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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
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« Reply #690 on: October 20, 2015, 10:31:49 pm »

http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/10/pope-francis-is-now-effectively-at-war-with-the-vatican-if-he-wins-the-catholic-church-could-fall-apart/
Pope Francis is now effectively at war with the Vatican. If he wins, the Catholic Church could fall apart
10/18/15

Pope Francis yesterday gave an address to the profoundly divided Synod on the Family in which he confirmed his plans to decentralise the Catholic Church – giving local bishops’ conferences more freedom to work out their own solutions to the problems of divorce and homosexuality.

This is the nightmare of conservative Catholic cardinals, including – unsurprisingly – those in the Vatican. They thought they had a sufficient majority in the synod to stop the lifting of the ban on divorced and remarried Catholics receiving communion, or any softening on the Church’s attitude to gay couples.

But in yesterday’s keynote speech, delivered as the synod enters its last week, Francis told them that the decentralisation will be imposed from above.

While deliberately referring to himself as ‘Bishop of Rome’, to underline his solidarity with local bishops everywhere (as opposed to the Roman Curia – i.e., ‘the Vatican’), he invoked the power of the Supreme Pontiff to overrule mere cardinals. ‘The synod journey culminates in listening to the Bishop of Rome, called to speak authoritatively as the Pastor and Teacher of all Christians,’ he said. This is more authoritarian language than I can remember Benedict XVI using as pope. It means: I call the shots. In the end, you listen to me, not the other way around.

One statement in particular horrified the conservatives. Francis told them that ‘the sense of faith impedes the rigid separation between the Teaching Church and the Learning Church, because the flock possesses its own “sense” to discern the new roads that the Lord reveals to the church…’ Meaning? We shall have to wait until the Pope delivers a final response to the synod next year.

This is such a startling development that it deserves fuller analysis once the synod is over. I was going to say ‘once the dust has settled’, but I don’t expect any dust-settling in the foreseeable future – at least until after the next conclave, which lots of conservative Catholics want to happen as soon as possible.

Here’s why I think Francis’s decentralisation won’t work:

1. This is the synod at which the African church flexed its muscles. And it’s very conservative. Cardinal Robert Sarah from Guinea declared that the gay lobby was as much a threat to Christianity as ISIS. Sarah is Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and therefore a top-ranking curial cardinal. But in his ‘intervention’ he wanted us to understand that he was speaking on behalf of nearly 200 million African Catholics. Whether he really represents them is a matter of opinion, but I doubt that many of them would dissent from the cardinal’s (literal) demonisation of homosexuality. NB: Sarah and other African cardinals aren’t saying ‘We’ll never tolerate communion for the divorced and remarried etc – but so long as you leave us alone, western dioceses can do their own thing’. They are saying the existing prohibitions must apply to the entire Catholic Church. Sarah regards Cardinal Kasper’s proposal to allow local bishops (meaning, in practice, local priests and probably divorcees themselves) to decide whether they can receive the sacrament as heretical.

2. The more liberal Synod Fathers, sensing that Pope Francis will use the papal trump card on their behalf, have all but endorsed a version of the Kasper plan – and may soon allow priests to put it into practice. Archbishop Blaise Cupich of Chicago (a Francis appointee who will soon be a cardinal) gave a press conference on Friday in which he said the following about communion for the divorced and civilly remarried: ‘[People must] come to a decision in good conscience…Conscience is inviolable and we have to respect that when making decisions and I’ve always done that.’ If by that he means that divorced Catholics can make up their own minds ‘in good conscience’ about receiving the sacrament, that puts him at odds with Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, one of the signatories of a letter also signed by senior Vatican cardinals warning the Pope that his synod could tear the church apart. Of all the routes to schism, squabbling in public about Holy Communion is the quickest.

3. Pope Francis is no longer trusted by many conservative Catholics, and the number who don’t trust him has grown enormously since the synod process – which I think he has gravely mismanaged – began last October. Priests and lay Catholics who originally liked the man if not his liturgical style, and thought he was fundamentally conservative despite his impromptu ‘who am I to judge?’-style comments, now believe he threatens the unity of the church. Some liberals agree that disunity is inevitable but reckon the Holy Spirit has already factored that in: eventually, Africans will come to share their own compassionate impulses towards Catholics who have been forced by the turmoil of modern life to bypass church teaching on sexual behaviour. They’re hoping for a miracle, in other words. In the meantime, they have become the new ultramontanists.

4. It’s not entirely clear what the Pope means when he talks about ‘synodality’, but it certainly doesn’t involve empowering the curia. By brushing aside a letter from the prefects of the Congregations of the Doctrine of the Faith, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Secretariat for the Economy, Francis was distancing himself from the Vatican. He may not have decamped to Avignon, but his refusal to live in the papal apartments is looking more significant by the day. He has picked a fight with the Vatican – and that is something popes do at their peril. Cardinals Müller, Sarah and Pell (and other important cardinals too nervous to sign the letter) see the curia as the guardian of the Magisterium, the deposit of faith. It was to preserve that deposit that St John Paul II centralised the church. Conservatives interpret Francis’s speech on Saturday as a manifesto for reversing that process – and, at a deeper level, marginalising the legacy of John Paul, which contains teachings hard to reconcile with the current pope’s agenda. So, in their eyes, Francis is taking on the greatest pope in modern history – who, now that he has been canonised, is officially recognised as a supernatural presence in the life of the church. He may even be trying to change the nature of the papacy itself – and during the lifetime of his predecessor, who must be wondering whether God really intended him to resign.

There are other things to say about the impact of Francis’s attempted revolution on secular and religious divisions that are widening outside the church, all over the world. But that’s for another time. My final thought is that, if the Pope wants to make far-reaching changes to pastoral practice, even to doctrine, then there are smarter ways of achieving this than by hosting a catastrophically divided synod and then hinting that he intends to do his own thing anyway.
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« Reply #691 on: October 21, 2015, 09:55:39 am »

Vatican denies report pope has small, curable brain tumor
10/21/15
http://news.yahoo.com/vatican-denies-report-pope-small-curable-brain-tumor-071137564.html

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican on Wednesday categorically denied a report in an Italian newspaper that Pope Francis has a small, curable brain tumor, saying he is in good health and that his head is "absolutely perfect."

The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said the report Wednesday in the National Daily was "completely unfounded and seriously irresponsible and not worthy of attention."

Citing unnamed nursing sources, the National Daily said the 78-year-old pope had traveled by helicopter to the San Rossore di Barbaricina clinic near Pisa in recent months to see a Japanese brain cancer specialist, Dr. Takanori Fukishima. The newspaper said the doctor determined that the small dark spot on Francis' brain could be treated without surgery.

In subsequent versions, the paper reported that Fukishima had instead come to the Vatican to see the pope in a Vatican helicopter. The ANSA news agency, citing unnamed sources in Pisa, said the trip was in January and that Fukishima had traveled by helicopter to the Vatican to diagnose the pope.

Lombardi categorically denied the reports to reporters Wednesday, and said he was doing so after having spoken to the pope himself about them. He said no Japanese doctor had visited the pope, no tests of the type described in the paper had been performed and that no helicopters had landed in the Vatican from the outside.

"I can confirm that the pope is in good health," Lombardi said. "If you were in the piazza this morning you would have seen that as well. And if you go on the trips with him, you know he has a small problem with his legs, but his head is absolutely perfect."

The newspaper's editor, Andrea Cangini, said it stood by its story. Subsequent versions of the report said Fukushima had traveled to the Vatican by helicopter and was seen returning to the Pisa clinic in the Vatican's chopper.

The hospital's director didn't respond immediately to a request for comment.

Cangini said the paper had deliberated a long time before publishing the news, which it said it had confirmed months ago.

The publication, however, comes at a delicate time for Francis, in the final days of his hotly contested synod on the family, which has shown a split among conservative and liberal bishops over how to convey the church's teachings on marriage, sex, homosexuality and other issues.

Several conservative bishops and cardinals have complained that the synod, which Francis called, is creating confusion and "anxiety" about the church's teachings.
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« Reply #692 on: October 22, 2015, 03:30:09 pm »

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/at-vatican-synod-outreach-pushback-and-stuggles-over-soul-of-the-church/2015/10/22/6da0a5c6-71b9-11e5-ba14-318f8e87a2fc_story.html
Vatican meeting reveals growing Catholic divide over divorce and homosexuality
10/22/15

VATICAN CITY — At one point during a major summit of the Roman Catholic hierarchy that ends this weekend, a senior conservative bishop took the floor inside the Vatican’s assembly hall and promptly charged his liberal peers with doing the devil’s work.

The three-week gathering, known as a synod, has erupted into a theological slugfest over Pope Francis’s vision for a more inclusive church, displaying the most bitter and public infighting since the heady days of Catholic reform in the 1960s.

Archbishop Tomash Peta of Kazakhstan captured the extent of the divide, raising eyebrows — and even a few incredulous laughs — as he decried some of the policy changes being floated at the synod as having the scent of “infernal smoke.”

It was just another day at a synod that — more than any single event since Francis began his papacy in 2013 — has highlighted the extent his outreach to once-scorned Catholics has triggered a tug-of-war for the soul of the Catholic Church. More important, it underscored just how hard it may be for Francis to recast the church he serves in his image.

In fact, the pushback by traditionalists has been so strong at the synod that the chances of fast changes on hot-button family issues — including whether to offer communion to divorced and remarried Catholics and more welcoming language to homosexuals — have substantially dimmed, if not gone completely out.

As the synod races towards a close, there has been a last-ditch push to find common ground that could at least open the door to policy alterations. But some observers are already comparing Pope Francis to President Obama — a man whose reformist agenda was bogged down by a conservative Congress.

“Francis has the same problem that Obama had,” said the Rev. Thomas Reese, a senior analyst for the National Catholic Reporter. “He promised the world, but Congress wouldn’t let him deliver. If nothing much comes of this synod, I think people will give the pope a pass and blame the bishops for stopping change.

For Francis, the synod — the Vatican’s second in 12 months on issues related to the family — sets up perhaps the most important decision of his papacy.

The 270 senior church officials from 122 countries are set to finish voting on a final document by Saturday. But Francis has the final say, holding the power to simply accept the synod’s recommendations, go beyond them, or withhold judgment to encourage further debate.

All of those avenues, however, carry a measure of risk.

Using his powers to go beyond the synod’s recommendations could rouse the wrath of conservatives, some of whom are already openly questioning the trajectory of his papacy. Yet if the final recommendation of the synod falls short of liberal hopes, simply rubber stamping it, or encouraging more debate, could generate disappointment among Francis’s fans worldwide. They may begin to see him as a revolutionary in gestures and words, but not on substance.

If he agrees fully with the synod’s recommendations, “there might be a collapse of his popularity in world public opinion, but there might also be an increase of his popularity among Catholics,” said Massimo Franco, author of The Crisis of the Vatican Empire and a columnist at the Italian daily Corriere della Sera.

Even by Vatican standards, the level of drama at the synod has been extraordinary.

As recently as Wednesday, the Vatican strenuously denied a report in the Italian press that Francis had a small brain tumor. That came after the synod started off with a bang in early October, when another leak in the Italian press brought to light a letter to the pope signed by 13 conservative cardinals — including Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York — that seemed to question the pope’s handling of the synod process.

[The Vatican’s conservative caucus]

Adding to the mystery, some of the 13 denied they had signed the letter. Some Vatican watchers saw Francis’s recent warning to the synod not to be taken in by conspiracy theories as a thinly veiled reference to the missive. To some senior Vatican officials, the letter appears close to open sedition.
“The widespread opinion I perceived among the fathers has been a sense of disgust,” Bishop Marcello Semeraro, one of the senior clerics who will draft the final synod document, told the Vatican Insider web site.

Yet by telling bishops that nothing is off the table for discussion, Francis has undoubtedly lifted the lid on what can be examined — including his management style. Conservatives bishops, however, see him as having also opened a Pandora’s box, allowing a free flow of ideas that have startled some traditionalists and provoked a sharp backlash.

Of the many issues under debate here, two have emerged as the most polemic.

One is whether to grant divorced and remarried Catholics — who are technically committing adultery in the church’s eyes — access to communion. In addition, there is the question of whether to offer a warmer welcome to gays and lesbians, including striking references to homosexuality as “intrinsically disordered” from church teachings.

The divide is not just liberal vs conservative, but also geographic with prelates in Africa, for instance, denouncing the “Eurocentric” and “Western” fixation with issues such as homosexuality.

Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah linked the push for gay rights to abortion and Islamic extremism, comparing them all to what “Nazi-Fascism and Communism were in the 20th century.”

The vehemence of the backlash has shocked even some moderate conservatives, suggesting the rise of a Tea Party-like faction of bishops within the hierarchy.

“Some of them are talking now like this is Armageddon,” Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane, Australia, said in an interview with The Washington Post.

“They see themselves as the sons of goodness and others as the sons of darkness and evil. I have been very surprised by this apocalyptic view of things at the synod . . . This isn’t the way discussions are done,” he added.


[Behind the scenes of a papal blessing]

The sniping has gone surprisingly public — and personal. The powerful conservative Cardinal George Pell, for instance, suggested in an interview with Le Figaro that an epic “battle” was taking shape in the church between the conservative theology of Benedict XVI and the liberal German Cardinal Walter Kasper, who is seen as a Francis ally and the architect of some of the most progressive measures being fielded at the synod.''

Pell’s comment provoked a rare public rebuke this week from the German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, who called out Pell by name at a Vatican press conference.

“In the synod, we are not in a battle. We are not Ratzinger vs. Kasper,” Marx said, using Pope Benedict’s birth surname.“That is not okay.”

The plot thickened further on Thursday as an article appeared on a conservative Catholic Web site claiming to be from “ a very wise, knowledgeable and highly influential cleric” and entitled “The Failed Francis Pontificate.”

In it, the author writing under the pen name Don Pio Pace and using insider terminology, argues that the divided church is now “intrinsically ungovernable” and decried this “strange synod” for being overwhelming focused on “adulterous couples and homosexual couples.”

Some have also denounced the general sense of chauvinism hanging over the debates in which only male clerics have voting rights.

Maureen Kelleher, an American nun serving in one of the non-voting roles at synod, told the National Catholic Reporter that there were "times that I have felt the condescension so heavy, you could cut it with a knife.”

Speaking of women in general, she added: "I see a high level of non-acceptance of us as holding up half the sky.”
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« Reply #693 on: October 22, 2015, 08:23:05 pm »

Pope speeds up Vatican streamlining in surprise synod move

 Pope Francis on Thursday accelerated his streamlining of the Vatican bureaucracy by announcing plans to create a new ministry which will increase the role of lay believers in the Church.

Effectively three existing Vatican bodies will be merged into one in a move that had been trailed but had not been expected to be confirmed during the ongoing synod on Catholic teaching on the family.

Francis made the announcement to an afternoon session of the synod, which is due to conclude at the weekend after three weeks of often heated discussions on issues such as divorce, homosexuality and cohabitation.

"I have decided to establish a new Dicastery (ministry) with competency for Laity, Family and Life," Francis told the assembled bishops and other synod participants.

The new body will replace the Pontifical Council for the Laity and the Pontifical Council for the Family and the Pontifical Academy for Life will be joined to it, he added.

"To this end, I have constituted a special commission that will prepare a text delineating canonically the competencies of the new Dicastery. The text will be presented for discussion to the Council of Cardinals at their next meeting in December."

Francis has already acted to make the Vatican curia -- the Church's senior civil service -- more efficient by creating a super ministry for the economy and another one which deals with media and public relations.

The reforms have sparked resistance amongst the officials affected by the changes. Officially there have been no redundancies but inevitably a number of officials have been sent back to their home dioceses as a result of the changes.

http://news.yahoo.com/pope-speeds-vatican-streamlining-surprise-synod-move-215343924.html
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« Reply #694 on: October 22, 2015, 08:30:41 pm »

The anti christ will persecute apostate Christians right along with the rest. They will abandon their faith because they will think it will enable them to survive.

The Bible said judgement begins at the house of God. So, first the persecution then comes the Day of the Lord. Apostate Christians and Pre tribbers will not be ready for it.
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« Reply #695 on: October 22, 2015, 10:47:18 pm »

http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/blog/?p=36564
POPE FRANCIS HAS CATHOLIC CHURCH ON VERGE OF CIVIL WAR OVER LGBT INCLUSION
Geoffrey Grider | October 22, 2015 | 13 Comments

VATICAN MEETING REVEALS GROWING CATHOLIC DIVIDE OVER DIVORCE AND HOMOSEXUALITY

“And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.” Matthew 23:9  (KJV)

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Vatican has long said that the Catholic Church “never changes”, but guess what? It is in the death throes of a cataclysmic change at this very moment. Just as Obama made homosexuality and the LGBT Agenda an evil ordinance of the United States, so Pope Francis is attempting to wreak that same unGodly havoc upon the already Godless Catholic church corporation. The ensuing war is splitting the Catholic church right down the middle. Mark it down, there will be blood.

VATICAN CITY — At one point during a major summit of the Roman Catholic hierarchy that ends this weekend, a senior conservative bishop took the floor inside the Vatican’s assembly hall and promptly charged his liberal peers with doing the devil’s work.

The three-week gathering, known as a synod, has erupted into a theological slugfest over Pope Francis’s vision for a more inclusive church, displaying the most bitter and public infighting since the heady days of Catholic reform in the 1960s.

pope-francis-vatican-synod-lgbt-inclusion-catholic-church-same-sex-gay-marriage
Click to visit the NTEB Pope Francis Archives for more on what the unholy, childless “father” has been up to.
Archbishop Tomash Peta of Kazakhstan captured the intensity of the divide, raising eyebrows — and even a few incredulous laughs — as he decried some of the policy changes being floated at the synod as having the scent of “infernal smoke.”

It was just another day at a synod that — more than any single event since Francis began his papacy in 2013 — has highlighted the extent his outreach to once-scorned Catholics has triggered a tug-of-war for the soul of the Catholic Church. More important, it underscored just how hard it may be for Francis to recast the church he serves in his image.

In fact, the pushback by traditionalists has been so strong at the synod that the chances of fast changes on hot-button family issues — including whether to offer communion to divorced and remarried Catholics and more welcoming language to homosexuals — have substantially dimmed, if not gone completely out.

As the synod races towards a close, there has been a last-ditch push to find common ground that could at least open the door to policy alterations. But some observers are already comparing Pope Francis to President Obama — a man whose reformist agenda was bogged down by a conservative Congress.

“Francis has the same problem that Obama had,” said the Rev. Thomas Reese, a senior analyst for the National Catholic Reporter. “He promised the world, but Congress wouldn’t let him deliver. If nothing much comes of this synod, I think people will give the pope a pass and blame the bishops for stopping change.”

FOR FRANCIS, THE SYNOD — THE VATICAN’S SECOND IN 12 MONTHS ON ISSUES RELATED TO THE FAMILY — SETS UP PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISION OF HIS PAPACY.

The 270 senior church officials from 122 countries are set to finish voting on a final document by Saturday. But Francis has the final say, holding the power to simply accept the synod’s recommendations, go beyond them, or withhold judgment to encourage further debate. All of those avenues, however, carry a measure of risk.

Using his powers to go beyond the synod’s recommendations could rouse the wrath of conservatives, some of whom are already openly questioning the trajectory of his papacy. Yet if the final recommendation of the synod falls short of liberal hopes, simply rubber stamping it, or encouraging more debate, could generate disappointment among Francis’s fans worldwide. They may begin to see him as a revolutionary in gestures and words, but not on substance.

vatican-city-rome-revived-empire-pope-francis-false-prophet
Want to know the truth about the origins of the Catholic church? Click here.
If he agrees fully with the synod’s recommendations, “there might be a collapse of his popularity in world public opinion, but there might also be an increase of his popularity among Catholics,” said Massimo Franco, author of The Crisis of the Vatican Empire and a columnist at the Italian daily Corriere della Sera.

EVEN BY VATICAN STANDARDS, THE LEVEL OF DRAMA AT THE SYNOD HAS BEEN EXTRAORDINARY.

As recently as Wednesday, the Vatican strenuously denied a report in the Italian press that Francis had a small brain tumor. That came after the synod started off with a bang in early October, when another leak in the Italian press brought to light a letter to the pope signed by 13 conservative cardinals — including Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York — that seemed to question the pope’s handling of the synod process.

Adding to the mystery, some of the 13 denied they had signed the letter. Some Vatican watchers saw Francis’s recent warning to the synod not to be taken in by conspiracy theories as a thinly veiled reference to the missive. To some senior Vatican officials, the letter appears close to open sedition.

“The widespread opinion I perceived among the fathers has been a sense of disgust,” Bishop Marcello Semeraro, one of the senior clerics who will draft the final synod document, told the Vatican Insider web site.

Yet by telling bishops that nothing is off the table for discussion, Francis has undoubtedly lifted the lid on what can be examined — including his management style. Conservatives bishops, however, see him as having also opened a Pandora’s box, allowing a free flow of ideas that have startled some traditionalists and provoked a sharp backlash.

OF THE MANY ISSUES UNDER DEBATE HERE, TWO HAVE EMERGED AS THE MOST POLEMIC.

One is whether to grant divorced and remarried Catholics — who are technically committing adultery in the church’s eyes — access to communion. In addition, there is the question of whether to offer a warmer welcome to gays and lesbians, including striking references to homosexuality as “intrinsically disordered” from church teachings.

The divide is not just liberal vs conservative, but also geographic with prelates in Africa, for instance, denouncing the “Eurocentric” and “Western” fixation with issues such as homosexuality. Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah linked the push for gay rights to abortion and Islamic extremism, comparing them all to what “Nazi-Fascism and Communism were in the 20th century.”

THE VEHEMENCE OF THE BACKLASH HAS SHOCKED EVEN SOME MODERATE CONSERVATIVES, SUGGESTING THE RISE OF A TEA PARTY-LIKE FACTION OF BISHOPS WITHIN THE HIERARCHY.

“Some of them are talking now like this is Armageddon,” Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane, Australia, said in an interview with The Washington Post.

“They see themselves as the sons of goodness and others as the sons of darkness and evil. I have been very surprised by this apocalyptic view of things at the synod . . . This isn’t the way discussions are done,” he added.

The sniping has gone surprisingly public — and personal. The powerful conservative Cardinal George Pell, for instance, suggested in an interview with Le Figaro that an epic “battle” was taking shape in the church between the conservative theology of Benedict XVI and the liberal German Cardinal Walter Kasper, who is seen as a Francis ally and the architect of some of the most progressive measures being fielded at the synod.

PELL’S COMMENT PROVOKED A RARE PUBLIC REBUKE THIS WEEK FROM THE GERMAN CARDINAL REINHARD MARX, WHO CALLED OUT PELL BY NAME AT A VATICAN PRESS CONFERENCE.

“In the synod, we are not in a battle. We are not Ratzinger vs. Kasper,” Marx said, using Pope Benedict’s birth surname.“That is not okay.”

The plot thickened further on Thursday as an article appeared on a conservative Catholic Web site claiming to be from “ a very wise, knowledgeable and highly influential cleric” and entitled “The Failed Francis Pontificate.”

In it, the author writing under the pen name Don Pio Pace and using insider terminology, argues that the divided church is now “intrinsically ungovernable” and decried this “strange synod” for being overwhelming focused on “adulterous couples and homosexual couples.”

Some have also denounced the general sense of chauvinism hanging over the debates in which only male clerics have voting rights.

Maureen Kelleher, an American nun serving in one of the non-voting roles at synod, told the National Catholic Reporter that there were “times that I have felt the condescension so heavy, you could cut it with a knife.”

Speaking of women in general, she added: “I see a high level of non-acceptance of us as holding up half the sky.” source
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« Reply #696 on: October 31, 2015, 02:48:11 pm »

http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=103015231480
Audio Inside Link: Pope Francis Pardons Pedophiles in Legion of Christ Catholic Order
Series:  STBC Pope Watch  · 14 of 14
10/30/2015 (FRI)
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« Reply #697 on: November 06, 2015, 02:10:04 pm »

https://www.rt.com/news/321043-pope-wake-up-album/
Pope pop: Francis' debut album ‘Wake Up!’ out now
Published time: 6 Nov, 2015 11:57

World’s number one catholic, Pope Francis, has released his debut Christian music album in Italy, set to debut internationally on November 27.

Called ‘Wake Up!’, it’s a collection of the pope’s speeches recorded between 2013 and 2015 all over the world, accompanied by music from different Italian artists and producers.

The 11 tracks on the album are recorded in different styles ranging from Latin chant to pop and rock.

Unsurprisingly there are dozens of albums named ‘Wake up’ with one exact match from 2010 by John Legend and the Roots. Don’t get confused: if it’s reggae and soul - it’s dope, not pope.

Musical styles aside, it was the 78-year-old Argentinian’s down-to-earth attitude that inspired the producers to put the album together.

"The idea was born from the moment that Pope Francis came out on the balcony and said 'Dear brothers and sisters, good evening'. With that 'good evening' I saw that this pope was completely different from all the others ,” said producer and artistic director Don Giulio Neroni.

The pontiff’s softer stance on Catholic doctrines has made him extremely popular among Catholics and non-believers alike. Noted for his humane approach, he’s proven to be closer to the public than any other pope before. To top it off, Pope Francis lives in a guesthouse instead of the papal apartments in the Vatican palace.

Ten percent of the proceeds from the album will go to charity supporting refugees, in particular Ethiopians camping near Rome’s Termini station, comingsoon.it reports.
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« Reply #698 on: November 25, 2015, 09:27:12 pm »

Pope Francis calls for unity, links terror to poverty as he launches Africa tour
11/25/15
http://www.latimes.com/world/africa/la-fg-kenya-pope-francis-20151125-story.html
 
Almost as soon as Pope Francis alighted from his flight to Kenya's capital on his first trip to Africa, he sent a powerful message of humility and equality.

The pope stunned Kenyans not only by riding in a modest gray Honda through Nairobi's streets, but also by traveling with the window down, waving to onlookers, eschewing the fancy cars and dark tinted windows favored by local politicians.

“The Honda car that the pope is using. Even an MP of the poorest slum in Kenya would not use it,” tweeted one Kenyan, Gibson Maina.

“If there is a lesson to learn from him is humility. He's so humbled unlike our politicians,” tweeted another, Samuel Kungu.

The Africa tour sees Francis visiting Kenya and Uganda, countries that have suffered deadly attacks from Islamist extremists, as well the Central African Republic, which has been torn apart by violence between Muslims and Christians.

The trip involves plenty of security headaches. But Francis brushed aside such fears in comments to journalists before his departure from Rome.

“To tell you the truth, the only thing I'm concerned about is the mosquitoes,” he said.

He has resisted pressure to cancel the final leg of his tour, an overnight visit to Central African Republic, where sectarian attacks have continued since rebels ousted the government in 2013. There has been speculation that he might have to curtail some parts of his schedule in the capital, Bangui, where he plans to visit a mosque in one of the city’s volatile neighborhoods.

Millions are expected to attend Masses in Kenya and Uganda. In each country, at least 10,000 police are being deployed.

Africa, home to more than 200 million Roman Catholics, or about 17% of the faith's global population, has long been one of the church’s fastest growing regions. However, it faces a challenge from more charismatic Christian churches that also are rapidly growing.

Kenyan officials have said the trip will differ from President Obama's visit in July, which saw many roads blocked and people discouraged from trying to see him.

“Unlike the visit by President Barack Obama when the government encouraged Kenyans to stay home, we are encouraging Kenyans to flock into the city in their numbers to cheer the pope and celebrate Mass with him,” government spokesman Manoah Esipisu told journalists before the Francis' visit.

Esipisu said about 1 million people were expected to flock to Nairobi to see the pope.

In a speech to Kenyans that was televised live, Francis touched on poverty, inequality, the need for a just distribution of resources, reconciliation, peace and the environment.

In a world reeling after recent terror attacks by Islamic extremists in Paris, Beirut, Nigeria, Mali, Egypt and Tunisia, the pontiff called for dialogue to improve interfaith understanding.

“As we fight this war, recent events around the world have indeed taught us that we must do even more to bring unity and understanding between faiths, between ethnicities, between races but also between nations,” he said.

He said poverty and inequality breed terrorism, violence and war.

“All men and women of goodwill are called to work for reconciliation and peace, forgiveness and healing,” he said. “Experience shows that violence, conflict and terrorism feed on fear, mistrust and the despair born of poverty and frustration.

“Ultimately, the struggle against these enemies of peace and prosperity must be carried on by men and women who fearlessly believe in, and bear honest witness to, the great spiritual and political values which inspired the birth of the nation,” he said.

In Kenya, ranked 145th of 175 countries on the Transparency International perceptions of corruption list, the pope said leaders had a special responsibility to work for the common good.

“The Gospel tells us that from those to whom much has been given, much will be demanded. In that spirit, I encourage you to work with integrity and transparency for the common good, and to foster a spirit of solidarity at every level of society,” Francis said.

He met with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is Catholic, at State House, where he also planted a tree.

“I am told that here in Kenya it is a tradition for young schoolchildren to plant trees for posterity," he said in his speech. "May this eloquent sign of hope in the future, and trust in the growth which God gives, sustain all of you in your efforts to cultivate a society of solidarity, justice and peace on the soil of this country and throughout the great African continent.”

On Thursday, Francis will deliver a speech on the environment at the U.N. Environment Program headquarters in Nairobi, with key international talks on climate change in Paris due to begin at the end of the month.

He told Kenyans that the environment and natural resources were gifts from God and there was an obligation to protect them for future generations.

“We have a responsibility to pass on the beauty of nature in its integrity to future generations, and an obligation to exercise a just stewardship of the gifts we have received,” Francis said.

On Friday, he will visit Kangemi, a crowded and squalid slum on the outskirts of Nairobi.

In Uganda where, politicians have repeatedly tried to impose the death penalty for homosexuality and newspapers have published the names, addresses and photographs of gays and lesbians, activists are hoping the pope will deliver a message of tolerance.

In the past Francis has emphasized the church’s position that while it sees homosexuality as “sinful” it also believes gays and lesbians shouldn’t be persecuted.

“If a person is gay and seeks God and has goodwill, who am I to judge?” he said famously in 2013.
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« Reply #699 on: November 26, 2015, 08:21:20 am »

http://news.yahoo.com/pope-says-christian-muslim-dialogue-essential-peace-054916021.html
11/26/15
Pope says Christian-Muslim dialogue essential for peace
Pope in Kenya says Christian-Muslim dialogue essential to prevent extremism, promote peace


NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) -- Pope Francis told Christian and Muslim leaders in Kenya on Thursday that they have little choice but to engage in dialogue to guard against the "barbarous" Islamic extremist attacks that have struck Kenya, saying they need to be "prophets of peace."

Francis met with a small group of Kenya's faith leaders before celebrating his first public Mass on the continent, a joyful, rain-soaked celebration of an estimated 300,000 faithful, including Kenya's president. The Argentine pope, who has never been to Africa before, was treated to ululating Swahili singers, swaying nuns, Maasai tribesmen and traditional dancers at the Mass on the grounds of the University of Nairobi.

On his first full day in Kenya, Francis received a raucous welcome from the crowd as he zoomed around in his open-sided popemobile, some 10,000 police providing security. Some people had been at the university since 3 a.m., braving heavy showers that turned the grounds into thick puddles of mud. Others waited in queues 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) deep to get close to the venue.

But the size of the crowd — estimated by both police and the Vatican — was far smaller than the 1.4 million that Kenyan authorities had expected after declaring Thursday a national holiday. Vatican officials had predicted a maximum of a half-million people, and the lower number was likely due in large part to the weather.

In his homily, Francis appealed for traditional family values, calling for Kenyans to "resist practices which foster arrogance in men, hurt or demean women, don't care for the elderly and threaten the life of the innocent unborn."

The African church is among the most conservative in the world, and African bishops have been at the forefront in insisting that traditional church teachings on marriage and sexuality, and its opposition to abortion, be strongly emphasized.

Francis obliged, but also stressed issues of his own concern: He called for Kenyans to shape a more just society that looks out for the poor and to "reject everything that leads to prejudice and discrimination, for these things are not of God."

Francis heads later to the U.N. regional headquarters in Nairobi for an environment speech. On Friday, he arrives in Uganda for the second leg of his trip.

Earlier Thursday, Francis met with about 25 representatives of Kenya's faith groups: Anglicans, other Protestants, Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus and Jews.

The pope insisted that religion can never be used to justify violence and lamented that "all too often, young people are being radicalized in the name of religion to sow discord and fear, and to tear at the very fabric of our societies."

He said dialogue among the faiths isn't a luxury or optional, but is simply "essential."

Kenya, a former British colony, is majority Christian. Muslims represent about 10 percent of the population.

In the meeting, Francis referred explicitly to three recent attacks claimed by the Somalia-based al-Shabab extremist group, saying he knew well that the memories were still fresh in Kenya's mind.

In April, the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack on a mostly Christian college in northeastern Kenya that left some 150 people dead. A month earlier, al-Shabab claimed responsibility for attacks in Mandera county on the Somali border in which 12 people died. In September 2013, at least 67 people were killed in an attack by al-Shabab on the Westgate mall in Nairobi.

Al-Shabab opposes Kenya's decision to send troops to Somalia to fight the group as part of an African Union force backing Somalia's weak federal government.

"How important it is that we be seen as prophets of peace, peacemakers who invite others to live in peace, harmony and mutual respect," Francis said.

His comments were echoed by Abdulghafur El-Busaidy, the head of the Supreme Council of Kenyan Muslims.

He said Christians and Muslims must work together to accommodate one another, and lead the country. "We should not step back," he said. "We have to lead, because we are led by the word of God."

Francis' message of tolerance and his concern for the poor has been welcomed by Kenyans of all religious stripes.

"This pope has transcended religious fault lines," said Kenyan Sen. Hassan Omar, a Muslim. "He has talked about the plight of Palestinians, the weak and the downtrodden. He epitomizes simplicity and demonstrated that he is foremost a defender for social justice."

Nelly Ndunge, 29, said Francis' visit to Kenya was a blessing because it would renew her faith — and had boosted her printing business: She said she had already sold nearly 3,000 copies of a 2016 calendar with the pope's portrait on it.

"I am a Catholic and I believe he is godsend," she said as she waited to see him at the Mass.

Others shared the sentiment but left the university early because they felt the day was marred by disorganization.

Sarah Ondiso, a senior government official, said security and volunteers arrived at the site only well after the faithful had lined up, and then didn't know where to direct them.
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« Reply #700 on: November 30, 2015, 11:41:01 am »

http://news.yahoo.com/pope-end-africa-trip-mosque-visit-besieged-enclave-064800331.html
Pope ends Africa tour with mosque visit in besieged Muslim enclave
11/30/15

BANGUI (Reuters) - Pope Francis ventured into one of the world's most dangerous neighbourhoods on Monday to implore Christians and Muslims to end a spiral of hate, vendetta and bloodshed that has killed thousands over the past three years and divided a nation.

Ending his three-nation Africa tour under intense security, Francis passed through a no-man's zone to enter PK5, a district where most Muslims who have not fled Central African Republic's capital Bangui have now sought refuge. He later celebrated Mass in the national stadium before flying back to Rome.

The PK5 neighbourhood has been cut off from the rest of the city for the past two months by a ring of so-called anti-balaka Christian militias, who block supplies from entering and Muslims from leaving.

A heavy deployment of United Nations peacekeepers with rifles and bullet-proof vests was present throughout PK5 and armoured vehicles mounted with machineguns were positioned along the route of Pope Francis' motorcade.

U.N. sharpshooters looked out from the tops of the minarets crowning the freshly repainted green and white mosque, where hundreds of PK5's Muslims listened as Francis made an impassioned appeal for an end to the violence.

"Christians and Muslims are brothers and sisters," he said after a speech by Imam Tidiani Moussa Naibi, one of the local religious leaders trying to foster dialogue.

"Those who claim to believe in God must also be men and women of peace," he said, noting that Christians, Muslims and followers of traditional religions had lived together in peace for many years.

He appealed for "an end to every act which, from whatever side, disfigures the face of God and whose ultimate aim is to defend particular interests by any and all means."

Central African Republic descended into chaos in early 2013 when mainly Muslim Seleka rebels seized power in the majority Christian country, sparking reprisals from Christian militias. Leaders from both sides say the hatred has been manipulated for political gain.

Healing rifts between Christian and Muslim communities has been a theme throughout Francis' first visit to the continent, which has also taken him to Kenya and Uganda.

However, nowhere is his call for peace and reconciliation more pressing than in Central African Republic, where thousands have died and hundreds of thousands have been displaced in clashes that have split the country along religious lines.

UNPRECEDENTED SECURITY

"Together, we must say no to hatred, to revenge and to violence, particularly that violence which is perpetrated in the name of a religion or of God himself. God is peace, 'salam,'" the pope said, using the Arabic word for peace.

Unprecedented security measures have been laid on for the pontiff's two-day visit to the former French colony, which took place amid a surge in violence.

In addition to around 500 national police and gendarmes, Central African Republic's United Nations peacekeeping mission brought in additional forces and deployed over 3,000 soldiers in an attempt to secure the city during the pope's visit. French troops based in Bangui were also on alert.

Tit-for-tat killings in and around the tiny PK5 enclave have claimed at least 100 lives since late September, according to Human Rights Watch.

Imam Naibi has called PK5 "an open-air prison", but on Monday he struck a optimistic tone.

"The relationship between our Christian brothers and sisters and ourselves is so deep that no manoeuvre seeking to undermine it will succeed," he told the pope.

"The Christians and Muslims of this country are obliged to live together and love each other."

Both Christians and Muslims have welcomed the pope's visit, hoping he can spur renewed dialogue and help restore peace.

Thousands of Muslims lined the roads of PK5 to get a glimpse of the pontiff, and a group of young Muslims in cars and motorbikes ventured out of the enclave, following the pope's motorcade as it headed to the national stadium.

There, Francis was greeted by believers who packed into its 20,000 seats or onto the soccer pitch, dancing and singing.

After celebrating a final Mass before the cheering crowd, the pope took a lap around the stadium in the back of a modified Toyota pick-up before heading to the airport and flying back to Rome.
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« Reply #701 on: December 01, 2015, 03:19:43 am »

Pope says fundamentalism is 'disease of all religions'

Aboard the papal plane (AFP) - Pope Francis said fundamentalism is "a disease of all religions", including the Roman Catholic Church, as he returned from a three-nation tour of Africa in which he preached reconciliation and hope.

"Fundamentalism is always a tragedy. It is not religious, it lacks God, it is idolatrous," the Argentine pontiff told journalists on the plane back from the Central African Republic.

There, on the final leg of his first trip to Africa, the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics called on Christian and Muslim "brothers and sisters" to end the sectarian conflict that has torn the country apart.

He was given a rapturous welcome by thousands of people as he visited a mosque in the flashpoint Muslim PK5 neighbourhood of the capital Bangui, on what was the most dangerous part of his 24-hour visit to the country.

"Together, we must say no to hatred, to revenge and to violence, particularly that violence which is perpetrated in the name of a religion or of God himself," he said.

Speaking later in the day as he flew back to Rome, Francis said Islam was not the only religion to suffer from violent extremists, such as the ones behind the deadly attacks in Paris which were claimed by the Islamic State.

We Catholics, we have a few, even many fundamentalists. They believe they know absolute truth and corrupt others," he said, adding: "I can say this because this is my Church."

Francis also visited Kenya on his trip, where he denounced the radicalisation of young people, citing "barbarous attacks" by Islamic extremists in Nairobi, Garissa and Mandera.

The country has been hit by numerous deadly attacks since sending its army into neighbouring Somalia in 2011 after a string of kidnappings it blamed on Al-Qaeda's east Africa branch, the Shebab.

In Uganda, huge crowds celebrated as he honoured Christians martyred for the faith and hailed Africa as "the continent of hope".

But it was in Central African Republic, torn apart by brutal violence between mostly Muslim rebels and Christian militias for more than two years, that his visit appeared to have made the most powerful impression.

In extraordinary scenes before he held a papal mass at the capital's Barthelemy Boganda stadium, a group of Muslim rebels from the PK5 area leapt out of two pickup trucks, all wearing T-shirts bearing the pope's image.

As they pushed through the crowd in an area where Muslims usually do not dare to venture, people cheered and shouted: "It's over".

"We thought the whole world had abandoned us, but not him. He loves us Muslims too," said Idi Bohari, an elderly man.

The landlocked Central African Republic descended into bloodshed after longtime Christian leader Francois Bozize was ousted by rebels from the mainly Muslim Seleka force in March 2013.

The coup plunged the former French colony into its worst crisis since independence in 1960, and more than 100 people have been killed in the capital since late September alone.

http://news.yahoo.com/pope-says-fundamentalism-disease-religions-041229589.html
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« Reply #702 on: December 01, 2015, 09:31:13 am »

Quote
"Fundamentalism is always a tragedy. It is not religious, it lacks God, it is idolatrous," the Argentine pontiff told journalists on the plane back from the Central African Republic.

FWIW, I just unsubscribed from a YT channel, that I thought was putting out a lot of edifying teachings et al, b/c today he put out a video saying how KJB-only people are idolators. I should have seen the warning signs when he used the Amplified Version (along with the King James Version) in his videos.

I'm not saying that guy is some Jesuit plant, but sometimes you have to wonder when they use THIS kind of language. It's as if he used the same rhetoric the Pope here used.
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« Reply #703 on: December 02, 2015, 07:19:50 pm »

Pope Francis Criticizes Fundamentalists Who Believe They Possess 'Absolute Truth'

Pope Francis has strictly denounced proponents of fundamentalism who claim that they possess “absolute truth.”
 
The Pontiff recently concluded his three-country tour of Africa, visiting the Central African Republic, Uganda, and Kenya.
 
The Christian Post reports that during an in-flight press conference on his return trip to Rome, Francis stated,“We Catholics have some--and not some, many--who believe they possess the absolute truth and go ahead dirtying the other with calumny, with disorientation, and doing evil. They do evil. I say this because it is my Church.”
 
He added that “ideas and false certainties” can replace faith, love, and God.
 
The Pope said he was pleased with his trip to Africa where he focused on bringing unity between Christians and Muslims.
 
"We are living at a time when religious believers, and persons of goodwill everywhere are called to foster mutual understanding and respect, and to support each other as members of our one human family. For all of us are God's children," Francis stated.

Francis also commented on the climate change talks in Paris, stating, “We are on the verge of suicide, to put it strongly.” He urged world leaders to take action on this issue.

http://www.christianheadlines.com/blog/pope-francis-criticizes-fundamentalists-who-believe-they-possess-absolute-truth.html

and here i thought that the catholic church as the only ones with absolute truth, hunh...  Cheesy
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« Reply #704 on: December 11, 2015, 03:49:26 pm »

POPE FRANCIS ISSUES DECREE THAT JEWS SHOULD NOT BE TOLD ABOUT SALVATION IN JESUS CHRIST
"In concrete terms this means that the Catholic Church neither conducts nor supports any specific institutional mission work directed towards Jews," said the document, adding that there was a "principled rejection of an institutional Jewish mission."

http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/pope-francis-says-jews-should-not-be-converted/
12/10/15

CATHOLICS SHOULD NOT TRY TO CONVERT JEWS AND SHOULD WORK WITH THEM TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM, THE VATICAN SAID ON THURSDAY IN A MAJOR NEW DOCUMENT THAT DREW THE CHURCH FURTHER AWAY FROM THE STRAINED RELATIONS OF THE PAST.

“And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3 (KJV)

EDITOR’S NOTE: THE BIBLE SAYS THAT JESUS CHRIST CAME TO “SAVE HIS PEOPLE” FROM THEIR SINS. TODAY, POPE FRANCIS ANNOUNCED THAT SOUL-SAVING KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST SHOULD BE WITHHELD FROM ANYONE WHO IS JEWISH, AND THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BE CONVERTED. THIS IS IN DIRECT OPPOSITION TO EVERYTHING THE BIBLE TEACHES ABOUT SALVATION, AND AGAINST THE DIRECT STATEMENTS OF JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF. AND YOU WONDER WHY WE THINK THIS POPE IS THE FALSE PROPHET? PURPOSELY NOT TELLING THE JEWS HOW TO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE IS THE WORST KIND OF ANTI-SEMITISM THERE COULD EVER POSSIBLY BE.

Christianity and Judaism are intertwined and God never annulled his covenant with the Jewish people, said the document from the Vatican’s Commission for Religious Relations with Jews.

“The Church is therefore obliged to view evangelization to Jews, who believe in the one God, in a different manner from that to people of other religions and world views,” it said.

It also said Catholics should be particularly sensitive to the significance to Jews of the Shoah, the Hebrew word for the Holocaust, and pledged “to do all that is possible with our Jewish friends to repel anti-Semitic tendencies.”

“A Christian can never be an anti-Semite, especially because of the Jewish roots of Christianity,” it said.

The document coincided with the 50th anniversary of a revolutionary Vatican statement that repudiated the concept of collective Jewish guilt for Jesus’ death and launched a theological dialogue that traditionalists have rejected.

They feel there should be a so-called “Jewish mission” to convert Jews because they did not accept Jesus as the Messiah, and were therefore bound to be displeased by the new official stance on conversion, a senior Vatican official said.

“In concrete terms this means that the Catholic Church neither conducts nor supports any specific institutional mission work directed towards Jews,” said the document, adding that there was a “principled rejection of an institutional Jewish mission.”

A Vatican expert in Catholic-Jewish dialogue said it was the first time a repudiation of active conversion of Jews was so clearly stated in a Vatican document. source
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« Reply #705 on: December 26, 2015, 07:52:43 pm »

The Pope Says This Christmas Is A ‘Charade’ And That For Some People ‘It May Be Their Last’

Pope Francis sure does say a lot of strange things. I don’t think that any other Pope throughout history has ever called Christmas a “charade” or has suggested that for many people this Christmas “may be their last”. What in the world would cause Pope Francis to adopt such an ominous tone? Without a doubt, the leader of the largest religious organization in the entire world would be privy to information that would not be available to ordinary people like you and I. Could it be possible that he is aware of something that is coming that is going to dramatically change life on this planet? What we do know is that our world is becoming increasingly unstable. World War III threatens to erupt in the Middle East at any time, the number of terror attacks around the globe continues to increase, earthquake activity continues to rise, giant cracks are opening up in the ground all over the world, and we are rapidly plunging into a brand new global financial crisis. There is certainly a lot to be concerned about, but what would make the Pope so glum that he would actually call Christmas a “charade”?

One of the primary reasons why the Pope is so down is all of the war that is going on all over the planet right now. It was in the context of talking about war that he made this recent statement about Christmas being “a charade”…

Pope Francis has declared in a sermon that Christmas this year will be a “charade” because “the whole world is at war”.

The pontiff’s speech at the Vatican came after terrorist attacks in France claimed the lives of 129 people; a Russian plane was bombed and dozens of people were killed in a double suicide attack in Lebanon.

Speaking during Mass at the Casa Santa Maria, he said: “We are close to Christmas. There will be lights, there will be parties, bright trees, even Nativity scenes – all decked out – while the world continues to wage war.”

“It’s all a charade. The world has not understood the way of peace. The whole world is at war.”

And what he has said is actually true. War and civil conflict are breaking out all over the planet, and all of this violence threatens to spiral out of control as we head into 2016.

On another occasion, Pope Francis even went so far as to suggest that we have now entered a third world war…

“Even today, after the second failure of another world war, perhaps one can speak of a third war, one fought piecemeal, with crimes, massacres, destruction.”

So has World War III begun?

I don’t know that I would go that far, but I believe that we are certainly on the road toward it.

The recent statements from Pope Francis that I have already shared with you are bizarre enough, but then just a few days ago he added this whopper to the list…

The Pontiff, who turned 79 on Thursday, elaborated on his views this weekend, telling a crowd, “While the world starves, burns, and descends further into chaos, we should realise that this year’s Christmas celebrations for those who choose to celebrate it may be their last”.

What in the world did he mean by that?

Precisely who was he talking about when he said that “it may be their last” Christmas?

That statement can be taken a lot of different ways, and it has raised a lot of eyebrows. And of course this is just the most recent example of this Pope doing and saying some very unusual things. Just consider what we have seen over the past couple of years…

–Pope Francis Declares That Christian Fundamentalism ‘Is A Sickness’

–In New York, Pope Francis Embraced Chrislam And Laid A Foundation For A One World Religion

–In Fiery Speeches, Pope Francis Excoriates Global Capitalism

–Pope Francis Calls For A New Global Political Authority To Save Humanity

–The Pope’s Embrace Of Evolution Brings Us One Step Closer To A One World Religion

–Pope Francis And Shimon Peres Discuss The Establishment Of A ‘United Nations Of Religions’

This Pope has been unlike any Pope that we have ever seen before. He has been consistently doing and saying things that would be regarded as “crazy” if any other religious leader did or said them, but because he is the Pope he gets away with it.

Meanwhile, other prominent voices around the planet are also issuing apocalyptic warnings these days.

For instance, tech guru Elon Musk believes that World War III “could erupt at any time”…

World War III could erupt at any time, and the effects could be devastating.

That’s the warning from top technology boss Elon Musk.

The billionaire businessman, who’s companies include Tesla Motors and SpaceX, believes a number of factors including the growth of religious extremism could trigger a third World War.

Musk believes that in the future the world could find itself locked in a nuclear World War “far worse than anything that’s happened before.”

And I believe that Musk is right about that.

Personally, I am completely convinced that we are eventually heading toward a third world war, and I believe that it will fundamentally change life on this planet.

So what is the solution?

Well, Musk believes that we need to consider traveling to Mars while there is still time…

Mankind may only have a brief window to set foot on Mars before a disaster such as a third World War makes it no longer possible, Elon Musk has warned.

The founder of SpaceX, which was the first private company to resupply the International Space Station, fears such a war could set back technological advancements.

His company is preparing to announce its ambitious plans for rocket and spacecraft technology to carry humans to the red planet.

To Musk, a “colony on Mars” would make perfect sense. He believes that it would give us the best chance to survive as a species if life on this planet was totally wiped out…

Speaking in an interview with GQ, he said such a mission may be important to help ensure the long term survival of mankind.

In particular, he believes a Martian colony could help to ensure humanity survives if there is ever a calamity on Earth that destroys life here.

‘You back up your hard drive…. Maybe we should back up life, too?’ he said.

If life is so great and everything is under control, then why are world leaders like Elon Musk and Pope Francis so seemingly obsessed with apocalyptic scenarios?

Could it be possible that everything is not really “under control”?

The truth, of course, is that most of us have a gut feeling that big trouble is on the horizon. Many of us may not know exactly what that trouble will consist of, and we may not be able to put our feelings into words, but deep inside most of us understand that the future is not bright.

So what should we do?

Is there anything that can be done?

Is it inevitable that humanity is facing a future of chaos and war?

http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/the-pope-says-this-christmas-is-a-charade-and-that-for-some-people-it-may-be-their-last
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« Reply #706 on: December 26, 2015, 10:31:56 pm »

Yes, Frankie DID telegraph some punches here - xmas is nothing more than "bread and circuses" to heavily distract the masses.
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« Reply #707 on: December 29, 2015, 04:57:34 pm »

Pope Francis assures atheists: You don’t have to believe in God to go to heaven

Michael Day | The Independent | Dec 26, 2015, 10.48 AM IST

In comments likely to enhance his progressive reputation, Pope Francis has written a long, open letter to the founder of La Repubblica newspaper, Eugenio Scalfari, stating that non-believers would be forgiven by God if they followed their consciences.

Responding to a list of questions published in the paper by Mr Scalfari, who is not a Roman Catholic, Francis wrote: "You ask me if the God of the Christians forgives those who don't believe and who don't seek the faith. I start by saying - and this is the fundamental thing - that God's mercy has no limits if you go to him with a sincere and contrite heart.

The issue for those who do not believe in God is to obey their conscience.

"Sin, even for those who have no faith, exists when people disobey their conscience."

Robert Mickens, the Vatican correspondent for the Catholic journal The Tablet, said the pontiff's comments were further evidence of his attempts to shake off the Catholic Church's fusty image, reinforced by his extremely conservative predecessor Benedict XVI. "Francis is a still a conservative," said Mickens. "But what this is all about is him seeking to have a more meaningful dialogue with the world."

In a welcoming response to the letter, Scalfari said the Pope's comments were "further evidence of his ability and desire to overcome barriers in dialogue with all".

In July, Francis signalled a more progressive attitude on sexuality, asking: "If someone is gay and is looking for the Lord, who am I to judge him?"

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/Pope-Francis-assures-atheists-You-dont-have-to-believe-in-God-to-go-to-heaven/articleshow/50330694.cms
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« Reply #708 on: January 05, 2016, 01:46:38 pm »

Frank begins search for ANTICHRIST

In 2016, Francis may be a pope in search of a partner
Plus: What if the pope throws a jubilee and no one comes?


When a strong pope with a clear social agenda intersects with a world leader who shares the same basic outlook, and one who’s willing to put elbow grease behind it, sometimes history can change.

With the support of King Philip II of Spain, for instance, St. Pius V promoted a “Holy League” that turned back a possible Ottoman Muslim conquest of Europe at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. Four centuries later, St. John Paul II and US President Ronald Reagan joined forces in a successful effort to bring down Soviet Communism.

Though with a different set of priorities, Pope Francis has a similar ambition to shape history. He wants to steer it away from what he’s called the “globalization of indifference” to the poor, refugees, and other victims of a “throw-away culture”, and he wants to end a Third World War he believes is being fought today in “piece-meal” fashion.

The question facing Francis in 2016 is: Who’s the political partner who could help him move the ball? In truth, it’s not easy to answer.

For centuries, the Vatican instinctively looked to the great Catholic powers of Europe as its natural allies. Today, that logic no longer holds.

In Western Europe, traditionally Catholic nations such as France and Spain are mired in domestic difficulties, and their strongly secular ethos is suspicious of ecclesiastical leadership in politics. In the East, the most staunchly Catholic nation, Poland, is currently led by a nationalist government hostile to Francis’ priorities on several fronts, from the treatment of refugees to the use of fossil fuels.
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(The political climate in Poland should make Francis’ scheduled visit in late July to lead the Church’s World Youth Day highly interesting.)

More recently the Vatican has tended to rely on the United States, but that too seems a dicey proposition going forward.

Obama and Francis did come together in the historic reopening of relations with Cuba, but veteran Italian journalist Piero Schiavazzi recently made the interesting observation that Francis could be in for the same disappointment today that befell John Paul II after the collapse of Communism.

John Paul wanted to bring Eastern and Western Europe back together, hoping the East would revive the spiritually moribund West, only to watch Western consumerism and secularism triumph. Likewise, Schiavazzi suggests Francis has helped reunify the Americas but he may be unhappy with the aftermath, as a conservative political wave away from his preferred brand of social democracy seems to be building in Latin America, including his native Argentina, and the United States could well be on the brink of electing Donald Trump.

Even if Hillary Clinton prevails in 2016, that’s not necessary a forecast for an era of good feelings. During the last Clinton administration, the Vatican and the White House fought titanic battles over population control and abortion during United Nations conferences in Cairo and Beijing.

Who does that leave?

One option would be Vladimir Putin, recently crowned by Forbes as the most powerful person in the world, and Francis and the Russian leader have done business on several fronts. In September 2013 they aligned to resist calls for Western military intervention in Syria, and Putin’s pledge to defend persecuted Christians in the Middle East is something Francis values.

On the other hand, Francis also has repeatedly criticized Russia’s intervention in Ukraine, and in any event a marriage between the “Pope of Mercy” and, arguably, the least merciful public figure on the planet, doesn’t quite seem a match made in heaven.

Francis could look to China, the world’s emerging superpower, under Xi Jinping. (The pontiff and the Chinese premier finished fourth and fifth on the Forbes power countdown.)

Yet the two men didn’t meet when they were both in the United States at the same time in September, suggesting that a long-standing chill between Beijing and Rome has yet to thaw, and until China rethinks its policies on religious freedom, a partnership could only go so far.

One might think a “Pope of the Peripheries” would naturally look to the developing world for strategic partnerships, and there are promising options. What I’ve called the PINS nations – the Philippines, India, Nigeria, and South Korea – all have dynamic, growing Catholic communities, and they all are countries positioned for leadership.

Yet for various reasons, each has its drawbacks as a potential partner. India, for example, is ruled by a Hindu nationalist government hostile to the country’s Christian minority, while Nigeria is engulfed by internal woes, chiefly Boko Haram. The Philippines is facing its own election cycle in 2016, and South Korean foreign policy often begins and ends with its neighbor to the north.

Perhaps the answer for Pope Francis is that there simply is no Philip II or Ronald Reagan awaiting him in 2016, meaning a single world leader with vision and clout whose interests align neatly with his own.

Instead, if Francis is correct that a Third World War is being fought piece-meal, perhaps the only response may be an equally piece-meal brand of diplomacy, crafting short-term alliances with various figures on specific issues but refraining from putting all his eggs in one basket.

So far, the piece-meal war denounced by Francis seems to be doing just fine without any overarching leadership. It remains to be seen if a similarly ad-hoc kind of peacemaking, inspired by the pontiff but without a clear dancing partner, can be equally effective in resolving it.

* * *

What if the pope throws a jubilee and no one comes?

Philosophy’s classic head-scratcher asks if a tree falls in the forest but no one’s there to hear it, does it make a sound? In 2016, Pope Francis may face his own personal version of that conundrum: If a pope calls a jubilee year but no one shows up, did it actually happen?

That’s a tongue-in-cheek way of putting things, because to suggest “no one” may turn out for the Holy Year of Mercy that Francis has set to run from Dec. 8, 2015, to Nov. 20, 2016, is wildly overstated. Plenty of pilgrims have already taken part in its early moments, including the opening of a Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 8 and on New Year’s Day at St. Mary Major, and the city of Rome is expecting throngs of additional visitors during the year.

On the other hand, Vatican statistics released at the end of the year show that attendance at papal events in December was down significantly with respect to 2014, having dropped 30 percent from the same month in the previous year. Crowd totals fell from 461,000 last December to 324,000 in December 2015, despite the fact that there were actually a few more events this December due to the beginning of the Holy Year.

The decline was palpable during the holiday period, as crowds for the pope’s Urbi et Orbi address on Christmas Day and his noontime Angelus on New Year’s Day were enthusiastic but notably smaller than usual.

Based on the diminished turnout, one Italian newspaper carried the headline: “A ‘Jubilee Effect’ Just Isn’t There.” Some Italian commentators began rolling out the word “flop” to describe the jubilee’s early phase.

Most observers believe a primary reason for the small crowds is widespread concern over security in the wake of the November terrorist attacks in Paris, which has produced alarm over large public gatherings all over Europe. It’s had a chilling effect on tourism generally, with officials in the Italian province that includes Rome also reporting below-average hotel occupancy rates during the holiday period.

Every day seems to bring a new security scare. On New Year’s Day, for instance, there was a report of a suspicious package discovered on Rome’s subway system which discouraged many locals from using public transportation.

Since terrorism does not seem on the brink of disappearing, it could cast a shadow over the entire year. If a thirty percent drop for Francis’ events were to continue throughout 2016, it would mean that almost two million fewer people will see him during his all-important jubilee year than in the previous two.

There may, however, be two other forces behind the drop-off, both of which may not necessarily be alarming for the kind of jubilee Pope Francis hopes to lead.

For one thing, Francis created unusually high expectations for crowd size in the early stages of his papacy. Official Vatican figures estimate that Francis drew almost six million people to public events in Rome during 2014, after setting a record total of 6.6 million in 2013. Both represented astonishing spikes in comparison to the turnout for Pope Benedict XVI, who in 2011 drew 2.5 million.

Since Francis’ election, virtually every Wednesday General Audience and Sunday Angelus address in Rome took on the feel of a major canonization Mass, with massive crowds forcing police to block off portions of the broad Via della Conciliazione leading to St. Peter’s Square.

To some extent, it could be that Francis’ totals were always destined to come back to Earth, and December 2015 may go down as the moment when that levelling-off began to happen. For a pontiff who’s groused about being dubbed a “superman,” that may not seem an entirely bad thing.

In addition, Francis has said he doesn’t want the Year of Mercy to be celebrated exclusively in Rome, but also in local parishes and dioceses all around the world.

For the first time in the history of the Church’s jubilee tradition, which stretches all the way back to Pope Boniface VIII in 1300, individual dioceses have been asked to open their own Holy Door, to be called a “Door of Mercy,” either in the local cathedral or in a church of special meaning or a shrine of particular importance. People who want the plenary indulgence associated with passing through a holy door can do so without the need to come to Rome.

During a press conference in May, Italian Archbishop Rino Fisichella of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of New Evangelization — more or less the “director” of the Holy Year — tried to underscore its originality.

“In order to avoid any misunderstanding,” he said, “it is important to reiterate that this Jubilee of Mercy is not, and does not intend to be, the Great Jubilee Year of 2000.”

His reference was to the holy year held under St. John Paul II to mark the turn of the millennium in 2000, widely considered the biggest blockbuster in the history of jubilees. It featured a special event in Rome virtually every day, including – this is no joke – jubilee days for pizza chefs, motorcycle riders, and circus performers.

The city of Rome officially estimates that 24.5 million people took part in John Paul II’s jubilee at some point during the year 2000; Censis, an Italian research institute, put the total at 32 million.

Francis seems to have in mind a less Rome-centric event. On Ash Wednesday this year, which falls on Feb. 10, he’ll commission a special corps of priests, called “Missionaries of Mercy,” part of whose charge is to go out and organize special events connected to the jubilee for local churches around the world.

If crowds are smaller in Rome this time, therefore, it won’t necessarily mean the jubilee is a flop. It could simply signify that it’s working according to design, as some share of potential pilgrims decide to observe the event in their own backyards.

For those reasons, the party most likely to be disappointed if the expected tidal wave of visitors to Rome never materializes almost certainly won’t be Pope Francis.

Instead, it will be Rome’s hotel operators, tour guides, cab drivers, restauranteurs, and gift shop owners, all of whom have been counting on the jubilee to boost their flagging bottom lines. The pope may be happy with a smaller and less spectacular event, but the people who make a living from his star power probably shouldn’t be expected to share the sentiment.

http://www.cruxnow.com/church/2016/01/03/in-2016-francis-may-be-a-pope-in-search-of-a-partner/
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« Reply #709 on: January 05, 2016, 02:55:51 pm »

Kenny Jacobs reported about this yesterday - yes, this IS big news! I don't know if Francis is either the AC or FP, but nonetheless it looks like the chess pieces are set in play now (and maybe the pawns have started to move).
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« Reply #710 on: January 07, 2016, 05:17:57 pm »

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/catholicnews/2016/01/in-first-video-message-pope-francis-stresses-unity-we-are-all-children-of-god/
In first prayer video, Pope stresses interfaith unity: ‘We are all children of God’
1/7/16

Vatican City, Jan 7, 2016 / 04:40 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Pope’s first-ever video message on his monthly prayer intentions was released Tuesday, highlighting the importance of interreligious dialogue and the beliefs different faith traditions hold in common, such as the figure of God and love.

“Many think differently, feel differently, seeking God or meeting God in different ways. In this crowd, in this range of religions, there is only one certainty that we have for all: we are all children of God,” Pope Francis said in his message, released Jan. 6, the feast of the Epiphany.
At the beginning of the video, a minute-and-a-half long, the Pope cites the fact that the majority of the earth’s inhabitants profess some sort of religious belief.

This, he said, “should lead to a dialogue among religions. We should not stop praying for it and collaborating with those who think differently.”
The video goes on to feature representatives of Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and Judaism, who proclaim their respective beliefs in God, Jesus Christ, Allah and Buddha.

Later on, after the Pope affirms that all, regardless of their religious profession, are children of God, the faith leaders state their common belief in love.

Pope Francis closes the video by expressing his hope that viewers “will spread my prayer request this month: that sincere dialogue among men and women of different faiths may produce fruits of peace and justice. I have confidence in your prayers.”

An initiative of the Jesuit-run global prayer network Apostleship of Prayer, the video was filmed in collaboration with the Vatican Television Center (CTV) and marks the first time the Pope’s monthly prayer intentions have been featured on video.

The Apostleship of Prayer was founded by Jesuit seminarians in France in 1884 to encourage Christians to serve God and others through prayer, particularly for the needs of the Church. Since the late 1800s the organization has also received a monthly intention from the Pope. In 1929 an additional, missionary intention was added by the Holy Father, aimed at the faithful in particular.

Referred to on the organizations’ website as the Pope’s “universal” and “evangelization” intentions, this month’s prayer requests focus on Francis’ desire for Interreligious Dialogue and Christian Unity.

Francis offers his universal petition so that “sincere dialogue among men and women of different faiths may produce the fruits of peace and justice,” and expresses his evangelistic prayer that “by means of dialogue and fraternal charity and with the grace of the Holy Spirit, Christians may overcome divisions.”

The Apostleship of Prayer has called the new videos on the intentions “The Pope Video.” While there are two intentions, the videos are centered on the first, universal intention.

This month’s video also features old friends of the pontiff from his time in Buenos Aires. Namely, Rabbi Daniel Goldman, Fr. Guillermo Marco, a Catholic priest, and Islamic leader Omar Abboud.

Released on various social media sites such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, the video shows Pope Francis speaking in his native Spanish, with subtitles available in a total of 10 different languages.

Papal prayer intentions for the rest of the year are listed on the organization’s website, displaying themes close to Francis’ heart, such as prayers for creation, families in difficulty, small farmers, indigenous peoples, countries receiving refugees, an end to child-soldiers, solidarity and respect for women.

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« Reply #711 on: January 10, 2016, 09:38:13 pm »

‘Pope Francis’ Calls for Collaboration With World’s Religions, Those Who ‘Meet God in Different Ways’

Starts search for Antichrist, calls all religions together as one...

In his first-ever video declaring his “prayer intentions,” the Roman Catholic leader Jorge Bergoglio, also known as Pope Francis, called for dialogue and collaboration among those of the various world religions on Tuesday, asserting that they are simply “seeking or meeting God in different ways.”

“Most of the planet’s inhabitants declare themselves believers,” he states in the production released on the Feast of Epiphany. “This should lead to dialogue among religions. We should not stop praying for it and collaborating with those who think differently.”

The video then features clips of those from different world religions declaring belief in their various deities.

“I have confidence in Buddha,” a female lama announces.

“I believe in God,” a rabbi affirms.

“I believe in Jesus Christ,” a priest states.

“I believe in Allah,” an Islamic leader declares.

Francis contends that all the religions of the world simply represent mankind’s diversity in seeking God. He says that despite the differing beliefs, everyone is a child of the same God.

“Many think differently, feel differently, seeking God or meeting God in different ways,” he states. “In this crowd, in this range of religions, there is only one certainty that we have for all: we are all children of God.”

The video then provides footage of the pontiff meeting with and embracing those of various religions, including Buddhists, Islamists and Orthodox Jews. It again cuts to representatives of the world’s religions, who now declare the same statement: “I believe in love.”

“I hope you will spread my prayer request this month: that sincere dialogue among men and women of different faiths may produce fruits of peace and justice,” Francis states. “I have confidence in your prayers.”

But not everyone is supportive of the Vatican’s call for unity and common ground. Mike Gendron of Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries of Plano, Texas told Christian News Network that the pontiff’s assertions that all mankind is “seeking or meeting God in different ways,” and that all are children of the same God, are flawed.

“Tragically, those who do not know the Bible or who refuse to submit to it as the supreme authority for truth, will be deceived by the pope’s latest pronouncement,” he stated. “The pope’s assertion that all mankind meets with/seeks after the same God, just in different ways, is false according to the word of God. No one seeks for (the true) God (Rom. 3:11), but there are many who seek after false gods of their own imagination or false gods of their religious traditions. The only way to meet with the true God is His way, through the one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5).”

“The word of God reveals that the human race is made up of people who are either children of God or children of the devil (1 John 3:10),” Gendron explained. “The Lord Jesus soundly rebuked the religious leaders of His day for refusing to believe the truth of His Word (John 8:440-43). Jesus told them that their father was the devil, who is the father of lies (John 8:44).”

“This remains true today,” he continued. “The god of this world has created a variety of religions to blind all of his children from the light of the Gospel and the glory of Christ (2 Cor. 4:4).”

Gedron said that in one sense—although not deliberately—Francis is correct as all are children of the darkness by nature, but man only becomes a child of God when he is reborn in Christ.

“Everyone is a child of the ‘god of this world’ until they exchange their religion for a relationship with the one true God through Jesus Christ,” he outlined. “Those who receive Jesus by believing in His name become children of God (John 1:12-13).”

Gendron, a former Roman Catholic, also opined that the pontiff’s ecumenicism is fulfilling prophesy about the formulation of a one world religion.

“As the pope continues to accelerate his ecumenical agenda to rebuild the religious tower of Babel, he will be fulfilling Bible prophecy. All the religions of the world already share a ‘works-righteousness’ salvation and they all are already united by a common spiritual bond,” he said.

“As we see the prophetic one-world religion forming, we know the children of the true God will have no part of it because they have been sanctified by the truth and sealed with the Holy Spirit (2 Thes. 2:13),” Gendron stated.



http://christiannews.net/2016/01/09/pope-calls-for-collaboration-with-worlds-religions-those-who-meet-god-in-different-ways/
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« Reply #712 on: January 11, 2016, 12:05:14 am »

One World Religion: Pope Francis Says All Major Religions Are ‘Meeting God In Different Ways’

A new video has just been released in which Pope Francis very clearly expresses his belief that all of the major religions are different paths to the same God. He says that while people from various global faiths may be “seeking God or meeting God in different ways” that it is important to keep in mind that “we are all children of God”. This is the most recent example that shows that the Pope has completely abandoned any notion that a relationship with God is available only through Jesus Christ. As he has done throughout his papacy, he continues to lay the groundwork for the coming one world religion, and yet hardly anyone seems upset by this.

When I first heard of this new video, I was so stunned that I thought that it might be a joke. But the truth is that this video is very real. The following comes from an article that was put out by Catholic News Agency…

The Pope’s first-ever video message on his monthly prayer intentions was released Tuesday, highlighting the importance of interreligious dialogue and the beliefs different faith traditions hold in common, such as the figure of God and love.

“Many think differently, feel differently, seeking God or meeting God in different ways. In this crowd, in this range of religions, there is only one certainty that we have for all: we are all children of God,” Pope Francis said in his message, released Jan. 6, the feast of the Epiphany.

But it isn’t just Pope Francis speaking in this video. In fact, one section of the video features leaders from various global religions expressing faith in their respective deities. The following comes from an article about this new video that was posted on Christian News Network…

The video then features clips of those from different world religions declaring belief in their various deities.

“I have confidence in Buddha,” a female lama announces.

“I believe in God,” a rabbi affirms.

“I believe in Jesus Christ,” a priest states.

“I believe in Allah,” an Islamic leader declares.

Are you shocked yet?

The Pope closes the video with an appeal for people from every religion to talk with one another and to work with one another. Here is more from Catholic News Agency…

Later on, after the Pope affirms that all, regardless of their religious profession, are children of God, the faith leaders state their common belief in love.

Pope Francis closes the video by expressing his hope that viewers “will spread my prayer request this month: that sincere dialogue among men and women of different faiths may produce fruits of peace and justice. I have confidence in your prayers.”

If you have not seen this video yet, it is definitely worth a few minutes of your time. You can watch it right here…



Of course this is not the first time that Pope Francis has done something like this. Very early in his papacy, he authorized “Islamic prayers and readings from the Quran” at the Vatican for the first time ever. And as I documented in a previous article entitled “In New York, Pope Francis Embraced Chrislam And Laid A Foundation For A One World Religion“, during his visit to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan he made it very clear that he believes that Christians and Muslims worship the same God. The following is how he began his address…
I would like to express two sentiments for my Muslim brothers and sisters: Firstly, my greetings as they celebrate the feast of sacrifice. I would have wished my greeting to be warmer. My sentiments of closeness, my sentiments of closeness in the face of tragedy. The tragedy that they suffered in Mecca.

In this moment, I give assurances of my prayers. I unite myself with you all. A prayer to almighty god, all merciful.

In Islam, one of Allah’s primary titles is “the all-merciful one”. If you doubt this, just do a Google search. And this certainly was not the first time that Pope Francis has used such language. For example, check out the following excerpt from remarks that he made during his very first ecumenical meeting as Pope…

I then greet and cordially thank you all, dear friends belonging to other religious traditions; first of all the Muslims, who worship the one God, living and merciful, and call upon Him in prayer, and all of you. I really appreciate your presence: in it I see a tangible sign of the will to grow in mutual esteem and cooperation for the common good of humanity.

The Catholic Church is aware of the importance of promoting friendship and respect between men and women of different religious traditions – I wish to repeat this: promoting friendship and respect between men and women of different religious traditions – it also attests the valuable work that the Pontifical Council for interreligious dialogue performs.

Are you starting to get the picture?

Pope Francis believes that all religions are different paths to the same God, and he is working hard to lay a foundation for the coming one world religion.

After watching this most recent video, I don’t know how anyone can possibly deny that.

However, there are some religious people that Pope Francis does not like. Just recently, he referred to Christian fundamentalism as “a sickness“, and he made it clear that there was no room for it in Catholicism.

So precisely what is “fundamentalism”?

Google defines it as “a form of a religion, especially Islam or Protestant Christianity, that upholds belief in the strict, literal interpretation of scripture.”

Does this mean that Pope Francis is against any Christian that believes in a literal interpretation of the Bible?

That does appear to be what he is saying, and without a doubt those would be the Christians that would be against the kind of one world religion that he appears to be promoting.

Nearly 2000 years ago, the Apostle John warned us that a one world religion was coming, and now we can see that it is coming to fruition.

So what will the end result of all of this be?

http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/one-world-religion-pope-francis-says-all-major-religions-are-meeting-god-in-different-ways
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« Reply #713 on: January 21, 2016, 10:27:05 am »

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/pope-changes-church-law-for-gender-friendly-pre-easter-rite/2016/01/21/cc228424-c043-11e5-98c8-7fab78677d51_story.html
Pope changes church rule for gender-friendly pre-Easter rite
1/21/16

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has changed church regulations to correspond to his rule-breaking celebration of the Easter Week ritual of washing the feet of men and women, Christians and not, in a sign of universal service.

Vatican rules for the Holy Thursday rite had long called for only men to participate, and popes past and many priests traditionally performed the ritual on 12 Catholic men, recalling Jesus’ 12 apostles.

Shortly after he was elected, Francis raised conservative eyebrows by performing the rite on men and women, Christians as well as Muslims, at a Roman juvenile detention facility in Rome.

He has continued to include men and women, young and old, sick and healthy and people of different faiths, travelling each year to encounter them to show his willingness to serve. It was a tradition he began as archbishop in Buenos Aires.

On Thursday, the Vatican published a decree from the Vatican’s liturgy office introducing an “innovation” to the church’s rules that corresponds to Francis’ way of doing things.

The decree said the rite can now be performed on anyone “chosen from among the people of God,” Catholic or not. Priests must only make sure that those participating are instructed beforehand as to the significance of the gesture.

It specifies that the group can include “men and women, and hopefully young and old, healthy and sick, clerical, consecrated and lay.”

In an accompanying letter, dated Dec. 20 but released Thursday, Francis wrote that he wanted to change the current rules “to fully express the significance of Jesus’ gesture, his giving of himself to the end for the salvation of the world and his unending charity.”
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« Reply #714 on: February 02, 2016, 07:35:48 pm »

http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/pope-francis-to-become-first-pope-in-vatican-history-to-star-in-a-feature-film/
POPE FRANCIS TO BE FIRST POPE IN VATICAN HISTORY TO STAR IN A FEATURE FILM
For the first time in both cinematic and Vatican history, the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church will play himself in a big screen feature. Pope Francis is due to appear in family adventure film Beyond The Sun from AMBI Pictures.

2/2/16

THE “INSPIRATIONAL STORY” OF BEYOND THE SUN IS BASED ON THE GOSPELS AND TOLD IN SEVERAL TALES. IT WILL FOCUS ON CHILDREN FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES WHO EMULATE THE APOSTLES WHILE SEARCHING FOR JESUS IN THE WORLD AROUND THEM.

“And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” Revelation 17:14,15 (KJV)

Pope Francis has no children, yet his worshippers call him the “holy father”, a title stolen from God in John 17:11 (KJV). He is a mere and mortal human being like anyone else, but somehow is granted the blasphemous title of “His Holiness”. Now the one known as the “vicar of christ” is set to star in a movie that he himself created.

For the first time in both cinematic and Vatican history, the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church will play himself in a big screen feature. Pope Francis is due to appear in family adventure film Beyond The Sun from AMBI Pictures. The casting came about after the pope asked the filmmakers to make a movie for children that communicates the message of Jesus. All profits from the faith-based film will be donated to two charities, El Almendro and Los Hogares de Cristo, which help aid at-risk children and young adults in need, and are located in Argentina, Pope Francis’ home country.

POPE FRANCIS SAYS JESUS FAILED AT THE CROSS:



The “inspirational story” of Beyond The Sun is based on the Gospels and told in several tales. It will focus on children from different cultures who emulate the apostles while searching for Jesus in the world around them. The filmmakers say it is intended to “spiritually engage and encourage audiences of all ages to transmit Jesus’ words, to understand them and integrate them to live a better life, make good choices and help others.” Graciela Rodriguez wrote the screenplay.

So far, the actual storylines have not yet been released, but we are willing to wager that the Pope will be presenting the same “jesus” he always presents. A mythical, powerless New Age Jesus who is still on the cross, and as Francis said last year, the “biggest failure” in the history of the world.
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« Reply #715 on: February 11, 2016, 04:42:17 am »

Mar 2:7
Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?


Pope unleashes 'super confessors' to tackle special sins

Dubbed 'super confessors', for one year only they can absolve sins usually only pardoned by the pope himself.

And on Wednesday over 1,000 of these "missionaries of mercy", handpicked by Pope Francis, were sent forth to win back the hearts of those who have left the Catholic Church and open the door to repentant sinners across the world.

There are certain evils the Vatican ranks above other sins, from attempting to assassinate the pope to defiling the Eucharist -- the rite of consuming consecrated bread and wine in Church -- by spitting it out or using it in a Satanic ritual.

Since the 12th century, those guilty of these so-called "reserved sins" had their cases evaluated by a secret tribunal in the tiny Vatican city state before they were sent before the pope, who would determine an appropriate penance.

Now, 1,142 priests and monks from around the world have be given the power, for the Vatican's Jubilee Year, to forgive sinners in their flocks -- and possibly fellow priests as one of the special sins is breaking the seal of confession.

Maltese Franciscan Marcello Ghirlando, 53, told AFP he thought giving the 'super confessors' authority usually reserved for the man in white was "a symbolic gesture" to show people the Church is ready to wipe slates clean.

"I think the pope wants to insist that 'listen, God is always going to forgive us if we turn to him with a clean heart, with a repentant heart'," he said with a grin, adding that he was relishing the challenge of bringing people back to church.

Pope Francis has repeatedly warned priests not to turn off potential believers by being boring, inaccessible or overly intrusive, and on Tuesday he told the missionaries they should take a "maternal" approach to sinners.

"Remember, you are not dealing with sin but a repentant sinner, a sinner who wants to change but can't," he said, telling them to "cover the sinner with a blanket of mercy, so that he is no longer ashamed and can rediscover joy."

- 'Spiritual, social revolution' -

Some of the super confessors are already thinking outside the box. One missionary is off to the Canadian Arctic to hear Eskimo confessions, another will tour Australia in a camper, whilst others are packing their bags for Burundi, China and Lebanon.

Vatican watcher John L. Allen, writing for the Cruxnow website, said the pontiff was hoping the missionaries would carry with them his messages on key social issues, from tackling climate change to opening doors to refugees.

"As the 'Pope of Mercy' sees it, this jubilee year isn't just a series of celebrations and events intended to foster deeper piety, however desirable that may be. The far more audacious aim is to launch a revolution -- spiritual at its core, but with imminent social and even political consequences," he said.

American priest Joseph Hlubik, 62, who was meeting up with the other missionaries ahead of talks with the pope, said he hoped that those who have left the Church in recent years "see this as an opportunity to come back".

"People who thought they were outside of the grace of God for one reason or another. Let them find us approachable and understanding," he said, holding his wide-brimmed black hat on in the wind.

Priest Mana Thembalethu from South Africa, 39, said the confessors would be forgiving those who take part in abortions -- but warned "we're not saying abortion is cool, everybody must do it. It still remains a sin".

And 49-year-old Xavier Lefebvre, a Paris-based priest, shrugged off the label "super confessor", saying anyone who takes confession should be super, or they are not doing their job right -- a sentiment shared by Francis.

"Let those who do not feel up to it have the humility to say: 'No, I'll celebrate Mass, I'll clean the floor, I'll do everything but not confess, because I do not know how to do it well'," the pope said.

http://news.yahoo.com/pope-unleashes-super-confessors-tackle-special-sins-164359990.html
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« Reply #716 on: February 15, 2016, 08:13:15 pm »

Pope Francis Goes Into A Trance While Bowing Before Image Of The ‘Virgin Mary’

Pope Francis suddenly sat down in front of an image of the 'virgin Mary', where he sat silently and motionless for over 5 minutes. Later, he moved into a chamber behind the altar where the image is kept for nearly 30 minutes, as seen in the image at the top of this article.

http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/pope-francis-goes-into-a-trance-while-bowing-before-image-of-the-virgin-mary/






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« Reply #717 on: February 19, 2016, 08:44:50 pm »

Say it isnt so!!! The vatican lied!!


LIES: Vatican Says Pope Francis Was Not Talking About Trump – This Is Not True


Vatican tries desperately to clarify Pope Francis’s remarks – Fails

On Thursday Pope Francis accused Republican frontrunner Donald Trump of not being Christian because of his plan to build a security wall and fence to protect America from the illegal immigrant invasion.

Trump responded to Pope Francis with a statement which he read at a South Carolina rally this morning.

“If and when the Vatican is attacked by ISIS, which as everyone knows is ISIS’s ultimate trophy, I can promise you that the Pope would have only wished and prayed that Donald Trump would have been President because this would not have happened. ISIS would have been eradicated unlike what is happening now with our all talk, no action politicians.”

After the uproar from pundits, religious leaders and Christians who believe in state borders, the Vatican tried desperately tried to clarify the pope’s remarks today. Rev. Federico Lombardi told Vatican radio on Friday the comments were “in no way a personal attack” on Donald Trump.
ABC News reported:

The papal spokesman is stressing that Pope Francis often says build bridges, not walls, and that his remark while flying back from Mexico wasn’t targeting U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Francis said Thursday that a person who advocates building walls for solutions is “not Christian.” Trump, who has repeatedly called for a wall to divide the United States and Mexico, retorted it was “disgraceful” to question a person’s faith.


The Rev. Federico Lombardi sought to clarify the issue Friday, telling Vatican Radio that Francis’ comments were “in no way a personal attack nor an indication on how to vote.”

Lombardi noted Francis often has advocated “building not walls, but bridges,” especially regarding Europe, as it struggles to handle the arrival of hundreds of thousands of people fleeing war and poverty.

On Thursday night, Trump softened his rhetoric on the pope after blasting the leader of the Catholic Church. Trump said during a town hall event on CNN that he now believes the pope’s remarks were “probably a little bit nicer” than first reported.

This was not accurate or honest.
The remarks by Pope Francis were in response to a direct question on Donald Trump, were directed at Trump and were an attack on Donald Trump. This Vatican is not being honest.

Here is the full transcript of Pope Francis’s comments on Donald Trump:
Via ABC News:

Q: Good evening, Your Holiness. Today you spoke eloquently about the problems of migrants. On the other side of the frontier there’s a very tough electoral campaign going on. One of the Republican candidates for the White House, Donald Trump, in a recent interview, said you are a “political man” and that maybe you are a pawn of the Mexican government as far as immigration policy is concerned. He has said that if elected, he would build a 2,500-kilometer-long wall along the border. He wants to deport 11 million illegal immigrants, thus separating families, etc. I would like to ask you, first off, what do you think of these accusations against you, and if an American Catholic can vote for someone like this.

A: Thank God he said I was a politician because Aristotle defined the human person as “animal politicus.” So at least I am a human person. As to whether I am a pawn, well, maybe, I don’t know. I’ll leave that up to your judgment and that of the people. And then, a person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian. This is not in the Gospel. As far as what you said about whether I would advise to vote or not to vote, I am not going to get involved in that. I say only that this man is not Christian if he has said things like that. We must see if he said things in that way and in this I give the benefit of the doubt.

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/02/vatican-wants-to-clarify-insults-to-us-and-donald-trump/
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« Reply #718 on: February 19, 2016, 08:50:34 pm »

Nah...Frankie was merely "misquoted" by the "liberal media", like he has been for the last 3 years. Like he was "misquoted" for his pro-gay comments, his pro-socialism comments, among other things.

/Sarcasm
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« Reply #719 on: March 04, 2016, 01:38:08 pm »

http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/pope-francis-says-that-the-muslim-invasion-of-europe-should-be-embraced/

Pope Francis Says That The Muslim Invasion Of Europe Should Be Embraced

"We can speak today of Arab invasion. It is a social fact," Pope Francis says with detachment, as if observed that the weather is cold. But he immediately added - and theorists of the "great change", dear to the far right, then it would remain disappointed - "how many invasions has experienced Europe in the course of its history! But he has always been able to overcome herself, go ahead then they find themselves as increased by the exchange between cultures."

3/4/16

Pope Francis referred to an “Arab invasion” during a speech to a French Christian group this week, adding that Europe has been enhanced by previous influxes of people.

“And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.” Revelation 13:6 (KJV)

In an absolutely shocking statement yesterday, Pope Francis very matter-of-factly declared that the Muslim invasion of Europe is an established fact and that it if Europe wanted to survive they should embrace the millions of illegal migrants pouring across their borders. The website of the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano had this to say:

“We can speak today of Arab invasion. It is a social fact,” Pope Francis says with detachment, as if observed that the weather is cold. But he immediately added – and theorists of the “great change”, dear to the far right, then it would remain disappointed – “how many invasions has experienced Europe in the course of its history! But he has always been able to overcome herself, go ahead then they find themselves as increased by the exchange between cultures.” – source

The pope then went on to say that Europe needs a “healthy secularism” where all religious points of view are tolerated and accepted:


“A healthy secularism includes an opening to all forms of transcendence, according to the different religious and philosophical traditions”

The speed in which Pope Francis is assembling and building his One World Religion is astonishing. He said in the same meeting “Let us put aside the religious dimension” and let us “make an appeal to all humanity”.

You are watching the prophesied One World Religion coming to life before your very eyes.
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