Halloween Read more IN THIS ISSUE ****************** -NOW WHY WOULD A ROMAN CATHOLIC BE SKEPTICAL OF A 1ST CENTURY ARTIFACT?: THE HERESY OF MARY’S PERPETUAL VIRGINITY -HALLOWEEN: A CELBRATION FOR SATANISTS, WITCHES AND CATHOLICS – NOT FUNDAMENTAL CHRISTIANS! -ORDER “THE ROD: WILL GOD SPARE IT?” =================================================== NOW WHY WOULD A ROMAN CATHOLIC BE SKEPTICAL OF A 1ST CENTURY ARTIFACT?: THE HERESY OF MARY’S PERPETUAL VIRGINITY By now, most Christians have heard about the 1st century artifact that has been discovered: “An inscription has been found on an ancient bone box, called an ossuary, that reads ‘James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.’…The container is one of very few ancient artifacts mentioning New Testament figures. One such object is the ossuary of Caiaphas, the high priest who turned Jesus over to the Romans, according to the Biblical account. Caiaphass tomb was uncovered in 1990. Also, some 40 years ago, archaeologists discovered an inscription on a monument that mentions Pontius Pilate.” (bib-arch.org) “Jesus’ name found on burial box that may be his brother’s – Washington – …Writing in the new issue of Shanks’ Biblical Archaeology Review, Andre Lemaire, a specialist in ancient inscriptions at France’s Practical School of Higher Studies, says it is ‘very probable’ the find is an authentic reference to Jesus of Nazareth and he dates it to A.D. 63 just three decades after the crucifixion…The inscription, in the Aramaic language, appears on an empty ossuary, or limestone burial box for bones. It reads: ‘James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.’ Lemaire says the writing style, and the fact that Jews practiced ossuary burials only between 20 B.C. and A.D. 70, puts the inscription squarely in the time of Jesus and James, who led the early church in Jerusalem…Moreover, naming the brother as well as the father on an ossuary was ‘very unusual,’ Lemaire says. There’s only one other known example in Aramaic. Thus, this particular Jesus must have had some unusual role or fame – and Jesus of Nazareth certainly qualified, Lemaire concludes….The archaeology magazine says two scientists with the Israeli government’s Geological Survey conducted a detailed microscopic examination of the surface patina and the inscription. They reported last month that there is ‘no evidence that might detract from the authenticity.’…The first century Jewish historian Josephus recorded that ‘the brother of Jesus the so-called Christ, James by name,’ was stoned to death as a Jewish heretic in A.D. 62. If his bones were placed in an ossuary that would have occurred the following year, dating the inscription around A.D. 63. The Rev. Joseph Fitzmyer, a Bible professor at Catholic University who studied photos of the box, agrees with Lemaire that the writing style ‘fits perfectly’ with other first century examples and admits the joint appearance of these three famous names is ‘striking.’ ‘But the big problem is, you have to show me the Jesus in this text is Jesus of Nazareth, and nobody can show that,’ Fitzmyer says…” (WashingtonPost, Oct.21, 2002) Is it really possible that a Roman Catholic would demand absolute PROOF that an artifact inscribed with the names of Jesus, James and Joseph actually refers to the Jesus Christ, James and Joseph of the New Testament? Roman Catholics have always been known for incredible gullibility in regard to artifacts, relics and apocryphal writings. John Dowling, the 19th century Baptist author, in “The History of Romanism,” documents some early examples of this fanatical superstition of Roman Catholics throughout history: “The same necessity of relics to be deposited in the altar of Romish churches, in order to their due consecration, is contended for down to the present day. No matter how minute the particle of supposed holy dust of the saint…a tooth, a toe-nail, a hair, a drop of blood, or a preserved tear from the eye; anything will do, so that it is christened or declared genuine by his infallible holiness, the pope…Some buried the bones of dead men in certain places and then affirmed that they were divinely admonished in a dream, that the body of some friend of God lay there. Many, especially of the monks, traveled through the different provinces, and not only sold, with the most frontless impudence, their ficticious relics, but also deceived the eyes of the multitude with ludicrous combats with evil spirits…” Why, after so many centuries of this most incredible, despicable superstition and gullibility (and fraud), are Roman Catholics suddenly skeptical of one of the few, possibly AUTHENTIC artifacts in all of history? Why are they suddenly straining at a gnat, when they have been swallowing camels for centuries? There is a very simple explanation. It is because THIS artifact happens to be inscribed with the following words: “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.” In other words, this artifact refutes the unbiblical, Roman Catholic fantasy that James was the COUSIN of Jesus! In other words, THIS artifact agrees with the New Testament (also Josephus, “Antiquities,” 20. 9-1, pp. 200-201), and sufficiently refutes the Roman Catholic tradition that Mary was a perpetual virgin (i.e. never had any other children than our Saviour). Notice the following words from the online “Catholic Enycyclopedia” at NewAdvent.org: “Some ancient heretics, like Helvidius and the antidicomarianites maintained that the ‘brethren’ of Jesus were His uterine brothers the sons of Joseph and Mary. This opinion has been revived in modern times, and is now adopted by most of the Protestant exegetes….James, Joseph, and Jude are undoubtedly His cousins.” This encyclopedia writes as if the teaching that Mary was a perpetual virgin was rooted in the New Testament and found unanimously in the writings of the earliest of Christians immediately after the Apostles! But John Dowling (“The History of Romanism”) shows that this view did not really arise in popularity until the middle of the fourth century: “About the middle of the fourth century, as appears from certain expressions in Epiphanius, Gregory Nyssen, and Augustine, an opinion arose that there were in the temple at Jerusalem, virgins consecrated to God, among whom Mary grew up in vows of perpetual virginity…The opinion was strenuously maintained by them, and most of their contemporaries, that Mary continued a virgin till her death. Others, however, adopting a more natural interpretation of Matt.1:25 and 13:55,56 contended that she had afterward lived in a state of honorable matrimony with her husband, and that she had borne other children. Those who held this opinion, were enumerated among the heretics, and were called Anti-dico-marianites, or opposers of the purity of Mary.” (P.81) Jerome (345-420), in attempting to refute Helvidius, disowns Tertullian (160-220), since Tertullian (a premillennial, Baptistic writer), in reproving the fables of the Gnostics, denied the perpetual virginity of Mary: “[Helvidius] produces Tertullian as a witness and quotes Victorinus, bishop of Petavium. Of Tertullian, I say no more than that he did not belong to the Church. But as regards Victorinus, I assert what has already been proven from the gospel – that he spoke of the brethren of the Lord not as being sons of Mary but brethren in the sense I have explained, that is to say, brethren in point of kinship, not by nature.” (Against Helvidius: The Perpetual Virginity of Mary 19 [A.D. 383]“). John Paul II, like Jerome of old, uses a slippery, convenient, Roman Catholic definition of “church,” in order to claim that the doctrine of Mary’s perpetual virginity has “always” been professed: “The Church has always professed her belief in the perpetual virginity of Mary…The expression ‘ever virgin’ was taken up by the Second Council of Constantinople (553), which affirms: the Word of God, ‘incarnate of the holy and glorious Mother of God and ever virgin Mary, was born of her’ (DS 422). This doctrine is confirmed by two other Ecumenical Councils, the Fourth Lateran Council (1215) (DS 801) and the Second Council of Lyons (1274) (DS 852), and by the text of the definition of the dogma of the Assumption (1950) (DS 3903) in which Mary’s perpetual virginity is adopted as one of the reasons why she was taken up in body and soul to heavenly glory.” (Pope John Paul II, General Audience, August 28, 1996; reported by Catholic Information Network) Why all the debate? Why do some strict Catholics work so hard to defend the supposed doctrine of Mary’s perpetual virginity? It is primarily because paganism worships the “mother goddess,” and Catholicism, for power, historically merged Christianity with ancient paganism. They desire to worship Mary and give her as much honor as the pagan goddess originally possessed. They believe that by worshipping and exalting Mary, SHE will soon bruise the head of the serpent (i.e. Genesis 3:15 in the Latin Vulgate), and dispose of all heresies and heretics (i.e. Baptists, Protestants, etc.). In fulfillment of 1 Timothy 4:3, and contrary to Hebrews 13:4, Catholics have exalted virginity far above the marriage state. Therefore, in their view, in order to exalt Mary, her purity must not be tainted by the marriage bed: “If any one saith, that the marriage state is to be placed above the state of virginity, or of celibacy, and that it is not better and more blessed to remain in virginity, or in celibacy, than to be united in matrimony; let him be anathema.” (Council of Trent, Session 24, Canon 10). Bible Verses Proving That Mary Was Not A Perpetual Virgin, But Had Other Children: Matthew 12:47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and THY BRETHREN stand without, desiring to speak with thee. Matthew 13:55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and HIS BRETHREN, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? 56 And HIS SISTERS, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? 57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in HIS OWN HOUSE. John 2:12 After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and HIS BRETHREN, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days. Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. 1 Corinthians 9:5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the BRETHREN of the Lord, and Cephas? Galatians 1:19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s BROTHER. Catholics say that there is another “Mary” who is the mother of the “brethren” of our Lord. They say that words such as “brethren” mean “cousins.” But the New Testament knows the word “cousin”(Luke 1:36, 58). Furthermore, the words “till” and “firstborn” in Matthew 1:24, prove that we are dealing with physical children of Mary, not cousins: Matthew 1:24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25 And knew her not TILL she had brought forth her FIRSTBORN son: and he called his name JESUS. Luke 2:7 And she brought forth her FIRSTBORN son… Furthermore, an Old Testament prophecy of Christ (see John 2:17) reveals that Mary had other children: Psalms 69:8 I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto MY MOTHER’S CHIDREN. 9 For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me. Verse 8 of this Psalm was fulfilled in the following Scripture: John 7:5 For neither did HIS BRETHREN believe in him. It will be interesting to continue to observe how Catholics will respond to this new artifact! Watching Roman Catholics appear skeptical of one of the few possibly authentic artifacts in history is incredibly humorous, to say the least. ================================================ HALLOWEEN: A CELEBRATION FOR SATANISTS, WITCHES, AND CATHOLICS – NOT FUNDAMENTAL CHRISTIANS! A Roman Catholic website briefly describes the meaning of Halloween to modern Catholics: “Halloween (the ‘e’en’ or evening before ‘All Hallow’s,’ or all the ‘Holy Ones,’ the saints) is the vigil of two feast days. All Saints Day is November 1, and All Souls Day is November 2….On All Saints we celebrate the lives of the saints, especially those in heaven. On All Souls Day we remember those who have died, especially in our immediate family….Skeletons and skulls are naturally symbols at Halloween because of All Souls Day, ‘the Day of the Dead,’ as some countries call it. It doesn’t hurt us to think about death once a year. We’re all going to die someday. Skeletons and skulls remind us of this. Figures of devils and witches can also remind us of the ever-present temptation to be like God. Halloween is not ‘of the devil,’ as some FUNDAMENTALISTS say. Many denominations don’t teach about the COMMUNION OF SAINTS, so naturally they don’t celebrate All Saints Day or All Souls Day. All they have left of Halloween is pre-Christian superstition about the dead.” (Americancatholic.org) The same website also describes the ORIGINS of Halloween: “The true origins of Halloween lie with the ancient Celtic tribes who lived in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Brittany. For the Celts, November 1 marked the beginning of a new year and the coming of winter. The night before the new year, they celebrated the festival of Samhain, Lord of the Dead. During this festival, Celts believed the souls of the dead -including ghosts, goblins and witches – returned to mingle with the living. In order to scare away the evil spirits, people would wear masks and light bonfires. When the Romans conquered the Celts, they added their own touches to the Samhain festival, such as making centerpieces out of apples and nuts for Pomona, the Roman goddess of the orchards. The Romans also bobbed for apples and drank cider – traditions which may sound familiar to you. But where does the Christian aspect of the holiday come into play? In 835, Pope Gregory IV moved the celebration for all the martyrs (later all saints) from May 13 to November 1. The night before became known as All Hallows Even or ‘holy evening.’ Eventually the name was shortened to the current Halloween. On November 2, the Church celebrates All Souls Day. The purpose of these feasts is to remember those who have died, whether they are officially recognized by the Church as saints or not. It is a celebration of the ‘communion of saints,’ which reminds us that the Church is not bound by space or time. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that through the communion of saints ‘a perennial link of charity exists between the faithful who have already reached their heavenly home, those who are expiating their sins in purgatory and those who are still pilgrims on earth. Between them there is, too, an abundant exchange of all good things.’ (#1475).” (AmericanCatholic.org) Finally, this same website also reveals Halloween’s relatively recent birth in the U.S.: “…the current custom of going door-to-door to collect treats actually started in Ireland hundreds of years ago…When an influx of Irish Catholic immigrants came to the United States in the 1800s, the custom of trick-or-treating came with them. Does your family carve a pumpkin to place on your porch for Halloween? If so, then you can once again thank the Irish for the tradition. Actually, the custom began with a turnip. People would hollow out the turnips and place lighted candles inside to scare off the evil spirits. When the Irish came to America, they discovered the pumpkin as a larger substitute for the turnip. And so, we now carve pumpkins instead of turnips for Halloween.” (AmericanCatholic.org) Indeed, Halloween was not popular in the U.S. until the 20th century, when it spread from the Irish Catholic settlements, and was later re-energized by the Wiccans. There is much common ground between Catholics and pagans, especially concerning the dead. As America grows increasingly Catholic and pagan (with the aid of the federal government through public education, etc.), it is no wonder that Halloween is increasingly growing in popularity. Paganism went mainstream in America in 1979 when two books (i.e. ‘The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess’ by Starhawk, and ‘Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today’ by Margot Adler) were both released on Halloween. The Harry Potter movement is insuring that the children are not left out of this “new age.” While Catholics are busy praying for, and TO, dead people, and the pagans are likewise communing with their dead ancestors (not to mention the modern, Druid sacrifices of some serious Satanic groups), Halloween is obviously a night when the devils will run wild! One pagan witch describes the importance of Halloween for communicating with the dead (i.e. “the communion of saints”): “‘There is a recognition of our close ties with our ancestors and a recognition that the veils between the worlds are thin at this time of year.” (Chapin-Bishop, WiccaNet.org) On Halloween, Pagans will usually prepare a meal and set plates for dead relatives. The favorite foods of deceased relatives are prepared. The meal is usually consumed in total silence. After the meal, the food that was set out for the deceased is poured out in the woods as an offering to spirits. Another Wiccan high priestess, Marsha Smith, likewise describes the importance of Halloween for “communion” with departed spirits: “‘It’s a time to celebrate our ancestors and to communicate with the other side through meditation (or) tarot cards or by inviting the spirits to possess us,’ she said. ‘We believe souls are reincarnated and our loved ones come back to be with us again.’” (Holly Edwards Staff Writer, Los Angeles Daily News) While Halloween may be important for Catholics and pagans, fundamental Christians should avoid any association with or celebration of the day. The Bible teaches that sorcery will be revived in the last days, and that this would move God to bring the Tribulation curses upon mankind: Revelation 9:21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their SORCERIES, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. The Bible also teaches that Rome will continue to “whitewash” pagan divination, until she becomes accepted as the center of world religion: Revelation 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. There is NOTHING “cute” about witches and devils. Christians are losing the minds of their children by foolishly opening the gates to the enemy (through TV, movies, public education, pagan/Catholic holidays such as Halloween, etc.). Witchcraft is no longer cute and funny; it never was, but it especially is not cute in this late day, as thousands of teenagers are taking it seriously. Paul warns Christians that those who flirt with witchcraft will be excluded from the Kingdom of God (Galatians 5:20). The ancient Druids were the “priests” of the Celtic religion. The Druid priests practiced horrible, mass human sacrifices on Halloween (although some modern pagans attempt to deny this fact, at least in public). Tacitus (the Roman historian) confirms this fact. The feast of Samhain (pronounced “sow-win”) was the feast of the dead. At this time, as we have seen, it was believed that the veil between the living and the dead (i.e. spirit world) was at its thinnest. I do believe the veil between the spirit world and the living is indeed at its thinnest at this time – not just on Halloween, but during this whole final age. However, it is not DEAD people, but DEVILS who are close at hand, ready for “communion” (1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 3:8). How long will it be before these devils once AGAIN (as with the Druids of old) begin to move mankind to practice the human sacrifices the Bible predicts will intoxicate Rome (Revelation 17:6)? I personally do not think Christians should hold similar “alternatives” on Halloween. I think they should hit the streets and confront the world with strong preaching, or they should gather together for fervent prayer. Should such a night be an evening for fun, games, and “mock” divination for discerning Christians? Is there not a cause? Can we not rejoice in Christ in fellowship, spiritual songs, soul winning, and prayer, or must we imitate the joy of pagans and Catholics? What does it teach children when we train them that they must always have a “Christian” imitation of pagan fun? Will not many children soon realize that the world can “out-do” the Christian on pagan ground? I am certainly not against holy fun and recreation for children. I am against attempting to “Christianize” divination. I know there are many who teach that there is merit in attracting children to churches, away from a dangerous environment. Yet, many churches are having to become increasingly pagan and grotesque every year to attract the kids (who have been raised on horror movies with millions of dollars of special effects). “Hell houses” with rape, murder, suicide, blood and violence, acted out, etc. are sadly, becoming increasingly common in churches on Halloween. But my main point is that Halloween is a pagan and Roman Catholic festival. Fundamental Christians should not have witches and skeletons on their doors. ==================================================== ORDER “THE ROD: WILL GOD SPARE IT?” Visit kingdombaptist.org =================================================== Permanent link to this post (3544 words, estimated 14:11 mins reading time)p
Posted on: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 18:21:07 +0000
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