Exposing Catholicism & The Vatican

[SoftTouch]

Here is a Scriptural Look at the various teachings of the RCC  (Click on the topics and it will take you to the website where the text is)  You can also click on the blue underlined sections below and they will take you to that specific section.

http://www.chick.com/reading/books/160/160cont.asp

Understanding Roman Catholicism

by Rick Jones

Contents

Preface

Who is The Final Authority?

37 Roman Catholic Doctrines

Salvation Through The Church

Salvation Through Good Works

The Church Forgives Sins

The One True Church

Baptism Saves

The Pope: Vicar of Christ

The Pope: Infallible

The Sacraments Save

The Sin of Presumption

Infant Baptism

Degrees of Sin

Transubstantiation

Eucharist: Preserves from Sin

Eucharist: Helps the Dead

Mary Saves

Mary: Saved from Birth

Mary: Perpetual Virgin

Mary: Source of Holiness

Mary: The Intercessor

Mary: Recipient of Prayers

Mary: Queen Over All Things

The Mass

Purgatory

Praying to Saints

Praying for the Dead

Statues

Confirmation

Confessing Sins to a Priest

Indulgences

Interpreting God' s Word

Catholic Prayer

Penance

Are Catholics Christ?

Could 850 Million Catholics be Wrong?

Reconciliation

Celibacy

Last Rites

Appendix 1:  Confusion

Appendix 2: An Invitation

Appendix 3:  God' s Plea

Appendix 4:  Liberty or Bondage? 


Here is another online book from Chick Publications which tells the Truth about the Vatican's History:  Smokescrenes


Here is another Really Great Resource for helping Catholics to understand why the Roman Catholic Church/Vatican really Isn't Truly Christian

Just For Catholics

This section is extremely important:  Curcial Questions For Catholics - answers from the bible

More links to resources explaining/exposing Catholicism

May the Lord God Almighty Bless you as you search out the TRUTH of this Issue and may HE open your eyes and hearts to see HIS TRUTH.  In Jesus Precious Name I ask.  Amen

[UB4WAR]

NOPE

Its a lie---with a false prophet called Pope

and and Anti-Christ leader who supposes himself to be the vicar
of Christ

he calls himself the Pope too

[SoftTouch]

Ub, you used to be Catholic, right?  What was it that showed you that Catholicism was not Biblical?  Was there something in particular or were your eyes opened to this slowly?

[UB4WAR]

heres how i explained it to another


I have a little more time now so i guess i will tell you a little about me

my whole family except for 1 aunt and uncle and some cousins and myself
are RC

I received my communion at St William the abbot on Long Island N.Y.

when i was 17 i received my conformation at St Terese's Catholic Church
here in NC

My parents made me, and told me if i just did that I could stop going to Church

By then i was asking a lot of questions

See i had begun to read the bible by my self

I was told i was saved as long as I listened to the Church
but I know i was not , now that is

Scripture teaches us that a natural man is only given enough understanding
of the bible to find Christ and his salvation

Until then a natural man will not understand scripture because God has not opened his eyes up yet

He is feeding the new Christian or christian to be with milk

But even then i still understood enough to see Glaring inconsistencies

with what i was being taught in catechism and what I was reading

I remember the first thing this arrogant 17 year old saw was that Jesus
said not to call anyone Father but God, Or rabbi

So i thought to myself either God is wrong and either the Jews and the Rcc or both
or none   were right

this just could not be

God had to be right

I was told that scripture was not meant to be taken seriously and that Catholic

traditions were more important that the bible on issues of faith and life

All i could think about was if we did not use the bible then some one some where

decided to throw out the rule book and just make things up as they go for  fear
of alienating the masses

this was on my mind

so i decided to study Church history and lo and behold what did i see?

that very same pattern running back at least 1700 years
annulments
indulgences
you name it they did it

then there was the Inquisition and all the history of what the Popes had done

and then there was this book that at the time made no sense to me saying that there would be one world government
and one would religion

And now we have a pope telling Buddhists and Hindus and witch doctors

''we are all praying to the same God''

well its a no brainer for me

and Christian like me are hated and called intolerant for just saying if you are not Born again in Christ you will go to hell

I see the day soon when we will be hunted like animals

Rome on the other hand will be the darling of the world
see what i am getting at?

we Protestants--i call myself a simple Born again Christian now

we will never lead the world for it hates us

we will never have a Pope to be the leader of our Church but Christ

as Rome comes together with all who will embrace Her Believing ''we are all praying to the same God''

Christians are being arrested right now in PA--2 grandmothers face 47 years for preaching the Gospel on the street---Charged with a hate crime

we can not speak what scripture says in public
 


Ask the pope what he thinks about a Hindu or a Muslim  going to hell if he has not
Christ and you will get an Antichrist and apostate answer saying

''We are all worshiping the same God''

your thoughts?

[LionsforJESUS]

I need to say this small little testimony of myself so you know who you all been dealing with LOL.

 I was born in a confused family and it is no wonder I study and research daily for the Truth LOL. It is no wonder I need concrete evidence LOL. But my Faith is in Christ Jesus alone and I am convinced of Him Amen? 

My Mom was a converted Catholic whose parents (me Grandparents) who were converted Masonic Methodists from non practicing Jews who didn't bother at all about religion in any parts really.
My father was raised a Italian Roman Catholic who had great grand parents and grand parents that were either Jews or catholic when they came to America, shunned all but Roman Catholic and EVILution to be more American. Except for on my Granfathers side of my father we have Shamanistic roots of the Chippawa Indian tribe from Canada as well as the US. So here is me with all these gooshy parts LOL

Catholic (noun) really means 1.(esp. of a person's taste's)including a wide variety of things. All embracing.Universal. 
2 (Catholic) of the Roman Catholic faith.
* of or including all Christians (when used as a Verb)
* of or relating to the historic doctrine and practice of the Western Church.  (Used as Verb)

I believe the BODY is Catholic in Action (When the term and word is a verb) but not in title if you understand my meaning. Another example. The Acts (Catholic) of the Apostles.

But the "ism" is just an "ism" and not Biblical.

Did I make sense??

In HIM

RW

[Jaydee]

Found this article. Thought it was interesting that the Holy See is so proud of their pagan roots....
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15255311/site/newsweek/

[UB4WAR]

good post

check this out

''After local residents complained that dump trucks leaving the site were carrying tombstones and other seemingly important archaeological debris, the Vatican admitted uncovering what was believed to be an ancient Roman burial ground.

seems they will not even let the deceased remains alone

they knew desecrating graves is wrong or the would not be sneaky about it

now graves are just graves to me but it seems only right no to disturb them IMHO

[WaitQuickly]

The RCC's doctrine goes totally against what the bible teaches because it is not based on scripture but mad made traditions and inventions.

310 Prayers for the dead began.
375 The worship of saints.
394 The Mass was adopted
431 The worship of Mary began to develop.
593 The doctrine of purgatory was introduced.
606 Claims to papal supremacy took root.
650 Feasts in honor of the Virgin Mary started.
709 Kissing the pope's foot began with Pope Constantine
750 The pope first assumed temporal power.
787 The worship of images and relics was introduced.
819 The first observance of the Feast of Assumption began.
850 The invention of holy water.
965 The blessing of the bells.
983 The canonization of saints was formulated.
998 Lent, Advent, and fasting from meat on Friday.
1003 Feasts for the dead were introduced
1074 The celibacy of the priesthood was asserted.
1076 The doctrine of papal infallibility suggested.
1090 The use of prayer beads (Rosary)
1115 Confession of sins to a priest was instituted.
1140 The doctrine of seven sacraments was introduced.
1190 The sale of indulgences.
1215 Transubstantiation was adopted by Pope Innocent III.
1216 The acceptance of auricular confession of sins to a priest.
1220 Holy water accepted
1226 The elevation and adoration of the wafer began.
1274 Purgatory was declared doctrine at the Second Council of Lyons.
1303 The Catholic Church as the only true Church for Salvation.
1316 The Ave Maria was introduced.
1414 Only Catholic priests can say the Mass and partake of the wine.
1438 Purgatory and the seven sacraments officially decreed.
1545 Tradition declared to be equal with Scripture by Council of Trent.
1546 The Apocryphal books added to the Bible by the Council of Trent.
1547 Rejection of justification by faith alone.
1562 The Mass declared a propitiatory offering.
1854 The immaculate conception announced by Pius IX.
1864 The doctrine of the temporal power of the pope was proclaimed.
1870 Papal infallibility was proclaimed at Vatican I.
1950 The bodily assumption and personal corporeal presence of the Virgin in heaven proclaimed by Pope Pius III.

[Mark940]

    Another tradition I've personally witnessed is the merging of local religion with the Catholic faith. It was fascinating to watch and hear 'good Catholics' talk worshipfully to or about their ancestors.
    I hoping someone would tell me about how long THAT has been going on.

[SoftTouch]

http://www.understandthet....org/alerts/mar1407.shtml

Understanding The Times News Alert  Roger Oakland

March 14 - Papal Eucharist exhortation confirms renewal validity
http://www.catholic.org/i...tional_story.php?id=23379


Comment from Understand The Times:

The following article confirms that Pope Benedict XVI is dedicated to carrying on the New Evangelization program, as was his predecessor Pope John Paul II. For those who believe that Roman Catholicism has changed and is no longer Roman Catholicism, this article should put that myth to rest. What is important here is that according to the pope, there is no unity with Rome unless the "separated brethren" come home to Rome.
 
Further, note the  pope's emphasis on "perpetual Eucharistic adoration" as part of his new "apostolic exhortation." As more and more of the faithful spend time in "adoring" the "Roman Catholic Eucharistic Christ" that is "present" in the host (following transubstantiation) and contained in the monstrance and placed on display, there will be more and more false appearances of Jesus, as the Jesus of the Bible warned would happen in the last days (Matthew 24: 23-24, 26). This is when the "New Evangelization Program" becomes very effective.


 
VATICAN CITY (UCAN)  The newly released apostolic exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI on the Eucharist has confirmed the validity of the liturgical renewal prompted by the Second Vatican Council, but demands full respect for liturgical norms and advocates a return to traditional devotional practices and the wider use of Latin.

"Sacramentum Caritatis" (Sacrament of Charity) endorses recommendations that had been voted by most of the more than 250 people from 118 countries who attended the Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist, held at the Vatican Oct. 2-23, 2005. It also reaffirms the obligation of celibacy for priests of the Latin rite, confirms church regulations that deny communion to Catholics who have divorced and remarried, and prohibits inter-communion with Christians not in full communion with Rome.

The English version of the Latin text contains more than 25,000 words and more than 250 footnotes. The document is also available in six other European languages: French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish.

The proposals approved by the 2005 synod were made public by decision of the German-born pope, so the text has few surprises. Even so, the pontiff's own scholarly insights permeate the rich theological text, as does his strong preference for more traditional elements in the Eucharist and the liturgy.

"This is a document of great importance both at the doctrinal and pastoral level," Cardinal Angelo Scola, the patriarch of Venice, Italy, stated as he presented the text at a Vatican press conference on March 13. He was "relator general," a kind of coordinator, at the Synod on the Eucharist.

To highlight the value of eucharistic devotion in the life of Catholics, the pope endorsed another proposal that Archbishop Charles Maung Bo of Yangon had introduced at the Synod. The pope advocated "perpetual eucharistic adoration, both individually and in community" and suggested that churches be set aside for this purpose. He also endorsed other popular eucharistic devotions, such as "the 40 hours" and processions with the blessed sacrament.

[nancrlong77]

Have you ever watched the Catholic channel, EWTN?
They have a program called, "The Journey Home"
They have many former evangelical Protestant Pastors on who have found their way home... to the Catholic Church.
There is a merging going on in the churches....that is why I left my last church...


Thanks for that timeline !

[trader_cheri]

I was born into the catholic religion.  I remember being taught that non catholics do not go to heaven.  Anyone who does not observe the sacraments is either bound for hell or purgatory.  I distinctly remember thinking, "Then we better get busy telling people they are wrong and going to hell without the sacraments."  I was freaked out that people would go to hell and disappointed their wasn't a big push in my religion to convert lost souls.  I was also glad to know that I was lucky enough to have been born into the "right" religion.  One day as an adult it struck me....I got to thinking deeply about it....why was I so Lucky?  Why me?  Why did God allow me to be born into the right religion?

I love the verse that says,  "If you search for God with your whole heart, you will find him."

...........I found him!

[SoftTouch]

POPE SEEKS IMMUNITY FROM CHARGES HE COVERED UP SEX ABUSE SCANDALS

CHICAGO SUN TIMES - Lawyers for Pope Benedict XVI have asked President Bush to declare the pontiff immune from liability in a lawsuit that accuses him of conspiring to cover up the molestation of three boys by a seminarian in Texas, court records show. The Vatican's embassy in Washington sent a diplomatic memo to the State Department on May 20 requesting the U.S. government grant the pope immunity because he is a head of state, according to a May 26 motion submitted by the pope's lawyers in U.S. District Court for the Southern Division of Texas in Houston.

Joseph Ratzinger is named as a defendant in the civil lawsuit. Now Benedict XVI, he's accused of conspiring with the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston to cover up the abuse during the mid-1990s. In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Gerry Keener, said Tuesday that the pope is considered a head of state and automatically has diplomatic immunity.


NICOLE WINFIELD, AP (article is no longer available online) - Lawyers for abuse victims say the case is significant because previous recent attempts to implicate the Vatican, the pope or other high-ranking church officials in U.S. sex abuse proceedings have failed - primarily because of immunity claims and the difficulty serving top Vatican officials with U.S. lawsuits.

"It has gone further than any suit before, and it should be instructive to the church that if evidence of their continued handling of these matters keeps coming to light and is inconsistent with fair play, that lawyers are going to pursue it," said Stephen Rubino, a New Jersey lawyer who is not involved but has handled hundreds of other cases of church sex abuse.

The three boys, identified in court documents as John Does I, II and III, allege that a Colombian-born seminarian on assignment at St. Francis de Sales church in Houston, Juan Carlos Patino-Arango, molested them during counseling sessions in the church in the mid-1990s. Patino-Arango has been indicted in a criminal case by a Harris County, Texas grand jury and is a fugitive from justice, the lawsuit says.

Attorney Daniel Shea, who is representing one of the three boys in the civil suit, said in a telephone interview Tuesday that then-Cardinal Ratzinger, who headed the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith before becoming pope, was involved in a conspiracy to hide Patino-Arango's crimes and to help him escape prosecution.

In the lawsuit, Shea cited a May 18, 2001 letter from Ratzinger, written in Latin to bishops around the world, explaining that "grave" crimes such as the sexual abuse of minors would be handled by his congregation. The proceedings of special church tribunals handling the cases were subject to "pontifical secret," Ratzinger's letter says.

"Ratzinger's involvement arises out of this letter, which demonstrates the clear intent to conceal the crimes involved," Shea said.

The Vatican and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have insisted that the secret church procedures in the sex abuse case were not designed to cover up abuse nor to prevent victims from reporting crimes to law enforcement authorities. The document deals with church law - not keeping secrets from secular authorities, they say.

EARLIER STORIES

JAMIE DOWARD, OBSERVER, UK - Pope Benedict XVI faced claims last night he had 'obstructed justice' after it emerged he issued an order ensuring the church's investigations into child sex abuse claims be carried out in secret. The order was made in a confidential letter, obtained by The Observer, which was sent to every Catholic bishop in May 2001.

It asserted the church's right to hold its inquiries behind closed doors and keep the evidence confidential for up to 10 years after the victims reached adulthood. The letter was signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who was elected as John Paul II's successor last week.

Lawyers acting for abuse victims claim it was designed to prevent the allegations from becoming public knowledge or being investigated by the police. They accuse Ratzinger of committing a 'clear obstruction of justice'. . .Ratzinger's letter states that the church can claim jurisdiction in cases where abuse has been 'perpetrated with a minor by a cleric.' The letter states that the church's jurisdiction 'begins to run from the day when the minor has completed the 18th year of age' and lasts for 10 years.

It orders that 'preliminary investigations' into any claims of abuse should be sent to Ratzinger's office, which has the option of referring them back to private tribunals in which the 'functions of judge, promoter of justice, notary and legal representative can validly be performed for these cases only by priests'.'Cases of this kind are subject to the pontifical secret,' Ratzinger's letter concludes. Breaching the pontifical secret at any time while the 10-year jurisdiction order is operating carries penalties, including the threat of excommunication.

The letter is referred to in documents relating to a lawsuit filed earlier this year against a church in Texas and Ratzinger on behalf of two alleged abuse victims. By sending the letter, lawyers acting for the alleged victims claim the cardinal conspired to obstruct justice. Daniel Shea, the lawyer for the two alleged victims who discovered the letter, said: 'It speaks for itself. You have to ask: why do you not start the clock ticking until the kid turns 18? It's an obstruction of justice.'Father John Beal, professor of canon law at the Catholic University of America, gave an oral deposition under oath on 8 April last year in which he admitted to Shea that the letter extended the church's jurisdiction and control over sexual assault crimes.

The Ratzinger letter was co-signed by Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone who gave an interview two years ago in which he hinted at the church's opposition to allowing outside agencies to investigate abuse claims.'In my opinion, the demand that a bishop be obligated to contact the police in order to denounce a priest who has admitted the offence of paedophilia is unfounded,' Bertone said. Shea criticised the order that abuse allegations should be investigated only in secret tribunals. 'They are imposing procedures and secrecy on these cases. If law enforcement agencies find out about the case, they can deal with it. But you can't investigate a case if you never find out about it. If you can manage to keep it secret for 18 years plus 10 the priest will get away with it,' Shea added.

A spokeswoman in the Vatican press office declined to comment when told about the contents of the letter. 'This is not a public document, so we would not talk about it,' she said.


PETER POPHAM, INDEPENDENT (article no longer available online)- Pope Benedict XVI has been accused of ignoring for seven years charges that Fr Marcial Maciel, the founder of the Legionaries of Christ, had sexually abused nine teenagers in his organization - because Fr Maciel was a close friend of Pope John Paul II. In 1997 the then Cardinal Ratzinger was prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican body which has the power to excommunicate priests guilty of sexual abuse, when Bishop John R McCann of New York forwarded him detailed charges of sexual abuse made by Fr Juan Vaca, a priest in Bishop McCann's diocese.

The charges were in the form of a 12-page letter to Fr Marcial Maciel Degollado, who founded the Legionaries of Christ, a conservative Catholic evangelical order, in Mexico in 1941."Everything you did contradicts the beliefs of the Church and the order," Fr Vaca wrote in his open letter. "How many innumerable times did you wake me in the middle of the night and had me with you, abusing my innocence. Nights of fear, so many nights of absolute fear: so many nights of lost sleep, that on more than one occasion placed my own psychological health in jeopardy."Fr Vaca was one of nine former members of Legionaries of Christ who charged Fr Maciel with having sexually abused them when they were teenage seminarians in the order in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. . .

Another priest and former member of the Legionaries, Juan Manuel Fernandez Armenabar, made a deathbed declaration denouncing Fr Maciel's sexual abuse. But despite the gravity of the charges, Cardinal Ratzinger took no action. The Vatican confirmed that it had received Fr Vaca's letter, but nothing more was said.

[SoftTouch]

I got this in email from Roger Oaklands “Understanding the Times” Ministry:

August 24  Pope Benedict XVI elevates "Mary" to a place of Diety.

Here is a portion of the pope's message given August 15, 2007 (Feast of the Assumption):

 
http://www.zenit.org/article-20324? l=english

 
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today, we are celebrating the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is an ancient feast deeply rooted in Sacred Scripture: indeed, it presents the Virgin Mary closely united to her divine Son and ever supportive of him.

Mother and Son appear closely bound in the fight against the infernal enemy until they completely defeat him. This victory is expressed in particular in overcoming sin and death, that is, in triumphing over the enemies which St Paul always presents as connected (cf. Rom 5: 12, 15-21; I Cor 15: 21-26).

Therefore, just as Christ's glorious Resurrection was the definitive sign of this victory, so Mary's glorification in her virginal body is the ultimate confirmation of her total solidarity with the Son, both in the conflict and in victory.

The Servant of God Pope Pius XII interpreted the deep theological meaning of this mystery on 1 November 1950 when he pronounced the solemn Dogmatic Definition of this Marian privilege.

He declared: "Hence, the revered Mother of God, from all eternity joined in a hidden way with Jesus Christ in one and the same decree of predestination, immaculate in her conception, a most perfect virgin in her divine motherhood, the noble associate of the divine Redeemer who has won a complete triumph over sin and its consequences, finally obtained, as the supreme culmination of her privileges, that she should be preserved free from the corruption of the tomb and that, like her own Son, having overcome death, she might be taken up body and soul to the glory of Heaven where, as Queen, she sits in splendour at the right hand of her Son, the immortal King of the Ages" (Apostolic Constitution "Munificentissimus Deus": AAS 42, [1 November 1950]).

Dear brothers and sisters, after being taken up into Heaven, Mary did not distance herself from us but continues to be even closer to us and her light shines on our lives and on the history of all humanity. Attracted by the heavenly brightness of the Mother of the Redeemer, let us turn with trust to the One who looks upon us and protects us from on high.

We all need her help and comfort to face the trials and challenges of daily life; we need to feel that she is our mother and sister in the concrete situations of our lives.

And so that we too may one day be able to share in her same destiny, let us imitate her now in her meek following of Christ and her generous service to the brethren. This is the only way to have a foretaste, already on our earthly pilgrimage, of the joy and peace which those who reach the immortal destination of Paradise live to the full.

After the Angelus:

I offer a warm welcome to the English-speaking visitors gathered for this Angelus prayer on the Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady. May the example and prayers of Mary, Queen of Heaven, inspire and sustain us on our pilgrimage of faith, that we too may attain the glory of the Resurrection and the fulfilment of our hope in her Son's promises. Upon you and your families I invoke the Lord's richest blessings.

I wish you all a good Feast of the Assumption!

(End Quote of Vatican's Heresy)

[Caretaker]

Catholic Cathechism:

969 "This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation . . . . Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix."512

47. The RC teaches: Mary is the co-mediator to whom we can entrust all our cares and petitions. (Catechisms 968-970, 2677).

The Bible teaches: Christ Jesus is the one mediator to whom we can entrust all our cares and petitions. I Timothy 2:5, John 14:13&14, I Peter 5:7.

Main Entry: me•di•a•trix
Pronunciation: -'A-triks
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin, feminine of mediator
Date: 15th century
: a woman who is a mediator











http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/pray0685.htm


Prayer to Our Lady, Health of the Sick
Virgin, most holy, Mother of the Word Incarnate, Treasurer of graces, and Refuge of sinners, I fly top your motherly affection with lively faith, and I beg of you the grace ever to do the will of God.

Into your most holy hands I commit the keeping of my heart, asking you for health of soul and body, in the certain hope that you, my most loving Mother, will hear my prayer.

Into the bosom of your tender mercy, this day, every day of my life, and at the hour of my death, I commend my soul and body.

To you I entrust all my hopes and consolations, all my trials and miseries, my life and the end of my life, that all my actions may be ordered and disposed according to your will and that of your Divine Son. Amen.



http://www.justforcatholics.org/a64.htm

Every Christian should consider Mary with respect. She is forever to be called blessed. Yet, I think it is a sign of disrespect when people expect from her things that she cannot give. Why would people pray to her, when the Bible clearly teaches us that we should pray to God and that God alone knows our hearts (1 Kings 8:39)? Why would people ask grace from Mary, when the Bible teaches us that all grace comes from God (1 Peter 5:10)? Why should people call her "our life" and "our hope", when the Bible teaches us that the Lord is our life and hope (Colossians 3:4; 1 Timothy 1:1)? Why would people make her a mediator, when the Bible says that there is one mediator, Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:5)? And why should people trust even the hour of their death wholly to her care? Isn't the Good Shepherd of the sheep willing to keep His own and bring them safely to glory (John 10:27,28)?

Sadly, in practice many Catholics worship Mary because they pray to her, trust in her and attribute to her titles and honors, which belong to God alone. May God grant them repentance. Rather than looking unto a creature, we should follow Mary in her godly example and apply to the Lord for salvation and all spiritual blessings.

[Pete]

WOW!  I knew Benedict XVI was bad news, but wow!  How blatant, and the whole of the RCC is blind to it!  False religion!

A passing thought as I read it...  There have been increase 'sightings' of Mary in the last decade or so...  wonder if some of this plays a big part in convincing the RCC worldwide to follow the A/C?  She is being venerated more by the Vatican in preparation.  Hmmmm....

[shaking head in amazement...]  Just, wow!

Pete

[SoftTouch]

A passing thought as I read it...  There have been increase 'sightings' of Mary in the last decade or so...  wonder if some of this plays a big part in convincing the RCC worldwide to follow the A/C?  She is being venerated more by the Vatican in preparation.  Hmmmm....

Good observation Bro!   Did you know that the Muslims also consider Mary in high regard?  And the New Agers who just adore goddess worship love this lie as well.  It is an interfaith demonic deception and has been playing it's role in the inter-faith ecumenicism we've been seeing (especially since JPII).  I had no doubt that Benedict would follow suit and it won't stop with him (I doubt he'll have as long a run at pope as JPII did... However, I do think whomever is next in line is someone to Really Watch out for!  I have a strong suspicion that may be The False Prophet - time will tell).

I can't seem to find the website that I learned about the Muslims reverence of Mary on... it keeps coming up 'server not found'   I'll have to do some more checking to see if I can find that again.  But these apparitions are definitely playing a huge part in the end times deceptions False Signs and Lying Wonders to be sure.

Have you ever seen the video "Messages From Heaven" ?  It's about these apparitions.  I believe it's in the video lists in the Expose section (False Religions and Dangerous Movements) under the Catholicism heading.  It's a good one!

[Pete]

It is an interfaith demonic deception and has been playing it's role in the inter-faith ecumenicism we've been seeing (especially since JPII).  I had no doubt that Benedict would follow suit and it won't stop with him (I doubt he'll have as long a run at pope as JPII did... However, I do think whomever is next in line is someone to Really Watch out for!  I have a strong suspicion that may be The False Prophet - time will tell).

Have you ever seen the video "Messages From Heaven" ?  It's about these apparitions.  I believe it's in the video lists in the Expose section (False Religions and Dangerous Movements) under the Catholicism heading.  It's a good one!

I remember when Benedict was being selected I did some research on Popes and prophesies...  Seems I remember some of the RCC's own prophesies from the middle centuries predict Benedict would be short lived and the next one is the last Pope (or that is where the prophesies end  ) and he, according to their own dogma, is the bad guy!

Haven't seen those videos.  Spent the evening reading up on the Contemplative prayer and Church Growth fallacies.  Sometimes I get so overwhelmed at the number of converging attacks...  many insidious.  I just pray for God's grace when the need arises.

Well, gonna cruise the rest of the board then get some meat and potatoes in before hitting the hay.  Lotta work manana.

Peace,

Pete

[Pete]

While re-reading this I just noticed a phrase that blows my mind.  Do Benedict XVI mean what he says in bold below?

And so that we too may one day be able to share in her same destiny, let us imitate her now in her meek following of Christ and her generous service to the brethren. This is the only way to have a foretaste, already on our earthly pilgrimage, of the joy and peace which those who reach the immortal destination of Paradise live to the full.

The New Age preaches deity status...  Is this a precursor or veiled statement from the RCC or Pope that deity is attainable?  On the surface he would say he meant paradise or heaven, but that is not what the direction of this doctrinal movement  would support.  Hmmmm. 

Thoughts?

Shalom,

Pete

[BettyLouise]

Pete,
It does look like the Pope is opening the door to allow the New Agers and the Catholic Church to have connections.  I heard a preacher the other day talk about how making Mary the co-redeemer will also appeal to Muslims.   It looks like we are getting closer and closer to that one world religion.
Of course the Muslims will never accept Jesus as Redeemer but they would have no problem accepting Mary.  May is acceptable among many just as we have as a whole accepted Mother Nature.  Mary is non threating and we can worship her, without having to make any personal changes in our lives.
Of course the thought that we can become "gods" is so popular these days.  Maybe it is the thought that a simple girl name Mary became a "god" makes the world feel that we can to. 
Of course Christians know this is just another lie from the devil.  Mary is not our co-redeemer.
Mary is not a "god".
betty