Ten college students in North Korea are currently languishing in jail for the simple offence of being caught reading a Bible or watching a DVD about the Bible. [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001CjddaMLHO-EIhFm5rNwa7ueXjPh9h2TO627Xi3Mzfu8uFaRc7YMbzE4ZjFiusnWRH_yoeh5fPZlL-oqvOJvuaMCksPUvr7DAgM5tgmbLgvGimp44lSE34gKWpf7H1wzLkTmNe03DD22ul783Vmp3Mw==] A similar story is reported from Algeria where a Christian woman, Habiba Kouider, was charged after being plucked off a bus, for possession of several Bibles and books on Christianity. The case gained notoriety when Algerian newspapers reported that court officials mocked Habiba for her conversion and pressured her to return to Islam.
The same Algerian court in the city of Tiaret had world’s attention as state prosecutor hounded 6 men before the court for “practicing non-Muslim religious rites without a license.” When that charge would not stick, prosecutors changed their charges to that of engagement in activities that could "shake the faith of Muslims," demanding two-year jail sentences and 500,000 dinar (US$8,145) fines for each of the men. "How can six people shake the faith of 40 million unless the court is convinced that the faith of the 40 million is not based on strong foundations?" one of the accused Christians asked the court in what has now become a popular quote on the internet. Four of the men were found guilty and given 2 – 6 months suspended jail terms plus hefty fines. <http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/archives/021222.php>
Globally, the Church is marching on strong!
Despite the persecutions involved, Moslems continue to troop out of Islam, as reported in last edition. Many, not so much because they were preached to by Christians, but by the self-evident contradictions they find in the religion or even direct visitation by the Lord Jesus in dreams and visions. A new book has just been published by WND Books titled "Why We Left Islam: Former Muslims Speak Out," It contained “gripping firsthand personal accounts of 23 men and women who risked their lives by abandoning the Koran.” One of the ex-Moslems, Waleed, says the attack on the World Trade Center changed him: "On Sept. 11, 2001, I saw the real face of Islam. I saw the happiness on the faces of our people because so many infidels were slaughtered so easily. I saw many people who started thanking Allah for this massacre." http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=62905
Meanwhile, the Indonesian government has ordered Ahmadiyyas to return to orthodox Islam – or face 5 years in prison for "insulting Islam" <http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/archives/021333.php>
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Todd Bentley and the “Third Wave Outpouring”
He mentioned Nigeria directly by name in his “Prophetic Directions for 2008”, as God’s own country http://www.etpv.org/2008/pd4208.html. Glowing testimonies from Nigeria are among the top cited ones on his Fresh Fire Ministries website; yet there are disconcerting aspects about Todd Bentley (a Canadian evangelist with global ministry) that the average Nigerian pastor is most likely totally ignorant about. Todd’s interest and great potential influence in Nigeria, is what has made it a burden for Church Arise! to bring out the information that follow in this article. The responsibility for taking appropriate action is then left for the individual pastor and Christian reader of this newsletter.
So what about Todd Bentley? He is the man at the centre of what is being labelled as the “Third Wave” Revival, in the footsteps of the much discredited First and Second Wave revivals at Toronto and Pensacola years back. This “third wave” on-going since April 2, 2008, is happening in the United States. Todd Bentley had been invited to hold a series of meetings, scheduled to last 5 days, at the United Church, Lakeland, Florida, but an outburst of unusual supernatural manifestations has kept the meetings going on ever since, now running into weeks. (Wikipaedia has a brief favourable report here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakeland_revival).
Yes, there are reports of spectacular healings, signs and wonders; but associated with these are also some strange manifestations. Mike Oppenheimer of “Let us Reason” Ministries (http://www.letusreason.org/) describes some of these manifestations: “This revival has all the spiritual sensations and activities of the other revivals combined: Roaring, groaning, burning sensations in the body, head, and stomach; shaking, jerking, spiritual drunkenness and uncontrollable laughter and then some new manifestations. People have their eyes rolled back in the back of their heads. There are reports of women gyrating and pulsating like they've been ravaged from behind by some unseen force.” Todd Bentley himself describes a particular scenario: “During a visitation, the pastor's wife got totally whacked by the Holy Ghost. She began running around barking like a dog or squawking like a chicken as a powerful prophetic spirit came on her.” Oppenheimer, himself a deep occultist before becoming saved, was blunt in declaring: “Holy or un-holy may still be debated by some but to those of us who are knowledgeable of the previous 'revivals' and the power of the occult, the jury is in. The source is not the God of the Bible.” (www.crossroad.to/articles2/08/markell-prophet-wolf.htm)
Todd Bentley, with his tattoos and body piercings (which he had probably when he was still a demon-afflicted Satanist, before becoming a Christian), has far more than these chaotic manifestations to answer for, even if asking the questions has not always been easy. For example, according to Charisma Magazine editor Lee Grady: “When I called for scrutiny of some aspects of the Lakeland Revival, I was labeled a Pharisee and a 'religious policeman.' I had suddenly become the enemy.”
There were also the issues of significant violence associated with Todd’s ministrations - as when he tried to maul a young man he was ministering deliverance to; or his gloating about the kicking of a healing-seeking lady in the face with his biker boot – under the instruction of the ‘Holy Spirit’. Incredible, but it’s true! See http://www.prophezine.com/PZArticles/AreChristiansThatStupidByRayGano/tabid/706/Default.aspx. (For a partial word-for-word transcript of a YouTube video titled, “Todd Bentley's Raging Revival”. See http://www.christianresearchservice.com/ToddBentleyResearchPage.htm) The 2 minute-37 second video may be reviewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K8XjObzfXM. An apologist, futilely attempts to water down the situation, insisting the boot never touched the face of the lady before she fell under the unction of the spirit! (http://completefaith.wordpress.com/).
By far the most serious aspect of this hyped “great outpouring”, however, has to do with doctrine. One major issue is the key role the “female angel” named Emma plays in the whole “revival” saga. Todd describes the so-called angel as a young, (about 22) beautiful female who appears at the meetings spreading gold dust on people, which invariably translates to financial breakthrough for those so-dusted, among other miracles. As part of his new angels-centred theology, Bentley now teaches: “So when I need a financial breakthrough, I don't just pray and ask God for my financial breakthrough. I go into intercession and become a partner with the angels by petitioning the Father for the angels that are assigned to getting me money: 'Father, give me the angels in heaven right now that are assigned to get me money and wealth... Let them go into the four corners of the earth and gather me money.” This type of prayer is unfortunately gaining much currency among Pentecostal circles in Nigeria at the present time. While the Scriptures say the Father will give His angels charge over us, heir of salvation, it is not our job specifying which angels to send and when! Summoning ‘angels’ and ‘spirits’ has long been the main character of the occult.
Further on doctrine, Bentley has been claiming he makes routine trips to the 3rd heaven where he interacts with Abraham, Jesus, and at least on one occasion, interviewed the apostle Paul (http://www.scribd.com/doc/3356633/-Todd-Bentley-DEMONIC-STAR-GATE-PORTALS-TO-THIRD-HEAVENS- ). Bentley describes all these matter-of-factly and is even ready to assist others to learn how to make these no-big-deal trips. Any informed Christian would easily understand that the trips are nothing different from the out-of-the-body astral travels that are so common in new age spirituality, where a horde of demons meet the gullible seeker at the point of his/her expectations – from posing as UFOs, to taking on forms of dead relatives, or (for the religious minded folks) some biblical character!
Read more on this subject matter from Jan Markell’s article FOOTPRINTS OF A PROPHET OR TRACKS OF A WOLF? http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/08/markell-prophet-wolf.htm
So what about Todd Bentley? He is the man at the centre of what is being labelled as the “Third Wave” Revival, in the footsteps of the much discredited First and Second Wave revivals at Toronto and Pensacola years back. This “third wave” on-going since April 2, 2008, is happening in the United States. Todd Bentley had been invited to hold a series of meetings, scheduled to last 5 days, at the United Church, Lakeland, Florida, but an outburst of unusual supernatural manifestations has kept the meetings going on ever since, now running into weeks. (Wikipaedia has a brief favourable report here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakeland_revival).
Yes, there are reports of spectacular healings, signs and wonders; but associated with these are also some strange manifestations. Mike Oppenheimer of “Let us Reason” Ministries (http://www.letusreason.org/) describes some of these manifestations: “This revival has all the spiritual sensations and activities of the other revivals combined: Roaring, groaning, burning sensations in the body, head, and stomach; shaking, jerking, spiritual drunkenness and uncontrollable laughter and then some new manifestations. People have their eyes rolled back in the back of their heads. There are reports of women gyrating and pulsating like they've been ravaged from behind by some unseen force.” Todd Bentley himself describes a particular scenario: “During a visitation, the pastor's wife got totally whacked by the Holy Ghost. She began running around barking like a dog or squawking like a chicken as a powerful prophetic spirit came on her.” Oppenheimer, himself a deep occultist before becoming saved, was blunt in declaring: “Holy or un-holy may still be debated by some but to those of us who are knowledgeable of the previous 'revivals' and the power of the occult, the jury is in. The source is not the God of the Bible.” (www.crossroad.to/articles2/08/markell-prophet-wolf.htm)
Todd Bentley, with his tattoos and body piercings (which he had probably when he was still a demon-afflicted Satanist, before becoming a Christian), has far more than these chaotic manifestations to answer for, even if asking the questions has not always been easy. For example, according to Charisma Magazine editor Lee Grady: “When I called for scrutiny of some aspects of the Lakeland Revival, I was labeled a Pharisee and a 'religious policeman.' I had suddenly become the enemy.”
There were also the issues of significant violence associated with Todd’s ministrations - as when he tried to maul a young man he was ministering deliverance to; or his gloating about the kicking of a healing-seeking lady in the face with his biker boot – under the instruction of the ‘Holy Spirit’. Incredible, but it’s true! See http://www.prophezine.com/PZArticles/AreChristiansThatStupidByRayGano/tabid/706/Default.aspx. (For a partial word-for-word transcript of a YouTube video titled, “Todd Bentley's Raging Revival”. See http://www.christianresearchservice.com/ToddBentleyResearchPage.htm) The 2 minute-37 second video may be reviewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K8XjObzfXM. An apologist, futilely attempts to water down the situation, insisting the boot never touched the face of the lady before she fell under the unction of the spirit! (http://completefaith.wordpress.com/).
By far the most serious aspect of this hyped “great outpouring”, however, has to do with doctrine. One major issue is the key role the “female angel” named Emma plays in the whole “revival” saga. Todd describes the so-called angel as a young, (about 22) beautiful female who appears at the meetings spreading gold dust on people, which invariably translates to financial breakthrough for those so-dusted, among other miracles. As part of his new angels-centred theology, Bentley now teaches: “So when I need a financial breakthrough, I don't just pray and ask God for my financial breakthrough. I go into intercession and become a partner with the angels by petitioning the Father for the angels that are assigned to getting me money: 'Father, give me the angels in heaven right now that are assigned to get me money and wealth... Let them go into the four corners of the earth and gather me money.” This type of prayer is unfortunately gaining much currency among Pentecostal circles in Nigeria at the present time. While the Scriptures say the Father will give His angels charge over us, heir of salvation, it is not our job specifying which angels to send and when! Summoning ‘angels’ and ‘spirits’ has long been the main character of the occult.
Further on doctrine, Bentley has been claiming he makes routine trips to the 3rd heaven where he interacts with Abraham, Jesus, and at least on one occasion, interviewed the apostle Paul (http://www.scribd.com/doc/3356633/-Todd-Bentley-DEMONIC-STAR-GATE-PORTALS-TO-THIRD-HEAVENS- ). Bentley describes all these matter-of-factly and is even ready to assist others to learn how to make these no-big-deal trips. Any informed Christian would easily understand that the trips are nothing different from the out-of-the-body astral travels that are so common in new age spirituality, where a horde of demons meet the gullible seeker at the point of his/her expectations – from posing as UFOs, to taking on forms of dead relatives, or (for the religious minded folks) some biblical character!
Read more on this subject matter from Jan Markell’s article FOOTPRINTS OF A PROPHET OR TRACKS OF A WOLF? http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/08/markell-prophet-wolf.htm
Apostasy and The Last Days
The New Testament teaches us to expect that apostasy will arise within the church throughout the church age, but especially during the last days of the church. In fact, guarding against apostasy is one of the top priorities that the New Testament assigns for a pastor and the spiritual leadership of a local church to be engaged.
There are seven major passages that warn of the dangers latent during the church's last days (1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 4:3-4; James 5:1-8; 2 Pet. 2:1-22; 3:3-6; Jude 1-25). Interestingly, virtually all of these comments come from the epistles written shortly before the death of each Apostle writing (i.e., during the last days of the various Apostles), as if to highlight their warnings about apostasy in the last days of the current church age. Every one of these passages emphasizes over and over again that the great characteristic of the final time of the church will be that of
apostasy.
Laodicea is the seventh church of Revelation 2—3 and likely represents the condition of the final stage of the church. Laodicea is clearly the most apostate of the seven churches. In fact, our Lord threatens to spew this self-sufficient church out of His mouth (Rev. 3:16). The apostasy of the church in our day is preparing Christendom for her role during the tribulation as the Great Whore of Babylon (Revelation 17:1-7) that will be used by the Antichrist to gain world power.
The New Testament pictures the condition within the professing church at the end of the age by a system of denials.
• Denial of God—Luke 17:26; 2 Timothy 3:4-5
• Denial of Christ—1 John 2:18; 4:3; 2 Peter 2:6
• Denial of Christ's return—2 Peter 3:3-4
• Denial of the faith—1 Timothy 4:1-2; Jude 3
• Denial of sound doctrine—2 Timothy 4:3-4
• Denial of the separated life—2 Timothy 3:1-7
• Denial of Christian liberty—1 Timothy 4:3-4
• Denial of morals—2 Timothy 3:1-8,13; Jude 18
• Denial of authority—2 Timothy 3:4[5]
The clear course of the last days for the church consists of constant warnings to the believer to be on guard against doctrinal defection, known as apostasy. Scripture indicates that apostasy will characterize Christendom during the time when the rapture will take place. Thus we need to be sober and alert to the many ways in which the current evangelical church in America is sinking into apostasy, lest we too become caught up in things that are not pleasing to our Lord. Maranatha!
Thomas Ice
(culled from http://www.pre-trib.org/pdf/Ice-TheEnd-TimeApostasy.pdf)
There are seven major passages that warn of the dangers latent during the church's last days (1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 4:3-4; James 5:1-8; 2 Pet. 2:1-22; 3:3-6; Jude 1-25). Interestingly, virtually all of these comments come from the epistles written shortly before the death of each Apostle writing (i.e., during the last days of the various Apostles), as if to highlight their warnings about apostasy in the last days of the current church age. Every one of these passages emphasizes over and over again that the great characteristic of the final time of the church will be that of
apostasy.
Laodicea is the seventh church of Revelation 2—3 and likely represents the condition of the final stage of the church. Laodicea is clearly the most apostate of the seven churches. In fact, our Lord threatens to spew this self-sufficient church out of His mouth (Rev. 3:16). The apostasy of the church in our day is preparing Christendom for her role during the tribulation as the Great Whore of Babylon (Revelation 17:1-7) that will be used by the Antichrist to gain world power.
The New Testament pictures the condition within the professing church at the end of the age by a system of denials.
• Denial of God—Luke 17:26; 2 Timothy 3:4-5
• Denial of Christ—1 John 2:18; 4:3; 2 Peter 2:6
• Denial of Christ's return—2 Peter 3:3-4
• Denial of the faith—1 Timothy 4:1-2; Jude 3
• Denial of sound doctrine—2 Timothy 4:3-4
• Denial of the separated life—2 Timothy 3:1-7
• Denial of Christian liberty—1 Timothy 4:3-4
• Denial of morals—2 Timothy 3:1-8,13; Jude 18
• Denial of authority—2 Timothy 3:4[5]
The clear course of the last days for the church consists of constant warnings to the believer to be on guard against doctrinal defection, known as apostasy. Scripture indicates that apostasy will characterize Christendom during the time when the rapture will take place. Thus we need to be sober and alert to the many ways in which the current evangelical church in America is sinking into apostasy, lest we too become caught up in things that are not pleasing to our Lord. Maranatha!
Thomas Ice
(culled from http://www.pre-trib.org/pdf/Ice-TheEnd-TimeApostasy.pdf)
Church continues to lose ground to Islam in Britain
Church attendance in Britain is declining so fast that the number of regular churchgoers will be fewer than those attending mosques within a generation, according to a research reported by the Times of London on May 8. Yet, a traditionalist Anglican who advocates that the Church of England work explicitly to convert Muslims to Christianity is under intense fire, especially from “senior figures in the Church”. Paul Eddy, a lay member of the General Synod, is unwavering though. Speaking to the Sunday programme on BBC Radio Four, he said that in an effort to be inclusive and inoffensive, the church had "lost its nerve" and was "not doing what the Bible says". "Both Christianity and Islam are missionary faiths," he observed. "For years, we have sent missionaries throughout the whole world, but when we have the privilege of people of all nations on our doorstep, we have a responsibility as the state church to share the gospel of Jesus Christ."
Paul faulted the argument that preaching the undiluted Christian message would be offensive to Islam: "Most Muslims that I've talked to say, 'I really wish that Christians would stop watering down their faith and expecting us to do the same.. Until we start really saying what we really believe in our faith, there will be no respect.” Speaking further, he said: "Actually, to present to a Muslim that we believe Jesus is the only way to God, they'll say, 'We know that'. "They will expect us - if we're true Christians - to try to evangelise them, in the same way they will expect us, if they're true Muslims, to adopt their faith." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7418957.stm
Meanwhile, two pastors, Arthur Cunningham, 48, and Joseph Abraham, 65, handing out gospel leaflets in a predominantly Muslim area of Birmingham, England, were threatened with arrest and warned of being beaten for committing what an officer called a "hate crime."
They were accosted by police community support officer, or PCSO who told them that they “were in a Muslim area and were not allowed to spread [the] Christian message." In April, Rev. Michael Nazir-Ali, bishop of Rochester and the Church of England's only Pakistan-born bishop, had written in the Telegraph that certain pockets of England were becoming "no-go" zones, places too dangerous for non-Muslims to enter. http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=65922
Paul faulted the argument that preaching the undiluted Christian message would be offensive to Islam: "Most Muslims that I've talked to say, 'I really wish that Christians would stop watering down their faith and expecting us to do the same.. Until we start really saying what we really believe in our faith, there will be no respect.” Speaking further, he said: "Actually, to present to a Muslim that we believe Jesus is the only way to God, they'll say, 'We know that'. "They will expect us - if we're true Christians - to try to evangelise them, in the same way they will expect us, if they're true Muslims, to adopt their faith." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7418957.stm
Meanwhile, two pastors, Arthur Cunningham, 48, and Joseph Abraham, 65, handing out gospel leaflets in a predominantly Muslim area of Birmingham, England, were threatened with arrest and warned of being beaten for committing what an officer called a "hate crime."
They were accosted by police community support officer, or PCSO who told them that they “were in a Muslim area and were not allowed to spread [the] Christian message." In April, Rev. Michael Nazir-Ali, bishop of Rochester and the Church of England's only Pakistan-born bishop, had written in the Telegraph that certain pockets of England were becoming "no-go" zones, places too dangerous for non-Muslims to enter. http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=65922
Progress on the One World Government Agenda
World leaders, under the United Nations, had an emergency 3-day food summit in Rome, early June and agreed to act quickly and boldly to control soaring food prices that threaten nearly 1 billion people with hunger and could trigger global social unrest. (Los Angeles Times, June 4, 2008). Like we have written extensively in the past, food shortage is one of many “global problems” which is forcing governments to come together to seek for “global solutions”, which of course are all geared to ending with nations losing their sovereignties and a one world government being instituted. The environment (global warming, etc) and terrorism are other major issues.
The arrowhead and model for the One World Government agenda is surely Europe. European agenda received a leap forward with the recent approval of the EU treaty by the UK Parliament – despite the position of the Irish (the only entity that subjected the matter to referendum) to reject it. See BBC Coverage at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7461918.stm With this, other moves to institute Europe-like regional governments in other regions of the world have received a boost.
On May 23, South American leaders signed an agreement to establish the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR). Modelled after the EU, the treaty sets goals for integration of energy and transportation networks and immigration policies. It also creates a South American parliament in Cochabamba, Bolivia. According to Brazilian President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the creation of a South American bloc is a step towards the creation of a single central bank and a single regional currency.
Institutions are not left out of these moves towards global governance. According to Business Week (May 23, 2008), tax collecting agencies from many nations are joining forces in new collaborations to hound tax cheats all across the globe – much like the Interpol and other investigative units already collaborate on criminal matters. Surely the days of the anticipated global tax are nearby - which tax the UN desperately seeks, and many believe is responsible for that organization’s adamant insistence that man is the main cause of global warming, so that nations may be appropriately taxed to finance the solution.
Meanwhile, the silence from the corporate press was deafening, as none dared to include a single mention of the meeting of the powerful Bilderberg group meeting which held June 6-8 at Chantilly, in the United States. Imagine a meeting of over 125 global power brokers including David Rockefeller, Henry Kissinger, the secretary general of NATO, Ben Bernanke, Condoleezza Rice, CEO's of the world's biggest corporations, U.S. politicians and European royalty, together with a secret visit by American presidential hopeful Barak Obama and his arch contender, Hillary Clinton – all these folks, meeting amidst tight security and the ubiquitous protesters, yet absolutely no mention of the event in any corporate media house, local or international! Anyone who still believes there is nothing like a secretive high-level move to discuss global issue and governance, to borrow an expression from ex-President Obasanjo, “needs to have their head examined”.
The arrowhead and model for the One World Government agenda is surely Europe. European agenda received a leap forward with the recent approval of the EU treaty by the UK Parliament – despite the position of the Irish (the only entity that subjected the matter to referendum) to reject it. See BBC Coverage at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7461918.stm With this, other moves to institute Europe-like regional governments in other regions of the world have received a boost.
On May 23, South American leaders signed an agreement to establish the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR). Modelled after the EU, the treaty sets goals for integration of energy and transportation networks and immigration policies. It also creates a South American parliament in Cochabamba, Bolivia. According to Brazilian President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the creation of a South American bloc is a step towards the creation of a single central bank and a single regional currency.
Institutions are not left out of these moves towards global governance. According to Business Week (May 23, 2008), tax collecting agencies from many nations are joining forces in new collaborations to hound tax cheats all across the globe – much like the Interpol and other investigative units already collaborate on criminal matters. Surely the days of the anticipated global tax are nearby - which tax the UN desperately seeks, and many believe is responsible for that organization’s adamant insistence that man is the main cause of global warming, so that nations may be appropriately taxed to finance the solution.
Meanwhile, the silence from the corporate press was deafening, as none dared to include a single mention of the meeting of the powerful Bilderberg group meeting which held June 6-8 at Chantilly, in the United States. Imagine a meeting of over 125 global power brokers including David Rockefeller, Henry Kissinger, the secretary general of NATO, Ben Bernanke, Condoleezza Rice, CEO's of the world's biggest corporations, U.S. politicians and European royalty, together with a secret visit by American presidential hopeful Barak Obama and his arch contender, Hillary Clinton – all these folks, meeting amidst tight security and the ubiquitous protesters, yet absolutely no mention of the event in any corporate media house, local or international! Anyone who still believes there is nothing like a secretive high-level move to discuss global issue and governance, to borrow an expression from ex-President Obasanjo, “needs to have their head examined”.
Challenging Darwin in 2009
The year 2009 will mark the 150th anniversary of the publication of The Origin of Species and the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth. Not surprisingly, there is a flurry of activities being planned by evolutionists to mark these two anniversaries and maintain the stranglehold that Darwin’s ideas have held on intelligence in our world. Thankfully, the Creation Ministries International has been working on an excellent Biblical response. Its Darwin Project is a major international documentary film which revisits some of the places Darwin visited, and ideas he formulated, during his historic 1830’s voyage on HMS Beagle. Together with natural history footage from South America, period re-enactments and interviews with leading authorities from around the world, the documentary will illustrate how the evolutionary viewpoint is far from the tried and tested science fact that many believe it to be. It will investigate the man, the legend and the unfortunate world-changing legacy of Charles Darwin. The enthralling quality one hour international broadcast documentary will also include dramatic re-enactments. Check the progress, and support this worthy initiative at DarwinFilm.com.
Meanwhile, the famous evangelical apologist and erudite scholar, R.C. Sproul of Ligonier Ministries said he has changed his publicly advocated non-literal reading of the opening chapters of Genesis. In his recently published three-volume layman’s guide to the Westminster Confession of Faith entitled Truths We Confess, he says he has changed his position from what he held for most of his teaching career. He now believes that God indeed made the earth in six literal days, and not some undeterminable long eons or epochs, as some attempt to reason, in order to placate the current dominant (even though clearly faulty) scientific position. See details at http://creationontheweb.com/content/view/5774. Visit also www.icr.org for many stunning results from ongoing scientific research by very competent and proven scientists on the subject matter.
Meanwhile, the famous evangelical apologist and erudite scholar, R.C. Sproul of Ligonier Ministries said he has changed his publicly advocated non-literal reading of the opening chapters of Genesis. In his recently published three-volume layman’s guide to the Westminster Confession of Faith entitled Truths We Confess, he says he has changed his position from what he held for most of his teaching career. He now believes that God indeed made the earth in six literal days, and not some undeterminable long eons or epochs, as some attempt to reason, in order to placate the current dominant (even though clearly faulty) scientific position. See details at http://creationontheweb.com/content/view/5774. Visit also www.icr.org for many stunning results from ongoing scientific research by very competent and proven scientists on the subject matter.
Earthquakes, cyclones and weather warfare
Despite what has been described as “probably the most swift and effective response to a large-scale natural disaster in peacetime by any government in history," about more than 80,000 people are confirmed dead or missing from China's worst earthquake in decades. The government said on May 22, 10 days after the event, that more than 29,000 were still missing. Another 288,000 people were reportedly injured while some 5 million were left homeless by the 7.9 magnitude quake. At Beichuan, the quake killed 8,600 of the 13,000 residents, and since “not a single building remains safe”, authorities are planning to completely abandon the site, as a monument and a memorial to commemorate the quake victims. A new Beichuan will be built at a new site. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080522/ts_nm/quake_dc_23;_ylt=AhDw5Ac5G7hw_rFLpcRBI0n0kPUI.
Only 10 days earlier, a terrible cyclone had swept past Myanmar (former Burma) killing, by government’s official toll, as at the last count, 84,537 human beings with another 53,836 missing. A million were rendered homeless. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j-KLCx-cPpNwkc58Tlon43vaIOBQD91H9F8O1.
The response of the military authorities at Myanmar became a major international concern as some international aid workers were denied entry visa, on the basis that they might have other interests such as espionage, in mind. Such fears, unfortunately, are often not baseless – underscoring the complexities of the world we live in.
But real complexity was introduced into the situation when Benjamin Fulford, posted a video on YouTube (reposted on Google Video) claiming that US military authorities were behind the earthquake at China, and possibly the Myanmar’s cyclone also (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InV0cVH6KZc). Citing the visible lights noticed at the quake area about a quarter of an hour before the quake, many bloggers seem to be agreed, that such was consistent with activities traceable to the US new High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP). [Wikipaedia has a well balanced article on HAARP at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Frequency_Active_Auroral_Research_Program.].
Anyway, it is generally agreed that earthquakes could be predicted by the radiowave emissions from the ground and changes to the ionosphere created by subterranean pressure – which generates a very strong magnetic field; but the question is whether the reverse process is feasible – electrically charging the ionosphere to trigger earthquakes. The fact that the US military has secured several patents for exactly that kind of facility is not helping matters however! Way back in 1996, in an article titled, “Weather As A Force Multiplier: Owning the Weather in 2025,” the US military wrote that:
“It could have offensive and defensive applications and even be used for deterrence purposes. The ability to generate precipitation, fog and storms on earth or to modify space weather… and the production of artificial weather all are a part of an integrated set of [military] technologies.”
http://www.fas.org/spp/military/docops/usaf/2025/v3c15/v3c15-1.htm
see, the article,Warring with Earthquakes, US next? at http://www.bbsradio.com/cgi-bin/webbbs/webbbs_config.pl/noframes/read/21547, or ,for more general details and references, www.weatherwars.info.
Whatever be your take on the cause of these bizarre earthquakes, cyclones and volcanos – whether natural or man-made, one thing is clear: the frequency, magnitudes and impacts have been unprecedented. Hearts of men all over are indeed failing them. All these fall squarely in line with the predictions of the Scriptures that at the end times, these things will be exactly so.
Earthquake may destroy the Jerusalem shrines - forecast
While on the subject of earthquakes, an Interfax report on May 30, says a powerful earthquake in the Middle East is being widely expected. The earthquake will not only endanger “dozen thousands of human lives, but also world famous shrines such as the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Wailing Wall, the scientists warn.” According to Israel seismologists, a 7.00 earthquake may happen any time. Dr. Ron Evny from the Beer Sheva University, was quoted as saying powerful earthquakes have taken place in the Holy Land once in 84 years from the mid 18th century. The last powerful earthquake (6,25) was registered in Palestine on July 11, 1927 and caused 300 deaths.
Many Jewish faithfuls who look forward to the erection of the 4th Temple on its original site, currently occupied by the Al Aqsa mosque, freely express their conviction that something, even if it had to be an earthquake, will remove the mosque when the time comes for the Temple’s re-birth. Hence the confident preparations for the Temple life, such as the preparation of the linen garments by the Temple Institute, as we reported in the last edition of CA!
Only 10 days earlier, a terrible cyclone had swept past Myanmar (former Burma) killing, by government’s official toll, as at the last count, 84,537 human beings with another 53,836 missing. A million were rendered homeless. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j-KLCx-cPpNwkc58Tlon43vaIOBQD91H9F8O1.
The response of the military authorities at Myanmar became a major international concern as some international aid workers were denied entry visa, on the basis that they might have other interests such as espionage, in mind. Such fears, unfortunately, are often not baseless – underscoring the complexities of the world we live in.
But real complexity was introduced into the situation when Benjamin Fulford, posted a video on YouTube (reposted on Google Video) claiming that US military authorities were behind the earthquake at China, and possibly the Myanmar’s cyclone also (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InV0cVH6KZc). Citing the visible lights noticed at the quake area about a quarter of an hour before the quake, many bloggers seem to be agreed, that such was consistent with activities traceable to the US new High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP). [Wikipaedia has a well balanced article on HAARP at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Frequency_Active_Auroral_Research_Program.].
Anyway, it is generally agreed that earthquakes could be predicted by the radiowave emissions from the ground and changes to the ionosphere created by subterranean pressure – which generates a very strong magnetic field; but the question is whether the reverse process is feasible – electrically charging the ionosphere to trigger earthquakes. The fact that the US military has secured several patents for exactly that kind of facility is not helping matters however! Way back in 1996, in an article titled, “Weather As A Force Multiplier: Owning the Weather in 2025,” the US military wrote that:
“It could have offensive and defensive applications and even be used for deterrence purposes. The ability to generate precipitation, fog and storms on earth or to modify space weather… and the production of artificial weather all are a part of an integrated set of [military] technologies.”
http://www.fas.org/spp/military/docops/usaf/2025/v3c15/v3c15-1.htm
see, the article,Warring with Earthquakes, US next? at http://www.bbsradio.com/cgi-bin/webbbs/webbbs_config.pl/noframes/read/21547, or ,for more general details and references, www.weatherwars.info.
Whatever be your take on the cause of these bizarre earthquakes, cyclones and volcanos – whether natural or man-made, one thing is clear: the frequency, magnitudes and impacts have been unprecedented. Hearts of men all over are indeed failing them. All these fall squarely in line with the predictions of the Scriptures that at the end times, these things will be exactly so.
Earthquake may destroy the Jerusalem shrines - forecast
While on the subject of earthquakes, an Interfax report on May 30, says a powerful earthquake in the Middle East is being widely expected. The earthquake will not only endanger “dozen thousands of human lives, but also world famous shrines such as the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Wailing Wall, the scientists warn.” According to Israel seismologists, a 7.00 earthquake may happen any time. Dr. Ron Evny from the Beer Sheva University, was quoted as saying powerful earthquakes have taken place in the Holy Land once in 84 years from the mid 18th century. The last powerful earthquake (6,25) was registered in Palestine on July 11, 1927 and caused 300 deaths.
Many Jewish faithfuls who look forward to the erection of the 4th Temple on its original site, currently occupied by the Al Aqsa mosque, freely express their conviction that something, even if it had to be an earthquake, will remove the mosque when the time comes for the Temple’s re-birth. Hence the confident preparations for the Temple life, such as the preparation of the linen garments by the Temple Institute, as we reported in the last edition of CA!
Prestigious Children's hospital launches puberty-delaying programme for kids
A doctor at the renowned Children's Hospital Boston has launched a new program to drug children to delay puberty until they can decide whether they want a male or a female body. Before puberty, there is not much apparent differences between the male and female bodies.
Defending the Gender Management Services (GeMS) programme, 64 year old Dr Norman Spack ranted about a so-called “Gender Identity Disorder”, which makes people uncomfortable with the gender they are born into. Spack told an interviewer that he has seen "preadolescents" who have been dressing in underwear of the opposite sex "for years." Apparently such a serious problem must be urgently dealt with by all means possible! (www.childrenshospital.org/newsroom/Site1339/mainpageS1339P351sublevel434.html)
The “GID patients” seen at Dr Spack’s GeMS clinic “have no known genetic, anatomic, or hormonal abnormality, yet they identify as the opposite sex.” And even though, according to the WND, (based on reports from LifeSiteNews) Spack had previously acknowledged that only about 20 percent of children who claim to have a confusion over their gender hold those feelings in adulthood”, the Children Hospital Boston is still excited in announcing their programme which they flaunt as "unique in the Western hemisphere."
Of course such a procedure has serious implications for the patient’s reproductive ability in the future, but Spack waves that aside. “Fitting in” socially is by far more important! In his own words, "You have to explain to the patients that if they go ahead, they may not be able to have children. … But if you don't start treatment, they will always have trouble fitting in,". Wonder which should be able to explain to the young child – to accept his natural gender, or accept being sterilized for fitting in sake! For a peep into the kind of perversed person Spack really is, check the articles by the pro-family Mass Resistance organization: http://massresistance.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html ! "We don't think that demonic is too strong a word to describe this," the organization said in a statement. "It brings us thoughts of the Nazi doctors who thought they were doing good things”.…"This is going on at the world-renowned Children's Hospital in Boston – not some backwater clinic. This is the elite of the medical profession," the organization further lamented.
WorldNetDaily has reported previously on some of the controversies prompted by the belief that a man can be born in a woman's body, or vice versa, including in Montgomery County, Md., where county officials have adopted a law that precludes those who provide public accommodations from discriminating based on that "gender identity." http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=60721
Many people are referring, quite correctly in our opinion, to all these development as the ‘homosexualization’ of children – much like the “catch them young efforts” we alluded to in an earlier article (see http://nigeriaworld.com/articles/2006/feb/072.html)
Defending the Gender Management Services (GeMS) programme, 64 year old Dr Norman Spack ranted about a so-called “Gender Identity Disorder”, which makes people uncomfortable with the gender they are born into. Spack told an interviewer that he has seen "preadolescents" who have been dressing in underwear of the opposite sex "for years." Apparently such a serious problem must be urgently dealt with by all means possible! (www.childrenshospital.org/newsroom/Site1339/mainpageS1339P351sublevel434.html)
The “GID patients” seen at Dr Spack’s GeMS clinic “have no known genetic, anatomic, or hormonal abnormality, yet they identify as the opposite sex.” And even though, according to the WND, (based on reports from LifeSiteNews) Spack had previously acknowledged that only about 20 percent of children who claim to have a confusion over their gender hold those feelings in adulthood”, the Children Hospital Boston is still excited in announcing their programme which they flaunt as "unique in the Western hemisphere."
Of course such a procedure has serious implications for the patient’s reproductive ability in the future, but Spack waves that aside. “Fitting in” socially is by far more important! In his own words, "You have to explain to the patients that if they go ahead, they may not be able to have children. … But if you don't start treatment, they will always have trouble fitting in,". Wonder which should be able to explain to the young child – to accept his natural gender, or accept being sterilized for fitting in sake! For a peep into the kind of perversed person Spack really is, check the articles by the pro-family Mass Resistance organization: http://massresistance.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html ! "We don't think that demonic is too strong a word to describe this," the organization said in a statement. "It brings us thoughts of the Nazi doctors who thought they were doing good things”.…"This is going on at the world-renowned Children's Hospital in Boston – not some backwater clinic. This is the elite of the medical profession," the organization further lamented.
WorldNetDaily has reported previously on some of the controversies prompted by the belief that a man can be born in a woman's body, or vice versa, including in Montgomery County, Md., where county officials have adopted a law that precludes those who provide public accommodations from discriminating based on that "gender identity." http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=60721
Many people are referring, quite correctly in our opinion, to all these development as the ‘homosexualization’ of children – much like the “catch them young efforts” we alluded to in an earlier article (see http://nigeriaworld.com/articles/2006/feb/072.html)
THE MARCH TOWARDS MANDATORY MICROCHIPPING
Just as every other index of the coming Rapture and eventual post-rapture life on earth, the climax in the battle to forcibly coerce/cajole all human beings on earth to receive a microchip insert seems fast approaching.
One evidence is the fervour with which certain states in the US, (who should know what they are doing) are spinning out laws proscribing the forceful/coerced microchipping of any individual in their territory. The latest to do that was the state of Okhlahoma (www.publicbroadcasting.net/kosu/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1284048§ionID=1); joining others such as Wisconsin, North Dakota, and California who have already passed similar bills. Yet others, Missouri, Georgia, New Hampshire, Ohio, Colorado, Washington, and Florida are considering identical legislation. [However, it has been noted that a Federal bill could overrule these individual bills from the states!]. One argument often sounded by critics of this kind of bill is that no one has complained of being forced over the issue, and such bills are really much fuss over a non-existent problem . Or is it?
Apart from the “troubling insiders’ information” that One of the discussions at the recently concluded Bilderberg’s 2008 meeting was the need to microchip all, ostensibly to fight terrorism (http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/june2008/061008_secret_agenda.htm), the public arrowhead of microchipping, the company VeriChip, seems to be making a last ditch break or win effort to get the chip acceptable to the public.
In a blitzkrieg advertising campaign launched in April (beginning with the website http://www.healthlinkinfo.com/, and including TV and newspaper ads), the company is presenting its human microchip implant Verimed, now re-branded as Health Link system, directly to people through retail stores. According to Scott Silverman, CEO and chairman of VeriChip, the company hopes to be able to convince 1,000 South Florididans, within 3 months, to get a chip linked to health records for less that $150. If this gets done, the company hopes to get the much needed lifeline to prevent total collapse and strategize further expansion to other regions of the country, most likely beginning in northern New Jersey. According to Mr Silverman, "If, three months from now, nobody gets the chip, we will have to look at our business model.” http://www.rfidjournal.com/article/articleview/4055/2/1/
There are indeed grounds to expect people will continue to keep their distance from the chip, despite the 900 or so hospitals on the East Coast which have agreed to participate in the VeriChip system. No thanks to Katherine Albrecht and her anti-chip organization which has also launched their own campaign with the release of a damning 42 page report (June 3) featuring 85 frequently asked questions on the microchip. The document clearly shows the product as a totally bankrupt system, prone to innumerable failures and quite obviously incapable of delivering on its many great hypes. At the same time, it is subject to innumerable health and security hazards. And for all these hazards and failures, which are kept well hidden from the public, the gullible subscriber is made to sign away any right to legal recourse. Download a copy of this must-read document from . http://www.antichips.com/faq/pdf/albrecht-microchip-implants-faq.pdf
While on the website, readers are encouraged to download Dr. Albrecht's comprehensive 52-page overview of the studies, "Microchip-Induced Tumors in Laboratory Rodents and Dogs: A Review of the Literature 1990-2006," and to review scanned copies of the original documents. http://www.antichips.com/cancer/albrecht-microchip-cancer-full-paper. Part of the several questions the document address is the “much ado about nothing” issue. Two interesting instances in the US Congress were cited:
First U.S. Senator Joe Biden, was quoted as having told Justice John Roberts during his Supreme Court Confirmation hearings on September 12, 2005:
"Can a microscopic tag be implanted in a person's body to track his every movement? There's actual discussion about that. You will rule on that, mark my words, before your tenure is over."
Also Senator Arlen Spector, according to the Congressional Record affirmed that “President Uribe [of Colombia] said he would consider having Colombian workers have microchips implanted into their bodies before they are permitted to enter the United States to work on a seasonal basis….”
So far, the work of Albrecht, particularly the publication by the Associated Press last September of research linking the implantable microchip to cancer, has had considerable impact on Verimed’s public image and its financial performance. According to Albrecht, “The same company that once predicted revenues in the "billions" earned just $3,000 from its microchip implant operations in the first quarter of 2008, as patients shun the device that many are now calling the "cancer chip."
Investors have also distanced themselves from the failing company, with VeriChip's stock plummeting from a high of $10.62 last year to just over $2.00 today.” To date, Verimed admits only about 600 people have been chipped in the US, though Caspian feels up to 2000 people outside the US might have received one.
However, what may not be freely said is that those who are bankrolling the whole enterprise are really not after profit; but public control. Once the current basic microchips are accepted for implantation, more sophisticated ones (such as those demonstrated by Prof Kevin Warwick of Cyberneutics department, University of Reading) which have thoughts control capacity, could be introduced leading eventually to the mark of the beast predicted in the Bible for the end times (see Rev. 13:16)
One evidence is the fervour with which certain states in the US, (who should know what they are doing) are spinning out laws proscribing the forceful/coerced microchipping of any individual in their territory. The latest to do that was the state of Okhlahoma (www.publicbroadcasting.net/kosu/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1284048§ionID=1); joining others such as Wisconsin, North Dakota, and California who have already passed similar bills. Yet others, Missouri, Georgia, New Hampshire, Ohio, Colorado, Washington, and Florida are considering identical legislation. [However, it has been noted that a Federal bill could overrule these individual bills from the states!]. One argument often sounded by critics of this kind of bill is that no one has complained of being forced over the issue, and such bills are really much fuss over a non-existent problem . Or is it?
Apart from the “troubling insiders’ information” that One of the discussions at the recently concluded Bilderberg’s 2008 meeting was the need to microchip all, ostensibly to fight terrorism (http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/june2008/061008_secret_agenda.htm), the public arrowhead of microchipping, the company VeriChip, seems to be making a last ditch break or win effort to get the chip acceptable to the public.
In a blitzkrieg advertising campaign launched in April (beginning with the website http://www.healthlinkinfo.com/, and including TV and newspaper ads), the company is presenting its human microchip implant Verimed, now re-branded as Health Link system, directly to people through retail stores. According to Scott Silverman, CEO and chairman of VeriChip, the company hopes to be able to convince 1,000 South Florididans, within 3 months, to get a chip linked to health records for less that $150. If this gets done, the company hopes to get the much needed lifeline to prevent total collapse and strategize further expansion to other regions of the country, most likely beginning in northern New Jersey. According to Mr Silverman, "If, three months from now, nobody gets the chip, we will have to look at our business model.” http://www.rfidjournal.com/article/articleview/4055/2/1/
There are indeed grounds to expect people will continue to keep their distance from the chip, despite the 900 or so hospitals on the East Coast which have agreed to participate in the VeriChip system. No thanks to Katherine Albrecht and her anti-chip organization which has also launched their own campaign with the release of a damning 42 page report (June 3) featuring 85 frequently asked questions on the microchip. The document clearly shows the product as a totally bankrupt system, prone to innumerable failures and quite obviously incapable of delivering on its many great hypes. At the same time, it is subject to innumerable health and security hazards. And for all these hazards and failures, which are kept well hidden from the public, the gullible subscriber is made to sign away any right to legal recourse. Download a copy of this must-read document from . http://www.antichips.com/faq/pdf/albrecht-microchip-implants-faq.pdf
While on the website, readers are encouraged to download Dr. Albrecht's comprehensive 52-page overview of the studies, "Microchip-Induced Tumors in Laboratory Rodents and Dogs: A Review of the Literature 1990-2006," and to review scanned copies of the original documents. http://www.antichips.com/cancer/albrecht-microchip-cancer-full-paper. Part of the several questions the document address is the “much ado about nothing” issue. Two interesting instances in the US Congress were cited:
First U.S. Senator Joe Biden, was quoted as having told Justice John Roberts during his Supreme Court Confirmation hearings on September 12, 2005:
"Can a microscopic tag be implanted in a person's body to track his every movement? There's actual discussion about that. You will rule on that, mark my words, before your tenure is over."
Also Senator Arlen Spector, according to the Congressional Record affirmed that “President Uribe [of Colombia] said he would consider having Colombian workers have microchips implanted into their bodies before they are permitted to enter the United States to work on a seasonal basis….”
So far, the work of Albrecht, particularly the publication by the Associated Press last September of research linking the implantable microchip to cancer, has had considerable impact on Verimed’s public image and its financial performance. According to Albrecht, “The same company that once predicted revenues in the "billions" earned just $3,000 from its microchip implant operations in the first quarter of 2008, as patients shun the device that many are now calling the "cancer chip."
Investors have also distanced themselves from the failing company, with VeriChip's stock plummeting from a high of $10.62 last year to just over $2.00 today.” To date, Verimed admits only about 600 people have been chipped in the US, though Caspian feels up to 2000 people outside the US might have received one.
However, what may not be freely said is that those who are bankrolling the whole enterprise are really not after profit; but public control. Once the current basic microchips are accepted for implantation, more sophisticated ones (such as those demonstrated by Prof Kevin Warwick of Cyberneutics department, University of Reading) which have thoughts control capacity, could be introduced leading eventually to the mark of the beast predicted in the Bible for the end times (see Rev. 13:16)
“Deeds not Creeds” Credo further amplified
The “deeds” rather than “creeds” position of Rick Warren is being pushed further to its logical position in Toronto, Canada with the recent launching of Gretta Vosper’s book: With or Without God: Why the Way We Live is More Important than What We Believe. Vosper, has been pastoring West Hill United Church in Toronto for the past 10 years and is considered ”one of the bright, if unconventional, minds within the United Church, Canada's largest Protestant Christian denomination.”
In the book, she describes the Lord Jesus as no more than a “Middle Eastern peasant with a few charismatic gifts and a great posthumous marketing team.” She further enunciates her fervent desire of seeing our world come to a point “when the label Christian won’t even exist”, and “when the central story of Christianity will fade away.” Ms. Vosper (she wouldn’t answer to any official religious title) does not believe in the Virgin Birth, the Resurrection, the miracles and the sacrament of baptism. And she proudly declares that the Bible is just a book among other books.
What then does she believe in? According to the National Post, “the focus of her ‘spiritual’ life is love. And since love is the
common bond between all people, it is really the only thing worth believing in.” Apart from her expressed desire to get rid of Christianity as we know it, Vosper would want “salvation to be redefined to mean new life through removing the causes of suffering in the world..” (www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=490325). Hence, the bottom-line is getting rid of human suffering, poverty and misery. That surely strikes a chord with the UN Millenium Development Goals and similar efforts being peddled by various “faith-based” groups, including Rick Warren. In another place, Vosper clarifies that the “love” she believes in is a “radically inclusive love” – meaning a love that accepts people for whatever they are, without any criticism, correction or concern. Certainly there is nothing called “sin” or “hell fire” in this kind of self-deluding perverse “love”!
The head of the United Church of Canada, David Giuliano, said it is not his job to condemn Vosper; and in any case the United Church is broad enough to encompass a wide range of theologies. Vospel also chairs a group called the Canadian Centre For Progressive Christianity, which seeks to challenge the church to do a “complete overhaul of the beliefs it has been carrying about for the last several hundred years.” http://progressivechristianity.ca/ccpc/index.php?Itemid=46&id=213&option=com_content&task=view)
“Just the story, not the substance” gospel debuts
The London Daily Mail on March 26 featured the story of Anglican vicar, the Rev Robert Harrison whose book, Must Know Stories was coming out the day after. In the book, Rev Harrison chose 10 Bible stories for re-telling. Paul Sims of the Daily Mail gives some peep into the book: “Goliath is a celebrity binge drinker, Eve is a sex-obsessed man-eater and Noah's wife wants to kill him --- welcome to the updated Bible.”
Mr Harrison, who preaches at St John's in Hillingdon, West London defended his decision, saying he was doing it to encourage people to read stories “that are so utterly part of our culture…I wanted to write a book that tells the most important Bible stories in a way that relishes them rather than tries to make any particular religious point. “It's better to tell the story controversially than not at all.” He added.
So there goes again the appeal to relativity! Of course the question is what is wrong with telling the story the way it really is? Or if Mr Harrison wishes to write his own fiction, why not simply go ahead without calling it “Bible stories”?
Read Full Report at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-546408/Reworked-Bible-stories-feature-Goliath-drunk-Eve-sex-mad.html
In but a short step away from Mr Harrison’s position, similar fictions are being written; and are being presented as the real story. A recent example, in the steps of the Da Vinci Code being the documentary released in May, titled “Bloodline” with the usual thrash of Jesus having being married to Mary Magdalene and the lineage of their supposed biological children existing as some cultic group somewhere in France, and all that. See article by WorldNetDaily at www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=63121
In the book, she describes the Lord Jesus as no more than a “Middle Eastern peasant with a few charismatic gifts and a great posthumous marketing team.” She further enunciates her fervent desire of seeing our world come to a point “when the label Christian won’t even exist”, and “when the central story of Christianity will fade away.” Ms. Vosper (she wouldn’t answer to any official religious title) does not believe in the Virgin Birth, the Resurrection, the miracles and the sacrament of baptism. And she proudly declares that the Bible is just a book among other books.
What then does she believe in? According to the National Post, “the focus of her ‘spiritual’ life is love. And since love is the
common bond between all people, it is really the only thing worth believing in.” Apart from her expressed desire to get rid of Christianity as we know it, Vosper would want “salvation to be redefined to mean new life through removing the causes of suffering in the world..” (www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=490325). Hence, the bottom-line is getting rid of human suffering, poverty and misery. That surely strikes a chord with the UN Millenium Development Goals and similar efforts being peddled by various “faith-based” groups, including Rick Warren. In another place, Vosper clarifies that the “love” she believes in is a “radically inclusive love” – meaning a love that accepts people for whatever they are, without any criticism, correction or concern. Certainly there is nothing called “sin” or “hell fire” in this kind of self-deluding perverse “love”!
The head of the United Church of Canada, David Giuliano, said it is not his job to condemn Vosper; and in any case the United Church is broad enough to encompass a wide range of theologies. Vospel also chairs a group called the Canadian Centre For Progressive Christianity, which seeks to challenge the church to do a “complete overhaul of the beliefs it has been carrying about for the last several hundred years.” http://progressivechristianity.ca/ccpc/index.php?Itemid=46&id=213&option=com_content&task=view)
“Just the story, not the substance” gospel debuts
The London Daily Mail on March 26 featured the story of Anglican vicar, the Rev Robert Harrison whose book, Must Know Stories was coming out the day after. In the book, Rev Harrison chose 10 Bible stories for re-telling. Paul Sims of the Daily Mail gives some peep into the book: “Goliath is a celebrity binge drinker, Eve is a sex-obsessed man-eater and Noah's wife wants to kill him --- welcome to the updated Bible.”
Mr Harrison, who preaches at St John's in Hillingdon, West London defended his decision, saying he was doing it to encourage people to read stories “that are so utterly part of our culture…I wanted to write a book that tells the most important Bible stories in a way that relishes them rather than tries to make any particular religious point. “It's better to tell the story controversially than not at all.” He added.
So there goes again the appeal to relativity! Of course the question is what is wrong with telling the story the way it really is? Or if Mr Harrison wishes to write his own fiction, why not simply go ahead without calling it “Bible stories”?
Read Full Report at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-546408/Reworked-Bible-stories-feature-Goliath-drunk-Eve-sex-mad.html
In but a short step away from Mr Harrison’s position, similar fictions are being written; and are being presented as the real story. A recent example, in the steps of the Da Vinci Code being the documentary released in May, titled “Bloodline” with the usual thrash of Jesus having being married to Mary Magdalene and the lineage of their supposed biological children existing as some cultic group somewhere in France, and all that. See article by WorldNetDaily at www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=63121
Discerning Christians steer clear of Rick Warren’s inter-faith ruse
Meanwhile, not all the Christian leaders invited by Rick Warren to the launch of the revised PEACE initiative accepted the invitation.
One of the critics who refused to honour Rick Warren’s invitation (even with an all-travel-expenses paid offer) is the very influential discernment and research ministry, the Lighthouse Trails. According to the Lighthouse Trails, Warren in his invitation letter, “stated that we attack him regularly and consider him to be an enemy” and would therefore like for personal interaction to iron out the differences.
Lighthouse Trails declined the invitation on the ground that “the matters we address in our books and articles deal with Rick Warren's public teachings and doctrine and have nothing to do with relationships.” The organization further adds “We do not consider Rick Warren a personal enemy, we do not hate him, and we do not attack his private life or character.”
Concluding, the Lighthouse Trails re-states its position: “However, regardless of his [Rick Warren] motivation, be it good or bad, we believe his public teachings, writings, and speeches promote contemplative (i.e., mystical) spirituality and the emerging church, both of which advocate New Age spirituality and are instrumental in restructuring the Christian church so it no longer represents biblical Christianity. This..... puts the spiritual welfare of millions in harm's way.” (http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/index.php?p=1100&c=1)
One critic who had cautiously attended part of the proceedings (a semi-private, recorded session with Rick Warren) was Bob Dewaay, pastor of Twin City Fellowship in Minneapolis, US. After the meeting, Richard Abanes, notable apologist and defender of Rick Warren made public statements saying that Bob DeWaay saw nothing wrong with Warren and his beliefs. An embarrassed DeWaay was compelled to write a statement reaffirming his continued belief that Rick Warren is part of a global movement to bring about a “One World church.” Bob DeWaay’s statement, which further reiterates his conviction that the Purpose Driven program of Rick Warren has New Age implications and is a path to deception is available at www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/index.php?p=1100&c=1
Meanwhile, confirming Rick Warren’s ever-growing influence in the inter-faith movement, he has been announced a member of the Advisory Council of the new Faith Foundation of Tony Blair, launched in New York on 30th May. Also Warren received in his Church a delegate of homosexuals at the last Father’s Day Weekend (June 13-15) and had a private reception with them thereafter.
For further insights on “Emergent” Church/spirituality, see a useful working definition at http://herescope.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-everything-must-change.html
For free e-books, In the name of Purpose: Sacrificing Truth on the Altar of Unity i by Tarmara Hartzel, click here http://www.inthenameofpurpose.org/page2.html
One of the critics who refused to honour Rick Warren’s invitation (even with an all-travel-expenses paid offer) is the very influential discernment and research ministry, the Lighthouse Trails. According to the Lighthouse Trails, Warren in his invitation letter, “stated that we attack him regularly and consider him to be an enemy” and would therefore like for personal interaction to iron out the differences.
Lighthouse Trails declined the invitation on the ground that “the matters we address in our books and articles deal with Rick Warren's public teachings and doctrine and have nothing to do with relationships.” The organization further adds “We do not consider Rick Warren a personal enemy, we do not hate him, and we do not attack his private life or character.”
Concluding, the Lighthouse Trails re-states its position: “However, regardless of his [Rick Warren] motivation, be it good or bad, we believe his public teachings, writings, and speeches promote contemplative (i.e., mystical) spirituality and the emerging church, both of which advocate New Age spirituality and are instrumental in restructuring the Christian church so it no longer represents biblical Christianity. This..... puts the spiritual welfare of millions in harm's way.” (http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/index.php?p=1100&c=1)
One critic who had cautiously attended part of the proceedings (a semi-private, recorded session with Rick Warren) was Bob Dewaay, pastor of Twin City Fellowship in Minneapolis, US. After the meeting, Richard Abanes, notable apologist and defender of Rick Warren made public statements saying that Bob DeWaay saw nothing wrong with Warren and his beliefs. An embarrassed DeWaay was compelled to write a statement reaffirming his continued belief that Rick Warren is part of a global movement to bring about a “One World church.” Bob DeWaay’s statement, which further reiterates his conviction that the Purpose Driven program of Rick Warren has New Age implications and is a path to deception is available at www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/index.php?p=1100&c=1
Meanwhile, confirming Rick Warren’s ever-growing influence in the inter-faith movement, he has been announced a member of the Advisory Council of the new Faith Foundation of Tony Blair, launched in New York on 30th May. Also Warren received in his Church a delegate of homosexuals at the last Father’s Day Weekend (June 13-15) and had a private reception with them thereafter.
For further insights on “Emergent” Church/spirituality, see a useful working definition at http://herescope.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-everything-must-change.html
For free e-books, In the name of Purpose: Sacrificing Truth on the Altar of Unity i by Tarmara Hartzel, click here http://www.inthenameofpurpose.org/page2.html
RICK WARREN ‘REBOOTS’ PEACE PROGRAMME: NEW BOOST FOR “ONE WORLD RELIGION” AGENDA
America’s acclaimed No 1 Pastor, the highly likeable Rick Warren has stepped up his poverty-fighting P.E.A.C.E. programme – which aims (according to the letters of the acronym forming the word) to ‘Plant Churches’, ‘Equip leaders’, ‘Assist the poor’, ‘Care for the sick’, and ‘Educate the next generation’. In this new phase tagged PEACE 2.0, Warren went one step ahead to replace ‘Plant Churches’ with ‘Promote Reconciliation’ – an inevitable, but significant step which further highlights the spirit behind the plan.
In launching PEACE 2.0 on May 22, Mr Warren had invited 1700 senior pastors from all the 50 states of the United States, and 39 other countries - including Nigeria. Times magazine was one of the media houses invited to cover the by-invitation-only event. According to the Times, even though “few details” of the actual PEACE 2.0 initiative were given, nevertheless, the whole house fell over themselves in uncritically giving their “enthusiastic” support. Warren was later quoted by the surprised magazine as saying “I knew they were already on board”. Warren also intends to send DVDs of the proceedings to a further 30,000 churches that have participated in his rigorous "40 Days of Purpose" programmes.
Aspects of the programme, which even a secular organization like the Times discerned as going to be “extremely complicated and possibly controversial” will include the tension between traditional para-church missionary organizations who, presumably, might feel threatened by the PEACE initiative which seeks to bring back missionary activities within the ambit of the local Churches. We feel Warren’s citing of the precedence in Act 13 is quite appropriate in this regard, and note that he already is bridging gaps with the affected groups.
The second obvious area of controversy however is far more fundamental. As we have been reporting over the years, Pastor Warren is so carried away by his vision of making the world a better place for all, that he is willing to do so at the expense of the Christian faith. For one, the local Churches who are the arrowhead of the PEACE initiative are being encouraged to actively collaborate with other religious (and irreligious) faiths in carrying out the assignment. In PEACE 1.0, Warren had specifically stated that the “man or woman of influence” that the Churches should seek partnership with could be a Muslim, Mystic, Jew, Gay, or one with New Age propensities – in short, any belief or practice system goes! (see http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/index.php?p=1096&c=1)
Apparently, the end justifies the means! Naturally then, the assignment is totally blind to the spiritual status of the souls being ministered to! This then cannot be a biblical assignment, but rather, 100% the agenda of the United Nations - as stated, for instance, in its Millennium Development Goals. As we have pointed out before, what all these humanistic efforts ignore is the fact that most human problems – poverty, diseases and misery - are related to the condition of Man’s heart, wickedness and spiritual state. No lasting solutions may be found without addressing the root of the problem! Besides, in the words of our Lord Jesus, what does it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and lose his soul (in hell fire!)?
For the avoidance of doubts, Church Arise! is NOT against Christians collaborating with members of other faiths in order to improve the lot of mankind. But such efforts should not be on religious platforms! The only major outcome of merging different religious expressions together for social reform, is the diluting of the participating faiths, and the emergence of a new synthetic religion – even the One World Religion which the Bible predicts would be the platform on which the antichrist would emerge in the last days(see Rev.13:11,16). While some other religions may be able to afford such transformation of their faith, the Church can absolutely not do so. For, “this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the son of God?” 1 John 5:4-5. If we lose or get muddled up our faith because we fail to contend for it as instructed in Jude 3, we are truly done for!
While the Christian Church must continue to be concerned about social issues and respond appropriately in mobilizing her members, such efforts can not be put on the same pedestal as the business of soul winning. The church understands that the Lord Jesus has an agenda for solving and ending totally all human misery – which by the way was brought on mankind by Satan. That agenda is well on its course as we await the Lord’s promised return – first to rapture the Church, and later, to institute the millennium reign. Any other self-aggrandizing agenda is hasty, ill-informed, naïve, and bound to crumble.
[Read the coverage of the event by two news agencies:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/july/1.1.html
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1809833,00.html]
In launching PEACE 2.0 on May 22, Mr Warren had invited 1700 senior pastors from all the 50 states of the United States, and 39 other countries - including Nigeria. Times magazine was one of the media houses invited to cover the by-invitation-only event. According to the Times, even though “few details” of the actual PEACE 2.0 initiative were given, nevertheless, the whole house fell over themselves in uncritically giving their “enthusiastic” support. Warren was later quoted by the surprised magazine as saying “I knew they were already on board”. Warren also intends to send DVDs of the proceedings to a further 30,000 churches that have participated in his rigorous "40 Days of Purpose" programmes.
Aspects of the programme, which even a secular organization like the Times discerned as going to be “extremely complicated and possibly controversial” will include the tension between traditional para-church missionary organizations who, presumably, might feel threatened by the PEACE initiative which seeks to bring back missionary activities within the ambit of the local Churches. We feel Warren’s citing of the precedence in Act 13 is quite appropriate in this regard, and note that he already is bridging gaps with the affected groups.
The second obvious area of controversy however is far more fundamental. As we have been reporting over the years, Pastor Warren is so carried away by his vision of making the world a better place for all, that he is willing to do so at the expense of the Christian faith. For one, the local Churches who are the arrowhead of the PEACE initiative are being encouraged to actively collaborate with other religious (and irreligious) faiths in carrying out the assignment. In PEACE 1.0, Warren had specifically stated that the “man or woman of influence” that the Churches should seek partnership with could be a Muslim, Mystic, Jew, Gay, or one with New Age propensities – in short, any belief or practice system goes! (see http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/index.php?p=1096&c=1)
Apparently, the end justifies the means! Naturally then, the assignment is totally blind to the spiritual status of the souls being ministered to! This then cannot be a biblical assignment, but rather, 100% the agenda of the United Nations - as stated, for instance, in its Millennium Development Goals. As we have pointed out before, what all these humanistic efforts ignore is the fact that most human problems – poverty, diseases and misery - are related to the condition of Man’s heart, wickedness and spiritual state. No lasting solutions may be found without addressing the root of the problem! Besides, in the words of our Lord Jesus, what does it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and lose his soul (in hell fire!)?
For the avoidance of doubts, Church Arise! is NOT against Christians collaborating with members of other faiths in order to improve the lot of mankind. But such efforts should not be on religious platforms! The only major outcome of merging different religious expressions together for social reform, is the diluting of the participating faiths, and the emergence of a new synthetic religion – even the One World Religion which the Bible predicts would be the platform on which the antichrist would emerge in the last days(see Rev.13:11,16). While some other religions may be able to afford such transformation of their faith, the Church can absolutely not do so. For, “this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the son of God?” 1 John 5:4-5. If we lose or get muddled up our faith because we fail to contend for it as instructed in Jude 3, we are truly done for!
While the Christian Church must continue to be concerned about social issues and respond appropriately in mobilizing her members, such efforts can not be put on the same pedestal as the business of soul winning. The church understands that the Lord Jesus has an agenda for solving and ending totally all human misery – which by the way was brought on mankind by Satan. That agenda is well on its course as we await the Lord’s promised return – first to rapture the Church, and later, to institute the millennium reign. Any other self-aggrandizing agenda is hasty, ill-informed, naïve, and bound to crumble.
[Read the coverage of the event by two news agencies:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/july/1.1.html
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1809833,00.html]
Thursday, July 3, 2008
31,000 US-based scientists sign petition against man-made global warming hype
More and more scientists are taking time to join the on-going massive opposition to the official UN position that man’s activities, specifically the emission of so-called greenhouse gases, are the major cause for the global rise in temperature recorded in the past few decades. One increasingly popular avenue for making their voices known is the internet-based Petition Protest managed by Dr Arthur Robinson. Robinson explained that Al Gore’s book/movie, “An Inconvenient Truth” and the situation “…in which United Nations apparatchiks have proclaimed that human activity is catastrophically warming the planet” have raised such high stakes that “the human cost of error is so great” forcing many scientists to take time to individually examine the evidence.”
In the Petition Project (www.petitionproject.org) US based scientists were asked to endorse the statement: “There is no convincing scientific evidence that human release of carbon dioxide, methane, or other greenhouse gases is causing or will, in the foreseeable future, cause catastrophic heating of the Earth's atmosphere and disruption of the Earth's climate. Moreover, there is substantial scientific evidence that increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide produce many beneficial effects upon the natural plant and animal environments of the Earth.” To help scientists further decide, a detailed review paper (see www.petitionproject.org/gwdatabase/GW_Article/GWReview_OISM150.pdf) is attached with the Petition.
At the last count, over 31,000 scientists (with at least a B.S degree in Science), with more than 9,000 of them with Ph.D.s in science have signed the Petition. Robinson compares the figure with the 600 or so PhD scientists who arrived at the consensus attributing the Global Warming to man’s activities.
Further making the discussion more lively is the recent entrance of the usually conservative US Army into the subject matter (see http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/06/army-vs-global.html). In the March, 2008 issue of Physics Today, Bruce West, the chief scientist of the Army Research Office's mathematical and information science directorate, wrote that 'the Sun's turbulent dynamics' are linked with the Earth's complex ecosystem and that these connections are what is heating up the planet.” In stark contrast to the position of the UN’s IPCC that the contribution of the sun is negligible in the issue of global warming, West and his co-author submit that “the Sun could account for as much as 69 percent of the increase in Earth's average temperature.”(download the paper from http://www.fel.duke.edu/~scafetta/pdf/opinion0308.pdf )
Perhaps, one does not really need a PhD in science before one can make a sound deduction on this hot issue given two basic incontrovertible observations:
1. Evidences abound to prove the earth had been much warmer than it is today, in previous ages, when man had not been burning fossil fuel. A glaring evidence is Greenland which was once inhabited by man under tropical condition but is today covered by ice.
2. The global warming recorded on earth within the past few decades (which has since abated) was equally observed on other planets in the solar system at the same period of time! (www.livescience.com/environment/070312_solarsys_warming.html)
In the Petition Project (www.petitionproject.org) US based scientists were asked to endorse the statement: “There is no convincing scientific evidence that human release of carbon dioxide, methane, or other greenhouse gases is causing or will, in the foreseeable future, cause catastrophic heating of the Earth's atmosphere and disruption of the Earth's climate. Moreover, there is substantial scientific evidence that increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide produce many beneficial effects upon the natural plant and animal environments of the Earth.” To help scientists further decide, a detailed review paper (see www.petitionproject.org/gwdatabase/GW_Article/GWReview_OISM150.pdf) is attached with the Petition.
At the last count, over 31,000 scientists (with at least a B.S degree in Science), with more than 9,000 of them with Ph.D.s in science have signed the Petition. Robinson compares the figure with the 600 or so PhD scientists who arrived at the consensus attributing the Global Warming to man’s activities.
Further making the discussion more lively is the recent entrance of the usually conservative US Army into the subject matter (see http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/06/army-vs-global.html). In the March, 2008 issue of Physics Today, Bruce West, the chief scientist of the Army Research Office's mathematical and information science directorate, wrote that 'the Sun's turbulent dynamics' are linked with the Earth's complex ecosystem and that these connections are what is heating up the planet.” In stark contrast to the position of the UN’s IPCC that the contribution of the sun is negligible in the issue of global warming, West and his co-author submit that “the Sun could account for as much as 69 percent of the increase in Earth's average temperature.”(download the paper from http://www.fel.duke.edu/~scafetta/pdf/opinion0308.pdf )
Perhaps, one does not really need a PhD in science before one can make a sound deduction on this hot issue given two basic incontrovertible observations:
1. Evidences abound to prove the earth had been much warmer than it is today, in previous ages, when man had not been burning fossil fuel. A glaring evidence is Greenland which was once inhabited by man under tropical condition but is today covered by ice.
2. The global warming recorded on earth within the past few decades (which has since abated) was equally observed on other planets in the solar system at the same period of time! (www.livescience.com/environment/070312_solarsys_warming.html)
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