Letters on a wide range of subject matter that do not pertain
directly to this website. All those other letters that do pertain to this
site are kept personal and are not posted unless under special circumstances.
Archive Religious News Items are provided for
Christians all over the world. This particular archive contains articles from the Vatican, Freedom of Religion, Fundamental
conferences, American Psychological Association studies, to Chilean
Children Stoning Santa Claus. It's important for the Church to keep
inform about world events.
The Vatican Officially
Endorses Evolution
The Vatican has issued a strong defense of Charles Darwin
humanistic faith in the origin of life, voicing stout criticism of Christian
fundamentalists who reject his theory of evolution and interpret the
biblical account of creation literally.
Cardinal Paul Poupard, head of the Pontifical Council for Culture,
said the Genesis description of how God created the universe and
Darwin's theory of evolution were "perfectly compatible" if the Bible
were read correctly.
His statement was a clear attack on creationists in the US,
who see evolution and the Genesis account as mutually exclusive.
"The fundamentalists want to give a scientific meaning to words that
had no scientific aim," he said at a Vatican press conference. He said
the real message in Genesis was that "the universe didn't make itself
and had a creator".
This idea was part of theology, Cardinal Poupard emphasized, while the
precise details of how creation and the development of the species
came about belonged to a different realm - science.
Cardinal Poupard
said that it was important for Catholic believers to know how science
saw things so as to "understand things better".
His statements were interpreted in Italy as a rejection of the
"intelligent design" view, which says the universe is so complex that
some higher being must have designed every detail. Pope John
Paul II in 1996 addressed to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. The
Pope stated that “new knowledge has led to the recognition of the
theory of evolution as something more than just a hypothesis.”
Russia
Restricts Freedom of Religion
The door of religious freedom in Russia is beginning to close once
again. With a passing of a new law which was created by the main
religious establishment: The Russian Orthodox hierarchy and the
Communists, makes all religious organizations less than 15 years old
illegal. It strips these religious organizations all rights of basic
public activities, and the presence of foreign missionaries which some
already have been removed from the country.
This comes to no surprise as the communists and the Russian Orthodox
hierarchy (which is controlled by the KGB) have persecuted Christians
for many years.
A decade ago the world rejoiced in claiming communism
is dead in the Soviet Union and it's allies. Russia and it's allies
declared that they would grant religious freedom and some Christians
around the world believed that communism was finally dead. But this is
not the case.
Russia may be broke and experienced hyper-inflation because of the
negative economic impact of socialism on it's economy. But as far as
trying to control it's population through the State, has not died
out! In fact, communism and it's regulations is alive and well...The
purpose of Russia and it's allies making a claim that it would allow
freedom of religion was to mislead the West for various reasons, one
of which is getting money from the West, and it worked. Russia had no
intention of keeping religious freedom forever. This law is only the
beginning on what is to come in Russia concerning freedom of religion.
I urge Christians to pray for the churches in Russia as well as the
missionaries that still remain in that country.
French teenagers mug Santa Claus
(December 22, 2004)
A
group of French teenagers have mugged Father Christmas, attempting
to steal his sack of presents.
The
man dressed as Santa Claus was handing out sweets in the southern
town of Ales when things turned nasty.
One of the teenagers demanded extra sweets and, when the
red-cloaked Santa refused, he and his friends started kicking and
pummelling the man.
The teenager and his friends, all about 15 years of age, were
eventually scared off by passers-by.
Father Christmas suffered multiple bruises and has lodged a
criminal complaint.
Chilean Children Stone Santa
Claus
(December 23, 1999)
In northern Chile there was a group of children who stoned and then robbed a man
posing as Santa Claus after he ignored their pleas to toss them candy from his
truck as he drove past them. Santa-suited 300 pound, Cristian Parent, 28 was
pelted with rocks by children as they ran alongside truck after he refused to
give them candy. Las Ultimas reported. Some of the kids climbed aboard the
moving truck and stole toys out of his sack before making their getaway. Parent
was heading to a neighborhood in Tocopilla, 960 miles north of Santiago, to
deliver boxes of candy that the local government planned to give out.
The unemployed father, hired by the city to play the part of Santa Claus, was
hit twice in the head, in his chest, and in his eye, forcing him to seek medical
attention for his injuries.
Pope Kisses The Quran
In May 1999, the Pope granted permission to see three Muslims at the Vatican. At
this meeting, Pope John Paul II bowed to the Muslim's most holy book, the Quran,
and kissed it (Christian News, Oct. 18, 1999). The three Muslims happen to be
Shiite Imam of Khadum, the Sunni president of the Iraqi Bank, and a
representative of the Iraqi ministry of religion. Six months
later Indonesian Muslims slaughtered Roman Catholics in East Timor
who had voted for their independence from Indonesia. The
Pope of course is part of the system found in Revelation 17.
The
religious system seeks to
unite all religions, and churches that separated from her but is still part of
her and true churches under the Pope who claims to be head of the
church on earth ...The Scriptures plainly teach in 2Cor. 6:14-18, to be
separated from unbelievers, which means not to try and unite with unbelievers,
for the sake of power or otherwise. Clearly the belief in Islamic tradition
which denies Jesus dying on the Cross, denies Jesus being the eternal Son Of
God, and denies salvation by grace alone, is a sign of unbelief and should be
separated from (Revelation 18:4).
The World Congress of
Fundamentalism: July 5-8, 1999
A man spent a few days, holding up posters for people to read as they drove by
concerning the Bible versions,
and for Fundamentalists in particular to read as they entered and exited the Bob Jones
University campus which was the site of the 1999, World Congress of
Fundamentalism. By standing at the gates, the man was able to display his
posters to mostly everyone at this gathering...The posters read as follows: "Can
Fundamentalists PREACH from their infallible Bible? BJU does not have an
infallible Bible." "How many mistakes are in your Bible?"
He got some interesting responses...There were some who would just wave and
smile and hold their Bibles up with confidence. When responding to the question:
"How many mistakes were in your Bible" they replied, "Zero!" More interesting
responses came about. A man who was just totally angry about the questions,
after reading the poster while he was driving, suddenly stopped his car,
blocking the rest of the cars behind him, which was right in front of the
welcome center, and demanded the poster be given to him and almost assaulted the
man with the poster. I guess he was a fighting fundamentalist. He was so mad
because he thought that the man with the poster was trying to divide
fundamentalists. He told the man with the poster to basically witness to the
lost. The man with the poster replied, that he was and asked if he would burn
him at the stake. The man finally backed off.
During the rest of the time, the man with the poster made news. He was
interviewed in front of the school by a local news station. Were people
disappointed in this guy's conduct? Yes they were...Here was a man who had a friend along with him,
protesting the World Congress of Fundamentalism and now making tv news. A
policemen stopped them, and asked what was going on. The man with the poster
spent most of his time alone, speaking with people and got alot of opposition. A
couple of guys from England and N. Ireland came out and spoke kindly to the man
with the poster. They even took pictures with him and were in agreement with him
about the decline in Fundamentalism on the Bible issue. They remarked sadly, how
they just had a debate with a member of the BJU Bible faculty the day before,
where he told them that he was bringing up his daughters in the NIV, his wife
was on the NASB, and using another version for witnessing.
The man with the poster asked if Paisley would dare to preach a strong message
Thursday evening on the preservation issue which by the way could split the
fundamentalist camp at BJU. One of the nice gentlemen replied, he would not and
he didn't.
One thing that was noticed, BJU young girls there were the most rude, proud,
arrogant and disrespectful. A good number of older, visiting, well-dressed
preachers were among the most polite and confident about their Bible.
BJU sounds more like a liberal bent school than a Christian one...They reject
the ability of God to preserve His own word despite the many counterfeits. And
accept error by using those counterfeits and downplaying obvious errors as
though corrupting God's Word is no big deal as long as they are small errors. In
rage they detest anyone who questions them, for the sake of so-called
unity...The word of God makes it very clear that parts of God's word will never
disappear forever, and corrupting God's Word in any degree is a sin...There will
always be a complete Word of God somewhere in the world despite the massive
confusion of the counterfeits...It stands forever and here's why:
"The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth,
purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, Thou shalt preserve them
from this generation forever" (Psalm 12:6-7).
Northern Ireland's "Peace
Accord"
A Danger to Christians
Christians all over the world especially in Northern Ireland should familiarize
themselves with what has been happening there in recent years. Studying the
latest developments in Northern Ireland, it is amazing to see similar things
that has happened in South Africa in Northern Ireland. After South Africa fell,
the international community switched it's attention to Northern Ireland...It's
intentions were to put pressure on the country to cave in to it's demands.
First, here's a little background, so our readings can get a better feel of
what's going on over there. The Republic of Ireland, or Eire, in the south is not
part of the United Kingdom and is Roman Catholic in religion and in politics and
population. Northern Ireland on the other hand, is part of the United Kingdom,
and the population is mostly Protestant. The Vatican's main goal for that
country is to gain control over Northern Ireland, to unite it with Papist South,
to tear it from the clutches of the "Protestant" UK. And for many years had
worked hard trying to obtain this goal. It uses the IRA which is a terrorist
organization under Papal control, to strike fear in the hearts of the Northern
Population, so as to force them to cave in on the demands of a united Ireland.
The ultimate goal is England itself, for hundreds of years it's been viewed by
the Papacy as one of the greatest strong holds of Protestantism in the world.
Merging both north and south Ireland, it would mean a major threat to what is
left of "Protestantism" in England.
In 1998, a new so-called "peace deal" was agreed to in troubled Northern
Ireland. Signed in April, the deal was to create an Assembly, and to set up a
structure in which ministers from this Assembly would meet with those of the
Roman Catholic Republic of Ireland within a year. Supposedly, the Roman Catholic
Republic of Ireland is then going to renounce it's claims on Northern Ireland.
This is so similar to South Africa, first, brutal and intense terrorism,
followed by capitulation on part of the government to the demands of the
terrorists, with the establishment of a new structure of the government that
would eventually run the country.
In terms of the deal, the decommissioning of paramilitary arms has to take place
with in two years, and so called "political prisoners" released. Both parties
would have to commit to a ceasefire and maintain it. Another part of the deal is
that the Royal Ulster Constabulary, which Romanists claim is biased in favor of
Protestants, will be subject to an internal commission! A commission we can be
sure that will be heavy biased in favor of the Roman Catholic Republic Ireland.
The same thing happened in South Africa, there security forces were said to be
"illegitimate" biased in other words towards the white population and calls were
made for them to come under control of outside forces. And so-called "political
prisoners" (terrorist criminals) were released.
Obviously the Communist terrorist leaders in South Africa played a huge role in
this so called "peace deal".
This peace deal is a major blow to Christians living in Ireland...We will
continue to pray for true Christians there as Rome is making it's advances.
APA Study Claims No Great
Harm in Adult-Child Sex
A well-known mainstream publication who wants to have it's published articles
influence public policy, has started it's first step to try and sway the public
into accepting adult-child sex. The American Psychological Association denies
that their research does support the idea of "adult-child sex." In July of last
year the Psychological Bulletin carried an article examining certain parts of
evidence on a limited percentage. Sixty- percent of the data was based not on
sexual relationships but normal affection within the family or family friends
like hugging a child, and the smallest percentage came from abuse. Just by
looking at the uneven data, it would not seem strange as the article does
suggest that adult-child sex is not harmful, but rather in some cases is
beneficial to a child...Nothing could be further from the truth!
We are dealing with a very wicked sin, and no Christian should be practicing
this evil sin according to the Bible...Sex is only allowed according to God's
Word, between a man and woman who are married to each other (1 Cor. 7). The
American Psychological Association uses secular humanism as a means of
describing human behavior (man's nature) and tries to use a slow progressive
method to sway public opinion and attack Christian values...My hope is; If it's
in the Will of God, may the Lord enlighten these people into realizing that they
are lost creatures who are unable to please God in any way...May the Lord turn
their hearts to live holy and proclaim holiness not perversion 8 and 9, also
Romans 3:11,12.
South Africa's Religious Freedom
We have heard from Christian sources including my tv-programs on this subject,
of the fact that the ANC which controls most of South Africa's government, is
really not in favor of the fruits of religious freedom. There has been talk of
the ANC supporting religious freedom, but what they say and what they do are
totally different...In the end, they are only concerned about what suits their
needs and goals.
There was a radio program which was Islamic, came under attack, because it
refused to have women presenters, saying it was against Islamic tradition. South
Africa's Commission on Gender Equality came out and lead the attack saying they
are committed to ensuring religion not to justify "discrimination" against
women. She went on to say that they recognized freedom of religious expression.
My question would be; "To who standards?" The Islamic radio station was ordered,
by the Broadcasting Monitoring and Committee to appoint women presenters, not
only that but one-third of it's membership on all it's committees must be women!
If the radio station doesn't comply it's license would be revoked and they would
be taken off the air. They refused to comply and were taken off the air.
What does this have to do with Christians? After all, Islam is a false religion
and all true Christians rejects it's pagan traditions and it's occultic origin.
Nevertheless, this is an issue of religious freedom and expression not the
deception of Islam. South Africa's constitution claims to support religions
freedom and expression, but the enforcers do not believe in freedom of religion.
If a particular religion is teaching something or practicing something that is
politically incorrect, they are silenced! As Christians the Bible makes it clear
that women are not to be pastors or teach or even speak in the Church, as an
authority over the man (1 Tim. 2:11-15; 1Cor. 14:34,35). The feminists cannot
change the teachings to fit their beliefs. Christian churches in South Africa
will be affected by government regulations that will be increasing over time, to
a degree that will eventually outlaw the churches entirely.
One final word, let us hold to the wonderful and precious truths of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ, and proclaim it.
Pennsylvania's
New Law Gives Homosexuals Protective Status
On November 26, 2002, Pennsylvania
Lawmakers by a 118-79, margin passed a bill to add Homosexuals to it's
protective status list which is known as the "Ethnic Intimidation law." A
former deacon in the Presbyterian Church of America helped guide this bill, as
well as John Perzel, helped clear the way for the bill's passage. He is known
in the mainstream, but not necessarily to all Christians as a conservative,
pro-family Republican. By his endorsement of this bill it clearly shows,
he is not a conservative who is pro-family.
Issues and concerns have surfaced over
this new addition as well as the law in general...''We should be looking at
the crime ... not trying to decide what the thoughts were of the perpetrator,''
said Rep. Allan Egolf, R-Landisburg
Could Pastors who preach against
Homosexuality, be affected by this new law? Not only that but could this
law be used to make a Pastor a criminal because of a person or person's offended
by what was said at the pulpit? Could someone other than a Pastor be considered
a criminal according to this law if they speak against homosexuality? I
believe it's headed in that direction with more and more so-called; "hate
crimes" being passed...We have seen in other places such as South Africa which
remains very violent in other areas. It could be very possible in the future to
see people taking Pastors or Christians to court claiming that their sermons are causing harm
to them either physically or mentally. And I don't mean that Pastors or
Christians will be beating up homosexuals, what I mean is they might sue
claiming the so-called mental cruelty of being against homosexuality caused them
physical damage. Contrary to the bill's allies, it's against the law to be violent
towards homosexuals before the bill was passed. In fact, it's against the law to
do physical harm to anyone. It's also against biblical principles to be violent
against homosexuals, and not only that, but all people in general!
Christians must pray on this issue, as
God is control of all things! For when they say social justice, they mean
using the law to see it their way...The broad way is just as one sided as Christ
who is the way the truth and the life...