Church of God News

The branded version of semaglutide, called #Ozempic, has surged in popularity—and notoriety—for its off-label use as a weight-loss medication. Here’s what to know about this in-demand drug. https://t.co/CN3yCtdwTy pic.twitter.com/LiPHEfnWvB

— JAMA (@JAMA_current) May 15, 2023

COGwriter

There have been reports that the drug semaglutide may help some with type 1 diabetes as well as obesity. Here is part of one report:

September 6, 2023

Results of a new study from the State University of New York at Buffalo (University at Buffalo) suggest use of semaglutide in people with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes eliminated the need for mealtime insulin doses among the entire study cohort and allowed 70% to eliminate basal insulin use within 6 months, with the mean HbA1c decreasing from 11.7% at baseline to 5.9% at 6 months and 5.7% at 12 months.¹

“We were definitely surprised by our findings and also quite excited. If these findings are borne out in larger studies over extended follow-up periods, it could possibly be the most dramatic change in treating Type 1 diabetes since the discovery of insulin in 1921,” said lead investigator Paresh Dandona, MD, PhD, former chief of the Division of Endocrinology in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo.²

The GLP-1 receptor agonist class, particularly semaglutide, has been in the spotlight of the medical community in recent years as revelations surrounding its potential in chronic weight management have come to light. During this time, the popularity of semaglutide has grown to the point where demand for use as a weight loss agent, both on and off-label, has resulted in the agent’s listing on the FDA Drug Shortages database.³ https://www.hcplive.com/view/semaglutide-could-eliminate-need-for-insulin-in-type-1-diabetes

But there are concerns. Here is a comment from a medical doctor at the JAMA’s (Journal of the American Medical Association) website:

Gauranga Dhar, MD | Private Practice

No doubt semaglutide, a novel GLP-1 agonist, is associated with a number of favorable effects including cardiorenal benefits. But its use also should be cautious.

Since it is used to manage type 2 diabetes and obesity, theoretically semaglutide should be used lifelong.

I am a practicing physician who took the drug and could not continue it more than a few months maximum because of number of gastrointestinal adverse effects.

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is one of the adverse effects of semaglutide, and that’s why before starting this molecule, a physician should think twice and take a detailed family history. 05/01/23 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2804462?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social_jama&utm_term=9899181571&utm_campaign=article_alert&linkId=213705703

Additionally, notice the following:

‘Miracle’ Weight Loss Drug Manufacturers About to Get Sued Into Oblivion?

September 6, 2023

Originally published via American Thinker:

“Give me convenience of give me death.”
-Dead Kennedys

I get a veritable avalanche of breathless complaints from (probably obese) individuals when I write about semaglutide (marketed as Wegovy and Ozempic in the United States). Their objections tend to go along the lines of: “but muh pharma. How else am I supposed to lose weight?”

The obeses call me a fascist – exercise and eating right now being apparently “right-wing.” They say I’m unempathetic and don’t understand their plight for even suggesting they don’t turn to expensive pharmaceutical products as their first-resort solution to their problems. …

Now at least one American law firm is taking up the cases of individuals injured by these aggressively marketed “miracle” weight loss drugs. This is the first lawsuit I’m aware of, but it almost certainly won’t be the last given the side effect profile of semaglutide.

Via CBS News:

“A personal injury law firm has filed a lawsuit against Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly and Co., the manufacturers of Ozempic and Mounjaro, over claims that the diabetes drugs, which are popular for aiding weight loss, can cause gastroparesis, a paralysis of the stomach.

Paul Pennock and Jonathan Sedgh, the attorneys heading up the lawsuit from the firm Morgan & Morgan, announced the filing at a news conference Wednesday, saying the basis of the suit is “a failure to warn.”

“It is our opinion that these drugs are causing these problems. We think that the evidence is sufficient for us to be able to prove it or we would not have filed the case, and we intend to file many more in the coming days and weeks,” Pennock said during the Zoom conference, noting the first case filed involves a 44-year-old woman from Louisiana who has taken both drugs, Ozempic first and then Mounjaro, at the discretion of her doctor.

“Her problems have been so severe that she’s been to the emergency room multiple times, including last weekend. She’s actually even thrown up so violently that she’s lost teeth,” he said of the plaintiff, who is seeking financial compensation, but has not yet been officially diagnosed with gastroparesis.

Pennock says his firm is investigating 400 other inquiries from clients across 45 states.”

What’s a little projectile vomiting so violent that it knocks teeth out when fast weight loss is on the line? We’ll see how a jury comes down on the cost-benefit analysis if this ever goes to trial (it’ll probably be settled for PR purposes).

There are no one-shot, simple solutions for complex health issues, despite what sleazy drug pushers might claim. https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2023-09-06/miracle-weight-loss-drug-manufacturers-about-get-sued-oblivion

Over the past six or so decades, there have been numerous drugs that supposedly would combat obesity.

And while some have been helped by them, pharmaceutical weight-loss medications also tend to have side effects which have either eliminated or at least limited their use.

In time, more and more negative “side effects” of previous weight-loss drugs have tended to come out. That seems likely to happen with semaglutide–but we will see.

That said, consider the following scripture:

11 … In vain you will use many medicines; You shall not be cured.  (Jeremiah 46:11)

Weigh is a multi-factorial problem. Thinking one drug or a combination of drugs will solve it is not realistic, nor borne out by statistics over the past several decades.

Despite various pharmaceutical approaches, obesity is increasing in many places:

More Than Half the World Will Be Overweight or Obese by 2035

March 2, 2023

More than half of the world’s population will be overweight or obese by 2035 without significant action, according to a new report.

The World Obesity Federation’s 2023 atlas predicts that 51% of the world, or more than 4 billion people, will be obese or overweight within the next 12 years.

Rates of obesity are rising particularly quickly among children and in lower income countries, the report found.

Describing the data as a “clear warning,” Louise Baur, president of the World Obesity Federation, said that policymakers needed to act now to prevent the situation worsening.

“It is particularly worrying to see obesity rates rising fastest among children and adolescents,” she said in a statement.

“Governments and policymakers around the world need to do all they can to avoid passing health, social and economic costs on to the younger generation.”

The report found that childhood obesity could more than double from 2020 levels, to 208 million boys and 175 million girls by 2035.

The cost to society is significant as a result of the health conditions linked to being overweight, the federation said: more than $4 trillion annually by 2035, or 3% of global GDP. https://www.newsmax.com/health/health-news/obesity-overweight-childhood/2023/03/02/id/1110747/

While I do NOT now believe that most of the world will be highly overweight in 2035, as “this present evil age” (Galatians 1:4) may be over by then (see also Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?), we certainly are seeing more and more overweight people.

Having more highly overweight people is consistent, however, with the following prophecy for the last days:

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)

Lack of self-control, while not the only factor, is a factor in obesity.

Notice also the following related to obesity:

The Societal Cost of Obesity

According to researchers at Ball State University in Indiana, obesity is on the rise. Estimates based on their early research show that by 2030, in the absence of any intervening actions, a third of all children between the ages of six and eleven will be considered obese or overweight.

No doubt that is a shocking statistic. …

To measure whether or not you are overweight or obese, you must account for your Body Mass Index or BMI.

For adults, BMI consists of a person’s weight divided by their height squared. …

For children, BMI is calculated using the same formula but is interpreted using the child’s age and sex. Those results are then measured amongst a percentile. This method accounts for the difference in adolescent development for those between the ages of 2 and 19.

Health risks can occur in any individual, no matter their lifestyle or level of fitness. But for those who are obese, there is a far more heightened risk of experiencing serious health conditions. The list of potential health problems and complications is extensive and includes:

• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure (Hypertension)
• Risk for stroke
• Sleep apnea
• Difficulty breathing
• Coronary heart disease
• Problems regulating healthy cholesterol levels (high LDL, low HDL, high levels of triglycerides
• Certain types of cancers including breast, colon, endometrial, gallbladder, kidney, liver, ovarian, or pancreatic
• Gallbladder disease
• Osteoarthritis (deterioration of bone and cartilage in joints)
• Greater risk for mental illness including anxiety, clinical depression, and other psychiatric disorders
• Reduced quality of life (excessive pain, limited mobility, problems performing everyday tasks, such as standing, walking, or using the restroom)

In practically all instances, obesity also enhances the risk of premature death. …

Based on several estimates, the US has spent anywhere from $150 billion to upwards of $190 billion each year on obesity-related costs. Some put that range even higher. This includes diagnosis and treatment, as well as prevention-related costs.

By 2030 – a little over a decade away – those numbers could increase by as much as $66 billion a year.

Those figures, though, only take into account direct costs. They do not account for lost work (either in lost employee wages or lost employer productivity), insurance costs, or lower overall wages. According to some of the most prevalent reports, these secondary financial consequences are an even larger burden that the direct medical costs of obesity.

At its most extreme, obesity may prove to be one of humankind’s worst maladies. https://www.mbahealthcaremanagement.org/topics/the-societal-cost-of-obesity/ accessed 08/24/19

The USA is already massively in debt and future increases in health care costs and decreased productivity can be part of ‘the straw that will break the camel’s back’ metaphorically.

The Bible opposes obesity.

Here is what Moses and Jeremiah were inspired to write about obesity thousands of years ago:

15 You grew fat, you grew thick,
You are obese!
Then he forsook God who made him,
And scornfully esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
16 They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods;
With abominations they provoked Him to anger. (Deuteronomy 32:15-16)

11 “Because you were glad, because you rejoiced,
You destroyers of My heritage,
Because you have grown fat like a heifer threshing grain,
And you bellow like bulls,
12 Your mother shall be deeply ashamed;
She who bore you shall be ashamed.
Behold, the least of the nations shall be a wilderness,
A dry land and a desert. (Jeremiah 50:11-12)

The idea that one should not be obese is not a new one.

Furthermore, the Bible warns about gluttony as well as eating things that are not really food:

20 Do not mix with winebibbers, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat; 21 For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty (Proverbs 23:20-21)

2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good (Isaiah 55:2).

Eat what is good.

Do not overeat. That is easy to say, but often difficult to do.

Most in Westernized areas consume too much overly-processed convenience foods, synthetic nutrients, chemical additives, and refined grains (see also UK’s health problems and ultra-processed ‘foods’ and Most calories for Americans come from ultra-processed ‘foods’).

People should try to eat real, not artificial, foods. Soda consumption should be almost non-existent, essentially a very rare treat.

And while they do not like to believe this, almost all obese people also need to eat less.

Many years ag0, the Continuing Church of God put out a video about concerns about eating to much on our YouTube channel called Bible New Prophecy.

Here is a link to our video: Eating Right, Eating Too Much, and Prophecy.

We more recently put out the following video:

1:07:48

Evil is Affecting the Food Supply

God gave humans food and said what He made was good. What about unclean animals? What about genetically-modified organisms (GMOs)? What about ‘bioengineered foods’? What about lab meat? What about human-cloned salami? What about ‘Piggy Sooy’? Are Christians supposed to eat what is good according to Isaiah 55:2? What should we eat? What should Christians avoid eating? Dr. Thiel addresses these matters and more.

Here is a link to the following: Evil is Affecting the Food Supply.

That said, losing weight can be very, very difficult. But real Christians should believe the following:

13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

With prayer and proper determination, breaking away from being obese can happen.

The Bible teaches:

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
8 It will be health to your flesh,
And strength to your bones. (Proverbs 3:5-8)

32 Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32)

Do not let fear stop you from moving ahead.

Take proper action (cf. Galatians 6:9-10; Revelation 3:7-13; Zephaniah 2:1-3).

Interested in a spiritual ‘five second’ rule?

Tell yourself and pray:

I will act on the truth and not put it off because I do not feel like it. Jesus help me.

Most people can quietly pray that in 5 or so seconds.

And physically if it will help, you can count backwards from five or use some other technique to motivate you to do what is right–including with your diet. But then pray for God’s assistance.

We also have a related video:

16:02

‘How to Change Your Life in 5 Seconds’

Inc. magazine posted an article online titled ‘How to Change Your Life in 5 Seconds.’ In it, Mel Robbins explains how she developed a technique to be more productive. She observed that 95% of decisions are based on emotion instead of logic, and how and why adding a five-second countdown helped her life. She mentions that fear, anger, and other factors often interfere with our ability to be better people. In this video, Dr. Thiel quotes a lot from that article, including some of the science behind the technique. He also quotes Jesus as well as many passages from the Bible. He also teaches a 5 second statement to say and pray to use as a five second spiritual statement to help Christians change.

Here is a link to the video: ‘How to Change Your Life in 5 Seconds’.

Of course, some things take longer than 5 seconds. But asking Jesus to help you not overeat is something everyone can do.

While it may not help your weight much, exercising is good for you and your innate immune system. Related to exercise, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put out the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

17:27

The Plain Truth About Exercise

A 2019 report shows that Americans are becoming sedentary. Since it is a physical thing, should Christians be concerned about exercise? Could not exercising possibly be a sin? What did the ‘Plain Truth’ magazine report about exercise? What is the US CDC reporting about exercise? Can exercise help prevent diabetes, heart disease, and obesity? Can exercise help sleep, endurance, and aging? Are there scriptures about exercise and health? What about laziness? What are some of the risks and benefits of exercise? Dr. Thiel addresses these subjects and more.

Here is a link to our video: The Plain Truth About Exercise.

That being said, the US is prophesied to lose militarily in the relatively near future (cf. Daniel 11:39).

It could be that health issues, including obesity, will end up being partial factors for the defeat.

Now, related to food, we put out the following video:

Related to Christian health, we put out the following video:

While it is highly tempting to overeat, we do want to watch that.

But also, wisdom and caution need to be applied when trying to use drugs to battle obesity.

Believe and trust in God (cf. Proverbs 3:5-7).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Christian Health Matters Should Christians be concerned about their health? Does the Bible give any food and health guidelines? Here are links to three related sermons: Let’s Talk About Food, Evil is Affecting the Food Supply, and Let’s Talk About Health.
Obesity, processed foods, health risks, and the Bible Does the Bible warn about the consequences of being obese? Is overeating dangerous? Is gluttony condemned? What diseases are associated with eating too much refined foods? A related video would be Eating Right, Eating Too Much, and Prophecy.
Should Christians Exercise? What does the Bible teach? What are some of the benefits and risks of exercise? Here is a link to a related video: The Plain Truth About Exercise.
Ten Simple Rules that Lead to Health Herbert Armstrong gives his opinions on this.
The New Testament Church, History, and Unclean Meats Are foods considered to have been unclean in the Old Testament considered to be food in the New Testament? This article discusses this from the perspective of the New Testament. It also has a list of clean and unclean animals. It also answers the question, is pork healthy or is pork dangerous? There is also a sermon-length video on this: Christians and Unclean Meats; a short video is also available: Did Jesus declare all animal flesh food?
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is are links to related sermons: Christian Election: Is God Calling YOU? and Predestination and Your Selection; here is a message in Spanish: Me Está Llamando Dios Hoy? A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? Two related sermons about this are also available: Real Repentance and Real Christian Repentance.
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? What about other peoples? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about Africa, Asia, South America, and the Islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon;  When Will the End of the Age Come?;  Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

Today we celebrate the International #CleanAirday. Everyone’s role is critical in achieving it. Government , Business and individual efforts are needed. #TogetherForCleanAir pic.twitter.com/IG3D91pIDv

— Juliet Kabera (@Juliet_Kabera) September 7, 2023

COGwriter

Today, is the annual international ‘clean air day.’

Much of the world, including Europe, has major problems with air pollution. Here is a report from a German news source:

Air pollution: Nearly everyone in Europe breathing bad air

7 September 2023

Virtually everyone in Europe lives in polluted towns and cities where annual average levels of fine particulate matter are higher than the World Health Organization’s  (WHO) recommended limit.

In practical terms, this means that almost everyone on the continent is breathing bad air   that has been shown to be fatal.

Air pollution increases the risk of respiratory and heart disease and lowers life expectancy.

“With the current levels of air pollution, many people [are getting] sick. We know that lowering air pollution levels reduces these numbers,” said Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, director of the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal).

How bad is air pollution in Europe?

DW partnered with the European Data Journalism Network to analyze satellite data from the Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service (CAMS).

We found that in 2022, almost everyone in Europe — 98% of people — lived in areas where the concentration of fine particulate matter, commonly abbreviated as PM 2.5, was over the limit set by the WHO.

The WHO recommends that the annual average concentration of fine particulate pollution should not exceed five micrograms per cubic meter of air. A microgram is a thousand times less than a milligram.

Pollution levels differ from region to region in Europe. It can be especially severe in   parts of Central Europe, the Po valley in Italy and in larger metropolitan areas, such as Athens, Barcelona and Paris. …

According to a 2022 Eurobarometer survey, a majority of Europeans see respiratory diseases caused by air pollution as a serious problem now. https://www.dw.com/en/air-pollution-nearly-everyone-in-europe-breathing-bad-air/a-66657048

Of course, Europe is not the only place with air pollution. Many parts of the world are in worse shape.

Here are a couple of United Nations reports:

September 7, 2023

Air pollution is responsible for half a million premature deaths annually in the WHO European Region, primarily due to noncommunicable diseases, such as ischaemic heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. On this International Day of Clean Air for blue skies, 7 September, WHO/Europe is calling to step up action “together for clean air”, highlighting the urgent need for stronger partnerships, increased investment, and shared responsibility for overcoming air pollution.

For 2019, 569 000 premature deaths can be attributed to ambient air pollution, and 154 000 deaths to household air pollution in the Region. Air pollution is transboundary both in its impacts and the responses needed to tackle it. It is the contamination of the air we breathe, indoors or outdoors, by any chemical, physical or biological agent that is potentially threatening to human and ecosystem health. It is also essentially a man-made health burden, as the primary sources of pollution include the energy sector, transport sector, domestic cooking and heating, waste burning, industrial activities and agriculture, and, increasingly, wildfires during the summer. https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/07-09-2023-international-day-of-clean-air-for-blue-skies–stronger-partnerships–more-investments-and-shared-responsibility-needed-to-tackle-air-pollution

September 6, 2023

The International Day of Clean Air for blue skies, held annually on 7 September, aims to raise awareness and mobilize global action to address air pollution, which United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres recently called a “global emergency.”

Airborne contaminants are the biggest direct environmental health risks of our time, with 99 per cent of the world’s population breathing unsafe air. Exposure to air pollution significantly increases the risk of strokes, heart and lung disease, cancer and other ailments, causing more than 6.7 million premature deaths a year. …

Air pollution generally is a huge concern for human health, but we’re particularly concerned about the impact of PM_2.5. These are invisible to the human eye and 40 times smaller than the width of a human hair. Due to their size, these tiny particles can penetrate deep into our lungs, where they cause inflammation, and can also pass into our bloodstream and damage our heart and brain.

Pollution has both long-term impacts – such as heart disease, cancers, and strokes – and short-term impacts, including irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, shortness of breath, coughs, and asthma attacks.

We’ve tended to express health impacts through the number of premature deaths. But our day-to-day quality of life is affected, too. Air pollution impacts all age groups but those with higher vulnerability suffer the most. It may even affect the development of the unborn.  https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/world-must-band-together-combat-air-pollution-which-kills-7-million-year

Notice a report from a UN expert in 2022:

Pollution Causing More Deaths Than COVID, Action Needed: UN Expert

February 15, 2022

Pollution by states and companies is contributing to more deaths globally than COVID-19, a U.N. environmental report published on Tuesday said, calling for “immediate and ambitious action” to ban some toxic chemicals.

The report said pollution from pesticides, plastics and electronic waste is causing widespread human rights violations as well as at least 9 million premature deaths a year, and that the issue is largely being overlooked.

The coronavirus pandemic has caused close to 5.9 million deaths, according to data aggregator Worldometer.

“Current approaches to managing the risks posed by pollution and toxic substances are clearly failing, resulting in widespread violations of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment,” the report’s author, U.N. Special Rapporteur David Boyd, concluded. …

U.N. rights chief Michelle Bachelet has called environmental threats the biggest global rights challenge, https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/pollution-deaths-covid/2022/02/15/id/1056852/

We heard a lot about the dangers of COVID, yet pollution reportedly is killing more than COVID may have. Pollution is a major problem.

The biblical reality is that humankind will mess up the planet so bad, that God will have to intervene to stop all flesh from destruction. Jesus warned:

21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:21-22)

In the 20th century, more began to be realized about modern chemicals and pollution as the old Worldwide Church of God published the following:

We are dosing the environment with materials that poison virtually everything. Some of these poisons are extremely persistent and are absolutely everywhere!

Changing Climate

One of the main things that we are doing is changing the climate of the planet. We are accelerating climatic changes in all sorts of ways. The climate of the planet depends primarily on the heat balance, the balance between incoming and outgoing solar radiation. Adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, which we have been doing at a merry rate since about 1870 ·by burning fossil fuels, tends to warm the entire planet. The average temperature rose considerably until about 1940, and then the trend reversed. We now have a cooling trend which most meteorologists blame on the amount of particulate pollution that has been added to the atmosphere. Pollution is now absolutely world-wide. There has been a 35% increase in the particulate pollution over Mauna Loa, on the Island of Hawaii. There is a veil of pollution that covers the entire planet. (Ehrlich P. Our Environmental Crisis. Plain Truth magazine, June-July 1970)

Now, this does not mean that many have not politicized and even faked climate change data for improper goals. But the reality is that many poisons have affected the environment and are factors in human illness and the loss of species–and pollution has become an increasing problem worldwide–with sins of various types being the real cause.

But, it was not supposed to be that way. Notice something from the Book of Genesis

15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it (Genesis 2:15).

The concept of tending and keeping a garden suggests proper environmental stewardship. God made humans to make things better.

Now notice something else about the creation:

24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so. 25 And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

29 And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. 30 Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. 31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. (Genesis 1:24-31)

People in general, and Christians in particular, should try to pollute less. We should not litter. We should pick up after ourselves. We should try to ensure our plastic trash does not blow into waterways or on the land. We should try to avoid, or minimize, the use of synthetic chemicals where it is feasible. And yes, we can separate trash for recycling, as well as try to reuse items instead of throwing them away and replacing them. We should live as Christian pacifists–human wars have long been a factor in pollution and destruction and this will get worse. We should live as Jesus did and strive not to sin.

International groups fighting pollution normally leave sin and the Bible out of their solutions, but that is a major contributor to pollution of all types. Humans need to live God’s way to correct this, but since they have refused to for about 6,000 years (see also Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?), we have increasing pollution and other problems.

The creation is groaning under the weight of sin, but Christians will help restore it:

19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. (Romans 8:19-22)

This will happen with the return of Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). All things were created through and for Jesus (Colossians 1:15-20). And the world will be purged and a new, unpolluted, earth will be here:

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:10-13)

Jesus will lead the charge to fix the environmental and other problems that the world is unwilling to properly fix now.

As far as the temperature and the ecological situation, the Bible shows that ‘global warming’ will get much worse:

8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory. (Revelation 16:8-9)

While humans should repent, they are not prophesied to do so in sufficient numbers in this age.

Related to pollution and prophecy, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

Notice also something that could be considered as an environmental prophecy:

18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth (Revelation 11:18).

Thus, God is not pleased when humans abuse the environment.

God will have to intervene.

But because most humans will not repent, this does not mean you cannot.

Last year, related to an international pollution conference, we put together the following video:

14:42

COP 27 and Solving Climate Change

The dates for the United Nations Climate Change meeting called COP 27 are November 6th through 18th, 2022. During that time, on November 13, 2022, a ‘Chrislam’ type group composed of leaders from the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu, and other faiths associated with the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development and the Elijah Interfaith Institute are making what they titled ‘A Prophetic Call for Climate Justice’ and are having a ‘Ceremony of Repentance’ on what is referred to as Mount Sinai, in Egypt. Do this sound Gaia, mother goddess worship? Are Christians supposed to have religious ceremonies with pagans? What did the Apostle Paul write? What did Jesus say would happen to the earth? Are humans, apart from God, going to solve climate problems before Jesus returns? Is there any type of false gospel associated with aspects of the climate change movement? Would obeying God solve the issues of pollution and climate change? What about the good news, the gospel of the Kingdom of God? Does the Bible have the solution to pollution? Does the Bible have the answer to solving climate change? Dr Thiel and Steve Dupuie discuss these issues.

Here is a link to our video: COP 27 and Solving Climate Change.

The Bible does reveal that there is a solution to pollution and ‘climate change.’

However, it will take God to truly fix the polluting and warring disasters that humans are causing through sin. Having the true God’s involvement is something that those leading the UN, Europe, and most other nations do not believe or understand.

Jesus’s kingdom will be the solution to pollution. Notice what will happen:

3 For the Lord will comfort Zion,
He will comfort all her waste places;
He will make her wilderness like Eden,
And her desert like the garden of the Lord;
Joy and gladness will be found in it,
Thanksgiving and the voice of melody.

4 “Listen to Me, My people;
And give ear to Me, O My nation:
For law will proceed from Me,
And I will make My justice rest
As a light of the peoples.
5 My righteousness is near,
My salvation has gone forth,
And My arms will judge the peoples;
The coastlands will wait upon Me,
And on My arm they will trust. (Isaiah 51:3-5)

Yes, a better world is coming. The knowledge of the reality of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God brings hope.

The Bible shows that God uses weather matters, including high heat (Revelation 16:8-9) and what is often called climate change today (Amos 4:4-9) to encourage repentance and obedience to Him (Haggai 2:17).

Furthermore, the Bible shows how to resolve climate change:

3 ‘If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them,
4 then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.
5 Your threshing shall last till the time of vintage, and the vintage shall last till the time of sowing;
you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.
6 I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none will make you afraid;
I will rid the land of evil beasts,
and the sword will not go through your land. (Leviticus 26:3-6)

Yes, there is a biblical solution to climate change, but COP27 and the associated religious ceremony have overlooked that.

But, people will heed God and His ways during the millennial Kingdom of God.

Until the arrival of that Kingdom, all human beings should strive to obey God while being careful about waste and pollution. And all should also pray for God’s kingdom to come (Matthew 6:10).

And we can all try to live as responsible stewards.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Bible, Christians, and the Environment How should Christians view the environment? Does the Bible give any clues? What are some of the effects of air, water, and land pollution? Is environmental pollution a factor in autism and death? Do pollutants seem to double the autism risk? What will Jesus do? Here is a link to a related sermon: Christians and the Environment (there is also a YouTube video available titled Air Pollution, Autism, and Prophecy, one titled Will Pollution lead to the End?, and one called COP 27 and Solving Climate Change).
United Nations: Humankind’s Last Hope or New World Order? Is the UN the last hope for humanity? Or might its goals end up with sinister results? Two related videos include UN’s ‘New Universal Agenda’ is a False Gospel! and United Nations and Vatican Are Planning the New World Order.
Laudato Si: Pope’s Agenda or Kingdom of God? Pope Francis’ 2nd encyclical is titled ‘Laudato Si.’ In it, he goes over his views related to environmental, economic, social, moral, agricultural, and spiritual issues. He advocates international cooperation to solve various problems he believes are affecting humanity. Is that Pope’s agenda the solution? What about the Kingdom of God? does the Bible teach? Two related articles include Laudato Si: Will Pope Francis’ economic actions match his words? and Laudato Si: A call for a one-world government?
Weather Blessings and Sorrows Are weather problems a warning? What should be done? What does the Bible teach about weather? What about floods, droughts, heat, earthquakes, tornadoes, and solar storms? Here is a related YouTube video Does God Use Weather? A related item in the Spanish language would be Bendiciones y maldiciones del clima.
Hope–yes you can have it! Hope is stronger than fear. Learn how to have more hope. A related video is also available: How to Be More Hopeful.
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? Two related sermons about this are also available: Real Repentance and Real Christian Repentance.
Europa, the Beast, and the Book of Revelation discusses the largest church since the second/third century, which in a real sense is the eighth church mentioned in the Book of Revelation (it also endorses “eighth day” worship). What church would support the Beast? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in hundreds of languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.

The ‘Mary’ in the Basilica of Mary Major That Pope Francis Prays Before (Photo by Joyce Thiel, June 2013)

COGwriter

Roman Catholics and others celebrate what they call the birthday of Jesus’ mother Mary on September 8th:

BIRTH OF MARY September 8th

A. Valentini

The present Feast forms a link between the New and the Old Testament. It shows that Truth succeeds symbols and figures and that the New Covenant replaces the Old. Hence, all creation sings with joy, exults, and participates in the joy of this day…. This is, in fact, the day on which the Creator of the world constructed His temple; today is the day on which by a stupendous project a creature becomes the preferred dwelling of the Creator” (Saint Andrew of Crete). “Let us celebrate with joy the birth of the Virgin Mary, of whom was born the Sun of Justice…. Her birth constitutes the hope and the light of salvation for the whole world…. Her image is light for the whole Christian people” (From the Liturgy). …At Rome the Feast began to be kept toward the end of the 7th century, brought there by Eastern monks. Gradually and in varied ways it spread to the other parts of the West in the centuries that followed. From the 13th century on, the celebration assumed notable importance, becoming a Solemnity with a major Octave and preceded by a Vigil calling for a fast. The Octave was reduced to a simple one during the reform of St. Pius X and was abolished altogether under the reform of Pius XII in 1955.The present Calendar characterizes the Birth of Mary as a “Feast,” placing it on the same plane as the Visitation. For some centuries now, the Birth has been assigned to September 8 both in the East and in the West, but in ancient times it was celebrated on different dates from place to place…. As we know, the Gospels have not transmitted to us anything about the birth of the Virgin Mary. Their attention is completely centered on the mystery of Christ and His salvific mission. The birth of Mary is recounted by the Protevangelium of James (5:2), an apocryphal writing from the end of the 2nd century. Subsequent tradition is based on this account. The description – although in the manner of an apocryphal document – obviously presents an important historical event: the birth of the Mother of the Lord. But the problem that concerns us here is the significance of this event. In the case of all the Saints, the Church commemorates their birthday on the day of their return to the Lord. However, in the cases of St. John the Baptizer and the Blessed Virgin, it also celebrates the day of their earthly birth. (Dictionary of Mary (NY: Catholic Book, 1985) Catholic Book Publishing Company. Provided Courtesy of: Eternal Word Television Network)

Mount Mary, Bandra: Happy Birthday to the Blessed Virgin

Who is Virgin Mary? Virgin Mary or Saint Mary was a Jewish woman and the mother of Jesus through divine intervention. Birthday of Virgin Mary is celebrated on the first Sunday in a Roman Catholic Basilica which is located in Bandra. After this day the feast is usually followed by a long week full of fairs and thousands of visitors visiting the fair. The Bandra fair is around 300 years old and the fair started when the statue of Mother Mary found to be floating in the Arabian Sea around 1700-1760. There is a myth according to a great legend that a Koli fisherman dreamt the same few years ago. …

Mount Mary birthday is celebrated all around Mumbai and the fair draws more than lakhs of devotees every year. Devotees pray to Mary in thanksgiving or requesting for some kind of favors. Outside the church there are many religious objects which includes candles which are beautifully shaped like hands, feet, house, etc. Devotees choose the correspondent objects and offer the same in front of Mary. Hope this will help you’ll to understand about the importance this day carries in itself. September 8, 2014 http://us.india.com/whatever/mount-mary-bandra-happy-birthday-to-the-blessed-virgin-138312/

Question: Catholics celebrate the Virgin Mary’s birthday as the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. When is the Virgin Mary’s birthday?

Answer: The Virgin Mary’s birthday is September 8… http://catholicism.about.com/od/holydaysandholidays/f/Virgin_Mary_Birthday.htm

The latest @WMO state of the climate report for 🌍 Africa shows:

🌡 Temperature increase has accelerated

⚠Weather-related hazards are more severe

💰 Climate adaptation finance must be scaled up

The time to invest in resilient societies is now!#AfricaClimateWeek https://t.co/1t9ZUaQj0f

— UN Climate Change (@UNFCCC) September 6, 2023

COGwriter

CBS reported the following:

Earth just had its hottest summer on record, U.N. says, warning “climate breakdown has begun”

September 6, 2023

United Nations — “Earth just had its hottest three months on record,” the United Nations weather agency said Wednesday.

“The dog days of summer are not just barking, they are biting,” warned U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a statement coinciding with the release of the latest data from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) by the World Meteorological Organization.

“Our planet has just endured a season of simmering — the hottest summer on record. Climate breakdown has begun,” Guterres said. …

Copernicus data already puts 2023 on track to be the hottest year on record overall. Right now it’s tailing only 2016 in the temperature record books, but 2023 is far from over yet.

Yes, there have been hot summers in the past, but that does not mean that we are not seeing more extreme weather or that nothing is going on with the climate.

Here are some tweets about various lands:

Exceptional heat in China and Mongolia, more monthly records fell:
CHINA
36.8 Guazhou
35.4 Jinta
35.4 Dingxin
32.2 Dandong
32.1 Donggang

MONGOLIA
35.1 Choibalsan
34.3 Baruun Urt
34.0 Underkhaan
34.1 Bayan Ovoo
Note those stations are near 1000m asl. pic.twitter.com/KiHcsmIxGW

— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) September 6, 2023

Never ending record heat in Japan, records have been falling for months by thousands.
Yesterday 15 more stations (see list) had their highest Tmin in September on records including Kyoto with 27.7C.
There is no end in sight to the heat in any foreseeable future. pic.twitter.com/6Zgfflj9Z7

— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) September 6, 2023

Record heat in North Korea. Almost every station in the country broke ist record of the hottest day in September.
Highest was at 33.8C at Huichon.
In just few days of September,several thousands of heat records have fallen across the world in multiple heat waves. pic.twitter.com/iPjKhf5M9j

— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) September 6, 2023

Another Record hot day from Canada to USA to Mexico
Sept records
🇨🇦 C
36.3 Moosonee
35.8 Waskaganish
34.2 Kapaskasing
33.1 Nagagami
33.2 Matagami
32.6 Chapais
31.7 Deer Lake
30.1 Stephenville
29.3 Baccaro Point
🇲🇽
41.5 Torreon
41.4 C. Victoria
🇺🇸 F
107 Abilene TX
106 Lamesa TX pic.twitter.com/Pkmd0O8qiR

— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) September 6, 2023

Dozens of monthly records broken in the United Kingdom today.
Note the distribution of the records in coastal areas where records were lower.
Heat will increase and be more widespread next 2 days and even higher records can fall. https://t.co/QzA2Vd0I3q

— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) September 5, 2023

Consider the following:

5 And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 6 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many. 7 But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. (Mark 13:5-8)

Weather troubles are consistent with the “beginning of sorrows” that Jesus referred to and that we are now in.

The Bible warns that God uses weather to send a message. Sometimes God uses drought and then sometimes sends mildew if people will not turn to Him as the following show:

7 “I also withheld rain from you,
When there were still three months to the harvest.
I made it rain on one city,
I withheld rain from another city.
One part was rained upon,
And where it did not rain the part withered.
8 So two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water,
But they were not satisfied;
Yet you have not returned to Me,”
Says the Lord.

9 “I blasted you with blight and mildew.
When your gardens increased,
Your vineyards,
Your fig trees,
And your olive trees,
The locust devoured them;
Yet you have not returned to Me,”
Says the Lord. (Amos 4:7-9)

While many humans often seem to think otherwise, God is in charge and controls the weather.

7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
You great sea creatures and all the depths;
8 Fire and hail, snow and clouds;
Stormy wind, fulfilling His word; (Psalms 148:7-8)

26 “Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him; Nor can the number of His years be discovered. 27 For He draws up drops of water, Which distill as rain from the mist, 28 Which the clouds drop down And pour abundantly on man. 29 Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of clouds, The thunder from His canopy? 30 Look, He scatters His light upon it, And covers the depths of the sea. 31 For by these He judges the peoples; He gives food in abundance. 32 He covers His hands with lightning, And commands it to strike. 33 His thunder declares it, The cattle also, concerning the rising storm. (Job 36:26-33)

25 For He commands and raises the stormy wind, Which lifts up the waves of the sea. 26 They mount up to the heavens, They go down again to the depths; Their soul melts because of trouble. 27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits’ end. 28 Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses. 29 He calms the storm, So that its waves are still. 30 Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven. 31 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! 32 Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, And praise Him in the company of the elders. 33 He turns rivers into a wilderness, And the watersprings into dry ground; 34 A fruitful land into barrenness, For the wickedness of those who dwell in it. 35 He turns a wilderness into pools of water, And dry land into watersprings. 36 There He makes the hungry dwell, That they may establish a city for a dwelling place, 37 And sow fields and plant vineyards, That they may yield a fruitful harvest. 38 He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly; And He does not let their cattle decrease. (Psalms 107:25-38)

17 He casts out His hail like morsels;
Who can stand before His cold?
18 He sends out His word and melts them;
He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow. (Psalms 147:17-18)

3 He sends it forth under the whole heaven, His lightning to the ends of the earth. 4 After it a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice, And He does not restrain them when His voice is heard. 5 God thunders marvelously with His voice; He does great things which we cannot comprehend. 6 For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth’; Likewise to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength. 7 He seals the hand of every man, That all men may know His work. 8 The beasts go into dens, And remain in their lairs. 9 From the chamber of the south comes the whirlwind, And cold from the scattering winds of the north. 10 By the breath of God ice is given, And the broad waters are frozen. 11 Also with moisture He saturates the thick clouds; He scatters His bright clouds. 12 And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance, That they may do whatever He commands them On the face of the whole earth. 13 He causes it to come, Whether for correction, Or for His land, Or for mercy. (Job 37:3-13)

God controls the weather. As the Book of Job records above, weather is sometimes used by God for correction.

Weather is not as random as most seem to want to believe.

What about high heat?

The Bible shows that it will get much worse later:

8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory. (Revelation 16:8-9)

But, the above prophecy is for several years into the future–we are not too near that yet. But I believe that this will happen in the 21st century.

The Bible shows:

30 God … commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30)

And weather problems are one tool that God uses to urge people to repent (cf. Haggai 2:17; Amos 4:7-12). But most will not. Nor will most Christians as they should (cf. Revelation 3:14-18; see also The Laodicean Church Era).

The Bible shows that God uses weather matters, including high heat (Revelation 16:8-9) and what is often called climate change today (Amos 4:4-9) to encourage repentance and obedience to Him (Haggai 2:17).

As regular readers of this page are aware, I have repeatedly warned of weather problems coming. Back in 2009, in my book, 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect, I wrote that the following was about to happen:

Odd weather patterns result in food shortages and natural disasters.

Matthew 24:7

The world is actually in a berserk transition, as the real age of peace is not yet here. It may be a period of chaos. It is the beginning of sorrows.

Matthew 24:8

Since that was published, we have had record smashing heat, various serious fires, and odd weather problems. These weather issues should serve as a wake-up call.

Related to weather matters, we just put together the following video this Summer:

15:00

Apocalyptic Weather?

Michael Snyder wrote that we are experiencing “apocalyptic weather’? Why? What has been happening with heat, drought, flooding, and weather extremes? What have news agencies been reporting? Is there a way, according to the Bible, that this could change? Is weather totally random or does God control the weather? Are groups like the United Nations, the Vatican, and the World Economic Forum proposing ideas related to changes in weather (which they tend to call ‘climate change’)? Could weather at all be related to obedience or disobedience to God’s laws? Does the Bible show that God sometimes uses weather as a warning as well as to encourage people to repent? Does the Bible tell of more extreme weather happening after the start of the Great Tribulation? What about “troubles” during the beginning of sorrows? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel go over these issues.

Here is a link to our video: Apocalyptic Weather?

Some items of interest may include the following:

Weather Blessings and Sorrows Are weather problems a warning? What should be done? What does the Bible teach about weather? What about floods, droughts, heat, earthquakes, tornadoes, and solar storms? Here is a related YouTube video Does God Use Weather? A related item in the Spanish language would be Bendiciones y maldiciones del clima.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2023, 2024, or 2025? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation start in 2022 or 2023? Notice also: Can Jesus return in 2023 or 2024? Here is a video in the Spanish language: Es El 2021 el año  de La Gran Tribulación o el Grande Reseteo Financiero.
The Bible, Christians, and the Environment How should Christians view the environment? Does the Bible give any clues? What are some of the effects of air, water, and land pollution? Is environmental pollution a factor in autism and death? Do pollutants seem to double the autism risk? What will Jesus do? Here is a link to a related sermon: Christians and the Environment (there is also a YouTube video available titled Air Pollution, Autism, and Prophecy, one titled Will Pollution lead to the End?, and one called COP 27 and Solving Climate Change).
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in hundreds of languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? Two related sermons about this are also available: Real Repentance and Real Christian Repentance.

1887 depiction of the ‘Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse’

COGwriter

Saw the following:

Japanese Scientists Find that Covid-19 and all of the variants are Laboratory creations

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Have Been Released Upon Us

Paul Craig Roberts

Our rulers are mimicking the Book of Revelation. War has been unleashed on us for years. Covid and its laboratory-made variants are the beginning of Pestilence. Famine is in the works with the slaughter of cattle to combat a disputed global warming, withholding of fertilizers from farmers, sanctions, and the replacement of the human diet with bugs and artificial food. When these three horsemen accomplish their deeds, Death on the Pale Horse will sweep through our ranks. It is difficult to believe in prophecy, especially over thousands of years, but it is happening before our eyes.

War has done his job. Since the Clinton Regime war has been the primary activity of the United States and its empire. Yugoslavia was destroyed. Then Afghanistan. Then Iraq. Then Libya, now Ukraine…

Pestilence began with endless childhood vaccinations and escalated with the Covid “vaccine,” which has resulted in millions of deaths and permanent injuries. Now, Japanese scientists find, a new round of man-made Covid variants are being created in laboratories. … we have known for certain for some time from published articles by the world’s leading medical scientists that Covid-19 was a laboratory creation.  We know from released official documents that NIH’s Tony Fauci financed “gain of function” research both at the University of North Carolina and then at the Wuhan Lab in China.  There is no doubt about this.  It is in the grant records.

Now we have a research report from two top Japanese medical scientists who show that all Covid variants are also laboratory creations, not mutations from a naturally occurring virus.

This is a devastating revelation. …

As I have emphasized, the inability or unwillingness of Congress, independent scientists, the medical establishment, judicial system, and media to hold accountable those who orchestrated the “Covid Pandemic” and knowingly injected people with a dangerous substance known to cause death and health injury has made possible a second round of death and injury. And a third, and a fourth, and a fifth . . .

“No recriminations, we must move on and focus on the new challenge” is the slogan that shields those murdering us from accountability. “Perhaps a mistake was made, but we must not distrust our leaders and appointed medical authorities or worse will happen.” “There is nothing to see but this new Covid variant, go get your vaccination.”

Thus protected from recognition, the Four Horsemen ride among us undetected. https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2023/09/04/japanese-scientists-find-that-covid-19-and-all-of-the-variants-are-laboratory-creations/

Although I do not agree with the timing above of the start of various horsemen, nor that COVID is the ride of the fourth horseman of the Apocalypse, there are signs that we have seen the start of the ride of some of the horsemen. The Continuing Church of God put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy channel:

24:08

These Signs of the 4 Horsemen Have Begun

Are we at the time of the ride of at least some of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse? If so, are many prophecy watchers missing signs associated with them? History shows that authoritarian totalitarian regimes tend to arise after famines and/or pestilences. Those are events associated with three of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. Could the beginning of sorrows, and the associated ride of the first horseman of false ecumenical religion, have started in the Fall of 2009? What is the significance of this rider having a bow? Is Satan the prince of the power of the air? Did Dr. Thiel warn of a prophetic threat of a “novel” coronavirus back in 2013? Could COVID-19 been related to the taking away the peace from the earth that is associated with the ride of the red horse, the second horsemen of war? What are some of the ramifications of the Russia-Ukraine military conflict and the opening of the second seal? Was Amos inspired to write that God does nothing without revealing it to his servants the prophets? Who warned of these matters? The ride of the third horse, the black horse of famine and food price inflation–specifically wheat, barley, edible oils, and wine. Since Ukraine is a major exporter of the first three, could this, as well as fertilizer shortages, have anything to do with the ride of that horseman? The pale horse of the fourth seal mentions one-quarter of humankind being subject to being killed by the sword, hunger, and pestilence–will this be a factor in the rise of the Beast of Revelation 13? Is persecution associated with the start of the Great tribulation and the rise of the Beast? Why is the Beast going to be in charge of a European-based empire? Will the opening of the first four seals and the starts of the rides of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse get Europe to reorganize such as is prophesied in Revelation 17:12-13? What does Jesus say you should do? Dr. Thiel addresses these matters and more in this video.

Here is a link to our video: These Signs of the 4 Horsemen Have Begun.

As far as COVID and the dangers of a laboratory produced pestilence, while it was still called the “novel coronavirus,” in January of 2020, we put out the following video:

17:01

Biological Warfare and Prophecy

Is biological warfare possible? Was it prophesied? Scientists have long warned that pathogenic organisms like the coronavirus could be weaponized. Furthermore, back in 2017, there were concerns that the biological research facility being constructed in Wuhan, China was risky and that a coronavirus from it could be released. On January 25, 2020, China’s President Xi Jinping publicly stated that the situation with the Wuhan-related strain of the coronavirus was grave. Did Church of God writers like the late evangelist Raymond McNair warn that engineered viruses (the “Doomsday bug”) were consistent with prophecies from Jesus? Did a warning from CCOG leader Bob Thiel warn about risks of genetically-modified (GMO) mosquitoes come to pass? Could human research and/or the consumption of biblically-unclean animals such as bats and snakes be a factor in current outbreaks or coming future pestilences? What about famines? How devastating have pestilences been? How devastating are the prophesied ones going to be? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to our video: Biological Warfare and Prophecy.

As I scientist, I still have seen no proof that COVID-19 had a natural origin. The leaked laboratory origin always made the most sense to me. Plus, that is consistent with the science associated with COVID.

That said, we more recently put out the following video:

14:53

Biological Weapons and the 4th Horseman of the Apocalypse

Tucker Carlson interviewed Democratic presidential party candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (RFK). During that interview, RFK asserted that the United States has had thousands of scientists working on making bioweapons. Officially, the USA has denied this as it is a party to the Biological Weapons Convention. RFK states that Anthoy Fauci was responsible for biological weapons development. Does the ‘Global South’ consider that the West may intend to exterminate people through biological warfare? Did Jesus prophesy pestilences? Have humans engaged in biological or germ warfare for millennia? What were some things that Raymond McNair warned about over 50 years ago? Can we trust scientists to totally safely control all the infectious agents they work with? Could humankind be developing, knowingly or unknowingly, biological agents that could be responsible for many of the deaths that are prophesied to occur with the ride of the ‘pale horse of death,’ which is the fourth of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse to ride? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel address these matters.

Here is a link to our video: Biological Weapons and the 4th Horseman of the Apocalypse.

Biological pathogens developed by humans are a real threat.

Do NOT trust the scientists who say that they are simply trying to help us fight them and can always control them–they DO NOT KNOW all the risks, no matter what they say.

Humans, directly or indirectly, will be a factor in the coming more severe pestilences.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse What is the pale horse of death and pestilences? What will it bring and when? Here is a link to a related sermon:
Fourth Horseman, COVID, and the Rise of the Beast of Revelation. Here is a version of that sermon in Spanish: El Cuarto Caballo, El COVID y El Surgimiento de la Bestia del Apocalipsis. Some shorter related videos may include Amphibian Apocalypse: Threat to Humans? and Zombie Deer Disease is Here! Are the 10 Plagues on Egypt Coming? Here is a version of the article in Spanish: El cuarto jinete de Apocalipsis, el caballo pálido de muerte y pestilencia.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in hundreds of languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
GMOs and Bible Prophecy What are GMOs? Since they were not in the food supply until 1994, how could they possibly relate to Bible prophecy? Do GMOs put the USA and others at risk? Here are some related videos: GMO Risks and the Bible and GMOs, Lab meat, Hydrogenation: Safe or Dangerous?
Chimeras: Has Science Crossed the Line? What are chimeras?  Has science crossed the line? Does the Bible give any clues? A video of related interest is Half human, half pig: What’s the difference?  and Human-Monkey Embryos and Death.
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse What do each of the four horseman of the Apocalypse represent? Have they began their ride? Did Jesus discuss the any of this? Might their rides coincide with the “beginning of sorrows? Do they start their ride prior to the Great Tribulation? Did Nostradamus or any other ‘private prophets’ write predictions that may mislead people so that they may not understand the truth of one or more of the four horseman? There is also a related YouTube video titled Sorrows and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Here is a link to a shorter video: These Signs of the 4 Horsemen Have Begun.
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2031 or 20xx? There is also a video titled 6000 Years: When will God’s Kingdom Come? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2023, 2024, or 2025? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation start in 2022 or 2023? Notice also: Can Jesus return in 2023 or 2024? Here is a video in the Spanish language: Es El 2021 el año  de La Gran Tribulación o el Grande Reseteo Financiero.
The New Testament Church, History, and Unclean Meats Are foods considered to have been unclean in the Old Testament considered to be food in the New Testament? This article discusses this from the perspective of the New Testament. It also has a list of clean and unclean animals. It also answers the question, is pork healthy or is pork dangerous? There is also a sermon-length video on this: Christians and Unclean Meats; two short videos are also available: Did Jesus declare all animal flesh food? and COVID, Pandemics, and Unclean Meat.

COGwriter

The National Football League (NFL) season is upon us as the 2022 NFL season is set to kick off on Thursday, September 7th.

Should Christians support this?

Early Christians would not have watched sports like it.

What kind of sport is NFL football?

A violent and damaging one. One that will hurt people this season.

September 6, 2022

According to a History article and a recent Gallup poll, American football is the number one sport in the United States and has been since the mid 1960s.  …

“A League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis” is a documentary that came out in 2013 about how the NFL tried to conceal any trace of correlation between playing football and the impact of head trauma on athletes’ brain health. 

Throughout the length of this documentary, viewers are shown multiple interviews with retired players, coaches, agents and other big names in the American football industry who share their own opinions on the severity of the concussion crisis within the NFL. 

There are also interviews with experts in neuroscience and accredited neuropathologists who had first-hand experience in discovering and diagnosing former NFL players with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). 

Most notably though, there is an interview with Dr. Bennet Omalu, who was the first to publish his findings on CTE after performing an autopsy on Pittsburgh Steeler center Mike Webster. This is significant considering how ostracized and denounced Omalu was after his efforts to make NFL players aware of the adverse effects of repeated concussions and brain trauma. 

The documentary emphasizes that despite the incriminating evidence on the prevalence of CTE in these athletes, many people with powerful positions in the NFL completely refute these claims in the interest of continuing to capitalize on football. 

The entire piece highlights how this massive corporation still willfully puts people in harm’s way by manipulating information being released to the public because they hold fear that this knowledge will cause severe financial losses for them or bring down the sport altogether. This documentary is available to watch on pbs.org or on YouTube. https://www.theprospectordaily.com/2022/09/06/examining-american-football-and-its-flaws-through-film/

A reader sent me the following from columnist George Will:

Autumn, which is bearing down upon us like a menacing linebacker, is, as John Keats said, a season of mists and mellow fruitfulness and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Actually, Keats, a romantic, did not mention that last part. He died before the birth of the subject of a waning American romance, football. This sport will never die but it will never again be, as it was until recently, the subject of uncomplicated national enthusiasm.

CTE is a degenerative brain disease confirmable only after death, and often caused by repeated blows to the head that knock the brain against the skull. The cumulative impacts of hundreds of supposedly minor blows can have the cumulative effect of many concussions. The New York Times recently reported Stanford researchers’ data showing “that one college offensive lineman sustained 62 of these hits in a single game. Each one came with an average force on the player’s head equivalent to what you would see if he had driven his car into a brick wall at 30 mph.”

Boston University researchers found CTE in 110 of 111 brains of deceased NFL players. In 53 other brains from college players, 48 had CTE. There was significant selection bias: Many of the brains came from families who had noticed CTE symptoms, including mood disorders and dementia. A BU researcher says, however, that a 10-year NFL linebacker could receive more than 15,000 sub-concussive blows.

Football’s kinetic energy — a function of the masses and velocities of the hurtling bodies — has increased dramatically in 50 years. … 09/02/17 https://www.news-journal.com/news/2017/sep/02/will-footballs-enjoyment-is-on-a-fade-pattern/

Many non-Philadelphian Christians do not wish to seriously consider that American tackle football is harmful, despite the facts, and would prefer that I not post about it.

The Bible suggests otherwise:

1 Cry aloud, spare not;
Lift up your voice like a trumpet;
Tell My people their transgression,
And the house of Jacob their sins. (Isaiah 58:1)

The reality is that American tackle football is evil–the players get harmed. This really is not debatable as it is an established fact.

ABC reported the following:

“Football is not a contact sport, it’s a collision sport.”

These words, spoken by legendary football coach Vince Lombardi, have taken on new meaning in the last decade after several recent studies have revealed a link between the repeated collisions for which the game is known and a progressive brain disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.

Now, a new report from researchers at Boston University suggests that this often devastating neurological disease may be even more common to the sport than previously thought.

In the largest study of its kind to date, researchers examined the brains of 202 deceased football players –- ranging from high school to professional levels –- to look for tell-tale signs of CTE, a diagnosis that can only be made after an autopsy. A full 87 percent of these ex-players had evidence of CTE. The proportion was highest in professional players; of the 111 former NFL pros included in the study, 110 met the criteria for a CTE diagnosis.

But the study’s lead author, Dr. Ann C. McKee, said that one of the most alarming findings is that nearly one quarter of the 14 high school players in the study had CTE. July 25, 2017 http://abcnews.go.com/Health/111-pro-football-players-brain-injury-cte-study/story?id=48838098

So, nearly everyone who plays tackle football long enough ends up with brain injury.

Notice something about those injuries and tackle football (bolding by me):

A concussion is a brain injury caused by an impact to the head that shakes the brain inside the skull, and side effects can be significant. … violent collisions happen play after play in a football game, and players suffer concussions regularly.

Confusion, headache and loss of memory are common symptoms and can last for days, weeks or longer. Also concerning is that symptoms can be subtle or not immediately apparent. If undiagnosed, this can lead to continued play and worsening of the condition.

Among other signs and symptoms are:

• Feeling dazed

• Slurred speech

• Nausea or vomiting

• Clumsiness, dizziness or balance issues

• Sensitivity to light and/or noise

• Blurred vision

• Difficulty concentrating

• Changes in behavior or personality

Symptoms are usually made worse by physical or mental activity.

In adults, concussions can have a negative impact on ability to focus on professional and personal responsibilities. In children, that can translate into difficulty performing in school and participating in extracurricular and social activities.

Repeated concussion or brain trauma of any type can lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease that can begin months, years, or even decades after the last brain injury or retirement from sports.

CTE has been known to affect boxers since the 1920s, but only in more recent years have studies confirmed the disease in deceased football players and other athletes with a history of repeated brain injury. Associated symptoms are memory loss, impaired judgement, confusion, aggression, poor impulse control and, in later stages, progressive dementia.

In some former athletes, it’s even been linked to high levels of depression and thoughts of self-harm. 09/03/21 https://www.timesleader.com/opinion/op-ed/1510735/to-your-health-football-impact-and-concussions

Clearly, with any who have eyes to see, the fruits of this ‘sport’ are evil.

Over the years, I have seemingly stood alone among Church of God leaders in the 21st century warning against American tackle football. I first spoke against it at the old Spokesman’s Club in the Worldwide Church of God last century. And, when I brought the subject up in the Living Church of God, it made many uncomfortable enough to take steps leading to my departure from that group.

There is no doubt that American tackle football is dangerous to health. While some in the world consider watching it to be an ‘ethical uncertainty,’ true Philadelphia Christians (as well as many who are not) realize that something about this sport is physically harmful and should not be encouraged.

Many people do not want to believe the truth about American tackle football. Consider also the following:

The famed forensic pathologist who discovered a deadly brain disease impacting several former National Football League players inspired Tyler leaders on Tuesday.

Dr. Bennet Omalu, portrayed by Will Smith in the film “Concussion,” was the keynote speaker at the Leadership Live 2016 event at Green Acres Baptist Church’s Crosswalk Conference Center.

He spoke about 40 minutes on the importance of self-love, truth and embracing everyone’s humanity.

“Dr. Omalu is an exceptional example of leadership in the face of adversity,” Smittee Root, executive director of Leadership Tyler, said. “His story has the ability to inspire not only the fresh faces of Tyler, but the seasoned leaders of our community.”

In recent years, he’s faced rejection and was condemned by some doctors and the NFL due to his findings about chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. Despite the turmoil, he kept fighting for the truth, he said.

“No university, no research organization would open doors to me,” Omalu said.

“I lost it all. I lost everything I had. I lost my job. I was unemployed for six months.”

I still held onto the light of the truth.”

Omalu attributes the backlash to what he calls conformational intelligence. He said in society, people tend to accept what has been known as fact, even when new evidence is produced. http://www.tylerpaper.com/TP-News+Local/240159/famed-doctor-bennet-omalu-who-discovered-degenerative-brain-disease-in-athletes-inspires-tyler-leaders

The TRUTH is that the fruits of American tackle football are not good. But many do not care.

Let me state that there is a human tendency to try to justify sin. Many think if something feels right to them, it must be. According to the Bible, that is a wrong attitude:

9 “The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?
10 I, the Lord, search the heart,
I test the mind,
Even to give every man according to his ways,
According to the fruit of his doings. (Jeremiah 17:9-10)

Those who claim that encouraging American tackle football is fine are NOT Philadelphian Christians–they are deceiving themselves since American tackle football causes real damage. Damage that should not be encouraged.

After a post I made before about American football (see Should Christians watch American football?), a reader sent me an email, that in part stated:

Hello Dr. Thiel,

It took a while, but your recent article “Should Americans Watch Football?” finally convinced me the answer is “NO”. I can see why I stubbornly held out. I think it is ADDICTION that causes football lovers to cover their eyes from the truth. Who can deny the thrill and ectasy of cheering on our super talented sports heroes and winning teams. Who can give up the hamburgers, hot dogs , potato chips, soda and beer along with it? I admit I have been a big sports addict especially to American football!

Well, what turned me off the most was the Super Bowl ads on TV years ago. I started refusing to watch the Super Bowl with my family (it was too embarrassing) or with church friends.

From the violence on the field, to the under-clothed cheerleaders, to some of the half-time antics, there is a lot wrong with American football.

Jesus taught not to intentionally hurt others:

39… ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:39, NKJV)

The Apostle Paul also wrote:

29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it (Ephesians 5:29, NKJV)

Also, notice what John the Baptist taught soldiers:

14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages. (Luke 3:14, KJV)

I could not reconcile loving my neighbor as myself and cherishing my flesh and not doing violence to any man by watching others do it in a football game. Consider also the following:

9…You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:9-10)

Jesus also said:

20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God. (John 3:20-21, NKJV).

Is watching American football a deed that would be pleasing to God?

The Apostle Paul wrote:

12… they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.(2 Thessalonians 2:12)

29 … they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:28-32, NKJV)

Is not football violent and often unmerciful?

So, if playing football is evil, should Christians approve of it?

Additionally, twice the New Testament refers to the good news message as “the gospel of peace”:

15 “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:15)

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (Ephesians 6:14-15)

Is not taking a stand against encouraging sports violence consistent with the gospel of peace and love? Or should ministers tell people that violent sports like American tackle football are not “inherently evil” as at least one minister from LCG has done?

While “love does no harm to a neighbor” (Romans 13:9), what do sports like American football and boxing do? Should Bible believers encourage this?

Unlike stories of violence in books or movies, American football involves actual violence and often physical injury–including brain damaging ones that are often not obvious for years.

The Bible forbids harming others or encouraging sin. Early professors of Christ would not watch violent games as they felt that watching was encouraging and participating in sin.

While we do not seem to have many direct references from those in the Church of God, we do have some written records of those who were at least somewhat familiar with the teachings of Jesus and the practices of the earliest Christians.

Now, here is something from Theophilus of Antioch (who likely was part of the Church of God) perhaps written about 180 A.D.:

Consider, therefore, whether those who teach such things can possibly live indifferently, and be commingled in unlawful intercourse, or, most impious of all, eat human flesh, especially when we are forbidden so much as to witness shows of gladiators, lest we become partakers and abettors of murders. But neither may we see the other spectacles, lest our eyes and ears be defiled, participating in the utterances there sung. (Theophilus of Antioch. To Autolycus, Book III, Chapter XV. Translated by Marcus Dods, A.M. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 2. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885. Online Edition)

So, true Christians did not believe that they were to watch the violent sports so popular in the second century.

Tatian, a professing Christian apologist, wrote around 170 A.D.:

And for these the witnesses take their seats, and the boxers meet in single combat, for no reason whatever, nor does any one come down into the arena to succour. Do such exhibitions as these redound to your credit? He who is chief among you collects a legion of blood-stained murderers, engaging to maintain them; and these ruffians are sent forth by him, and you assemble at the spectacle to be judges, partly of the wickedness of the adjudicator, and partly of that of the men who engage in the combat. And he who misses the murderous exhibition is grieved, because he was not doomed to be a spectator of wicked and impious and abominable deeds (Tatian. Translated by J.E. Ryland. Tatian’s Address to the Greeks, Chapter XXIII . Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 2. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885. Online Edition Copyright © 2004 by K. Knight).

Athenagoras, a professing Christian apologist, wrote around 170 A.D.:

What man of sound mind, therefore, will affirm, while such is our character, that we are murderers?…

Who does not reckon among the things of greatest interest the contests of gladiators and wild beasts, especially those which are given by you? But we, deeming that to see a man put to death is much the same as killing him, have abjured such spectacles (Athenagoras. A Plea for the Christians, Chapter XXXV. Translated by B.P. Pratten. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 2. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885. Online Edition Copyright © 2004 by K. Knight).

Even today, many Christians realize that watching brutal events intent on causing physical harm, such as real boxing, is inappropriate.

Notice that this was also the position of the third century Roman Catholic theologian and bishop Hippolytus, who also adds various occupations to those that reject one from being a follower of Christ:

16:6 A charioteer, likewise, or one who takes part in the games, or one who goes to the games, he shall cease or he shall be rejected. 7 If someone is a gladiator, or one who teaches those among the gladiators how to fight, or a hunter who is in the wild beast shows in the arena, or a public official who is concerned with gladiator shows, either he shall cease, or he shall be rejected. 8 If someone is a priest of idols, or an attendant of idols, he shall cease or he shall be rejected. 9 A military man in authority must not execute men. If he is ordered, he must not carry it out. Nor must he take military oath. If he refuses, he shall be rejected. 10 If someone is a military governor, or the ruler of a city who wears the purple, he shall cease or he shall be rejected. 11 The catechumen or faithful who wants to become a soldier is to be rejected, for he has despised God. (Hippolytus. The Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus of Rome. From the work of Bernard Botte (La Tradition Apostolique. Sources Chretiennes, 11 bis. Paris, Editions du Cerf, 1984) and of Gregory Dix (The Treatise on the Apostolic Tradition of St. Hippolytus of Rome, Bishop and Martyr. London: Alban Press, 1992) as translated by Kevin P. Edgecomb http://www.bombaxo.com/hippolytus.html viewed 08/06/09)

The late WCG Pastor-General Herbert W. Armstrong categorized American tackle football as evil.

You may be telling yourself, well since my church does not (presuming you do not support a group like the Continuing Church of God which does) condemn football and/or possibly encourages it, the Bible really does not apply here. If so, be careful about accepting that type of tradition. Jesus Himself taught:

7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

8 “These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
9 And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. (Matthew 15:7-9)

14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,

‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ — and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked — 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. (Revelation 3:14-19)

I do not watch American football. I consider that it is evil (also, no Christian can really defend how professional football cheerleading females are often publicly dressed and displayed). Others want to falsely act like there is nothing wrong with watching it.

Some may not wish to hear about any of the evils of violent sports, and instead prefer smooth things, but hopefully I have tried to follow the Apostle Paul who declared:

26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. (Acts 20:26-27)

The bodies and blood of those who engage in violent sports is important. It does not show Philadelphia love.

Regarding American football, do you believe that Jesus or the Apostle Paul would endorse it? This is something that Christians, and those that claim to be, should think and pray about.

Those Laodicean Christians who are fans of American tackle football are NOT Philadelphians and will be subject to violence themselves as they will have to go through the Great Tribulation if they do not repent (Revelation 3:14-22).

Encouraging violence in sports does not show brotherly/Philadelphian love.

Philadelphian Christians do not watch American tackle football–whether the USA or Canadian version of it.

For more scriptures, as well as the position of early Christians and others, please see the following:

Is American Football Evil? Is the most popular spectator sport in the USA something that Christians should watch? What do the Bible and early writings show? There is also a YouTube video available titled Should Christians watch American football?
Military Service and the Churches of God: Do Real Christians Participate in Carnal Warfare or Encourage Violence? Here are current and historical perspectives on a matter which show the beliefs of the true church on military participation. Is war proper for Christians? A related sermon would be: Christians, Violence, and Military Service.
Pornography: A scourge on society Is pornography harmless fun? Does the Bible teach anything about it? What are the views of some involved with it? Here is a link to a YouTube video Pornography: Harmless Fun or a Scourge on Society?
5. The Sardis Church Era was predominant circa 1600 A.D. to circa 1933 A.D. Discusses some early history of the Seventh Day Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, CG7-Salem, Jerusalem 7DCG, and COG-7th Day-Denver. Here are two historical sermons: Sardis Church Era: Beginnings, Doctrines, and Leaders and Sardis: SDBs, SDAs, & CG7s.
6. The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God.
7. The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots.  They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent. One video of related interest is 50+ Laodicean Prophetic Errors. See also Do You Hold to Any of These Laodicean Prophetic Errors?

France To Ban Abayas In Schools https://t.co/V4AfRvtdeE

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) September 4, 2023

COGwriter

Several nations in Europe have banned burqas that are typically worn by Muslim women.

Now France has a ban in place against abayas, which also are typically worn by Muslim women.

Here is a BBC report:

5 September 2023

The French education minister has said that nearly 300 pupils arrived at school on Monday wearing the abaya, the long Muslim robe which was banned in schools last week.

Most of the girls agreed to change into other clothes.

According to official figures, 298 girls – mainly aged 15 or more – turned up at school in the banned garment.

Under instructions laid down by the ministry, there followed in each case a period of dialogue with school staff.

Most girls then agreed to dress differently and were able to start classes.

However, 67 girls refused to comply and were sent home.

A further period of dialogue with their families will now ensue. If that fails, they will be excluded.

Set against the 12 million school boys and girls who started term on Monday, the government believes the figures show that its ban has been broadly accepted.

However, a legal challenge by a group representing some Muslims goes before the courts later today. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66716533

No, the fact that a law tries to force behavior and many put up with it does not mean that it is “broadly accepted.” Totalitarian regimes like to think if they can get people to go along with them, that they have concurrence, when in reality they are forcing changes that many do not want.

The following is from Deutsche Well from Germany:

France has banned the abaya dress in public schools. Is the French secular principle of ‘laïcité’ being weaponized against the country’s Muslims? pic.twitter.com/zyOB1igJFm

— DW News (@dwnews) September 2, 2023

5 September 2023

What happened on Monday?

Nearly 300 girls showed up at school on the first day of term wearing an abaya, with 67 sent home after they refused to remove the garment, Education Minister Gabriel Attal told BFM. He said the majority had agreed to change out of the dress.

Attal said those girls sent away were handed a letter to their families stating that “secularism is not a constraint; it is a liberty.”

If the girls persisted in wearing the dress to school, there would be a “new dialogue,” the minister said.

What has been the reaction to the ban?

An association representing Muslims, Action for the Rights of Muslims (ADM), has called on the State Council, France’s highest court for complaints against state authorities, to issue an injunction against the abaya ban and one on the qamis, the male dress equivalent.

The ADM motion is to be examined on Tuesday.

French President Emmanuel Macron has come out in defense of the ban, saying there was a “minority” in France that “hijacks a religion and challenges the republic and secularism.” https://www.dw.com/en/french-schools-send-home-girls-wearing-abayas/a-66722933

The fact that the government officials in France claim that its secularist restrictions are liberty brought the following to mind:

19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.  (2 Peter 2:19)

Anyway, change is coming to Europe–and not only in France.

Historically, when Europe takes steps against Islam, it also tends to take steps to be closer to the Church of Rome. In the past, I wrote that I felt this type of ban would be extended–and the French move is another confirmation of that.

The Continuing Church of God (CCOG) also has the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

17:19

Will Islam be Pushed Out of Europe?

On June 8, 2018, Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced the closing of seven Islamic mosques in an effort to reduce “political Islam.” In the past several years, at least 6 European nations have banned the wearing of a commonly used garment by Islamic females. Heinz-Christian Strache (later Vice Chancellor of Austria) has declared that Islam has no place in Europe. Did Germany’s Angela Merkel call multiculturalism a failure? Will there be deals between the Muslims and the Europeans? Will a European Beast leader rise up after a reorganization that will eliminate nationalism? Will Europe push out Islam? What does Catholic prophecy teach? What does the Bible teach in Daniel and Revelation? Is Islam prophesied to be pushed out of Europe? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link: Will Islam be Pushed Out of Europe?

What does prophecy show for the future between Europe and Islam?

I believe that it shows that the Vatican will promote a temporal deal with Islam and Europe (Daniel 9:27; 11:27; see also The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27), but that ultimately, Europe–under the final King of the North Beast power–will essentially push Islam out and even attack certain Arab lands:

⁴⁰ ‘When the time comes for the End, the king of the south will try conclusions with him; but the king of the north will come storming down on him with chariots, cavalry, and a large fleet. He will invade countries, overrun them and drive on.

⁴¹ He will invade the Land of Splendour, and many will fall; but Edom, Moab, and what remains of the sons of Ammon will escape him.

⁴² ‘He will reach out to attack countries: Egypt will not escape him.

⁴³ The gold and silver treasures and all the valuables of Egypt will lie in his power. Libyans and Cushites will be at his feet: (Daniel 11:40-43, New Jerusalem Bible).

The coming King of the South rules over lands that are currently dominated by Islam.

War is Coming Between Europeans and Arabs.

Now, this war WILL NOT happen until at least 2027, it may happen then or shortly thereafter.

But steps aligning with that are taking place.

Now, here is some information related to Germany’s rising AfD party:

September 4, 2023

The media describes them as far-right, anti-European Union, anti-immigrant, fascist, etc. But what exactly are the positions of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party? Why is it steadily gaining in public opinion polls, and why is the German establishment so afraid of them?

Various AfD party members have made comments in recent years that, depending on your point of view, are offensive or were blown out of proportion by the media. I’m not going to review all those here but instead wanted to look at what policies are contained in the AfD platform. …

On the EU:

We oppose the idea to transform the European Union into a centralised federal state. We are in favour of returning the European Union to an economic union based on shared interests, and consisting of sovereign, but loosely connected nation states.…

We believe in a sovereign Germany, which guarantees the freedom and security of its citizens, promotes economic welfare, and contributes to a peaceful and prosperous Europe.

Should we not succeed with our ideas of a fundamental reform within the present framework of the European Union, we shall seek Germany‘s exit, or a democratic disso- lution of the EU, followed by the founding of a new Euro- pean economic union.…

European politics are characterised by a creeping loss of democracy. The EU has become an undemocratic entity, whose policies are determined by bureaucrats who have no democratic accountability.

On the Euro currency:

We call for an end to the Euro experiment and its orderly dissolution. Should the German Federal Parliament not agree to this demand, Germany’s continued membership of the single currency area should be put to a popular vote.…

The Euro actually jeopardises the peaceful co-existence of those European nations who are forced into sharing a common destiny by the Eurocracy. The introduction of this currency has led to resentment and confrontation amongst countries in Europe. Countries incurring economic difficulties within the single currency area are forced to restore their competitiveness by such measures as internal devaluation and associated budgetary constraints (austerity policies), rather than exploiting the tool of currency adjustments. Tensions amongst European nation states can inherently be ascribed to the Euro.

AfD doesn’t just oppose the Euro for altruistic reasons. The party also objects to any form of financial equalization between the richer and poorer euro countries and claims Germany shoulders an unfair burden in propping up the weaker members of the eurozone.

The political programme provides very little on labor policy, but AfD does want to provide financial incentives for Germans to reproduce. Here is the party on low birth rates and immigration:

In order to fight the effects of this negative demographic development, political parties currently in government support mass immigration, mainly from Islamic states, without due consideration of the needs and qualifications of the German labour market. During the past few years it has become evident that Muslim immigrants to Germany,in particular, only attain below-average levels of education, training and employment. As the birth rate is more than 1.8 children amongst immigrants, which is much higher than that of Germans, it will hasten the ethnic-cultural changes in society.

The attempt to counteract these developments by increasing the rate of immigration will inevitably lead to the estab lishment of more parallel communities, particularly inlarge cities, where integration with the native population is already a problem. The spread of conflict-laden and multiple minority communities erodes social solidarity, mutual trust, and public safety, which all are elements of a stable commu- nity. The average level of education will continue to drop.

Greater political support for parental work, as well as education and family policies which are focused on the needs of families and young couples wanting to start a family, will once again lead to birth rates at a self-sustaining rate in the medium to long-term. We regard the closing of the gap between the actual number of children being born, and the desire of 90% of young Germans to have children, as a central element of our political platform.

The document goes on for many pages about protecting the nation’s culture and how Islam is not a good fit for Germany. What exactly  is that culture?

The AfD is committed to German as the predominant culture. This culture is derived from three sources: firstly, the religious traditions of Christianity; secondly, the scientific and humanistic heritage, whose ancient roots were renewed during the period of Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment; and thirdly, Roman law, upon which our constitutional state is founded.

Islam does not belong to Germany. Its expansion and the ever-increasing number of Muslims in the country are viewed by the AfD as a danger to our state, our society, and our values. An Islam which neither respects nor refrains from being in conflict with our legal system, or that even lays claim to power as the only true religion, is incompatible with our legal system and our culture. Many Muslims live as law-abiding and well-integrated citizens amongst us, and are accepted and valued members of our society. However, the AfD demands that an end is put to the formation and increased segregation by parallel Islamic societies relying
on courts with shari’a laws.

Here is the AfD immigration policy in a nutshell:

Current German and European asylum and refugee policies cannot be continued as in the past. The ill-fitting term “refugee” used for all the people who enter Germany irregularly with the aim to stay here forever, is characteristic of this misguided policy. It is necessary to make a distinction between political refugees and people fleeing from war on the one hand, and irregular migrants on the other. It is the AfD’s view that true refugees should be granted shelter as long as there is war in the countries of origin. Irregular migrants, who are not persecuted, have no right to claim protection, contrary to refugees. Once the reasons for fleeing, such as an end to wars, or political and religious persecution, no longer applies, shall residence permits of refugees be terminated. These refugees need to leave Germany. Germany and its EU partner countries should provide incentives for those who have to leave. It is in the interest of domestic and foreign peace if refugees return to their home countries and contribute to the political, economic and social reconstruction of these countries.

We advocate moderate legal immigration based on qualitative criteria where there is irrefutable demand, which can neither be satisfied from domestic resources, nor by EU immigration. The interests of Germany as a social, economic and cultural nation are paramount.

On militarization,  foreign policy and the US:

Currently, the operational readiness of the German Armed Forces is severely compromised. Due to poor political decisions and mismanagement, our armed forces have been severely neglected for over three decades. …

Wherever German Armed Forces, as part of NATO operations, are involved beyond the borders of its Alliance partners’ territory, shall, in principle, only be carried out under a UN mandate, and only if German security interests are taken into account.

On Germany’s occupation by allied troops (i.e., the US):

…70 years after the end of World War II, and 25 years after the end of a divided Europe, the renegotiation of the status of Allied troops in Germany should be put up for discussion. The status of Allied troops needs to be adapted to Germany’s regained sovereignty. The AfD is committed to the withdrawal of all Allied troops stationed on German soil, and in particular of their nuclear weapons.

And on Russia:

The relationship with Russia is of prime importance, because European security cannot be attained without Russia’s involvement. Therefore, we strive for a peaceful solution of conflicts in Europe, whilst respecting the interests of all parties.

Why Is AfD Surging in Popularity?

AfD is a relatively new party – it was founded in 2013. It first began to gain a foothold among disenchanted voters in East Germany during the refugee crisis in 2017, but with the onset of the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis in Germany, their support has been growing and spreading. What originally made AfD so attractive in East Germany?

According to Manès Weisskircher who researches social movements, political parties, democracy, and the far right at the Institute of Political Science, TU Dresden, AfD’s support in the East can be primarily traced to three factors:

1. The neoliberal ‘great transformation,’ which has massively changed the eastern German economy and continues to lead to emigration and anxiety over personal economic prospects.
2. An ongoing sense of marginalization among East Germans who feel they have never been fully integrated since reunification and resent liberal immigration policies in this context.
3. Deep dissatisfaction with the functioning of the political system and doubt in political participation.

Recent polling contains interesting findings with regards to the AfD. It shows that 44 percent of Germans supporting the party do not have far-right views, but they are more concerned with inflation (90 percent) and immigration (87 percent) than the general public (78 and 56 percent, respectively). A whopping 78 percent of those who said they would vote for AfD said they would do so to show they were unhappy with current policies. https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2023/09/whos-afraid-of-an-alternative-for-germany.html

So, the AfD wants out of the EU or at least for it to change.

The AfD wants a stronger German military with German interests of top priority.

The AfD is not thrilled with being occupied by US troops.

The AfD wants a better relationship with Russia.

The AfD says Islam is not German and that there should be less Islamic immigrants allowed in the country.

While the AfD has its own problems, its rise is demonstrating that Germans are becoming less tolerant of democracy than many thought.

We also have the following video:

14:22

AfD: Prelude to a Hitler Beast?

Germany’s Alternative für Deutshland (Alternative for Germany in English) party celebrated its 10th anniversary on February 6, 2023.

It objects to:
❌More illegal migration
❌More asylum abuse
❌More crime
❌More housing shortage
❌More Cancel Culture

The AfD also asserts, “Now it’s time to change that. And that’s only possible with us.” Many are concerned that the AfD’s growing political influence will impact Germany. Can a strong man worse than Adolf Hitler, that the Bible calls the Beast rise up from Germany? Could Europe reorganize with a small backing to put this leader into place? Does the AfD want to make a deal with Russia? Will Germany make a future deal with Russia that would be opposed to the USA? Does the AfD want religion involved to meet its objectives in such a way that it could support the coming King of the North Beast power that the Bible warns will arise in Europe? Could Europe unite under such a leader according to scripture? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel go over these matters.

Here is a link to our video: AfD: Prelude to a Hitler Beast?

The rise of AfD reminds some of pre-WWII Germany.

We are getting closer and closer to WWIII.

The Bible shows that Europe will change and power will be given to one who looks (cf. Isaiah 10:5-12) to be Germanic:

12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. (Revelation 17:12-13)

Europe will change and the AfD will get several of its wants–much of Islam will be pushed out of Europe.

However, ultimately what will happen in Europe will not turn out well for Germany.

Some items of related interest may include:

Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations? Some claim that these passages refer to a gathering of 10 currently existing nations together, while one group teaches that this is referring to 11 nations getting together. Is that what Revelation 17:12-13 refers to? The ramifications of misunderstanding this are enormous. A related sermon is titled Ten Kings of Revelation and the Great Tribulation.
War is Coming Between Europeans and Arabs Is war really coming between the Arabs and the Europeans? What does Bible prophecy say about that? Do the Central Europeans (Assyria in prophecy) make a deal with the Arabs that will hurt the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Do Catholic or Islamic prophecies discuss a war between Europe and Islam? If so, what is the sequence of events that the Bible reveals? Who does the Bible, Catholic, and Islamic prophecy teach will win such a war?
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? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
European Technology and the Beast of Revelation Will the coming European Beast power would use and develop technology that will result in the taking over of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Is this possible? What does the Bible teach? Here is a related YouTube video: Military Technology and the Beast of Revelation.
The Great Monarch: Biblical and Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies Is the ‘Great Monarch’ of Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies endorsed or condemned by the Bible? Two sermons of related interest are also available: Great Monarch: Messiah or False Christ? and Great Monarch in 50+ Beast Prophecies.
Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.
Might German Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg become the King of the North? Is the former German Defense Minister (who is also the former German Minister for Economics and Technology) one to watch? What do Greco-Roman Catholic, Byzantine, and biblical prophecies suggest? A video of related interest would be: Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg and Europe’s Future. Two shorter video are also available: Blockchain, Karl Guttenberg, and 666and The Middle East, Prophecy, and Karl Theodor zu Guttenberg.
Germany’s Assyrian Roots Throughout History Are the Germanic peoples descended from Asshur of the Bible? Have there been real Christians in Germanic history? What about the “Holy Roman Empire”? There is also a You-Tube video sermon on this titled Germany’s Biblical Origins.
Germany in Biblical and Roman Catholic Prophecy Does Assyria in the Bible equate to an end time power inhabiting the area of the old Roman Empire? What does prophecy say Germany will do and what does it say will happen to most of the German people? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: Alemania en la profecía bíblic. Here are links to two English language sermon videos Germany in Bible Prophecy and The Rise of the Germanic Beast Power of Prophecy. Here is one in the Spanish language: Alemania en profecía Biblica.
USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses Can you point to scriptures, like Daniel 11:39, that point to the USA in the 21st century? This article does. Two related sermon are available: Identifying the USA and its Destruction in Prophecy and Do these 7 prophesies point to the end of the USA?
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin? A related sermon is also available: The Bible, the USA, and the King of the West.
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? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here are links to three related videos: The King of the North is Alive: What to Look Out For, The Future King of the North, and Rise of the Prophesied King of the North.
The Great Monarch: Biblical and Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies Is the ‘Great Monarch’ of Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies endorsed or condemned by the Bible? Two sermons of related interest are also available: Great Monarch: Messiah or False Christ? and Great Monarch in 50+ Beast Prophecies.
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? What about other peoples? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about Africa, Asia, South America, and the Islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon;  When Will the End of the Age Come?;  Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

Burning Man Temple 2016 (RawWriter)

COGwriter

The Burning Man gathering is expected to formally end tonight. Here is some background about it:

Burning Man is a week-long large-scale desert campout^[1] focused on community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance held annually in the western United States.^[2][3] The name of the event comes from its culminating ceremony: the symbolic burning of a large wooden effigy, referred to as the Man, that occurs on the penultimate night of Burning Man, which is the Saturday evening before Labor Day. … The event has been characterized as “countercultural revelry” and has been described by its organizers as an “excuse to party in the desert”. …

Burning Man began as a bonfire ritual on the summer solstice. …

By 1988, Larry Harvey formally named the summer solstice ritual “Burning Man” by titling flyers for the happening as such. This was apparently done to ward off references to “wicker man“, the reputed Celtic pagan practice of burning live sacrifices in human-shaped wicker cages. (Burning Man. Wikipedia, accessed 09/05/230

So, the above points to the Burning Man gathering as some type of pagan sun celebration.

You may have heard about some of the problems that attendees at the Burning Man gathering ran into this year. Here is something related to that from the Associated Press:

Burning Man revelers begin exodus after flooding left tens of thousands stranded in Nevada desert

September 5, 2023

BLACK ROCK DESERT, Nev. (AP) — Muddy roads flooded by a summer storm that left tens of thousands of partygoers stranded for days at the Burning Man counterculture festival had dried up enough by Monday afternoon to allow them to begin their exodus from the northern Nevada desert. …

The festival had been closed to vehicles after more than a half-inch (1.3 centimeters) of rain fell Friday, causing flooding and foot-deep mud. …

The road closures came just before the first of two ceremonial fires signaling an end to the festival was scheduled to begin Saturday night. The event traditionally culminates with the burning of a large wooden effigy shaped like a man and a wood temple structure during the final two nights, but the fires were postponed as authorities worked to reopen exit routes by the end of the Labor Day weekend.

Weather permitting, … the temple is set to go up in flames 8 p.m. Tuesday. …

The annual gathering, which launched on a San Francisco beach in 1986, attracts nearly 80,000 artists, musicians and activists for a mix of wilderness camping and avant-garde performances. Disruptions are part of the event’s recent history: Dust storms forced organizers to temporarily close entrances to the festival in 2018, and the event was twice canceled altogether during the pandemic. …

Amid the flooding, revelers were urged to conserve their food and water, and most remained hunkered down at the site.

Some attendees, however, managed to walk several miles to the nearest town or catch a ride there. https://apnews.com/article/burning-man-flooding-nevada-stranded-0726190c9f8378935e2a3cce7f154785

The Associated Press referred to the attendees as revelers. With that in mind, notice something that the Apostle Paul warned:

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  (Galatians 5:19-21)

Jesus warned:

21For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,j 22greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. 23All these evils come from within, and these are what defile a man.” (Mark 7:21-22, Berean Study Bible)

Michael Snyder posted the following:

Now We Know Why It Was Not A Good Idea To Put Up A “Chapel Of Babel” At Burning Man…

If you put up a blasphemous 60 foot tower and call it “the Chapel of Babel”, you should probably brace yourself for some consequences.  Every year, the Burning Man festival pushes the envelope farther and farther.  It really is the perfect “Mad Max” festival for our rapidly degenerating “Max Max” society.  This year, more than 70,000 people made the trek out into the desert, and that included hordes of celebrities and social media influencers.  At Burning Man, clothing is optional, weirdness is encouraged, and there is very little sexual restraint.  In fact, “the Orgy Dome” at Burning Man has become world famous for the activities that happen there.

You would think that all of that would be enough, but each year organizers try to take things to another level.

This year, they actually allowed artist Michael Garlington to put up a 60 foot tall tower known as “the Chapel of Babel”.  The following comes from his official website…

​From the irresistible imagination of Michael Garlington comes yet another magical creation for Burning Man 2023 – The Chapel of Babel. The Chapel is a re-occurring dream, years in the mind, reaching its manifestation. A hexagonal wooden structure will be clad with Garlington’s signature black-and-white photographs of various sizes creating stunning visuals throughout the structure. The human element in the portraiture, animals, flowers, insects, and leaves, will convey that we all belong here and will hold room for everyone in all versions and reiterations of their expression.

His Chapel of Babel, cloaked in thousands of photos taken over the last 35 years, is a striking sight — a black and white feast featuring cutout images of birds and reptiles, portraits, images of actors Susan Sarandon and Willem Dafoe donning ornate photo paper costumes, constructed and photographed by Garlington.

The top of the tower is capped with a spire of stained glass — actually plastic — that will fill the sculpture with light. There’s a main chamber anchored by a massive color photograph of Garlington’s father, which he calls the Wizard of Pa.

Did he really think that this was a good idea?

And did the organizers of Burning Man really think that this was a good idea?

They had to realize that they were just asking for trouble.

And trouble certainly arrived.

Starting on Friday, tremendous amounts of rain hammered the festival, and it turned the entire celebration into a massive quagmire…

Eventually conditions will dry out and all of those people will be able to travel home.

But do you think that they will have learned anything?

There are things that happen at Burning Man that are so sick and so twisted that I cannot even mention them in this article.

Of course the truth is that our entire society has become extremely sick and extremely twisted. …

Ultimately, the Burning Man festival is simply a microcosm of our society as a whole, … 09/03/23 https://endoftheamericandream.com/now-we-know-why-it-was-not-a-good-idea-to-put-up-a-chapel-of-babel-at-burning-man/

Let’s see some of what the Bible says about the original tower of Babel in the Book of Genesis.

1 Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. 3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. 4 And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. 7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. 9 Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth. (Genesis 11:1-9)

Humanity would not trust God, and built the Tower of Babel based on faulty human reasoning. Like the Burning Man gathering, they pushed self-reliance beyond what should be done.

God then intervened.

We continue to see troubles in many parts of the world.

Regarding the end times, Jesus warned:

12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. (Matthew 24:12)

Yes, lawlessness and hypocrisy is abounding without real love.

God inspired Isaiah to write:

8 Now go, write it before them on a tablet,
And note it on a scroll,
That it may be for time to come,
Forever and ever:
9 That this is a rebellious people,
Lying children,
Children who will not hear the law of the Lord;
10 Who say to the seers, “Do not see,”
And to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us right things;
Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits.
11 Get out of the way,
Turn aside from the path,
Cause the Holy One of Israel
To cease from before us.”

12 Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel:

“Because you despise this word,
And trust in oppression and perversity,
And rely on them,
13 Therefore this iniquity shall be to you
Like a breach ready to fall,
A bulge in a high wall,
Whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant. (Isaiah 30:8-13)

The above is applicable to much of the USA.

More and more are despising the word of God and trusting in perversity.

Destruction is coming to the USA.

The Burning Man gathering was just another sign that many in the USA are going in the wrong direction.

Some items of related interest may include the following:

Might the U.S.A. Be Gone by 2028? Are there prophetic reasons to believe that the USA will not last two complete presidential terms? Yes. There is a tradition attributed to the Hebrew prophet Elijah that humanity had 6,000 years to live before being replaced by God’s Kingdom. There are scriptures, writings in the Talmud, early Christian teachings that support this. Also, even certain Hindu writings support it. Here is a link to a related video: Is the USA prophesied to be destroyed by 2028?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2031 or 20xx? There is also a video titled 6000 Years: When will God’s Kingdom Come? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2023, 2024, or 2025? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation start in 2022 or 2023? Notice also: Can Jesus return in 2023 or 2024? Here is a video in the Spanish language: Es El 2021 el año  de La Gran Tribulación o el Grande Reseteo Financiero.
USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses Can you point to scriptures, like Daniel 11:39, that point to the USA in the 21st century? This article does. Two related sermon are available: Identifying the USA and its Destruction in Prophecy and Do these 7 prophesies point to the end of the USA?
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin? A related sermon is also available: The Bible, the USA, and the King of the West.
Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from lower level leaders? Two related sermons are available The Work per HWA and the Bible and Priority of the Philadelphia Work.
Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word What is the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28? Who is preparing for it? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work.
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Near Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety,’ Zephaniah 2 to ‘gather together,’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on fleeing to a place–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. Two sermon-length videos of related interest are available Physical Protection During the Great Tribulation and Might Petra be the Place of Safety? Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in hundreds of languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.

Eucharist Host in a Monstrance

COGwriter

In his newsletter, Mike Gendron had the following:

The False Christ of Roman Catholicism

We know from God’s inspired Word that false teachers will come and preach another Jesus that the apostles never preached (2 Cor. 11:3-4). So it should not surprise us that there are many counterfeit Christs in false religions masquerading as the true Christ. By far, the most deceptive false Christ is the Eucharist of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Blasphemous Hoax That Deceives Catholics

In The Faith of Millions, a book certified by the Catholic Church to be “free of doctrinal errors”, Catholic priest John O’Brien explains how the Eucharist becomes Jesus during the Mass: “When the priest pronounces the words of consecration, he reaches up into the heavens, brings Christ down from His throne, and places Him upon our altar to be offered up again as the Victim for the sins of man. It is a power greater than that of saints and angels. The priest speaks and lo! Christ, the eternal and omnipotent God, bows His head in humble obedience to the priest’s command.”

The Outrageous Lie and its Implications

As preposterous and unthinkable as this may sound, the Catholic priest is said to have the power to call almighty God down from heaven and continue on an altar what the Lord Jesus finished on the cross (John 19:30). It is unfathomable that Catholics would believe a sinful priest can command our holy God to do anything and that God would actually obey him. Yet, over 200,000 times each day, throughout the world, priests believe they can re-present Jesus as a sacrificial victim for sins. Our Lord Jesus was immersed in the wrath of God and endured excruciating pain once for all time for all sin (Heb. 10:10,12). It is unconscionable that Catholics would want to continue His suffering on their altars. It is also dishonoring to refer to Jesus as a “victim.” He laid His life down on His own initiative as an act of sacrificial love for His sheep (John 10:18). He was a “victor” who defeated death, not a “victim.” (September 2022)

The ceremony that Roman Catholic priests perform is part of their church services. But, traditionalists should understand that early church services were not like Roman Catholic mass.

Here is some information that is in my book, Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church:

What were early church services like?

Scripture-focused.

Teaching in harmony with scriptures (Eusebius, p. 112) is what the original liturgy (or format of services) was like. Notice something about Polycarp and his teachings:

For he would extend his discourse to great length on diverse subjects, and from the actual Scripture which was read he would furnish edification with all demonstration and conviction …

And on the sabbath, when prayer had been made long time on bended knee, he, as was his custom, got up to read; and every eye was fixed upon him. Now the lesson was the Epistles of Paul (Life of Polycarp, Chapter 24. From J. B. Lightfoot, The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 3.2, 1889, pp. 488-506)

As far as the original church services, Polycarp taught using actual scriptures and did so on the Sabbath (Saturday).

Bishop Melito of Sardis (considered a Greco-Roman and COG saint) said during a church service:

First of all, the Scripture about the Hebrew Exodus has been read and the words of the mystery have been explained as to how the sheep was sacrificed and the people were saved. (Melito, Homily on the Passover, Verse 1)

This is of liturgical interest as it shows that the Old Testament was being read, and that Melito may not have been the only speaker and that church service included more than one sermon message.

This is consistent with the Continuing Church of God practice of having a sermonette and sermon or two “split-sermons” as part of weekly church services.

Here is something from a Roman Catholic writer about the early church services, which for this purpose could also be called their ‘liturgy’:

The primary points of contact for our knowledge of the first century liturgy lie on one end with the Jewish liturgies, and the little data which can be gleaned from the New Testament, and … a few texts, reliable but vague, from the second and third century that help us piece together the puzzle. …

The Judeo-Centricity of Early Christianity

1. For about the first 10 years of Christianity, it was almost exclusively composed of Jewish converts.
2. The early Christians were in the habit of attending temple …
3. The early Christians continued celebrating in the Synagogues alongside the Jews on the Sabbath for several years in some places.
4. Up to nineteen years after Christ’s resurrection, new converts to Christianity, generally speaking, had to convert to Judaism before becoming Christian. Namely, they were to be circumcised, to eat Kosher, and to follow the Mosaic Law …

‘Synaxis’ is the Greek word meaning “meeting” and is the organic continuity of the Saturday Synagogue worship. When the Christians were no longer allowed in the synagogues, they continued celebrating approximately the same rite with added Christian developments and themes (like using the New Testament). The original liturgies would have been held, like the synagogue service, in Hebrew, and some of the words, like “amen” and “hallelujah,” survive to this day. In the early part of the first century, it is unlikely that the Synaxis would have been recognizably different from the Synagogue service except for the setting. …

Basic Structure

1. Greeting and Response (The Lord be with you – or Peace be unto you)
2. Lections & Psalmody (The Jews read in order of descending importance, starting with the Pentateuch. The early Christian kept the original order of the Synagogue, but as Christian Scripture became available, it was tacked on at the end. Thus the order of importance became reversed for Christians. They read in ascending order of importance)
   Old Testament Reading
   ii. Psalmody (or chanted Psalm)
   iii. New Testament Reading (sometimes included non-canonical books like 1 Clement)
   iv. Psalmody
   v. Gospel Reading
3. Homily (Bishop delivers while seated)
4. Dismissal of Catechumens by Deacon
5. Intercessory Prayers of the Faithful
6. Dismissal of the Faithful

Occasionally a collection would be taken for the poor at the end. …

By the end of the first century, the standard Christian liturgical observations would be as follows. On Saturday, you would attend the Synaxis.

(Troutman TA. Christian Worship in the First Century. Called to Communion.  © 2017 June 17, 2010. http://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/06/christian-worship-in-the-first-century/#footnote_2_5127 accessed 07/06/20)

(Note: The term catechuman refers to a Christian convert who is under instruction before baptism.)

While some of the above details can be debated, yes, original church services (called the Synaxis above—synaxis means ‘congregating’ or ‘meeting’) were on Saturday. In time, the Greco-Romans adopted Sunday (with the Greeks retaining some aspects on Saturday), but the faithful in Judea/Palestine, Asia Minor, Antioch, etc. held to Saturday.

In the CCOG, similar to the previous listed “liturgy,” we have three sets of hymns/psalms, a short message, a sermon/homily, and a closing prayer. We accept Jesus’ “once for all” sacrifice (Romans 6:10), hence do not attempt to repeat it. We also have an opening prayer, as well as announcements, both of which likely were also part of the early Christian liturgy.

There was no daily nor weekly “sacrifice” of Jesus either—which is consistent with scriptures like:

¹⁰ For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; (Romans 6:10, OSB)

²⁴ … Christ …  ²⁵ … does not have to offer himself again and again, as the high priest goes into the sanctuary year after year with the blood that is not his own, ²⁶ or else he would have had to suffer over and over again since the world began. As it is, he has made his appearance once and for all, at the end of the last age, to do away with sin by sacrificing himself. (Hebrews 9:24-26, NJB)

¹⁰ And this will was for us to be made holy by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ made once and for all. (Hebrews 10:10, NJB)

So, no, early Christians did not have a “mass” where Jesus was regularly sacrificed. The New Testament is clear that Jesus was only sacrificed once.

This is known, of course, to Roman Catholic writers. Here is something from one of them:

The Letter to the Hebrews makes clear that Jesus definitively ended the need for the repetitive animal sacrifices of Temple worship, when he suffered and died once for all (Heb. 7:27). In doing so, he culminated his one Sacrifice of Calvary in everlasting glory in the heavenly sanctuary, not a mere earthly one, (Hebrews 8:1-3; 9:11-12, 23-24); (Nash T. Divinely Planned Obsolescence. The Catholic World Report, December 3, 2017).

Yes, Jesus was sacrificed once, and does not need to be sacrificed again. The Christian Passover is a memorial of the event, not a repeating of it.

Mike Gendron’s same newsletter also had the following:

Worshiping the Eucharist Is Idolatry

Catholics who worship the Eucharist can be compared to the Israelites who worshiped the golden calf as their true God (Exodus 32:4). The punishment imposed by God for their most serious sin of idolatry was death (Exodus 32:27-28). The same sin of idolatry is committed by Catholics who worship the Eucharist as the true Christ. Catholics must be warned that the resurrected and exalted Christ is too awesome and glorious to be captured in any image, let alone a wafer (Exodus 20:4-6). They need to know that God seeks worshipers in spirit and truth (John 4:24).

What Must We Instruct Catholics To Do?

If we truly love Catholics we must warn them of their pending peril. They must repent and “flee from idolatry” (1 Cor. 10:14). Paul warned that those who practice idolatry will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21). They need to become true disciples of Christ by abiding in God’s Word. Then they will know the truth and the truth will set them free from religious bondage and deception (John 8:31-32).

That said, did early Christians use a round eucharistic host?

No.

A careful comparison of what is taught in the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church along with eucharistic practices should make this clear to any truly interested in the truth.

Let’s first start out with two translations of a quote from the Apostle Paul:

1 Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1, Douay-Rheims)

1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1, NKJV)

The Apostle Paul is teaching that Christians are to follow or imitate him as he imitates Christ (the Greek word translated as follow/imitate above is mimetes; the English word mimic comes from it). Thus, all should be careful to carefully follow Jesus and the Apostle Paul in this regard.

Notice what the Apostle John wrote:

6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. (1 John 2:6)

Article 3, under the Seven Sacraments of the Church in the Catechism of the Catholic Church discusses the eucharist. Section II asks and answers the question, What is this Sacrament Called? Several names are listed, including “The Breaking of Bread” (#1329).

It also states the following:

1339 Jesus choose the time of the Passover…And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them…(Catechism of the Catholic Church. Imprimatur Potest +Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. Doubleday, NY 1995, p. 373)

Now the above is scriptural. Here are some related scriptures:

19 And the disciples did as Jesus appointed to them, and they prepared the pasch.

26 And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke: and gave to his disciples, and said: Take ye, and eat. This is my body. (Matthew 26:19,26 Douay-Rheims)

22 And whilst they were eating, Jesus took bread; and blessing, broke, and gave to them, and said: Take ye. This is my body. (Mark 14:22, Douay-Rheims)

19 And taking bread, he gave thanks, and brake; and gave to them, saying: This is my body, which is given for you. Do this for a commemoration of me. (Luke 22:19, Douay-Rheims)

Notice, it is very clear that Jesus BROKE the bread on Passover (Pasch means Passover).

The Apostle Paul confirmed that it was the practice of the early Christians to break bread:

16 The chalice of benediction, which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ ? And the bread, which we break, is it not the partaking of the body of the Lord? (1 Corinthians 10:16, Douay-Rheims).

23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread.

24 And giving thanks, broke, and said: Take ye, and eat: this is my body, which shall be delivered for you: this do for the commemoration of me. (1 Corinthians 11:23-24, Douay-Rheims)

The Apostle Paul followed Jesus’ practice and broke bread (see also Early Christianity and the Eucharist?).

Roman Catholic Priest and scholar Bagatti admits that the original “Eucharist” was not like the one that is now used by his church:

At first the celebration of the Eucharist or “the breaking of bread” was not associated with the readings and ritual prayers, but with the agape, in imitation of the Supper of the Lord. (Bagatti, Bellarmino. Translated by Eugene Hoade. The Church from the Circumcision. Nihil obstat: Marcus Adinolfi, 13 Maii 1970. Imprimi potest: Herminius Roncari, 14 Junii 1970. Imprimatur: +Albertus Gori, die 26 Junii 1970. Franciscan Printing Press, Jerusalem, 1971, p. 114)

By “Supper of the Lord,” Priest Bagatti essentially means the New Testament Passover—which is only an annual event.

Furthermore, notice what The Catholic Encyclopedia teaches in its article “Host”:

… the first Christians … simply used the bread that served as food. It seems that the form differed but little from what it is in our day. The loaves discovered in an oven of a bakery at Pompeii weighed about a pound each. One of these, being perfectly preserved, measured about seven inches in diameter and was creased with seven ridges which facilitated the breaking of the loaf without the aid of a knife. (Leclercq, Henri. “Host.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 7. Nihil Obstat. June 1, 1910. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 28 Feb. 2011 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07489d.htm>)

Notice the article basically says that the practice of the first Christians, which is consistent with the Bible, was to use normal loaves of bread that resemble what is still in use today. And that it was broken. (The article never says where the round host actually came from, other than it was first mentioned in writing in the fourth century by Epiphanius and that earlier paintings in catacombs and bas-reliefs showed something like that. But I should state that the oldest early painting in a catacomb I am aware of has a woman, Priscilla, presiding over the ceremony, so the Church of Rome may wish to be careful about relying on that as they do not allow women to do that. Hence, the earliest picture of the eucharist host did not come from what is practiced in today’s Roman Catholicism–so the question from whence the Catholics adopted it remains.)

Thus, to have a Passover/eucharistic ceremony where the bread is not broken is certainly not imitating Jesus, the Apostle Paul, nor the early Christians. It is a change that the Church of Rome must have gotten outside of the Bible.

Yet, in the eucharistic ceremonies in the Roman Catholic Church, the bread is not broken. Instead, it is a round host that the Catechism of the Catholic Church says can/should be worshipped and adored (CCC #1378, p. 385). Yet, there is no indication that the early Christians or the apostles did anything like that.

They basically taught that it was to be eaten.

Worshipers of sun-gods worshiped round symbols. Early Christians did not.

As far as the word “host”, The Catholic Encyclopedia teaches:

The bread destined to receive Eucharistic Consecration is commonly called the host , and though this term may likewise be applied to the bread and wine of the Sacrifice , it is more especially reserved to the bread.

According to Ovid the word comes from hostis, enemy: “Hostibus a domitis hostia nomen habet”, because the ancients offered their vanquished enemies as victims to the gods. However, it is possible that hostia is derived from hostire, to strike, as found in Pacuvius. (Leclercq, Henri. “Host.”)

The word “host” (or derivatives) do not appear to be a direct translation of any of the original Hebrew or Greek that the Bible was actually written in. Hence, it does not seem to be a biblical term, but instead may have pagan ties according to certain Roman Catholic researchers. Does anyone really think that Jesus wanted to be considered the “host” of pagan militaristic rituals?

Since it did not come from the Bible, the Eucharistic Host is not holy.

It has been reported that there were many similarities between ancient pagan Egyptian practices and the Roman eucharist:

The Egyptians celebrated ten great mysteries on ten different nights of the year. The first was the night of the evening meal (literally the last supper), and the laying of offerings on the altar…

The altar or communion-table thus provisioned was the coffin lid. This also was continued in the ritual of Rome, for it is a fact that the earliest Christian altar was a coffin. According to Blunt’s Dictionary of Doctrinal and Historical Theology (p. 16), this was a hollow chest, on the lid or mensa of which the eucharist was celebrated. This, as Egyptian, was the coffin of Osiris that constituted the altar on which the provisions were laid in Sekhem for the eucharistic meal. Hence the resurrection is described as “dawn upon the coffin of Osiris.” Therefore he rose in spirit from the mummy in the coffin, beneath the lid which constituted the table. This was the body supposed to be eaten as the eucharist, which was represented by the provisions that were laid upon the altar for the sacramental meal…The first of the Osirian mysteries is the primary Christian sacrament. “Provisioning the altar ” was continued by the Church of Rome. “The mysteries laid upon the altar” which preceded ” the communion of the body and blood of Christ ” were then eaten in the eucharistic meal (Neale, Rev. J. M., The Liturgies, Introd., p. 33). Thus we see in the camera obscura that the provisions laid on the altar or table represented the flesh and blood of the victim about to be eaten sacramentally. The night of the things that were laid upon the altar is the night of the great sacrifice, with Osiris as the victim. The things laid on the altar for the evening meal represented the body and blood of the Lord. These, as the bread and wine, or flesh and beer, were transelementecl or transubstantiated by the descent of Ra the holy spirit, which quickened and transformed the mummy Osiris into the risen sahu, the unleavened bread into the leavened, the water into wine. Osiris, the sacrifice, was the giver of himself as “the food which never perishes” (Rit, ch. 89).

The Christian liturgies are reckoned to be the “most pure sources of eucharistical doctrine.” And liturgy appears to have been the groundwork of the Egyptian ritual. It is said by one of the priests (Rit., ch. i), “I am he who reciteth the liturgies of the soul who is lord of Tattu “—that is, of Osiris who establishes a soul for ever in conjunction with Ra the holy spirit in the mysteries of Amenta. In one character Osiris was eaten as the Bull of Eternity, who gave his flesh and blood as sustenance for humanity, and who was the divine providence as the provider of food. (Massey G. Ancient Egypt, the light of the world: a work of reclamation and restitution in twelve books, Volume 1. T. F. Unwin, 1907. Original from Princeton University, Digitized Mar 19, 2008, pp. 220-221)

A more recent author reported, somewhat “tongue-in-cheek”:

Of course, average Catholics have no idea their beloved Eucharist is nothing more than an updated version of an ancient Babylonian occult practice. When this religion spread to Egypt, the Egyptians worshipped the sun god, Osiris, and the priests claimed “to have magical powers which enabled [the priests] to change the great Sun God, Osiris, into a wafer.” Because the Eucharist is based upon the ancient worship of the sun, the host is made into the shape of a circle—the shape of the sun…Alberto warns that Catholics are also unaware that the initials on their hosts, IHS, really stand for the Egyptian gods Isis, Hoeb, and Seb. This was the origin of the Catholic practice of the Eucharist, the central act of worship in Roman Catholicism. ..

As this religious system was forming, many Christians realized the real occult nature of the Catholic Church and rejected it. They fled into the hills and took the true copies of the Scriptures with them. When they were caught, they were given the choice to convert or be killed. This is the origin of such groups as the Waldneses and Anabaptists. (Gonzalez D. Steps of Grace. Dog Ear Publishing, 2010, p. 39)

Now, some of the above seems to be his former belief and speculative (and understand that not all who were called Waldneses or Anabaptists were true Christians). Yet it is clear that the round host most certainly did not come from the Bible nor the earliest faithful Christians.

Some may argue that it matters not what ancient pagans did to worship their gods. But notice what the Bible teaches:

2 Destroy all the places in which the nations, that you shall possess, worshipped their gods upon high mountains, and hills, and under every shady tree: 3 Overthrow their altars, and break down their statues, burn their groves with fire, and break their idols in pieces: destroy their names out of those places. 4 You shall not do so to the Lord your God (Deuteronomy 12:2-4, Douay-Rheims)

29 When the Lord thy God shall have destroyed before thy face the nations, which then shalt go in to possess, and when thou shalt possess them, and dwell in their land: 30 Beware lest thou imitate them, after they are destroyed at thy coming in, and lest thou seek after their ceremonies, saying: As these nations have worshipped their gods, so will I also worship. 31 Thou shalt not do in like manner to the Lord thy God. For they have done to their gods all the abominations which the Lord abhorreth (Deuteronomy 12:29-31, Douay-Rheims).

So God does not want altars, like the pagans had, to be used to worship Him. Nor does He want their practices continued.

And while some have argued that the reason God allowed the pagans to have the practices that they did was so that they would later accept Christ, the reality is that the early Christians did not have a round Eucharistic host that was consecrated over an altar. There is no justification in scripture nor in the earliest traditions of the Christian church for getting away from the practices of Jesus and Paul in this area.

As far as the origin of the initials IHS, The Catholic Encyclopedia offers an alternative explanation:

IHS

A monogram of the name of Jesus Christ. From the third century the names of our Saviour are sometimes shortened, particularly in Christian inscriptions (IH and XP, for Jesus and Christus). In the next century the “sigla” (chi-rho) occurs not only as an abbreviation but also as a symbol . From the beginning, however, in Christian inscriptions the nomina sacra, or names of Jesus Christ, were shortened by contraction, thus IC and XC or IHS and XPS for Iesous Christos. These Greek monograms continued to be used in Latin during the Middle Ages. Eventually the right meaning was lost, and erroneous interpretation of IHS led to the faulty orthography “Jhesus”… Towards the close of the Middle Ages IHS became a symbol , quite like the chi-rho in the Constantinian period. (Maere, René. “IHS.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 7. Nihil Obstat. June 1, 1910. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York. Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 28 Feb. 2011 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07649a.htm>)

The familiar monogram I H S was first popularized by St. Bernardine of Siena in the early fifteenth century (Hassett, Maurice. “Monogram of Christ.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. Nihil Obstat. October 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York. Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 28 Feb. 2011 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10488a.htm>).

Notice the following from another Roman Catholic author (bolding mine):

SAINT BERNADINE OF SIENA 1380-1444…He is especially remembered for his zeal…and he popularized, with the help of St. John Capistrano, a symbol representing the Holy Name. The Gothic letters for the name of Jesus, “IHS,” were set in a blazing sun to whose tongues of fire and spreading rays he attributed mystical significance. For a time the Saint was denounced as a heretic and the symbol regarded as idolatrous…(Cruz JC. The Incorruptibles. Nihil Obstat Henry C. Bezon, November 11, 1974. Imprimatur +Philip M. Hannan, Archbishop of New Orleans, November 19, 1974. TAN Books 1977, p. 127)

IHS…{an} innovation over five hundred years ago. (Cruz, p. 127)

Notice that the IHS and the use of the sun as symbols were innovations, and that the promoter was properly condemned as a heretic when he initially promoted them. Innovations like that were NOT part of the earliest tradition of the Christian church and have pagan elements.

So, the Roman Catholics are not truly clear where IHS came from, they suggest that IHS appeared in Roman Catholicism no earlier than the fourth century, and that for centuries their church did not know the meaning of the abbreviation, it did not become popular until much later, and the one who popularized it was denounced as a heretic promoting idolatry. This, of course, is not proof that IHS did or did not come from Egypt. Yet, the lack of knowing where IHS came from supports the possibility that it likely came from outside of Christianity.

The use of broken bread, without IHS, is still observed by faithful groups in the 21st century like the Continuing Church of God.

Do you follow the practices of the early faithful Christians?

Most who profess Christianity, including the various forms of Protestantism, do not.

Some articles to assist in your studies may include:

Early Christianity and the Eucharist? What does ‘eucharist’ mean? Did early Christians tie it in with Passover? Should it be a rounded host? Here is a link to a related sermon: Eucharist, Passover, and Easter.
Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession? Did the original “catholic church” have doctrines held by the Continuing Church of God? Did Church of God leaders uses the term “catholic church” to ever describe the church they were part of? Here are links to related sermons: Original Catholic Church of God?, Original Catholic Doctrine: Creed, Liturgy, Baptism, Passover, What Type of Catholic was Polycarp of Smyrna?, Tradition, Holy Days, Salvation, Dress, & Celibacy, Early Heresies and Heretics, Doctrines: 3 Days, Abortion, Ecumenism, Meats, Tithes, Crosses, Destiny, and more, Saturday or Sunday?, The Godhead, Apostolic Laying on of Hands Succession, Church in the Wilderness Apostolic Succession List, Holy Mother Church and Heresies, and Lying Wonders and Original Beliefs. Here is a link to that book in the Spanish language: Creencias de la iglesia Católica original.
Marcus, the Marcosians, & Mithraism: Developers of the Greco-Roman 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? Where did IHS and the host come from?
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism The CCOG is NOT Protestant. This free online book explains how the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants. Several sermons related to the free book are also available: Protestant, Baptist, and CCOG History; The First Protestant, God’s Command, Grace, & Character; The New Testament, Martin Luther, and the Canon; Eucharist, Passover, and Easter; Views of Jews, Lost Tribes, Warfare, & Baptism; Scripture vs. Tradition, Sabbath vs. Sunday; Church Services, Sunday, Heaven, and God’s Plan; Seventh Day Baptists/Adventists/Messianics: Protestant or COG?; Millennial Kingdom of God and God’s Plan of Salvation; Crosses, Trees, Tithes, and Unclean Meats; The Godhead and the Trinity; Fleeing or Rapture?; and Ecumenism, Rome, and CCOG Differences.
What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons? Did Catholic and Orthodox “saints” endorse or condemn idols and icons for Christians? A related sermon is available: The Second Commandment, Idols, and Icons.
Early Church History: Who Were the Two Major Groups that Professed Christ in the Second and Third Centuries? Did you know that many in the second and third centuries felt that there were two major, and separate, professing Christian groups in the second century, but that those in the majority churches tend to now blend the groups together and claim “saints” from both? “Saints” that condemn some of their current beliefs. Who are the two groups? A related sermon is also available Christianity: Two groups.
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? A sermon video from Vatican City is titled Church of Rome, Mithras, and Isis?
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, French: L’Histoire Continue de l’Église de Dieu and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
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?

Call of Duty video cover (Activision)

COGwriter

The European Union’ Digital Services Act has been in place since late last month. Here is one report about it:

Making sure digital rules protect and benefit all Europeans

September 4, 2023

Harmonised EU rules are important to businesses and consumers alike. That is why Europe needs to focus on the effective implementation and enforcement of the Digital Services Act (DSA), which started to apply to very large companies on 28 August. The EU should also make sure that new legislative proposals do not contradict the landmark DSA.

Europeans need to see the tangible results and benefits of these new digital content rules. This means that lawmakers should take enough time to see what works, and what doesn’t, within this new framework before adding new layers of legislation.

The European Commission has proposed an update of the EU product liability regime in order to better protect consumers in the digital era. https://www.project-disco.org/european-union/making-sure-digital-rules-protect-and-benefit-all-europeans/

Harmonized rules from the EU can point to totalitarianism. The Digital Services Act (DSA) is another step towards this and 666 controls. I do not see that the DSA really protects consumers as much as it forces controls against internet content that the EU does not wish to allow.

Michael Snyder posted the following related to the SDA:

Direct Government Censorship Of The Internet Is Here

Censorship of the Internet has been getting worse for years, but we just crossed a threshold which is going to take things to a whole new level. On August 25th, a new law known as the “Digital Services Act” went into effect in the European Union. Under this new law, European bureaucrats will be able to order big tech companies to censor any content that is considered to be “illegal”, “disinformation” or “hate speech”. That includes content that is posted by users outside of the European Union, because someone that lives in the European Union might see it. …

Of course mainstream news outlets such as the Washington Post are attempting to put a positive spin on this new law.  We are being told that it will “safeguard” us from “illegal content” and “disinformation”…

New rules meant to safeguard people from illegal content, targeted ads, unwanted algorithmic feeds and disinformation online are finally in force, thanks to new regulation in the European Union that took effect this month.

Doesn’t that sound wonderful?

When this new law was first approved, NPR admitted that it will enable European governments to “take down a wide range of content”…

Under the EU law, governments would be able to ask companies take down a wide range of content that would be deemed illegal, including material that promotes terrorism, child sexual abuse, hate speech and commercial scams.

In addition to “illegal content” and “hate speech”, the Digital Services Act also applies to “hoaxes” and any material that is considered to be “disinformation”.  The following comes from the official website of the European Commission…

At the same time, the DSA regulates very large online platforms’ and very large online search engines responsibilities when it comes to systemic issues such as disinformation, hoaxes and manipulation during pandemics, harms to vulnerable groups and other emerging societal harms.

These new content rules are so vague that they could apply to just about anything.

And that is precisely what they want.

From this point forward, if you post something that they do not like, they will have the power to have it taken down.

Even if you don’t live in the European Union, they can have your content taken down, because someone in the European Union might see it. …

Once we get to February 24th, 2024, the Digital Services Act will also apply to a vast multitude of smaller platforms.

At that point, it will be very difficult to escape the reach of this new law.

And just to make sure that they can keep a very close eye on things, the EU just established a brand new office in San Francisco on June 22nd…

European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton cut the ribbon to commemorate the official launch of the European Union’s San Francisco office on Thursday, June 22, alongside Lieutenant Governor of California Eleni Kounalakis, California State Senator Scott Wiener, and Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs Adrian Vazquez.

“I am very glad to be here today in Silicon Valley, a global centre for digital technology and innovation, to officially inaugurate the new European Union office in San Francisco,” Commissioner Breton said in his keynote address to an audience of business and technology sector leaders. “As like-minded partners who strive for reciprocity and common principles, all while respecting our respective democratic processes, our transatlantic ties are more relevant than ever in the area of technology.”

For many years, the Internet was one of the last bastions for free speech.

But now everything has changed. 08/31/23 http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/direct-government-censorship-of-the-internet-is-here/

The EU has made the penalties for non-compliance so severe that social media companies will have to censor a lot to reduce the chances of fines.

While you might think that your “private” chats on the internet will not be bothered, notice the following:

Call of Duty to snoop on players for ‘hate speech’

The bestselling shooter will use AI to police in-game chat

1 September 2023

Games publisher Activision has announced that it will use artificial intelligence to listen in on the voice chat of ‘Call of Duty’ players and punish anyone using “hate speech” or “discriminatory language.” 

The feature was rolled out on Wednesday for US players of Call Of Duty’s ‘Modern Warfare II’ and ‘Warzone’ titles, and will be launched globally with ‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III’ on November 10.

In a statement on Wednesday, Activision said that it will use a machine learning tool to “identify in real-time and enforce against toxic speech,” including “hate speech, discriminatory language, harassment and more.” 

Activision’s announcement made no distinction between private chat among teammates and public chat audible to all players in a server. Presumably, both will be subject to the same monitoring.

Call Of Duty’s code of conduct bans insults based on race, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, culture, faith, and country of origin. Players deemed to have breached this code of conduct will be punished with temporary voice chat restrictions, temporary account bans, or permanent bans for repeat offenders, Activision said.

Around 90 million gamers worldwide play Call of Duty every month. At present, Activision depends on reports from other players and text chat monitoring to weed out allegedly “toxic” conduct. …

Players will be unable to opt out of being listened to, except by disabling voice chat entirely. https://www.rt.com/pop-culture/582245-call-of-duty-hate-speech/

I have never played ‘Call of Duty,’ but the fact that the German supplier feels that it must now be able to take down chats among gamers, in my view, points to the long reach of the DSA.

As far as the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) goes, we have put out numerous videos over the years warning about its potential and expectation of totalitarian 666 abuse (watch Artificial Intelligence and Prophecy, ChatGPT and 666, AI Jesus? Artificial Intelligence God?, and Is AI in the Bible?).

Europe keeps taking steps along the lines of 666 controls. The Digital Services Act reminds me of the following:

18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. (2 Peter 2:18-20)

But, of course, it is not just the European Union. Big Tech has its own agenda and has been suppressing information, including political information, it does not like. One apparent goal of Big Tech is to remove a variety of biblically-related content because it does not like many aspects of biblical morality (such as what I reported here yesterday; see: YouTube censors and removes ‘New Transgender Study’ as the ‘Censorship Industrial Complex’ expands).

The DSA is another step towards expanding what has been called the Censorship Industrial Complex:

Welcome to the Censorship Industrial Complex. It’s rather like the old “military industrial complex,” which was shorthand for the military, private companies, and academia working together to achieve U.S. battlefield dominance, with the R&D funded by the government that buys the final product.

But the censorship industrial complex builds algorithms, not bombers. The players aren’t Raytheon and Boeing, but social media companies, tech startups, and universities and their institutes. The foes to be dominated are American citizens whose opinions diverge from government narratives on issues ranging from COVID-19 responses to electoral fraud to transgenderism. …

More telling is the group’s attitude toward what it called “mal-information” – typically information that is true, but contrary to the preferred narratives of the censor. Dr. Starbird wrote in an email, “Unfortunately current public discourse (in part a result of information operations) seems to accept malinformation as ‘speech’ and within democratic norms …” Therein lies a dilemma for the censors, as Starbird wrote: “So, do we bend into a pretzel to counter bad faith efforts to undermine CISA’s mission? Or do we put down roots and own the ground that says this tactic is part of the suite of techniques used to undermine democracy?”

It is chilling that there is no consideration of whether the information is true or of the public’s right to know it. “Democracy” in this formulation is whatever maintains the government’s narrative. …

Welcome to the Censorship Industrial Complex. https://realclearwire.com/articles/2023/08/29/docs_offer_glimpse_inside_censorship_industrial_complex_149684.html

As far as the EU goes, back in November 2018, the European Union announced it would spend a billion euros on a quantum computer and several billion more on related matters (see EU to spend one billion euros on quantum tech to compete with USA and China; France’s Macron wants European military spending to go to European firms; ‘Europe Must Rebel’).

The spending, along with the DSA, is getting the Europeans to the point that they can fulfill various prophecies, such as the following:

15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. (Revelation 13:15-18)

The totalitarian ability to control buying and selling to the degree listed above was not possible when Jesus had the Apostle John pen the Book of the Apocalypse over 1900 years ago.

But, it is now possible.

Back in December 2020, the European Union (EU) unveiled its Digital Services Act. I warned it had totalitarian implications then (see ‘EU ‘regrets’ new US tariffs’ & ‘EU Unveils New Rules to Curb Technology Companies’).

Europe has placed a lot of pressure on big tech to censor.

Yet, even more censorship is coming.