Roman Catholics top faith in new U.S. Congress

Source: CNN.com

January 5, 2007 -- Roman Catholics (RCs) are the largest single U.S. religious denomination among members of the new U.S. Congress which also includes two Buddhists and a Muslim.

A survey published by Americans for Religious Liberty finds Baptists the second most common faith, followed by Methodists, Presbyterians and Jews.

Comments:  The U.S. used to be a “Christian” nation, but it’s become more of a pagan country these days.  Roman Catholicism’s roots are in ancient Babylon, the seat of paganism.  Many relics and rituals can be traced to that spiritual idolatrous nation that’s located in modern Iraq.  Yes, Iraq, the birthplace of civilization and where the Garden of Eden was located.  Our progenitors Adam and Eve started out in that area.  Rome is the spiritual and physical center of the Vatican.  The popes of old persecuted ‘real’ Christians and Jews.  That alone tells you that Roman Catholicism isn’t Christian.  It’s more of a cult than anything for it teaches that salvation is by faith plus works plus membership in the RCC.  Even then, one’s not assured of entrance into Heaven.

The fact the U.S. Congress has more RCs than any other religion doesn’t bode well for this nation.  RCs aren’t into Gospel preaching or making disciples for Christ nor does it think Israel has a special place in God’s plans.  It believes the RC has replaced Israel and the Church is the New Israel.

The Baptists generally follow scriptures in a literal sense, but some factions are now departing from sound doctrines.  Methodists and Presbyterians are mainline liberal denominations that stress the social gospel and political changes in society.  The Jews are generally secular and liberal in their thinking and practice.  They do not acknowledge Jesus as their Messiah.  More are abandoning Israel. The U.S. Congress is not scripturally prepared for the trying days ahead.  “In God We Trust” has become a hollow saying.

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Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson predicts horrific terrorist attack on the U.S. in 2007 

Source: FOXNews.com

January 5, 2007 -- Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson predicted Tuesday a horrific terrorist act on the United States that will result in "mass killing" late in 2007.

"I'm not necessarily saying it's going to be nuclear," he said during his news-and-talk television show "The 700 Club" on the Christian Broadcasting Network. "The Lord didn't say nuclear. But I do believe it will be something like that."

Robertson said God told him during a recent prayer retreat that major cities and possibly millions of people will be affected by the attack, which should take place sometime after September.

"I put these things out with humility," he said.  "I have a relatively good track record," he said. "Sometimes I miss."

Comments:  Acts 2:[17] And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. In order for a person to be a true prophet of God, he/she has to be 100% correct in his/her predictions.  Anything less than perfection would discredit that person as simply a crystal ball gazer along the likes of Edgar Cayce and Jean Dixon.  In the Bible, all God’s prophets spoke to the people as inspired and led by God’s Holy Spirit.

Pat Robertson, albeit being a godly man with good intentions, has been wrong in the recent past.  As such, he has brought ill repute to the name of ‘Christianity’ and God/Jesus.  His critics have been quick to jump on his throat accusing him of sensationalism.  In this news article, Mr. Robertson has again publicly pronounced one of his visions.  Yes, it’s possible that a major attack will be directed at America sometime this year.  (Any Dick, Jane or Harry could have prognosticated that.)  A probable attack is long overdue being that 9/11 was over 5 years ago and Osama bin Laden and his cohorts had been threatening the U.S. with further strikes.  Suitcase nukes could be deployed next time and cause unbelievable carnage.  Only God knows.  Mr. Robertson may very well be God’s mouthpiece in this particular instance.  Only time will tell if that is so.

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Vatican comes out of the closet and embraces gay Oscar Wilde

Source: timesonline.uk.co

January 6, 2007 -- Oscar Wilde, poet, playwright, gay icon and deathbed convert to Catholicism, has been paid a rare tribute by the Vatican. His aphorisms are quoted in a collection of maxims and witticisms for Christians that has been published by one of the Pope’s closest aides.

Wilde (1854-1900) had long been regarded with distaste by the Vatican — a dissolute and disgraced homosexual who was sentenced for acts of gross indecency over his relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas.

The book, compiled by Father Leonardo Sapienza, head of protocol at the Vatican, includes such Wildean gems as “I can resist everything except temptation” and “The only way to get rid of a temptation is yield to it” — hardly orthodox Catholic teaching.

“What a surprise!” La Repubblica’s said. “A homosexual icon has been accepted by the Vatican.” Orazio La Rocca, a Vatican watcher, described the book as a bombshell.

Pope Benedict XVI is a stern opponent of gay marriage and has reinforced Catholic teaching that homosexuality is a disorder. On the other hand he has belied his reputation as a hardliner since his election, reserving most of his fire for apathy and relativism in an attempt to revive Christian faith in Europe.

Comments:  What a complete 360‑degree turnaround for the Vatican!  Hate the sin of homosexuality, but heap accolades on Wilde the prolific writer.  It also helped Wilde that he scored points by converting to Roman Catholicism on his death bed.  Tragically, he didn’t convert to ‘real’ Christianity.

Mr. Wilde’s personality and the way he lived his life were indicative of his surname. He would not be tamed.  He was a libertine, the likes of Tom Jones (no, not the singer), Don Juan and Giovanni Casanova.  Like many of the ladies man in the past, he cultivated a feminine side that appealed to the male gender.  Mr. Wilde loved men, both figuratively and physically.  He was also bi‑sexual, an equal opportunity sexual being.  He sold his soul to the Devil and in return, he indulged in every pleasure imaginable.  Like King Solomon, nothing was withheld from him as his wealth and fame opened up many avenues of adventure known to man.  He certainly wasn’t a man a father would introduce to his virgin daughter or son for that matter.  His gay lifestyle didn’t endear him with past popes, but the current pope wants to overlook that in order to heal the chasm that exists between the Vatican and homosexuals.  There are quite a few ‘gay’ priests out there and their followers are many and increasing in numbers.  They cannot be made to feel that they’re being excluded in the ecumenism movement of which the Roman Catholic Church has taken the leadership role.

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4 out of 10 pastors lack strong interest in expanding outreach 

Source: christianpost.com

January 6, 2007 --  A new research study found that 39 percent of American pastors are not highly interested in offering more community outreach programs.

The finding is from a study conducted for Facts & Trends, a bimonthly magazine by LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, which was released on Wednesday. Ellison Research conducted the study using a representative sample of 811 Protestant church ministers in all 50 states.

Four out of every ten pastors not highly interested in expanding outreach programs said they would rather focus on their own congregation, would rather focus on spiritual needs rather than physical needs, or that it’s not a major priority for their church, among other explanations.

Comments:  Pastors are God’s ordained shepherds of His little flock.  The flock consists of born again believers in Jesus Christ.  The little flock break bread and partake of the cup of wine as often as is possible in remembrance of Jesus’s sacrifice and death for us until He comes.  Not all pastors are preachers of the Gospel of God as pertaining to community outreach, e.g. street corner, house to house and/or traveling caravan Gospel preaching.  They prefer to tend to the spiritual needs of their own congregants.  Believe me when I say that the spiritual needs of Christians are plentiful as Satan’s attacks are from every angle and direction in these last days.  The pastors’ time is limited and from tending to their little flock, wives and children, there’s very little spare time left.  It’s no wonder the majority just don’t have the time or energy to reach out to their communities.

The congregants need to do more to help their pastors out.  If God has placed a burden in a believer’s heart, then he/she ought to pray fervently about it and let the Holy Spirit lead.  Time is of the essence.  The Rapture event is close at hand.  Many lost souls abound all around us.  Let us go out into the highways and bi‑ways and reach the lost and perishing with the eternal life giving message of Jesus and His love for sinners.  Luke 10:[2] Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.  John.4:[35] Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

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Revealed: Israel plans nuclear strike on Iran

Source: timesonline.com

January 7, 2007 -- Israel has drawn up secret plans to destroy Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities with tactical nuclear weapons.

Two Israeli air force squadrons are training to blow up an Iranian facility using low-yield nuclear “bunker-busters”, according to several Israeli military sources.

The attack would be the first with nuclear weapons since 1945, when the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Israeli weapons would each have a force equivalent to one-fifteenth of the Hiroshima bomb.

Under the plans, conventional laser-guided bombs would open “tunnels” into the targets. “Mini-nukes” would then immediately be fired into a plant at Natanz, exploding deep underground to reduce the risk of radioactive fallout.

Comments:  This news article is as sensational as some of the “24 Hours” episodes on Fox TV.  Who really knows what the Israeli air force is up to?  Certainly, they’re not so stupid to lay out their plans in full details so the Iranians can study them and prepare a defensive strategy to thwart the planned attack.  Iran does have gobs of cash and has access to Russian and European defence systems.  Whether these systems can repel Israeli jets (No. 2 or even No. 1 in the entire world) is arguable.

What we do know is that Iran’s current Islamic hardliners are determined to wipe out all vestiges of Jewry in the Holy Land.  No expense will be spared to achieve that goal.  Its billions of euros obtain from global sales of petroleum will be dealt out like confetti to any military contractor with the latest hi‑tech electronics money can buy.  With each passing month, Iran is one step closer to perfecting nukes.  If the U.S. won’t take out Iran’s underground fortified nuclear facilities, then Israel has to do her own dirty work, that is if Israel’s vacillating PM Ehud Olmert doesn’t get cold feet.  When the time to give the ‘go ahead to launch the bunker busting bombers and jets ”, let there be no waffling by Mr. Olmert.  He who hesitates is lost.  If this attack starts WW3, then so be it.

Read Rick Allinson's Comments on this article

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Oh, the Rapture

Source: Caroline Corbitt (The Harvard Independent: Student newspaper)

January 7, 2007 -- There is significant evidence that the Apocalypse has already begun. The website of Rock City, which purports to be a Los Angeles-based rock newspaper, has discovered many biblical passages that could suggest that the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 began mankind’s final doom. If we assume, as the writers at that paper might, that the US is the woman of ill repute cited in Revelations, then the ramifications of the following are fairly obvious: “True and right true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand” (Revelation 19:2).

To clarify the distinction between the Rapture and the Apocalypse, the Apocalypse is the fiery doom of all sinners — remember, it began on 9/11 — while the Rapture is the moment in which the Christian faithful are saved. The tribulations of the Apocalypse will last seven years, at which point the Rapture will occur and evangelicals and members of the Bush White House will beam up to Heaven a la Star Trek. For others, the future is less bright.

So in these strange minds, there can be no doubt that the end of the world will be September 11, 2008. Prophecynewswatch.com warns that robots may soon morph into the Antichrist, war between the “Gogs” and the “Magogs” draws near, and the Roman Empire is reviving. For general updates on the end of life, see this extremely informative website — learn about how Islam’s awaited Messiah matches biblical descriptions of this robotic Antichrist or buy a 2007 prophetic events calendar!

Pre-Rapturism provides a compelling lens through which to examine the 21st century. As we await the wrath-filled Second Coming of Christ, the world becomes increasing bizarre and frightening. For example, Britney Spears has stopped wearing underwear and has adopted Paris Hilton as a best friend, making estranged husband Kevin Federline look as clean-cut as Barack Obama. Spears’ behavior meshes nicely with that of the previously cited biblical floozy, and, always applicable, the Book of Revelation also predicts global warming: “And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat… And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up” (Revelation 16:8-16:9; 16:12).

But what does pre-Rapturism mean for Harvard students? It doesn’t look good. Urban Outfitters sells a flask that asks what Jesus wouldn’t do. Kneel down and pray, Greenwich kids, lest the Saint Peter fail to take your AmEx at the pearly gates: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 19:24). No one at Harvard will be spared; to find the “the poor in spirit” and “the meek,” book a tour of New Haven.

Will you continue to ignore the signs? Beware all ye who scorn the truth of hipster merchandise. Dust off that Bible and President George W. Bush might find room for you in his beam of divine light. Fulfill your foreign language requirement by speaking in tongues. Tell the professor of your choice to take her post-postmodernism and shove it. After all, Jesus is your homeboy.

Comments:  Harvard University is a world renowned institution of higher learning for training young people to think and behave like secular humanists.  Come to think of it, the vast majority of colleges and universities (even so called ‘Christian’ ones) are of that genre.  One brother I knew called universities ‘the training ground for the Devil.) Is it any wonder what the students are learning and eschewing in their student newspapers?  This Caroline Corbitt is typical of the liberal freethinkers on campus.  $24,000 US per student annual intuition to churn out such derision of God, Jesus and the Holy Bible?  But, even God can use Satan’s inspired ‘literature’ to reach the lost.  Surprisingly, Ms. Corbitt’s satirical putdown of Christianity contains a lot of truth.  Yes, there will be 7 years of the Apocalypse (i.e. Tribulation Period), Christ’s 2^nd coming (if you’re not a believer at the His coming, you’re destined for the fires of Hell) and perhaps the Rapture at His coming (this is called post-Tribulation Rapture and is the least likely scenario to happen).