Apostasy 2007
Coming From The Lighthouse: 2007 Overview
Lighthouse Trails (December
31, 2007) - This is our last issue of Coming from the Lighthouse
newsletter for 2007. We have highlighted some of our most significant
stories. Needless to say, contemplative/emerging spirituality has made
some deep inroads in 2007 throughout the world. While this is sobering,
and it saddens our hearts, we are also encouraged by the number of
believers who have shared their stories with us about how they were able
to help their families, friends, and sometimes pastors come to
understand the truth about this anti-biblical belief system. We are
honored and blessed to serve such courageous people, who have often lost
relationships and been ridiculed and belittled for speaking up. As we
remember many who have gone before us, throughout the centuries, who
paid with their lives to stand for truth, may the Lord strengthen each
one today who is willing to defend the precious Gospel message of Jesus
Christ. more...
Kingdom in 2007: Encouraging Historic Interfaith Dialogue
Arab News (December
30, 2007) - Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah’s
historic meeting with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican on Nov. 6 was one
of the highlights of his two-week-long European tour in 2007. It opened
a new era in Muslim-Christian relations as the two leaders called for
dialogue between the followers of major religions in order to promote
world peace. The Vatican meeting captured world attention. German
Chancellor Angelo Merkel commended the king for his meeting with the
pontiff. “We have been following up your meeting with the pope with
great interest. It was a fruitful meeting and we know that you support
interfaith dialogue to resolve all issues and problems,” she said. King
Abdullah arrived in Rome on the second leg of his four-nation European
tour, which also took him to the United Kingdom, Germany and Turkey. The
visits were instrumental in strengthening relations with the four
countries and mobilizing their support for Arab and Islamic causes. King
Abdullah was the first Saudi monarch to have an audience with the pope.
Benedict warmly greeted the king, grasping both his hands before leading
him to a library for their brief private meeting, which lasted 60
minutes, with both leaders speaking through interpreters. The Vatican
said the talks allowed a wide discussion on the need for religious and
cultural dialogue among Christians, Muslims and Jews “for the promotion
of peace, justice and spiritual and moral values, especially in support
of the family.” Both sides emphasized the need for a “just solution” to
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. About a million Catholics, many of
them migrant workers from the Philippines, live in Saudi Arabia, home of
Islam’s two holiest mosques. The BBC’s Frances Harrison in Rome said the
symbolism of the meeting was huge for those who believe there should be
more dialogue between Islam and Christianity, especially after the
pontiff’s controversial September 2006 speech at Regensburg University,
denigrating the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Benedict’s speech
sparked anger across the Muslim world. Later he said he was
misunderstood and regretted offending Muslims. Since then, he has met a
number of Islamic leaders and a year ago visited predominantly Muslim
Turkey. The Vatican has said it wants to pursue a dialogue with moderate
Muslims. Marco Politi, the Vatican correspondent for the Italian daily
La Repubblica and a biographer of Pope John Paul II, said: “I think it
is extraordinarily important that an official communiqué from the
Vatican and an important Islamic state like Saudi Arabia mentions
‘cooperation’ between Christians Muslims and Jews — not dialogue but
cooperation.” The meeting, presaged by an upbeat front-page article in
L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican’s newspaper, was also a clear attempt
by the Vatican to repair damage done by the pope’s statement on the
Prophet, which the Islamic world had seen as insensitive if not
incendiary. more... 'Gospel of wealth' facing scrutiny Associated Press (December 27, 2007) - The message flickered into Cindy Fleenor's living room each night: Be faithful in how you live and how you give, the television preachers said, and God will shower you with material riches. And so the 53-year-old accountant from the Tampa, Fla., area pledged $500 a year to Joyce Meyer, the evangelist whose frank talk about recovering from childhood sexual abuse was so inspirational. She wrote checks to flamboyant faith healer Benny Hinn and a local preacher-made-good, Paula White. Only the blessings didn't come. Fleenor ended up borrowing money from friends and payday loan companies just to buy groceries. At first she believed the explanation given on television: Her faith wasn't strong enough. "I wanted to believe God wanted to do something great with me like he was doing with them," she said. "I'm angry and bitter about it. Right now, I don't watch anyone on TV hardly." All three of the groups Fleenor supported are among six major Christian television ministries under scrutiny by a senator who is asking questions about the evangelists' lavish spending and possible abuses of their tax-exempt status. The probe by Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, has brought new scrutiny to the underlying belief that brings in millions of dollars and fills churches from Atlanta to Los Angeles — the "Gospel of Prosperity," or the notion that God wants to bless the faithful with earthly riches. All six ministries under investigation preach the prosperity gospel to varying degrees. Proponents call it a biblically sound message of hope. Others say it is a distortion that makes evangelists rich and preys on the vulnerable. They say it has evolved from "it's all right to make money" to it's all right for the pastor to drive a Bentley, live in an oceanside home and travel by private jet. "More and more people are desperate and grasping at straws and want something that will alleviate their pain or financial crisis," said Michael Palmer, dean of the divinity school at Regent University, founded by Pat Robertson. "It's a growing problem." The modern-day prosperity movement can largely be traced back to evangelist Oral Roberts' teachings. Roberts' disciples have spread his theology and vocabulary (Roberts and other evangelists, such as Meyer, call their donors "partners.") And several popular prosperity preachers, including some now under investigation, have served on the Oral Roberts University board. One of the teaching's attractions is that it doesn't dwell on traditional Christian themes of heaven and hell but on answering pressing concerns of the here and now, said Brian McLaren, a liberal evangelical author and pastor. But the prosperity gospel, McLaren said, not only preys on the hope of the vulnerable, it puts too much emphasis on individual success and happiness. "We've pretty much ignored what the Bible says about systemic injustice," he said. The checks and balances central to Christian denominations are largely lacking in prosperity churches. One of the pastors in the Grassley probe, Bishop Eddie Long of suburban Atlanta, has written that God told him to get rid of the "ungodly governmental structure" of a deacon board. Some ministers hold up their own wealth as evidence that the teaching works. Atlanta-area pastor Creflo Dollar, who is fighting Grassley's inquiry, owns a Rolls Royce and multimillion-dollar homes and travels in a church-owned Learjet. more...
Oprah Winfrey and Marianne Williamson: Reflections on their New Age Christ Discernment Group (December 15, 2007) - On 11/8/07 New Age leader and Oprah & Friends XM Satellite reporter Marianne Williamson put up a "Big News!" announcement on her www.marianne.com website. Her announcement seemed quite confident and authoritative. She even had a link to Oprah & Friends XM Satellite Radio. She wrote:
On 11/09/07 Herescope posted an article by former New Age follower Warren Smith entitled Oprah and Friends to Teach Course on New Age Christ. In that article Smith presented significant concerns about Oprah & Friends teaching this New Age Course in Miracles. Many years ago he was a devoted student of A Course in Miracles and he discovered that the teachings of the Course - supposedly "new revelation" channeled from "Jesus" - were diametrically opposed to the teachings of the true Jesus Christ of the Bible. He came to understand that the "Jesus" of A Course in Miracles was one of the false christs that the real Jesus warned His followers to watch out for:
Shortly after the posting of Smith's article and the two subsequent articles on Herescope, there was considerable concern - at least in Christian circles - that Oprah was using her radio program to teach this New Age Course. Many Internet sources cited what was happening. Amidst the uproar, Marianne Williamson's "Big News!" announcement suddenly disappeared from her website. All attempts to get information on why Williamson withdrew her announcement were to no avail. However, Marianne Williamson has just posted a new announcement on her website that seems to take the place of the "Big News!" announcement of several days ago:
According to this new announcement, Williamson is pulling back from "teaching" A Course in Miracles and is now offering her "daily reflections" on the Course. This subtle semantic change may indicate a change in strategy. However, this type of maneuvering around potentially controversial New Age agendas by Oprah and her staff has been noted previously. For example, bestselling author Neale Donald Walsch told colleagues at a New Age Humanity's Team conference in Portland, Oregon, in 2003, that Oprah had flown him to Chicago for a two-hour interview with him that never aired. Walsch explained what happened:
In an April 5, 2007 Oprah & Friends radio interview with Esther Hicks - a woman who channels out-of-body entities that singularly refer to themselves as "Abraham" - Oprah confessed that her television viewers weren't ready for her to be talking to channeled out-of-body entities. She said:
This
radio interview, posted on the
Spiritual Inspiration.info
website, is really difficult to listen to because it involves occult
channeling, so the listener should beware. Sadly, one quickly realizes
the depth of Oprah's New Age beliefs when listening to this interview.
And the reader of Herescope is reminded to pray for these two women who
are so deeply drawn into spiritual deception. The other issue here is
not Oprah's right to present her New Age views -- but to be honest with
her viewers and listeners about these beliefs. For over twenty years
Oprah has been taking her viewers and listeners step-by-step deeper into
the New Age teachings. It is time for her to stop pretending that her
New Age "Jesus" is the same as the Jesus of her Baptist youth. The
"Jesus" of A Course in Miracles and the "Jesus" of the New Age bear
absolutely no resemblance to the Jesus found in the Holy Bible. It seems
apparent that in early November someone calculated that the time was
right for Marianne Williamson to teach the year-long, 365 lessons of A
Course in Miracles on Oprah & Friends XM Satellite Radio. But one has to
wonder if this situation, like the one described by Neale Donald Walsch
above, was "just too soon" and too "way ahead of the curve" in teaching
the year-long Course at this time. What difference does it make whether
Marianne Williamson is "teaching" A Course in Miracles directly, or
"teaching" it indirectly by providing "reflections" on it? Whatever the
case, whether through "reflection" or "teaching," this year-long study
of the Course, designed for listener participation, will lead many
deeper into spiritual darkness.
Gore: US blocking climate talks progress Associated
Press (December 13, 2007) -
Nobel laureate Al Gore accused the United States on Thursday of
blocking progress at the U.N. climate conference, and European
nations threatened to boycott U.S.-led climate talks next month
unless Washington compromises on emissions reductions. The former
vice president urged delegates to take urgent action to reduce
emissions of greenhouse gases blamed for global warming, and told
them that the next U.S. president will likely be more supportive of
international caps on polluting gases. "My own country, the United
States, is principally responsible for obstructing progress here in
Bali," said Gore, who flew to Bali from Oslo, Norway, where he
received the Nobel Peace Prize for helping alert the world to the
danger of climate change. Asked about Gore's charge, Kristen Hellmer,
a member of the American delegation in Bali, said: "The U.S. is
being open and working very constructively with the other countries
that are here. We are rolling our sleeves up and really working to
come up with a global post-2012 framework." Earlier, the United
Nations warned that time was running out for an agreement aimed at
launching negotiations for a successor to the Kyoto Protocol when it
expires in 2012 and the talks in Bali were in danger of "falling to
pieces." The United States, Japan and several other governments are
refusing to accept language in a draft document suggesting that
industrialized nations consider cutting emissions by 25 percent to
40 percent by 2020, saying specific targets would limit the scope of
future talks. European nations said they may boycott a U.S.-led
climate meeting next month unless Washington compromises. "No result
in Bali means no Major Economies Meeting," said Sigmar Gabriel, top
EU environment official from Germany, referring to a series of
separate climate talks initiated by President Bush in September.
"This is the clear position of the EU. I do not know what we should
talk about if there is no target." The European Union and others say
the proposed emissions caps reflect the measures scientists say are
needed to rein in global warming and head off predictions of rising
sea levels, worsening floods and droughts, and the extinction of
plant and animal species. The U.S. invited 16 other major economies,
including European countries, Japan, China and India, to discuss a
program of what are expected to be nationally determined, voluntary
cutbacks in greenhouse gas emissions. more...
Time Magazine Touts Rob Bell - Christians Should Be Warned
Lighthouse Trails (December
12, 2007) - In a December 6th article by
Time magazine titled "The
Pastor's No Square," emerging church guru
Rob Bell is described as "becoming a national brand." The article
reminds readers of a previous
Chicago Sun-Times article that suggests Rob Bell could be the
next Billy Graham. But in a rebuttal article by Lighthouse Trails titled
"Will
the Next Billy Graham be a Mystic?" it is brought out that Bell's
mystical proclivities would mark him more for a New Age Christian
than a Billy Graham type evangelist. Still, secular and Christian media
alike (like Time magazine this week) continue propagating the
message and the movements of Bell. And it is no secret that his Nooma
films and his book Velvet Elvis can be found on the bookshelves
of Christian bookstores, Christian high schools and on pastor's shelves
across North America in particular. While few could argue that Bell has
"an appeal to the young" as the Time article states, what is so
troubling is that it is being packaged as Christian appeal. Nothing
could be further from the truth. Rob Bell is a New Age evangelist as he
has so clearly shown on many occasions. For instance, and perhaps one of
the most indicting statements from him, in his book Velvet Elvis
he resonates with New Age Buddhist follower Ken Wilber. Bell tells
readers to spend three months studying Wilber and promises them it will
be a "mind-blowing introduction to emergence theory and divine
creativity" (p. 192). Wilber's "emergence theory" incorporates
everything from tantric sex (sexual experience mixed with mysticism),
Yoga, Reiki, Zen, Kundalini Yoga, centering prayer, and magic.1In fact,
studying Wilber for three months (as Bell suggests) in a favorable light
would easily turn the student into a Buddhist practitioner! And yet
Bell's book is being used by Christian high schools and churches as a
resource for spirituality. How incredible! For those who may not
understand what Bell and other emergents mean by "divine creativity," it
is another way of saying that we, as humans, are co-creators with God
(he clarifies this on page 157 of VE). That's quite a declaration by
these New Age evangelists given the fact that a human can't even create
a speck of dust. But that is what they believe - co-creators. Why?
Because like all New Agers, they believe that divinity resides in all
creation, including every human being - thus if we are divine we can
also create. And if this is the case, as the New Age teaches, there can
be no Hell, and of course no salvation needed by a Savior. New Ager
Neale Donald Walsch (a favorite of Oprah's) goes so far as to say that
even Hitler would be part of the kingdom of God. By the way, Walsch also
says Hitler did the Jewish people a favor by killing them (see p. 166
FMSCN). This is the culmination of where all New Age thought ends.
more...
Nobel laureates propose global CO2 tax EU Observer (December 12, 2007) - While the international community struggles to reach agreement on how to further tackle climate change at a meeting in Bali, former US vice president Al Gore and the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have received the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to increase knowledge about the effects of human activities on global warming. "We have a window of nearly seven years, said IPCC chairman Rajendra Pachauri, who accepted the prize on behalf of the panel in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. "The time to doubt science is over", he said, adding that by 2015 at the latest green house gasses must start declining if the world is to escape a climate catastrophe. Thousands of scientific experts have worked on the panel since 1988 and brought forward more and more evidence of human activities causing climate change. Experts estimate that 20 percent of greenhouse gases alone comes from raising animals for human consumption. When asked what he does on a personal level to fight climate change, Mr Pachauri said he wears warm clothing, is a vegetarian and takes care to limit his use of electricity. Meanwhile, Mr Gore said that "the threat of climate crises is real, rising, imminent and universal" in his acceptance speech before over 400 prominent Norwegians and leading members of the climate panel. Mr Gore and Mr Pachauri, an Indian scientist, are going directly from the celebrations in Oslo to join the Bali conference. "We need to complete a bold mandate there next Friday [14 December] that calls for a visionary treaty to be completed, ratified and brought into effect everywhere in the world by the beginning of 2010 – more than two years sooner than presently contemplated" Mr Gore said. He said that world leaders must meet every three months until such a new treaty is completed. The 2007 Nobel laureates also suggested a price on CO2 pollution "so that the markets can help us make rational decisions about how to sharply reduce it". "The problem with CO2 is it is completely invisible to the economy", Mr Gore said. "I'm strong in favour of a CO2 tax - a large one, with the money raised given back in a progressive repay. If you want to cut your tax, you cut your pollution," he said. But he said he did not think the UN would be "capable" of managing such a tax. more...| America | Apostasy | Earth Changes | So I would like to know how taxing the population is going to cool the sun down and increase the magnetic field of the earth, which has been steadily degrading since first measured. If Mars is also heating up, do our emissions really cause that too? How is taking money from the population going to fix or change anything outside of our control? The facts are too obvious to be missed by those pushing the blame humanity agenda and so I smell a conspiracy. What can be accomplished in the long run is that by uniting the world to save the earth with the idea that we are the cause of global warming, a uniting consciousness can be developed based on fear and lack of understanding so that as the global "all worship the same God" plans progress, the combination of it all will lead to the acceptance of the antichrist as a god to be worshipped when he is revealed with lying signs and wonders. In the meantime, the wealth can be redistributed to whatever methods those controlling taxes decide. The facts of what is causing global warming on Earth, Mars and throughout the solar system cannot be fixed by more money because these factors are completely out of the control of humanity, even the self-glorifying scientific humanists can't fix what is about to happen. See History Repeating: Mankind's Fall of Pride There is another side to this as well from those who see the futility, but these scientists probably aren't in on the agenda. While I don't believe global warming is a "non-problem," I do believe there is nothing that can be done to change it. The globe IS warming, but the cause may not be our physical pollution - rather our spiritual pollution. Global Warming and the Day of the Lord: Skeptical Scientists Urge World To ‘Have the Courage to Do Nothing' At UN Conference excerpt: "The UN conference is a complete waste of our time and your money and we should no longer pay the slightest attention to the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,)" Monckton added. (LINK) Monckton also noted that the UN has not been overly welcoming to the group of skeptical scientists. "UN organizers refused my credentials and appeared desperate that I should not come to this conference. They have also made several attempts to interfere with our public meetings," Monckton explained. "It is a circus here," agreed Australian scientist Dr. David Evans. Evans is making scientific presentations to delegates and journalists at the conference revealing the latest peer-reviewed studies that refute the UN's climate claims. "This is the most lavish conference I have ever been to, but I am only a scientist and I actually only go to the science conferences," Evans said, noting the luxury of the tropical resort. (Note: An analysis by Bloomberg News on December 6 found: "Government officials and activists flying to Bali, Indonesia, for the United Nations meeting on climate change will cause as much pollution as 20,000 cars in a year." - LINK) Evans, a mathematician who did carbon accounting for the Australian government, recently converted to a skeptical scientist about man-made global warming after reviewing the new scientific studies. (LINK) "We now have quite a lot of evidence that carbon emissions definitely don't cause global warming. We have the missing [human] signature [in the atmosphere], we have the IPCC models being wrong and we have the lack of a temperature going up the last 5 years," Evans said in an interview with the Inhofe EPW Press Blog. Evans authored a November 28 2007 paper "Carbon Emissions Don't Cause Global Warming." (LINK) more...
The Mystical Science of the Golden Compass
Berit Kjos (December
10, 2007) - The movie, "The Golden Compass," heralds a mysterious
"compass," but this is no ordinary navigational guide. Instead, it's a
divination device -- an alethiometer -- energized by tiny, conscious
"Dust" particles. Though usually invisible, these Dust particles can be
sensed by the story's more psychically attuned characters. So when
12-year-old heroine Lyra seeks guidance through her treasured "truth
measure," she invokes swirling masses of shimmering Dust that
communicate the "true" answers needed for the battles ahead. Naturally,
those answers affirm the occult worldview that author Philip Pullman
promotes. And unlike most of the mystical thrills that children learn to
crave these days, this complex tale incorporates an enticing form of
pseudo-science that is already being reinforced through public education
from elementary through graduate school. But why worry? Everyone knows
it's just fantasy, don't they? It doesn't matter. While they may know
the difference between fact and fantasy, they are likely to respond
to the message with feelings rather than intellect. Most viewers
simply let their minds flow with the story. Bypassing any discernment,
the movie then plants unforgettable images and suggestion in their
hearts and minds. The results are devastating to Christian faith.
Captivating glimpses of divination, magic, wise witches, and cute
talking daemons (pronounced demons) make the occult world seem
increasingly familiar and normal -- even acceptable and good. But God
warns us: "...do not be conformed to this
world.... Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good." Rom. 12:2,9
more...
Evangelical Leaders Reiterate Call for Two-State Solution for Israel and
Palestine Christianity
Today (December 3, 2007) -
Over
80 educators and ministry heads affirm efforts to negotiate lasting
peace, and warn of consequences of failure.
This week the Bush State Department is devoting its full diplomatic
efforts toward bringing a two-state resolution to the Israel-Palestine
conflict. Over the past few months, they have put on a full-court press
to gather a broad representation of Arab world leaders to join Israeli
and Palestinian negotiators for a historic meeting in Annapolis,
Maryland. Now, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian
National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas have agreed to a program of
sustained and focused negotiations throughout 2008. With these cautious
but hopeful beginnings, over 80 evangelical leaders have signed a
statement indicating their belief "that the way forward is for the
Israelis and Palestinians to negotiate a fair, two-state solution."
These leaders—including Christian college and seminary presidents,
denominational heads, and other ministry leaders—pledge their "ongoing
support for the security of Israel," and state that "unless the
situation between Israel and Palestine improves quickly, the
consequences will be devastating" for Israel. Palestinians with little
economic opportunity "are increasingly sympathetic to radical
solutions." The full text of their statement and the list of signatories
follow. more... I think this is one of the consequences of not understanding Bible prophecy and what it says about the future. These leaders aren't looking at what the Bible says will happen to those that come against Israel. God said He would put Israel in the land and Jeremiah 30:20 says, "Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them." Read Ezekiel 36,37 as well. Remember it is when everyone says peace and safety that sudden destruction comes. Recognizing the Bible's prophesies is much different from actively participating in what it says will happen. These things will happen without our help and given the judgment for those that come against Israel and God's putting Israel in the land, I think it is an error for Christians to get involved. We should pray for the peace of Jerusalem and Israel knowing that will only happen when Christ returns and sets up His eternal kingdom. Who doesn't want peace and security? But be careful of who you are trusting to give it to you. The Bible says the end-times is anything but a time of peace and security and the men fomenting the chaos are doing so to implement their control of the world, not to bring peace. The spirit of antichrist destroys many with peace, Daniel 8:25, much like the loss of freedom because of terrorism and in the name of peace and security. It's all about control and power for these elite who are working with the spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:11-20 Israel's security is guaranteed by God and will be shown when Iran, Turkey, Russia, Libya and others are destroyed in the mountains of Israel. However, I do believe Israel will be divided, I just don't want to be involved with it happening. Rockefeller and the New World Religion Old-Thinker News (December 2, 2007)
The Rockefeller family, while they
are by no means the only major players in world affairs, have
contributed large amounts of resources to the creation of a world
government. Utilizing vast monetary resources which were initially
amassed by the oil empire of John D. Rockefeller Sr., their efforts
have gone into nearly every area of significance. From politics,
media, to education, the Rockefellers are a force to be reckoned
with. [1] One vitally important and often overlooked method of
influence that the Rockefellers have enjoyed is in the realm of the
church and religion. It comes as little surprise, given their long
term goal of world government, that the Rockefeller family would
approve of and support a societal outlook favorable to globalism.
The use of religion is one method that, in Rockefeller's eyes,
looked to be a promising means of accomplishing this goal. Early
programs such as the Interchurch World Movement focused on the
maintenance of harmonious relations between people in America's
growing industrial society. Later endeavors such as the World
Council of Churches would trend towards being global in nature with
goals moving beyond that of simply maintaining class stability in
America to elimination of national sovereignty and world governance.
While some methods have been changed over time, and names of
organizations have been altered, the overarching agenda of
Rockefeller has remained the same. As the documents will show,
multiple attempts have been made to urge the Christian churches to
get behind programs for world governance. If the attempts were not
spearheaded by Rockefellers themselves, significant financial
support was provided to organizations sharing their vision for the
world. A discernable pattern emerges, with the ability to look back
at history, that escalating world crises have served as convenient
launching points for incrementally larger pieces of the world
government agenda. If this pattern continues - and there is little
doubt that it will - we will inevitably see greater pieces locked
into place after future crises. On May 31, 2007, speaking in
Istanbul Turkey at a conference organized by Akbank [2], Henry
Kissinger alluded to this pattern of crises, stating that,
Utopian ideals of a world civilization and a world government have always existed. No matter how well meaning and egalitarian they may sound, history has shown us that centralized systems almost always lead to corruption and abuse of power. Given the actions of the Rockefeller family in providing support to the Bolshevik revolution, [4] their instrumental role in the spread of eugenics policies to Nazi Germany, [5] and David Rockefeller's proud exclamation, "Some.. believe we are part of a secret cabal working against the best interests of the United States, characterizing my family and me as 'internationalists' and of conspiring with others... to build a more integrated global political and economic structure - one world, if you will. If that is the charge, I stand guilty, and I am proud of it," [6] it would seem that the solution of world government is rising out of crises that the proponents of such a system are fostering. It should be reiterated that while the Rockefeller family has been involved with promoting the ideas of world government and actively pursuing its formation, the idea did not originate with them. Utopians throughout history have promoted ideas of a world civilization and a world government, often with humanitarian aims. For example, as documented by Frederick Charles Hicks in his 1920 book "The New World Order", Royal Society member John Bellers presented in the year 1710,
The Interchurch World Movement (1919 - 1920) In the aftermath of the bloody conflict of World War I, the League of Nations was presented as a solution to the horrendous problems that the world had witnessed. During the same time period that the League of Nations was formed, John D. Rockefeller Jr. launched the Interchurch World Movement (IWM) in 1919. [1] The Interchurch World Movement was the first attempt by Rockefeller to consolidate the churches into a corporate like structure which would exercise control over their activities. The "stability of government", and the promotion of "harmonious relations" between people in an industrial society that the Rockefeller family was already dominating was a driving force behind the IWM. Charles E. Harvey, professor of history at California State University, wrote a history of the Interchurch World Movement in a 1982 paper titled "John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and the Interchurch World Movement of 1919-1920: A Different Angle on the Ecumenical Movement". Harvey traces the roots of the "social gospel" and the resulting battle between fundamental Christians and liberalism back to Rockefeller's Interchurch World Movement. Upon investigating the IWM, Harvey found that the historical information that most historians and researchers were using to research the IWM had been directly prepared by the lawyer of John D. Rockefeller Jr., a man named Raymond B. Fosdick. The doctored information, writes Harvey, was "...compiled precisely to conceal the real role Rockefeller played in the organization." more...| EU/UN / 4th Kingdom | NewWorldOrder | America | Apostasy |
According to the Scriptures The
Berean Call (December 1, 2007) - The
Bible makes uncompromisingly clear to all mankind its claim to be the
infallible, inerrant Word of the only true and living God. It denounces
all other gods and scriptures as false, as well as the religions they
represent. Of Jesus, God's Word declares, "He that
believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: he that believeth not the
Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John
3:36). Peter told Jewish religious leaders (and was
beaten, imprisoned, and killed for testifying to Christ's resurrection):
"There is none other name...given among men
whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Such
unequivocal statements cannot be misunderstood. Jews would not have been
persecuted and killed had they presented Yahweh as just one more god to
be added to the Roman Pantheon. Christians were considered an even
greater threat because in obedience to Christ they preached the gospel
everywhere and thereby "turned the world upside
down" (Acts 17:6).
Even they would not have been persecuted and killed had they presented
Jesus Christ as merely one of many possible saviors. It was their firm
proclamation of Christ's claim, "I am the way, the
truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John
14:6), that threatened Caesar and aroused such vicious
hatred. Today, however, to avoid the objectionable exclusivity of their
faith, "Christians" often compromise and many ecumenically deny the
biblical gospel. Christianity is a biblical faith, and the Bible is not
an "ecumenical" book. It makes no compromise with any of the world's
religions. Those who support ecumenism to any extent, no matter how
loudly they defend their orthodoxy, are not Bible-believing Christians.
At worst they are deliberate frauds; at best they are confused into
simultaneously professing two contradictory beliefs (syncretism). Which
do they really believe? Speaking out of both sides of their mouths is a
popular ploy today of both political and "Christian" leaders. Anyone is
free to invent any new religion-but not free to call it Christianity.
That faith is founded upon facts: Scripture, history, and prophecy, all
of which are a matter of clear record and none of which can be changed.
These facts cannot honestly be denied. What must we say of "Christian"
leaders and even entire denominations that do not follow Christ and His
Word? We have exposed many by name and have documented in these pages
their inexcusable hypocrisy and deceit, which must be summarily
rejected. Away with all duplicity! Whoever (Bush, Rice, et al.) insists
that Islam is a "religion of peace" and that Allah is the God of the
Bible is either deceived or lying. Islam has its founding prophet,
Muhammad, who began his career with numerous murders, attacked peaceful
villages and caravans, and beheaded hundreds who surrendered in exchange
for his sworn promise of peace and safety. Islam has its scriptures (the
Qur'an and Hadith) and 1,350 years of the bloodiest and most violent
history of any religion ever known, including the merciless slaughter of
millions (more millions in the take-over of India than Hitler killed in
all of Eastern and Western Europe). We fully document the truth about
Islam in Judgment Day , which every Berean ought to donate to his or her
local public library. One can only say that all those (from Bush and
Rice on down) who turn a blind eye to the indisputable truth about Islam
and call this violent religion "peaceful" are engaged in a cover-up. It
is indisputable that today's Islamic terrorism may not honestly be
blamed upon "extremists." This is true Islam as it always has been from
the beginning! Terrorists are sincere Muslims following both the
teaching and example of Muhammad, the obedient example set by his loyal
followers, and Islam's scriptures, which command the take-over of the
entire world and death to all who will not convert. True, not every
Muslim is a terrorist, but nearly every terrorist is a Muslim!
more...
Christian leaders criticized for seeking 'common ground' with Muslim
imams One
News Now (November 30, 2007) - Last
month, 138 Muslim scholars signed a letter addressed to Pope Benedict
XVI, and other religious leaders, urging them to find common ground
between Islam and Christianity. The letter declared that Islam and
Christianity both believe in only one God, and the commandment to love
one's neighbor. Some 200 Christian leaders have responded to the Muslim
scholars with their own letter, which calls for an interfaith dialogue
that will "reshape" the two communities to "genuinely reflect our common
love for God and for one another." Signers of the response letter
include Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of
Evangelicals, Jim Wallis of the liberal advocacy group Sojourners, and
evangelical pastors Bill Hybels and Rick Warren. Brigitte Gabriel is
founder of the
American Congress for Truth and author of the book Because They
Hate: A Survivor of Islamic Terror Warns America. She says the
letter displays a disturbing lack of knowledge about the Koran. "Our
terrorist enemies -- who have launched an attack against the West and
against the infidels, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, atheists and
everything else -- those terrorists repeated[ly] quote the Koran and
many, many verses of the Koran and the Hadith," she points out. "…the
accompanying books of the Koran [talk] about how Islam looks on
unbelievers, or the Kafirs, as those who are condemned to go to hell."
Gabriel says the Christian community would be wiser to call Muslim imams
on the carpet by urging them to tell their fellow Muslims to "stop
committing acts of barbarism in the name of their religion." She is also
disturbed that Hybels and Warren are suggesting that God and Allah are
one. "Islam is very different from Christianity, or Judaism, or
Buddhism. The Allah of Islam is not the same God we worship," she
argues. "Our God looks at all his people as equals; our God does not
command us to kill anybody. I mean, our Ten Commandments, one of the top
commandments, [says] 'thou shall not kill' -- regardless of if you
believe with these people or not." In a recent column, WorldNetDaily
editor Joseph Farah said the Christian theologians, ministry leaders,
and pastors who signed the letter to Muslim scholars do not speak for
him or for Christ.
Ankara welcomes Pope's EU comments The
Irish Times (November 29, 2006) -
Turkish prime minister Tayyip Erdogan reacted positively today to
comments made by Pope Benedict XVI on his visit to Turkey but there were
more difficulties over the country's bid to join the European Union. The
Pontiff began a 4-day visit yesterday with the aim of defusing Muslim
anger over his recent comments implying Islam was violent religion that
should not be allowed spread throughout the EU. Yesterday, the Pope made
comments which gave apparent support to Turkey's controversial bid to
join the EU and today he made conciliatory comments about Islam. Prime
Minister Tayyip Erdogan after a private meeting with the Pontiff that
the Pope was in favour Turkey's membership bid. "He said 'we are not
political but we wish for Turkey to join the EU'," Mr Erdogan told
journalists. At the Nato summit in Riga, today Italian Prime Minister
Romano Prodi said Mr Erdogan had declared himself "very satisfied" with
the start of the Pope's trip. Celebrating mass at a shrine in
southwestern Turkey today, where believers say the Virgin Mary lived her
last days, Pope Benedict stressed that Christians and Muslims share a
common devotion to the mother of Jesus. Benedict said in his sermon:
"From here in Ephesus, a city blessed by the presence of Mary Most Holy
- who we know is loved and venerated also by Muslims - let us lift up to
the Lord a special prayer for peace between peoples." The Koran
describes Mary as the virgin mother of Jesus, whom Muslims consider the
greatest prophet after Mohammed, and some Muslims - especially women -
visit shrines to her. Benedict's comments on his first official visit to
a Muslim country appeared to go a long way towards making up for a
speech in Germany, which led to several attacks on churches in the
Muslim world and the murder of an Italian nun in Somalia. A columnist in
the Milliyet daily newspaper today said the Pope's comments
were "a big warning for conservative politicians who think the EU is a
Christian club." The EU has criticised Turkey for its treatment of
non-Muslim religious minorities and today the European Commission put a
further barrier to accession when it recommend the suspension of some
strands of negotiations over Ankara's failure to open its ports to EU
member Cyprus. more... I'm learning a little more about the Vatican's place as the woman riding the beast of Revelation 17. I just read a good historic look at the Vatican and her history of "reigning over the kings of the earth." Revelation 17:18 It is by S.H. Venour and is called New World Order: The Counterfeit Kingdom. It was written in 1998 and so the more current news of Europe's rise to power and the 10 kingdoms is missing in the assessment, but the history of the Roman Catholic Church remains the same and as the Bible states is at the core of planning for a New World Order. But her judgment will come in one day and the 10 kings will maul her and burn her with fire according to God's judgment He has put in their heart to fulfill. Revelation 18"It is very important that the visit of Pope Benedict XVI coincides with a period in which the final declaration of Alliance of Civilizations Initiative Istanbul Summit was released," said Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who held a news conference regarding his meeting with Pope at Ankara's Esenboga Airport on Tuesday. LinkThis brings me to this article brought to attention by Bjorn on his blog regarding the Alliance of Civilizations. If you have been reading my comments in past issues, you know that the Alliance of Civilizations is heading for a war on those with fundamentalist religious beliefs that claim sole ownership to the Truth. At the core of the Catholic Church is still the Bible and although this Bible is changed from its original, it still states that Yeshua is the only way to salvation. I think therefore that this is why the woman who has controlled and guided world politics over the millennia (riding the beast), will be hated by the 10 horns. In order for the plans for a One World Religion to come to fruition, the foundation of belief must be destroyed. In the case of Christianity, that is the Bible. The Vatican is working toward that end of a One World Religion through the method of accepting all belief and mixing them to dilute the Truth, a trademark of Babylon. In this way, if nobody reads the Bible for themselves and rather trust in the interpretations of men like the Pope for direction, when the great deception is unleashed with power, signs and lying wonders, the world without a firm foundation will have signs and wonders to deceive them from the Truth that has been written in the Bible from the beginning. I believe we may see the Pope at the time act as the 12th Mahdi for Islam and redirect worship of traditional means to the antichrist. It this is the case, then those who listen to the Pope over the Bible will be deceived and lost.
Pope invites senior Muslims to Vatican meeting Breitbart.com
(November 29, 2007) - Pope Benedict XVI
invited a delegation of senior
Muslim personalities, who signed an appeal for greater dialogue between
religions, to a meeting at the Vatican, according to a letter released
Thursday. The pope praised the "positive spirit" behind the October 11
message signed by 138 top Muslims from around the world and sent to
Christian leaders, said Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio
Bertone in the letter sent in Pope Benedict's name. The pope wanted to
meet a representative group of the signatories at the Vatican, he added
in the letter sent to Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad bin Talal, head of the
Institute for Islamic Thought in Amman. "The Pope has asked me to convey
his gratitude to Your Royal Highness and to all who signed the letter,"
Bertone wrote. "He also wishes to express his deep appreciation for this
gesture, for the positive spirit which inspired the text and for the
call for a common commitment to promoting peace in the world. "Without
ignoring or downplaying our differences as Christians and Muslims, we
can and therefore should look to what unites us, namely, belief in the
one God, the provident Creator and universal Judge who at the end of
time will deal with each person according to his or her actions. We are
all called to commit ourselves totally to him and to obey his sacred
will." The letter said the pope "was particularly impressed by the
attention given in the letter to the twofold commandment to love God and
one's neighbour." It recalled Pope Benedict's statement in August 2005
soon after he took office that "we must not yield to the negative
pressures in our midst, but must affirm the values of mutual respect,
solidarity and peace. "The life of every human being is sacred, both for
Christians and for Muslims. There is plenty of scope for us to act
together in the service of fundamental moral values." "Such common
ground allows us to base dialogue on effective respect for the dignity
of every human person, on objective knowledge of the religion of the
other, on the sharing of religious experience and, finally, on common
commitment to promoting mutual respect and acceptance among the younger
generation," the letter went on. "The Pope is confident that, once this
is achieved, it will be possible to cooperate in a productive way in the
areas of culture and society, and for the promotion of justice and peace
in society and throughout the world." more...
Alaskans recall alleged abuse by Jesuits Associated
Press (November 21, 2007) -
Holding photos of themselves as children, Elsie Boudreau and
James Niksik described what they said were years of sexual abuse
by Jesuit priests that led to the announcement of a $50 million
settlement. They said Tuesday that their abusers were venerated
in the isolated western Alaska villages where they grew up.
"This is a crime that our parents and our grandparents couldn't
even conceive of," said Boudreau, who said her photo was taken
for her first communion in the village of St. Mary's. The press
conference was held two days after the announcement of the $50
million settlement with the Pacific Northwest branch of the
Society of Jesus, which includes Oregon, Washington, Idaho,
Montana and Alaska. The Jesuit organization's settlement covers
110 Alaska Natives who say they were abused by more than a dozen
priests. "This is how big I was," said Niksik, from the village
of St. Michael, pointing to a photo of himself and another child
at what he said was age 7 or 8. "We put our trust in the people
who taught us religion." When he told his father about the
abuse, Niksik said, his father didn't believe him. The
settlement does not include the Fairbanks Roman Catholic
Diocese, which owned and managed churches in rural Alaska. The
settlement doesn't require the Jesuits to acknowledge
wrongdoing, but lawyers for the plaintiffs said the size of the
settlement spoke for itself. John Manly, who has handled several
abuse cases, said the plaintiffs believe that church officials
knowingly sent "the worst of the worst" to isolated villages and
that the Jesuits continue to care for abusers. He said he
believes abusers are still in the ministry. The Very Rev. John
Whitney, provincial superior of the society, has denied that
Alaska was a dumping grounds for pedophile priests.
more...
Hillary Clinton to Attend Saddleback Church AIDS Event Lighthouse Trails (November 15, 2007) - According to a CBS report Hillary Clinton will be attending the Global Summit on AIDS and the Church, to be held at Saddleback Church in California from November 28th to December 1st. The CBS news story states: "Presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., will attend a meeting on AIDS at the Saddleback Church hosted by pastor and "The Purpose Driven Life" author Rick Warren and his wife Kay, church officials announced Thursday." The article quotes Clinton as saying: "I commend Rick and Kay Warren for their work to fight HIV/AIDS ... Our churches have a powerful role to play in raising the consciousness of the nation and the world to this pandemic and urge compassion for the sick and the suffering." A PR News Wire press release issued on 11/15 from the Global Summit on AIDS and the Church office in Lake Forest, California states: The Warrens have extended invitations to leading presidential candidates. Five invitees, including former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.), former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, have expressed a desire to participate and are currently working on scheduling issues.... Who's the man of peace in any village - or it might be a woman of peace - who has the most respect, they're open and they're influential? They don't have to be a Christian. In fact, they could be a Muslim, but they're open and they're influential and you work with them to attack the five giants [of the P.E.A.C.E. Plan] And that's going to bring the second Reformation."-Rick Warren, May 2005,Pew Forum on Religion Under the recommended reading list for Saddleback's HIVAIDS Community are two books by mystic Henri Nouwen. 1 One of the books, In the Name of Jesus, is also recommended by Kay Warren on www.pastors.com. This is the book where Nouwen says Christian leaders must move from the moral to the mystical: Through the discipline of contemplative prayer, Christian leaders have to learn to listen to the voice of love ... For Christian leadership to be truly fruitful in the future, a movement from the moral to the mystical is required" (pp. 6, 31,32).After years of following the mystical way, this same Henri Nouwen, near the end of his life, stated: Today I personally believe that while Jesus came to open the door to God's house, all human beings can walk through that door, whether they know about Jesus or not. Today I see it as my call to help every person claim his or her own way to God.-From Sabbatical Journey, Henri Nouwen's last book, page 51, 1998 Hardcover Edition
For more information on Warren's global peace plan and other related
topics, see
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com.
Speakers at this year's AIDS event at Saddleback.
Also related: A New Vision for God's Kingdom on Earth | America | Apostasy |
Pat Robertson Backs Giuliani
Breitbart.com (November
7, 2007) - Televangelist Pat Robertson,
founder of the Christian Coalition, endorsed Republican presidential
candidate Rudy Giuliani on Wednesday. "It is my pleasure to announce my
support for America's Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, a proven leader who is not
afraid of what lies ahead and who will cast a hopeful vision for all
Americans," Robertson said during a news conference with Giuliani in
Washington. The former New York mayor backs abortion rights and gay
rights, positions that put him in conflict with conservative GOP
orthodoxy, and has been trying to persuade evangelical conservatives
like Robertson to overlook their differences on those issues.
Evangelicals have split in their support for the leading Republican
candidates. Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, a favorite of Christian
conservatives who dropped out of the race last month, endorsed fellow
Sen. John McCain of Arizona on Wednesday. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt
Romney recently announced that Paul Weyrich and Bob Jones III were on
board with his candidacy. Asked about the Robertson endorsement, McCain,
at a news conference with Brownback in Dubuque, Iowa, said: "Every once
in a while, I'm left speechless. This is one of those times." Giuliani
is best known to voters for leading New York in the aftermath of the
Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Shortly after 9/11, Robertson released a
statement in which he said the attacks occurred because Americans had
insulted God and lost the protection of heaven by allowing abortion and
"rampant Internet pornography." Robertson made no mention of his
differences with Giuliani on social issues in Wednesday's statement.
"Rudy Giuliani took a city that was in decline and considered
ungovernable and reduced its violent crime, revitalized its core,
dramatically lowered its taxes, cut through a welter of bureaucratic
regulations, and did so in the spirit of bipartisanship which is so
urgently needed in Washington today," Robertson said. Robertson, who
unsuccessfully ran for president in 1988, founded the Christian
Broadcasting Network, the Christian Coalition and Regent University in
Virginia Beach. Also Wednesday, Giuliani said he asked two GOP friends
in Congress, Rep. Peter King of New York and Sen. Jeff Sessions of
Alabama, to introduce bills to keep states from giving licenses or
similar identification to illegal immigrants. The Democratic
front-runner, Hillary Clinton, was criticized after a televised debate
last week when she hedged an answer on whether she supported New York
Gov. Eliot Spitzer's effort to grant licenses to illegal immigrants. Her
aides say she generally supports the idea in the absence of
comprehensive immigration reform.
Rabbis warn Bush: Annapolis will bring destruction to US
YNet News (November
6, 2007) -
Group of right-wing
rabbis writes open letter to US president demanding he cancel
Annapolis summit or risk provoking 'wrath of the almighty.' Rabbis
assert Katrina disaster a result of America's support of 2005
disengagement, say California fires a warning.
A fringe group of prominent
ultranationalist rabbis issued a harshly-worded letter to United
States President George W. Bush earlier this week, warning him that
the upcoming Annapolis peace conference would bring destruction upon
America. The rabbis evoke their previous prediction in 2005, when
they published an open letter to Bush in the New York Times,
demanding the US rescind its support of the disengagement plan. "We
wrote to President Bush, a man who believes in the Bible, to warn
him against the terrible danger to which he is exposing his country
by hosting such a conference," said Rabbi Meir Druckman, one of
signatories to the letter. "The land of Israel belongs to the people
of Israel. God punishes anyone who coerces Israel to give up its
land," he said. "There is no doubt the New Orleans flood from the
Katrina hurricane was God's punishment for evicting the
settlements," said Druckman, "with hundreds of thousands left
homeless, hundreds killed or wounded and billions of dollars sent
down the drain – can we really ignore God's hand collecting an eye
for an eye?" The disengagement from Gaza and the northern West Bank
was completed August 23rd, 2005 – which was also the date Hurricane
Katrina formed over the Bahamas. "Despite those consequences, yet
again we find ourselves facing an initiative to expel Jews from
Judea and Samaria and cede their cities to terror organizations. And
once again the patrons of the event are President Bush and Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice. "This time the Almighty is warning the US
in advance: if the plague of water was not enough now he shall send
flames. While hundreds of thousands of families have already fled
the terrible fires in California, and we ask you, will you really
forge ahead with this malevolent plan?" added Druckman. The letter
was authored by SOS Israel, a right-wing movement which earlier this
year distributed citations to IDF soldiers who disobeyed orders and
refused to take part in the disengagement. The rabbis urged Bush's
administration to back down from the current direction of the peace
process, saying that not an inch of Israeli land should be ceded.
"Be merciful to yourselves and the beloved America and its citizens.
Lay down the hand you have raised against the Creator in war. Help
the people of Israel fight without compromise against the terrorists
who rise against it, and then, with a pure heart, you will truly be
able to pray: May God bless America," the rabbis said. Among the
rabbis who signed the letter are several leading religious figures,
including Rabbis Dov Wolfa, Yekutiel Rap, Gedalia Axelrod as well as
the chief rabbi of Kiryat Arba and Hebron, Dov Lior and the son of
former Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, Yaakov Yosef.
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