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‘Chrislam Cross’ (Vatican News)

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Pope Francis reportedly is pushing for an interfaith platform like ‘Chrislam’:

Multi-faith committee set up to spread Pope Francis’ claim that God wills ‘diversity of religions’

A multi-faith “higher committee” was announced this week to implement the “Human Fraternity” document signed by Pope Francis and a Grand Imam in February that stated, among other things, that a “pluralism and diversity” of religions is “willed by God.”

Prominent members of the committee that has been set up in Abu Dhabi include Pope Francis’ personal secretary Monsignor Yoannis Lahzi Gaid, Bishop Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and Judge Mohamed Mahmoud Abdel Salam, Advisor to the Grand Imam. …

Grand Imam of Al Azhar Al Sharif said the formation of the higher committee comes at a time when all peace lovers are required to unite and join the efforts to spread coexistence, brotherhood, and tolerance throughout the world, reported Emirates News Agency in an August 22 report. …

The Declaration has been widely criticized for claiming that a “diversity of religions” is “willed by God,” a statement incompatible with Catholic doctrine. It says: “The pluralism and the diversity of religions, colour, sex, race and language are willed by God in His wisdom, through which He created human beings.”

Critics say this amounts to putting the Catholic faith and its worship of the God of revelation on a same plane with religions that do not worship the true God and deliberate reject Him. It also contradicts the teaching according to which there is no salvation outside of the Catholic Church.

In a direct exchange between Pope Francis and Bishop Athanasius Schneider that took place in March 2019, Pope Francis said that the phrase in question on the diversity of religions meant “the permissive will of God,” giving explicit permission to Bishop Schneider to quote his words.

Following his meeting with Pope Francis, Bishop Schneider told Diane Montagna of LifeSiteNews:

“I tried to go more deeply into the question, at least by quoting the sentence as it reads in the document. The sentence says that as God wills the diversity of sexes, color, race and language, so God wills the diversity of religions. There is an evident comparison between the diversity of religions and the diversity of sexes.

“I mentioned this point to the Holy Father, and he acknowledged that, with this direct comparison, the sentence can be understood erroneously. I stressed in my response to him that the diversity of sexes is not the permissive will of God but is positively willed by God. And the Holy Father acknowledged this and agreed with me that the diversity of the sexes is not a matter of God’s permissive will.

“But when we mention both of these phrases in the same sentence, then the diversity of religions is interpreted as positively willed by God, like the diversity of sexes. The sentence therefore leads to doubt and erroneous interpretations, and so it was my desire, and my request that the Holy Father rectify this. But he said to us bishops: you can say that the phrase in question on the diversity of religions means the permissive will of God.”

This private acknowledgment on the part of Pope Francis was not followed by any public clarification or rectification of the Abu Dhabi Declaration, which as it stands, still contains this troubling assertion that some critics say amounts to material heresy. …

The letter’s signatory, Bishop Miguel Ayuso Guixot, secretary of the Pontifical Council, asked professors as well as priests and religious active in universities “to facilitate the distribution, the study, and the reception” of the Document.

The creation of a “higher committee” constitutes a further step in the promotion of a gravely problematic document, this time under the form of a joint initiative involving high-ranking members of the Catholic hierarchy and Muslim dignitaries of the prestigious Sunnite university of Al-Azhar in Cairo and others who share its (at least apparent) drive to implement a restructured, relativist type of Islam that also purports to accept a “diversity of religions” as compatible with the will of Allah.

Bishop Miguel Ayuso Guixot, who is now president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Relations, is the higher committee’s most high-ranking Catholic member. 08/22/19 https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/multi-faith-committee-set-up-to-spread-pope-francis-claim-that-god-wills-diversity-of-religions

While God has allowed humankind to set up its own systems and religions, it is not His will that all religions be considered the same.

As far as Islam goes, here is some information in chapter 6 of my free online book, Proof Jesus is the Messiah:

6. Muslim Concerns

Do Muslims believe Jesus was the Messiah?

Yes, but not the same way Christians do.

They also believe in His virgin birth, but do not consider that He was the Son of God.

Consider:

The Quran refers to Jesus 35 times as “Isa ibn Maryam” (Jesus, son of Mary), a phrase occurring only once in the New Testament (Mark 6:3). The fact that he is not called the son of Joseph underscores Islamic agreement with Christians that Mary was a virgin when she conceived Jesus. (Morgan D. Essential Islam: A Comprehensive Guide to Belief and Practice. ABC-CLIO, 2010, p. 43)

Here is one example:

That is Jesus, son of Mary, in word of truth, concerning which they are doubting. It is not for God to take a son unto Him. Glory be to Him! (Sura 19:35, as shown in The Koran Interpreted: A Translation by A. J. Arberry. Touchstone, NY, 1955)

Related to the virgin birth, the following are also from The Koran Interpreted a translation by A. J. Arberry (Sura chapters are correct, but verses are estimates as they were not completely delineated in the text used):

And mention in the Book Mary when she withdrew from her people to an eastern place, and she took a veil apart from them; then We sent unto her Our Spirit that presented himself to her a man without fault. She said, “I take refuge in the All-merciful from thee!

If thou fearest God. . . He said, “I am but a messenger come from thy Lord, to give thee a boy most pure.

She said, “How shall I have a son whom no mortal has touched, neither have I been unchaste?” He said, “Even so thy Lord has said: “Easy is that for Me; and that We may appoint him a sign unto men and a mercy from Us; it is a thing decreed.’“

So she conceived him, and withdrew with him to a distant place. And the birthpangs surprised her by the trunk of the palm-tree. (Sura 19:18-21)

And she who guarded her virginity, so We breathed into her of Our spirit and appointed her and her son to be a sign unto all beings. (Sura 21:91)

The context (which I have read) makes it clear that this was a reference to Mary and Jesus. Islam accepts the virgin birth as well as the fact that Jesus performed miracles.

Now, as it turns out, Muslims also do believe that Jesus was the Messiah, but they reject His divinity, execution, and resurrection.

When the angels said, “Mary, God gives thee good tidings of a Word from Him whose name is Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary; high honoured shall he be in this world and the next, near stationed to God. He shall speak to men in the cradle, and of age, and righteous he shall be.” (Sura 3:41)

“We slew the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, the Messenger of God” — yet they did not slay him, neither crucified him, only a likeness of that was shown to them. Those who are at variance concerning him surely are in doubt regarding him; they have no knowledge of him, except the following of surmise; and they slew him not of a certainty — no indeed; God raised him up to Him; God is All-mighty, All-wise.

There is not one of the People of the Book but will assuredly believe in him before his death, and on the Resurrection Day he will be a witness against them. (Sura 4:157-159)

And We sent Noah, and Abraham, and We appointed the Prophecy and the Book to be among their seed; and some of them are guided, and many of them are ungodly.

Then We sent, following in their footsteps, Our Messengers; and We sent, following, Jesus son of Mary, and gave unto him the Gospel.

And We set in the hearts of those who followed him tenderness and mercy. (Sura 57:27-28)

So, Muslims tend to believe that Jesus will deny He was raised from the dead to be on the Earth. As originally written, the Koran itself uses the term al-Masih, the Arabic term for Messiah (Christ).

Similar to the Talmud to Judaism, but perhaps more authoritatively, Muslims have hadiths which are interpretative explanations of the Koran. Notice a couple of them:

“They will go to “Isa and say, “O “Isa! You are the Messenger of Allah and His Word which He cast to Maryam and a spirit from Him. You spoke to people while in the cradle. Intercede with your Lord on our behalf. Do you not see what we are suffering?” (Bukhari, Book of Tafsir, 4435)

So, Muslim believe that Jesus was God’s messenger and His Word—that is consistent with what the New Testament teaches (John 1:1-2).

Getting back to the Koran, it teaches:

They are unbelievers who say, “God is the Messiah, Mary’s son.” For the Messiah said, “Children of Israel, serve God, my Lord and your Lord. Verily whoso associates with God anything, God shall prohibit him entrance to Paradise, and his refuge shall be the Fire; and wrongdoers shall have no helpers.”

They are unbelievers who say, “God is the Third of Three. No god is there but One God. If they refrain not from what they say, there shall afflict those of them that disbelieve a painful chastisement.

Will they not turn to God and pray His forgiveness? God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.

The Messiah, son of Mary, was only a Messenger; Messengers before him passed away; his mother was a just woman; they both ate food. Behold, how We make clear the signs to them; then behold, how they perverted are! (Sura 5:76-79)

Muslims believe that Jesus was the “servant of God,” not the Son of God (Morgan, p. 46). Essentially, they believe (similar to secular skeptics) that parts of the New Testament were altered and hence reject parts related to Jesus’ divinity. (Thiel B. Proof Jesus is the Messiah. Nazarene Books, 2019)

The prophet Amos was inspired to write:

3 Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? (Amos 3:3)

The answer to that question is “No.”

While true Christianity and Islam are biblically incompatible, let’s see some statements from the Catechism of the Catholic Church from the Vatican’s official website http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a9p3.htm accessed February 14, 2019:

841 The Church’s relationship with the Muslims. “The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day.”³³⁰

842 The Church’s bond with non-Christian religions is in the first place the common origin and end of the human race:

All nations form but one community. This is so because all stem from the one stock which God created to people the entire earth, and also because all share a common destiny, namely God. His providence, evident goodness, and saving designs extend to all against the day when the elect are gathered together in the holy city. . .³³¹

843 The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as “a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life.”³³²

So it is not just Pope Francis, the Vatican officially claims that the Muslims and Catholics adore the same deity.

It is that type of ‘Chrislam’ that the Vatican and various others wish to promote.

The Bible warns:

14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”

17 Therefore

“Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you. 18 ‘I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

If that is not strong enough language to discourage real Christians from Chrislam, perhaps the following will get even professors of Christ to consider it as a problem:

4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:4)

1 One of the seven angels that had the seven bowls came to speak to me, and said, ‘Come here and I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute who is enthroned beside abundant waters, 2 with whom all the kings of the earth have prostituted themselves, and who has made all the population of the world drunk with the wine of her adultery.’ 3 He took me in spirit to a desert, and there I saw a woman riding a scarlet beast which had seven heads and ten horns and had blasphemous titles written all over it. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet and glittered with gold and jewels and pearls, and she was holding a gold winecup filled with the disgusting filth of her prostitution; 5 on her forehead was written a name, a cryptic name: ‘Babylon the Great, the mother of all the prostitutes and all the filthy practices on the earth.’ 6 I saw that she was drunk, drunk with the blood of the saints, and the blood of the martyrs of Jesus; and when I saw her, I was completely mystified. (Revelation 17:1-6, NJB)

9 ‘This calls for shrewdness. The seven heads are the seven hills, on which the woman is sitting…18 The woman you saw is the great city which has authority over all the rulers on earth.’ (Revelation 17:9,18, NJB)

This year the Vatican released what I have referred to as the ‘Chrislam cross’ logo related to an interfaith gathering to be held in Morocco next month. Here is some information about it:

The official logo of the Pope’s visit was chosen from about 50 entries in a competition. An explanatory note accompanying the logo’s release says that a cross and a crescent in the logo are symbols of Christianity and Islam which highlight the inter-religious relations between Christians and Muslims. …

The logo has the colours of the two countries: green and red for Morocco, yellow and white (background) for the Vatican.

Pope Francis said that his visit to the 2 predominantly Muslim countries, “represent two important opportunities to advance interreligious dialogue and mutual understanding between the followers of both religions, in this year that marks the eight-hundredth anniversary of the historic meeting between Saint Francis of Assisi and Sultan al-Malik al-Kāmil.” https://feliciancjpo.wordpress.com/2019/01/10/pope-francis-servant-of-hope/

The first of the two visits mentioned above was in the United Arab Emirates, where Pope Francis and Sunni Imam Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb signed a document that some suspect may lead towards a “one world religion” on February 4, 2019. It has been called “the most important interfaith document in history.”

We put together a related video related to the signing:

15:31

Pope Francis signs ‘one world religion’ document!

On February 4, 2019, at the ‘ Global Conference on Human Fraternity,’ Pope Francis and leading Sunni Imam Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb signed a document that some suspect may lead towards a “one world religion.” The World Council of Churches (WCC) General Secretary, Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, who also attended, pushed for religious leaders and institutions to push towards a particular cooperative agenda to help bring world peace. Will there be real peace or just a temporary one? Will destruction come to the USA and nations in the Middle East and North Africa? What will be some characteristics of this “one world religion’? Will all have the same religious practices? Might it have commonalities with the ancient Roman Empire? The Grand Mosque in the UAE was renamed “Mary, Mother of Jesus.” Will Catholic, Islamic, and even Hindu reverence for Marian figures play a role? Is that part of the plan? Should real Christians support the interfaith and ecumenical agendas or remain separate from them? What does the Bible teach? What did Jesus teach? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to that video: Pope Francis signs ‘one world religion’ document!

Now let’s notice the following on the Chrislam cross:

… the Vatican rolled out a new logo for Pope Francis’ upcoming visit to the Muslim nation of Morocco, and what is the design? Chrislam.

“And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” Revelation 17:1,2 (KJV)

The pope’s new logo shows a New Age style cross that is encircled about with the crescent moon of Islam, with the colors of yellow and white for the Vatican, and red and green for Islam. That, my friends, is not only the pope’s new logo, it will also serve as the official logo for Chrislam. 02/10/19 https://www.nowtheendbegins.com/vatican-officially-releases-chrislam-logo-for-pope-francis-upcoming-servant-of-hope-tour-to-the-muslim-nation-of-morocco/

It was interesting to me, at least, that the crescent in the Chrislam cross almost completely encircles the Vatican’s cross symbol. This would appeal to Muslims who believe that Islam needs to dominate the world, as well as to try to get them to be less fearful of the cross symbol–which is a fear they have had since the Crusades. The word crusader means ‘cross bearer.’ But now the Vatican is showing Muslims that its cross can be encircled by Islam.

We put together a related video related to the Chrislam Cross and the interfaith movement:

What is Chrislam? What are the two forms of it? Did the Vatican unveil the Chrislam Cross? How does it look? Are Christianity and Islam theologically compatible? What does the ‘Catechism of the Catholic Church’ say? What about the Bible and the Quran? Did Pope Francis and Sunni Imam Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb sign an important interfaith document on February 4, 2019? Do biblical and Islamic prophecies point to a deal between the Europeans and Arabs that will be broken? Do Catholic and Islamic writings support the view that Mary and/or apparitions of ‘Mary’ may lead to temporary cooperation between the Arabs and Europeans? Will such cooperation bring lasting peace or war? Have any of the Eastern Orthodox warned of the danger in using ‘Mary’ to push the interfaith and ecumenical movements? Is there a ‘Mary, Mother of Jesus mosque? Should you wish to be part of the Chrislam movement? What does the Bible teach? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to the sermonette video: The Chrislam Cross and the Interfaith Movement.

While I do not expect this Chrislam cross symbol to be the Mark of the Beast, its use of the type of cross is reminiscent of the claimed cross in Emperor Constantine’s vision in the fourth century. It was described as:

A long spear, overlaid with gold, formed the figure of the cross by means of a transverse bar laid over it. (Eusebius. Life of Constantine, Chapter XXXI. Internet Medieval Source Book. Accessed 02/14/19)

So, it was not what would have been the implement used to kill Jesus. Nor is the ‘Chrislam cross.’

Anyway, it was the result of that vision that Emperor Constantine ordered his troops to paint crosses on their shields–a practice that was retained throughout the time of the Crusades (see also What is the Origin of the Cross as a ‘Christian’ Symbol?).

As far as deals between the Catholics of Europe and the Muslims of the Middle East and North Africa go, that is foretold in biblical as well as Islamic prophecies.

The Bible tells of a deceptive deal that will be made between the European King of the North (also called the Beast in Revelation 13:1-10) and the Middle East/North African King of the South:

15 … the king of the North … 25 … king of the South …

27 Both these kings’ hearts shall be bent on evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time. (Daniel 11:15,25,27)

So, a deceptive deal will be made (this could also be related to the deal of Psalm 83:3-8). This would at least partially be related to the following deal:

26 And the people of the prince who is to come
Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.
The end of it shall be with a flood,
And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate (Daniel 9:26-27).

This is a deal confirmed by a European (it was troops from the ancient Roman Empire that destroyed Jerusalem and its temple in 70 A.D.). The deal is confirmed for one week, which, for centuries, various prophecy analysts have said means a seven year deal (see also The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27).

Perhaps these deals could be considered ‘political Chrislam.’ Or as LifeNews has called it ‘Chrislamism’ — not trying to merge Christianity and Islam, but accepting some type of false near equivalency. Islam is not a near equivalency to true Christianity.

As it turn out, a seven year deal is in Islamic prophecy:

Rasaullah [Muhammed] said: “There will be four peace agreements between you and the Romans [Christians]. The fourth agreement will be mediated through a person who will be the progeny of Hadrat Haroon [Honorable Aaron — Moses’ brother] and will be upheld for seven years (Richardson J. Antichrist: Islam’s Awaited Messiah. Pleasant Word, 2006, p. 48)

The above sounds similar to the seven year (one week in biblical language) agreement discussed in Daniel 9:27 that involves a “prince” who appears to be the one the Bible warns will become the King of the North and apparently the nation of Israel since a descendant of Aaron is expected to be involved. It certainly would make sense that there would be Muslim representation in the ‘peace deal’ of Daniel 9:27.

Here is something else along those lines:

5 General anarchy and bloodshed, that no Arab household will be spared from it 6 Then a life of peace as a result of a peace agreement between you and the Banil Asfaar (Romans) which they will break and attack you with a force consisting of eighty flags and under each flag will be an army of twelve thousand men. (Ibn Zubair Ali, Mohammed Ali. The minor signs of Last Days from: The Signs of Qiyamah. http://www.islamawareness.net/Prophecies/minor.html viewed 08/11/12).

5 General anarchy and bloodshed, that no Arab household will be spared from it 6 Then a life of peace as a result of a peace agreement between you and the Banil Asfaar (Romans) which they will break and attack you with a force consisting of eighty flags and under each flag will be an army of twelve thousand men.” (Hadith: Sahih Bukhari). (From “Signs of Qiyamah” (excerpts) by Mohammed Ali Ibn Zubair Ali. The Minor Signs of the Last Day. http://www.islam.tc/prophecies/qiyaam2.html viewed 07/03/14)

Even Catholic prophecy tells of a betrayal coming to Islam (see The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy).

As far as Chrislam and the interfaith movement goes, it is not just the Vatican and some Muslims who are involved. The World Council of Churches (WCC), United Nations, and various others are involved in parts of this as well (see Pope and Muslim leader sign interfaith agreement towards a one world religion: Will this lead to both peace and the Great Tribulation?).

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This entry was posted on Saturday, August 24th, 2019 at 7:45 am and is filed under Religious News.

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