FROM THE BOOK: PREVIEW! CHAPTERS FIVE, SIX AND SEVEN
CHAPTER 5
I mentioned “nominal Christian” above. The following evangelistic handout sums up types of “Christians” very well. It is called “Labels”.
Labels
We like labels. It saves us the trouble of thinking. Many people are called Democrats or Republicans without knowing what the label means. A person may have the label “Success” if he’s made a lot of money even if his life is a colossal failure.
A vague catch-all label is “Christian”. Most Americans, if asked, “Are you a “Christian”? find it easy to answer, “Yes.” That’s because the label includes:
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HEREDITARY “CHRISTIANS”. (People whose parents were “Christians” and who think they are also. They may attend church occasionally, or even regularly – especially the church of their parents.)
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ETHICAL “CHRISTIANS”. People who are good. They live decent lives and want others to do so too. They like the Golden Rule that Jesus taught. They think that doing one’s best is all anyone can expect.
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CULTURAL “CHRISTlANS”. People who live in a “ community or nation. They like the music and the ceremonies – especially to get married and buried with.)
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SOCIAL “CHRISTIANS”. (People who like to meet their friends at church, like their children to make proper friends, and like the social activities. Businessmen find its good for business.)
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TRUE “CHRISTlANS”. People who believe Christ Jesus is God’s Son who died on the cross to save them and accept Him as their Master and Lord). This last group may also have “Christian” parents, try to lead decent lives, go to church, and enjoy “ cultural and social activities. But they realize that none of these things makes a person a “Christian”.
A True “Christian” has experienced such a total change that it is called being born again!
A TRUE “CHRISTIAN”:
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knows that he/she is a sinner, separated from God.
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realizes that he/she deserves eternal punishment in hell.
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recognizes his/her guilt and repents of his/her sin.
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knows he/she cannot save himself/herself by good works, but seeks help.
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recognizes Jesus Christ as God Himself.
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learns that God loves him/her so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to save him/her.
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accepts the final payment that Jesus made for his/her sin when He died on the cross.
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lives a thankful life for this salvation.
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believes the Bible as God’s word.
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acknowledges Jesus as his/her Lord and Master.
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is possessed by the Holy Spirit.
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loves others as God loves him/her.
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looks forward to living with God forever.
excerpted from Silent Evangelist No. 333 tract, FPTL, Grand Rapids, MICH.
The word “ADIAPHORA”, from the Greek language, (and there a line for pronunciation above the a, dia, pho, and ra.) as in “long” means “not essential to salvation”. This word now comes into relevance. Nothing in this epublication before and continuing on from this point is of importance other than “A True Christian” as noted just above.
Adiaphora is really a good word to know though. It stops a lot of arguments between “Christians” who belong to different denominations, who have a lot of trouble agreeing about anything. So who’s right? Anyone who believes in the Three in One God, who has faith in Jesus the Christ God, as their total and complete Redeemer, and who has repented/asked this personage into their heart and turned their lives over to Him.
CHAPTER 6
About 600 Years Later – Formation of Islam
In the movement of “Christianity” a general by the name of Charlemagne, told his men “if they will not convert to “Christianity, kill them”. He was talking about the Saxons. That is exactly what Mohammed said. You know, the one that started the Muslims about 600 years A.D.? Yes. In Surrah Al Tamah, in the Koran, Chapter 9, vs. 5, he says the same thing. Only he’s talking about converting to Islam of course.
Per various internet searches Islam doesn’t mean peace. Islam means surrender/submission. Surrender to whom? Allah, of course, and everything that goes with Islam, including Sharia Law. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad.
Also: http://answering-islam.org/Silas/swordverse.htm; http://www.answering-islam.org/
At the time of Mohammed, 600 years A.D., there were around 200 to 400 gods, which was about average for the world. Check at: http://ancienthistory.about.com/
According to: http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/moongod.htm, (http://biblebelievers.com/) Allilah was the Moon god, and per various writings (easily found on the internet), Mohammed apparently needed two more tribes of thousands of good fighters to make up his army, so he could conquer the world and make it all Islam. But the two chiefs of these two tribes said the Moon god had three daughters. The Arabic word for God is “hah” and the Moon-God became synonymous with “al-ilah”, meaning “the God”.
Pagan Arabs believed the Moon God was the greatest of all gods, and it is believed this is where the phrase we Americans hear said so much by Islamists before or just after they kill someone, comes from: “Allahu Akbar” which translates “Allah” or “our version of God” is greater”.
Mohammed apparently decided to call god Allah, which would include the three daughters, (but not to mention them) and instead of the whole full moon, there would just be a crescent for the banner.
According to: http://islam.about.com/od/history/a/crescent_moon.htm, this is how the moon god was represented. The symbol of the crescent moon is representative throughout history of the moon god.
Earlier in this writing we discussed how Satan and less than a third of the angels were forced to live in the earthly sphere as spirit beings.
(Satan then was a supernatural spirit being -i.e. invisible on earth, UNLESS (See 2Co 11:14 ) “ And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
Satan failed miserably with the crucifixion of Jesus the Christ. But he never stops. He know his time is short. So for a while he tried having all the “Christians” killed. When that plan failed, he came up with a whole new political ideology. Illiterate humans took it further and called it Islam. A number of “Christians” believe Satan came to a man in the sixth century named Mohammed. Satan as the Father of lies (per Jesus the Messiah), said he was Gabriel and wanted to dictate to Mohammed. History reveals Mohammed had Grand Mal seizures at night during the dictation and wrote he felt these were coming from demons. It is generally understood that having being dictated to from Satan could easily produce an invasion of demonic personages into one’s body. Mohammed wanted to make a religion out of Satan’s dictation, so he along with two chiefs noted above, did. Writer’s of the time, close to Mohammed, dismissed the seizures as irrelevant. Others go into depth in articles such as the following: http://www.answering-islam.org/Silas/satan.htm
In any case an agreement was reached and Mohammed’s army set off to conquer the world. And they conquered a lot of territory.
But supply lines eventually ended and they never made it. Supposedly, they were finally stopped by the Knights of Malta (a Roman Catholic group). If you are interested in this, look for a map of the Islam controlled nations of that time at http://islam.about.com/od/history/a/crescent_moon.htmwww.ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~bvon/pages/maps.htlm
Walid Shoebat (http://shoebat.com/) gives much more detail in his books.
Walid Shoebat, a former Muslim – now a “Christian”, asks you in his book referencing The Quaran, Surah Al Tamah, Chapter 9:5, “What part of kill don’t you understand”? Also see: http://www.answering-islam.org/authors/silas.html: There is a single punishment for anyone who leaves the Muslim faith: Death. The average American must understand the concept of duty. It is the Muslim’s “duty” to kill those who are not Muslim.
Once a certain percentage of Muslim’s are reached in a nation, the bloodshed begins. The average American must understand “radical” Muslim is a misnomer. There are no known” moderate” Muslim’s per Brigitte Gabriel, (former news anchor) displaced from Lebanon by Muslims who wish to kill her, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigitte_Gabriel
Author John Hagee, (head of CUFI-Christians United for Israel), mentions that Muslims believe the messiah will conquer Israel, or the opposite of what Christians” and Jews believe. Other than that, Islam teaches that Jesus did not die on the cross, that Jesus was created from the dust, like Adam, that Allah is impersonal, that God is neither plural nor triune, and that Allah is removed from his creation; he relates to them through his will and law. The exact opposite of Jesus teachings in Islam are present. http://www.amazon.com/Jerusalem-Countdown-Revised-John-Hagee/dp/1599790890/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387833031&sr=8-1&keywords=Jerusalem+Countdown%2C+John+Hagee
John Hagee, in his book “In Defense of Israel”, (http://www.amazon.com/In-Defense-Israel-Revised-Edition/dp/1599792109/ref=pd_sim_b_2) lists all the ways that Muslims differ in their beliefs as compared to “Christians” and Jews on pages 63 and 64. The last two differences state that Muslims believe that the messiah will be a descendent of Muhammad while “Christians” and Jews believe the Messiah will be a descendant of King David.
Messianic Gentile/Jewish “Christians” believe that Jesus already came as God in the flesh, but that He came first as a Lamb to redeem mankind and the earth. But He did reveal Himself as the Second Coming Messiah: Joh 4:25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26 Then Jesus declared, “I who speak to you am he.” If this woman repeated these words, if it highly unlikely anyone believed her.
Also see: Matt 23:10. The word “Christ” is also interpreted as Messiah. Christ means “Anointed One” as does the word Messiah or the Hebrew Meshiah.
Franklin Graham, (Billy Graham’s son) said on a national TV show (Larry King) that Islam was “evil”. There are multiple historical listings of Franklin Graham on Larry King). This statement is voiced on numerous occasions. Here is one: http://www.politico.com/blogs/politicolive/1010/Rev_Franklin_Graham_Islam_evil.html.
Joel Osteen, who has a mega church, was on the same show in that same time slot on one occasion. When asked the question of whether Jews and Muslims would get into heaven, Osteen said he is very careful when dealing with that question. He later apologized to “Christians”, but “Christians” felt the damage was already done.
Some writer’s, however, feel Islam is not a religion at all: http://www.newenglishreview.org/custpage.cfm/frm/100100/sec_id/100100
The politician Geert Wilders feels the same: http://rt.com/news/geert-wilders-koran-islam/
Here is a Muslim who feels Islam is not a religion: http://www.jihadwatch.org/2014/02/kuwaiti-moderate-islamist-islam-is-not-a-religion-its-a-way-of-life?utm_source=Jihad+Watch+Daily+Digest&utm_campaign=c4a2fd0758-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ffcbf57bbb-c4a2fd0758-123365593
Based on historical data, (as only one example) see: magnitude of Muslim atrocities at: http://www.hindunet.org/hindu_history/modern/moghal_atro.html.
Examining these reports, it would appear Muslims want to burn your farm, or your town, and your cities, or just to conquer you. They apparently want to make slaves of your children. If the children are too small they will simply be killed by taking their feet and slamming their heads against something hard. All women will be raped. Child bearing capable women will be kept as sex slaves.
Militant Muslims want everyone in the world to pray to God in the same way they do, with the same words they use, (asking Allah to curse Jews and “Christians” five times each day, and for your land to be a province of their Empire. If a Muslim disavows portions of the Koran, such as Chapter 9:5, he is not considered a Muslim, rather he is an Infidel.
Other reading on Islam might be considered such as:
http://shariaunveiled.wordpress.com/2014/01/08/islams-path-of-destruction/
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2014/11/25/They-Even-Cut-the-Throats-of-the-Babies-Yazidi-Survivors-Share-How-They-Lost-Their-Families-to-ISIS
Interestingly, Mohammed once wrote that “every word Jesus spoke was true”. (See: http://christiananswers.net/q-eden/quran-jesus.html). Mohammed also wrote that anything new he wrote superseded and overwrote anything he wrote before.
Muslims have a word for a treaty/agreement with a non-Muslim. It is called a “Hudna”. Hudna, in Islam means; “to gain concessions from the enemy, or to regain strength”. So any agreement Israel or other Non-Muslim nations make with Islam is a Hudna. http://www.amazon.com/Jerusalem-Countdown-Revised-John-Hagee. These can be broken at any time with complete honor to the Muslim. According to Hagee, Hudna’s are why Islam has broken every agreement/covenant it has ever made.
So, where do these Muslims come from? Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq, Iran (formerly called Persia), Egypt, Lebanon, and all nations surrounding little Israel.
Per Hagee, Iran has nuclear facilities in the following cities starting at the top: Tabriz, Bonab, Chalus, Mo’allem Kalaych, Neka, Karaj, Tehran, Arak, Natanz, Saghand, Tabas, Isfahan, Yazd, Darkhovin, Busheir, Fasa. Some of these names have been changed, but Hagee’s point is that the nuclear facilities are widespread and cannot be monitored.
Muslim infiltration into America is widespread and involves all states including even the top states such as Minnesota, although Minneapolis/St. Paul, are often referred to as liberal modern day Sodom and Gomorrah, as is Los Angeles and San Francisco, Calif. http://www.barenakedislam.com/2014/11/24/minnesotastan-sharia-compliant-amendment-would-change-an-existing-minneapolis-ordinance-in-order-to-allow-businesses-to-cater-to-the-muslim-community-during-ramadan/
More: https://creepingsharia.wordpress.com/2014/12/02/minnesota-muslim-kept-jihad-plans-secret/
Additional Muslim infiltration into America is seen in the following articles:
http://pamelageller.com/2014/12/minnesota-imam-refuses-to-denounce-the-islamic-state-isis.html/
https://creepingsharia.wordpress.com/2014/12/28/syrian-muslims-headed-to-north-dakota-nebraska-and-kentucky/
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2014/12/allah_in_our_schools.html
The influx of Islamists, who appear to immediately partake of welfare programs in order to organize terror related acts against the providers of this welfare have virtually taken over other countries. The United Kingdom, formerly the British Empire, formerly Great Britain, is a good example: http://www.barenakedislam.com/2014/11/29/well-why-wouldnt-the-quran-be-read-at-prince-charles-coronation-as-king-england-is-likely-to-become-an-islamic-state-within-a-few-years/
http://shariaunveiled.wordpress.com/2014/12/28/latest-demographic-projections-conclude-britain-will-be-an-islamic-nation-within-20-years-2035/
http://www.barenakedislam.com/2014/11/28/chilling-the-growing-muslim-threat-to-switzerland-yes-even-switzerland/
Rape of all ages appears to be a requirement for Islamists/Muslims: http://sheikyermami.com/uk-muslim-sex-groomer-says-raping-little-girls-is-a-religious-requirement/
Considering the information on Islam at this time, readers are urged to keep in mind the documentation of Jesus the Christ walking on water, commanding a storm to be quiet, (with instant positive results), healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, raising the dead, feeding four thousand and five thousand people with a few fish and a little bread, driving demons out of people, and essentially changing the World (See the four Gospels). The fact of Mohammed coming in the sixth century after the death and resurrection of Jesus raises numerous questions.
What about the Book of Mormon? In perusing this book, this writer recalls many battles and much killing.
Have you, the writer of this epublication ever read the Mormon publication, “A Different Gospel”?
No. As a follower of the Holy Bible “Way” it seems forbidden or a desertion of the true Gospel per the Holy Bible: 2Co 11:4 “For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.
Ga 1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel–”
However, this writer did attend Mormon services on Wednesday nights to avoid KP duty, and did have excellent chicken dinners in Mormon homes.
Ellen White in her book, The Great Controversy, (A Seventh Day Adventist publication) (Copyright 1990 by Better Living Publications-Revised 2002) http://www.amazon.com/Great-Controversy-Ellen-G-White wrote “the image of the beast represents that form of apostate Protestantism which will be developed when the Protestant churches shall seek the aid of the civil power for the enforcement of their dogmas”. Ellen White is considered to have prophesied in error fifty times. However, the book noted above contains an excellent condensation of historical data regarding the “Church”, over an extensive period of time.
CHAPTER 7
The Bad Times
During the Dark Ages, Crusaders were sent from Rome. They killed Jews, Muslims, who disagreed with the Roman Catholic concept of “Christianity”, and whoever was in front of them. There were seven total Crusades. On the first one, the Jews in Jerusalem all fled to the synagogue, (men, women and children), and they were burned alive there. The Crusaders (who had obtained advance absolution in Rome from the Pope (at that time) for any sins they might commit) marched around the synagogue and sang, “Christ, we adore Thee”, while 969 Jews screamed and burned. For further reading on this see: http://www.amazon.com/Jerusalem-Countdown-Revised-John-Hagee/dp/1599790890/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387853485&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=Jerusalem+Countdown%E2%80%9D%2C+John+Hagee, and/or http://www.amazon.com/In-Defense-Israel-Revised-Edition/dp/1599792109/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387853622&sr=8-1fkmr0&keywords=In+Defense+of+Israel%E2%80%9D%2C+John+Hagee%2C
After the next six Crusades came the Inquisition, which included the elimination of Jews in Spain and other countries “over there”, plus the elimination of anyone who did not agree with Rome including Gentiles. This Inquisition came from the Pope in Rome who at the time was named Pope Sixtus IV.
323,362 Jewish people were burned alive. This does not take into account those who were tortured with “the rack”, having water forced down throats, or other tortures to force confessions of being a Jew or “Christian” who did not believe in the papacy.
Over time several million “simple” “Christians” who disagreed with the Papacy were killed – usually by burning. At the time of this writing, it is estimated the Roman Catholic religion has killed about fifty million to one hundred million “Christians”. (See Daniel 7:20-25).
Above 700,000 “Christians” have fairly recently been slaughtered in the Sudan by Muslims, but this is not noted in the media because these people are “Christians” and because they are black, and because the media is liberal (meaning Anti-God). Muslims are known to cut off women’s breasts and send them away. If they live, fine, but they still can’t nourish a newborn.
The reader (especially if the reader is a “Protestant”) must understand the above occurred prior to any reforms and all Roman Catholics were also simply called “Christians”. Or, all “Christians” were Roman Catholic unless they disagreed with Rome, in which case they were killed. Therefore “Christians” committed these atrocities. It is not this writer’s intent to disparage all Roman Catholics. The Apostles Creed stands as a witness between all “Christians” as one statement they can all agree upon. A “True Christian” as noted under “Labels” in this writing displays the necessities for salvation. Any writings/beliefs other than those found in the Holy Bible are simply man made and quite unnecessary for salvation.
Reform Time
Then came Martin Luther and the Reformation. Martin Luther did a lot of good things for the Church. Many sincere Roman Catholics agreed with him. Martin Luther had many people in other nations who were also influenced to “Protest” against Rome and it becomes apparent the Holy Spirit of God was working around the world. (Use “Reformers” as a code name in a search engine on the WEB, if you have a computer.)
For many, many generations, most households had only two books. The Holy Bible and Foxe’s Book of Martyr’s. Foxe, (John Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, Spire edition published 1998, Twelfth printing, May 2007) http://www.booksofthebible.com/p1077.html?gclid=CMX2lsXux7sCFYlDMgodzAYASA
August 10, 1520 was the date that Martin Luther said, “We here are of the conviction that the papacy is the seat of the true and real Antichrist”.
Fulfilled Prophecy? You Decide
Actually all the Reformers, before and after Martin Luther, felt the papacy was the Antichrist.
So, did Martin Luther fulfill prophecy? Generally, at the time, everyone agreed Luther through the “sword of the Word”, inflicted, due to the printing press, a “fatal” wound to the Papacy which fulfilled Revelations 13: Re 13:1 And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.
Da 7:2,7; Re 12:3; 17:3,9,12
2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. Da 7:4-6; Re 12:4,9; 16:10
NOTE——/////////!!!!!!!(NOTE—–) 3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast.
Re 13:12,14; 17:8
4 Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?” Re 18:18
5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. Da 7:8,11,25; 11:36; Re 11:2; 12:6
6 He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. Joh 1:14; Col 2:9
7 He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.
In this year of 2014, there is considerable disagreement in theological circles as to the meaning of “fatal wound had been healed”, although there is certainly a belief of the Roman Catholic Church coming back into power as though there had never been a Reformation. This will be addressed later on in this writing.
Advancing deviancy advances collectivism
Following a week or more of in-your-face coverage of Bruce Jenner’s posing as a woman on a magazine cover and exposing his psychological problems to the world, the Occupation Safety and Health Administration has issued a four-page guideline for employers to provide transgender-friendly restroom facilities. Coincidence? I think not.
The mainstream media glorified Jenner for his “courage.” ESPN, one of the leading proponents of perversion today, picked Jenner as its recipient of this year’s Arthur Ashe Courage Award to be presented at the ESPY Awards in July. This was too much for even Bob Costas to stomach.
The OSHA guidelines, while not yet binding but likely soon will be (especially once the Supreme Court OKs gay “marriage”), will require employers to ensure restrooms are accessible to people according to their “inner gender” as opposed to their natural plumbing. But assigning gender-confused people their own restroom is not acceptable to the agency. Among the best policies, OSHA writes, are for the employer to provide “additional options, which employees may choose, but are not required to use” include:
Single-occupancy gender-neutral (unisex) facilities; and
Use of multiple-occupant, gender-neutral restroom facilities with lockable single occupant stalls.
So “Men” and “Women” on the restroom doors no longer will have meaning and, under the guidelines, will likely just be removed. And that man ogling your wife or daughter can follow them into the restroom with no questions asked.
A New World Order in social evolution has emerged over the past couple of decades, and it’s not the world your granddad knew.
How has the American nation fallen so far that a growing number of the masses and almost all the politicians not only accept but endorse the sodomites and “gender-confused” and all the sick things they do? The answer is: tolerance. The politicians and the propaganda machine have taught Americans to tolerate everything except that which is godly.
Fyodor Dostoevsky warned that without God, all bad things are possible.
Note that all major religions focus on “tolerance.” They tolerate everything but Christianity.
All those bad things have come to pass in America’s toleration of sodomy and the “gender-confused” as a “civil right” and “lifestyle.”
The secret truth is that sodomy is so much more. It is the secret ritual of political power. It is a recruitment tool for global collectivism. Globalism, with its underlying principle of collectivism and its secret ritual of sodomy is not primarily an economic or political development. Globalism, collectivism and sodomy are the result of moral decline on a mass scale.
We now have in this country state-approved abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, a “green” movement that exalts nature above people and much, much more.
Included in this “much, much more” would be Keynesian economics, gun control, confiscatory taxation, mass government spying, unquestioned support of Big Brother Government to the point of neighbors snitching on each other, corporate-government development of laws and public policy, and media-government collaborative propaganda.
It is all collectivism. It is all totalitarianism. All of these features of Nazism are features of modern democracy. One of my favorite formulas revealing the true nature of collectivism is: Communism = socialism = Nazism = democracy = occultism. The past 100 years will go down in history as the most successful hundred years of collectivism, led by the socialist democracy of the United States.
The great irony is that because of the occult power of collectivist propaganda, when one criticizes any of the things of collectivism he is the one who is falsely branded a “fascist.” As the kids on the playground exclaim, it takes one to know one!
http://personalliberty.com/advancing-deviancy-advances-collectivism/
“Islamic! Islamic!”: Muslim Persecution of Christians, April, 2015 | Creeping Sharia
via Raymond Ibrahim.
“The city of Mosul alone had 45 churches. Now there is not a single one. The buildings have been destroyed. Four hundred churches have been destroyed in Syria. … The same is happening in Nigeria, Pakistan, and Northern Africa.” — Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia
Just two months after the Islamic State [IS] published a video depicting its membersslaughtering 21 Coptic Christians in Libya, on Sunday, April 19, the jihadi Islamic groupreleased another video of more Christians in Libya — approximately 30 Ethiopians — disparagingly referred to by an IS spokesman as “worshippers of the cross” — being butchered for not paying jizya, extortion money demanded of the “People of the Book” who refuse to convert to Islam, according to Koran 9:29.
Some of the Christians were shot execution-style in the back of their heads, the others had their heads carved off, like the Copts before them.
The IS spokesman further addressed “Christians everywhere”:
We say to Christians everywhere, the Islamic State will expand, with Allah’s permission. And it will reach you even if you are in fortified strongholds. So whoever enters Islam will have security, and whoever accepts the Dhimmahcontract [subjugated, third-class treatment and social status] will have security. But whoever refuses will see nothing from us but the edge of a spear. The men will be killed and the children will be enslaved, and their wealth will be taken as booty. This is the judgment of Allah and His Messenger.
In a statement, the Coptic Christian Church of Egypt pointed out that the Ethiopian martyrs, like the 21 Copts before them, were “murdered purely for refusing to renounce their faith.”
Al Shabaab Murders 147, Separates Muslims from Christians
On April 2 in Kenya, gunmen from the Somali Islamic group, Al Shabaab — “the [Islamic] youth” — stormed Garissa University, singled out Christian students, and murdered them, beheading some. A total of 147 people were killed in the attack — making this jihad more “spectacular” than the 2013 Al Shabaab attack on the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, which left 67 people dead (then too, Islamic gunmen singled out Christians for slaughter).
Islamic gunmen were careful to separate Christians from Muslims before beginning the carnage, eyewitnesses said. (While Kenya is 83% Christian, it still has an 11% Muslim minority.) Collins Wetangula, vice chairman of the student union, said he could hear, from inside his room where he was hiding, the gunmen opening doors and inquiring if the people inside were Muslims or Christians. “If you were a Christian you were shot on the spot. With each blast of the gun I thought I was going to die.”
Al Shabaab has a long history of singling out Christians from among Muslims for slaughter (here are four examples). Other jihadi groups, including Boko Haram and theIslamic State, also make it a point to select out Christians before slaughtering them — a fact often omitted by the “mainstream media.”
Egyptian Churches under Attack
On April 5, as Coptic Christians were celebrating Palm Sunday, a church was attacked in Alexandria, Egypt. Gunmen in a vehicle opened fire on the church during the night, injuring a police officer and two civilians.
On April 12, Easter Sunday according to the Orthodox calendar, two explosions targeting churches took place in the Zagazig area. One car explosion took place near a Coptic Orthodox church and another bomb exploded near the Evangelical Church in the same area. Although no casualties were reported, large numbers could have easily resulted, based on precedent. For example, on January 1, 2011, as Egypt’s Christians ushered in the New Year, car bombs went off near the Two Saints Church in Alexandria, resulting in 23 dead worshippers and dozens critically injured.
Muslims rioted because President Sisi had agreed that Copts could build a church in Al-Our, where 13 of the 21 Christians beheaded by the Islamic State had grown up, and where their families still live. Local Muslims arose in violence soon after Islamic prayers on Friday, April 3. They shouted that they would never allow a church to be built, that “Egypt is Islamic!” By nightfall, Molotov cocktails and stones were thrown at another Coptic church, cars were set ablaze — including one belonging to a relative of a man decapitated by the Islamic State — and several people were injured.[1]
A day later, on April 4, Muslims rioted and attacked the Christians of the village of Gala’, Samalout district. After waiting for years to repair their dilapidated church (see pictures), local Copts finally received all the proper permits to begin restoration. Soon Coptic homes, businesses and persons were attacked with hurled rocks. Christian-owned farms were destroyed and their crops uprooted. Islamic slogans were constantly shouted, including “There is no god but Allah” and “Islamic! Islamic!”
After waiting for 44 years, the Christians of Nag Shenouda, in the city of Sohag, finally received the necessary permit to build a new church. Muslims rioted and burned down the tent the Christians had erected to worship under. The Christians of Nag Shenouda were forced to celebrate Easter in the street (picture here). When one of them tried to hold a worship service in his home, a Muslim mob attacked him and his household.
More Islamic Attacks on Christian Churches
Syria: The Islamic State destroyed at least three churches under its control:
On Easter Sunday, the Islamic State destroyed the Virgin Mary Church — an Assyrian church built and consecrated in 1934 — in Tel Nasri, northeast Syria. Tel Nasri, loosely translated as “Christian Hill,” is one of the dozens of Assyrian Christian villages along the Khabur river; all were attacked and occupied by the Islamic State in late February (more here and here).
On April 28, the St. Odisho Assyrian Church in Tel Tal, and the St. Rita Tilel Armenian Church in Aleppo, were also destroyed.
Nigeria: A Muslim mob set fire to a church in a Christian village in Nigeria’s northern Kano State on April 1. Muslims were searching for a young man in order to kill him; he had renounced Islam and re-converted to Christianity. The mob with machetes also attacked Christian villagers, torched the home of a pastor, and killed one of his daughters. According to a local official, General Dikko:
The church and all the properties were burnt down in the presence of the Christian community despite all pleadings for them to stop the destruction. The arsonists gathered cornstalks and put them inside the church in order to cause greater damage…. We have the right to belong to any religion of our choice and live anywhere in this country. We call on the authorities at all levels to rise up to their responsibilities of protecting lives and properties of every citizen in this country.
Pakistan: Two assailants on motorbikes opened fire on the main gates of a church and Christian school in Lahore; in the crossfire, two passersby were injured.
Malaysia: On Sunday, April 19, a Muslim mob of approximately 50 people rioted and protested against a small Protestant church in the capital of Kuala Lumpur The object of their wrath was the cross atop the building of worship. Members of the mob said that the cross, the central symbol of Christianity, represented “a challenge to Islam” and could “influence the faith of young people.” The cross was removed.
More Muslim Slaughter of Christians
High Seas: On April 16, during a recent crossing from Libya, Muslim migrants threw as many as 53 Christians overboard, according to police in Sicily. The reported motive was that the victims “professed the Christian faith while the aggressors were Muslim.” Another report said that the reason the Christians were thrown overboard is because a boy was seen praying to the Judeo-Christian God. Muslims commanded him to stop, saying “Here, we only pray to Allah.” Eventually the Muslims, in the words of a witness, “went mad,” and started screaming, “Allahu Akbar!;” then began hurling Christians into the sea.[2]
Nigeria: “All 276 Christian schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014 may have been among a group of women slaughtered by Boko Haram last month [March], Nigerian media reported Monday, April 6,”[3] according to a “U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights.”
Syria: Islamic rebels fired rockets at a Christian neighborhood in Aleppo on the night of April 10-11. The attack left massive destruction in the eastern section of the predominantly Assyrian and Armenian Sulaymaniyah district. At least 40 people, mostly Assyrians — including women and children — were killed. An Assyrian Catholic Cathedral was also shelled, injuring three civilians. “Our Easter feast has turned to grief,” a nun in Aleppo said: “Some people woke up to find themselves without a home and others did not see the life died under the rubble because they were victims of violence.”
Egypt: A Muslim man repeatedly stabbed a Christian woman with a knife, then threw her body into a canal. The Coptic woman, Gamila Basilious, 48-years-old and married, lived in Minya. According to police reports, the man, Mahmoud Hassan Abdulhamid, came to her door inquiring about her husband. When he discovered her husband was not present, he took advantage of the situation by attacking her with a knife, repeatedly stabbing her neck and chest. As “infidels,” Coptic Christians are regularly attacked in Egypt. The attacks include kidnapping, church attacks, and random slaughter.
Islamic Attacks on Christian Freedom: Apostasy, Blasphemy, Proselytization
Uganda: Five Muslim men gang-raped and beat a Christian pastor’s 17-year-old daughter. The attacks were reportedly done in “retaliation” for the pastor’s refusal to stop Christian worship services in a Muslim-majority region. The girl was approaching the New Hope Church building where her father serves as pastor when she was abducted and taken to nearby bushes by the rapists.
Much more dire news ignored by Western media. Read it all at gatestoneinstitute.
13 Reasons Christians Don’t Have to Be Afraid | Desiring God
Fear is like the monster under my kids’ beds — its power is fueled not by what’s really there, but by what might be, what we imagine could be. Fear is a hollow darkness in the future that reaches back through time to rob our joy now by belittling the sovereign goodness of God.
But if we are in Christ, if we cling to him by faith, we don’t have to fear. Really, we don’t.
John Piper explains why in a 2001 letter he wrote to the people of Bethlehem. The point of the letter is to highlight several promises in the Bible that we can remember when the temptation of fear assaults us.
13 Reasons Not to Be Afraid
We will not die apart from God’s gracious decree for his children.
Curses and divination do not hold sway against God’s people.
The plans of terrorists and hostile nations do not succeed apart from our gracious God.
Man cannot harm us beyond God’s gracious will for us.
God promises to protect his own from all that is not finally good for them.
God promises to give us all we need to obey, enjoy, and honor him forever.
God is never taken off guard.
God will be with us, help us, and uphold us in trouble.
Terrors will come, some of us will die, but not a hair of our heads will perish.
Nothing befalls God’s own but in its appointed hour.
When God Almighty is your helper, none can harm you beyond what he decrees.
God’s faithfulness is based on the firm value of his name, not the fickle measure of our obedience.
The Lord, our protector, is great and awesome.
Jonathan Parnell (@jonathanparnell) is the lead pastor of Cities Church in Minneapolis/St. Paul, where he lives with his wife, Melissa, and their five children. He is co-editor of Designed for Joy: How the Gospel Impacts Men and Women, Identity and Practice.
