Daniel 11 pt 12 If you but trust in God to guide you

Daniel 11 pt 11 The wicked flatters, The strong do exploits

Daniel 11 pt 10 The Abomination that maketh desolate

Daniel 11 pt 9 State under the power of the Church

The Papacy shows its true colors

 

Pope Francis Shows His True Colors

By Richard Bennett

In the sixteenth century, the Reformation, through its emphasis on the ultimate authority of the Bible and the Gospel of grace, began to dislodge the Papacy from its position as co-ruler of the Holy Roman Empire.  The truth of Scripture and the Gospel gave men and women the knowledge and courage to stand up against the Inquisition, a system of tortures by which the Papacy had enforced submission to papal dogma.  This enforced submission had given the Papacy the power to wield tremendous influence with the emperor and among the kings of the empire.  Thus Ignatius of Loyola, a contemporary of Martin Luther, founded the Jesuits in 1530 for the very purpose of defending the Papacy from further loss of its power base.  The Jesuits’ objective has always been to increase the temporal power of the Papacy to align with the Roman Catholic dogma that the Pope has the right to judge, “the highest civil office in a state.”[1]  However, since the demise of the Holy Roman Empire in the late eighteenth century, the Papacy has had no civil authority by which to enforce obedience to its moral rulings.

It is a well-established fact that the Jesuits throughout their history have caused many serious disturbances by their nefarious schemes within the civil governments of many countries.  Over the centuries, they have justifiably earned their reputation as troublemakers to the extent that they were denied residence in some nations for varying periods of time.  Nevertheless, their objective of increasing Papal religious and civil power beyond its previous height remains unchanged.  Therefore, in order to move forward the Papacy’s drive for power in the current religious and civil arenas, this Jesuit Pope must efface the historic image of the Jesuit Order.   

Cosmetic Alteration of the Historic Jesuit Image                            

Once Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected, he chose the name Pope Francis in honor of St Francis of Assisi.  St Francis, known to be a softhearted lover of nature, was also known for his humility and gentleness.  Thus, in building an image or persona for himself in the public eye, Pope Francis has shrewdly implied that he would be similarly unassuming, kind, and harmless.  Since there has never been a pope named Francis, the name carries with it no papal baggage.  Immediately following Pope Francis’s election, the media made much of his unassuming nature by showing him paying his own hotel bill for his stay during the enclave.  This was followed with news that he was not going to take up residence in the Vatican’s usual papal apartments, but instead would take a smaller, more humble suite, ostensibly to live a “normal” life in touch with the laity by being visibly among them.[2]  Further, he graciously welcomed back into the Vatican the previous pope, Benedict XVI, who under rumors of unpleasant circumstances, had abruptly resigned.  Was this not the modern St Francis, kindly restoring to the aged and ailing Benedict some remnant of the honor that had so suddenly departed him?  The steady stream of these and other similar public appearances continues to craft the optics into an image for the new pope that is the anti-type of the traditional Jesuit.   

Catholic Dogma Underlying Pope Francis’s Inaugural Address

However, in the very first sentence of his inaugural address on March 19, 2013, Pope Francis presented a feature very different from the persona being carefully groomed by the optics.  Indeed, even as out of the heart the mouth speaks, so the new Jesuit Pope began to display audibly his genuine image.  While thousands of people were crammed into Saint Peter’s Square, and millions across the world listened by television and radio, the new pope stated, “Dear Brothers and Sisters, I thank the Lord that I can celebrate this Holy Mass for the inauguration of my Petrine ministry...”[3]  Francis knew the claimed power that is embedded in the term, “Petrine ministry.”  As the official Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “…the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, namely, and as pastor of the entire Church, has full, supreme and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered.”[4]  It is highly significant that Pope Francis began his speech by thanking the Lord that he could celebrate Mass for the inauguration of what he said was “my Petrine ministry.”  His opening sentence shows where his heart is; namely, in himself, in his position, and the power entailed in such a position.  It is this particular idea, i.e., that the Pope is the Apostle Peter’s successor, which has been the undergirding authority for the Papacy’s identity in the world since the time of Pope Gregory VII in the eleventh century.  The nature, indeed, the very identity of the Office of the Papacy of the Roman Catholic Church is at stake.  Thus, the Papacy will concede nothing regarding this claim but rather use it to establish itself as the stable institution in the midst of current tumultuous times.

Accordingly, using this supposition, Pope Francis’s inaugural homily was a masterpiece in showing his Jesuitical disposition.  He opened by saying, “I thank the Lord that I can celebrate this Holy Mass for the inauguration of my Petrine ministry on the solemnity of Saint Joseph…”  He then stated that God called Joseph—

“to be the custos, the protector.  The protector of whom?  Of Mary and Jesus; but this protection is then extended to the Church… How does Joseph exercise his role as protector?  Discreetly, humbly and silently, but with an unfailing presence and utter fidelity…”[5]

These are carefully chosen words meant to evoke a certain frame of mind in the listener.  He then makes application:

“Let us protect Christ in our lives, so that we can protect others, so that we can protect creation!  The vocation of being a “protector,” however, is not just something involving us Christians alone; it also has a prior dimension which is simply human, involving everyone.”

At this point, Francis has introduced major Catholic social doctrine under the guise of “protection;” that it is everybody’s job, not just the Christians’ job, to protect everybody; and also (though not stated here), all goods because all possessions in the creation belong to everyone.[6]  In Catholic social doctrine, everyone, even those who are not Roman Catholic, must fulfill his duty to others as the Roman Catholic Church defines that duty; and this is one of the things to which Pope Francis is referring when he states that there is a “prior dimension” to his idea of protection.[7]  Thus he says,

“Please, I would like to ask all those who have positions of responsibility in economic, political and social life, and all men and women of goodwill: let us be “protectors” of creation, protectors of God’s plan inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and of the environment…” 

He also states that protection is required because in every age “there are ‘Herods’ who plot death, wreak havoc, and mar the countenance of men and women.”  He does not define the lurking “Herods” more closely; but he does define what he thinks needs protecting.  It is this: 

“To protect Jesus with Mary, to protect the whole of creation, to protect each person, especially the poorest, to protect ourselves: this is a service that the Bishop of Rome is called to carry out.…” 

Clearly Pope Francis does not understand that the glorified Jesus Christ, the “only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords”[8] needs no protection!  Then he ignores the biblical commandment not pray to the dead as he closes his homily by praying, “I implore the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, Saints Peter and Paul, and Saint Francis, that the Holy Spirit may accompany my ministry…”  He has not prayed to Almighty God through Jesus Christ; rather, he has totally disobeyed the Lord God’s commandment in calling on dead saints.[9]   Clearly, Pope Francis does not have any biblical understanding of who the Lord Jesus Christ is nor how He fulfills His role as Head of the Church.[10]

Notice the position to which the Lord Jesus Christ has been relegated in all this.  Rather, by weaving together the choice of papal name with the theme of protection as his opening homily, Pope Francis has made it clear that he intends to protect the Papacy and its social objectives during his term of office.[11]  The fact that he has said it in gentle terms, by calling on the images of Francis of Assisi and Joseph, Mary’s husband, does not make it any less lethal. 

            Thus, it was on day of his inaugural address that Pope Francis began his Pontificate with the mark of a true Jesuit, i.e., primarily defending the Papacy against the Gospel and biblical truth at all costs.  With the very opening of his pontificate, the true image of Francis was brought forth into the light of day by his own words, showing him not as humble and harmless, but as proudly dogmatic and utterly opposed to biblical truth.

The Pope’s Objective Regarding Pagan Religions and Evangelicals

Further, on March 20, 2013, Pope Francis addressed religious leaders across the world.  Among other matters, Francis stated,

“…It is a cause for particular joy to meet today with you, delegates of the Orthodox churches, the Oriental Orthodox churches and ecclesial communities of the West...Together with you I cannot forget how much that Council has meant for the road of ecumenism...For my part, I wish to assure you…of my determination to continue on the path of ecumenical dialogue.  I ask you, dear brothers and sisters, to bring my cordial greeting and the assurance of my remembrance in the Lord Jesus to the churches and Christian communities here represented...  I then greet and cordially thank you all, dear friends belonging to other religious traditions; first of all the Muslims, who worship the one God, living and merciful, and call upon Him in prayer, and all of you.  I really appreciate your presence: in it I see a tangible sign of the will to grow in mutual esteem and cooperation for the common good of humanity.”[12]  

From these remarks, Pope Francis has demonstrated effectively that he will not protect the truth of the Scripture and the Gospel of grace.  He does not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as revealed in the Bible alone.  It is a well-known fact that Allah, who the Muslims worship, is not the God of the Bible.  Since Pope Francis must know this, his remarks point to his ecumenical objective, a goal to be accomplished by high-powered flattery and false ecumenical dialogue. 

The Pope’s Objective Regarding Nations and Governments

Moreover, two days later on March 22, 2013, Pope Francis spoke to a group of diplomats representing governments that have a relationship to the Vatican.  His speech began with these words:

“Dear Ambassadors, Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you again for all the work that you do, alongside the Secretariat of State, to build peace and construct bridges of friendship and fraternity. Through you, I would like to renew to your Governments my thanks for their participation in the celebrations on the occasion of my election, and my heartfelt desire for a fruitful common endeavour.  May Almighty God pour out his gifts on each one of you, on your families and on the peoples that you represent.  Thank you!”[13]

In his address, Pope Francis emphasized the fact that the Pope is known as the “pontiff,” or “a builder of bridges,” and stated, “In this work [with governments], the role of religion is fundamental.”  While few people realize it, the Pope claims the right to judge those who hold highest civil office in a state.  This blending of things civil and religious has been the papal method of operation throughout the centuries.  At the present time, the Roman Church seeks to implement her socialist ideas by using her power as a religious system working through her own status as a civil state.  As a religious system, she is able to command a “fifth column” within many nations.[14]  By her influence as a civil power, Papal Rome is also able to substantially influence civil rulers and civil policy in many nations and international bodies.  The Church of Rome has 179 legal agreements with nations across the world.  These “concordats,” as they are called, guarantee that the Catholic Church has the right to define religion and worship for Catholics within that sovereign nation.  They also secure for the Vatican the right to define doctrine, establish Catholic education, and negotiate laws regarding property, appointing bishops, and Catholic laws of marriage and annulments. 

The Republic of Argentina has had a legal agreement with the Church of Rome since 1957.  Thus, as Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio in Argentina, he would have known well the benefit that the legal agreement meant to the Roman Church. 

In addressing the diplomats from governments that have a relationship to the Vatican, Pope Francis knew just how important it is to woo civil governments into legal liaison with Papal Rome.  Thus, the new Pope continues the Vatican’s civil/legal relationships with nations across the world in its endeavor to move civil governments to implement its global socialist agenda.

Mother Church Presumed to Bestow Faith and Morality

On April 23, 2013, less affable facets of the namesake of St Francis surfaced again.  In Pope Francis’s sermon for Mass that day, he stated explicitly,

“The reading today makes me think that the missionary expansion of the Church began precisely at a time of persecution, and these Christians went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, and proclaimed the Word. They had this apostolic fervor within them, and that is how the faith spread!...But some in Jerusalem, when they heard this, became nervous and sent Barnabas...he saw that things were going well. And so the Church was a Mother, the Mother of more children, of many children.  It became more and more of a Mother.  A Mother who gives us the faith, a Mother who gives us an identity.  But the Christian identity is not an identity card: Christian identity is belonging to the Church, because all of these belonged to the Church, the Mother Church.  Because it is not possible to find Jesus outside the Church....And the Mother Church that gives us Jesus gives us our identity that is not only a seal, it is a belonging.  Identity means belonging… Think of this Mother Church that grows, grows with new children to whom She gives the identity of the faith, because you cannot believe in Jesus without the Church...And let us ask the Lord for this ‘parresia’, this apostolic fervor that impels us to move forward, as brothers, all of us forward!”[15]

Pope Francis’s premise is that one’s identity as a Christian can come only through faith in “Mother Church,” which secondarily also gives them “Jesus.”  In fact, he is teaching official Catholic dogma which states,

“Believing is an ecclesial act.  The Church’s faith precedes, engenders, supports and nourishes our faith.  The Church is the mother of all believers.  ‘No one can have God as Father who does not have the Church as Mother.’”[16] 

These statements are a serious affront to those who recognize them for the falsehoods that they are.  Undoubtedly Pope Francis believes what he has stated.  However, his teaching reflects an old but clever argument aimed at those who do not know their Bibles.  Pope Francis and his Church refuse to believe in the authority of the Bible alone; therefore, they fail to believe that faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ alone is a gift given by the Lord God Himself through the Holy Spirit, and not by any church.  The object of faith is the Person of Christ Jesus, as Scripture states, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved ...”[17]  This faith is God-given, as declared in Scripture by the Apostle Peter, “Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”[18]  Furthermore, this God-given faith comes by hearing the Word of God as is stated, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”[19]  Nevertheless, Pope Francis stated, “The Mother Church that gives us Jesus gives us our identity.”  This is traditional Roman Catholic Church teaching.[20]  Thus it is that the Papal Church itself is presented as the only instrumental way of approaching God and of finding salvation. Clearly  To look to a church as the means of conveying Jesus to people rather than looking to Jesus Himself, “the author and finisher of our faith [21] is “another gospel.”  The Lord explicitly declared, “no man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him”[22] and “this is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”[23]  Consequently, Pope Francis’s statement that “Mother Church that gives us Jesus gives us our identity” is scripturally speaking, “accursed” as stated by the Apostle Paul, “If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” [24]

                       

Conclusion

Pope Francis is both clever and deceitful as he protects his Church against the Scriptures and the Gospel of grace.  He is moving forward with the centuries old papal objective of ruling the world as Vicar of Christ.  Therefore, he continues to set before the world an optical persona of humility and harmlessness while the words from his mouth delineate him as dogmatic and destructive.  In opposition to the Gospel of salvation, Pope Francis talks about salvation gained by trusting in “Mother Church.”  Thus, he presents to the world a so-called spiritual apparatus for the salvation of men that, according to Scripture, neither saves nor sanctifies anyone.  The system over which he presides professes to have all that a church ought to have; yet, it imposes upon people the horrendous deceits documented in this article, which fraudulence the Apostle called, “all-deceivableness of unrighteousness.”[25]

The Lord Jesus Christ prayed emphatically the night before He died.  His prayer is answered in the life of every believer who is justified by God’s saving grace alone.  God’s grace is received through faith alone, and the object of that faith is Christ alone.  Christ Jesus prayed, “that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.”[26]  The Lord knew very well those for whom He prayed.  The objects of His prayer were clear to Him.  These believers embrace eternal life as the Holy Spirit regenerates them.  Thus, the foundation for true saving faith is utterly of God.  Those for whom the Lord prayed are “born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”[27]  It is only by the absolute grace of God that you receive the gift of eternal life.  There is, nevertheless, the correlation between your inheritance, the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus, and your duty, which is to obey God.  The greater the gift, the greater is the obligation to express our gratitude in a suitable and becoming manner.  Thus the Word of God instructs us, “whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.”[28] 

The same truth has a grave warning for Pope Francis and all those who believe in the traditions and sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church rather than directly believing on the Lord Himself by the authority of His written Word.  God is the same just and righteous God under the Gospel as He was under the Law in the Old Testament.  He deals with us in love and grace; yet, He in Himself remains “a consuming fire.”[29]  He is the God of strict justice who will avenge Himself on all who have not received the love of the truth, but rather look to a church or some person other than the Lord Jesus Christ alone for life.  The Lord Jesus Christ has lived the perfect life and, willingly of His own volition, has made the faultless, propitiatory sacrifice for sin.  To refuse to believe in Him alone is a critical offense.  When the Lord Jesus dealt with the sincere and devout Pharisees, He gave them a very strong word, “I said therefore unto you, that you shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.”[30]  You may say that you are a good Catholic and that you want to please God in this present life and hope to live with Him forever; that is a noble goal.  You may be as sincere and devout as the Pharisees, but like them, if you personally neglect to believe on Him alone for your salvation, you likewise will die in your sins.

Distinct faith and trust on the Lord Jesus Christ alone is essential and frequently highlighted in Scripture.  “He that believeth on the son hath everlasting life.”[31]  “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself:  he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.”[32]  Thus, it is that you must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, who gives life now, and forever!  This is the living way, the only way to eternal life.  It is spiritual death to attempt to come to God through a so-called “Mother Church.”  The way to the Eternal Father is through the Lord Jesus Christ alone; His death is for us the way to true, eternal life.  Those who receive this eternal life given by Christ are not only redeemed from the empire of death, but they also live and reign with Him as they are sanctified daily through His Word by the Holy Spirit, and by constant fellowship with Him.  Thus, in our beloved Savior, we joyfully praise Him, our everlasting Father, “How excellent is thy loving kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.  They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.  For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.”[33]  ♦

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[1] In present-day Canon law, the Catholic Church states, “It is the right of the Roman Pontiff himself alone to judge in cases mentioned in Can. 1401:1 those who hold the highest civil office in a state....”  Canon 1405, Sect. 1

[2] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/the-pope/10086876/Pope-Francis-shunned-official-papal-apartments-to-live-normal-life.html  5/29/2013 

[3] www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/homilies/2013/documents/papa-francesco_20130319_omelia-inizio-pontificato_en.html 

[4] Catechism of the Catholic Church, Para 882

[5]www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/homilies/2013/documents/papa-francesco_20130319_omelia-inizio-pontificato_en.html

[6] The Vatican’s official statement regarding possessions;

www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/letters/2007/documents/hf_ben-xvi_let_20071012_settimane-sociali_en.html

[7] “As citizens of the State, it is their duty to take part in public life in the first person and, with respect for the legitimate autonomies, to cooperate in forming social life correctly, together with all other citizens, in accordance with the competencies of each one and under his or her own autonomous responsibility.”

 www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/homilies/2013/documents/papa-francesco_20130319_omelia-inizio-pontificato_en.html

[8] 1 Timothy 6:15

[9] Deuteronomy 18:10-11

[10] “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.” Ephesians 5:23

[11] These objectives are listed in the “Compendium of Church Social Doctrine” and in the Vatican Council II documents on ecumenism.

[12] www.zenit.org/en/articles/pope-s-address-to-representatives-of-the-churches-ecclesial-communities-and-other-religions

[13] www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/speeches/2013/march/documents/papa-francesco_20130322_corpo-diplomatico_en.html

[14] Radical Islam is doing essentially the same thing today as it demands the right to teach its people their religion, including Sharia Law, within the Western nations – regardless of the fact that Sharia Law contravenes the laws of the sovereign nations in which these Muslims live, even as the Papal socialist agenda contravenes the U. S. Constitution. 

[15] www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/homilies/2013/documents/papa-francesco_20130319_omelia-inizio-pontificato_en.html (emphasis not in original)

[16] Catechism of the Catholic Church (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 1997) Para 181

[17] Acts 16:31 Conditional: if his family believed in Christ as he is commanded to do, they too would be saved.

[18] II Peter 1:1 (emphasis added)

[19] Romans 10:17

[20] Catechism, Second Ed., Para 824 “It is in the Church that ‘the fullness of the means of salvation’ has been deposited.  It is in her that ‘by the grace of God we acquire holiness.’”

[21] Hebrews 12:2

[22] John 6:44

[23] John 6:44 and John 6:29

[24] Galatians 1:9

[25] II Thessalonians 2:10

[26] John 17:21

[27] John 1:13

[28] Hebrews 12:28

[29] Hebrews 12:29

[30] John 8:24

[31] John 3:36

[32] I John 5:10

[33] Psalm 36:7-9

Ancient Rome Believed in the slogan "YES WE CAN" . This accelerated its fall.

Visigoths in Rome (better known as the 1st trumpet Rev 8:7 .Note the Goths came from cold,pillage and burn Rome hence in Rev 8:7 Hail and Fire)

Mistakes are repeated when man refuse to learn from history, nothing is new under the sun. Many striking similarities exist between the Old Rome and Modern America in which the whole world wants to copy.

Ecclesiastes 1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

Rome - Senators and senate

US- Senators and senate

Rome - State and provinces

US - State and provinces

Rome- all power was given to one man

Us -All power is given to one man.

Rome- Emperor worship as savior.

US-president worship as savior.

Rome - enact laws to keep the people under iron rule

Us -implementing laws to keep the people on iron rule.

Rome- Conquer the world at the expense of the republic

Us -forging ahead to conquer the world at the expense of the republic

Rome - a police state to control the descent among the populace

Us - a police state to control the descent among the populace.

Rome -Heavy influence of the roman church to control policy

Us - Heavy influence of the roman church to control policy in the making

Rome - Stretch thin due to its military complex abroad

Us - Stretch thin due to its military complex abroad

Royalblood

Excerpt from the Decline and fall of Rome

The Greco-Roman tradition was secular: it proposed no one God and formal religion as we know it today, did not exist. While the Greeks would pay homage to their many deities, as would the Romans, there is no doubt that they placed their true faith in the hands of man. In other words, humanism: man the thinker, man the doer, man the maker. For the Greeks, man was endowed with Reason, the capacity to think and use his intellect. This initially took the form of glorifying the city state: the city state was the world. Anything outside the city state was somehow inferior, barbarian. In an important respect such an attitude was narrow in focus and provided the Greeks with a tunnel vision that prevented them from further growth during the Hellenistic Age.

The Greeks were also obsessed with the personal cultivation of the individual. "Know thyself," repeated Socrates. The good man ought to seek the good life and so become a good citizen, a virtuous citizen. And a collection of virtuous citizens would constitute the virtuous city state. The only way that the good life was at all possible was through personal examination. Or, as Socrates again argued, "the unexamined life is not worth living."

Above all, the Greeks asked questions. What is knowledge? What is the state? What is beauty? What is virtue? What is justice? Was the best form of government? The Greeks, in the last analysis, were thinkers rather than doers. In time, the Greek world view came or to be based on the intellect more than it was on action. The best illustration of this world view -- a view of thought rather than of action-- was the Stoic and Epicurean therapies of the Hellenistic Age. These therapies taught resignation in the face of chaos and disorder -- they taught men to resign themselves in private reflection and thought.

The Romans, on the other hand, were doers, they were men of action. They succeeded in translating into action what the Greeks had only thought possible. The Romans also asked questions about the world, about nature, and about man. To be sure, they inhabited the same world as the Hellenistic Greeks. They understood and accepted the chaos and disorder of the world. However, they were clearly more prepared to develop their thought of the world in relation to what kind of world in which they wanted to live. The Romans also had the example of the Greeks and their history. In other words, the Romans were cognizant of what the Greeks had accomplished and not accomplished. The Greeks had no such history to which they could refer.

The end result for the Romans was that they managed to create their own world and they called it the Roman Empire. And their world view became embodied in a pagan cult. This cult was nothing less than the patriotic worship of Rome itself. And throughout the Empire we find the expression Genius Populi Romani celebrated by all Romans. If anything sustained the Empire, it was the conception of the "Genius of the Roman People." The Romans were taught to believe that the destiny of Rome was the destiny of the world and this became embodied in a civil religion which embraced the genius of the Roman people. This civil religion was a secular, pagan religion, in which all men devoted their energies toward public service to state. It was their duty to serve the state. It was virtuous. These duties consisted of service and responsibility because only through responsible service would one come to know virtue.
Despite the obvious fact that the majority of Roman emperors were scheming, devious, opportunistic, or plainly insane, the world view dominated the social life of the Roman citizen of the Empire. The history of the Empire is dotted with political assassinations, strangulations, emperors playing fiddles while Rome burned, court intrigue and rivalry not to mention a widespread incidence of downright insanity or paranoid schizophrenia. In the end, it is extraordinary that the Roman Empire existed for as long as it did. For Edward Gibbon, author of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (3 vols, 1770s), the decline of Rome was natural and required little explanation: "The decline of Rome was the natural and inevitable effect of immoderate greatness. Prosperity ripened the principle of decay; the cause of the destruction multiplied with the extent of conquest; and, as soon as time or accident and removed the artificial supports, the stupendous fabric yielded to the pressure of its own weight. The story of the ruin is simple and obvious: and instead of inquiring why the Roman Empire was destroyed we should rather be surprised that it has subsisted for so long." [Gibbon, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 2nd ed., vol. 4, ed. by J. B. Bury (London, 1909), pp. 173-174.]

Watchmen on the walls of Zion, Look over the Horizon (The Sunday law is for real)

royalblood :Before you read on for the sake of emphasis I have place the writing of Ellen G White in between in red Italics of the the article so you would get the point that this was foretold over a 100 years ago.This was a time when it was said people thought it a foolish utterance.Go back to the church of Rome ?

Mobilisation for the protection of Sunday at European level

A Conference to relaunch the debate on Sunday protection at European level will be held on 24 March in the European Parliament in Brussels. It is organised by the MEPs Thomas Mann (EPP, Germany) and Patrizia Toia (S&D, Italy) together with the Konrad-Adenauer Foundation. Several European trade unions, civil society organisations and Churches support the conference. László Andor, the new EU Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs will take the floor, as well as numerous experts and MEPs.

The European Commission will soon be presenting a new draft of the "Working Time Directive". In its initial 1993 version the Directive stipulated that Sunday should be « in principle » the weekly day of rest for European workers. This reference had been withdrawn in 1996 by the European Court of Justice, on the grounds that the European legislator had not given sufficient reasons as to a link between a work-free Sunday and the protection of workers' health.

"Through the two great errors, the immortality of the soul and Sunday sacredness, Satan will bring the people under his deceptions. While the former lays the foundation of Spiritualism, the latter creates a bond of sympathy with Rome. The Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of Spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this threefold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience.--The Great Controversy,"

p. 588. {ChS 160.1}

Meanwhile, recent studies[1] have demonstrated the existence of a strong link between workers' health and a work-free Sunday. Furthermore, a common weekly rest day for the whole of society allows families to spend time with each other, and all citizens to engage in cultural, spiritual and social activities. Sunday moreover strengthens the social cohesion of our societies, which has been undermined by the current economic crisis. It therefore represents a precious achievement, which should be recognised as a pillar of the European Social Model.

"When the leading churches of the United States, uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common, shall influence the state to enforce their decrees and to sustain their institutions, then Protestant America will have formed an image of the Roman hierarchy, and the infliction of civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably result. . . ."

{Last Days Events 131.1}

That is why COMECE supports the initiative of the MEPs Thomas Mann and Patrizia Toia and invites every interested person and organisation to take part in this Conference.

"To secure popularity and patronage, legislators will yield to the demand for a Sunday law....By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. . . . "

{LDE 132.4}

Wednesday 24 March 2010, 16h30-19h30 in the European Parliament

Building JAN, Room 2Q2, Rue Wiertz, B-1047 Brussels

Registration required (access badge) by Friday 12 March via:

Email :thomas.mann@europarl.europa.eu

Fax : +32 (0) 22 84 93 18

For further information, please contact Johanna Touzel, COMECE Press Officer

Download the programme and invitation here.

Inquisition fortold in Bible

As a matter of fact, the 1260-day prophecy is mentioned seven times in Daniel and Revelation. There are not, as some have supposed, several 1260-day periods; there is only one. It is mentioned seven times, because it is so very important: in Daniel 7:25 and 12:7 and also in Revelation 12:14, as a time, times (i.e., two times - the lowest plural), and a half time; in Revelation 11:2 and 13:5, as forty-two months; and in Revelation 11:3 and Revelation 12:6, as one thousand two hundred and threescore (sixty) days. In Bible prophecy, there are 360 days to a year, and if you multiply 360 times three and one-half, you will come up with the number-- 1260. Also, when time is used in Bible prophecy, a day stands for a year. (See Ezekiel 4:6; Num.14:34). Therefore, the Bible has given us the important key to figuring out the 1260-day prophecy, and that is this--that the 1260 days are actually 1260 literal years.
As Satan used the Roman Empire - particularly King Herod, Pontius Pilate and Nero, as well as many others - to put Christ to death and kill many of God's people, he, like a chameleon, changed his disguise once again after Western Rome's fall, but this time, he kept the same Roman roots. The "wilderness" (Rev. 12:6), symbolizing this 1260-year period, is also referred to as the "great tribulation" (Matt 24:21) - a time when millions of God's true people were martyred for refusing to follow the dictates of the Roman Church. The Bible accurately prophesied that the papal power, as symbolized by the "little horn" in Daniel 7:8, 20, 21 and the "leopard-bodied beast" in Revelation 13:2, would "make war with the saints." Only one "religious" organization has been responsible for more persecutions and deaths of faithful Bible-believing Christians than any other sect in history - The Holy Roman Catholic Church!
"Step by step, the Roman Empire (the dragon) did indeed give its power, throne, and great authority [Revelation 13:2] to the Catholic Church...A climax came in 538, when the armies of the Empire [the unfallen Eastern division] drove the Arian Ostrogoths out of Rome. By 538, therefore, the 1260 years could begin." (God Cares, p. 328). "In the sixth century the papacy had become firmly established. Its seat of power was fixed in the imperial city, and the bishop of Rome was declared to be the head over the entire church. Paganism had given place to the papacy. The dragon had given to the beast 'his power, and his seat, and great authority.' Revelation 13:2. And now began the 1260 years of papal oppression foretold in the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation. Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:5-7. Christians were forced to choose either to yield their integrity and accept the papal ceremonies and worship, or to wear away their lives in dungeons or to suffer death by the rack, the fagot, or the headsman's ax. Now were fulfilled the words of Jesus: 'Ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake.' Luke 21:16, 17. Persecution opened upon the faithful with greater fury than ever before, and the world became a vast battlefield. For hundreds of years the church of Christ found refuge in seclusion and obscurity. Thus says the prophet: 'The woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and three-score days.' Revelation 12:6.
"The accession of the Roman Church to power marked the beginning of the Dark Ages. As her power increased, the darkness deepened. Faith was transferred from Christ, the true foundation, to the pope of Rome. Instead of trusting in the Son of God for forgiveness of sins and for eternal salvation, the people looked to the pope, and to the priests and prelates to whom he delegated authority. They were taught that the pope was their earthly mediator and that none could approach God except through him; and, further, that he stood in the place of God to them and was therefore to be implicitly obeyed. A deviation from his requirements was sufficient cause for the severest punishment to be visited upon the bodies and souls of the offenders. Thus the minds of the people were turned away from God to fallible, erring and cruel men, nay, more, to the prince of darkness himself, who exercised his power through them. Sin was disguised in a garb of sanctity. When the Scriptures are suppressed, and man comes to regard himself as supreme, we need look only for fraud, deception, and debasing iniquity. With the elevation of human laws and traditions was manifest the corruption that ever results from setting aside the law of God."

"Those were days of peril for the church of Christ. The faithful standard-bearers were few indeed. Though the truth was not left without witnesses, yet at times it seemed that error and superstition would wholly prevail, and true religion would be banished from the earth. The gospel was lost sight of, but the forms of religion were multiplied and the people were burdened with rigorous exactions."
"They were taught not only to look to the pope as their mediator, but to trust to works of their own to atone for sin. Long pilgrimages, acts of penance, the worship of relics, the erection of churches, shrines, and altars, the payment of large sums to the church - these and many similar acts were enjoined to appease the wrath of God or to secure His favor; as if God were like men, to be angered at trifles, or pacified by gifts or acts of penance!
"Notwithstanding that vice prevailed, even among the leaders of the Roman Church, her influence seemed steadily to increase. About the close of the eighth century, papists put forth the claim that in the first ages of the church the bishops of Rome had possessed the same spiritual power which they now assumed. To establish this claim, some means must be employed to give it a show of authority; and this was readily suggested by the father of lies. Ancient writings were forged by monks. Decrees of councils before unheard of were discovered, establishing the universal supremacy of the pope from the earliest times. And a church that had rejected the truth greedily accepted these deceptions."
"The few faithful builders upon the true foundation (1.Corinthians 3:10, 11) were perplexed and hindered as the rubbish of false doctrine obstructed the work. Like the builders upon the wall of Jerusalem in Nehemiah's day, some were ready to say: 'The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build.' Nehemiah 4:10. Wearied with the constant struggle against persecution, fraud, iniquity, and every other obstacle that Satan could devise to hinder their progress, some who had been faithful builders became disheartened; and for the sake of peace and security for their property and their lives, they turned away from the true foundation. Others, undaunted by the opposition of their enemies, fearlessly declared: 'Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible' (verse 14); and they proceeded with the work, everyone with his sword girded by his side." Ephesians 6:17.
"....The darkness seemed to grow more dense. Image worship became more general. Candles were burned before images, and prayers were offered to them. The most absurd and superstitious customs prevailed. The minds of men were so completely controlled by superstition that reason itself seemed to have lost its away. While priests and bishops were themselves pleasure-loving, sensual, and corrupt, it could only be expected that the people who looked to them for guidance would be sunken in ignorance and vice." (The Great Controversy, pp. 54-57).

see fox's books of martyrs for inquisitions persicution from the apostles of Christ onward.