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Peter the Roman conspiracy

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December 31, 2022, 10:08:58 am NilsFor1611 says: blessings
August 08, 2018, 02:38:10 am suzytr says: Hello, any good churches in the Sacto, CA area, also looking in Reno NV, thanks in advance and God Bless you Smiley
January 29, 2018, 01:21:57 am Christian40 says: It will be interesting to see what happens this year Israel being 70 years as a modern nation may 14 2018
October 17, 2017, 01:25:20 am Christian40 says: It is good to type Mark is here again!  Smiley
October 16, 2017, 03:28:18 am Christian40 says: anyone else thinking that time is accelerating now? it seems im doing days in shorter time now is time being affected in some way?
September 24, 2017, 10:45:16 pm Psalm 51:17 says: The specific rule pertaining to the national anthem is found on pages A62-63 of the league rulebook. It states: “The National Anthem must be played prior to every NFL game, and all players must be on the sideline for the National Anthem. “During the National Anthem, players on the field and bench area should stand at attention, face the flag, hold helmets in their left hand, and refrain from talking. The home team should ensure that the American flag is in good condition. It should be pointed out to players and coaches that we continue to be judged by the public in this area of respect for the flag and our country. Failure to be on the field by the start of the National Anthem may result in discipline, such as fines, suspensions, and/or the forfeiture of draft choice(s) for violations of the above, including first offenses.”
September 20, 2017, 04:32:32 am Christian40 says: "The most popular Hepatitis B vaccine is nothing short of a witch’s brew including aluminum, formaldehyde, yeast, amino acids, and soy. Aluminum is a known neurotoxin that destroys cellular metabolism and function. Hundreds of studies link to the ravaging effects of aluminum. The other proteins and formaldehyde serve to activate the immune system and open up the blood-brain barrier. This is NOT a good thing."
http://www.naturalnews.com/2017-08-11-new-fda-approved-hepatitis-b-vaccine-found-to-increase-heart-attack-risk-by-700.html
September 19, 2017, 03:59:21 am Christian40 says: bbc international did a video about there street preaching they are good witnesses
September 14, 2017, 08:06:04 am Psalm 51:17 says: bro Mark Hunter on YT has some good, edifying stuff too.
September 14, 2017, 04:31:26 am Christian40 says: i have thought that i'm reaping from past sins then my life has been impacted in ways from having non believers in my ancestry.
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« Reply #660 on: August 31, 2015, 03:55:33 pm »

Pope blesses lesbian authors for their “excellent Christian values”

Pope Francis has reportedly pronounced two “married” women  fruitful, with excellent Christian values.

Lesbian author Francesca Pardi, who writes and publishes books such as “Why you have two mummies“, wrote to Pope Francis after the publishing company she runs with her wife came under fire from Christian groups.

Now she is getting a Papal blessing and well wishes.  Should she also maybe get the Gospel message? And the truth about what the Bible says about sin?

    Pope Francis has sent his blessing to a lesbian author of children’s books dealing with same-sex families, wishing her and her wife well in their work, it emerged on Friday.

    As Vatican officials scrambled to clarify that the message was simply a standard courtesy which did not signal any change in Church teaching on the subject, the author told AFP she had been pleasantly surprised to have received such a positive response.

    Francesca Pardi, who writes and publishes books such as “Why you have two mummies”, wrote to Francis in June after the publishing company she runs with her wife came under fire from Christian groups.

    She included examples of her works, some of which have recently been controversially withdrawn from nurseries and primary schools by a new mayor in Venice.

    “My books present different types of families without setting any of them up as a model,” Pardi told AFP, praising the pope for having responded in a manner that showed “respect and dignity” towards her, her wife and their four children.

    “It was not important for me that it was the pope who said it, I am not a Catholic. But it is important to see that we are not up against a wall. A dialogue is possible,” she added.

    “Books are to be opened, to be read and to be criticised. What you don’t do is ban them.”

    In his message, the pope wished the two women “ever more fruitful work in the service of young generations and in spreading authentic human and Christian values.”

    Francis has signalled that he wants the Church to adopt a more pragmatic and understanding approach to the situation of believers living in gay relationships, an attitude reflected in his famous “who am I to judge” remark on the subject.

    But proposals to integrate a shift to a more welcoming tone into the conclusions of an ongoing Church review of its teaching on the family have been opposed by conservatives.

    Bishops from around the world will return to the subject at a Vatican synod in October which will seek to find a compromise on that and other divisive issues.

    Pardi and her partner got married in Spain. Italy is the only major western European country that has no provision for same sex couples to have their unions legally recognised. The centre-left government has pledged to enact legislation introducing the possibility of civil unions by the end of this year but there are no plans to legalise gay marriage.

Source: Click here
http://bereanresearch.org/pope-blesses-lesbian-authors-for-their-excellent-christian-values/
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« Reply #661 on: August 31, 2015, 09:18:02 pm »

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« Reply #662 on: September 01, 2015, 08:04:50 am »

Pope tells priests to pardon women who have abortions

Pope Francis on Tuesday called on priests to pardon women who have abortions, and the doctors who perform them, during the upcoming Jubilee year -- overruling hardline traditionalists within the Catholic Church.

"I have decided, notwithstanding anything to the contrary, to concede to all priests for the Jubilee Year the discretion to absolve of the sin of abortion those who have procured it and who, with contrite heart, seek forgiveness for it," he said.

In a message outlining special measures for the Jubilee, Francis said he knew that while "the tragedy of abortion is experienced by some with a superficial awareness... many others... believe that they have no other option".

The Argentine pontiff said he was "well aware of the pressure" that some women were under to abort, adding that he had "met so many women who bear in their heart the scar of this agonising and painful decision".

The 78-year-old, who has repeatedly urged the Church to show greater compassion, said priests should use "words of genuine welcome", as well as making sure those involved were aware of "the gravity of the sin committed".

Francis announced earlier this year a Jubilee year -- traditionally a time for remission and forgiveness -- which will run from December 8 to November 20 and be celebrated not only in the Vatican but in dioceses across the world.

http://news.yahoo.com/pope-tells-priests-pardon-women-abortions-110936598.html
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« Reply #663 on: September 03, 2015, 08:36:04 pm »

http://observer.com/2015/09/midtowns-giant-mural-of-pope-francis-is-a-holy-sight/
Midtown’s Giant Mural of Pope Francis Is a Holy Sight The mural promotes the Pope’s visit to New York City later this month By Justin Joffe | 09/02/15 4:58pm Read more at: http://tr.im/PwRsI

A 180-foot mural of Pope Francis appeared in midtown this week (Photo: Justin Joffe for Observer). Some say that when searching for inspiration, you need only look up the sky. And with a 180-foot tall mural of the Pope painted on the side of a skyscraper debuting this week, perhaps the suggestion is no longer just a spiritual metaphor. The giant mural, which depicts Pope Francis smiling and waving, is sprawled across the south façade of 494 Fifth Ave, visible from 34th street and Penn Plaza. Designed by artist and Catholic convert Van Hecht-Nielsen, 41, and commissioned by the Diocese of Brooklyn, the giant Pope Francis is a bold and bright sight to behold, even among the hustle and bustle of Midtown. The mural promotes the Pope’s arrival in New York City as part of his American tour on September 24, and the massive mass he will lead across the street at Madison Square Garden the following night. At first, it seemed only a few passers busy New Yorkers caught sight of the giant Pope. “To be honest, I didn’t even notice it,” said Kim Lee, 52, after the Observer drew her attention to the 180-foot-tall mural. “I’m not Catholic, so it doesn’t really do anything for me. But it doesn’t offend me either.” A solicited sampling of other pedestrians yielded similar responses. Those who weren’t rushing from place to place, however, had taken notice of the large-scale rendering of the Pope Francis. One man was particularly impressed with the level of detail that went into painting the visage of his holiness. (Photo: Justin Joffe for Observer) “How professional,” said Martin, 43, before remarking on the daring of several men who were suspended high up in the air to make final touches to the Pope’s face. “I’m going to take a picture and send it to my mother.” He added the mural made him proud to be a Catholic. Moments later, another man also stopped to photograph the mural and share it with his family. “I’m sending it to my wife and daughter,” said Geraldo, 44. “They’re in Mexico.” Several nondenominational people found that they were moved by the giant Pope, too. ” I come out of Penn Station every day and you never see that sort of thing here, so it’s definitely inspirational,” said Dominic McGee, 24, who is not a Catholic. “I’m not religious altogether, but this guy is different.” “For a Pope, he’s different.”
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« Reply #664 on: September 07, 2015, 01:20:04 pm »

http://news.yahoo.com/pope-release-annulment-procedures-tuesday-122022876.html
Pope to release new annulment procedures Tuesday
9/7/15

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis on Tuesday will release new streamlined procedures for annulling marriages after he — and thousands of Catholics before him — complained that the church's current system is cumbersome, costly and often unfair.

Francis will release the new rules after a Vatican-appointed commission of canon lawyers spent the past year studying ways to simplify the process while safeguarding the principle of the indissolubility of marriage, the Vatican said.

Catholic doctrine holds that a church marriage is forever. An annulment is a judgment by a church tribunal that the marriage had some inherent defect from the start. Reasons vary, including that the couple never intended their marriage to last or that one of the spouses didn't want children.

Catholics have long complained that it can take years to get an annulment, if they can get one at all. Costs can reach into the hundreds or thousands of dollars for legal and tribunal fees.

Without the annulment, divorced Catholics who remarry outside the church are considered to be adulterers living in sin and are forbidden from receiving Communion — a dilemma at the core of a current debate roiling the church.

Francis has already called for annulments to be free, saying all Catholics have the right to justice from the church. He has also said the church should take into account that ignorance of the faith can be a reason to declare a marriage invalid.

Francis has previously quoted his predecessor as Buenos Aires archbishop as saying half of the marriages that are celebrated are essentially invalid because people enter into them not realizing that matrimony is a life-long commitment.

Some of the proposals for streamlining the process have included removing the mandatory appeal for each annulment granted. A key member of the study commission, Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio, has said he favors letting individual bishops make the decision rather than a full-fledged, three-member tribunal.

Many dioceses in the developing world don't have annulment tribunals. The United States has so many that it often accounts for half of all the world's annulments each year.
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« Reply #665 on: September 09, 2015, 10:49:56 am »

Conservative dissent is brewing inside the Vatican

On a sunny morning earlier this year, a camera crew entered a well-appointed apartment just outside the 9th-century gates of Vatican City. Pristinely dressed in the black robes and scarlet sash of the princes of the Roman Catholic Church, Wisconsin-born Cardinal Raymond Burke sat in his elaborately upholstered armchair and appeared to issue a warning to Pope Francis.

A staunch conservative and Vatican bureaucrat, Burke had been demoted by the pope a few months earlier, but it did not take the fight out of him. Francis had been backing a more inclusive era, giving space to progressive voices on divorced Catholics as well as gays and lesbians. In front of the camera, Burke said he would “resist” liberal changes — and seemed to caution Francis about the limits of his authority. “One must be very attentive regarding the power of the pope,” Burke told the French news crew.

Papal power, Burke warned, “is not absolute.” He added, “The pope does not have the power to change teaching [or] doctrine.”

Burke’s words belied a growing sense of alarm among strict conservatives, exposing what is fast emerging as a culture war over Francis’s papacy and the powerful hierarchy that governs the Roman Catholic Church.

rest: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/a-conservative-revolt-is-brewing-inside-the-vatican/2015/09/07/1d8e02ba-4b3d-11e5-80c2-106ea7fb80d4_story.html
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« Reply #666 on: September 15, 2015, 04:44:57 am »

Pope Blames Refugee Crisis on 'God of Money,' 'Socio-Economic System That Is Bad, Unjust'

In an interview with Portugal-based Radio Renascença aired yesterday, Pope Francis declared that the current refugee crisis in Europe is being caused by a “bad, unjust” socio-economic system that worships “the god of money.”

http://www.mrctv.org/blog/pope-blames-refugee-crisis-god-money-socio-economic-system-bad-unjust#.puzrpl:gEin

 Cheesy  Roll Eyes somebody is really out of touch with what is going on in Syria...
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« Reply #667 on: September 15, 2015, 05:51:10 am »

Pope Francis the False Prophet

    "Who is going to save our Church? Not our bishops, not our priests and religious. It's up to YOU, the people. You have the minds, the eyes, the ears to save the Church. Your mission is to see that your priests act like priests, your bishops act like bishops, and your religious act like religious."  - Archbishop Fulton Sheen

Claims where religion is professed become easily strained when doctrines conflict. Wars have been waged over matters of belief, while actually fought over political power. When the Catholic Church becomes the topic of discussion, the historic differences between Protestant dominations and the Papacy often become passionate. However, disputes within the Catholic Church hierarchy can become most bitter. Attitudes towards Pope Francis vary widely. Before examining the facts, why are so many observers proclaiming that this Pontiff is the False Prophet of Revelation?

One does not have to be a believer to acknowledge the significance of prophecy throughout cultures and centuries of time. Bible verses about False Prophets are cited amply in scripture.

Specific reference to Pope Francis is analyzed by Dr. Kelly Bowring lists of 12 Prophecies That Indicate Trouble Ahead for Papacy, and writes, “The Church will know the hour of its great apostasy. The man of iniquity will penetrate into its interior and will sit in the very Temple of God, while the remnant which will remain faithful will be subjected to the greatest trials and persecutions.” Adding to this viewpoint is a quote by Fulton J. Sheen, which provides a prophetic warning:

“The False Prophet will have a religion without a cross. A religion without a world to come. A religion to destroy religions. There will be a counterfeit (Catholic) church. Christ’s (true Catholic) Church will be one. And the False Prophet will create the other. The false church will be worldly, ecumenical, and global. It will be a loose federation of churches. And religions forming some type of global association. A world parliament of churches. It will be emptied of all divine content and will be the mystical body of the Antichrist. The mystical body on earth today will have its Judas Iscariot and he will be the false prophet. Satan will recruit him from among our bishops.”

Dr. Bowring’s argument is critiqued by Jeannie Law.

“Bowring ends the blog with the statement that the Catholic Church may be on the verge of a split caused by apostasy led by their leader. In which there will be two groups, possibly divided into Francis Catholics and Pope Benedict Catholics who led before Francis.”

For an extensive discussion on New World Pope Francis – Fulfilled Prophecies, a second page on Forbidden History is devoted to present and archive the evidence. A critical review is well worth the time.

Pope Francis has conservatives talking schism but are such motivations over abandoning Catholic traditional doctrine or because of his social and political pronouncements?

Critics of the Roman Catholic Church warn about the fact that Jorge Mario Bergoglio is a Jesuit. Don Koenig offers this assessment in the article, Is Jesuit Pope Francis the Antichrist or the False Prophet?

“The end agenda of the Jesuits is to have a one world ecumenical system that is under the control of the Pope. There is good reason to believe that the Jesuits are behind globalist organizations and ideologies. Those that think world events are being orchestrated by a Masonic conspiracy probably should be looking a layer deeper for the Jesuit connection.”

Interjecting a political aspect to an end times forecast is the Jewish radio host, Michael Savage: Pope Francis Like False Prophet 'Directing Mankind To Worship The Antichrist'

“The Pope is a Marxist,” Savage said. “He is a wolf in pope’s clothing, he is an eco-wolf in pope’s clothing, he’s a stealth Marxist in religious garb.”

Savage continued that Francis “sounds just like the false prophet in Revelation, an ecumenical spiritual figure directing mankind to worship the Antichrist.”

“I think it is up to the Catholic people to turn their backs on this Pope before it is too late, before they wake up and find out that they are in chains, this man is a Marxist through-and-through,” Savage said, claiming that he was “picked by the New World Order the way Obama was.”

BREAKING ALL THE RULES addressed the New World Order Pope - Frankie the Fake in this Inherent Autonomy essay. It is important to take away from this subject that competing prophetic nuances and conflicting subtleties do not negate the fundamental disturbing course that the current pope is undertaking.

Listing all the dictums of an apostate pontiff would require its own treatise. The aspect that the global media, liberation theologians, collectivist progressives and godless socialists are so enamored with this pope should cause every traditional Christian believer to condemn this Bishop of Rome.

The mere opposition to the religious direction and political alliances of Pope Francis is not enough. Understanding the authentic doctrine is essential and forgoing the heresy of false dogma is required.

When Christian-Zionists profess their dispensationalist sacrilege and devoted allegiance to a false Israel, the net result is that the true reason to oppose Pope Francis becomes diluted.

The example from Pope Francis Is The 'False Prophet' illustrates the misguided mindset that underpins so much of the confused thinking that has the world in a death spiral from critical thought.

“Evangelical Christians believe that the state of Israel is central to biblical end-time events that will usher in Armageddon, the final apocalyptic battle between the cosmic forces of good and evil. Biblical end-time conspiracy theorists also believe that left-leaning progressives who support the statehood of Palestine and criticize Israel’s policy in the Middle East are part of the coalition of the New World Order (NWO) forces of evil that will fight Israel and Jesus at the Second Coming.”

At the end of the last days, those who follow the pretend prophet will forgo their salvation.

For non believers in the bible, the gospels or even in their divine creator; the reason to cheer Pope Francis might seem reasonable and optimistic. Such a standpoint will only hasten the globalist plan to place the world under the yoke of satanic rule.

The divination in scripture is under attack by the forces of universal governance. The absence of a comprehensive understanding in the history of religion is overwhelming. In another era the Medici chalice might be used to remove a pope. But when the poison drops come from the devil’s hand, the congregation gets the removal of faithful followers of Christ’s gospel.

 When Francis addresses the United Nations and the U.S. Congress, he will have a world-wide audience to spread his Marxist economics and his global warming cult blasphemy.

Reflected from the Conservative dissent is brewing inside the Vatican, it becomes apparent that push back simmers under the surface.

“Conservatives counter that in the climate of rising liberal thought, they have been thrust unfairly into a position in which “defending the real teachings of the church makes you look like an enemy of the pope,” a senior Vatican official said on the condition of anonymity in order to speak freely.”

Is it not the function of a false prophet to teach an apostate version of doctrine? So what should the 1.2 billion proclaimed Catholics do when the current Pontiff goes off the rails from eternal practices?

Judging from the Pope’s public popularity, the throngs of the masses yearn for a message that creates an earthly paradise under the centralization of temporal authority. Missing in this seductive euphoria is that the devil is not just in the details, but that the Devil is actually the administrator of the consolidation of world government.

The temptation to eliminate cultural and national differences to subjugate societies, under an ecumenical regime for the entire planet, is the real meaning of an anti-Christ hell.

Pope Francis has marched to the beat of a Pharisee inspired methodology for a Luciferian controlled earth. If he is not the False Prophet of the apocalypse, he is making a fine effort to apply for the role.

The political significance of the turmoil within the Catholic conclave extends far beyond the walls of the Vatican. As the persecution of Christians accelerates around much of the world, the idea that Francis will be the savior for mankind is preposterous.   

Abandoning the true faith taught by Jesus Christ for social political correctness is a sermon preached by a sorcerer. Francis is more the vicar of Simon Magus than that of our Savior. Beware of the enticement within the liberation theology of a Marxist cleric. The only way to reach redemption is by the grace of God through the blood of Christ’s crucifixion sacrifice.   

The institution of the Catholic Church is less about spiritual salvation, but more about political power. Pope Francis is no John Paul II. Becoming a citizen of the world by deserting faith in God’s revelation is to worship the Tempter.

SARTRE – September 15, 2015

Pope Francis the False Prophet - Part II

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLiVOfHTacYS3qklgCW2ioOcxXkqiFfB0S&v=ZnGq7d_u9p8


- See more at: http://batr.org/forbidden/091515.html#sthash.L9q21qvf.dpuf

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« Reply #668 on: September 15, 2015, 06:27:17 am »

“I think it is up to the Catholic people to turn their backs on this Pope before it is too late, before they wake up and find out that they are in chains, this man is a Marxist through-and-through,” Savage said, claiming that he was “picked by the New World Order the way Obama was.”

The institution of the Catholic Church is less about spiritual salvation, but more about political power. Pope Francis is no John Paul II. Becoming a citizen of the world by deserting faith in God’s revelation is to worship the Tempter.

The same thing over and over. It's the same stuff I heard from the church building I used to go to. "Obama is the Antichrist and Francis is the False Prophet! They were picked by the New World Order!" They just make these statements because it's convenient. Obama is a socialist president and Francis is a socialist pope, and socialism is wicked so it's convenient to label them the 2 beasts of Revelation. Even though neither meet any of the criteria beyond being against Christ. It's so unbelievably frustrating to me.
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« Reply #669 on: September 15, 2015, 06:45:04 am »

The same thing over and over. It's the same stuff I heard from the church building I used to go to. "Obama is the Antichrist and Francis is the False Prophet! They were picked by the New World Order!" They just make these statements because it's convenient. Obama is a socialist president and Francis is a socialist pope, and socialism is wicked so it's convenient to label them the 2 beasts of Revelation. Even though neither meet any of the criteria beyond being against Christ. It's so unbelievably frustrating to me.

Well, i do not see Obama as the Antichrist. But a claim can be made for the Pope, whomever it is at the time, to be the false prophet.
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« Reply #670 on: September 16, 2015, 05:31:35 am »

Pope draws Admiration from People of Many Faiths

Luk 6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
Luk 6:23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
Luk 6:24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
Luk 6:25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.
Luk 6:26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.


 People from a variety of religious affiliations have expressed their admiration for Pope Francis who is scheduled to visit the United States beginning September 22.
 
The Pope has made a name for himself by being intentional in engaging with people, humbly serving others, and advocating social reforms.
 
The Pope’s engaging personality and down-to-earth approach to religion have garnered the support of many religious leaders, Catholic and otherwise, according to Christian Today.
 
Baptist pastor Benjamin Corey said he grew up being wary of Catholics, but Pope Francis has changed his mind.
 
"I never imagined that I would find myself connecting with a pope, and even cheering him on, but this is where I have found myself," Corey said, adding that he appreciated how Francis remained humble even though he is the most influential religious leader in the world.
 
Hindu-American Padma Kuppa also voiced her admiration for Pope Francis, commenting on the instance when Francis knelt down to wash the feet of 12 prisoners and a baby.
 
"You're saying, 'I'm humble before you,'" Kuppa said of the gesture. She believes Pope Francis engaged in the humble act to show the world that "no individual is less than him."
 
Muslim Imam Mohamad Bashar Arafat says he also supports Pope Francis. “I see him trying to emulate St. Francis in outreach,” Arafat said. “It is our responsibility as a Muslim community to raise our voices and say thank you.”
 
Even Hollywood actors and actresses approve of the Pope.
 
Lord of the Rings star Viggo Mortensen said, “All in all, he seems to me a lot more humane, more humble--he’s more human than the last pope, certainly. He’s more personal--he’s engaged with people when he speaks.”
 
Pope Francis’s visit to the United States is a highly anticipated event. Millions of people are buying tickets to attend events at which Francis will speak, and in Philadelphia, 25 miles of highway will be closed for traffic control.

http://www.christianheadlines.com/blog/pope-draws-admiration-from-people-of-many-faiths.html
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« Reply #671 on: September 17, 2015, 04:36:29 pm »

http://time.com/4038077/the-new-roman-empire/
Pope Francis and the New Roman Empire
9/17/15

From Cuba to climate change, he has revitalized the Vatican’s role in global diplomacy. Now he’s bringing his activist agenda to the U.S.

History sometimes turns on little things– a single bullet, a spy’s blurry photograph–and on Aug. 25, 2014, Cardinal Jaime Ortega y Alamino of Havana arrived at the White House to deliver one such object. Ortega had gone to great lengths to cover his tracks. His name does not appear in official White House visitor logs, and he had even arranged an event at Georgetown University that day to explain his presence in the capital. When he arrived at the West Wing he was quickly shown to a secluded patio outside the Oval Office, where President Barack Obama, White House chief of staff Denis McDonough and two other top aides greeted him.

After dispensing with the formalities, the Cardinal took out a letter from Pope Francis to Obama. Ortega informed the Americans that he had delivered the same message days earlier in person to Cuban President Raúl Castro. And then Ortega began to read the Pope’s words out loud. Francis expressed his support for diplomatic talks the U.S. and Cuba had secretly been pursuing in an effort to end a half-century of hostility. He encouraged the two nations to resolve the issue of prisoners, a key sticking point in negotiations. And he offered the Vatican’s assistance to help the two countries overcome their decades of distrust and confrontation.

Francis’ letter was as simple as that, but it made a difference. Two months later, Obama and Castro took Francis up on his offer, dispatching top officials to the privacy of the Vatican for a five-hour session in which they hammered out the details of an agreement to restore full diplomatic relations. And when Obama and Castro sealed the historic deal by telephone on Dec. 16, 2014, they found common ground expressing their gratitude to the Pope. Most important, the Pope’s letter offered symbolic shelter for both sides as they weighed the political costs of reconciliation. Francis’ popularity as a religious figure in the U.S. gave Obama cover as he cut a deal with godless communists across the Straits of Florida, while the Pope’s credibility as a Latin American shielded Castro as he got in bed with Yankee capitalists. “[The Cubans] were very clear with us that they saw Pope Francis as different from previous Popes,” says Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes, who was present at the meeting with Ortega and the talks in Rome, “because of his stature as the first Pope from Latin America.”

That difference will be on full display when Francis arrives in Cuba on Sept. 19, ahead of a five-day historic visit to the U.S., and it is key to understanding not just who he is but how he is leading the Vatican on the world stage 30 months into his reign. Francis, 78, rose to prominence as a church leader in the unruly world of Latin American politics of the 1960s and 1970s, and his life and outlook are the products of the developing world. He has never been to the U.S., and his only papal trip to a developed Western country so far was a four-hour stopover in France, the shortest ever by a Pope. Instead he has focused on his spiritual base, traveling almost exclusively to so-called Global South nations, including Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Bolivia and Brazil.

That perspective has infused Vatican diplomacy under Francis with the same paradoxical mix of humility and influence that have defined his papacy so far. Nearly a year after Ortega’s visit, Francis shrugged off his role in the U.S.-Cuba rapprochement, even as he credited divine inspiration for his own part in the talks’ successful outcome. “What could I do with these two who have been going on like this for more than 50 years?” he asked reporters on a return flight from Paraguay to Rome in July. “Then the Lord made me think of a Cardinal, and he went there and talked,” Francis said. “We did hardly anything, only small things.”

But Francis’ small things are proving to be a big deal for the rest of the world. Coaxing U.S.-Cuban reconciliation is just the start: the Pope is making the Holy See a player in the most pressing global issues in a way unseen since the early days of Pope John Paul II. From the outset of his papacy he has drawn attention to the Mediterranean migrant crisis, and in early September he called on Catholic dioceses, including parishes in the Vatican, to house refugee families. Francis routinely speaks out about the persecution of Christians in Syria and Iraq as he pushes for action to end the wars there. He praised the controversial nuclear deal between Iran, the U.S. and five other world powers. His 180-page encyclical on the environment has been called “radical” by one prominent environmentalist and has helped make Francis a perceived front runner for the Nobel Peace Prize. And the State Department has asked the Vatican for help on relocating prisoners from the military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, so that it can be closed, a top Obama priority, senior Administration officials tell TIME. Secretary of State John Kerry “early on saw Francis as a potentially activist foreign policy Pope,” says one senior State official.

The Pope’s activism will be put to the test on his visit to the U.S. Rightly or wrongly, the U.S. is seen by many as a wellspring for some of the global ills he has attacked–corporate greed, colonial exploitation, economic inequality–and his pronouncements on everything from climate change to immigration are hot topics in Washington. “He’s put the church into a debate, which is pretty risky,” says Jim Nicholson, U.S. ambassador to the Holy See under President George W. Bush and Pope John Paul II. Francis will meet privately with Obama in the Oval Office, then address a joint session of the U.S. Congress, dominated by Republicans who oppose much of his international agenda and have openly criticized some of his anticapitalist rhetoric. Can Francis, with no army or global financial clout, leverage his popularity in the developing world to influence the great powers, especially the U.S.? “He is trying to figure out where to spend this enormous capital,” says Rhodes. “He has built up this position in the world, and I think he is trying to figure out how to pay it down.”

Francis’ strategy is bold, both on the world stage and within the Vatican. First, he is injecting himself into high-level diplomacy by taking controversial positions on the biggest issues of the day. His climate encyclical–timed to precede the upcoming U.N. Conference on Climate Change in Paris–pleased backers of aggressive action against global warming but worried conservatives. Its scope was wide: it talked about everything from individuals’ air-conditioning use to how environmental degradation is causing poverty and migration. And its language was confrontational. Calling for a “bold cultural revolution,” for example, Francis said the rich and powerful were pushing a model of development based on fossil-fuel consumption that ended up hurting the poor.

In the Middle East, the Pope has alternately pleased and disappointed all sides. His push for the Iran nuclear deal bolstered the White House but angered Israel. The Vatican recognized Palestinian statehood in June, infuriating Jerusalem, but chose not to support Palestinians’ effort to raise their flag at the U.N. before the Pope’s visit there this month.

On Sept. 8 he fast-tracked controversial Catholic marriage-annulment reform to make the process cheaper, faster and local, freeing up time so that bishops headed to a Synod next month in Rome can instead address issues like war and poverty. When violent unrest broke out in Venezuela last year, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State who was previously the Holy See’s ambassador there, mediated talks between President Nicolás Maduro and the opposition that eventually fell apart.

Francis’ willingness to weigh in on hot-button issues is bolstered by his popularity around the world. “His use of what I call the moral megaphone, soft power, is being very effective,” says Nicholson. It helps that Francis is the first Pope to spread his message on social-media platforms. He tweets in nine languages and posts online video messages to Iraqi Christians. When he published his climate encyclical, he tweeted it 140 characters at a time for an entire day, earning tens of thousands of shares. As of last December, Francis was viewed favorably by 84% of those polled in Europe, 78% in the U.S. and 72% in Latin America, according to the Pew Research Center.

At the same time that he is making a splash in public, Francis is quietly altering the established order of papal diplomacy behind the scenes. For decades, the Vatican’s activities on the world stage have been directed by a specialized and highly trained set of church officials within the Roman curia. Francis has relied on his Secretary of State while greatly raising the profile of regional Catholic leaders, as he did by dispatching Ortega to the White House. At least two other Cardinals–Theodore McCarrick, formerly of Washington, and Seán O’Malley of Boston, who is one of Francis’ top advisers–acted as go-betweens at different points between Cuba, the U.S. and the Vatican. Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson led the drafting process for the climate encyclical. The combination of a message of humility and an image as a Vatican disrupter is powerful, church experts say. “Francis has so much moral credibility because of the perception that he’s an outsider to the Vatican,” says Kathleen Cummings, director of Notre Dame’s Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism, “and that he is coming from a different part of the world.”

That Latin American credibility is both hardwired and hard-won. Francis was a rising star in the church in the tumultuous world of right-wing dictatorship and populist Peronism that defined Argentina from the 1950s through the 1970s. His reputation and popularity survived the country’s “dirty war,” when between 10,000 and 30,000 workers, clergy and intellectuals disappeared in anticommunist witch hunts, some of them backed by Washington. A priest who was tortured by the military suggested Francis insufficiently protected him; another reconciled with him over the incident. Other priests said the future Pope worked behind the scenes to free them and to help them flee the country.

Above all, though, Francis’ views are grounded in Catholic social teaching that sees itself as above world systems, offering a corrective to both communism and capitalism. “As idealistic or as utopian as it may sound,” says Scott Appleby, dean of Notre Dame’s Keough School of Global Affairs, “he is siding with the victim, with the poor, with the detritus of international politics, frankly, the people who suffer the mistakes most directly of everything from climate change and corporate exploitation of natural resources to people caught in the cross fire of war.” And in a way most revolutionaries can only dream of, that view of the world from below is becoming his greatest asset as it increases his popularity across national boundaries.

But global popularity can go only so far. In the U.S., Francis’ approval dropped to 59% over the summer as many came to oppose the positions he has taken. While Obama and many Democrats praised the Pope’s climate encyclical, others, like GOP presidential candidates Jeb Bush and Rick Santorum, said he was in over his head. Francis is better off “leaving science to the scientists,” Santorum said. After Francis moved to recognize a Palestinian state, several members of Congress were openly critical. “The Pope is legitimizing a Palestinian state without requiring those who get recognition to recognize Israel as a Jewish state,” said Representative Jeff Duncan of South Carolina.

Within the Vatican itself, there are also some signs of dissent. Internal divisions on the Pope’s agenda are at most whispered in the Vatican, but they are heard, especially as Francis continues to elevate the diverse voices of local bishops from outside Rome. The curia at the Vatican has long been an entrenched Italian, and Western European, stronghold. Francis is making sure more things are done with local languages, people, bishops and concerns in mind. His encyclical features a myriad of local bishops’ conferences instead of relying heavily on doctrinal tomes. Dissent doesn’t surface on clear-cut foreign policy issues like protecting Christians in the Middle East, but it does on controversial ones like Cuba. Some Catholics in Florida, for example, are not happy with the Pope’s role in the U.S. opening to Havana.

Ultimately, many of the world’s problems simply aren’t responsive to the kind of soft power Francis is deploying, and the early results of his diplomatic strategy are mixed. When he visited Israel and the Palestinian territories last summer, he surprised the world by inviting both peoples’ Presidents to Rome for a historic prayer summit. Days after they prayed for peace in the Vatican gardens, Israel launched an offensive on the Gaza Strip. Francis defends his move. “That prayer for peace was absolutely not a failure,” he insisted to journalists as he returned from South Korea in August. “At present the smoke of the bombs, the smoke of wars, does not allow the door to be seen, yet the door has remained open from that moment.”

To his credit, Francis seems aware that opening a door to dialogue is unlikely to be enough in some cases. In Syria and Iraq, Christians face displacement and death as the al-Qaeda offshoot Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS) continues to take and hold territory. Francis opposed military strikes in Syria in 2013–he wrote to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a G-20 summit to urge leaders to pursue talks–but in March the Vatican’s U.N. diplomat called for military force against ISIS. A decade of war has cut the Christian population in neighboring Iraq by two-thirds–in 2003 it was 1.5 million; today it is less than 500,000. When ISIS strongholds spread over Iraq last summer, Chaldean Catholic Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil had 620 families seeking shelter in his house alone, camping in his cathedral and gardens for two months. The Vatican, Warda says, helped raise $30 million for refugees.

One of the Vatican’s biggest diplomatic prizes, formal relations with China, remains out of reach, but there are signs Francis may be making progress. While the Holy See has long-established official ties with the exiled Chinese government in Taiwan, it has not had formal relations with mainland China for more than 60 years. Last August, China allowed a papal plane to fly in Chinese airspace for the first time when Pope Francis visited South Korea, and Francis sent President Xi Jinping a telegram, as is papal custom when flying over a country. Francis has declined to meet the exiled Tibetan leader, the Dalai Lama, although the Dalai Lama visited Rome in December and has been a big supporter of Francis’ environment encyclical. Chinese state television reported favorably on the Pope’s condolences after the chemical-plant explosion in Tianjin in August. China allowed the ordination of a Roman Catholic bishop in a diocese in central China in early August–the first to take place with the Vatican’s approval since 2012.

Even small victories can be short-lived. Vatican officials signed a framework agreement in early 2014 with the government of the small sub-Saharan country of Burundi, guaranteeing the legal status of Catholic doctrine in areas like marriage and church education. But the Burundi Catholic Church’s opposition to a constitutionally prohibited third term for President Pierre Nkurunziza has led to renewed confrontation. “Currently our relationships are not broken, but there is now a real cooling,” says Archbishop Simon Ntamwana of Gitega.

If the world’s toughest challenges are not yet bending to the Pope’s diplomacy, Vatican watchers are riveted by his attempts. One of his first moves as Pope was to replace the scandal-ridden Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, with the astute and youthful Parolin, who has been a behind-the-scenes mover for the Vatican on China, the Middle East and Latin America. “He has selected a good team,” says U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Kenneth Hackett, and “he knows the issues because he is in constant dialogue with people. He picks up the phone and calls people.”

He is also a keen observer of the internal politics of countries he visits, says Hackett, and that pays off in return, yielding access and influence for his diplomats. So far this year, five top officials from the U.S. State Department have scheduled visits to the Vatican, including Under Secretary Rose Gottemoeller to discuss nuclear issues, Deputy Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and special representative Tom Shannon. In side conversations during the Cuba talks, the Vatican raised concerns to U.S. officials about the persecution of religious minorities, especially in Iraq. When U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Sheba Crocker, who handles U.N. issues at State, visited the Vatican in May to discuss climate change and Pope Francis’ 2015 development goals, her conversation with the Vatican’s deputy foreign minister turned to Burundi.

That in turn means countries are asking Francis for things too. As part of Obama’s efforts to close the military prison at Guantánamo Bay, the Administration has repeatedly sought the Vatican’s help in finding countries that are willing to take prisoners, current and former Administration officials say. And the White House would like to see Francis press the Cubans on democratic reforms and congressional Republicans on lifting the U.S. embargo against the country. When it comes to the diplomatic progress he helped foster between the U.S. and Cuba, Rhodes says, Francis “can point out that the work is not done.”

The same can be said of Francis’ own global agenda. But given his success so far–and the scope of his ambitions–there’s little doubt of this Pope’s ability to use the little things to advance big changes.
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« Reply #672 on: September 18, 2015, 11:44:41 am »

Pope plans to duck dissidents in Cuba, spawning criticism...
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20150918/cb-cuba-pope-dissidents-b480ea1fdb.html

Praises 'spirit' ahead of visit...
http://news.yahoo.com/pope-francis-praises-cuban-spirit-ahead-visit-083957114.html

Is Francis anti-American?
http://news.yahoo.com/pope-francis-anti-american-071739371.html

House Republican Plans to Boycott Speech...
http://www.nationaljournal.com/s/73344/house-republican-plans-boycott-pope-francis-speech-over-climate-change

Acting like 'leftist politician'...
http://www.nationaljournal.com/s/73344/house-republican-plans-boycott-pope-francis-speech-over-climate-change
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« Reply #673 on: September 20, 2015, 04:49:34 am »

Holy See flag to be raised outside UN headquarters for Pope Francis' arrival Sept. 25

in-charge of the whole world!!  Shocked

A United Nations official confirms that the flag of the Holy See will be raised for the first time outside U.N headquarters the morning of Pope Francis' first visit.

It is a turnaround for the Vatican, whose U.N. ambassador has said it had "no intention" of raising the flag before the pope arrives Sept. 25.

The General Assembly last week overwhelmingly approved a Palestinian proposal to raise its flag and that of the Holy See as the U.N.'s two non-member observer states.

The Palestinians have announced a ceremony for their flag-raising Sept. 30 during the annual U.N. gathering of world leaders. But the Holy See flag is set to be raised quietly.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk publicly about the event.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/09/18/holy-see-flag-to-be-raised-outside-un-headquarters-for-pope-francis-arrival/
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« Reply #674 on: September 23, 2015, 02:15:33 pm »

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/09/23/pope-francis-gives-hope-gay-catholics/72684606/
9/23/15
Pope Francis gives hope to gay Catholics

WILMINGTON, Del. — Some Catholics who felt church doctrine left them out of the fold are hopeful that Pope Francis is working to make the church more inclusive.

Ed Hotaling had almost given up on the Catholic Church.

The church he attended in Albany, N.Y., was “very, very liberal,” and he felt welcomed even though he was gay.

But when Hotaling attended an Easter Mass after moving to Delaware, the priest emphatically stated that marriage is between a man and a woman.

“I can’t come here if this is the person who is supposed to be giving me spiritual guidance,” said Hotaling.

Hotaling, who lives in Rehoboth, Del., started attending an Episcopal church, where he felt more welcome and could participate in many of the same rites as Catholics.

“I am married to a man, and I’m sure that if he met me (Francis) would say congratulations and be very happy about it.”
Ed Hotaling, a Catholic who had almost given up on Catholic Church
But these days, because of Pope Francis, he’s considering going back.

“I am married to a man, and I’m sure that if he met me (Francis) would say congratulations and be very happy about it,” Hotaling said.

With Francis coming to Philadelphia on Saturday, Hotaling and many others who are gay or who support gay marriage are cheering a church leader they believe is trying to make the church more inclusive.

Francis has grabbed international attention for public statements taking a softer tone on homosexuality. Two years ago, he said “if someone is gay and searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?”

Hotaling hopes that tone will allow more Catholic churches to become like the one he attended in Albany.

“I think that, without changing church law per se, but by the way he talks, it will give a lot of churches who might have wanted to move in that direction a sense that the weight has been lifted from their shoulders,” Hotaling said. “Things are evolving probably 50 times faster than I ever imagined as a gay person.”

The church has not officially changed its doctrine on homosexuality or gay marriage. Most who would like to see that change admit it is not realistic to expect an instant shift in an organization as big and old as the Catholic Church.

Lisa Goodman, president of Equality Delaware, points out that Delaware didn’t legalize same-sex marriage on the first attempt. It took years of debate before Gov. Jack Markell signed the law legalizing those marriages last year.

“No change happens and sticks without a conversation that changes hearts and minds first,” said Goodman. “I think our community views Pope Francis as starting a very welcome change in the conversation.”

Steve Elkins, founder of Camp Rehoboth, said he is glad to see a major Christian public figure taking a more inclusive approach to gay rights, especially as some Republican presidential candidates take hardline stances.

“As a Christian and a human being, I like what he’s saying,” said Elkins. “It is very interesting that he is taking those steps, and I’m hoping he is going to turn these words into action.”
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« Reply #675 on: September 24, 2015, 04:57:38 pm »

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« Reply #676 on: September 25, 2015, 06:30:02 pm »

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« Reply #677 on: September 25, 2015, 07:40:46 pm »



awesome!!
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« Reply #678 on: September 26, 2015, 03:30:53 pm »

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« Reply #679 on: September 28, 2015, 06:27:33 am »

‘I Unite Myself’: ‘Pope’ Calls Muslims ‘Brothers and Sisters’ in Message at St. Patrick’s Cathedral

 During a speech at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City on Thursday night, the Roman Catholic pontiff known as Francis offered prayers for his Muslim “brothers and sisters” on the Islamic Feast of Sacrifice following word of a deadly stampede during the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

“I would like to express two sentiments for my Muslim brothers and sisters,” he began. “First, I send my greetings as they celebrate the Feast of Sacrifice [Eid al-Adha]. I would have my greeting to have been warmer. My sentiments are closeness.”

“I am close to them in the face of tragedy, the tragedy they suffered in Mecca,” Francis continued. “In this moment, I give assurances in their prayers. I unite myself with you all in prayer to Almighty God, all merciful.”

Approximately 700 people were killed yesterday and nearly 1,000 more injured during a ritual in Saudi Arabia called “stoning the devil,” during which participants throw stones at three pillars in a reenactment of Abraham’s alleged stoning of the devil to avoid temptation—according to Muslim tradition. During the ritual, the large crowds began to surge and some fell and were trampled to death.

Stampedes have occurred during the pilgrimage in years past with hundreds being killed, but Thursday’s incident is considered to be the deadliest since 1990.

Jorge Bergoglio, who was selected as the leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics in 2013, has expressed a desire for ecumenicism toward Muslims from the beginning of his tenure, issuing greetings during Muslim holy days.

“Turning to mutual respect in inter-religious relations, especially between Christians and Muslims, we are called to respect the religion of the other, its teachings, its symbols, its values,” he wrote in a 2013 statement during Ramadan.

The pontiff also met with Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the secretary general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), later that year and visited Turkey’s Blue Mosque last November, expressing reverence during a moment of prayer observed by the nation’s grand mufti, who led him on a tour of the Islamic facility.

Mike Gendron of Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries of Plano, Texas notes that harmony with Muslims is consistent with Roman Catholic doctrine.

“The Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 841, reads, ‘The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims … together with us they adore the one, merciful God,’” he told Christian News Network. “This is a blatant rejection of the teachings of Christ, who declared He is the only way to the Father. Those who do not believe Jesus is God will die in their sins.”

http://christiannews.net/2015/09/25/i-unite-myself-pope-calls-muslims-brothers-and-sisters-in-message-at-st-patricks-cathedral/
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« Reply #680 on: September 28, 2015, 06:30:28 am »

Presidential Hopefuls Ted Cruz, Mike Huckabee Praise ‘Pope’ as ‘Proclaimer of Truth’

 Roll Eyes the guy is a LIAR and a snake

Republican presidential hopefuls Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee offered words of praise and support for the Roman Catholic pontiff known as Francis this week as he landed in the United States for a six-day visit.

On Wednesday, a piece penned by Cruz was featured in The Federalist lauding that “n an era when many global leaders are descending to relativism, Pope Francis continues to proclaim the truth.” He extolled the religious leader for his positions on life, family and the persecuted.

“[T]his week presents an historic and a hopeful moment for the nation. Pope Francis is visiting the United States. In stark contrast to media elites and national leaders smothering the truth of life, marriage, and religious liberty, Pope Francis has unabashedly stood for these primary gifts to humanity,” he wrote.

Cruz opined that media outlets would seek to distract the American public “with anything they can to make the pope’s visit divisive.”

“Indeed, there are policy discussions to be had on issues like the environment and U.S. relations with communist countries such as Cuba. These distinctions are important, but let us not forget what we have in common and what this leader of the Church brings to America as a gift to us—his care for the family and his heart of mercy for the most vulnerable,” he stated.

Cruz also expressed his desire for the pontiff to serve as an inspiration to Americans.

“In this Year of Mercy, may Pope Francis’s example inspire us to treat all with charity, pray for those who are persecuted, and speak out for those without a voice,” he said. “It is an honor to meet a man who has lived the faith so selflessly. I thank Pope Francis for his service to God and to the world, and I hope during his visit we are each reminded of our call to see every person with the eyes of Christ."

On Monday, Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee chastised Barack Obama for including open homosexuals on his guest list for the pope while likewise speaking favorably of the Roman Catholic pontiff.

“Bring the best and most faithful Catholics you can—people who would give their right arm to be able to meet his holiness,” he told Fox’s Megyn Kelly. “I’m not Catholic, but I have great respect for the Catholic Church and for the pope, and when he comes to America, it’s only fitting that we put out the very best kind of welcome possible…”

When Kelly asked Huckabee if Obama might be seeking to present an opportunity to expose Francis to different views, Huckabee said a summit would be a better setting for such a desire, but even then it would still be questionable.

“I’m not sure that President Obama needs to school and lecture Pope Francis on Catholic doctrine and why he’s wrong. Last time, I checked, it’s the pope who is supposed to lecture Christians, not the other way around,” Huckabee continued. “Unless Obama now has decided that he really has a greater depth of theology and a better understanding of Scripture than the pope himself…”

Last year, Huckabee joked to reporters that “[m]aybe we should run the pope for president.”

But in a post this week asking whether the pope should be “praised or exposed,” Mike Gendron of Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries said that it is dangerous to extol those who preach false doctrine.

“Instead of praising him this week, we should be exposing the pope for being a pawn of the devil. Some may think I am unloving and harsh for saying this but the truth must be told for the sake of those who are being deceived,” he wrote. “The gospel the apostles preached was salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone according to Scripture alone for the glory of God alone. The pope’s gospel is salvation by sacraments, good works, law keeping and participating in the offering of a false Christ on Catholic altars.”

Gendron, a former Roman Catholic who now leads an evangelistic ministry to reach Catholics, said he hoped Christians would use the pontiff’s visit to preach the truth of God’s word.

“I have great compassion for the precious Catholic souls who are where I was for many years of my life—believing I was in the one true Church, but unknowing deceived and destined for the eternal fires of Hell,” he said. “The nature of deception is that people do not know they are deceived until they are confronted with the truth. It is my prayer that every blood bought Christian will faithfully proclaim the true gospel to Catholics this week.”

http://christiannews.net/2015/09/25/presidential-hopefuls-ted-cruz-mike-huckabee-praise-pope-as-proclaimer-of-truth/
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« Reply #681 on: September 28, 2015, 09:28:39 pm »

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pope-francis-world-leader_56041e79e4b00310edfa4d0f
Pope Francis Wants To Be President Of The World
OK, that's not a real job, but he is seeking to lead the global conversation.

9/24/15

WASHINGTON -- He hasn't announced his candidacy.

Indeed, the job he seeks doesn't really exist.

But shrewdly, methodically and with a showman's flair, the soft-spoken, 78-year-old Argentinian Jesuit priest named Jorge Mario Bergoglio -- Pope Francis -- showed Thursday that he is running to become president of the planet.

He did so in a congressional ceremony of secular civic pomp in a massive legislative building that, after all, harks back to ancient Rome. 

As devout as he is, and as focused on the faith and practice of the Catholic Church, Francis is also campaigning to lead public, secular, political discourse worldwide. He is arguing that the two realms of faith and politics are one, and that the moral and spiritual teachings of faith should inform and guide political decisions for "our common home."

This is not a new idea, but it seems again a timely one. Francis' own church sorely needs the refreshing input of world opinion. Secular leaders, meanwhile, are reviled and government itself seems to have lost any sense of moral purpose.

With the rope-line skills of Bill Clinton and the stagecraft mastery of Ronald Reagan, Francis is selling himself and his message in Washington like the political master that he is.

In his speech to the U.S. Congress -- the first ever delivered by a pope -- he never directly mentioned abortion. He defended the "family," but didn't specifically define it by gender or sexual preference. He didn't speak of an assault on traditional Catholic or even Judeo-Christian culture.

That is so yesterday.

Instead, Pope Francis gave a 45-minute secular homily to Congress on the need for American lawmakers to honor communal morality drawn from the Catholic social gospel. In U.S. political terms, it was as if this man clad in simple white robes was leader of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.

He beseeched U.S. lawmakers -- and, by extension, government leaders around the world -- to use their temporal power to lift up those in extreme poverty, to fulfill promises of racial equality, to make peace with former ideological enemies, to welcome immigrants with open arms, to end arms sales and to save the ecology of the planet.

Francis singled out for praise and emulation Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton. It was a roster of heroes who, taken together, provide a template for government action on behalf of the dispossessed.

His approach draws on his roots. As a youth in Argentina, he had admired Juan Peron, whose brand of paternalistic, personality-cult socialism propelled him to power with increasingly enthusiastic backing of the Catholic Church. Today, Francis skillfully wields social media and his own popularity.

The pope's challenge to Congress was theoretically bipartisan -- indeed, universal -- in nature.

But if conservatives in the House chamber had expected at least a few nods in their direction, they received next to none. Republicans applauded and stood politely when necessary. But it wasn't their context, and, in purely political terms, he isn't their pope. For Southern Republicans, it's hard to imagine a less palatable list of heroes than the ones Francis listed.

The first pope from the Americas arrived in the United States just as its next presidential contest takes center stage, and he plunged right in to the debate, hitting on climate change, immigration and the refugee crisis.

Politically speaking, his "common good" theme has a sound defensive side: Moving the subject away from abortion, sexual orientation and gay marriage could also downplay the church's own controversial record on matters of priestly behavior.

But the new emphasis on economics, race and social justice has another, broader aim: to win new converts in the developing world by offering to lead the armies of the poor and disadvantaged. To put it another way, he's taking the church back to its original base.

Francis knows the demographics: In Latin America, Africa and elsewhere, the Catholic Church is in competition with Islam and Evangelical  Protestantism.

The pope wants to win that battle, and Washington was one more stop on the campaign tour.
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« Reply #682 on: September 29, 2015, 05:30:54 am »

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« Reply #683 on: September 29, 2015, 03:13:02 pm »

The Name of Jesus Christ, of whom Francis claims to be the “vicar” of, was never mentioned one time in any way, shape or form

“I receive not honour from men. But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.” John 5:41,42 (KJV)

Pope Francis says some amazing things, but he rarely says them in an amazing way. He speaks with a low, weak voice, mostly in Italian, and can be hard to follow even through the interpreter. So like all of you, I did not latch onto to the explosive thing he said in his opening remarks of his speech at the United Nations. From a prophecy perspective, which is the only angle we really are concerned with, his words are literally off the charts.

While surfing around today on the official UN site of the Holy See, I found an article called Address Of His Holiness Pope Francis To The General Assembly Of The United Nations, and clicked on it. There I found the official Vatican transcript, prepared and approved by the Vatican, of the remarks Francis made in his UN speech over the weekend. When I read the first few lines, I thought I was dreaming, there is no way he actually said that. But, there it was, officially transcribed and approved at the highest level of Vatican authority.



Jesus in the fifth chapter of John, is talking about the difference between the true representative of God on Earth, Himself, and the Satanically-produced counterfeit of the Antichrist and the False Prophet. In verse 43, Jesus utters these astounding, prophecy-packed words:

“I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.” John 5:43 (KJV)

He is ultimately referring to a time, far in the future, when someone would come claiming to represent God, but actually coming in his own name, with his own unGodly agenda. Now, listen to what Pope Francis said as he said these words on Rosh Hashanah, in front of a gathering together of nations of the world:

    “Thank you for your kind words.  Once again, following a tradition by which I feel honored, the Secretary General of the United Nations has invited the Pope to address this distinguished assembly of nations.  In my own name, and that of the entire Catholic community, I wish to express to you, Mr Ban Ki-moon, my heartfelt gratitude.  I greet the Heads of State and Heads of Government present, as well as the ambassadors, diplomats and political and technical officials accompanying them, the personnel of the United Nations engaged in this 70th Session of the General Assembly, the personnel of the various programs and agencies of the United Nations family, and all those who, in one way or another, take part in this meeting.  Through you, I also greet the citizens of all the nations represented in this hall.  I thank you, each and all, for your efforts in the service of mankind.” source

Pope Francis said that “I come in my own name” and that of the “entire Catholic community”. Not as a representative of Jesus Christ, not as an ambassador of the Gospel, but Francis stated that he came in his own name, his own power, and that of his Roman church. Rome the place and people that killed Jesus on the cross. The same cross that Francis said “ended in failure.” The Name of Jesus Christ, of whom Francis claims to be the “vicar” of, was never mentioned one time in any way, shape or form. What on Earth could possibly possess him to say that he “comes in his own name”? Then I read the end of the transcript, and it all clicked in.

Francis ended his speech with these words:

“Upon all of you, and the peoples you represent, I invoke the blessing of the Most High, and all peace and prosperity.”

Which “most high” was the Pope referring to? When I read my Bible, I see another “most high” lurking in the pages of Scripture:

“I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” Isaiah 14:14 (KJV)

I see the counterfeit “most high”, you know, the one that “comes in his own name”.

Open up your Bible, find a blank spot next to John 5:43, take a pen and write “FULFILLED” in margin.

http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/blog/?p=36011
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« Reply #684 on: September 29, 2015, 10:58:09 pm »

Not that I endorse Hellywood movies - but they always release a 2 minute trailer of a movie several months before it is released.

Looks like we're seeing just that - a TRAILER PREVIEW before the 7 year period...albeit we won't be here when the movie gets released.
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« Reply #685 on: October 05, 2015, 01:20:59 pm »

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« Reply #686 on: October 07, 2015, 09:23:08 am »

http://www.christianpost.com/news/pope-francis-miracle-healing-has-begun-believes-new-york-girl-in-wheelchair-146899/
Pope Francis' 'Miracle' Healing Has Begun Believes New York Girl in Wheelchair
10/5/15

A 12-year-old girl from Brooklyn, New York, has said that she is on the road to recovery after Pope Francis met and blessed her during his visit to the city in September. The girl, Julia Bruzzese, said she believes in miracles, and thinks the meeting with the pontiff has greatly helped her.

Fox News reported on Sunday that Bruzzese had been forced to use a wheelchair after she suffered a sudden paralysis that doctors could not explain. While she had been apparently experiencing symptoms of Lyme disease, there had been no signs of the disease in her blood.

Bruzzese and her mother reportedly got to meet the pope at JFK Airport during a greeting.

"He looked me right in the eyes; I kissed his hand and thanked him, and I walked away [saying] 'she's gonna be okay,'" said Julia's mother, Josephine Bruzzese.

CBS News reported last week that the girl said meeting Francis was "the most precious moment of my life."

Five days later, doctors were able to detect Lyme disease in Bruzzese's blood, which meant a diagnosis and proper treatment.

"The miracle has begun," said the 12 year old. "Yesterday, I went to the doctor and for the first time they saw Lyme disease activity in my blood, and that just shows a miracle can happen if you believe, just like I did. If you believe and pray everything can happen."

In another interview with NBC New York, Buzzese said she is confident she will walk again one day. "It means that he's going to give me a miracle to walk again," the girl said. "I know I will walk again because of him."

It is the second time in recent weeks that Francis has been credited with performing a miracle. In September, an American couple from Arizona claimed that a blessing from the pontiff in 2014 healed their 3-month-old daughter's heart condition.

The Cassidy family had traveled to Rome in 2014 in hopes of seeing the pontiff in person during the canonization of John Paul II and John XXIII. After waiting hours in the rain at the barricade at St. Peter's square, Scott Cassidy lifted his daughter, Ave, to Francis, who was passing by in his popemobile. The pontiff reportedly asked about the girl's condition and gave her his blessing.

"When we got home in May, we went back to the cardiologist for a check-up. One of the holes was completely closed and one was half the size," revealed the child's mother, Lynn Cassidy.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Matthew 18:8  Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
Mat 18:9  And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
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« Reply #687 on: October 08, 2015, 05:05:40 pm »

POPE FRANCIS WARNS BISHOPS OF MASSIVE VATICAN CONSPIRACY TO INFLUENCE SYNOD
Geoffrey Grider | October 8, 2015 | 9 Comments

POPE WARNS OF VATICAN SKULLDUGGERY AND MACHIAVELLIAN MANEUVERS ALONG THE WAY

“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Revelation 18:4 (KJV)

Vatican City – Pope Francis has warned bishops at a global Church meeting on the family not to be taken in by conspiracy theories, as conservatives and liberals reportedly engage in Machiavellian attempts to manipulate the synod.

Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi on Thursday confirmed reports that the pontiff had warned Catholic bishops and cardinals behind closed doors on Tuesday not to get caught up in “the hermeneutic of conspiracy”.

pope-francis-warns-synod-conspiracy-vatican-lgbt
Skullduggery afoot? You bet’cha…
This comes amid concerns within the conservative camp that new methodology being used in the three-week synod — approved by Francis — favors the liberal wing who want the Church to be more welcoming to homosexuals and remarried divorced people.

There were rumours in the run-up to the summit that a preliminary synod on the family last year was “rigged”, with progressives publishing without warning an early report seen as revolutionary in its opening to lesbian and gay believers.

The draft text was spiked by enraged conservatives, but reports that the agenda this year has been stitched up to make sure the most contentious issues will not be discussed until the last moment — when no-one has the time or energy left to argue — have fuelled fresh fears.

“There seems to be a mounting tendency on all sides to suspect skullduggery and underhanded tactics,” Vatican expert John Allen wrote in Cruxnow ahead of the start of the synod last week.

Indeed, he warned, in the end “the synod may be defined not just by disagreements on substance, but also suspicions of Machiavellian manoeuvres along the way“.

http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/blog/?p=36288
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« Reply #688 on: October 18, 2015, 02:48:48 pm »

Pope Francis Makes Stunning Defense Of Islam As ‘Peaceful Religion’

Pope Francis said on Sunday that equating Islam with violence was wrong and called on Muslim leaders to issue a global condemnation of terrorism to help dispel the stereotype.

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (Reuters) – Francis, the leader of 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, told reporters aboard his plane returning from a visit to Turkey that he understood why Muslims were offended by many in the West who automatically equated their religion with terrorism.

Francis’ predecessor, Benedict XVI, caused storms of protest throughout the Islamic world in 2006, when he made a speech that suggested to many Muslims that he believed Islam espoused violence.

Benedict said he had been misunderstood and apologized. But this year, the image of a violent religion has once more been promoted by Islamic State, who have seized swathes of Syria and Iraq, slaughtering or driving out Shi’ite Muslims, Christians and others who do not share their radical brand of Sunni Islam.

The Argentine pope, who has been trying to foster cooperation with moderate Islam in order to work for peace and protect Christians in the Middle East, said it was wrong for anyone to react to terrorism by being “enraged” against Islam.

Read the rest of the story on Yahoo News…

http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/blog/?p=28628
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« Reply #689 on: October 19, 2015, 09:15:46 pm »

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