“The Nicene Creed states that Jesus is “consubstantial with the Father.” This means that Jesus is one in substance with the Father, having full possession of the one divine nature and thus equal to the Father.
But some quasi-Christian sects, such as Jehovah Witnesses, challenge this belief with a variety of bible passages.
One such passage is John 14:28. Jesus says, “The Father is greater than I.” How can Jesus be equal to the Father, so it’s argued, when he explicitly says the Father is greater?
One answer is that Jesus attributes this lesser status to himself insofar as he is man, not God. St. Thomas Aquinas explains,
Thus when he says, the Father is greater than I, he does not mean I, as Son of God, but as Son of man, for in this way he is not only inferior to the Father and the Holy Spirit, but even to the angels: “We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels” (Heb. 2:9). Again, in some things he was subject to human beings, as his parents (Luke 2:51). Consequently, he is inferior to the Father because of his human nature, but equal because of his divine nature (Commentary on the Gospel of John 14.8).”
The Cross is the very sign of our salvation. It is not some pagan symbol that the Catholics borrowed from Babylonians or Egyptians as JWs claim.
The prophecy of Ezekiel chapter 9 reads: “1 Then he shouted loudly for me to hear, ‘The scourges of the city are approaching, each carrying his weapon of destruction!’ 2 Immediately six men advanced from the upper north gate, each holding a deadly weapon. Among them was a man dressed in linen, with a scribe’s ink-horn in his belt. They came in and halted in front of the bronze altar. 3 The glory of the God of Israel rose from above the winged creature where it had been, towards the threshold of the Temple. He called to the man dressed in linen with a scribe’s ink-horn in his belt 4 and Yahweh said to him, ‘Go all through the city, all through Jerusalem, and mark a cross on the foreheads of all who grieve and lament over all the loathsome practices in it.’ 5 I heard him say to the others, ‘Follow him through the city and strike. Not one glance of pity; show no mercy; 6 old men, young men, girls, children, women, kill and exterminate them all. But do not touch anyone with a cross on his forehead. Begin at my sanctuary.’ So they began with the old men who were in the Temple. 7 He said to them, ‘Defile the Temple; fill the courts with corpses; then go out!’ They went out and hacked their way through the city. 8 While they were hacking them down, I was left alone; I fell on my face, crying out, ‘Ah, Lord Yahweh, are you going to annihilate all that is left of Israel by venting your fury on Jerusalem?’ 9 He said, ‘The guilt of the House of Israel and Judah is immense; the country is full of bloodshed, the city full of perversity, for they say, “Yahweh has abandoned the country, Yahweh cannot see.” 10 Then, I too shall neither give one glance of pity nor show any mercy. I shall repay them for what they have done.’ 11 The man dressed in linen with the scribe’s ink-horn in his belt then came back and made his report, ‘I have carried out your orders.’ “ https://www.catholic.org/bible/book.php?id=33&bible_chapter=9
The cross was the symbol of Jesus’ crucifixion. It redeemed us from sin and death and the cross becomes the mark of our salvation. Historically, there is ample evidence that Jesus died on a cross and not on a single pole as JWs claim. Do your research. Don’t get caught up in some empty debate resulting from a couple of dissident marginalized critics and remote historical exceptions. Also study the Shoud of Turin. Jesus died on a cross. SEE SECTIONS ON “THE CROSS” AND “THE SHROUD OF TURIN”.
In Ezekiel chapter 9 verses 3 to 4, the prophet talks about a man clothed with linen who had the writer”s ink-horn in his belt and he had to go in the midst of the city, in the midst of Jerusalem, and put mark, a sign, upon the foreheads of the men who sighed and mourned for all the abominations that were done in the midst of the city and anyone who did not have the mark would be killed . In the original Hebrew text, the word for “mark” is TAW and in the Hebrew alphabet this letter is the letter T. In the ancient Hebrew language which is slightly different from modern Hebrew, it wasn’t just the letter t. The letter TAW that the scribe with the ink-horn had to write on the forehead of people for them to be saved was actually a cross: the horizontal bar was lower. It was a cross, as a sign announcing the crucifixion and the need to have faith in the sacrifice of our Redemptor Jesus Christ!! Furthermore, it also means “alliance or pact”!!!
Also this letter TAW in Hebrew is written with two characters תָּ֜ו. The first one is a cross and the second character actually represents a man, a male human being or it can also represent a nail, as a nail used to set up a tent or a nail to nail a man on a cross during an execution!!
That is the mark that is to be written on the forehead of every person that is to be saved!! This discovery for me was amazing!!! MUST SEE: THE CROSS – The Cross: Jewish or Pagan?
Also the cross, the shape of the cross as in 2 perpendicular lines crossing each other is actually the foundation of the universe: theologians talk about the “cosmic cross”. If we analyze the world, the universe, most solid trusctures are actually based upon some form in the shape of a cross, every house, every door post, is actually built using two perpendicular beams or boards or planks or wooden pieces that will actually make the structure stronger… any piece of furniture, a bed, a chair, a cabinet, a cupboard, a fence, all of those are actually built with elements forming crosses because it’s actually the most solid shape or form in the universe. Light, stars, the sun, all shine with rays whose light is reflected in the form of a cross. Everything in the universe is based on a cross and therefore it is absolutely ludicrous to say, as Jehovah’s Witnesses claim, that the Catholics adopted the cross from some Egyptian or Babylonian pagan teaching or practice. The cross existed way before any civilization. It existed when God created the universe. Pagans didn’t invent the cross. The Catholic cross doesn’t come from pagan god nor civilization. God had purposed the cross to be the foundation of our salvation itself: it is the principle of the “cosmic cross”. SEE SECTION ON “THE CROSS”.
Discernment session for people contemplating service in holy orders or religious life
“The thoughts, feelings and desires one has within the experience of peace and stillness in the presence of Christ are God’s thoughts, feelings and desires. This is how God reveals what He wants-His will-of us and for us. When one is in that holy place in Christ, one’s desires are Christ’s desires, what one wants is what God wants. God puts His thoughts, feelings, and desires into us. In that experience, God’s will is within my will. This is an important lesson. In order to know God’s will, one simply needs to pay attention to one’s thoughts, feelings and desires when one is experiencing the peace, stillness, clarity and gratitude found in the presence of Christ. God’s will, his desire for you, is not out there somewhere! It is found in your own desire when you are in Christ! That is the will of God for you! This cannot be stressed enough.”
“Fear is an obstacle. “Fear is useless, what is needed is trust” (Mark 5:36). If God says fear is useless then it is useless. Fear is the enemy of discernment because it comes from the devil. So what can help us to trust? Love! 1 John 4:18 says, “Perfect love casts out all fear”. When we are in love with God, we can trust him, because we know him. We begin to discover the wisdom of God whereby we will want to do things God’s way and not ours. … God does not reveal himself by fear or through fear. God does not scare anyone into anything. God reveals his desires to us and draws us by a peaceful presence. It is the Enemy who scares men into and out of things. The Enemy reveals his desires through fear.
Just as God’s will is found in one’s own thoughts, feelings, and desires that flow from the experience of the peaceful presence of Christ, so the will of the Enemy is found in one’s own thoughts, feelings, and desires flowing from the fear, pressure and confusion that come from the Enemy. In the experience of fear, pressure and confusion, the Enemy puts his thoughts, feelings and desires into us. The Enemy reveals his desire in fear. He leads us by a fear flowing from a false belief, a lie. The Enemy drives a man by a fear of something false, while Christ draws a man by a peaceful presence to something that is true.”
“In prayer, God is calling us into a “spiritual childhood”. “I assure you, unless you change and become like little children, you will not enter the Kingdom of God” (Matt. 18:3). As parents, how many times did we experience our children (or a small child) running into our arms and just holding on to us and hugging us for an extended period of time? We must learn to be held [by God]. This kind of intimacy is difficult for many and especially for men. It might be good to have them take a few minutes and reflect on John 13:25, where the Beloved disciple lays his head on the Lord’s chest. Imagine yourself doing so and while doing this lay all your concerns, fears and dreams on his chest. Surrender them to the Lord. Simply rest in his embrace.”
FRUSTRATION AND ANGER OF PRIEST SOMETIMES
PRIESTHOOD & GENDER: GENDER IS SCRIPTURE – CHRIST CAME TO REPAIR THE SIN OF ADAM NOT EVE
Seis mujeres de Ohio serán las primeras en formar parte del Orden de Viudas en EE.UU
The main thrust of charging the Catholic Church with pagan influence started in the nineteenth century. Here is an article showing how it came about, and why it is a logical fallacy:
What Does it Mean to be No Part of the World? – Tom Cabeen
At one time I believed that I was a member of the only true religious organization on earth. I believed all other religious organizations to be false, even those claiming to be Christian. I now see that my former view was narrow, based on a peculiar perspective of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The WT approach to what they call “paganism” assumes that God is reacting to the actions of his enemy the devil. After Satan influenced Adam and Eve to sin, “Jehovah” reacted by setting up the ransom arrangement, which included bringing 144,000 from earth to live in heaven. The implication is that if there had been no sin, no humans would have been called to heavenly life, but would have lived forever on earth. In this perspective, the devil is “in the driver’s seat”, calling the shots as it were, which attributes to him much more power than he actually has. God is infinitely more powerful than any creature. He can never be surprised, for he knows everything. The sin of Adam and Eve was not unexpected, which is why Jesus (the name given to God’s Incarnate Son) was known before the founding of the world. (1 Pet 1:20) Since Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, whatever power the devil had over mankind has been severely limited, for he has been completely conquered, and mankind has been set free if they want to be free. For Jehovah’s Witnesses, all who do not explicitly worship “Jehovah” are considered by default to be worshipers of Satan, therefore anything done by these “pagans” (even including Jews or traditional Christians) is often considered to be false worship, especially if the same actions are performed by Christians. Therefore, there is a very strong tendency among JWs to reject anything that comes from a non-Christian (or even a non-JW) source as “pagan corruption”. That approach makes it very easy to condemn as “pagan” just about any practice that someone at Bethel doesn’t like. Since JWs reject most Christian traditions, too, “true Christianity”, in their view, consists only of the meager stable of distinctly JW practices (door to door literature distribution, attending meetings and conventions, reading and studying WT publications and strict obedience to WT laws). Only those who practice these things are considered by many JWs to be truly “pure”. In contrast, early Christians (perhaps most notably Justin, who lived in the first half of the second century) recognized and respected those pagan philosophers who had searched for truth using only their natural powers and found some of it, at least. Perhaps the three most famous are Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Thomas Aquinas, very highly regarded by the Catholic Church, harmonized Aristotelian philosophy with Christian teaching in his writings. Catholics teach that all humans are God’s children, and that any who seek truth will find it, for God gave us intelligence that we might use it to find him. During the course of human history, many have lived by their conscience, to the best of their ability, as attested to by the apostle Paul in his letter to Roman Christians. “That which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made…” (Rom 1:19-20) Paul recognized the religious attributes of the Athenians, as witnessed to by their actions, and an altar “TO AN UNKNOWN GOD” (that altar may have been erected by Socrates). Some Greek poets recognized that “we also are His children.” (Acts 17:28)
Still, Jesus’ followers are to be different from the world around them. About his disciples, he prayed, “They are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.” (John 17:14-16) James said that true religion means keeping ourselves “without spot from the world.” I was taught from my youth up that the way to do that was by strict non-participation in a whole list of practices and activities which I believed could contaminate me, including celebrating any birthday or holiday, saluting any nation’s flag, or standing for the singing of the national anthem. Such practices, I was taught, had pagan connections, and participation in them was false worship. As time went on, I began to question the meaning and validity of that view. What, exactly, makes some act or perspective “pagan”? If I perform some act which a pagan also performs, does that also make me a pagan? Can an act or celebration be pagan in itself, so that any practice of it would make one a pagan? I needed to address these questions as I began to associate with Christians who did participate in celebrations with possible pagan connections. To begin, I needed a definition of what constitutes being a “pagan”. “Paganism, in the broadest sense includes all religions other than the true one revealed by God, and, in a narrower sense, all except Christianity, Judaism, and Mohammedanism. The term is also used as the equivalent of Polytheism. It is derived from the Latin pagus, whence pagani (i.e. those who live in the country), a name given to the country folk who remained heathen after the cities had become Christian.
So the term itself dates from the period when Christianity began expanding outside of Palestine. Can we, need we, rid ourselves of anything even remotely connected with pagans? What constitutes a meaningful or significant connection? Much of the culture of the whole world has been shaped by pagans in one way or another. In many Western countries, the days of the week and months of the year are named for pagan deities. Money may have symbols on it first used by pagans. Even practices like shaking hands and wearing wedding rings originated among pagans. In a similar vein, an item such as a statue of Buddha, for example may be viewed by some as art but worshiped by others. Do these things constitute a danger to Christians? If so, what is it? To answer that question, I went in search of indications as to how early Christians handled that issue. Their world, especially outside Palestine, was thoroughly pagan. According to A History of Pagan Europe, pagans hold three characteristics in common: They believe that in multiple divine beings or gods. They believe that there is both a male and female divine principle; both God and Goddess. They believe that all nature is a theophany or manifestation of divinity; that all things, living and nonliving, are divine within themselves, not by virtue of having been created by a divine being. With this in mind, I began to think less in terms of things being Christian or pagan, and more about the beliefs and behavior of people; in particular how and what they worshiped, what they did and why, especially things done to please or appease their gods. Pagan worship took many forms, including the ritual sacrifice of animals or humans, performing various types of sexual acts, or eating and drinking to excess.
Most pagans did not have a specific moral code such as the one in the Jewish law. In the ancient pagan world, immoral behavior (from a Judeo-Christian perspective) was common. Not only were there few sanctions against it, there was often not even a sense among the general pagan populace that doing such things would in any way affect their standing with their gods. In pagan myths, their gods themselves did the same kinds of things. According to one historian, “In heathen times, a man would have been regarded as of exceptional goodness if he practiced those homely duties which an ordinary Christian gentleman would now count himself disgraced if he failed in. When Pliny [a first century Roman] set himself to inquire what was the sacramentum [oath, sacraments or sacred rites] administered to Christians at their meetings before daylight, [he learned] that the disciples then pledged themselves to what seems to us very elementary morality, that is, that they were not to rob or steal, not to commit adultery, not to break their word, and if the money of others were entrusted to them, not to appropriate it themselves.” From very ancient times, Jews were rightly proud of the high moral standards taught in their Law. Their prophets, from Moses on, spoke out against worship of idols (very often connected to such things as child sacrifice), sexual immorality, murder and such things. Christianity had an even higher standard, for the love taught by Jesus demands that we put the interests of others ahead of our own, even if we suffer inconvenience or loss as a result. That is what comes into focus when Paul considers the issue of contamination by paganism. One way in which first century Romans worshiped their gods was to bring an animal such as a goat or bull to the temple of a particular god, dedicate it to that deity, then kill and eat it. According to Albert Barnes, “When those sacrifices were made to pagan gods, a part of the animal was given to the priest that officiated, a part was consumed on the altar, and a part (probably the principal part) was the property of him who offered it. This part was either eaten by him at home, as food which had been in some sense consecrated or blessed by having been offered to an idol; or it was partaken of at a feast in honor of the idol; or it was in some instances exposed for sale in the market in the same way as other meat.” —Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament for 1 Cor 10:27-33 Was there a possibility that a Christian could purchase and eat such meat without contamination? Yes, Paul says, for in itself, the mere act of eating meat is not out of harmony with God’s revealed will nor does it require disobedience to any of God’s direct commands. That was not the issue Paul raises. Instead it was an issue rarely considered by either Jews or pagans—putting others’ rights ahead of our own. Paul does not tell the Corinthians to avoid being contaminated by contact with an object directly involved in pagan worship or even performing some act also performed by pagans. Instead, he focuses on a Christian’s responsibility to avoid wounding the conscience of another. How could this happen? To a person who considers an idol to be nothing, the meat was in reality not contaminated at all. If an idol or a false god is nothing, meat cannot by either purified or influenced by it. But if someone had often eaten meat consecrated in that very way, the person might still consider eating such meat to be an act of worship to a pagan god. Paul showed that we ought to consider the consciences of others. But he left the decision about eating to the conscience of each individual. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible” —but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. But if anyone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience’ sake — the other man’s conscience, I mean, not yours. … So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. —1 Corinthians 10:23-31 What is the point here? A person does not become a sharer in paganism either through contact with items used in pagan worship nor by performing some act also performed by pagans (even if the pagans regard that act to be worship), as long as the activity itself is not in violation of God’s expressed will in regard to the conduct of his servants. What really distinguishes the Christian from the unbeliever is the willingness to put the needs of others ahead of his or her own. Jesus’ teachings ought to have such an influence on us that, not only do we avoid conduct that violates the rights of others (1 Thess 4:1-7), but our attitude changes so much that we take a positive stance, actively looking out for the good of others and putting their needs ahead of our own. (Phil 2:3, 4) The importance of unselfish interest in others, even at great cost to ourselves, is one of the basic lessons of Jesus’ entire life, death and resurrection. So separation from the world does not mean avoiding any act that “worldly” people do. It means practicing a new kind of behavior, seeking to imitate the unselfishness of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. God’s Spirit at work in us produces fruits that are appropriate under all circumstances (Gal 5:22, 23). Our whole focus changes from “ourselves” to “others” as a result of our belief in Jesus Christ. That change, lived out in our lives, makes us very different from the world of ungodly people in which we live. I once believed that the command to “come out” of Babylon the Great in the Revelation given at the very end of the first century meant avoiding all connections with any “false religion.” But, as explained above, I learned that early Christians did not view “religion” in that way. So what did Babylon represent, and how could we get out of her? The command was addressed to Christians, most of whom were either Jews or closely associated with Jews. They did not interpret Babylon to be a “world empire of false religion.” Nor did they view Judaism as a false religion which they had to abandon when they became Christians, or Jews who still had not accepted Jesus as false worshipers (Rom 3:1, 2). Early Christians understood Babylon to mean Rome; not just the city, but the empire, which included religious, political and commercial elements. It represented “the world” of which Jesus’ kingdom was no part (Jn 18:36). Jesus’ true followers abandon worldly conduct and attitudes, as Paul explains: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”—Rom 12:2
No destruyas la Navidad
¿Por qué se originaron los Carnavales?
Capilotes are not the same as Ku Klux Klan hoods and do nit have Satanic origins This is proof the Church is performing Satanic ritual? Fr. Joseph Iannuzzi explains – Minute 11’39
From an ancient homily on Holy Saturday Something strange is happening—there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear. He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all.” Christ answered him: “And with your spirit.” He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated. For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave; I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth. For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden. See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you. See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in my image. On my back see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back. See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree. I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you. Rise, let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you. I appointed cherubim to guard you as slaves are guarded, but now I make them worship you as God. The throne formed by cherubim awaits you, its bearers swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.
Printed in Great Britain Nihil Obstat: Innocentius Apap, O.P., S.T.M. Censor Deputatus Imprimatur: + Josephus Butt Vic. Gen. Westmonasterii, Die IV Octobris, MCMXXXIII
God offered the first sacrifice to clothe Adam and Eve
ABSOLUTE MUST SEE: MISSION OF ADAM IN EDEN
MINUTE 53′ ONWARDS
PRAYERS OF ADAM
DAVID IN PSALM 148
DANIEL IN CHAPTER 3:57 ONWARDS
MINUTE 48′
PRIMORDIAL PRIESTHOOD OF ADAM AND EVE
GOD HAD GIVEN THE DOMINION OF THE ENTIRE COSMOS TO LUCIFER
WHEN HE FELL GOD GAVE IT TO ADAM
WHEN HE SINNED LUCIFER HAD HIS FEAST DAY
ABSOLUTE MUST SEE: Original sin affecting the entire creation and Adam replacing the Devil in charge of all Creation
Christ took over paternity over creation that Lucifer and Adam and Eve had forfeited
Satan overthrew Adam and Eve
BLESSED ANNE CATHERINE EMMERICH: VISION OF ADAM AND EVE TO THE FLOOD
MINUTE 47′ ONWARDS
Synopsis – The complete visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich
“They are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.” (John 17:14-16)
At one time I believed that I was a member of the only true religious organization on earth. I believed all other religious organizations to be false, even those claiming to be Christian. I now see that my former view was narrow, based on a peculiar perspective of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The WT approach to what they call “paganism” assumes that God is reacting to the actions of his enemy the devil. After Satan influenced Adam and Eve to sin, “Jehovah” reacted by setting up the ransom arrangement, which included bringing 144,000 from earth to live in heaven. The implication is that if there had been no sin, no humans would have been called to heavenly life, but would have lived forever on earth. In this perspective, the devil is “in the driver’s seat”, calling the shots as it were, which attributes to him much more power than he actually has. God is infinitely more powerful than any creature. He can never be surprised, for he knows everything. The sin of Adam and Eve was not unexpected, which is why Jesus (the name given to God’s Incarnate Son) was known before the founding of the world. (1 Pet 1:20) Since Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, whatever power the devil had over mankind has been severely limited, for he has been completely conquered, and mankind has been set free if they want to be free.
For Jehovah’s Witnesses, all who do not explicitly worship “Jehovah” are considered by default to be worshipers of Satan, therefore anything done by these “pagans” (even including Jews or traditional Christians) is often considered to be false worship, especially if the same actions are performed by Christians. Therefore, there is a very strong tendency among JWs to reject anything that comes from a non-Christian (or even a non-JW) source as “pagan corruption”. That approach makes it very easy to condemn as “pagan” just about any practice that someone at Bethel doesn’t like. Since JWs reject most Christian traditions, too, “true Christianity”, in their view, consists only of the meager stable of distinctly JW practices (door to door literature distribution, attending meetings and conventions, reading and studying WT publications and strict obedience to WT laws). Only those who practice these things are considered by many JWs to be truly “pure”.
In contrast, early Christians (perhaps most notably Justin, who lived in the first half of the second century) recognized and respected those pagan philosophers who had searched for truth using only their natural powers and found some of it, at least. Perhaps the three most famous are Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Thomas Aquinas, very highly regarded by the Catholic Church, harmonized Aristotelian philosophy with Christian teaching in his writings.
Catholics teach that all humans are God’s children, and that any who seek truth will find it, for God gave us intelligence that we might use it to find him. During the course of human history, many have lived by their conscience, to the best of their ability, as attested to by the apostle Paul in his letter to Roman Christians. “That which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made…” (Rom 1:19-20) Paul recognized the religious attributes of the Athenians, as witnessed to by their actions, and an altar “TO AN UNKNOWN GOD” (that altar may have been erected by Socrates). Some Greek poets recognized that “we also are His children.” (Acts 17:28)
Still, Jesus’ followers are to be different from the world around them. About his disciples, he prayed, “They are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.” (John 17:14-16)
James said that true religion means keeping ourselves “without spot from the world.” I was taught from my youth up that the way to do that was by strict non-participation in a whole list of practices and activities which I believed could contaminate me, including celebrating any birthday or holiday, saluting any nation’s flag, or standing for the singing of the national anthem. Such practices, I was taught, had pagan connections, and participation in them was false worship. As time went on, I began to question the meaning and validity of that view. What, exactly, makes some act or perspective “pagan”? If I perform some act which a pagan also performs, does that also make me a pagan? Can an act or celebration be pagan in itself, so that any practice of it would make one a pagan? I needed to address these questions as I began to associate with Christians who did participate in celebrations with possible pagan connections.
To begin, I needed a definition of what constitutes being a “pagan”. “Paganism, in the broadest sense includes all religions other than the true one revealed by God, and, in a narrower sense, all except Christianity, Judaism, and Mohammedanism. The term is also used as the equivalent of Polytheism. It is derived from the Latin pagus, whence pagani (i.e. those who live in the country), a name given to the country folk who remained heathen after the cities had become Christian. Catholic Encyclopedia https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11388a.htm So the term itself dates from the period when Christianity began expanding outside of Palestine.
Can we, need we, rid ourselves of anything even remotely connected with pagans? What constitutes a meaningful or significant connection? Much of the culture of the whole world has been shaped by pagans in one way or another. In many Western countries, the days of the week and months of the year are named for pagan deities. Money may have symbols on it first used by pagans. Even practices like shaking hands and wearing wedding rings originated among pagans. In a similar vein, an item such as a statue of Buddha, for example may be viewed by some as art but worshiped by others. Do these things constitute a danger to Christians? If so, what is it?
To answer that question, I went in search of indications as to how early Christians handled that issue. Their world, especially outside Palestine, was thoroughly pagan. According to A History of Pagan Europe, pagans hold three characteristics in common:
They believe that in multiple divine beings or gods.
They believe that there is both a male and female divine principle; both God and Goddess.
They believe that all nature is a theophany or manifestation of divinity; that all things, living and nonliving, are divine within themselves, not by virtue of having been created by a divine being.
With this in mind, I began to think less in terms of things being Christian or pagan, and more about the beliefs and behavior of people; in particular how and what they worshiped, what they did and why, especially things done to please or appease their gods. Pagan worship took many forms, including the ritual sacrifice of animals or humans, performing various types of sexual acts, or eating and drinking to excess.
Most pagans did not have a specific moral code such as the one in the Jewish law. In the ancient pagan world, immoral behavior (from a Judeo-Christian perspective) was common. Not only were there few sanctions against it, there was often not even a sense among the general pagan populace that doing such things would in any way affect their standing with their gods. In pagan myths, their gods themselves did the same kinds of things. According to one historian,
“In heathen times, a man would have been regarded as of exceptional goodness if he practiced those homely duties which an ordinary Christian gentleman would now count himself disgraced if he failed in. When Pliny [a first century Roman] set himself to inquire what was the sacramentum [oath, sacraments or sacred rites] administered to Christians at their meetings before daylight, [he learned] that the disciples then pledged themselves to what seems to us very elementary morality, that is, that they were not to rob or steal, not to commit adultery, not to break their word, and if the money of others were entrusted to them, not to appropriate it to themselves.”
From very ancient times, Jews were rightly proud of the high moral standards taught in their Law. Their prophets, from Moses on, spoke out against worship of idols (very often connected to such things as child sacrifice), sexual immorality, murder and such things. Christianity had an even higher standard, for the love taught by Jesus demands that we put the interests of others ahead of our own, even if we suffer inconvenience or loss as a result. That is what comes into focus when Paul considers the issue of contamination by paganism.
One way in which first century Romans worshiped their gods was to bring an animal such as a goat or bull to the temple of a particular god, dedicate it to that deity, then kill and eat it. According to Albert Barnes,
“When those sacrifices were made to pagan gods, a part of the animal was given to the priest that officiated, a part was consumed on the altar, and a part (probably the principal part) was the property of him who offered it. This part was either eaten by him at home, as food which had been in some sense consecrated or blessed by having been offered to an idol; or it was partaken of at a feast in honor of the idol; or it was in some instances exposed for sale in the market in the same way as other meat.” —Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament for 1 Cor 10:27-33
Was there a possibility that a Christian could purchase and eat such meat without contamination? Yes, Paul says, for in itself, the mere act of eating meat is not out of harmony with God’s revealed will nor does it require disobedience to any of God’s direct commands. That was not the issue Paul raises. Instead it was an issue rarely considered by either Jews or pagans—putting others’ rights ahead of our own.
Paul does not tell the Corinthians to avoid being contaminated by contact with an object directly involved in pagan worship or even performing some act also performed by pagans. Instead, he focuses on a Christian’s responsibility to avoid wounding the conscience of another. How could this happen? To a person who considers an idol to be nothing, the meat was in reality not contaminated at all. If an idol or a false god is nothing, meat cannot by either purified or influenced by it. But if someone had often eaten meat consecrated in that very way, the person might still consider eating such meat to be an act of worship to a pagan god. Paul showed that we ought to consider the consciences of others. But he left the decision about eating to the conscience of each individual.
“Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible” —but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. But if anyone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience’ sake — the other man’s conscience, I mean, not yours. … So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. —1 Corinthians 10:23-31
What is the point here? A person does not become a sharer in paganism either through contact with items used in pagan worship nor by performing some act also performed by pagans (even if the pagans regard that act to be worship), as long as the activity itself is not in violation of God’s expressed will in regard to the conduct of his servants. What really distinguishes the Christian from the unbeliever is the willingness to put the needs of others ahead of his or her own. Jesus’ teachings ought to have such an influence on us that, not only do we avoid conduct that violates the rights of others (1 Thess 4:1-7), but our attitude changes so much that we take a positive stance, actively looking out for the good of others and putting their needs ahead of our own. (Phil 2:3, 4) The importance of unselfish interest in others, even at great cost to ourselves, is one of the basic lessons of Jesus’ entire life, death and resurrection.
So separation from the world does not mean avoiding any act that “worldly” people do. It means practicing a new kind of behavior, seeking to imitate the unselfishness of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. God’s Spirit at work in us produces fruits that are appropriate under all circumstances (Gal 5:22, 23). Our whole focus changes from “ourselves” to “others” as a result of our belief in Jesus Christ. That change, lived out in our lives, makes us very different from the world of ungodly people in which we live.
I once believed that the command to “come out” of Babylon the Great in the Revelation given at the very end of the first century meant avoiding all connections with any “false religion.” But, as explained above, I learned that early Christians did not view “religion” in that way. So what did Babylon represent, and how could we get out of her? The command was addressed to Christians, most of whom were either Jews or closely associated with Jews. They did not interpret Babylon to be a “world empire of false religion.” Nor did they view Judaism as a false religion which they had to abandon when they became Christians, or Jews who still had not accepted Jesus as false worshipers (Rom 3:1, 2). Early Christians understood Babylon to mean Rome; not just the city, but the empire, which included religious, political and commercial elements. It represented “the world” of which Jesus’ kingdom was no part (Jn 18:36). Jesus’ true followers abandon worldly conduct and attitudes, as Paul explains: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”—Rom 12:2.
Luisa Piccarreta, TOSD, also known as the “Little Daughter of the Divine Will”, (23 April 1865–4 March 1947), was a Catholic mystic and member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic. Her writings and spirituality centred on union with the will of God.
A COSMOS WITHIN HIMSELF – ESTABLISH A KINGDOM, A COSMOS, WITHIN HIMSELF – THE DIVINE WILL
MINUTE 56′
GIFT OF DIVINE WILL IMPACTS ALL CENTURIES IN THE PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE
MINUTE 1H08′
Fr. Iannuzzi: Struggles Before Receiving the Divine Will
Luisa Piccarreta’s Four Spiritual Marriages Explained
SECOND PENTOCOST = CHRIST’S SECOND COMING = EUCHARISTIC REIGN OF CHRIST = TRIUMPH OF IMMACULATE HEART = ERA OF PEACE = WILL DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN = FULFILLMENT OF DIVINE WILL
ABSOLUTE MUST SEE: DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DOING THE DIVINE WILL AND LIVING THE DIVINE WILL
MINUTE 1H30′
PATH TO DIVINE WILL
MINUTE 1H42′
1 – DESIRE ADMITS US TO THE GIFT
2 – KNOWLEDGE ADVANCES US
3 – VIRTUE ANCHORS US
4 – LIFE ACTUALIZES IT
33 NEW GRACES OF DIVINE WILL
MINUTE 1H48′
PRIESTHOOD IN DIVINE WILL
ADAMIC/COMMON PRIESTHOOD VERSUS MINISTERIAL MANLY ONLY PRIESTHOOD
MINUTE 1H56′
Father Joseph Iannuzzi
WHO IS FATHER IANNUZZI?
Rev. Joseph Leo Iannuzzi is a doctoral alumnus of the Gregorian Pontifical University of Rome. He has obtained 5 post-graduate degrees, with studies in medicine, music, anthropology, sociology, philosophy, and theology. As a young medical student, Joseph traveled to a Marian shrine in 1988 where he was inspired to enter the seminary. In 1991 he obtained a Ph.B. in Philosophy and was awarded the Kilburn Award. While assigned for 15 years in Italy, Rev. Iannuzzi studied Italian, Hebrew, Greek, Latin and other languages. He also obtained an STB, M. Div., STL and STD, Ph.D. in Theology, with specialization in patristics, dogmatics and mysticism. Rev. Iannuzzi was one of four selected students to receive a grant from the Pontifical Biblicum University of Rome to study theology in the Holy Land. While in Rome he assisted the exorcist of Rome, Fr. Gabriel Amorth, and has written several books on prophecy and revelation. He appeared on EWTN and was host of several television and national radio broadcasts. He has translated numerous theological works into English and has authored seven publications. Rev. Iannuzzi’s first exposure to the writings of the Italian mystic Luisa Piccarreta occurred over twenty years ago while making a holy hour in a Trappist monastery. By a stroke of providence, there lay on the empty pew before him a volume of Luisa. After having read it, he discovered on the monastery windowsill a pamphlet of the same mystic. The following day a senior nun (now deceased) approached him and asked if he might be interested in translating Luisa’s works from Italian to English. He accepted this task. In 2012 Rev. Iannuzzi successfully completed his doctorate in theology at the Gregorian Pontifical University of Rome, and he has translated into English all of Luisa’s writings that are cited in his doctoral dissertation and are approved by the Pontifical University that is authorized by the Holy See. He has authored over 20 publications and has translated numerous works on mystical and dogmatic theology. Fr. Joseph is presently the Theological Consultant (peritus) in the Cause of Beatification of several Catholic mystics.
Learn more about Living in God’s Divine Will through talks and other recordings by Father Iannuzzi
ENCYCLICAL LETTER : SPE SALVI OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF BENEDICT XVI TO THE BISHOPS PRIESTS AND DEACONS MEN AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS AND ALL THE LAY FAITHFUL ON CHRISTIAN HOPE
WE ARE IN EXILE ON OUR WAY TO OUR HOMELAND, THE HEAVENS TO LIVE WITH GOD
St. Faustina’s Way of the Cross
Jesus Is Placed in the Sepulchre
Celebrant: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. People: Because by Your holy Cross and Resurrection, You have redeemed the world. Celebrant: They took the body of Jesus and bound It with burial cloths along with the spices, according to the Jewish burial custom. Now in the place where He had been crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had yet been buried. So they laid Jesus there because of the Jewish preparation day; for the tomb was close by (John 19:38-42). Jesus: (Celebrant) But child, you are not yet in your homeland; so go, fortified by My grace, and fight for My kingdom in human souls; fight as a king’s child would; and remember that the days of your exile will pass quickly, and with them the possibility of earning merit for heaven. I expect from you, My child, a great number of souls who will glorify My mercy for all eternity (1489). S. Faustina: (People) Every soul You have entrusted to me, Jesus, I will try to aid with prayer and sacrifice, so that Your grace can work in them. O great lover of souls, my Jesus, I thank You for this immense confidence with which You have deigned to place souls in our care (245). All: Grant, Merciful Lord, that not even one of those souls which You have entrusted to me be lost. Celebrant: You, who suffered wounds for us, People: Christ Jesus, have mercy on us. Sung Verse: Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence, Be Thy Mother my defense, Be Thy Cross my victory.
THE NEW EARTHLY HOPE: The original plan of God was us to live on Earth as in the Garden of Eden
Question: If God wants us to be with him in heaven, why did he put us on Earth?
Answer: The answer to that is that we were not meant to be in heaven. We were meant to live in perfect communion with God and each other on Earth. That is why at the end of time we will be resurrected with glorified bodies and will inhabit a new earth.
What is the New Earth and the New Heaven in Revelations?
1042 At the end of time, the Kingdom of God will come in its fullness. After the universal judgment, the righteous will reign for ever with Christ, glorified in body and soul. The universe itself will be renewed:
The Church . . . will receive her perfection only in the glory of heaven, when will come the time of the renewal of all things. At that time, together with the human race, the universe itself, which is so closely related to man and which attains its destiny through him, will be perfectly re-established in Christ.631
1043 Sacred Scripture calls this mysterious renewal, which will transform humanity and the world, “new heavens and a new earth.”632 It will be the definitive realization of God’s plan to bring under a single head “all things in [Christ], things in heaven and things on earth.”633
1044 In this new universe, the heavenly Jerusalem, God will have his dwelling among men.634 “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.”635
1045 For man, this consummation will be the final realization of the unity of the human race, which God willed from creation and of which the pilgrim Church has been “in the nature of sacrament.”636 Those who are united with Christ will form the community of the redeemed, “the holy city” of God, “the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.”637 She will not be wounded any longer by sin, stains, self-love, that destroy or wound the earthly community.638 The beatific vision, in which God opens himself in an inexhaustible way to the elect, will be the ever-flowing well-spring of happiness, peace, and mutual communion.
1046 For the cosmos, Revelation affirms the profound common destiny of the material world and man:
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God . . . in hope because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay. . . . We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.639
1047 The visible universe, then, is itself destined to be transformed, “so that the world itself, restored to its original state, facing no further obstacles, should be at the service of the just,” sharing their glorification in the risen Jesus Christ.640
1048 “We know neither the moment of the consummation of the earth and of man, nor the way in which the universe will be transformed. The form of this world, distorted by sin, is passing away, and we are taught that God is preparing a new dwelling and a new earth in which righteousness dwells, in which happiness will fill and surpass all the desires of peace arising in the hearts of men.”641
1049 “Far from diminishing our concern to develop this earth, the expectancy of a new earth should spur us on, for it is here that the body of a new human family grows, foreshadowing in some way the age which is to come. That is why, although we must be careful to distinguish earthly progress clearly from the increase of the kingdom of Christ, such progress is of vital concern to the kingdom of God, insofar as it can contribute to the better ordering of human society.”642
1050 “When we have spread on earth the fruits of our nature and our enterprise . . . according to the command of the Lord and in his Spirit, we will find them once again, cleansed this time from the stain of sin, illuminated and transfigured, when Christ presents to his Father an eternal and universal kingdom.”643 God will then be “all in all” in eternal life:644
True and subsistent life consists in this: the Father, through the Son and in the Holy Spirit, pouring out his heavenly gifts on all things without exception. Thanks to his mercy, we too, men that we are, have received the inalienable promise of eternal life.64
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Christian hope is “the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit” (CCC 1817)
ENCYCLICAL LETTER : SPE SALVI OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF BENEDICT XVI TO THE BISHOPS PRIESTS AND DEACONS MEN AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS AND ALL THE LAY FAITHFUL ON CHRISTIAN HOPE
https://www.catholic.com/audio/cot/the-myth-of-protestant-bible-martyrs In the 1370s, a dissenting Catholic priest named John Wycliffe became involved in a translation of the Bible in the middle English that was completed in 1382. He died of a stroke in 1384, so he wasn’t a martyr for the Bible. In fact, Wycliffe’s translation came under fire because of his heresies such as denying Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist and his association with the proto Protestant lollard movement…
… What we see during this period is not a church that burns people at the stake merely for having vernacular scriptures. Instead, there are a few regions where vernacular translations are restricted or subject to review because of an acute heretical movement that relied on them. Aaron de himself even praised the queen for owning personal copies of the gospel. According to Van Lear, it was not the possession of a vernacular Bible as such, but who owned it and whether they were associated with heretical movements that irked the church authorities. A number of provincial counsels issued edicts and injunctions against vernacular translations. They seem to have been more concerned with the spread of heresy than with the vernacular Bible as such. Now it is fair to point out that some church leaders may have overreacted with their rules withholding scripture in order to prevent heresy while other church leaders underacted when it came to providing their own vernacular translations to help the faithful.
But that’s a far cry from the common view among some Protestants that the church chained up bibles to keep people from reading them and executed those who published them In the vernacular, Bibles were chained in churches so that everyone could read them. It was so they wouldn’t be stolen. Protestants also like to cite Jan Hus as a Bible martyr and he was executed for heresy in 1415, but in his article, why was Jan Hus burned at the stake during the Council of Constance? Thomas Fudge never mentions Bible translation as one of Huss crimes. The Dresden Bible written in Czech had already been published in the 1370s. Instead, Huss was executed for his theological heresies, which included many of wycliffe’s errors and a form of donatism that claimed sacraments administered by sinful clerics were invalid. Finally, there’s William Tindale who’s known for his English Bible translation, which included several anti-Catholic notes… … But what about the former point of punishing heresy like the need for regulating Bible translations? I think most conservative Protestants would agree the church should regulate doctrine and combat heresy. For example, if a member of your congregation starts leading other people to believe Jesus is not fully God and that person won’t recant his beliefs, then you’d ask him to leave your church to be disfellowshipped, which Catholics call excommunication until the person repent of his heresy. Now, a Protestant might agree, but say they reject executing heretics, which is what the Catholic church did in the Middle Ages, but that wasn’t unique to Catholicism. John Calvin had Michael Cerveti burned at the stake for his Trinitarian heresies. The Lutheran theologian, Philip Maldon published a pamphlet signed by Martin Luther, which concluded of the Anabaptist that in some cases quote, the stubborn sectaries must be put to death. Catholicism should not be rejected because the church was involved in the execution of heretics. By that logic, many Protestant denominations would have to be rejected as well as the Bible itself because it authorizes executing heretics. Deuteronomy 1820 says, any prophet presumes to speak in my name, a word that I have not commanded the prophet to speak or who speaks in the name of other gods that prophet shall die…
John Wycliffe (/ˈwɪklɪf/; also spelled Wyclif, Wickliffe, and other variants; c. 1328 – 31 December 1384) was an English scholastic philosopher, Christian reformer, Catholic priest, and a theology professor at the University of Oxford. Wycliffe is traditionally believed to have advocated or made a vernacular translation of the Vulgate Bible into Middle English, though more recent scholarship has minimalized the extent of his advocacy or involvement for lack of direct contemporary evidence
On 17 November 1382, Wycliffe was summoned before a synod at Oxford. He still commanded the favour of the court and of Parliament, to which he addressed a memorial. In 1383 he was summonsed to Rome, but he suffered a debilitating stroke and was excused from travel. He was neither excommunicated then, nor deprived of his living.
Who Was the Real Martin Luther?
A biographical sketch of the spark that lit the Reformation.
Servant of God Maria Serafina del Sacro Cuore di Gesu Micheli (ne Clotilde), Italian foundress of the Institute of Sisters of the Angels (1849-1911). “While she was in Epfendorf – on 10 November 1883 – she passed through to find a church for her to reflect in and found a church that she failed to realize was in fact a Protestant church. Her Guardian Angel came to her and said: Arise for this is a Protestant church. But I want to make you see the place where Martin Luther was condemned and the pain he suffered as a punishment for his pride”; Micheli saw demons who had forced Luther to his knees and confirmed he was consigned to the fires of Hell.”
MARTIN LUTERO, está en el infierno según vidente, y así es como murió
«Lutero se ha paseado por la historia inmune a la verdad, a los hechos y a la lógica». Alentó la violencia brutal al servicio de los príncipes alemanes
María Elvira Roca Barea, filóloga y autora de «Imperiofobia y Leyenda Negra», ha escrito un artículo en El País en el que revela la realidad sobre la figura de Martín Lutero, desmontando los mitos buenistas en torno a su persona.
Las celebraciones en torno al quinto centenario del cisma luterano, que impulsó el monje agustino, obvian los aspectos más oscuros de su figura y legado. El manto religioso oculta un conflicto político y nacionalista
