Posted on 04/17/2005 4:41:34 PM PDT by AnnOutragedCitizen
CARDINAL WHO WARNED OF 'ANTICHRIST' RISES IN BETTING ODDS
Though Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi is the odds-on favorite to be the next pope, global betting parlors are reporting an influx of bets on Cardinal Giacomo Biffi.
"From what I can see here, there's been a lot of wagers on Biffi," Mani Sanders of Pinnacle Sports, an online gambling service based on the resort island in the Netherlands Antilles, told the Providence Journal.
Cardinal Biffi, emeritus bishop of the archdiocese of Bologna, was recently listed as a 125-to-1 long shot to succeed John Paul II.
But does Pinnacle know something we don't?
The paper reports that as an influx of "bets were placed on Biffi in the past several days, the odds on the 76-year-old Italian had dropped to 50 to 1 by Wednesday."
If Biffi does win, it will be a sign that the Church leaders are trending more conservative.
Biffi is strongly anti-Masonic. He was quoted as saying Catholic churches should ban Mozart's music, as the composer was a Mason. The Church and the Masonic movement have long had an antagonistic relationship.
In recent years Biffi stirred controversy by saying Italy should "protect its national identity" and stop the avalanche of Muslim immigrants.
In 2000, Biffi predicted that "Europe will either become Christian again or it will become Muslim." He added ominously., "The vast majority of Muslims are coming here determined to remain outside our humanity."
That same year Biffi also said that he believed the Antichrist was alive and would soon rise to prominence.
Biffi told a conference meeting in Bologna that the Antichrist was a prominent philanthropist who advocated causes like human rights, the environment and ecumenicism.
Biffi said that this man who he never identified had a "fascinating personality" and espoused causes like vegetarianism, pacifism, environmentalism and animal rights.
Biffi added that this Antichrist would be a Bible expert who would discard its truths to prosletyze for "vague and fashionable spiritual values."
Perhaps.
Oddly, I don't expect too many surprises from homosexuals or other offbeat groups. People are on guard for people outside of mainstream. Identifying someone from fringe groups is too easy, and easier to thwart. My guard is really up for those that seem the defenders of mainstream. The wolf in sheeps clothing among the flock seems the real danger. They are always there. They slip under the radar in small numbers now. The case of the serial killer they recently captured comes to mind in the Midwest. My guard is up for those that present themselves as righteous among men.
As far as pride goes, it is becoming a greater concern. It is everywhere and rapidly expanding its grip. It's all I can do to keep pride from being a part of my life. We live in a society that wraps itself in pride. It's very present in our economy.
From what I've read in the Bible, it seems it was pride that led Lucifer to think he could be the equal of God. It was pride that allowed the serpent to tempt Adam and Eve to think they knew better than God. Satan tempted the pride of Lot to raise his voice against God. When Satan tempted Jesus, he tempted to bring out pride in Jesus. Pride has always seperated man from God, imho. I noticed something else too. I don't know that God was ever proud with anything or anyone. When He was satisfied, God was pleased, not proud.
What did you say?
LOL...............I can't really disagree with that part of your thinking.
11. He will confirm a covenant with many, i.e. the Jewish people [Daniel 9:27] This covenant will likely involve the establishment of a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem [see Dan 9:27; Matt 24:15]
12. He will put an end to Jewish sacrifice and offerings after 3 ½ years and will set up an abomination to God in the Temple [Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15]
These are the two that seem to be the dead give aways!! When you see a peace treaty being made with Israel, look to see who really is behind this, who is pulling all the strings to make this happen and making sure everyone around him makes it happens.
The AC merely *confirms* a covenant.Someone else may have made it.
The current "Jewish sacrifice" is Israel's policy of not responding militarily to every suicide bombing and rocket attack.
The "abomination to God" could also be anything from troops set up defensively inside the Temple to a nuclear "Samson option" weapon placed there, among other possibilities.
One of the references I ran across tried to link John Paul the Great with this whole nonsense. It was a rambling essay, connecting the final writings of the late great Pope (obviously, as he neared death, his writing became more 'eschatological') with this New Age/Mayan/pagan/other religion hoopla about the 'end times.' My guess is that such thinking would make the poor man turn in his grave (no disrespect intended!).
(sarcasm on) Apparently, in the year 2012, the solar system in which we reside will reach a position that faces the center of our Milky Way galaxy, which is energized by a gigantic black hole. Dont'cha get it, now! BAM! (And I don't mean Emeril!) "A new heaven and a new earth..." I believe the date is December 21, 2012. Then again, the world was supposed to suffer cataclysmic floods and a polar shift on Cinco de Mayo (May 5) in the year 2000.
I wish I had the reference readily available (it may be in my March 2005 files).
We'd better watch out for those near-earth asteroids, too!
Honk if you think Biffi is spiffy.
Well, the take from the Christian East on Soros is summed up by MarMema's styling of him as "the Forerunner of the Antichrist". (In Orthodox usage, John the Baptist is called the Forerunner of Christ.)
That despite his particular antipathy toward the Orthodox (it isn't the remnants of communism he's trying to stamp out with his "Open Society
Foundation" meddling in Eastern Europe).
A few other Eastern takes on eschatology:
"Don't ask too many questions about the end-times. It only excites the passions, particularly in the young. Attend to your own repentance." (From one of the desert fathers).
From St. Paisios of the Holy Mountain, the prediction that because of the blood of the martyrs (of the Bolshevik Yoke) Russia will be the only nation which will not fall under the domination of the Antichrist.
(There was an earlier prophecy, perhaps from St. Seraphim of Sarov? that a pious Russian tsar would oppose Antichrist. And an earlier one (5th century) that in the end-times the Rus would occupy Constantinople--thanks to another FReeper on another thread for recalling that one.)
And, finally, there is a prophecy that in the days of the Antichrist, all the miracles of Christ will be reproduced, but the dead will not be raised. (Notice, the prophecy does not say that the Antichrist will reproduce them, only that they will be reproduced---the latest results from the Korean adult stem-cell work, and the brain-machine interface work in England are getting real close to the lame walking, and within striking distance for giving sight to the blind.)
Personally I'm leaning toward Puzzle the Donkey as the Antichrist. C.S. Lewis fans know what I mean. In the last of his Narnia series, the Narnian Antichrist, the Antiaslan, if you will, is a fake, put up by the arch-secularist ape with his Calormene (thinly disguised Muslim) backers, under a 'we all worship the same god' syncretism.
Well, the take from the Christian East on Soros is summed up by MarMema's styling of him as "the Forerunner of the Antichrist". (In Orthodox usage, John the Baptist is called the Forerunner of Christ.)
That despite his particular antipathy toward the Orthodox (it isn't the remnants of communism he's trying to stamp out with his "Open Society
Foundation" meddling in Eastern Europe).
A few other Eastern takes on eschatology:
"Don't ask too many questions about the end-times. It only excites the passions, particularly in the young. Attend to your own repentance." (From one of the desert fathers).
From St. Paisios of the Holy Mountain, the prediction that because of the blood of the martyrs (of the Bolshevik Yoke) Russia will be the only nation which will not fall under the domination of the Antichrist.
(There was an earlier prophecy, perhaps from St. Seraphim of Sarov? that a pious Russian tsar would oppose Antichrist. And an earlier one (5th century) that in the end-times the Rus would occupy Constantinople--thanks to another FReeper on another thread for recalling that one.)
And, finally, there is a prophecy that in the days of the Antichrist, all the miracles of Christ will be reproduced, but the dead will not be raised. (Notice, the prophecy does not say that the Antichrist will reproduce them, only that they will be reproduced---the latest results from the Korean adult stem-cell work, and the brain-machine interface work in England are getting real close to the lame walking, and within striking distance for giving sight to the blind.)
Personally I'm leaning toward Puzzle the Donkey as the Antichrist. C.S. Lewis fans know what I mean. In the last of his Narnia series, the Narnian Antichrist, the Antiaslan, if you will, is a fake, put up by the arch-secularist ape with his Calormene (thinly disguised Muslim) backers, under a 'we all worship the same god' syncretism.
Sort of like Princess Diana?
Bono???
ping as promised.
The left will be sorely disappointed as this eliminates President Bush
I've seen interesting theories fingering Prince Charles:
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/alt.conspiracy.antichrist/msg/a989c014cc676b73
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