Roman Catholic

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E.T. phone Rome.

Vatican E.T. Not content with being restricted to spreading their damnable false gospel on earth, the Vatican is now looking to the sky.

Four hundred years after it locked up Galileo for challenging the view that the Earth was the center of the universe, the Vatican has called in experts to study the possibility of extraterrestrial alien life and its implication for the Catholic Church.

“The questions of life’s origins and of whether life exists elsewhere in the universe are very suitable and deserve serious consideration,” said the Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, an astronomer and director of the Vatican Observatory.

Funes, a Jesuit priest, presented the results Tuesday of a five-day conference that gathered astronomers, physicists, biologists and other experts to discuss the budding field of astrobiology — the study of the origin of life and its existence elsewhere in the cosmos.

Today top clergy, including Funes, openly endorse scientific ideas like the Big Bang theory as a reasonable explanation for the creation of the universe. The theory says the universe began billions of years ago in the explosion of a single, super-dense point that contained all matter.

Earlier this year, the Vatican also sponsored a conference on evolution to mark the 150th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s “The Origin of Species.”

The event snubbed proponents of alternative theories, like creationism and intelligent design, which see a higher being rather than the undirected process of natural selection behind the evolution of species.

Read the entire article here.

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Quotes (644)

Rev John DownlingThe blessed founder of Christianity chose to make his advent among the lowly and the despised. This was agreeable to the spirit of that Holy Religion which he came to establish. There was a time when a multitude of his followers, astonished and convinced by the omnipotence displayed in his wondrous miracles, were disposed to” take him by force to make him a king,” but so far from encouraging their design, the inspired historian tells us” that he departed again, into a mountain himself alone.” (John vi., 15.) In reply to the inquiries of the Roman governor, he uttered those memorable words, “MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD,” and his whole conduct from the manger to the cross, and from the cross to the mount of ascension, was in strict accordance with this characteristic maxim of genuine Christianity.

In selecting those whom he would send forth as the apostles of his faith, be went, not to the mansions of the great or to the palaces of kings, but to the humble walks of life, and chose from the poor of this world, those who, in prosecuting their mission, were destined like their divine master, to be despised and rejected of men. In performing the work which their Lord had given them to do, the lowly but zealous fisherman of Galilee, and the courageous tent-maker of Tarsus, with their faithful fellow-laborers, despising all earthly honors and worldly aggrandizement, were content to lay every laurel at the foot of Christs cross, and to” count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, their Lord,” for whom they had “suffered the loss of all things” (Philippians, iii., 8.)

A few centuries afterward, we find the professed successor of Peter the fisherman [i.e. the Pope], dwelling in a magnificent palace, attended by troops of soldiers ready to avenge the slightest insult offered to his dignity, surrounded by all the ensigns of worldly greatness, with more than regal splendor proudly claiming to be the sovereign ruler of the universal church the Vicegerent of God upon earth, whose decision is infallible and whose will is law. The contrast between these two pictures of Primitive Christianity in the first century, and Papal Christianity in the seventh or eighth, is so amazing, that we are irresistibly led to the inquiry, can they be the same? If one is a faithful picture of Christianity, can it be possible that the other is worthy of the name?

– John Dowling (Source: Dowling, John (1845). The History of Romanism: from the Earliest Corruptions of Christianity to the Present Time)

Birthdate & date of death unknown

 

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Quotes (639)

revsunderland

 

“…it is asked, ‘Why all this tirade against Roman Catholics?’ We repel the implication. It is not against the unhappy millions that are ground down under the iron heel of that enormous despotism. They are of the common humanity, our brethren and kinsmen, according to the flesh. They need the same light instruction and salvation that we need. Like ourselves they need the one God, the one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus; and from the heart we love and pity them. We would grant them all the privileges which we claim to ourselves. We can have no animosity towards them as men and candidates with ourselves for the coming judgment. But it is the system under which they are born, and live, and die, I repeat, which we denounce, and when we shall cease to oppose it, then let our right hand forget her cunning, and our tongue cleave to the roof of our mouth. What is it but a dark and terrible power on earth before which so many horrible memories start up? Why, sir, look at it! We drag the bones of the grim behemoth out to view, for we would not have the world forget his ugliness nor the terror he has inspired. ‘A tirade against Romanism,’ is it? O sir, we remember the persecutions of Justinian; we remember the days of the Spanish Inquisition; we remember the reign of ‘the Bloody Mary;’ we remember the revocation of the Edict of Nantes; we remember St. Bartholomew; we remember the murdered Covenanters, Huguenots, and Piedmontese; we remember the noble martyrs dying for the testimony of the faith along the ancient Rhine; we remember the later wrath which pursued the islanders of Madeira, till some of them sought refuge upon these shores; we remember the Madiai, and we know how the beast ever seeks to propagate his power, by force where he can, by deception where he must. And when we remember these things, we must protest against the further vigor and prosperity of this grand Babylon of all. … We come a growing phalanx [a rectangular mass military formation], not with carnal weapons, but with the armor of the gospel, and wielding the sword of truth on the right hand and on the left, we say that ANTICHRIST MUST FALL. Hear it, ye witnesses, and mark the word; by the majesty of the coming kingdom of Jesus, and by the eternal purpose of Jehovah, THIS ANTICHRIST MUST FALL.”

– Rev. Dr. Sunderland

1819 – 1901

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Persecution of John Huss

200px-Jan_Hus“John Huss (Jan Hus) was born at Hussenitz, a village in Bohemia, about the year 1380. His parents gave him the best education their circumstances would admit; and having acquired a tolerable knowledge of the classics at a private school, he was removed to the university of Prague, where he soon gave strong proofs of his mental powers, and was remarkable for his diligence and application to study.

In 1398, Huss commenced bachelor of divinity, and was after successively chosen pastor of the Church of Bethlehem, in Prague, and dean and rector of the university. In these stations he discharged his duties with great fidelity; and became, at length, so conspicuous for his preaching, which was in conformity with the doctrines of Wickliffe, that it was not likely he could long escape the notice of the pope and his adherents, against whom he inveighed with no small degree of asperity.

The English reformist, Wickliffe, had so kindled the light of reformation, that it began to illumine the darkest corners of popery and ignorance. His doctrines spread into Bohemia, and were well received by great numbers of people, but by none so particularly as John Huss, and his zealous friend and fellow martyr, Jerome of Prague.

The archbishop of Prague, finding the reformists daily increasing, issued a decree to suppress the further spreading of Wickliffe’s writings: but this had an effect quite different to what he expected, for it stimulated the friends of those doctrines to greater zeal, and almost the whole university united to propagate them.

Being strongly attached to the doctrines of Wickliffe, Huss opposed the decree of the archbishop, who, however, at length, obtained a bull from the pope, giving him commission to prevent the publishing of Wickliffe’s doctrines in his province. By virtue of this bull, the archbishop condemned the writings of Wickliffe: he also proceeded against four doctors, who had not delivered up the copies of that divine, and prohibited them, notwithstanding their privileges, to preach to any congregation. Dr. Huss, with some other members of the university, protested against these proceedings, and entered an appeal from the sentence of the archbishop.

The affair being made known to the pope, he granted a commission to Cardinal Colonna, to cite John Huss to appear personally at the court of Rome, to answer the accusations laid against him, of preaching both errors and heresies. Dr. Huss desired to be excused from a personal appearance, and was so greatly favored in Bohemia, that King Winceslaus, the queen, the nobility, and the university, desired the pope to dispense with such an appearance; as also that he would not suffer the kingdom of Bohemia to lie under the accusation of heresy, but permit them to preach the Gospel with freedom in their places of worship.

Three proctors appeared for Dr. Huss before Cardinal Colonna. They endeavored to excuse his absence, and said they were ready to answer in his behalf. But the cardinal declared Huss contumacious, and excommunicated him accordingly. The proctors appealed to the pope, and appointed four cardinals to examine the process: these commissioners confirmed the former sentence, and extended the excommunication not only to Huss but to all his friends and followers.

From this unjust sentence Huss appealed to a future Council, but without success; and, notwithstanding so severe a decree, and an expulsion in consequence from his church in Prague, he retired to Hussenitz, his native place, where he continued to promulgate his new doctrine, both from the pulpit and with the pen.

The letters which he wrote at this time were very numerous; and he compiled a treatise in which he maintained, that reading the books of Protestants could not be absolutely forbidden. He wrote in defence of Wickliffe’s book on the Trinity; and boldly declared against the vices of the pope, the cardinals, and clergy, of those corrupt times. He wrote also many other books, all of which were penned with a strength of argument that greatly facilitated the spreading of his doctrines.

In the month of November, 1414, a general Council was assembled at Constance, in Germany, in order, as was pretended, for the sole purpose of determining a dispute then pending between three persons who contended for the papacy; but the real motive was to crush the progress of the Reformation.

John Huss was summoned to appear at this Council; and, to encourage him, the emperor sent him a safe-conduct: the civilities, and even reverence, which Huss met with on his journey were beyond imagination. The streets, and sometimes the very roads, were lined with people, whom respect, rather than curiosity, had brought together.

He was ushered into the town with great acclamations, and it may be said that he passed through Germany in a kind of triumph. He could not help expressing his surprise at the treatment he received: “I thought (said he) I had been an outcast. I now see my worst friends are in Bohemia.”

As soon as Huss arrived at Constance, he immediately took logdings in a remote part of the city. A short time after his arrival, came one Stephen Paletz, who was employed by the clergy at Prague to manage the intended prosecution against him. Paletz was afterwards joined by Michael de Cassis, on the part of the court of Rome. These two declared themselves his accusers, and drew up a set of articles against him, which they presented to the pope and the prelates of the Council.

When it was known that he was in the city he was immediately arrested, and committed prisoner to a chamber in the palace. This violation of common law and justice was particularly noticed by one of Huss’s friends, who urged the imperial safe-conduct; but the pope replied he never granted any safe-conduct, nor was he bound by that of the emperor.

While Huss was in confinement, the Council acted the part of inquisitors.

They condemned the doctrines of Wickliffe, and even ordered his remains to be dug up and burned to ashes; which orders were strictly complied with. In the meantime, the nobility of Bohemia and Poland strongly interceded for Huss; and so far prevailed as to prevent his being condemned unheard, which had been resolved on by the commissioners appointed to try him.

When he was brought before the Council, the articles exhibited against him were read: they were upwards of forty in number, and chiefly extracted from his writings.

John Huss’s answer was this: “I did appeal unto the pope; who being dead, and the cause of my matter remaining undetermined, I appealed likewise unto his successor John XXIII: before whom when, by the space of two years, I could not be admitted by my advocates to defend my cause, I appealed unto the high judge Christ.”

When John Huss had spoken these words, it was demanded of him whether he had received absolution of the pope or no? He answered, “No.” Then again, whether it was lawful for him to appeal unto Christ or no? Whereunto John Huss answered: “Verily I do affirm here before you all, that there is no more just or effectual appeal, than that appeal which is made unto Christ, forasmuch as the law doth determine, that to appeal is no other thing than in a cause of grief or wrong done by an inferior judge, to implore and require aid at a higher Judge’s hand. Who is then a higher Judge than Christ? Who, I say, can know or judge the matter more justly, or with more equity? when in Him there is found no deceit, neither can He be deceived; or, who can better help the miserable and oppressed than He?” While John Huss, with a devout and sober countenance, was speaking and pronouncing those words, he was derided and mocked by all the whole Council.

husBurningThese excellent sentences were esteemed as so many expressions of treason, and tended to inflame his adversaries. Accordingly, the bishops appointed by the Council stripped him of his priestly garments, degraded him, put a paper miter on his head, on which was painted devils, with this inscription, “A ringleader of heretics.” Which when he saw, he said: “My Lord Jesus Christ, for my sake, did wear a crown of thorns; why should not I then, for His sake, again wear this light crown, be it ever so ignominious? Truly I will do it, and that willingly.” When it was set upon his head, the bishop said: “Now we commit thy soul unto the devil.” “But I,” said John Huss, lifting his eyes towards the heaven, “do commend into Thy hands, O Lord Jesus Christ! my spirit which Thou has redeemed.”

 When the chain was put about him at the stake, he said, with a smiling countenance, “My Lord Jesus Christ was bound with a harder chain than this for my sake, and why then should I be ashamed of this rusty one?”

When the fagots were piled up to his very neck, the duke of Bavaria was so officious as to desire him to abjure. “No, (said Huss;) I never preached any doctrine of an evil tendency; and what I taught with my lips I now seal with my blood.” He then said to the executioner, “You are now going to burn a goose, (Huss signifying goose in the Bohemian language:) but in a century you will have a swan which you can neither roast nor boil.” If he were prophetic, he must have meant Martin Luther, who shone about a hundred years after, and who had a swan for his arms.

180px-Jan_Hus_at_the_StakeThe flames were now applied to the fagots, when our martyr sung a hymn with so loud and cheerful a voice that he was heard through all the cracklings of the combustibles, and the noise of the multitude. At length his voice was interrupted by the severity of the flames, which soon closed his existence.

Then, with great diligence, gathering the ashes together, they cast them into the river Rhine, that the least remnant of that man should not be left upon the earth, whose memory, notwithstanding, cannot be abolished out of the minds of the godly, neither by fire, neither by water, neither by any kind oof torment.”

Full text from: John Foxe. Fox’s Book of Martyrs. Edited by William Byron Forbush. ttp://www.ccel.org/ccel/foxe/martyrs/files/martyrs.html [Accessed: 11.01.2009]

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The more Rome changes, the more it stays the same.

You can tell a man by the friends he keeps and likewise you can tell a church by the associations it keeps. So this Reformation Day, let us take a stroll through the halls of Roman Catholicism’s past and present as a simple reminder why true Biblical Christianity will never be at peace with the false religious system and counterfeit Christian organization of Rome.

torture_inquisition

inquisition

catholic_iquisition_torture

burned_at_the_stake

Pope and false religion

priests-salute

NaziPriestsSaluteHitler

Hitler-with-Muller

hitler_cardinal4

Pope and Castro

Obama Vatican

Pope and TBN

Pope and Dali Lama

Pope and Islam

Pope and Yassir Arafat

Catholicism and Islam

Pope and Arafat Greet

Arafat and Pope

Paul John Paul II Kissing the Koran

Pope and Chavez

VATICAN SAUDI KING

INterfaith

Pope Jewish

Pope Mosque

Interfaith Pope

Ecumenical Pope

Pope UN

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A Child of Rome Set Free

vaticancityI wrote this poem a while ago speaking to the religion of Rome and some of my experiences in it.  A religion which is a lie as is true for any and all dead religion.  In Rome specifically, as long as one is a “card-carrying” Catholic and shows their face to Mass most Sundays and occasionally the confessional box, all is well.  Here, it does not matter a whit as to what your lifestyle is and the fact that you are living like the devil incarnate does not even register on the radar.  As long as you are “in” as a Catholic, all is good to go for you and you are assured that entrance into heaven is guaranteed; even if you have to spend a few thousand years in purgatory.

And as such a Catholic I can assure you that the countless apologists from Rome including the arm-chair theologians found on YouTube and elsewhere will receive you as an angel from heaven.  Doesn’t matter how you are living your life, doesn’t matter how much in bondage to sin you are; just as long as you are a Catholic and willing to write diatribes against “Protestants”, you will be quickly enlisted to the fight with no questions asked.  

But the moment you leave Rome, watch out because these same “brethren” will turn on you like vipers awakened from their slumber.  Doesn’t matter how you explain to them the wicked life you were once living which Jesus has set you free from.  Where you testify that you were “…dead in trespasses and sins … [and] walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air … [where you] had [your] conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath” (Eph 2:1-3) but are now by God’s grace a “…new creature [where] old things are passed away … all things are become new (II Cor 5:17).  Doesn’t matter that you tell them you are now reading God’s Word and understanding it where you are convicted of your sin.  Doesn’t matter about how you are no longer worshiping God by the traditions of men but rather by the commandments of God.  All of this and more falls on deaf ears and cannot penetrate hardened hearts because the faithful Catholic “knows” that outside of Rome there is no salvation.

The tragedy is that before the Spirit opened my blinded eyes to my sinful state,  I was a self-righteous religionist who arrogantly believed he was on his way to heaven for one reason and one reason alone.  This of course because I was a Catholic.  Yet nothing could have been farther from the truth for I was a reprobate through and through as the bad fruit from my tree (i.e. life) bore ample witness to.  So too, the same being true for my friends, school mates, family members and even clergy (one was an universalist I later found out and the one I served under as an alter boy, a child molester).  Yet no one, and I mean no one ever warned me or those around me of our perilous state.  I never heard anything about repentance, never heard the gospel, never heard the words “…except you repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” (Luk 13:3).  Never!  Just keep going to Mass and doing all we tell you to do and all will be well.  Lies, damnable lies!

So to all the Catholics out there I hope you will find these words speaking to your heart.  I share to focus not on myself but rather to shine a light in the darkness so that you might examine your own life and be honest with your sin and no longer hide behind the cloak of your religion.  And that you might come to repent of your sin, believe on the Lord Jesus alone for your salvation and seek to worship the Father in Spirit and truth.

  

A Child of Rome Set Free

by: brother Michael

Raised Roman Catholics, my family would be,
Two brothers, a sister, my parents and me.
As babes from the womb, Rome’s doctrines held sway,
Over our hearts and our lives, all of the day.
Baptized and catechized, confirmed by the priests,
Bowing to idols during all of her feasts.

It goes without saying the nuns taught us well,
Not to question the Pope, lest we be cast into hell.
But little did they know, or maybe they did,
How me and their pupils were servants to sin.
Yielding our members to desire and vice,
Never understanding born again, Jesus, True Life.
For from childhood and upward the fruit on our tree,
Bore witness to the fact even if you disagree.
That of our flesh and our mind, we all lived in sin,
Being children of disobedience, and rebelling therein.

This assuredly is no mystery, for the world doth know,
How Catholics trump many in that which they sow,
To the flesh and sin they cannot deny,
Drinking it down with gusto, like bottles of wine.
Get angry with me for this truth you should know,
Because religion never saves, whether Protestant or Rome.

And religion Rome has, to this I agree,
Bowing and kneeling, teaching repeat after me.
Crossings and incense, chantings and more,
Silences the knockings, of Jesus at the door.
Open unto me, and I will come in,
So says he to Rome, and all found therein.

But the knockings of Jesus that day I’d not hear,
As I walked down Rome’s path, year after year.
Thinking I’d be heard, for the rosaries I’d pray,
Never hearing Jesus’ word, wherein he did say.
Pray not like the heathen who think they’ll be heard,
Who recite vain prayers with many a word.
Yea, rather pray simply to the Father above,
With words from your heart, spoken in love.

These were our days much more I could write,
‘Bout how we were taught, that Rome’s always right.
Steer clear of the Bible and what Jesus taught,
Lest all of our deceptions become all for naught.

And like the good child I wanted to be,
I submitted to my parents, the priests and the “See.”
Onward and upward in Rome I did climb,
Becoming an alter boy, made my parents to shine.
Maybe one day a priest he’ll become,
Sacrificing afresh, God’s most beloved Son.

Yet herein lies the truth that Rome must deny,
For the day that she’d stop, be the day she would die.
Salvation’s by grace through faith in the Son,
Believing in Jesus as the only one,
Who can save one from sin and raise them anew,
A gift per God’s grace, not reward for what you do.

Too amazing to believe many will say,
Yet true it certainly is, as old things pass away,
For those born again, raised alive from the grave,
No longer in bondage, no longer a slave.
Serving in Spirit not letter of law,
Loving their enemies, and praying for all.

Unto all those who read, condemn I don’t do,
But rather point to Jesus and his Word which is true.
Open the book and search it this day,
For all that come in faith, he’ll never turn away.
Forsake dead religion, the traditions of men,
Repent, believe on Jesus, bless God and amen.

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The Pope’s Plans on Organizing Political, Economic, and Religious Activities Worldwide

From Richard Bennett at Berean Beacon.

Dear Friend, The Pope’s latest encyclical can read like an ideological bombshell. However, when we study papal history with its obsession forRatUN global power, it is not so shocking. The Papacy has an agenda for the United Nations, economic institutions, and international finance organizations. The Pope has called for the crafting of a new governmental body above these groups and intends that the new body be equipped with enforcement power on a startling scale. Much more sobering is the detailed body of Roman Catholic social doctrine on which the encyclical is built and which the Papacy is in the process of instituting secularly. These documents need to be analyzed and rejected before nations and peoples unwittingly concede both temporal and religious control to the Vatican. We have outlined the heart of the major tactics found in the body of Roman Catholic social doctrine, which includes the Pope’s latest encyclical. Our article is called, The Pope’s Plans on Organizing Political, Economic, and Religious Activities Worldwide. If you wish to get the article as a Microsoft Word document, just request it and it will be sent to you. We consider this to be one of the more important appraisals we have done.

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The immaculate deception.

Immaculate Deception

The following is an article by James Swan refuting an attempted defense of Roman Catholicism’s great heresy: The Immaculate Conception. I found the timing of this to be highly apropos in light of a continued discussion that is taking place on this very subject on the comment thread from this post.

How To Prove The Immaculate Conception Without Biblical Proof

10/04/2009 – James Swan

The constant dilemma of the Roman Catholic apologist is to insert doctrines into the Bible that aren’t there to begin with. Their argumentation of meandering logic seeks to demonstrate: a) The Bible doesn’t contradict the doctrine being inserted; b)There are indirect Bible passages that if interpreted by first granting the validity of the extra-biblical doctrine, actually support the extra biblical doctrine. Catholic apologist John Martignoni’s most recent newsletter is a perfect example. He presents “Challenge/Response/Strategy” in defending Mary’s immaculate conception. This argumentation is for his upcoming book on basic Roman Catholic apologetics.

In Martignoni’s argumentation, the immaculate conception must first be brought to the biblical text. That is, by a plain reading of the Bible, one would not read from Genesis to Revelation and conclude Mary was born sinless and remained free of sin her entire life. Martignoni’s apologetic then is to prove the immaculate conception is not disproved by anything the Bible states, and that certain texts can be utilized as indirect proofs. I outlined Martignoni’s hypothetical challenges and his responses in the order he presented them. My counter responses are in red.

Argument 1: The Bible doesn’t use the words immaculate conception. Therefore it is an unbiblical concept.

Martignoni’s Response: The words Trinity and Incarnation are not found in the Bible either.

Swan’s Counter: I know of no serious Protestant apologist that actually uses such an argument. The question is not whether the phrase is found in the Bible, but are there specific direct passages that substantiate such a concept? To substantiate such a concept as a clear teaching of scripture one needs direct passages, not a few vague inference passages.

Argument 2: Trinity and Incarnation are concepts supported by the Bible, the immaculate conception has no such support.

Martignoni’s response: There is no passage in Scripture which directly states that Mary was not conceived without original sin, or that she was not immaculately conceived.

Swan’s counter: Aside from the fact this response doesn’t follow from the argument, this type of argument can [be] applied to many individuals within the Bible. The Bible doesn’t say Priscilla was conceived without original sin, or that she was not immaculately conceived, yet we don’t assume she was. A lack of evidence does not bolster or further an argument.

Argument 3: Romans 3:9-12 and 3:22-23 says all are under the power of sin and that all have sinned, therefore Mary sinned.

Martignoni’s response (four points):
A. Such an argument does not address Mary being immaculately conceived, it addresses whether or not she was sinless her entire life, which is a different question.

Swan’s Counter: Under the heading of “The Immaculate Conception,” the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “By the grace of God Mary remained free of every personal sin her whole life long” (CCC 493), so it is not a different question.

B. There is no passage in Scripture which directly states that Mary was not conceived without original sin, or that she was not immaculately conceived.

Swan’s Counter: Luke 1:35 positively says Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit. There is no such verse about Mary’s conception. There is no verse that states Mary must be sinless in order to bear the Son of God. Martignoni offers no similar positive evidence that would separate her from the rest of humanity described in Romans 3.

C. Some Protestants believe things not found in the Bible. Catholics likewise should be allowed to believe things not directly stated in the Bible. Example: The Bible nowhere says contraception is okay, yet most protestants believe it is.

Swan’s Counter: Martignoni’s argument would not work against Protestants who deny both the immaculate conception and contraception. To prove some Protestants may believe something not found in the Bible does nothing more than prove an inconsistency. To prove such offers no positive support for an extra-biblical belief in the immaculate conception.

D. Some Scripture passages indirectly support the Immaculate Conception, like Genesis 3:14-15. Mary is the woman described. Enmity exists between Satan and the woman. Martignoni says, “If you have sin in you, can you say that there is enmity between you and Satan?” Only a sinless being can be at enmity with Satan. Therefore Mary was not conceived in sin, and did not commit personal sin.

Swan’s counter: This is Martignoni’s only attempt to present positive argumentation. He candidly admits his Biblical proof is indirect. The argument has an unproven assumption: only a sinless person can be an enemy of Satan, at war with Satan. But, there has always been enmity between believers and Satan. One does not have to be sinless to be at war with Satan. Why would Paul exhort the Ephesians to put on the full armor of God “so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes“? Wouldn’t he first clarify that in order to put on the armor, one must be entirely sinless? Similarly, why would Peter exhort Christians to resist the Devil (1 Peter 5:8), or James to resist the devil (James 4:7)? Here we have direct proof that all Christians are enemies of Satan, at war with Satan. John warns us that “if we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves.” Christians are sinners, and they are at war with Satan. Nothing could be clearer.

Martignoni states that he was limited with the amount of time he had to put into this argumentation. Then again, he states this argumentation is for a book (as if the world needs yet another book repeating arguments already put forth by other writers). If he’s going to continue with a similar line of reasoning, perhaps he should back up a bit and explain his proofs are not proofs, but inferences. He claims to be presenting “biblical, historical, and logical perspectives” as to the immaculate conception. His reasoning though amounts to inferences and leaps of logic read into the text.

HT: Isaiah

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Quotes (626)

Rome never changes. Rome will never admit that she has made mistakes. She burned our English Reformers 300 years ago. She tried hard to stamp out by violence the Protestantism which she could not prevent spreading by arguments. If Rome had only the power, I am not sure that she would not attempt to play the whole game over again.

– J.C. Ryle

1816 – 1900

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The Papal Curse

pius ix tierraThe anathema of the Pope, words that would strike moral terror in the hearts of men and women throughout time who lived under the tyranical rule of the self-professed Vicar of Christ.  One who not only took upon himself the power to kill men in body, but one who also brazenly claimed the power to destroy men’s souls.  Thereby in effect making himself equal with God (see Mt 10:28). 

Below we will read the curse pronounced by  Pope Pius IX upon Victor Emmanuel, where in Grover’s “Romanism The Danger Ahead”, it is written:

Victor Emmanuel and his patriotic countrymen wrested the temporal power from Pius IX., and liberated the Italian people from the power of the Church of Rome forever, so far as civil government is concerned. Being otherwise powerless, the pope strikes back, with a curse, which is here given, as printed in the Philadelphia Morning Post. It is the perfection of pious swearing by the Vicegerent of God, who said “swear not at all.” (1)

It is also said that this curse was pronounced on the Rev. Wm. Hogan, (a converted Roman Catholic priest), in Philadelphia. (2)  One might also image that less explicit curses and anathemas as found in pronouncements from councils like Trent, carry with them the same underlying intent.  So when you read of the papal curses still on the books, which have never been revoked by Rome, keep these words in mind that flow forth from lips of the man who dresses like an angel but speaks like a dragon. 

Let us now read the words of the Pope:

“Pronounced on all who leave the Church of Rome. By the authority of God Almighty, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and the undefiled Virgin Mary, mother and patroness of our Saviour, and of all celestial virtues, Angels, Archangels, Thrones, Dominions, Powers, Cherubim and Seraphim, and of all the holy Patriarchs, Prophets, and of all the Apostles and Evangelists, of the holy innocents, who in the sight of the holy Lamb are found worthy to sing the new song of the Holy Martyrs and Holy Confessors, and of all the Holy Virgins, and of all the Saints, together with the Holy Elect of God,–MAY HE BE DAMNED. We excommunicate and anathematize him, from the threshold of the holy church of God Almighty. We sequester him, that he may be tormented, disposed, and be delivered over with Datham and Abiram, and with those who say unto the Lord, ‘Depart from us, we desire none of thy ways;’ as a fire is quenched with water, so let the light of him be put out forevermore, unless it shall repent him, and make satisfaction. Amen.

“May the Father who creates man, curse him. May the Son, who suffered for us, curse him! May the Holy Ghost who is poured out in baptism, curse him! May the Holy Cross, which Christ for our salvation, triumphing over his enemies, ascended, curse him!

“May the Holy Mary, ever Virgin and Mother of God, curse him! May all the Angels, Principalities, and Powers, and all heavenly Armies curse him! May the glorious band of the Patriarchs and Prophets curse him! “May St. John the Precursor, and St John the Baptist, and St. Peter and St Paul, and St. Andrew and all other of Christ’s Apostles together curse him and may the rest of the Disciples and Evangelists who by their preaching converted the universe, and the Holy and wonderful company of Martyrs and Confessors, who by their works are found pleasing to God Almighty; may the holy choir of the Holy Virgins, who for the honor of God have despised the things of the world, damn him. May all the Saints from the beginning of the world to everlasting ages, who are found to be beloved of God, damn him!

“May he be damned wherever he be, whether in the house or in the alley, in the woods or in the water, or in the church! May he be cursed in living or dying!

“May he be cursed in eating and drinking, in being hungry, in being thirsty, in fasting and sleeping, in slumbering, and in sitting, in living, in working, in resting, and in blood letting! May he be cursed in all the faculties of his body!

“May he be cursed inwardly and outwardly. May he be cursed in his hair; cursed be he in his brains, and his vertex, in his temples, in his eyebrows, in his cheeks, in his jaw-bones, in his nostrils, in his teeth, and grinders, in his lips, in his shoulders, in his arms, and in his fingers.

“May he be damned in his mouth, in his breast, in his heart, and purtenances, down to the very stomach!

“May he be cursed in his reins and groins, in his thighs and his hips, and in his knees, his legs and his feet, and his toe-nails!

“May he be cursed in all his joints, and articulation of the members; from the crown of the head to the soles of his feet, may there be no soundness!

“May the Son of the living God, with all the glory of his majesty, CURSE HIM! And may Heaven, with all the powers that move therein, rise up against him, and curse and damn him; unless he repent and make satisfaction! Amen! So be it. Be it so. Amen.” (3)

 

Endnotes
1 Ray, D. B.  The Papal Controversy Involving The Claim Of The Roman Catholic Church To Be The Church Of God Between “American Baptist” and “Church Progress”. St. Louis, MO.: National Baptist Publishing Company, 1892. Online at: Source.
2 Richardson, Sarah J. Life In The Grey Nunnery.  Boston: Edward P. Hood, 1857. Online at: Source.
3 Ray, D. B.  1892.

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Quotes (618)

http://easterpeople.wordpress.com/2009/07/23/im-a-charismatic-baptist-reformed-calvinist/

But the man Christ can be but in one place, and he is now at the right hand of the Majesty on high. It is absurd, it is horrible, both to faith and to reason, to say that Christ’s body is eaten, and that his blood is drunk in tens of thousands of places wherever priests choose to offer what they call “the mass.” A “Mass” of profanity, indeed, it is!

– Charles Spurgeon

1834 – 1892

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Introducing A.C.E.

Apologetics

We are unveiling a new feature on DefCon: Answering Common Errors.

This will be a quick reference apologetics page that answers many of the falsehoods and errors levied against the Christian faith.

It features a common error with a link to a previous DefCon post with the answer.

New entries will be added regularly so check back often. If you know of any past posts featured on DefCon that you think should be included in this list, let us know.

You can check out the new A.C.E. page by clicking here, or access it later from the tab above the header of the DefCon blog between About Us and Rules of Engagement.

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The god of Catholicism Who Needs Your Help

pleasehelpI was reading recently the address from Pope Benedict XVI given August 12 at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo. The message is wonderful in that in very few words, the Pope clearly defines the God, or more properly, god, of Roman Catholicism. This god not being one who is Sovereign that does as he wills, when he wills, with whomever he wills. Rather, this god is one who needs man’s help, is dependent upon him, and is unable do anything without his approval.

Below we will find how deeply rooted this doctrine is in Catholicism where even the incarnation of Jesus Christ was not something that would happen because God decreed it, rather it was an act dependent on man, or in this case woman. We read,

When God decided to become man in his Son, he needed the freely-spoken “yes” of one of his creatures. God does not act against our freedom. And something truly extraordinary happens: God makes himself dependent on the free decision, the “yes” of one of his creatures; he waits for this “yes”.

St Bernard of Clairvaux explained dramatically in one of his homilies this crucial moment in universal history when Heaven, earth and God himself wait for what this creature will say.1

This is truly astonishing and as we will see below, total contrary to the clear words of Scripture. Astonishing because in just a few sentences the Pope has begun the process of crafting an idol2 with his tongue not unlike how the artisans of Catholicism do with their hands as they fashion their statues and paint their canvases. I stress an idol because after Benedict lays this unscriptural foundation he will quickly build upon it and point his priests and followers not unto the Lord Jesus as the apostles did, but rather unto the Mary of Catholicism.

Continuing with the address, the Pope states that:

Mary’s “yes” is therefore the door through which God was able to enter the world, to become man. So it is that Mary is truly and profoundly involved in the Mystery of the Incarnation, of our salvation. And the Incarnation, the Son’s becoming man, was the beginning that prepared the ground for the gift of himself; for giving himself with great love on the Cross to become Bread for the life of the world. Hence sacrifice, priesthood and Incarnation go together and Mary is at the heart of this mystery.3

And so we see that the Roman Catholic Mary preached by the Pope is “the door through which God was able to enter the world.” Likewise, she is, because of the Incarnation, said to be “…profoundly involved in … salvation.” All because she said “yes” and graciously granted the Lord permission to enter the world which, according to Catholicism, placed Mary at the heart of “…sacrifice, priesthood and Incarnation.”

If the Pope ended here, things would be bad enough, yet he does not. Rather, he follows in the footsteps of his predecessor Pope John Paul II and points his clergy not unto the Lord Jesus as the “chief Shepherd”, but rather unto the Catholic Mary where they are told to invoke her as “Mother of the supreme and eternal Priest, as Queen of Apostles, and as Protectress of their ministry.”4 All with the intent for priests to “…always venerate and love her, with a filial devotion and worship.”5

All because, according to the Pontiff, Mary said “yes” and graciously granted God permission to act. But is this teaching in accordance with the Scriptures? Most assuredly it is not as we will see next.

Looking to the Scriptures

To test the words of the Pope against what is recorded in God’s word, let us turn to the gospel of Luke where we read about Gabriel’s visitation to Mary and what transpired.

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. (Luke 1:26-32 – Bold added)

What should immediately jump out at us when we read these words is that we do not find a question put forth to Mary by Gabriel as he delivers his glad tidings from God. That is, we do not find Gabriel saying unto Mary something like,

Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou may conceive in thy womb if thou sayest yes, and bring forth a son, and you may call his name JESUS if you agree. He may be great if you allow him to be born, and he may be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God may give unto him the throne of his father David, but only if you say yes. So now Mary Heaven, earth and even God himself wait for what you will say.

As preposterous as I hope these words sound unto the reader this is exactly the heart of what the Pope is saying. Yet his words are in total contradiction to the Word of God that records Gabriel coming forth and issuing a declaration to Mary not about what may be but rather what shall be. What shall be because Mary was already chosen by God to be the blessed vessel to bring forth the promised Messiah with Gabriel delivering “glad tidings” and not a multiple choice test.

These “glad tidings” of course being a fulfillment of prophecies recorded throughout the Old Testament including one of the more familiar from Isaiah.

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)

A fact not lost on the early church where we have Matthew citing this very prophecy when he writes his gospel account and speaks specifically to the birth of the Lord.

Now all this [pregnancy of Mary by Holy Spirit and birth of Jesus] was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. (Matthew 1:22-23)

Mary of course recognized God’s Sovereignty and bent her knee in humble submission to the LORD’s decree much as an obedient child would unto his or her parent.6 Her reply, after her valid concern about not knowing a man was answered by Gabriel, was, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” (Luke 1:38) That is, do unto me Lord as you have declared by thy word for you are the potter I am the clay, you are the master I am your handmaid.7

But the Pope would have us believe that God was in fact servant unto Mary’s word as he sat on the edge of his heavenly throne waiting patiently for what her answer would be. This dear readers is not the God of the Bible and whether it be Mary or John, Peter or James, or anyone else, God is Sovereign and does as he wills where none can stay his hand. His actions are not dependent on man giving him approval and contrary to the Pope’s word, God does in fact act against man’s so-called freedom. For we are all his creatures subject to his supreme will as he acts in accordance with his heavenly will; a will that is always perfect, always right, always holy.

Likewise, be it known that a god who is dependent on man is no God at all. A god who waits for man to give him approval to act is not Sovereign. A god who does as man wills is not a God who does as he wills. This is why the god the Pope is preaching unto his followers and the world is not the God of the Bible who is declared as one who, “…doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?” (Daniel 4:37)

And so I close with a plea unto the Roman Catholic and those who hold the doctrine of what might be called the sovereignty of man, or free will, to repent and believe on the God as declared in the Scriptures. A God who is Sovereign over all things where not even a sparrow falls to the ground and dies apart from his will. A God who is beholden to no man who from the same lump of clay will create one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor (see Romans 9:21). All so that he might show forth his power where “…his name might be declared throughout all the earth” (Romans 9:17) as “…he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory.” (Romans 9:21)

– End –

Endnotes:
1. Pope Benedict IX. On Mary, Mother of Priests “The Perfect Model for Their Existence.” Zenit.Org August 27, 2009. <http://www.zenit.org/article-26696?l=english> Bold added for emphasis.
2. idol – Any thing on which we set our affections; that to which we indulge an excessive and sinful attachment. An idol is any thing which usurps the place of God in the hearts of his rational creatures. Def. 4a., 4b. Webster’s 1828 Dictionary.
3. On Mary, Mother of Priests “The Perfect Model for Their Existence.”
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
5. It is beyond the scope of this paper to address the elevation of Mary to the heavenly heights the Pope is raising her unto for “filial devotion and worship”, but suffice to say this Mary is not the humble, servant of the Lord found in the Scriptures. Rather, she is a creation of the Roman Catholic religion who is often referred to as the Queen of Heaven. For more information on the Roman Catholic Mary please see this paper here.
6. Compare Mary’s humble submission unto God’s will verses that of Zacharias found in Luke 1:18 (see Luke 1:5-25). Yet note in this situation that even though Zacharias did not submit as Mary did, everything still happened exactly as God decreed down to the very naming of the child!
7. handmaid – The word in Greek is doulē which is defined as female slave.

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Nada Scriptura?

Maturity

The world’s false religions and cults have many similarities, and one common thread among them all is their disbelief / distrust / disdain for the Bible.

And among these groups, five stand out as surprising when you consider that they believe themselves to be Christian, and as everybody knows, “Christians” believe the Bible . . . don’t they?

Whether it’s the Jehovah’s Witnesses who discourage individual understanding of the Scriptures . . .

Thus the Bible is an organizational book and belongs to the Christian congregation as an organization, not to individuals, regardless of how sincerely they may believe that they can interpret the Bible. For this reason the Bible cannot be properly understood without Jehovah’s visible organization in mind.

The Watchtower / October 1, 1967 / Page 587

. . . even going so far as to employ scare tactics that you’ll become apostate for reading the Bible on your own or in a small group:

They say that it is sufficient to read the bible exclusively, either alone or in small groups at home. But, strangely, through such ‘Bible reading,’ they have reverted right back to the apostate doctrines that commentaries by Christendom’s clergy were teaching 100 years ago…

The Watchtower / August 15, 1981/Pages 28-29


Or whether it’s the Mormons spreading their seeds of doubt . . .

It was apparent that many important points touching the salvation of men, had been taken from the Bible, or lost before it was compiled.

Joseph Smith /Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith /Page 10

. . . and blatantly attacking the Word of God:

This congregation heard brother O. Pratt scan the validity of the Bible, and I thought by the time he got through, that you would scarcely think a Bible worth picking up and carrying home, should you find one in the streets.

Brigham Young / Journal of Discourses / Volume 3 Page 116

Or whether it’s the liberal churches who “take the Bible seriously but not literally.”

Liberality

Or whether it’s the Emergents whose greatest “virtue” is ambiguity, and whose mantra is “did God really say that?” all the while dismissing the importance of the very Bible they claim to believe:

This is part of the problem with continually insisting that one of the absolutes of the Christian faith must be a belief that “Scripture alone” is our guide. It sounds nice, but it is not true. In reaction to abuses by the church, a group of believers during a time called the Reformation claimed that we only need the authority of the Bible. But the problem is that we got the Bible from the church voting on what the Bible even is… When people say that all we need is the Bible, it is simply not true.

Rob Bell / Velvet Elvis / Pages 67-68

I grew up thinking that we’ve figured out the Bible, that we knew what it means. Now I have no idea what most of it means. And yet I feel like life is big again—like life used to be black and white, and now it’s in color.

Kristen Bell (Rob Bell’s wife) / Christianity Today / November 2004

Or whether it’s the Roman Catholic Church who in times past would burn you at the stake for merely possessing the Scriptures in your native tongue, but who now settle for pompously looking down their noses at you for daring to hold God’s inspired, infallible Word above that of their fallible, uninspired popes, priests, and man-made traditions.

Stake

So, whether you’re discouraged from reading your Bible, or the Bible is impugned so that you conclude it can’t be trusted, the desired result is always the same: Once you put down the word of God, or place some other “authority” above it, heresy will always follow.

As Gary Gilley aptly said in his book This Little Church Went to Market:

Today, virtually every heresy found in the Christian ranks can be traced back to some form of rejection of the Bible as God’s final authority. It may be pragmatism (which adds success to the Bible); mysticism (which adds experience); tradition (which adds the past): legalism (which adds man’s rules); or philosophy such as psychology (which adds man’s wisdom). The end result is all the same: the Word of God takes a back seat to the inventions and imaginations of men.

Essentially, all these false religions and cults have one goal in mind: To get you to stop trusting the words of the living God and instead, put your trust in their organization. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord and we will trust His word over the lies, rumors, heresies, doubts, and traditions of these false organizations. But what about you? When the question of the authority of Scripture comes up are you going to believe the empty words of false prophets, teachers, popes, and organizations, or the words of God Himself?

GalaxyFor the most part these counterfeit groups would agree that God created the heavens and the earth and that He is the architect of everything from the vastness of the galaxies yet to be discovered by man, to the tiniest microorganisms that are more complex than any supercomputers that we could ever build. And with few exceptions I’m confident that these groups also believe that God sustains His creation and that He’s omnipotent, omniscient, and all powerful.

Yet ironically they do not believe He had or has the power to sustain and preserve His word from generation to generation. How convenient for them that the God of all creation has this one weakness (that their popes, prophets, and programs can help God out with).

God was very clear about the tenacity of His Word: It is forever settled in Heaven (Psalm 119:89), it endures forever (Isaiah 40:8, 1 Peter 1:25), the smallest letter or stroke of the law shall not pass (Matthew 5:18), and Heaven and earth will pass away before His word does (Matthew 24:35, Mark 13:31, Luke 16:17, Luke 21:33).

Yet the false prophets will have you believe that the sovereign God who created and sustains the universe simply could not ensure the preservation of His own Word, but their “new revelation” on the other hand, is accurate and can be trusted in spite of the fact that their doctrines keep being added to, subtracted from, and changing from prophet to prophet, from leader to leader, and from pope to pope.

Bible The Scriptures are for our instruction and to provide hope (Romans 15:4), for teaching (Deuteronomy 11:9, 2 Chronicles 17:9), for equipping Christians for good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17), and it gives us assurance of salvation (1 John 5:13).


Furthermore, God’s Word is more precious than silver and gold (Psalm 119:72), it’s a lamp, a light, and the way of life (Proverbs 6:23), it’s a lamp unto our feet (Psalm 119:105), it teaches us to fear the Lord (Deuteronomy 17:19), it purifies (Psalm 119:9), it gives understanding to the simple (Psalm 119:130), it teaches us so that we can walk in His paths (Isaiah 2:3), it sanctifies (John 17:17, Ephesians 5:26), it testifies to Jesus Christ (John 5:39), it leads us to Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:24), and it judges our thoughts and attitudes (Hebrews 4:12).

DeconstructionWhen you consider what God’s Word does, you can see why false religions and cults wish to separate you from it! If they can drive a wedge between you and the word of God, then they will have successfully separated you from the only source by which to measure truth. Then you are easy prey for their new revelations, their other gospels (Galatians 1:6-9), and their false christs.

So, I have three questions:

1. The Bereans were commended for searching the Scriptures to assure that what the Apostle Paul was teaching was accurate (Acts 17:11). Why are these false religions and cults advising you not to take up the Scriptures to see if what they’re teaching is true?

2.The Apostle Paul told us that our struggle is against spiritual powers and forces of wickedness (Ephesians 6:11-12) and in this fight he tells us to put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:13), in which one of these is the sword of the Spirit–the very word of God. Why would false religions and cults want to disarm you from one of the best offensive and defensive weapons God has provided the Believer and instructed him to wield?

3. Jesus Christ, the Apostles, and the Disciples read the Scriptures and quoted from them regularly. In fact, when Satan tried to thwart Jesus’ mission on earth by twisting Scripture, Jesus quoted from the Scripture each time in rebuttal, effectively disarming the father of lies with the words of truth (Matthew 4:1-11). If the Scriptures were good enough and valuable enough for Jesus Christ and the Apostles, why do the false religions and cults say that they’re not good enough for you?

CultsFor all the reasons above it is apparent why false religions and cults reject the Bible and the idea of Sola Scriptura. When those groups claiming to be “Christian” are compared to the Light of the Scriptures they always come up short and their errors, falsehoods, heresies, and soul-damning doctrines of demons are exposed. If they can get you to doubt the Bible, they will quickly fill that void with their own “authority.”

Remember, we were never told that man shall live on the Church, the prophets, or popes, but we are told that man shall live on “every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Deuteronomy 8:3).

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” – John 8:31-32

________________________________________________________________________________

For more on the Bible see : Bible Reference Notes – The Holy Scriptures


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“Thankful to have been raised a Roman Catholic” by Brother Michael.

San Peter Square Wide Shot

Brother Michael responded to a comment on this post that I thought was worthy of reprinting here.

In reading Joanna’s comments and perusing the fodder titled, “Sola Scriptura – A Blueprint for Anarchy”, I must digress and say how thankful I am that I was raised in the religion of Rome. Raised by a multi-generational Catholic family from a babe on upwards to nearly 25 years of age. Here, I consider myself most blessed to have sat under the feet of nuns and priests being educated by them from grammar school through high school, to have served as a faithful alter boy, to have been baptized, catechized, confirmed and even married as a RC. I am thankful that I was deemed a faithful follower of Mother Rome and was looked upon highly by large and small in her community.

I am thankful that I had my Marian statue and faithfully prayed many a night my decades on the rosaries. My homemade cross (from my 1st “holy” communion) I hung with pride in my bedroom where every Palm Sunday I would take the new palm branches and drape them over it for another year.

So too am I thankful that I use to look down with disdain on those “born again” Jesus wackos (the way I sadly felt at the time) since I “knew” that ONLY Catholics were going to heaven. And of course for no other reason but that we were faithful, card-carrying Catholics. This party line I parroted like a well trained student of my Jesuit and Franciscan pedagogues.

Why am I so thankful? I am thankful because I KNOW the truth about mother Rome. I know the truth whereby the outrageous claims made by RC apologists, the lies, distortions and incredible falsehoods are laid bare before my eyes. 33,000 or 330,000 denominations doesn’t really matter as it is pure straw-man blather. The so-called unity of Mother Rome is a smoke screen; it is like an old Hollywood western movie set where once you walk into the apparent salon or hotel, you realize all you have is a thin facade with nothing behind it but empty space. This is Rome’s unity, a paper thin facade.

Here, I challenge anyone to take a poll of their local RC parish, a poll not in paper alone but by looking at life choices and you will find discord and disharmony that will begin to show the heart of the RC religion. People divided about sex before marriage (and most partaking), divided about birth control, divided about woman being priests, divided about divorce/remarriage/annulments, divided about priests marrying, divided about girls being alter boys eh I mean alter people, divided about homosexuality, divided about the liturgy, divided about Vatican II, divided about purgatory, divided about people of other “faiths” going to heaven, divided about evolution, divided about Mary, divided about the current pope, divided about abortionists (e.g. Nancy Pelosi and others) receiving the holy wafer, divided about tithing, divided about praise and worship, divided about fund raising, divided about …. fill in the blanks.

Oh – but we have unity because all these people for one hour (hopefully less as a priest is always commended if he can get you out in less than an hour) who gather in a building and like trained puppets on cue sit down, stand up, cross themselves, kneel, recite words back and forth, shake hands, walk an aisle, sing a song, and walk back out the door being elated the ordeal is over for another week.

I am also thankful that I know the heart of those cute Catholic boys and girls who look so prim and proper in their uniforms where it is hard to think they could do anything wrong. Oh what a lie! Thankful because I was there where the sin that me and my faithful heaven bound (eh – well probably purgatory bound first) Catholic friends partook in was no different than that of our agnostic/atheist cohorts; possibly even worse in many respects. Mocking the nuns, swilling beer like it was water, drugs (even on our HS bus), stealing, cheating, sex, mouths like sailors and more bore ample witness to the fact that we were dead in trespasses and sins regardless of the lies the priests fed us with.

Oh- wait, but we were Catholics and on our way to heaven because we said our five “our father’s” and ten “hail mary’s” so as merit our forgiveness after our 5 minute penance. Lies damnable lies!!!

I could go on and on how I witness the same today being surrounded by DEAD Catholic families and friends who HATE the gospel and Lord of Glory and LOVE their sin. And what incenses me the most is that in Rome Jesus Christ is NEVER enough for it is the organization, the 501c-3 den of iniquity that is always preached as the way of salvation. This is the heart of every RC apologist for if they preach Jesus alone the gig will be up and the power over men’s souls will be vanquished. And so it will be…

“And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication”

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What happens when you ask a Roman Catholic priest a tough question?

How much more do you think he would have squirmed in his chair and changed the topic if this had been the question:

How can you continue to represent the Roman Catholic religion in light of Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews (just to name three books of the Bible) that all contradict Roman Catholicism and prove it’s nothing more than falsehoods and traditions of men?

HT: Pastor Aaron

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Quotes (558)

So why do Catholics think we are bashing them when we are demonstrating a compelling love to show them how to escape the eternal lake of fire? It appears to be a pathetically weak defensive ploy to hide their lack of biblical understanding. By calling someone a name, they are released from any obligation to consider Scripture and evaluate truth. In this way, they can proudly dismiss any further confrontation or correction.

– Mike Gendron

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Sermon of the week: “Exposing the Idolatry of Mary Worship” by John MacArthur.

John MacArthurYour sermon of the week is Exposing the Idolatry of Mary Worship: Catholic Dogma by John MacArthur. This is a great examination of the unholy worship of a false goddess advanced by the Romish religious system. You can download both parts below.

Exposing the Idolatry of Mary Worship (Part One)

Exposing the Idolatry of Mary Worship (Part Two)

If you want more information, I recommend listening to anohter of John MacArthur’s sermons on Roman Catholicism found on this post. I also suggest checking out the post It’s All About Mary where I answer the fifteen most commonly heard justifications for the veneration (worship) or Mary.

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The preaching of the cross is foolishness . . . to Roman Catholics.

evil-looking-pope

Most Catholics would disagree with the title of this post. They would cite their veneration of the cross in images, sculptures, and jewelry as proof positive that they not only adore the cross, but in fact even idolize it.

However, the issue I wish to address is not in regards to the Catholics’ adoration of the physical symbol of the cross itself, nor their devotion to that physical symbol. The issue at hand—where the cross is an offense to Roman Catholics—is in its preaching.

The Romish religion has long been antithetical not to the symbol, but to the meaning and purpose of the cross. The Biblical view of the cross is that this was where the Father caused all of our iniquity to fall upon Him, and it was where the the perfect, spotless, unblemished, Lamb of God stood in our place taking the very punishment and wrath of God that we so rightly and justly deserve, and where it pleased the Father to crush His Son and put him to grief.

Paramount to the true preaching of the cross is the fact that Christ uttered “it is finished.” But paramount to Roman Catholicism (and necessary for its continued existence), is the heretical idea that “it is not finished.” This keeps its people in subjection to the organization (and with that subjection of course comes money and power).

Roman Catholicism teaches that you must do some part on your own to merit God’s favor, that your redemption was not purchased complete and in-full on the cross. Not only is this in stark opposition to the Scriptures, but it renders the Savior’s sacrifice as being insufficient. It is because of this that Romanism rejects the true Gospel of the cross of Christ; exchanging the once-and-for-all perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:18, Hebrews 7:27, 9:12, 9:24-28, 10:10-12) for a false doctrine of an imagined (and wholly unattainable) righteousness based on man’s efforts. This is why the preaching of the cross is foolishness to Roman Catholics.

Would God be a just and righteous judge if He can be bribed with our measly works? What self-righteous works can fallen man possibly offer to a holy and righteous God anyway?

Your effort to offer God what you think are righteous enough works is equivalent to standing before a judge facing the charge of murder and telling the judge, “I gave money to a charity once, I haven’t shoplifted since high school, I helped my neighbor pull weeds in his yard, and I always leave my waitress a big tip.” None of these niceties will satisfy the required punishment for your guilt of murder anymore than your church attendance, reciting of a rosary, the lighting of a candle, being baptized, or even wearing a crucifix will satisfy God’s requirement for the punishment that you and I deserve for sinning against an infinitely holy God. All of your “righteous” works are filthy rags!

What do you possibly think you can offer God that was not already provided in the death of His only begotten Son upon the cross?

The Vatican’s continued proclamation of such things as the necessity of the sacraments for salvation is simply another gospel and thus is anathema.

The Apostle Paul dealt with this matter already when he wrote to the Church in Galatia rebuking the Judaizers who sought to preach another gospel. They said salvation came from Christ and circumcision. Beware of the one who says it’s Christ and anything else that saves. If something–anything–other than Christ’s shed blood is necessary to save you, then the death of Christ was insufficient and God’s own blood was not enough.

Yet the Romish system today not only says salvation comes from Christ and something else, but that the “and” consists of numerous conditions and requirements added to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ–far beyond what the Judaizers ever proposed!

How in the world, if the Judaizers were wrong for adding just one work to Christ’s sacrifice, can Rome justify adding numerous works to Christ’s sacrifice? Because the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those that are perishing; foolishness because they believe redemption can’t be that simple.

Let’s look at just one example of why I say that the preaching of the cross is foolishness to the Romish religious system: Purgatory.

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Sacraments save the soul?

Bertone Tarcisio The following two quotes come from a FoxNews report from January. You can read the whole article here.

By lifting the veil of secrecy surrounding the tribunal’s work, the Vatican hopes to emphasize the fundamental role the sacrament plays in saving souls, the Vatican’s No. 2, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, said in a paper delivered at the conference.

“We cannot hide that the sacrament of penance is threatened in this time of secularization,” Girotti said. But he stressed that it remained “fundamental for salvation and the sanctification of souls.”

But what saith the Scripture?

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9