the Spirit. No chart can mark the increase or decrease of the poor in spirit, the meek, or the pure in heart.

We need to look no farther than the Worldwide Church of God to see that impressive membership numbers and abundant income are profoundly poor indicators of spiritual health. On every count, the metrics and markers pointed to growth and vibrancy.

The people took these indicators as proof that God was with—and pleased with—them. Yet their spiritual state went unmeasured—and immeasurable, except through anecdotes. When things fell apart, it became evident that only a small percentage of those supporting that work were truly converted.

Amazingly, some within the church of God are trying to resurrect all of this.

Though it cannot be charted, there is still division within the church today. Though there is no hard data to point this out, human solutions are still being applied to spiritual problems. The numbers may not indicate it, but there is still leader/organization-idolatry, where these things stand in the place of God rather than pointing people to God.

If we examine the many examples and statements in the Bible, we see that God's work is not defined as preaching the gospel of the Kingdom to the world. That is only a facet of what He is doing.

God is creating men in His image (Gen 1:26). Psalm 74 says He is working salvation. John 6:29, the closest thing to a definition scripture in this regard, says clearly that the work of God is that we believe in Him whom God sent. In short, the work of God is centered on changing people. His work is primarily centered on the church, not the world.

Today in Scripture

* "On the 12th day of the 1st month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem..." (Ezra 8:31)

* "In the morning [of the 12th day], as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots..." (Mark 11:20 - 14:2 / Luke 20:1 - 21:38 / Mat 21:18 - 26:16)

The Religion WAR (01-05)

2008-04-12T12:20:00.000-07:00

Reading between the lines, and thinking outside the box . . .

THE HOLY ROMAN...

[Sacrum Romanum / Heiliges Römisches] [Vaticams]

B16 to remind US Catholics of church's universality

The archbishop of Washington, DC, is expecting Benedict XVI's arrival to the US to remind Catholics there that they are part of the universal Church.

B16's visit a chance to see US Catholic "treasures"

The Canadian Press has published an outline of historic Catholic locations in New York City and Washington, DC to provide background for Pope Benedict XVI's visit.

(And: Catholic history and heritage in NYC)

B16 will visit US amid church's transition

When Pope Benedict XVI makes his first tour of the US as leader of the Roman Catholic Church this month, he'll greet a branch of the church that's in transition. The longtime image of American Catholics as Northeastern-based, predominantly white parishioners is changing.

(And: America's Roman Catholic population)

B16 & US: Don't all hug him at once

Americans warm to Benedict—but they won't like everything he says

Will Americans find the pope more cuddly than his fellow Europeans do? By some indicators, he certainly ought to be able to count on a better reception in the US than he gets in his home continent, where his declared aim of shoring up Europe's "Christian heritage" raises hackles in liberal and secularist circles.

Benedict is a defender of a Catholic social doctrine, and an economic world-view, that in American terms sound quite socialist. And he will surely use his UN address to affirm his support for the world body, and more generally for multilateral diplomacy. "It's a stretch for the neoconservatives to recruit the pope as the leader of the war on terror, and it's also a stretch to associate him with the uncritical acceptance of capitalism."

B16 to visit with Jewish leaders in NY and DC

During his visit to the US, Pope Benedict XVI will visit a New York synagogue. He will make a 20 minute stop on April 18 at East Park Synagogue, a modern Orthodox congregation founded in 1888. The Pope has also scheduled a meeting in Washington with Jewish leaders and representatives of other faiths.

Rome's Rabbi explains call for pause in dialogue

The chief rabbi of Rome has explained his call for a pause in Catholic-Jewish dialogue by saying that the question of conversion-- raised anew by the revised version of the Good Friday prayer in the traditional liturgy-- is an issue that Jews cannot discuss.

"The moment we recognized Jesus Christ, we would no longer be Jews. There is no room for discussion of these subjects, because inevitably this would end in essential futility, at least in our view."

(And: Cardinal: Jewish-Xian dialogue needs sensitivity)

The persuasive realism of the Xian ideal

Here is the address given by the international president of the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family at the presentation of Carl Anderson's book. Anderson is the supreme knight of the Knights of Columbus.

Rome's exorcist gives inside look at devil

Some of the mystery surrounding the devil and exorcism is being unveiled in a television and Internet report series, detailing the work of the exorcist of the Diocese of Rome. Society of St. Paul Father Gabriele Amorth, Rome's exorcist for the past 21 years and a specialist in the figure of Mary, explained in the first edition of the series how he performs exorcisms.

EUROPE/RUSSIA

Sicilian Vespers: Bloody clash shaped Europe

The Sicilian Vespers is a phrase which refers to a bloody incident which took place on Easter Monday, 1282 -- and with it there died any possibility of a universal Papacy dominating Christendom. The story is about a single incident that fundamentally altered the whole course of European history.

Mysterious lights interpreted as omen for apocalypse

Mysterious lights above the Penza region (of Russia) have been interpreted by sectarians as an omen for the imminent apocalypse. The quaint message appeared in the night sky above the cave where some anchorets still stayed with their leader Vasily Prokofiyevich.

For a while some bright luminous object was moving at random in the sky making Penza police gape in astonishment and slightly shocking reporters and villagers. "It's Peter's soul," concluded authoritative sectarian Anna who left the prayer hall to enjoy the unusual sight. "His soul is suffering and tossing about. The prophecy from the Scripture is coming true; the apocalypse is in the offing …"

MIDEAST/AFRICA/ASIA

An evangelical at Armageddon

Armageddon was a brief stopover a few days ago for a contingent of Christians led by the Texas televangelist Pastor John Hagee, who believes that doomsday is nigh.

(And: Rapturous night for US evangelicals in West Bank)

Iran blasts blasphemous film

Iran's Foreign Ministry vows to continue its protest against the production of the anti-Islamic and provocative film, "Fitna" by a Dutch MP.

Saudi blogger releases Xian version of "Fitna"

The recent film "Fitna" by the controversial Dutch politician Geert Wilders was seen by many as an attack on Islam. Now a Saudi blogger has created a film featuring violent texts from the Bible, with the intention of showing that stereotyping can go both ways.

HOUSE OF ISRAEL

Tony Blair: Articles of faith

He brings needed political experience to the global interfaith dialogue

Rarely have faith issues intruded as forcefully into Britain's largely secular society, or religious extremism been as critical to fanning and prolonging conflicts around the world.

The Devil in DC's details?

The most persistent rumblings about Washington as the devil's workshop seem bound up in history about the city's design and the role of Freemasons in building it. It's a connection explored in the 3-hour DVD "Riddles in Stone: The Secret Architecture of Washington, DC."

In the 2007 New York Times bestseller "The Book of Fate," a central character named Nico Hadrian advances the demonic pentagram theory of Washington's street layout and describes the White House as the doorway to Hell itself.

Other satanic hot spots cited by believers include the US Capitol and the Washington Monument. The latter was described as a filthy, phallic and satanic homage to the god Baal.

[WAR: Yes, the WM is exactly what this person describes. This obelisk/Asherah-pole should, and eventually will, be destroyed.]

Polygamous wives

In Texas, a polygamous religious sect is the subject of a massive child abuse investigation. The sect broke away from the Mormon Church after it disavowed polygamy a century ago. Other sects also practice polygamy, in violation of Mormon Church teachings. We spoke with 2 female members of a community in Arizona.

Going behind closed doors in Xian right households

To really understand the politics of the Christian Right, we need to look not only to public activity, but to private matters.

Xian photographers fined for refusing same-sex ceremony

The state of New Mexico has ordered a family owned photography company to pay more than $6,600 for declining a demand to take pictures at a same-sex ceremony, and a lawyer who is working on an appeal says it is an example of how "non-discrimination" or "hate" laws can be weapons in the hands of homosexual activists.

The Christian couple was ordered to pay $6,637.94. The ADF, however, said the case will be appealed because of the significance of the constitutional issue at stake.

Good!...

NBC producing Catholic-bashing mini-series

Variety reports that NBC is producing a 4-hour mini-series based on the novel, The Last Templar. -- which works as a thought-provoking exploration of religion in today's world, and of historic fact versus faith, particularly regarding the origins of the Catholic Church.

Misusing "separation of church and state"

Since 1947, Thomas Jefferson's phrase has been used to limit religion, but was this his intent? He was baptized, married and buried in the Church of England, or "Anglican Church."

He lived in Virginia, which had an "establishment" of the Anglican Church from 1606 to 1786. Establishment meant mandatory membership, mandatory taxes to support it, and one could not hold public office unless a member.

Over time, "dissenting" religious groups entered Virginia: Presbyterians and Quakers, followed by German Lutherans, Mennonites and Moravian Brethren, then finally Baptists.

But in 1774 Jefferson dined with Baptist Pastor Andrew Tribble at Monticello, where Jefferson commented that Baptist church government "was the only form of pure democracy that exists in the world. ... It would be the best plan of government for the American colonies."

During the Revolution, Anglican ministers sided with King George, who was head of the Anglican Church. Patriotic parishioners migrated from the "established" church into "dissenting" churches.

On Jan. 1, 1802, Jefferson wrote: "Gentlemen ... Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with solemn reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between Church and State."

Jefferson viewed the "wall" as limiting the federal government from "intermeddling" in church government, as explained in his letter to Samuel Miller, Jan. 23, 1808: "I consider the government of the United States as interdicted [prohibited] by the Constitution from intermeddling with religious institutions, their doctrines, discipline, or exercises. This results not only from the provision that no law shall be made respecting the establishment or free exercise of religion, but from that also which reserves to the states the powers not delegated to the United States [10th Amendment]."

(And: The father of American liberty)

Remembering "Moses"

Can you think of one other Hollywood actor, no matter how famous or talented, who could have so perfectly personified the Moses of the Bible? Only one actor, one bigger-than-life man, could ever have been believable in that role. The man was Charlton Heston.

Just today, I read again, in Deuteronomy 34,"There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face." And there's never been a man who could have portrayed Moses ... like Charlton Heston.

[WAR: After Moses died, Israel/Jacob started to enter the Promised Land. Could the death of the person that personified Moses for us indicate that Israel is about to enter the promised Jacob's Trouble?...]

MISC

[The 7th Day Sabbath][Bible Study][[Day-Night Map][Tonight's Sky][Moon phase][Interfaith calendar][Multifaith calendar]

Paranoid Protestant Pot calling the kettle black...

"The emergent church": A dangerous counterfeit

This latest attack on the Gospel seems to be coming from within the church itself. I refer to a rapidly growing movement known as "The Emergent Church."

It is very popular, especially among young people raised in the evangelical church who are looking for a fresh expression of their faith. There is certainly nothing wrong with that! They want to "be real," "authentic" and "honest," just as my generation did.

That's fine, but in the final analysis, "being real" is not the most important thing. Being right with God is. Quite frankly, you can be "real" wrong! And there are some pied pipers out there who are leading many young people down the wrong road.

[WAR: What this Paranoid Protestant "Pied Piper" doesn't realized is that Xianity (ALL of it, not just "so-called" or "the world's") itself is "real wrong and a dangerous counterfeit -- leading billions of people down the wrong road!]

Spiritual dimension of animals?

When we raised this question a few weeks back -- the spiritual dimension of animals -- it generated quite a bit of mail. Most believed that the answer is that such a dimension or at least sensibility exists.

(Truth of the matter: What Science Can't Discover About the Human Mind & Angels, Demons, and the Spirit World)

Baby with 2 faces worshipped as Hindu god

A baby girl born with 2 faces in a north Indian village is being worshipped as the reincarnation a Hindu god. To the largely illiterate villagers from the agricultural community the little girl is a reincarnation of Lord Ganesh, the half person and half elephant, and one of the most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon.

[WAR: How can someone look at this ... child? ... and really believe that "we are each individually created by "God" (And I've never heard anyone specify whether it's the Father or Son that does this "creating").

This "child" is a freak-of-nature and in no way can be considered a beautiful "creation of God" -- and is doomed to a horrible life of suffering, if it even survives. This "child" is just one of many multiple thousands of examples that we are randomly BORN according to nature's laws 'n flaws, and not "created by God." Only Adam and Eve were individually created.

But by saying this, I don't rule out special divine intervention to bring about certain births at certain times to fulfill the Father's and Son's will. And between now and when we're BORN again, the Father is actively involved in our individual lives in order to bring about this new birth.]

Spare-rib scholars unearth scripture bias

The Torah: A Women's Commentary re-evaluates the Torah's feminine side and offers the first comprehensive analysis of text from a female point of view.

Qualities that speak of God

Can there be any doubt that God wants to be sought after? The first and greatest of all commands is to love him (Mark 12:29–30; Matt. 22:36–38). He wants us to love him. To seek him with all our heart.

A woman longs to be sought after, too, with the whole heart of her pursuer. God longs to be desired. Just as a woman longs to be desired. This is not some weakness or insecurity on the part of a woman, that deep yearning to be desired. God feels the same way.

Eve—God's message to the world in feminine form—invites us to romance. Through her, God makes romance a priority of the universe. So God endows Woman with certain qualities that are essential to relationship, qualities that speak of God.

She is inviting. She is vulnerable. She is tender. She embodies mercy. She is also fierce and fiercely devoted. As the old saying goes, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

That's just how God acts when he isn't chosen. "I, YAHWEH your ELOWAH, am a jealous ELOWAH who will not share your affection with any other god!" (Ex. 20:5).

A woman's righteous jealousy speaks of the jealousy of God for us. Tender and inviting, intimate and alluring, fiercely devoted. Oh yes, our God has a passionate, romantic heart. Just look at Eve. (Captivating, p.29-30)

Beauty is transcendent

Beauty draws us to God. All these things are true for any experience of Beauty. But they are especially true when we experience the beauty of a woman— her eyes, her form, her voice, her heart, her spirit, her life.

She speaks all of this far more profoundly than anything else in all creation, because she is incarnate; she is personal. It flows to us from an immortal being. She is Beauty through and through.

Beauty is, without question, the most essential and the most misunderstood of all God's qualities—of all feminine qualities, too. A woman knows, down in her soul, that she longs to bring beauty to the world.

She might be mistaken on how (something every woman struggles with), but she longs for a beauty to unveil. This is not just culture, or the need to "get a man." This is in her heart, part of her design.

(Captivating, p.40-41)

The Religion WAR (12-27)

2008-04-05T09:49:00.000-07:00

THE HOLY ROMAN...

[Sacrum Romanum / Heiliges Römisches] [Vaticams]

Is B16 ashamed of the Holocaust?

It's astounding to me that a German pope—speaking at Auschwitz, of all places—could not come up with something similar to the comments made by Angela Merkel. I believe he steered clear of the subject because, like many Germans, Pope Benedict xvi disagrees with many of the key statements Merkel made—including the mention of shame and guilt.

[WAR: There are sooo many things wrong in this article by the "Philadelphia Prophet" -- who prophesies in Baal's name -- but I'll only address the main subject, which is: How can B16 be ashamed of something that didn't happen?

I hate and despise the pagan Whore of Rome. I will condemn all her evil ways and teachings, but when it comes to the truth of history -- what did, and didn't, happend in the past -- I'll let the truth defend whoever it may.]

B16: Secularism also threatens consecrated

Benedict XVI says that even consecrated persons need to guard against an increasing process of secularization that is gaining ground in modern times. "The process of secularization is gaining ground in modern culture [and] unfortunately does not even spare communities of consecrated life. Hence it is necessary to be cautious with lifestyles that risk abating evangelical witness, rendering pastoral activity ineffective and weakening the vocational response."

B16 to bring "revolution of virtue"

Benedict XVI will bring with him to the US this month a "revolution of virtue," says the leader the Knights of Columbus. "We are talking about a revolution of virtue, but of the theological virtues: faith, hope and love. And this is the message Benedict XVI has given us with his 2 encyclicals, Deus Caritas Est, on love, and Spe Salvi, on hope."

The supreme knight said that especially during this election year, Americans are waiting "in a tremendous way" to hear about "the question of change and the question of hope, and Christianity is a religion of change and a religion of hope."

(And: B16's message to America)

(And: B16's trip not just for Catholics)

Vatican clarifies: No change in teaching on role of Jews

The Vatican has issued a statement emphasizing that a revised version of the traditional Good Friday prayer for Jews should not be seen as a change in Catholic teaching regarding the role of the Jewish people.

The 4-paragraph Vatican statement, issued by the Secretariat of State on Friday, responds to protests raised by some Jewish leaders after Pope Benedict XVI released a new version of the prayer for the Good Friday liturgy in the 1962 Roman Missal. While eliminating a reference to the "blindness" of Jews, the Latin-language text retained a prayer for their conversion.

(And: Full text of clarification)

Muslim attributes conversion to B16

Italian journalist Magdi Christian Allam, the Muslim convert baptized by Pope Benedict XVI during the Easter Vigil, said the Pope played a key role in his conversion despite the fact that prior to his baptism he had never met the Pontiff.

(And: St Francis preached to Muslims)

Saudi Arabia: No churches unless Mohammad recognized

No churches should be permitted in Saudi Arabia, unless Pope Benedict XVI recognised the prophet Mohammed, according to a Middle East expert. While Saudi mediators are working with the Vatican on negotiations to allow places of religious worship, some experts believe it will not occur without this recognition.

"It would be possible to launch official negotiations to construct a church in Saudi Arabia only after the Pope and all the Christian churches recognise the prophet Mohammed. If they don`t recognise him as a prophet, how can we have a church in the Saudi kingdom?"

Muslims now outnumber Catholics

The world's Catholics are now outnumbered by Muslims, according to the editor of the Vatican's statistical yearbook. The latest data (from 2006) show a worldwide population of 1.115 billion Catholics, but 1.322 billion Muslims.

"For the first time in history, we are not at the top," Msgr. Formenti told the Vatican newspaper. He noted that the Catholic proportion of the world's population has held steady in recent years, while the Muslim representation has grown because of the larger family sizes in the Islamic world. Catholic families are having fewer children, he observed.

While Muslims outnumber Catholics, Christianity - taken as a whole, including Orthodox and Protestant faithful - still represents the world's largest religious group, with well over 2 billion believers.

Opus Dei opens its doors to everyone

The doors of Opus Dei are open to everyone, says the prelature's vicar general, Monsignor Fernando Ocáriz. Zenit spoke to him for the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Opus Dei as a personal prelature -- the only one in existence at present. He explains the relationship between this institution and the dioceses, and says that the strength of the group is simply the power that comes from the Gospel.

The rebuilding of Catholic social teaching on economics

Papal writings on social and especially economic questions began with an attempt to give guidance on particular situations as the Church authorities saw it at the time, given current resources, and ends up trying to establish, perhaps unwittingly, or at least some people trying to establish, a consistent "corpus" of social teaching.

In this author's opinion, this attempt has been at least a partial failure. One major reason is that in Social Teachings one is not generally dealing with revelation, but with applying eternal principles to concrete political, social and economic questions, in which the Church authorities have no special expertise outside of moral teaching itself.

Moral theologian raps CRS on condom policy

A leading Catholic moral theologian has called Catholic Relief Services to task for condoning condum use in the fight against AIDS. He says that while CRS does not promote condum use, the agency's written materials, distributed in Africa, include a "how-to" guide on condom use, and discuss the benefits of condoms.

[WAR: Again, part of the AIDS agenda is to force the Catholic church to change its teaching on condom use. But the Whore won't do this, because she needs all the little Catholics that people can pop-out. The more Catholics, the more power.]

...EMPIRE OF THE GERMAN NATION
[Imperium Nationis Germanicae / Reich Deutscher Nation] [Satan's Throne?]

Der Spiegel banned in Egypt

Egypt has ordered the seizure of a special edition of the German news magazine Der Spiegel after it was deemed to be insulting to Islam and the Prophet Mohammed. The magazine contends that Islam is a Christian offshoot and contains several images and comments insulting to the Prophet Mohammed, citing a "German orientalist" who said Islam incites violence and terrorism.

EUROPE/RUSSIA

Neocatechumenal Way saying "yes" to Europe

After 40 years of Europe saying "no" to its future, the Neocatechumenal Way is leading the way to say "yes," according to the archbishop of Vienna. Cardinal Schönborn said this at a meeting of 9 cardinals and 160 European bishops who gathered at the Domus Galilaeae International Center on the Mount of Beatitudes in Galilee to reflect on the New Evangelization in Europe.

"In the last 40 years," said Schönborn, "Europe has said 'no' to its future 3 times: in 1968 when it rejected 'Humanae Vitae'; then, 20 years later, with the legalization of abortion; and today with homosexual marriages."

"This is an objective 'no' to the future. The only voice in Europe that has promoted and is promoting the future is the Catholic Church with Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, and so many others.

"The Neocatechumenal Way is without a doubt an answer of the Holy Spirit to this situation and I have been able to see it as a bishop and as a shepherd. I have seen parents saying 'yes' to life in an encouraging and generous way; they are saying 'yes' to the future."

At the end of the gathering, the bishops released a joint declaration to launch the re-evangelization of Europe. The archbishop of Kracow underlined the importance of the gathering: "It is very important because morality is in a deep crisis in Europe, not just in an individual level, but in an institutional level as well."

(Wiki: Neocatechumenal Way)

Arab, Muslim leaders denounce Dutch anti-Islam film

Arab and Islamic leaders last Saturday denounced a Dutch film that portrays Islam as a ticking time bomb aimed at the West, demanding international laws to prevent insults to religions. The 15-minute film entitled "Fitna," or "ordeal" in Arabic, by a Dutch anti-immigrant politician has brought condemnations from Muslim capitals and street protests in Pakistan after it was posted on a Web site.

(And: Khatami: Zionists behind film)

(And: Dutch Jewish group: Film is "counterproductive")

Russian doomsday cult leader attempts suicide

The leader of a doomsday cult in Russia tried to kill himself by hitting his head with a log because his apocalyptic vision had not come true, officials said. "It was an attempted suicide. Pyotr put his head on a tree stump and started hitting his head with a log. He is in hospital with a head wound."

Pyotr Kuznetsov, who had been hospitalized after being diagnosed with schizophrenia, was allowed out to try to persuade his followers to come out of caves where they had been awaiting the end of the world.

Officials in the remote area 435 miles southeast of Moscow say that 11 people are still underground, arguing abut whether to emerge. They have said they will come out on April 27, the Russian Orthodox Easter.

Kuznetsov gathered his followers into what he called the True Orthodox Church. In addition to a belief that the end of the world is imminent, the group refuses to eat processed food. Authorities have presented them with a cow because they refuse to drink milk packaged with bar codes, which they believe are satanic symbols.

MIDEAST/AFRICA/ASIA

Mock Passover sacrifice slammed by pro-animal group

An animal rights group is threatening to take legal action to prevent the Jewish Temple movement from carrying out an educational demonstration of the Pesach sacrifice next week.

The demonstration of the Paschal sacrifice is part of a study day scheduled to take place on Sunday, the First of Nissan (April 6), at the Kotel Yeshiva in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City. The study day is a joint project of the Temple Institute, the Sanhedrin and the King David Museum. It was originally planned to take place one week later.

[WAR: Actually, the new year starts on Tuesday. So they're 2 days early this year.]

New King David museum

Ancient slings, oil lamps and anointing jars alongside an advanced center charting descendants of biblical King David. On display fashion trends from the streets of Jerusalem during the times of David. Men dressed in Biblical clothing who provide guided tours for patrons.

Welcome to the King David Museum & Genealogy Center, a new interactive museum that officially opened its doors last week in the heart of Jerusalem's Old City. Located on Tiferet Yisrael, the main pedestrian district in the Old City neighborhood known as the Jewish quarter, the museum is dedicated to the life, rein and legacy of the second biblical king of Israel.

HOUSE OF ISRAEL

Angry Anglicans

Canada's Anglican church is breaking apart, mirroring the strife in the worldwide Anglican communion.

Blair to call on faith leaders to "awaken the world's conscience"

Tony Blair will spell out why he believes faith and young people can solve the problems of the world and will call on religious leaders to work together to "awaken the world's conscience".

In his first major speech in the UK since leaving Downing Street last year, the former Prime Minister will address the whole area of faith in a global context, a subject about which he is passionate.

In his wide-ranging speech, titled "faith and globalisation", Blair will say that he is passionate about the importance of faith in the modern world and will emphasise the need for people of faith to reach out to one another.

Blair will describe why he believes that faith can be a progressive force, helping to advance humanity and end global poverty. He will say that the Millennium Development Goals are "the litmus test" of the world's values and that, while faith groups do great individual work in this area, they could do even more, if helped to work better and more closely together.

The Millennium Goals as described by the UN are to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality and empower women, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV and AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensure environmental sustainability and develop a global partnership for development.

(And: Blair: Rescue religion from extremists)

Inside Britain's strictest sect

Will belongs to a Plymouth Brethren family, and listening to music, watching television or seeing films are all forbidden to members of the reclusive religious sect. "The Plymouth Brethren is a very secret society. They keep to themselves and it took a lot of investigation to find out more."

The Plymouth Brethren was started by law student John Nelson Darby in the early 1800s after he broke away from the Anglican Church in Ireland. A gathering in Plymouth, Devon, in 1832, gave the sect its name, but 10 years later, the group itself split into 'Exclusive Brethren' and 'Open Brethren' - the former being much stricter.

Religion and politics: Playing God

Catholic and Anglican bishops have been campaigning for months against government plans to update the regulation of fertility treatment and embryo research. Easter sermons provided a platform to denounce those plans from on high. With little other news, the prelates gained a hearing far beyond their flocks. On March 25th the prime minister, Gordon Brown, conceded to their main demand.

Pennsylvania Catholics to swing election?

As the last major primary state for the Democratic Party presidential contest and a contested state in the general election, Pennsylvania Catholics could play a key role in determining the presidential race.

"While a candidate cannot win on the Catholic vote alone, there is no doubt Pennsylvania Catholics are a key swing vote candidates must understand. No politician can win if they have upset the Catholic apple cart."

Some observers see an internal struggle taking place in American Catholicism as believers try to reconcile their religious and moral duties with their involvement in both political parties. Most Catholics have traditionally supported the Democratic Party.

US election diary: Religious right

On the road to clinching the Republican party nomination for president, John McCain worked hard for the endorsement of influential Evangelical Christian ministers. The ministers are helping shore up McCain's support on the party's right wing, which has always been sceptical about whether the Arizona senator is a true-blue conservative. But in seeking a path to the White House, it seems McCain is counting on the politics of fear and relying on a disturbingly belligerent spiritual guide.

The hypocrisy gospel: Get rich for Jesus?

How the religious right uses the 'prosperity gospel' to win foot soldiers and continue its culture war.

Researcher Sarah Posner has been following the Religious Right for several years and writes a blog called The FundamentaList for the American Prospect. Her new book, God's Profits: Faith, Fraud, and the Republican Crusade for Values Voters examines the role advocates of the "prosperity gospel" play in the Religious Right.

Posner talked recently with Church & State about her research and the status of the Religious Right today.

Bad Moon rising

(And you thought Tom Cruise was scary.)

Just how crazy have our politics become when members of Congress bow down to a cult leader on Capitol Hill who dresses up like George III...jet-sets around the world with the Bush family...and publishes a powerful newspaper?

This is the larger-than-life story of Reverend Moon, the billionaire Korean preacher behind the Washington Times, the heart of the GOP media machine...who literally claims to be the Second Coming...to whom D.C. insiders shamelessly pay homage.

Clueless Catholics on...

Celebrities' religions

Here on Earth there are celebrities or "celebrated" people (they used to call them "idols"), and they exert an influence, especially those in Hollywood, often an unfortunate one. What do they believe? How do they view God?

Religiously symbolic fence?

In a first for the East End, creation of an eruv, a symbolic fence used in Orthodox Jewish observance, is being sought by a synagogue in Westhampton Beach. The resolution formally requested permission from the village last month to erect the eruv, which creates an area within which Orthodox Jews can push or carry things without breaking religious law that bans work on the Sabbath outside of one's home. "According to Jewish law, one can carry items outdoors on the Sabbath only when the act occurs within a proper enclosure."

[WAR: Oh, what a burden "the Jews" have made of the Sabbath day -- according to their Jewish law, but not by Biblical law!]

MISC

[The 7th Day Sabbath][Bible Study][Tonight's Sky][Moon phase]

Pot warning about the kettle...

Author warns about teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses

An apologetics writer says many Christians are not prepared to face off with Jehovah's Witnesses in door-to-door encounters. In his new book, The Tower of Deception, Louis Ruggiero says many Christians do not realize the teachings of the Jehovah's Witnesses conflict with scripture.

For instance, he points out that Jehovah's Witnesses teach that Jesus is actually Michael the Archangel and that he returned to earth -- invisibly -- in 1914.

Christ remains with us in Scripture

There are 2 ways to approach the Bible. The first is that of considering it an old book, full of religious wisdom, of moral values, and of poetry too. From this point of view it is absolutely the most important book for understanding our Western culture and the Judeo-Christian religion. It is also the most printed and read book in the world.

But there is another, much more demanding way to approach the Bible, and it is that of believing that it contains the living word of God for us, that it is an "inspired" book, that is, written, indeed, by human authors, with all of their limitations, but with God's direct intervention. A very human book and, at the same time, divine, that speaks to men of all times and reveals to them the meaning of life and death.

The 2 ways of approaching the Bible -- the way of erudition and the way of faith -- do not exclude each other, on the contrary, they must be united. It is necessary to study the Bible, the way in which it should be interpreted (or to pay attention to the findings of those study it in this way), so as not to fall into fundamentalism.

Fundamentalism consists in taking a verse from the Bible, just as it sounds, and applying it to today's situations, without taking into account the difference of culture, of time, and of the different genres of the Bible.

Today in Scripture

"In the 37th year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the year Evil-Merodach became king of Babylon, he released Jehoiachin from prison on the 27th day of the 12th month."
(2Ki 25:27).

But: "... he released Jehoiachin and freed him from prison on the 25th day of the 12th month." (Jer 52:31)

So: "Probably on the 25th day the decree for his elevation was given, and the preparations for it made by releasing him from prison; and on the 27th day it was carried into effect." (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary)

[WAR: Over the years of my calendar studies, I've read/heard it said that the Bible doesn't mention a 13th month, so therefore there shouldn't be one. And I didn't really have a good Scriptural answer to that conundrum.

But now I have one. We all know that each lunar month has either 29 or 30 days, right? But guess what! The last day of a month recorded in the Bible is today, the 27th day! There is no 28th, 29th or 30th day mentioned. But does that mean that they don't exist or shouldn't be used in determining time?! Of course not.

So, just because the Bible doesn't specifically mention a 13th month doesn't mean it doesn't exist or shouldn't be used when needed/determined -- not by man, but by the heavens.]

The Religion WAR (12-20)

2008-03-29T16:31:00.000-07:00

[WAR: This is an experiment I'm doing. This could be the 1st of many, or just the only one. I've long thought about having a different newsblog from The Daily WAR to focus on religious issues. Instead of having religious stories in The Daily WAR, I'd just do a weekly (or every so often) Religion WAR.

But because a lot of geopolitical issues have religion behind them, it's hard to separate them. So I'll just play this by ear. And I'm not sure if I'll send it out like The Daily WAR, or just have a link in it when a new issue is ready. Let me know what you think...]

THE HOLY ROMAN...

[Sacrum Romanum / Heiliges Römisches] [Vaticams]

6 surprising things about B16, "The Puzzling Pope"

There are many paradoxes about Benedict XVI, but this may be the biggest: For a generation, as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, he was one of the most prominent and controversial men in Roman Catholicism.

And now he is the Supreme Pontiff, arguably the most visible and influential religious leader in the world. Yet on the eve of his first visit to the US as pope, American Catholics—and everyone else—know little about him. Here are 6 keys to reading between the many lines that Benedict will deliver.

B16's Wednesday general audience

The Pope, who arrived at the Vatican by helicopter from his Castelgandolfo residence, dedicated his catechesis to the period of Easter. "The entire liturgy of the Easter period proclaims the certainty and joy of Christ's resurrection." This is "the central truth of Christian faith in all its doctrinal richness and its inexhaustible vitality".

Discussion on roles of authority in Latin Church

Leaders of various religious communities are planning to gather during the 2nd week of April for a conference on how authority is exercised in their different orders. The event has been organized to mark the 25th anniversary of the promulgation of the Code of Canon Law.

Cardinal: Tridentine Mass already bearing fruit

Pope Benedict XVI's outreach to traditionalist Catholics by liberalizing the use of the Tridentine Mass already is bearing fruit, said Cardinal Hoyos, the president of the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei," which coordinates care for traditionalist Catholics. He said that thanks to the pope's action "not a few have asked to return to full communion, and some already have returned."

2 CA conferences to mark 40th anniversary of Humanae Vitae

The Diocese of San Bernardino and the Diocese of Oakland will host two separate conferences this year marking the fortieth anniversary of Humanae Vitae. They will examine the encyclical of Pope Paul VI that discussed contraception and marital love.

"Many people know Humanae Vitae came out sometime in the past and prohibited artificial contraception. What they haven't known, because it hasn't been taught, is the actual teaching of Paul VI. Any consistent discourse about the culture of life has to take into account his teaching on contraception."

[WAR: The Catholic Church's teaching on contraception was seen in certain circles as a direct national security threat to the US, and is one of the main agenda's of the AIDS hoax -- to frighten people (especially in the 3rd-world) into wearing condoms. The result would be less babies (population control), as well as forcing the Church into a corner over the "condoms helps prevent AIDS" and be given the false choice of "condoms or death."]

EUROPE/RUSSIA

Muslim presence growing in Spain

The Union of Muslim Communities in Spain claims that 1.13 million Spaniards, or 2.5% of the country's residents, are Muslim, Vatican Radio reports.

MIDEAST/AFRICA/ASIA

Saudi king calls for dialogue among different religions

King Abdullah has made an impassioned plea for dialogue among Muslims, Christians and Jews — the first such proposal from ultraconservative Saudi Arabia, which has no ties to Israel and bans public non-Muslim religious services.

The message from the Saudi monarch, who met with Pope Benedict XVI in November, comes at a time of tensions between followers of the three religions. "The idea is to ask representatives of all monotheistic religions to sit together with their brothers in faith and sincerity to all religions as we all believe in the same God," the king told delegates Monday night at a seminar.

Abdullah's call is significant and could add weight to sporadic efforts at dialogue among religious leaders in recent years.He said Saudi Arabia's top clerics have given him the green light to the idea — crucial backing in a society which expects decisions taken by its rulers to adhere to Islam's tenets.

For some, it also raised the possibility that a religious dialogue could have a political impact in the Middle East, easing tensions between Arabs and Israelis in a way that years of off-and-on negotiations and political conferences have failed to do.

(And: A proposal for religious dialogue presented by King Abdullah has prompted warm reactions from several Jewish, Christian, and Muslim leaders in what could be a major development in inter-religious relations, the AP reports.)

Ugandan president teaches Gaddafi about Xianity

President Museveni of Uganda spoke about Christianity to Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in response to the latter's claim that the Bible had been doctored. Last week Colonel Gaddafi claimed that the original Bible had mentioned Muhammed, but had been doctored to exclude references to the founder of Islam.

The president said he also told Gaddafi that the fundamental laws of Christianity are contained in the 2 laws found in Mark 12: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and all your strength," and "Love your neighbor as yourself."

According to Museveni, Gaddafi seemed convinced that if one fulfilled both laws, one would have fulfilled most of the laws of God. The president said it did not matter which religion one belongs to as long as one fulfills both laws.

Dalai Lama's threat shakes Buddhism

As the world's most famous Buddhist, the Dalai Lama is a monk juggling two jobs. One is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, and the other is the political head of his government in exile.

He was chosen to serve these dual callings through an arcane process based on signs that he was reincarnated from a long line of Dalai Lamas who were considered embodiments of the Buddha of Compassion, the holder of the White Lotus.

So when the 14th Dalai Lama threatened last week to resign in response to the violence in Tibet, he seemed to throw into question the ancient process that gave him power. Whether he can quit and what that would mean remain unclear.

PROVOKING PERSIA

The last messenger Mohammad

The birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammad is one of the most important religious celebrations on the Islamic calendar.

He was born on the 3rd month of the lunar calendar, in the Year of the Elephant. There is no consensus on the exact date; many sources state the date to be the 17th and others the 12th of Rabiul Awal. The week between these two dates is known as the 'Solidarity Week' in Iran to encourage Muslims to celebrate the life of the last prophet of God for 7 days.

Mohammad taught the importance of education: "The ink of the scholar is more precious than the blood of the martyr."

HOUSE OF ISRAEL

Diplomacy in an age of faith

The United States has failed to understand the global resurgence of religiosity. Washington should put the promotion of religious freedom at the center of US foreign policy -- recognizing that it is vital not only to liberty and stability abroad but also to US national security.

Paranoid Protestant 'Pologizing...

Hagee denies anti-Catholic accusations

An influential Texas pastor who endorsed John McCain has denied allegations he is anti-Catholic. John Hagee, pastor of the Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, has been accused of anti-Catholicism by Bill Donohue, President of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights.

Donohue argued that Hagee "clearly distorts" Catholic teaching and misrepresents Church history, especially concerning the actions of Pope Pius XII during WW2. In his recent book, Hagee wrote that "most readers will be shocked by the clear record of history linking Adolf Hitler and the Roman Catholic Church in a conspiracy to exterminate the Jews." [WAR: Sounds just like Gerald Flurry, Norber Link, and other COG "prophets".]

Hagee released an extended self-defense in a March 13 statement that said the accusations of religious bigotry made against him were "slanderous." "I am not now, nor have I ever been anti-Catholic," he said in the press release.

Hagee said his statements about the Catholic Church had been "grossly mischaracterized." His words about the anti-Christ and a "false cult system," he said, were references to "those Christians who ignore the Gospels."

Is Obama a Muslim wolf in Xian wool?

The legacy of dissimulation about his long-concealed identity is about to come crashing down around the ears of Barack Hussein Obama, courtesy of the assembled testimony of his family, friends, classmates and teachers.

He has never disavowed his Muslim faith that he was born into, raised with, celebrated and never abandoned. He just covered it over with a thin veneer of his own self-styled "Christianity."

A book Americans must read before time runs out

A new book ought to have a profound and transforming influence on Americans' view of their government's confrontation with Islam. The book, Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think, presents the results of 6 years of Gallup polling in the Muslim world between 2001 and 2007.

Over and over again, the book shows the nearly complete absence among Muslims of a desire to destroy America's equality of opportunity, liberties, or democracy. Indeed, the Gallup data show that these are the aspects of US society that Muslims most admire.

But, of equal importance, Muslims do not believe that greater democracy and self-determination in the Muslim world require a Western-like separation of church and state.

The book establishes a solid empirical base for refuting the contentions of US political leaders in both parties that "Muslims hate us for who we are not for what we do."

On no other foreign policy issue since the Cold War's end has the truth been so easy to establish on the basis of hard facts but so hard for Americans to see – primarily because their leaders eagerly distort or ignore the truth.

Ultimately, our bipartisan political elite will turn the US into one enormous Israel, lethally deaf to the realities of our struggle with Islamists; arrogantly confidant of its pure intent and sure knowledge of God's will; and utterly dependent on inadequate military and intelligence options to fight a rising tide of hatred among 1.3 billion Muslims.

British Muslims to outnumber Xians?

Muslims may outnumber practicing Catholics in England and Wales by the year 2020, according to a forthcoming study. Catholics already outnumber Anglicans attending Sunday services in England.

MISC

[Day-Night Map][Tonight's Sky][Moon phase][Bible Study]

UN rights council passes Islamic resolution

The top UN rights body on Thursday passed a resolution proposed by Islamic countries saying it is deeply concerned about the defamation of religions and urging governments to prohibit it. The EU said the text was one-sided because it primarily focused on Islam.

The UN Human Rights Council, which is dominated by Arab and other Muslim countries, adopted the resolution on a 21-10 vote over the opposition of Europe and Canada. EU countries, including France, Germany and Britain, voted against.

Although the text refers frequently to protecting all religions, the only religion specified as being attacked is Islam, to which 8 paragraphs refer.

Reworked Bible

Goliath is a celebrity binge drinker, Eve is a sex-obsessed man-eater and Noah's wife wants to kill him . . . welcome to the updated Bible. An Anglican vicar has rewritten the most famous biblical tales because he wants to make them more "accessible" to modern readers.

The science of religion

Where angels no longer fear to tread

Science and religion have often been at loggerheads. Now the former has decided to resolve the problem by trying to explain the existence of the latter.

Sabbath vs Sunday

Deception: Xians war over worship day

Two thousand years after Christ walked the Earth, Christians are at war with each other concerning – as strange as it may sound – a day of the week mentioned in the Ten Commandments. The issue boils down to: "When is God's Sabbath?" In other words, what is His holy day of rest?

Most Christians today think it's Sunday, when the majority of churches hold services. But others confidently say it's Saturday, calling Sunday worship "the most flagrant error of mainstream Christianity," believing Sunday-keepers are victims of clever deception.

There are 7 days in a week, but historians have no consensus about the cycle's origin, since it has no basis in astronomy. In many languages, the word used for the 7th day of the week – what we call Saturday – is actually the same word used for "Sabbath."

In Greek, it is sabbaton; Italian, sabato; Spanish, sábado; Russian, subbota; Polish, sobota; and Hungarian, szómbat. Even the French "samedi" is from the Latin "Sambata dies," for "day of the Sabbath."

(And: An answer to the debate)

(And: Anti-Judaism at root)

[WAR: Yes, Christianity has been deceived on the Sabbath Day issue (as well as a host of other doctrines). But the bigger "clever deception" is the belief that the Jewish Sabbath is the same as YAHWEH's Sabbath.

"Oh, but the Jews have been given the oracles of God and cannot be wrong about something so important as when the Sabbath Day is." But: "'How can you say, 'We are wise, for we have the law of YAHWEH,' when actually the lying pen of the scribes has handled it falsely?" (Jer 8:8). Even the Encyclopedia Brittanica (1911) refers to the "Sabbath of the Scribes" and the "Rabbinical Sabbath."

The Sabbath Day is from dawn-to-dark on "SaturDAY." It's quite simple: We are to work for 6 days, and not work on the 7th day -- with every night designated for rest/sleep. So the 7th night of the week is not any more holy than the other 6 nights. Satan cannot get rid of the Sabbath Day, but he can sure twist and manipulate as to when it actually is!

"'In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.' ... Then YAHWEH said to Moses, "How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions?'" (Exo 16:4,28)

"You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am YAHWEH, who makes you holy. Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. ... For 6 days, work is to be done, but the 7th day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to YAHWEH. ... The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in 6 days YAHWEH made the heavens and the Earth, and on the 7th day he abstained from work and rested." (Exo 31:13-17)

"Blessed is the man who ... keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it ... If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and YAHWEH's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in YAHWEH..." (Isa 56:2 / 58:13-14)]

* To try and better understand, it helps to take in a broader perspective of the situation -- to step back and examine the problem with some distance. Conflict-resolution theorists call this the "helicopter perspective." This is when a certain distance is required to better understand; this process, in theory, allows one to "hover" above a specific area, taking in an overall view of the problem at hand, and then "zoom in" and focus on particular details as needed."