Church of God News

“Martyrdom of Polycarp” from Ceiling of the Church of St. Polycarp, Smyrna (now called Izmir, Turkey)

COGwriter

February 23rd is considered the “Feast of Polycarp” by the Roman and Eastern Orthodox Catholics. Some believe that he was martyred on that date (though an early Spring martyrdom seems to have been more likely), and thus some read parts or all of a second century account called The Martyrdom of Polycarp.

Polycarp was a disciple of the Apostle John. In the late 1st century (or the early second century) he was put in charge of the Church of God in Smyrna.  Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox revere him as a saint (as do some Protestants). We in the Living Church of God primarily trace our early history from Peter, Paul, and John through Polycarp (we also trace our history through other areas that had faithful Christians for a while, such as Jerusalem).

Almost everyone associated with Christendom considers that Polycarp was a true and faithful Christian leader.

In the late second century, the Catholic and Orthodox saint Irenaeus wrote:

But Polycarp also was not only instructed by apostles, and conversed with many who had seen Christ, but was also, by apostles in Asia, appointed bishop of the Church in Smyrna…always taught the things which he had learned from the apostles, and which the Church has handed down, and which alone are true. To these things all the Asiatic Churches testify, as do also those men who have succeeded Polycarp down to the present time (Irenaeus. Adversus Haeres. Book III, Chapter 4, Verse 3 and Chapter 3, Verse 4).

So if Polycarp was a faithful saint who was appointed by the apostles, then perhaps real Christians would follow his practices as he followed the Bible?

In the famous account of his martyrdom, he made some statements that even under the face of death suggested that he had a sense of humor:

9:1 But as Polycarp entered into the stadium, a voice came to him from heaven; ‘Be strong, Polycarp, and play the man.’ And no one saw the speaker, but those of our people who were present heard the voice. And at length, when he was brought up, there was a great tumult, for they heard that Polycarp had been apprehended.

9:2 When then he was brought before him, the proconsul enquired whether he were the man. And on his confessing that he was, he tried to persuade him to a denial saying, ‘Have respect to thine age,’ and other things in accordance therewith, as it is their wont to say; ‘Swear by the genius of Caesar; repent and say, Away with the atheists.’

Then Polycarp with solemn countenance looked upon the whole multitude of lawless heathen that were in the stadium, and waved his hand to them; and groaning and looking up to heaven he said, ‘Away with the atheists.’

9:3 But when the magistrate pressed him hard and said, ‘Swear the oath, and I will release You; revile the Christ,’ Polycarp said, ‘Fourscore and six years have I been His servant, and He hath done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me?’

Perhaps it should be mentioned that some have interpreted the above account as proof that Polycarp died at age 86 and hence was baptized as an infant, but another ancient document (known as the Harris Fragments) records that he lived until age 104, thus is supportive that Polycarp was baptized at age 18 (see also Baptism and the Early Church).

And even though many Greco-Romans observe the presumed date of his martyrdom as a feast, it is not likely that many of those who do so realize that he held many (though not all) views that sometimes conflict with those now held by the Greco-Roman churches. Actually, he was a heretic fighter and even tried to get Anicetus, Bishop of Rome to change.

Here is a summary of some of Polycarp’s beliefs and practices:

A Binitarian view, that acknowledged the Holy Spirit, was held by the apostolic and post-apostolic true Christian leaders, like Polycarp.
Hierarchical church governance was advocated by Polycarp.
The canon of the New Testament was known by Polycarp as he seemed to refer to all the books it in the famous Polycarp’s Letter to the Philippians.
Christmas was not observed by Polycarp nor any professing Christ prior to the third century, or ever by those holding to early teachings.
Deification of Christians was taught by the early leaders of the Church, including Polycarp.
Easter per se was not observed by the apostolic church, and Polycarp fought against it.
The Fall Holy Days were observed by true early Christians, including Polycarp.
The Father was considered to be God by all early professing Christians, including Polycarp.
Polycarp taught against idols (and that would include icons).
Polycarp taught against the immortality of the soul.
Jesus was considered to be God by the true Christians, including Polycarp.
The Kingdom of God was taught by Polycarp.
Leavened Bread was removed from the homes of early Christians like Polycarp.
Lent was not observed by Polycarp.
Limbo was not taught by Polycarp.
Military Service was not allowed for true early Christians like Polycarp.
Millenarianism (a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth, often called the millennium) was taught by the early Christians who succeeded Polycarp.
Passover was kept on the 14th of Nisan Polycarp.
Purgatory was not taught by Polycarp.
The Resurrection of the dead was taught Polycarp.
The Sabbath was observed on Saturday by Polycarp.
The Ten Commandments were observed by the apostolic and true post-apostolic Christians, including Polycarp–and in the order that the Living Church of God claims they are in.

The Living Church of God seems to be the largest group in the world to have all of the same beliefs and practices as Polycarp (although we observe no particular day in his honor).

If Polycarp really was a saint that was placed in charge by Christ’s apostles, shouldn’t you have the same beliefs and practices?

Several articles of possibly related interest may include:

Location of the Early Church: Another Look at Ephesus, Smyrna, and Rome What actually happened to the primitive Church? And did the Bible tell about this in advance?
Polycarp’s Letter to the Philippians Did Polycarp refer to all the books in the New Testament? This is Roberts and Donaldson’s translation, corrected by me in one place, where they made a small error in translating Latin by omitting one word. It is also annotated with scriptures to demonstrate that Polycarp did have the New Testament canon.
Polycarp of Smyrna: The Heretic Fighter Polycarp was the successor of the Apostle John and a major leader in Asia Minor. Do you know much about what he taught? Does the Living Church of God or the Church of Rome more faithfully follow his teachings and practices?
The Martyrdom of Polycarp This was written shortly after Polycarp died; likely involving Papirius. A mistranslation is corrected in this version.
Polycarp, Fragments from Victor of Capua This may have been written by Polycarp or “pseudo-Polycarp”.
The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?
What Do Roman Catholic Scholars Actually Teach About Early Church History? Although most believe that the Roman Catholic Church history teaches an unbroken line of succession of bishops beginning with Peter, with stories about most of them, Roman Catholic scholars know the truth of this matter. This eye-opening article is a must-read for any who really wants to know what Roman Catholic history actually admits about the early church.
Hope of Salvation: How the Living Church of God differ from most Protestants How the Living Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background.
The Similarities and Dissimilarities between Martin Luther and Herbert W. Armstrong This article clearly shows some of the doctrinal differences between in the two. At this time of doctrinal variety and a tendency by many to accept certain aspects of Protestantism, the article should help clarify why the Living Church of God is NOT Protestant. Do you really know what the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther taught and should you follow his doctrinal example?
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Living Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions. Português: Qual é fiel: A igreja católica romana ou a igreja viva do deus? Tambien Español: Cuál es fiel: ¿La iglesia católica romana o La Iglesia del Dios Viviente? Auch: Deutsch: Welches zuverlässig ist: Die Römisch-katholische Kirche oder die lebende Kirche von Gott?
Some Similarities and Differences Between the Orthodox Church and the Living Church of God Both groups claim to be the original church, but both groups have differing ways to claim it. Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are?

COGwriter

The following was disturbing (bolding mine):

22 February 2012

(CBS/AP)  WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court appears to be sharply divided over a law that makes it a crime to lie about having been awarded top military honors.

The justices engaged in spirited debate Wednesday over the constitutionality of a 2006 law aimed at curbing false claims about military exploits.

Some justices said they worried that upholding the Stolen Valor Act could lead to laws that might make it illegal to lie about an extramarital affair or a college degree.  http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57382778/high-court-torn-over-law-banning-lie-about-medals/?tag=stack

People should not be allowed to lie about adultery or claim that they have college degrees that they do not possess.

The Bible condemns lying and adultery; here is one such condemnation:

8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8)

Jesus told some of the rulers (Pharisees, John 8:13) and others of His day:

44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.  45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.  46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?  47 He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God. (John 8:44-47)

Jesus condemned lying, as well as not believing someone who is telling the truth.

The Bible also warns:

1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!  (2 Timothy 3:1-6)

Sadly, even some justices in the Supreme Court of the USA are having trouble even wishing to go against lying and false boasts.  This is just another indication as to how far the USA is sliding down morally.

The New Testament clearly teaches:

48 For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required (Luke 12:48).

The U.S.A. justices have a lot of education and should at least realize that truth is important.  Jesus says more will be required of such people (cf. John 9:41).

All, including even the much less educated, should realize that claiming earning medals or college degrees that one does not possess is wrong.

Some articles of related interest may include:

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people?
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West?
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught?
Was the Commandment to Love the Only Command? Some have stated that John’s writings teach this, but is that what the Bible really says?
The Ten Commandments and the Early Church Did Jesus and the Early Church keep the ten commandments? What order were they in? Here are quotes from the Bible and early writings.

Cross of Ashes

COGwriter

Tonight, some will observe Ash Wednesday and Lent–considered to be a time of self-imposed abstinence by millions.

Ash Wednesday’s true origins are considered to be a mystery by those who observe it.  It was not observed by Jesus, the original apostles, nor any in the early Church. Ash Wednesday is not mentioned in either the Hebrew or Greek scriptures (commonly known as the Old and New Testaments of the Bible).

Yet now, even Episcopalians are advocating Ash Wednesday:

22 February 2012

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church offers commuters ‘Ashes to Go’ at Beverly Depot station

“We think there is an unmet desire for people to get ashes on Ash Wednesday that cannot make it to a regular service because it’s a workday,” Perrott said in an interview yesterday. “We thought going to a train station and offering ‘Ashes to Go’ will meet that need.”

The Catholic Encyclopedia reports:

Ash Wednesday
The Wednesday after Quinquagesima Sunday, which is the first day of the Lenten fast.

The name dies cinerum (day of ashes) which it bears in the Roman Missal is found in the earliest existing copies of the Gregorian Sacramentary and probably dates from at least the eighth century. On this day all the faithful according to ancient custom are exhorted to approach the altar before the beginning of Mass, and there the priest, dipping his thumb into ashes previously blessed, marks the forehead…There can be no doubt that the custom of distributing the ashes to all the faithful arose from a devotional imitation of the practice observed in the case of public penitents. (Ash Wednesday. The Catholic Encyclopedia).

Thus, Ash Wednesday is believed by the Church of Rome to be related to following some type of public penance, though precisely from where is not clear. Ash Wednesday now marks the beginning of the Lenten season.

Notice also:

The Beginning of Lent…
Until the 600s, Lent began on Quadragesima (Fortieth) Sunday, but Gregory the Great (c.540-604) moved it to a Wednesday, now called Ash Wednesday, to secure the exact number of 40 days in Lent—not counting Sundays, which were feast days. Gregory, who is regarded as the father of the medieval papacy, is also credited with the ceremony that gives the day its name. (http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/news/2004/lent.html)

So, “Ash Wednesday” apparently did not originate on a Wednesday.  Of course, the entire lenten period is not from the Bible, hence it should be of no surprise that it has had various changes in its observation.

While it is true that there were some 40 day fasts in the Bible, they did not resemble Lent, they were not any type of annual practice, and the apostles never observed one as far as can be determined.  The Catholic Saint Abbot John Cassian (also known as Cassianus, monk of Marseilles) in the fifth century admitted:

Howbeit you should know that as long as the primitive church retained its perfection unbroken, this observance of Lent did not exist (Cassian John. Conference 21, THE FIRST CONFERENCE OF ABBOT THEONAS. ON THE RELAXATION DURING THE FIFTY DAYS. Chapter 30).

The historian A. Hislop wrote:

Among the Pagans this Lent seems to have been an indispensable preliminary to the great annual festival in commemoration of the death and resurrection of Tammuz, which was celebrated by alternate weeping and rejoicing (Hislop A. Two Babylons. pp. 104-106).

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia states:

Ash Wednesday, in the Western Church, the first day of Lent, being the seventh Wednesday before Easter. On this day ashes are placed on the foreheads of the faithful to remind them of death, of the sorrow they should feel for their sins, and of the necessity of changing their lives. The practice, which dates from the early Middle Ages, is common among Roman Catholics, Anglicans and Episcopalians, and many Lutherans; it was also adopted by some Methodists and Presbyterians in the 1990s (The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press).

Notice that Ash Wednesday was not an original observance of even the Church of Rome. Perhaps I should also mention that the Eastern Orthodox Church does not celebrate Ash Wednesday.

Yet, oddly, Protestant groups, like the falsely named Christianity Today seem to have endorsed it.  Notice comments from two more articles at its website:

Let’s Lengthen Lent…
pre-Lenten festivals such as the Mardi Gras have turned into bacchanals that have become a reproach to civilization.So what do we do? Observe Lent or ignore it?…I hope to be in my church on Ash Wednesday as a worshiper. (http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2000/marchweb-only/34.0.html)

Lent…

Lent is one of the oldest observations on the Christian calendar. Like all Christian holy days and holidays, it has changed over the years…(http://www.christianitytoday.com/holidays/)

Despite claiming that it is part of the “Christian calendar,” the fact is that neither Ash Wednesday nor Lent can be found to be endorsed in the Bible nor in the writings of the early followers of Jesus.  Obviously, many of those at the falsely named Christianity Today do not believe in sola Scriptura.

The Bible never uses the terms Lent or Ash Wednesday.  Nor does it seem to positively describe the marking of anyone’s head with ashes. But the Bible does condemn practices associated with Tammuz ((Ezekiel 8:13-14) which may be related to the origins of Lent and/or Ash Wednesday. Here is one commentary on that:

Ezekiel 8:14-15

Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD’s house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.

Tammuz. This god can be traced back to the Sumerian Dumuzi, the god of the subterranean ocean and a shepherd deity, whose sister-consort, Inanna-Ishtar, descended into the lower world to bring him back to life. In his worship are similarities to that of Egyptian Osiris, the Canaanite Baal, and the Syrian Adonis. Gebal or Byblos, twenty-one miles north of Beirut, was the great seat of Adonis worship. The nightly death of the god, the god’s dying before the touch of winter, or the vernal god’s dying with the parched summer are variations on the theme of death and resurrection. Mourning for the god was followed by a celebration of resurrection (from The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1962 by Moody Press).

Notice that the mourning ended with the resurrection for Tammuz. This is essentially the same as fasting for forty days which ends with the Easter.

Since Ash Wednesday involves receiving ashes on one’s forehead to begin the forty-day period of Lent, this may be related to the beginning of the mourning for the death of Tammuz. It may or not be relevant to note that Ishtar is also spelled as Ash-tar. An interesting coincidence.

Speaking of coincidences, some have wondered if Ash Wednesday had any relationship to the ancient Sun-god Mithras.

Here is what Tertullian of Carthage (in eastern Egypt) noted near the beginning of the third century:

Mithra there, (in the kingdom of Satan,) sets his marks on the foreheads of his soldiers (Tertullian. The Prescription against Heretics, Chapter 40. Translated by Peter Holmes, D.D., F.R.A.S.)

Payam Nabarz wrote in the 21st century:

Tertullian certainly writes that Mithras marks (signat) his soldiers on the forehead, but what ‘sign’? Some writers have even speculated that this mark was the mark of the “Beast of Revelations,” as the numerological value of the Sun is 666!…

Mithratic…initiates…would henceforth have the Sun Cross on their foreheads. The similarity to the cross of ashes made on the forehead on the Christian Ash Wednesday is striking. Some have suggested this to be an example of the early Christians borrowing from the Mithratic cult; others suggest that both cults were drawing upon the same prototype (Nabarz P. The mysteries of Mithras: the pagan belief that shaped the Christian world. Inner Traditions / Bear & Company, 2005, p. 36).

The 20th century writer Manly Hall wrote:

Candidates who successfully passed the Mithraic initiations were called Lions and were marked upon their foreheads with the Egyptian cross. (Manly P. Hall Manly P. Hall (Author), J. Augustus Knapp (Illustrator) The Secret Teachings of all Ages. Originally published 1926, reprint Wilder Publications, 2009, p. 45)

It appears that the idea of a cross on the forehead probably came from Egypt initially. Mithraism probably picked it up (there is some question about the exact mark on the forehead, but a type of cross seems to be the most likely). And sometime after the Church of Rome absobed some aspects of Mithraism, Ash Wednesday appeared–but not officially for some time. Mithraism itself was a major force in the Roman world until at least the fourth century A.D., but it seemed to die out by the end of that century. On the other hand, the Egyptian cults seemed to exist until a later time. Many Mithratic practices have been adopted by many who profess Christ. For details, please see the article Do You Practice Mithraism?

Others have felt, however, that Ash Wednesday was adopted from India, and then made it to Rome. Notice what Barbara Walker reported:

Ash Wednesday This allegedly Christian festival came from Roman paganism, which in turn took it from Vedic India. Ashes were considered the seed of the fire god Agni, with the power to absolve all sins…

At Rome’s New Year Feast of Atonement in March, people wore sackcloth and bathed in ashes to atone for their sins. Then as now, New Year’s Eve was a festival for eating, drinking, and sinning, on the theory that all sins would be wiped out the following day. As the dying god of March, Mars took his worshippers’ sins in with him into death. Therefore the carnival fell on dies martis, the Day of Mars. In English, this was Tuesday, because Mars was associated with the Saxon god Tiw. In French the carnival day was called Mardis Gras, “Fat Tuesday,” the merrymaking day before Ash Wednesday. (Walker B. The woman’s encyclopedia of myths and secrets. HarperCollins, 1983, pp. 66-67).

And although Ash Wednesday is now most often in February (though it was in March in 2011), the aspect of penance from sins is still tied in with Ash Wednesday.  And the merrymaking still exists in places that observe Mardi Gras or “Carnaval.”

Whether from Egypt, Mithratic Roman paganism, or India, the one place it did not come from was the Bible. Nor did it come from early traditions of the first followers of Jesus.

Thus Ash Wednesday does not seem to have a strictly biblical origin. Because of the relatively late acceptance of it by the Church of Rome (about 600 or 700 years after Christ), it appears that it may have entered Rome as a remnant of the Sun-cult Mithras or possibly was absorbed through the introduction of some others who had practices once associated with parts of ancient Egypt or India.

Some articles of possible interest may include:

Is Lent a Christian Holiday? When did it originate? What about Ash Wednesday? If you observe them, do you know why?
Mardi Gras: The Devil’s Carnival? Do you know that in Bolivia the carnival/Mardi Gras time is part of a celebration known as the Devil’s Carnival? Did Jesus celebrate Carnaval? Where did it come from?
Marcus, the Marcosians, & Mithraism: Developers of the Eucharist? Marcus was a second century heretic condemned for having a ceremony similar to one still practiced by many who profess Christ. Might he also be in the apostolic succession list of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria?
Do You Practice Mithraism? Many practices and doctrines that mainstream so-called Christian groups have are the same or similar to those of the sun-god Mithras. December 25th was celebrated as his birthday. Do you follow Mithraism combined with the Bible or original Christianity?

COGwriter

Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham, made statements related to Obama’s faith :

21 February 2012

Graham, the CEO and president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, told a Morning Joe panel he couldn’t say for certain that Obama is a Christian.

“You have to ask him. I cannot answer that question for anybody…He has said he’s a Christian, so I just have to assume that he is.”

But Graham also said he couldn’t “categorically” say Obama wasn’t a Muslim, in part, because Islam has gotten a “free pass” under Obama. Graham also said the Muslim world sees Obama as a “son of Islam,” because the president’s father and grandfather were Muslim.  http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/21/10466877-rev-graham-obama-seen-as-son-of-islam

The biblical definition of a Christian is one who has God’s spirit.  True Christians have the Holy Spirit of God:

9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you (Romans 8:9-11).

True Christians have repented of their sins, accepted Christ, have been properly baptized, strive to live as Christ did, and possess God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:39; Romans 8:9-11).

Here are some reasons that thinking, biblically-oriented Catholics and Protestants, may conclude Barack Obama is not a real Christian:

1. He stopped regularly attending outside church services after becoming elected President of the United States (except for some public events; cf. Matthew 23:6-7)–so his sincerity is doubted.
2. He has pushed the homosexual agenda. “Though President Obama opposed gay marriage during the 2008 election” (http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2012/02/five-best-tuesday-columns/48958/) he now supports and advocates it (see also Obama Announces He Wants to Repeal Defense of Marriage Act and Increase Debt).
3. One of his first acts after taking office was to increase international funding for abortions.  He makes various public statements supporting abortion (notice, for example, last month Obama’s Latest Defense of Abortion).
4. On an international trip, he referred to the Muslim book as “the Holy Quran.”  Real Christians do not consider the Quran as holy.
5. While in office, he attended the first “feeding” for Ramadan at least one year. Christians are not supposed to observe holy days of other religions.
6. He has been found to carry a Hindu monkey god (see Barack Obama Carries Hindu Monkey God).  No Christian intentionally carries around pagan idols.
7. His initial, fairly clear sounding support, for the “ground-zero” mosque.
8. His two US Supreme Court appointees are both believed to be supporters of on-demand abortion.
9. He seems to support “freedom of worship” as opposed to “freedom of religion” (Obama Administration Changing Freedom of Religion?).  This has carried forward in his stance on forcing the paying for various forms of contraception, including abortive pills, as he seems to feel that his form of morality should trump those who have religious beliefs to the contrary.  And even though the beliefs of the Living Church of God on family planning are closer to those held by the Eastern Orthodox, than Roman, Catholics, I believe that the President has crossed a line that should concern all who profess Christ.
10. He seems to claim that political forms of covetousness are consistent with his “Christian Faith” values (see Obama Claims His Economic Policies are Linked to His ‘Christian Faith’).
11. He seems to advocate class warfare (see Obama: ‘You Can Call this Class Warfare‘).
12. He has increased the regulatory burden on some Americans excessively (cf. Jesus’ warnings Matthew 23:4-5).

We in the Living Church of God could add many other items to the above list, but the dozen reasons above should give all concerns about Barack Obama’s faith.

It is basically because Barack Obama’s own statements and practices that have caused many to think he not a real Christian. Furthermore, his relatively close relationships with Muslims (having a Muslim father/grandfather and growing up in predominantly Muslim Indonesia) in his early years, his statements in Cairo and elsewhere, and his distancing himself from the State of Israel have had some wonder if he had remained a Muslim despite public denials.

Those who are not biblically-oriented, those who do not believe that they have to live their lives by what the Bible says, etc. seem confused, that many doubt the President’s claimed faith.

Muslim Charge?

Furthermore, notice the following item:

Barack Obama joined Muslim prayers at school, teacher says

The Australian – Nov 8, 2010

AS a schoolboy in Jakarta, Barack Obama attended Muslim prayer sessions with his classmates against the wishes of his mother. The US President’s former grade three teacher said that Mr Obama – who was known as “Barry” when he attended the Menteng One school in Jakarta – studied the Koran and went to classes on Islam, despite the objections of Ann Dunham, a Catholic. (The Times.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/barack-obama-joined-muslim-prayers-at-school-teacher-says/story-e6frg6so-1225949239614)

Whether he attended prayer sessions to learn about Islam or to fit in, apparently Barack Obama was more involved in Islam that his mother wanted him to be.

What religion is Barack Obama?

Barack Obama seems to be a supporter of a Constantinian religion (comes out of the Greco-Roman tradition, not the Church of God) which claims Christ. Yet, he does not seem to be highly involved with it.  Whether he makes the public appearances in religious settings to give the impression he is Christian or if this is what he believes is not clear to me.

Many have wondered if Barack Obama is a Muslim sympathizer?  The answer to that question is that he seems to be. Since he did grow up in Muslim Indonesia and had more early Muslim contacts than anyone else ever elected as President of the United States, he would probably have more reasons than most U.S. presidents to have sympathy for Muslim perspectives. Here is some of what Barack Obama’s “Fight the Smears” website quotes about this:

Newsweek…Obama’s only personal contact with Islam came as a boy when he moved to Jakarta, Indonesia, with a stepfather who mixed his Islam with Hindu and Animist traditions…

Boston Globe…His Kenyan paternal grandfather and Indonesian stepfather were Muslim…

Thus, while the selected quotes seem to have been intended by Obama supporters to minimize his ties to Islam, Barack Obama had more early ties to Islam than any ever elected to becoming President of the United States. He also repeated his full name, Barack Hussein Obama, the 2 times I heard him on his inauguration as USA president (seemingly emphasizing the common Islamic name “Hussein”).

Barack Obama has made public gestures supportive of Islam (like participating in Ramadan-related activities) and the Hindu faith (he carries and monkey-god charm and in November 2010 danced at a Diwali celebration). This suggests that he is neither Muslim or Christian as one true to either of those faiths would not carry a pagan deity as a good-luck charm.

Those of us who do take the Bible literally do not understand how one can support abortion on demand, carry idols, etc. then expect others to believe that they are Christian.

I have never believed that Barack Obama was a real Christian and still do not.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Barack Obama Carries Hindu Monkey God Unlike some of the odd stories about Barack Obama, this one is apparently true.
What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons? Did Catholic and Orthodox “saints” endorse or condemn idols and icons for Christians?
Prophecies of Barack Obama? This article has eight reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and eight reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. It includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist? Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests? This is the longest and most complete article at the COGwriter website on Barack Obama prophecies. Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”. Might Bible prophecy be fulfilled since he is to be the USA president?
COGwriter Position on Other Churches and Religions What is the fate of those who do not know Christ? What about those who profess Christ outside the Church of God?
Hope of Salvation: How the Living Church of God differ from most Protestants How the Living Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background.
The Similarities and Dissimilarities between Martin Luther and Herbert W. Armstrong This article clearly shows some of the doctrinal differences between in the two. At this time of doctrinal variety and a tendency by many to accept certain aspects of Protestantism, the article should help clarify why the Living Church of God is NOT Protestant. Do you really know what the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther taught and should you follow his doctrinal example?
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Living Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions. Português: Qual é fiel: A igreja católica romana ou a igreja viva do deus? Tambien Español: Cuál es fiel: ¿La iglesia católica romana o La Iglesia del Dios Viviente? Auch: Deutsch: Welches zuverlässig ist: Die Römisch-katholische Kirche oder die lebende Kirche von Gott?
Some Similarities and Differences Between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Living Church of God Both groups claim to be the original church, but both groups have differing ways to claim it. Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are?
LCG: Homosexuals Gaining Ground “Same-sex marriage” for “gays” and lesbians is becoming more acceptable to many. What does the Bible teach about homosexuality?  Can homosexuals change?
Abortion, the Bible, and a Woman’s Right to Choose Do you know what the Bible teaches on this?

Naqsh-e Jahan Square, Iran

COGwriter

The war of words in the Middle East continues to escalate as not only did Iran cut off oil exports to the UK and France, one of its officials is raising the prospect of it attacking its enemies (apparently a reference to Israel and possibly the USA) pre-emptively:

21 February 2012

Iran: Pre-emptive strike against enemies possible

CBS/AP)A senior Iranian military commander signaled the Islamic Republic might launch a pre-emptive strike against its “enemies” if the nation’s leaders felt an attack on Iran was imminent, providing another example of ever-escalating tensions between Tehran and the West over its nuclear program.

In a clear shot across the bow, the deputy head of Iran’s armed forces, Mohammad Hejazi, told state media on Tuesday: “Our strategy now is that if we feel our enemies want to endanger Iran’s national interests, and want to decide to do that, we will act without waiting for their actions,” according to the Reuters news agency.  http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57381545/iran-pre-emptive-strike-against-enemies-possible/?tag=stack

Of course, with statements from the USA Defense Secretary Panetta that he feels that Israel will attack Iran in April, May, or June of this year (see Panetta Believes Israel Will Attack Iran in April, May, or June 2012), Iran already has enough “justification” to claim that an attack against it is imminent.

I would suspect, however, that Iran would wait for something a little more specific (including perhaps pointing to something somewhat irrelevant) to start an attack against Israel.  I would add that it is unlikely that Iran would be so foolish as to pre-emptively and directly attack the USA as it knows it would not possibly win.  But stranger things have happened.

LCG’s Roderick C. Meredith has repeatedly and publicly stated that Iran will not be the King of the South (Meredith R.C. Last Great Day Sermon. Clearwater, Florida. October 25, 2005).

Dr. Meredith has also specifically stated,

The King of the South is not Iran…The King of the South cannot be Iran. Iran is north of Jerusalem (Meredith RC. Endure with Faith. Sermon, Charlotte (NC), September 10, 2005).

I should probably add here that the Iranians are Persian, and not Arabic. They primarily speak Farsi, which is not an Arabic language. While the Iranians tend to be strict Muslims, they are NOT Arabs ethnically, but could provide some support to the King of the South.

Because I do not believe that it will be the final King of the South of Bible prophecy (cf. Daniel 11:4-43), I have tended to believe that Iran may somehow get “neutralized” before this final king rises up.  A serious regional conflict in the Middle East may neutralize Iran and neutralize much of its influence.  And Syria (Isaiah 17:1) and parts of Lebanon and others may be involved.

Watch! (Mark 13:37)

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Arab World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What does Islam teach about the Imam Mahdi?
Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Is he the Imam Mahdi? What does the Bible say?
End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? Are there Mayan calendar predictions for change in 2012? Changes were centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans. Do Mayan/Hindu/Hopi/Buddhist/New Age/Nostradamus prophecies have any value here? Why might Satan have inspired this date? Does the Dresden codex show destruction of the earth by flood? Can the great tribulation start in 2012? How might Barack Obama be involved in 2012?

New Orleans Mardi Gras (Infrogmation)

COGwriter

Today is known in some places as Mardi Gras (French for “Fat Tuesday”, called Shrove Tuesday in parts of the UK) and is related to a carnival or carnaval season.

Here are some comments about it:

Mardi Gras is not just a week-long party for New Orleans bar-goers, millions of people around the country celebrate the raving party.

Mardi Gras is infamous for public nudity, chaotic parties, ingesting copious amounts of alcohol and acts as another St. Patrick’s Day for those who aren’t actually Irish, but drink like they are.

The Christian-themed holiday serves as one last hooray before Lent and giving up delicacies until Easter. People party hard for the week leading up to Lent and Ash Wednesday. This usually involves a massive parade, numerous mini-celebrations and masquerade balls sporting gold, green and purple, which represent power, faith and justice.

Citizens hold nothing back, including their sense of humility, during the few days included in Carnival season. Women typically strip for meaningless colorful beads, chocolate or plastic coins thrown from floats, and wear even less out at bars. The women have no shame and the men have no boundaries.  http://www.fourthestatenewspaper.com/mobile/off-the-wall/mardi-gras-unexposed-mayhem-1.2781767

Of course, there is nothing truly Christian about Mardis Gras.

According to Wikipedia:

Carnival begins 12 days after Christmas, or Twelfth Night, on January 6 and ends on Mardi Gras, which always falls exactly 47 days before Easter.

The USA city most famous for its Mardi Gras celebrations would be New Orleans. The Washington Post reported the following about it before:

For the past five days, the southern party town has given itself over to excess, good food, lots of drink and maybe a little debauchery. And that’s not the weeks leading up to the event with small parades preparing for the celebration. Mardi Gras is a marathon, New Orleanians will tell you, and Fat Tuesday marks the final stretch.

For the non-New Orleanians, a quick primer on Mardi Gras: Before the Catholic holiday of Lent, in which worshipers fast and repent for 40 days, people do their best to make up for the days of restraint with jam-packed days of plenty. Festivals are observed all over the world, such as Carnival in Brazil, but it’s never been so associated with a city’s identity as it has with New Orleans…

The food is the king cake, a gooey, butter-rich cake with a hidden baby Jesus tucked inside. The Post’s Tim Carman looked into the history of the cake and found “The cake’s appeal becomes clearer the closer you get to the city limits and, conversely, becomes more comical the farther you travel from the voodoo-sexual-second-line cultural vortex of the Big Easy. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/blog-post/2011/03/mardi_grass_fat_tuesday_the_mu.html

Here is another item about it:

The Salt Lake Tribune – Jan 8, 2008

Although the origins of Carnaval are shrouded in mystery, some believe the fest began as a pagan celebration of spring’s arrival sometime during the Middle Ages. The Portuguese brought the celebration to Brazil in the 1500s, but it took on a decidedly local flavor by adopting Indian costumes and African rhythms. The word itself probably derives from the Latin “carne vale,” or “goodbye meat,” a reference to the Catholic tradition of giving up meat (and other fleshly temptations) during Lent…

Rio’s first festivals were called entrudos, with locals dancing through the streets in colorful costumes and throwing mud, flour and suspicious-smelling liquids on one another. In the 19th century, Carnaval meant attending a lavish masked ball or participating in the orderly and rather vapid European-style parade. Rio’s poor citizens, bored by the finery but eager to celebrate, began holding their own parades, dancing through the streets to African-based rhythms…

…an event that happens annually in Brazil on the days leading up to Ash Wednesday. In 2008, Carnaval officially begins Friday, Feb. 1, when the mayor gives the keys to the city to King Momo, the portly pleasure-seeker who ushers in the bacchanalia. The next four days are marked by neighborhood parties, lavish masked balls and impromptu fests all over town (http://www.sltrib.com/travel/ci_7883824).

Here is some of what the American Catholic reports about it:

Mardi Gras, literally “Fat Tuesday,” has grown in popularity in recent years as a raucous, sometimes hedonistic event…Carnival comes from the Latin words carne vale, meaning “farewell to the flesh.” Like many Catholic holidays and seasonal celebrations, it likely has its roots in pre-Christian traditions based on the seasons. (Catholic Roots of Mardi Gras. American Catholic. http://www.americancatholic.org/features/mardigras/)

Essentially, this is a pagan holiday that the Catholics adopted as a compromise to keep members. Participants eat a lot (hence the name “fat Tuesday”) before they begin a fast now called Lent–another observance with pagan origins. Parades involving under-clothed women are common. And that is not just in the USA:

Rio celebrates as Carnival opens in Brazil…

In addition to the elaborate two-day samba group parade and the high-dollar costumed balls where the rich spend a lot to wear very little in the most exclusive company, Rio’s free, open-to-all street Carnival is bigger than ever.

Of course, Mardi Gras festivities are not biblical, despite their popularity.  A record 2.2 million came to the streets in Rio de Janeiro to celebrate it’s opening night this year according to one report (see Carnaval’s Popularity is Growing).

Lent, which also is not of biblical origin, is becoming an excuse essentially for loud and wild parties all over the world, which stop the night before it. Which would be tonight.

Mardi Gras tends to be associated with drunkenness, lust, and other practices that the Bible condemns.

It really should not be considered as something that real Christians would participate in.

Three articles of related interest may include:

Is Lent a Christian Holiday? When did it originate? What about Ash Wednesday? If you observe them, do you know why?
Why The Living Church of God Does Not Wear Green on St. Patrick’s Day Should non-Catholics observe a Catholic holiday?
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Living Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions.
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days.
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught? 
Do You Practice Mithraism? Many practices and doctrines that mainstream so-called Christian groups have are the same or similar to those of the sun-god Mithras. December 25th was celebrated as his birthday. Do you follow Mithraism combined with the Bible or original Christianity?
Mardi Gras: The Devil’s Carnival? Do you know that in Bolivia the carnival/Mardi Gras time is part of a celebration known as the Devil’s Carnival?

COGwriter

A very early manuscript of the Gospel according to Mark, may have been found:

Earliest manuscript of Gospel of Mark reportedly found

Christian Post – Feb 20, 2012

Dallas Theological Seminary professor Daniel B. Wallace has said that newly discovered fragments from the Gospel of Mark could be the oldest New Testament artifacts ever found and date from the first century A.D., or during the time of eyewitnesses of Jesus’ resurrection.

Wallace announced his findings at UNC Chapel Hill on Feb. 1, 2012, during a debate in front of 1,000 people, where he unveiled that seven New Testament papyri had recently been discovered – six of them he said were probably from the second century, and one of them, the Gospel of Mark, probably from the first. The records will only be published next year, however…

Craig A. Evans, Payzant Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Acadia Divinity College, shared with The Christian Post that this find may indeed be of very great importance.

“If authenticity and early date are confirmed, this fragment of the Gospel of Mark could be very significant and show how well preserved the text of the New Testament really is. We all await its publication,” Evans stated. http://in.christiantoday.com/articles/earliest-manuscript-of-gospel-of-mark-reportedly-found/7074.htm

Well, perhaps such a first century document has been found.

The following from a related interview may be of interest:

BAPTIST PRESS: Some readers may be wondering: If we don’t have the original copy of Mark’s Gospel, how can we trust that what we have is what Mark wrote?

KOSTENBERGER: The fact is that the earliest manuscripts of all or parts of Mark that we do have show remarkable consistency and stability. And none of the minor variations between different manuscripts affect any major doctrine of Christianity at all. Of course, there is no way to prove positively one way or another what might have happened during the period between the original writing of Mark and the first available copies. Knowing what we do know about the care with which ancient Jews as well as early Christians took to preserve the original wording of what they believed to be authoritative and sacred writings — in fact, the very words of God — inspires a high degree of confidence. First the apostles, and then those after them carefully guarded the reliability of the eyewitness testimony to Jesus contained in the four canonical Gospels.

http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=37197

The reality is that there is more proof and consistency of most of the New Testament writings than other documents purportedly from the same time frame.  The recently claimed find, whether accurate or not, will not change that, other than adding more documents as proof to the reliability of the New Testament writings.

It may be of interest to note that the Gospel according to Mark, and all the other books of the New Testament, were directly or indirectly, also referred to by Polycarp of Smyrna in something he wrote in the early second century.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

The Bible: Fact or Fiction? This is a booklet written by Douglas Winnail that answers if the Bible is just a collection of myths and legends or the inspired word of God.
Read the Bible Christians should read and study the Bible. This article gives some rationale for regular bible reading.
Polycarp’s Letter to the Philippians Did Polycarp refer to all the books of the New Testament in the early 2nd century? This is Roberts and Donaldson’s translation, corrected by me in one place, where they made a small error in translating Latin by omitting one word.
The Martyrdom of Polycarp This was written shortly after Polycarp died; likely involving Papirius. A mistranslation is corrected in this version.
Polycarp of Smyrna: The Heretic Fighter Polycarp was the successor of the Apostle John and a major leader in Asia Minor. Do you know much about what he taught?
Polycarp, Fragments from Victor of Capua This may have been written by Polycarp or “pseudo-Polycarp.”
Biblical Archaeology This is a website that has more information on biblical archeological as is sometimes known as the Bib Arch site.

Vladimir Putin, Official Photograph

COGwriter

Russia’s Putin continues to push forward with his military modernization plan:

February 20, 2012

Putin: Russian military to get $770B upgrade

(AP)  MOSCOW – Russia needs to modernize its military arsenals to deter others from grabbing its resources, Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said in an article published Monday…Putin said the government plans spending about 23 trillion rubles (about $770 billion dollars) over the next decade to purchase more than 400 intercontinental ballistic missiles, more than 600 combat aircraft, dozens of submarines and other navy vessels and thousands of armored vehicles.   http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57381212/putin-russian-military-to-get-$770b-upgrade/

Russia’s Putin has raised concerns about being able to penetrate nuclear “shields,” being able to deter intrusions to take Russia’s resources, as well as repeatedly calling for the formation of a Eurasian union (see TW: The Eurasian Union is Coming and Russia Wants It).

The New Testament shows that a group of nations known as the Kings of the East will form:

12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15 Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” 16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon (Revelation 16:12-16).

The Bible shows that a Eurasian military union will happen involving those from the north AND the east and frighten the European King of the North:

…the king of the North… 43 He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. 44 But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many. 45 And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him (Dan 11:40,43-45).

In other parts of the Old Testament, it is shown that a northern people (apparently Russia) will be part of the force that concerns and then eventually invades, end time Babylon–which will be a European power:

50:41 “Behold, a people shall come from the north,
And a great nation and many kings
Shall be raised up from the ends of the earth.
42 They shall hold the bow and the lance;
They are cruel and shall not show mercy.
Their voice shall roar like the sea;
They shall ride on horses,
Set in array, like a man for the battle,
Against you, O daughter of Babylon.

43 “The king of Babylon has heard the report about them,
And his hands grow feeble;
Anguish has taken hold of him,
Pangs as of a woman in childbirth…”(Jeremiah 50:41-43).

Thus, the European empire (the “daughter of Babylon”) is to be destroyed by a northern (apparently Russian led) force. And probably one that cooperates with nations in the East, as well as maybe Iran, and possibly the Ukraine.

Notice also that the Bible shows Babylon tied together with birth pains/pangs to a group from a far country:

1 The burden against Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw.
2 “Lift up a banner on the high mountain,Raise your voice to them;Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles. 3 I have commanded My sanctified ones;I have also called My mighty ones for My anger–Those who rejoice in My exaltation.”  4 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, Like that of many people! A tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together! The LORD of hosts musters The army for battle. 5 They come from a far country, From the end of heaven–The LORD and His weapons of indignation,To destroy the whole land.  6 Wail, for the day of the LORD is at hand!It will come as destruction from the Almighty. 7 Therefore all hands will be limp, Every man’s heart will melt, 8 And they will be afraid. Pangs and sorrows will take hold of them; They will be in pain as a woman in childbirth; They will be amazed at one another; Their faces will be like flames (Isaiah 13:1-8).

Thus, both the accounts in Jeremiah and Isaiah seem related to the same invaders.  This is referring to an end time confederation that has a distance to travel–apparently a type of union of powers from the east including Russia, who is also the major power of the far north.

Those called Medes are also shown to destroy the final Babylon according to both Isaiah and Jeremiah:

1 The burden against Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw…

17 “Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them,
Who will not regard silver;
And as for gold, they will not delight in it.
18 Also their bows will dash the young men to pieces,
And they will have no pity on the fruit of the womb;
Their eye will not spare children.
19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms,
The beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride,
Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. (Isaiah 13:1, 17-19)

11 Make the arrows bright!
Gather the shields!
The Lord has raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes.
For His plan is against Babylon to destroy it,
Because it is the vengeance of the Lord,
The vengeance for His temple. (Jeremiah 51:11)

Notice that the Bible clearly states there is a group from the far north:

3 O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal…6 from the far north and all its troops–many people are with you (Ezekiel 38:3,6).

14 Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog…15…you will come from your place out of the far north… (Ezekiel 38:14-15).

1 O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal; 2 and I will turn you around and lead you on, bringing you up from the far north (Ezekiel 39:1-2).

A Russian confederation is that only place on the planet that is in the far north and currently has massive military power–and while some believe parts of its military are antiquated, the upgrading that Vladimir Putin is pushing for should have it sufficiently strong to fulfill its end time role.  A northern confederation (that appears to be led by Russia and probably includes the far north and far east/Pacific coast portion of Asia) will destroy the European Babylon.  The following passage may also apply:

9 For behold, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon
An assembly of great nations from the north country,
And they shall array themselves against her;
From there she shall be captured.
Their arrows shall be like those of an expert warrior;
None shall return in vain. (Jeremiah 50:9)

So, although many worry that Russia will be a major military threat to the USA, the reality is that the Bible indicates that it will be the Europeans that will receive a massive attack involving Russia.  And perhaps not too many years from now.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Russia: Its Origins and Prophesied Future Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach?
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for Asia? Who are the “Kings of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, Indians, and others of Asia? China in prophecy, where? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon?
Might German Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg become the King of the North? Is the German Defense Minister one to watch? What do Catholic, Byzantine, and biblical prophecies suggest?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?

COGwriter at Jacinta’s and Francisco’s House (Photo by Joyce Thiel, May 2011)

COGwriter

A Roman Catholic saint’s days calendar shows the following for February 20th:

20
Blessed Jacinta and Francisco Marto

Jacinta Marto died on February 20, 1919, so presumably this is why today was chosen.  She is one of three children who claimed to see a “Lady” in Fatima, Portugal in 1917.  Many venerate her and the other two (the most famous was her cousin Lucia who lived until 2005).

In its article on Jacinta and Francisco Marto, Wikipedia reported:

The cause for the siblings’ canonization began during 1946. Exhumed in 1935 and again in 1951, Jacinta’s face was found incorrupt. Francisco’s had decomposed. On May 13, 2000, they were declared “blessed” in a decree from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Jacinta is the youngest non-martyred child ever to be beatified.

Although Jacinta is officially called “blessed” by the Church of Rome, my own investigation into her life and statements suggest to me that she had trouble with the truth and also did not understand much about the Bible.  As far as being currently “incorrupt,” her face/body is not on public display, so this is based upon a decades old report–that while it may likely have been accurate when made, it seems unlikely that this “preservation” has remained.

My wife Joyce and I saw thousands of visitors in Fatima when we visited there in May of 2011. Millions visit Fatima, Portugal each year, with the vast majority of them believing that Mary actually appeared there.  It should be noted that the female-appearing apparition in Fatima never actually identified herself as Mary–and according to an account from Jacinta Marto to one of the priests (Canon Manuel Nunes Formigão) investigating the matter in 1917, there is no way that Catholics should consider that Mary was seen in Fatima in 1917.  Here is some of what Canon Manuel Nunes Formigão wrote:

Jacinta confirms…a serious problem, opposing the very validity of the Apparition, giving rise in the spirit to the dread that this whole affair is a mystification, prepared by the Prince of Darkness. (Fernandes, p. 153; also in Santo ME. Os Mouros Fatimidas e as Aparições de Fátima.  Assírio & Alvim, 2006, pp. 271-218)

Yet, a major shrine complex was built in Fatima (which partially reminds me of how Vatican City looks) and many millions believe that Mary, the Mother of Jesus, actually appeared there.

Notice some of what the Bible teaches (using Catholic and Protestant versions respectively) that seems related to this:

10 Neither let there be found among you any one that…consulteth soothsayers, or observeth dreams and omens, neither let there be any wizard, 11 Nor charmer, nor any one that consulteth pythonic spirits, or fortune tellers, or that seeketh the truth from the dead.  12 For the Lord abhorreth all these things, and for these abominations he will destroy them at thy coming (Deuteronomy 18:10-12, DRB).

10 There shall not be found among you anyone…who practices witchcraft…11 or one who conjures spells…or one who calls up the dead. 12 For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord…( Deuteronomy 18:10-12, NKJV)

5…the dead know not any thing (Ecclesiastes 9:5, KJV)

5…the dead know nothing whatever (Ecclesiastes 9:5, NJB)

Mary, who died nearly two thousand years ago, did not appear to Jacinta and Francisco Marto.  I believe that the children were deceived and have inadvertently helped deceive others.

The Bible warns of a more widespread deception coming:

9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, NKJV)

24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.  25 See, I have told you beforehand.  (Matthew 24:24-25, NKJV)

It is my position that it is very likely that apparitions that people will claim will be Mary will be part of the signs and lying wonders that are mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:9 and Matthew 24:24–and this seems consistent with statements made related to the “Lady of the Kingdoms” in Isaiah 47.

There has been increased interest in Marian apparitions because of Fatima, the internet, Pope John Paul II’s statements, and reports of apparitions in other places (even Wisconsin).  Many events are helping set the stage for the coming deception warned about that will come to the world relatively soon.

An article of possibly related interest may be:

Mary, the Mother of Jesus and the Apparitions Do you know much about Mary? Are the apparitions real? What happened at Fatima? What might they mean for the rise of the ecumenical religion of Antichrist? Are Protestants moving towards Mary? How do the Orthodox view Mary? How might Mary view her adorers?
Origin of the Marian Dogmas: Where Do Catholic Scholars Say The Four Dogmas of Mary Came From?
Assumption of Mary Did Mary die? Was she taken to heaven on August 15th? What is known? What does the Bible show?

Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, 08/23/2010, age 38 (Flickr, Wikipedia)

COGwriter

As regular readers of this page are aware, I have been covering former German Defense Minister Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg since 2009.  Back then, I noticed that a writer out of Canada speculated that Europe might need a leader like Baron Guttenberg to lead it (see America to be Replaced By China or Europe?)–since the Bible tells of an end time leader to rise up and dominate Europe, I ended up do more prophetic research on the subject of the Baron’s possible role.

Yet, certain anti-Church of God critics seem to be besides themselves in their often inane criticism of my coverage of his possible end time role.  There were a few comments from critics that I ran across yesterday, and instead of dealing with much of the nonsense, I thought that perhaps I would quote most of one of the comments that was posted about me in response to an article someone posted partially titled The Prophet Thiel and Beast Guttenberg… at the “Banned by HWA” site:

I guess Bob just didn’t notice that Herr Guttenberg plagiarized…his doctoral thesis, it was an enormous scandal, his degree was revoked, and he resigned from the government in shame and fled the country?

Why wouldn’t one think that his political career is over?

Since my critics can type, I will presume that they also can read.  But they must miss a lot of what I read to post something like that.

Let me make a couple of points.

1. Not only do I know that Karl Guttenberg resigned because of his plagiarism scandal, in June 2010 (about eight months before the plagiarism scandal became public), I posted:  “the Baron is not always popular, and he may become unpopular for a time.”  So, the scandal was not unexpected and consistent with what I thought would happen with the Baron.
2. The Baron received an appointment in the European Union in December 12, 2011, which indicates that his political career is not over.  Furthermore, on March 4, 2011, I posted, “If Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg eventually establishes a new religious order within Catholicism (cf. Daniel 11:38), promotes European unity, promotes ecumenism, promotes peace in the Middle East, and/or otherwise rises up in European politics, he could be very interesting to watch. He now may have the time to do some of these things…”  And he is starting to rise up in European politics.

In addition to getting the position in the EU, the CSU party in Germany even asked him to run for political office in 2013 (see Karl Guttenberg Says No to 2013).  Thus, the idea that the Baron should not be covered because he has been so disgraced that his political career supposedly is over does not square with the facts.

Part of the problem with many of my scoffing critics is that they either do not know certain scripture or do not accept the writings of the Bible as inspired.  Since I do accept scripture, this might be a good time to quote a scripture (with three different translations) that some of my critics seem to have overlooked related to the final King of the North:

21 His place will be taken by a reject, a man spurned and passed over for advancement. He’ll surprise everyone, seemingly coming out of nowhere, and will seize the kingdom. (Daniel 11:21, THE MESSAGE)

21 And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue. (Daniel 11:21, New King James Version)

²¹ ‘In his place will rise a wretch: royal honours will not be given to him, but rather he will insinuate himself into them at his pleasure and will gain possession of the kingdom by intrigue. (Daniel 11:21, New Jerusalem Bible)

So, being considered a reject and being subject to ridicule seems to fulfill prophecy, and not eliminate the Baron from consideration.  Interestingly, it should be noted the Baron was considered to have had a major chance to become Chancellor of Germany before the plagiarism scandal. In a sense, he was “a man spurned and passed over for advancement” as THE MESSAGE version of Daniel 11:21 indicates.  (Those with a former WCG background may wish to realize that the late Herbert W. Armstrong taught that Daniel 11:21 was referring to the final King of the North; for details see the article Who is the King of the North?)

Since his resignation in early 2011, former German Defense Minister Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg keeps making political and military contacts in the USA and elsewhere that he may be able to use later.  His plan appearance later this week in Georgia (see Karl Guttenberg to Speak in Georgia) is further proof of that.

Thus far, several of my speculative predictions about Baron Guttenberg have come to pass (details of several of them are in the article COGwriter Speculations on Karl zu Guttenberg Shown Correct).  Interestingly, the anti-COGwriter critics and scoffers pretty much overlook the accuracy of my speculations (although some do sarcastically refer to me as “Prophet Thiel”).

Now, what are the real reasons to continue to cover the Baron?

Well, we are getting close to the time when the final King of the North will rise up.  Also, Roman and Eastern Orthodox Catholics are looking for a time when the “Great Monarch” will rise up.  As it turns out, Baron Karl-Theodor Maria Nikolaus Johann Jacob Philipp Franz Joseph Sylvester Freiherr von und zu Guttenberg seems to fit many biblical and non-biblical prophecies for this leader.

Here are summaries of 21 attributes of Catholic private prophecies concerning the “Great Monarch” that seem to fit Baron Guttenberg:

1. The Great Monarch will be a descendant of Charlemagne (the Baron’s mother is a Habsburg and the Habsburg line descends from Charlemagne).
2. His name will begin with the letter K (Karl does).
3. His name will be Charles (Charles is the French and English version of the name Karl).
4. One of his names will be Joseph (this is one of his many names).
5. The Great Philip will lead an army of 18 languages (he was once defense minister, one of his names is Philipp, he has advocated for a multi-national/multi-lingual European army, and perhaps he will lead an army again).
6. The Great King’s name will be like the Sabbath (this does not seem to apply to the Baron, however, since Israel is associated with the Sabbath, some may interpret that the name Jakob fulfills this–Israel is the name that God renamed Jacob in Genesis 32:28).
7. His name will be 80 characters in length. If this means exactly 80 characters and includes all his names then he exceeds this (as there are 88 characters as I have seen them). However, if the prophecy means at least 80 character or if his eight-character title (Freiherr, which means Baron in English) is not counted, it may be he could possibly be considered a fulfillment of this prediction.
8. He will be educated since birth (he was).
9. He will speak English to those in his empire (he is fluent in English, but has no empire yet).
10. He will have dark hair (he does).
11. He will be balding in the front (he is).
12. He will have an eagle/aquiline nose (he seems to).
13. He will be handsome (it has been suggested that he is).
14. He will be a knight/duke, for “a valiant duke will arise from the ancient German house” (a German Baron who is a military leader seems to fit this).
15. He will be ecumenically-oriented (the Baron married a Lutheran).
16. He is supposed to rise up when the Catholic Church has been humiliated (he has been rising up and the Catholic Church is still being humiliated by sex scandals).
17. He is supposed to be involved in war before he is 40 (the Baron was Defence Minister and in Afghanistan in military fatigues while in his late 30s–see the photo at the beginning of today’s post).
18. He will be disgraced (he has been by his plagiarism scandal).
19. He will be exiled (he exiled himself in mid-2011).
20. He will be exiled in a humid, but not too hot, climate (his relocation to Connecticut in 2011 seems to meet that description).
21. He will rise up after being exiled (he seems to now be starting to do so, though he may slip again).

Now it should be noted that although many Roman and Eastern Orthodox Catholics seem to be looking forward to the “Great Monarch” rising up, some Catholics have expressed concern about this.  Notice:

Catholic writer Paul Thigpen warns, “Looking for the Great Monarch, then, who does not appear in Scripture, might lead to overlooking the Antichrist who does. It might even lead to–a more disturbing thought–to mistaking the Antichrist for the Great Monarch. After all, lesser antichrists of the past such as Hitler and Stalin have seduced followers with visions of grand and glorious earthly kingdoms. Surely Antichrist of the last days will do the same.” (Penn L. False dawn: the United Religions Initiative, globalism, and the quest for a one-world religion. Sophia Perennis, 2005, p. 420).

I agree with Paul Thigpen that the “Great Monarch” concept is biblically-dangerous and some may then overlook the end time European leaders that the Bible warns of: the Beast/King of the North and the Antichrist.  For a a summation of certain private Catholic prophecies and some related scriptural references that show that many private prophecies for the Great Monarch are consistent with the warnings in the Bible against the Beast/King of the North, please see the article Who is the King of the North?

Now, it is true that Karl Guttenberg does not fit all Catholic and Byzantine prophecies that exist concerning the Great Monarch.  Yet, since in my view, some of them are contradictory, no one individual possibly could (nor will all “private prophecies” be fulfilled, especially the way that many seem to understand them). Thus far, Karl Guttenberg seems to fulfill the Catholic and Byzantine prophecies regarding the “Great Monarch” better than anyone I have seen.

And there are also biblical reasons to consider Karl Guttenberg.

Here are 23 biblically-related items to consider:

1. Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg is a leader from middle Europe.  His blood line crosses into various countries in Europe (at least Germany, France, Austria, Liechtenstein, and Croatia). So did the Roman empire. (cf. Daniel 7:24; 9:26-27; Isaiah 10:5-11).
2. He has a military background as he was “Minister of Defence” for Germany..  The Beast of Revelation 13:1-4 is shown to be a military political leader.
3. He is considered to have some economic expertise. (cf. Daniel 8:25; 11:24; Revelation 13:16-17; 18:3)
4. He is an extremely popular politician (he was the most popular in Germany in early and late 2010). (Revelation 13:4,8)
5. He is considered an expert on foreign policy. (cf. Daniel 11:27)
6. He is some type of Catholic. (cf. Revelation 17:7-11)
7. Because he is married to a Lutheran (and she apparently did not convert prior to marriage), he apparently is not super strict about being Catholic (some other news reports I have seen also seem to confirm this in other ways as well). (cf. Revelation 13:4,8; Daniel 11:36-38)
8. His wife also has political connections, and both of them have made various public  “morality statements.”  Hence suggesting that the Guttenbergs represent the moral high ground in Germany. (cf. Revelation 13:4,8)
9. He seems to have ecumenical tendencies, and that is what the “Great Monarch” of Catholic prophecies and the final Beast of Revelation would likely have. (cf. Revelation 13:4,8; Daniel 11:36-38)
10. He may be considered to be entitled to use the “King of Jerusalem” title that Otto von Habsburg held. (cf. Daniel 11:31)
11. Charlemagne was a Frank-German leader and “Holy Roman Emperor.”  The Baron is a descendant of the Habsburg line of rulers (the Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire were from the Habsburg line; cf. Revelation 17:9-11). Certain Catholic prophecies indicate that the “Great Monarch” will be a descendant of Charlemagne. Bible prophecies seem to point to the resurrection of an empire that has revived in the past (Revelation 13:1-3; 17:9-11)
12. He has the right to select the priest for his parish.  Hence, the idea that political leaders should be involved with religion is something he was raised up believing. A leader combining church and state is prophesied in Daniel 11:37-38 and Revelation 13.
13. The understanding that his title means “Baron of the Holy Roman Empire” is interesting as the Book of Revelation describes a power that would resemble a re-emergence of “the Holy Roman Empire” and Catholic prophecy specifically tells of a time when “The Great King will be crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the reigning Pope” (Birch DA. Trial, Tribulation & Triumph: Before During and After Antichrist. Queenship Publishing Company, Goleta (CA), 1996,, p. 555). Baron is a title of nobility, but not one of royalty. (Daniel 11:21)
14. The fact that he has been the most popular political leader in Germany suggests that he has a certain charisma that would be consistent with that which is expected for the final Beast leader (cf. Daniel 7:20,11:21-24,31; Revelation 13:3-5).
15. He is believed to carefully cultivate his public image, which seems consistent with the cunning (Daniel 8:25) and other practices of the final Beast leader (Daniel 11:36-38).
16. Because a Catholic monarchist relative (Karl Ludwig Freiherr von und zu Guttenberg) of his was involved in a plot against Hitler in 1944 (and killed for it in April 1945), he may be perceived as less of a threat than others with a German background. (cf. Daniel 8:23-25; 11:24)
17. He is considered to be a smooth talking attractive leader. (cf. Daniel 8:25; 11:21)
18. Some of his entertainment actions suggest that beneath his exterior he may have certain “vile” tendencies (cf. Daniel 11:21). His plagiarism scandal seems consistent with this as well.
19. He has a problem with arrogance and vanity (Daniel 11:36-37).
20. He is in a type of self-imposed exile and it is possible that the King of the North is supposed to have a period of exile. (cf. Daniel 8:23-25; 11:21-23)
21. He has risen to powerful positions quite quickly.  And may do that again. (Daniel 8:23-24)
22. He has been ridiculed and rejected by many. (Daniel 11:21)
23. He has a certain expertise when it comes to computers and surveillance. (cf. Revelation 13:15-18).

If Karl zu Guttenberg is the one who will become the final King of the North of Bible prophecy, then he will emerge further in European politics, even though it would seem he could be expected to have one or more set-backs.  Of course, Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg could simply be a somewhat politician with many ups and downs.  And all his intentions could be fine.  But Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg does seem, to me at least, to be taking the types of steps that one who could possibly be the final King of the North would actually take.  We will see.

Of course, Europe itself is having problems, but the Bible prophesied that it would (Daniel 2:41-43) and would have to reorganize (Revelation 17:12-13).

As far as my speculating that the Baron might be the first Beast of Revelation 13, there are two points that I would like to make:

1. Despite false assertions from some of my critics, I have never insisted that Baron Guttenberg is or must be the Beast.  I have mainly compiled scriptures and various facts about him that seem supportive of that position (as well as some that do not, see Might German Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg become the King of the North?), while also acknowledging that thus far, these are not proof that he must be the Beast–only that there are enough facts that warrant considering him.
2. The Baron himself has called himself a “zoon politicon,” which means he calls himself a political beast or political animal (see Guttenberg Refers to Himself as a Type of Political Beast).  We will see how far-reaching and how accurate his own assessment of his ambitions is.

A leader known as the final King of the North and Beast in Bible prophecy will ultimately become the leader of Europe.  According to the Bible, he will have military abilities (Revelation 13:1-4), will approve economic controls (Revelation 13:15-17), will have had problems (Daniel 11;21), will be arrogant (Daniel 11:36-37), and apparently be popular and charismatic (cf. Daniel 7:20,11:21-24,31; Revelation 13:3-5).  The Baron’s background and actions are consistent with the possibility of being such a leader.

For one last reason to cover the Baron, remember that Jesus told His followers that we all should watch end time events (cf. Mark 13:37; Luke 12:37).  Former German Economics Minister and Defense Minister Karl zu Guttenberg is a person of interest as he seems to want an end time role and likely will have one, even if he is not the one who will be the Beast of Revelation.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? What MUST happen BEFORE the Great Tribulation?
Might German Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg become the King of the North? Is the German Defense Minister one to watch? What do Catholic, Byzantine, and biblical prophecies suggest?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? How will Europeans be involved in this?