The following articles are compiled by:

Leo Wong

Leo@WatchmenWatching.com

 

 

 

 

Pope Benedict XVI reverts to traditional requirement for papal election

Source: Associated Press

 

Pope Benedict XVI has changed the rules for electing a new pope, returning to the traditional requirement that two-thirds of the cardinals in the conclave agree on a new pontiff, the Vatican said Tuesday.

 

Pope John Paul II had altered the voting process in 1996, allowing the pope to be chosen by an absolute majority if the cardinals were unable to agree after several days of balloting in which a two-thirds majority was needed.

 

In a document released Tuesday, Benedict said he was returning to the traditional voting norm, essentially reversing John Paul's revision of the centuries-old process.

 

Comments:  Out with the new and in with the old!  Sounds like the Michael J. Fox movie “Back to the Future”.  This part of John Paul II’s legacy died with his passing it would seem.  Pope Benedict has backtracked and this regressive move has paramount significance for the liberal cardinals in the Vatican.  With only a 2/3 majority required, the liberals won’t any longer be stumped by the long-in-the-tooth old timer conservatives who still hold to “no abortion, no birth control, no homosexual, no woman priesthood, no married priest” dictates.

 

It has been discussed that Pope Benedict will be the second to last pontiff prior to Jesus’s physical return to Earth.  His successor will most likely be a liberal buck the trend free thinker who will break new grounds in the centuries old staid institution that is the Roman Catholic Church.  He could very well turn out to be the False Prophet (FP).  The beast Antichrist is just about to be revealed and his sidekick, the second beast FP is waiting in the wings to be introduced next.  This dynamic duo from Satan’s evil lair will rule this brave new post-Rapture world.  May God have mercy on the inhabitants of planet Earth!

 

________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Hamas: 'We will try to form an Islamic society'

Source: www.spiegel.de/international/world

 

Mahmoud Zahar -- a founder of Hamas, and one of its most militant hardliners -- has called for an Islamic state in the Gaza Strip. After the Hamas takeover of the territory last week, he's also threatened Fatah with more violence in the West Bank.

 

SPIEGEL ONLINE: After heavy fighting, Hamas won control over the Gaza Strip last Saturday. But it's not clear what your party now intends to do. The assumption in the Western world is that Hamas wants to establish an Islamic state in Gaza. Is this true?

 

Zahar: Of course. We want to do that, but with full support of the people. At the moment we can't establish an Islamic state because we Palestinians have no state. As long as we don't have a state, we will try to form an Islamic society.

 

Comments:  In the eyes of many, Hamas already established a state aptly called ‘Hamastan’.  Hamas is there to stay in the Gaza Strip unless Israel can uproot it and restore the Fatah Party as the rightful authority.  This will mean an all-out war between Israel and Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran and Syria.  The UN, the EU and the U.S. do not want the unthinkable, a Middle East scorched by fire and sulphur.  Israel thought she only had to deal with Abbas’ ‘moderates’ in the peace negotiations leading to an independent Palestinian state.  Hamas’s 2-state nightmare just muddied the already murky waters.  What to do, what to do?  The wisdom of King Solomon is needed here.

 

________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Anglican Church recruits Homer Simpson to help fill the pews

Source: www.crosswalk.com

 

Homer Simpson may seem an unlikely role model for the Church of England, yet according to a report in the Daily Mail, the Archbishop of Canterbury thinks Homer & Co. may be able to attract youngsters to services. A new book by youth worker Owen Smith called Mixing It Up With The Simpsons is being sent to Anglican youth workers, while clergy are being asked to show their congregations episodes of the Simpsons that deal with key Christian themes such as punishment, love and the Second Coming. Smith said the series is full of Biblical allusions and messages, adding, "The Simpsons is hugely moral, with many episodes dealing with issues and dilemmas faced by young people."

 

Comments:  Earlier this week, I included an article and comments about some churches studying the merits of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.  Now, we’re reading of the Anglican Church introducing the vile and irreverent Homer Simpson in hopes of attracting fresh young blood to arrest the decline in membership.  This liberal Protestant denomination is grasping at straws doing anything to save its life.  God has deemed it fit that this dying church will eventually fade from the English landscape due to its rejection of Christ as the head of the church and its denial of the Word of God as authoritative.  Homer Simpson has a character named Ned Flanders who is characterized as a typical Christian.  This Flanders dude is portrayed as a bumbling dote who makes a mockery of real Christianity.  That pretty well says it all.  When a supposed Christian institution adopts the world’s ways to conduct services within the hallow halls of its cathedrals, you know that apostasy (falling away from the faith that was once delivered unto the saints) is well along the path leading to the One World Religion.

 

________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Focus on the Family Dr. James Dobson disagrees over Evan Almighty movie

Source: www.crosswalk.com

 

Plugged In Online, the movie review site of Focus on the Family, has given the new film Evan Almighty a positive review. However, ministry leader Dr. James Dobson follows Plugged In's review with one of his own, which states: “I almost always agree with the opinions and recommendations the Plugged In team offers, because we draw our views from the same Judeo-Christian system of values. Occasionally, however, good men and women see things differently." The varying opinions even within the same ministry merely echo the at-large response of Christians to the movie. On one side are those who appreciate Evan Almighty's positivity and relative cleanness, while also wanting to encourage studios to make more films with faith-based themes. On the flip side are those in Dobson's camp, discouraged over issues with the film's theology and humanesque God character: “'God,' played charmingly by Morgan Freeman, told the new Noah character that the first flood occurred because the people hadn’t done enough 'acts of random kindness' (as in A.R.K. Get it?). God destroyed the world and its inhabitants, the contemporary god said, not to punish a wicked and perverse generation as we read in Genesis 6, but as a benign object lesson to encourage people to be nicer to each other. It was bad theology and a radical distortion of Scripture."

 

Comments:  Bad theology is the bottom line with the conservative Dr. James Dobson.  No matter if Evan Almighty contains some positive messages and is not rated R like most movies that are being churned out by Hollywood these days, bad theology can stumble those young in the faith and those who are seeking God.  The false message that Noah’s world was destroyed because people hadn’t done enough good things (to please God) cannot be dismissed by true believers in Christ.  This is salvation by works, a doctrine of demons.

 

Some Christians have come down hard on the critics for maligning ‘The Passion of the Christ’ and now ‘Evan Almighty’ by protesting that no movie is perfect and that God can use a less than perfect movie to save souls.  They also say that we can’t over analyze every line in the scripts.  Let’s just enjoy the movie for what it is, pure entertainment, and good acting by Morgan Freeman as God (God does have a sense a humour after all).  Well, let me say that the writers wrote and rewrote the scripts numerous times until the producer was satisfied.  The creator and producer wanted to convey certain messages to the audience and when you plan to spend a record $150M to 175M on a comedy, the writers better come up with the intended created scripts.  The object lesson: People ought to be nicer to each other says “Morgan Freeman as God” not only puts God on the level of a human being, but is not in accordance with His Word.  No one can play God or Jesus.  God and Jesus are perfect, incapable of sinning.  What if later on in life, Morgan Freeman was caught DUI (driving under the influence) just like Mel Gibson was and who uttered anti-Semitic words?  You get what I’m trying to say.  I concur with Dr. James Dobson who is among the minority of believers willing to call a spade a spade and not sugar coat Hollywood’s religious offerings disguised as innocent Christian fare, but covertly are carefully orchestrated by the Devil’s own to deceive the unwary.

 

________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Hindu prayer to open US Senate

Source: www.worthynews.com

 

History will be created when a Hindu prayer will be recited at the opening of the US Senate in Washington DC on July 12.

 

Rajan Zed, a Hindu chaplain, said that he had been officially asked to say the prayer. He said he believes this may be the first time any Hindu prayer is delivered in the Senate since its formation in 1789.

 

Comments:  America has become the land of the tolerant.  No one can accuse the US of religious intolerance.  Islam is flourishing after 9/11 with President Bush even photographed carrying a large Koran close to his vest.  Following the lead of Prince Charles who uttered a prayer in India, the US Senate has embraced Hinduism with open arms.  Hinduism, the demonic caste based religion that enslaves some 800 million inhabitants of India with its millions of deities and reincarnation, will tightly grip Americans soon.  The Beatles introduced the West to Hinduism and its offshoot Hare Krishna, and an ever growing number of adherents have adopted it as a replacement for traditional Christianity.  Yoga and TM are popular offerings in adult education and leisure guides.  Christian Yoga is booming in the post-modern churches.  The notion that we can all attain a state of consciousness through meditation in which our spirit can connect with the universal force is enticing to most darkened souls.  George Lucas is a disciple of Hinduism with his “may the Force be with you”.  Hinduism, Buddhism and all Eastern religions have planted deep roots in America and the New Ageism is heralding in the Antichrist.

 

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

 

Keep watching (Matt 24:42)!

 

Until next time,

Shalom!

 

 

Watchmen Watching HOME PAGE

Millennium Weekend Ministries Home Page