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The following articles are compiled by:

Leo Wong

Leo@WatchmenWatching.com

 

 

 

Angels singing caught on tape?

Source: WorldNetDaily.com

 

February 20, 2007 -- A retired Air Force officer who now spends his days authoring books on Christianity has posted an online collection of recordings he believes captures voices and music of God's angels in heaven.

 

"I have four specific recordings of angels singing in church settings," Jim Bramlett of Lake Mary, Fla., told WND. "It happened supernaturally. There's no other explanation. It's either from God or from the devil, and I don't think the devil is in the business of worshipping Jesus. That is not in his job description."

 

Bramlett, 76, collected the tapes from various sources in recent years, and has now put them on his ChoicesForLiving website, where readers can click on several links to listen to three recordings made in the U.S., and one from China.

 

The Feb. 6, 1996, recording at the Greater Grace World Outreach Church in Baltimore, Md., starts off with a woman playing a piano, and gradually, accompanying voices are heard in the background. Bramlett described them as "beautiful voices of beings who were not in the service."

 

"I have the full tape with the pastor discussing the situation with the congregation, and about 25 people gave testimony to hearing the voices. They were all in awe at what had happened."

 

But not everyone is joining the chorus of hallelujahs.

 

Dr. Steven Novella, a neurologist at Yale University School of Medicine and president of the New England Skeptical Society, analyzed the electronic voice phenomenon, or EVP, at WND's request.

 

"The fatal problem with this entire type of evidence is that there is no way to validate or invalidate the source of sound on a recording. Therefore it has no discriminating value," Novella said. "Personal testimony is not reliable as evidence and is not acceptable scientifically. Choosing to have faith in the persons making the angel-voice claims is no different than just having faith in angels in the first place, so the recordings don't get you anywhere."

 

Novella discussed some of the specific claims made by Bramlett and others who suggest the source of the sound is supernatural:

 

"There seems to be no doubt they are angelic voices." They sound like human voices to me. This is just a bold assertion without supporting argument or evidence.

 

" ... about 25 people gave testimony to hearing the voices. They were all in awe at what had happened." Not uncommon for a congregation of believers sharing a common belief and being swept into an emotional fervor by an experienced preacher. Not exactly dispassionate testimony.

 

"I have had this tape for several years but I recently found a cleaner version of it on the Internet, preceded by an explanation. I do not know the identity of the narrator." This reminds of the "Jesus in the clouds" picture that keeps cropping up. When the same piece of evidence keeps coming up in different contexts and situations, that strongly suggests fraud. Also, the angels in this recording were playing bass guitar and horn, and at one point broke into a pretty funky beat. It's actually pretty laughable.

 

Also, it was noted that the angel voices were not noticed until the recording was played back, so nothing was heard during the recording. This is a red flag for a recording artifact. The simplest explanation is that the recording was made over a prior recording of a choir singing with accompanying music, and they heard the two recordings superimposed when they played it back.

 

So, bottom line, these are all worthless as evidence. They are being offered uncritically by people who already believe, are not questioning the angel claims, and who are committing some logical fallacies.

 

Comments:  The issue here is not about the existence of angelic beings (that’s Biblical based), but the assertion by some churchgoers that angels sang along with the congregations.  WorldNetDaily (WND) apparently had its doubts and thus it asked Dr. Steven Novella to do an analysis.

 

What does the Bible say about angels singing?  To begin with, I can still remember a dear brother in the Lord telling me that in the New Testament, nowhere is there an instance of singing angels.  I was taken back by his statement.  I asked him, “What about that famous Christmas song ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’?”.  He then quoted Luke 2:[13] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

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

What he was trying to tell me was that angels spoke not sang.  He then added that only the redeemed of God can sing.  The good angels don’t need redemption; the fallen angels (i.e. demons who followed after Lucifer) have been consigned to the Lake of Fire.  Jesus didn’t die and shed His precious blood for angels, but for men, women and children.  Revelation 15:[1] And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. [2] And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. [3] And they (the martyred Tribulation saints) sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

 

So, the question begs, “Do angels sing in this present dispensation of the grace of God?”  Has God given some believers a new revelation of angels singing along with the blood bought redeemed of Christ?  WND had serious doubts.  Yours truly will apologize to the readers if there are instances in the Bible of angelic beings singing.  Jim Bramlett’s credibility is clearly at stake here.

 

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Flags in Ted Haggard's fall from grace

Source: denverpost.com 

 

February 20, 2007 -- The Rev. Ted Haggard's former congregation was told Sunday that while an investigation uncovered new evidence the influential evangelical leader engaged in "sordid conversation" and "improper relationships," the church can heal its wounds.

 

More than 100 days after Haggard's firing amid a gay-sex scandal, 14,000-member New Life Church received a progress report from its board of overseers, an outside panel of pastors.

 

The Rev. Larry Stockstill of Baton Rouge, La., an overseer, read a letter describing results of "extensive fact-finding" into Haggard's claim that he had long struggled with a "dark side."

 

"We have verified the reality of that struggle through numerous individuals who reported to us firsthand knowledge of everything from sordid conversation to overt suggestions to improper activities to improper relationships," Stockstill said. "These findings established a pattern of behavior that culminated in the final relationship in which Ted was, as a matter of grace, caught."

 

Haggard, 50, resigned as president of the National Association of Evangelicals and was fired from New Life after former male prostitute Mike Jones of Denver alleged a three-year relationship. Haggard admitted to undisclosed "sexual immorality."

 

Haggard's severance package will pay him between $130,000 and $140,000 through this year, the equivalent of his annual salary, Brendle said. Under the deal, Haggard must leave Colorado Springs and cannot talk publicly about the scandal. Haggard has told supporters that he and his wife, Gayle, will move out of state and pursue psychology degrees.

 

Stockstill said overseers also identified "a few staff members struggling with unrelated sin issues." One senior staff member, Christopher Beard, resigned in December after church officials said he admitted to "poor judgment," including one incident of sexual misconduct years ago.

 

Brendle said the other employees have been disciplined but not fired. He would not discuss their transgressions but said they were not of the "same magnitude or nature" of Haggard's.

 

Comments:  Just like the world, the New Life Church gave a “fired” high level executive a golden handshake and placed a gag order on him to seal his lips. It’s no wonder the unsaved are cynical about Christians and their Jesus.  Why pay off Ted Haggard at all?  When you have substantive evidence of gross misconduct, you can fire an employee with no notice and no severance pay .Let him sue for wrongful dismissal. The $140,000 given to Haggard and his family is money that belonged to the congregants.  Sure, $140,000 represented only $10 per church member, but it’s still a huge chunk of change, God’s money that could have been used for missionary work or the such.  Ted Haggard sinned and let down the entire church and for that, he’ll answer to God.

 

The Devil must be laughing from the rafters of the church. He not only tempted Haggard into becoming a homosexual, piquing his interest in experimenting with illicit drugs, and lying to his flock, he induced Haggard into marring his testimony which was made worse by the fact he was the church’s leading pastor.  The lesson to be learned here is never to look up to a man albeit a Christian.  Look only to Jesus for He will never shock you or shake your faith in God.

 

Haggard may be gone from Colorado, but like dandelions in Summer that crop up again and again, Haggard might spring up in another locale and be in the limelight once more.  I’m sure there are book publishers and movie studios out there vying to be first in line to sign up with Haggard for the exclusive rights to his story.  Ted Haggard might be tempted if the sum of money offered is too much to turn down.  That’s the last thing Christianity needs, a sordid portrayal of a pastor partaking in homosexual acts and a drug junkie wannabe.  It’s only a miracle of God that North Americans are still being saved in spite of the abject failures of believers here.

 

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Americans love their horoscopes

Source: news.aol.com

 

February 20, 2007 -- People in the U.S. know more about basic science today than they did two decades ago, good news that researchers say is tempered by an unsettling growth in the belief in pseudoscience such as astrology and visits by extraterrestrial aliens.

 

A panel of researchers expressed concern that people are giving increasing credence to pseudoscience such as the visits of space aliens, lucky numbers and horoscopes.

 

In addition, these researchers noted an increase in college students who report they are "unsure" about creationism as compared with evolution.

 

Comments:  “The Devil uses weapons of mass deception” to quote Jan Markell.  He’s an equal opportunity deceiver in that he deceives the unsaved and believers alike.  What’s with the fascination with the paranormal and the occult for which astrology and horoscopes form part of?  God expressly forbids divination and the delving into witchcraft and astrology.  Deuteronomy 18[10] There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.  Astrology isn’t even a science. Horoscopes are just generalizations based on a person’s birth month and date and the alignment of planets yet millions of otherwise intelligent people swear by them for their daily guidance.  Women especially are hooked by horoscopes.  I can remember as a hippie in university in the late 1960s and early 1970s, I charmed quite a few young women with my knowledge of astrology (I wasn’t saved yet back then).  It was uncanny of me to tell these females what astrological sign they were under, what they have done in the past and what their future held for them.  I had made a pact with the Devil and he directed my thought process.  It still sends chills down my spine when I think of the deception that I had used on these women.  Beware of what you ask for because the Devil is quick to accommodate you.

 

Many North Americans are gospel hardened.  They’ve heard about Jesus being the way, the truth and the life, but have hardened their hearts to the Good News. Being Christ rejecters, they are turning to the Dark Side. They’ve cast their lot with the Devil and the damned.  They will be Left Behind at the Rapture.  Even if you believe in a second chance, they will probably believe in the lie of the Antichrist and will be beyond hope.  2 Thessalonians 2:[6] And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. [7] For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. [8] And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: [9] Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, [10] And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. [11] And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: [12] That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

 

 

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Keep watching (Matt 24:42)!

 

Until next time,

Shalom!

 

 

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