Posted on 08/27/2010 11:45:13 AM PDT by Hank Kerchief
The ultimate intention of Catholicism is the restoration of the Holy Roman Empire. That has always been the ambition, at least covertly, but now it is being promoted overtly and openly.
The purpose of this article is only to make that intention clear. It is not a criticism of Catholics or Catholicism (unless you happen to think a Catholic dictatorship is not a good thing).
The most important point is to understand that when a Catholic talks about liberty or freedom, it is not individual liberty that is meant, not the freedom to live one's life as a responsible individual with the freedom to believe as one chooses, not the freedom to pursue happiness, not the freedom to produce and keep what one has produced as their property. What Catholicism means by freedom, is freedom to be a Catholic, in obedience to the dictates of Rome.
The Intentions Made Plain
The following is from the book Revolution and Counter-Revolution:
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"B. Catholic Culture and Civilization
"Therefore, the ideal of the Counter-Revolution is to restore and promote Catholic culture and civilization. This theme would not be sufficiently enunciated if it did not contain a definition of what we understand by Catholic culture and Catholic civilization. We realize that the terms civilization and culture are used in many different senses. Obviously, it is not our intention here to take a position on a question of terminology. We limit ourselves to using these words as relatively precise labels to indicate certain realities. We are more concerned with providing a sound idea of these realities than with debating terminology.
"A soul in the state of grace possesses all virtues to a greater or lesser degree. Illuminated by faith, it has the elements to form the only true vision of the universe.
"The fundamental element of Catholic culture is the vision of the universe elaborated according to the doctrine of the Church. This culture includes not only the learning, that is, the possession of the information needed for such an elaboration, but also the analysis and coordination of this information according to Catholic doctrine. This culture is not restricted to the theological, philosophical, or scientific field, but encompasses the breadth of human knowledge; it is reflected in the arts and implies the affirmation of values that permeate all aspects of life.
"Catholic civilization is the structuring of all human relations, of all human institutions, and of the State itself according to the doctrine of the Church.
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Got that? "Catholic civilization is the structuring of all human relations, of all human institutions, and of the State itself according to the doctrine of the Church." The other name for this is called "totalitarianism," the complete rule of every aspect of life.
This book and WEB sites like that where it is found are spreading like wildfire. These people do not believe the hope of America is the restoration of the liberties the founders sought to guarantee, these people believe the only hope for America is Fatima. Really!
In Their Own Words
The following is from the site, "RealCatholicTV." It is a plain call for a "benevolent dictatorship, a Catholic monarch;" their own words. They even suggest that when the "Lord's Payer," is recited, it is just such a Catholic dictatorship that is being prayed for.
[View video in original here or on Youtube. Will not show in FR.]
Two Comments
First, in this country, freedom of speech means that anyone may express any view no matter how much anyone else disagrees with that view, or is offended by it. I totally defend that meaning of freedom of speech.
This is what Catholics believe, and quite frankly, I do not see how any consistent Catholic could disagree with it, though I suspect some may. I have no objection to their promoting those views, because it is what they believe. Quite frankly I am delighted they are expressing them openly. For one thing, it makes it much easier to understand Catholic dialog, and what they mean by the words they use.
Secondly, I think if their views were actually implemented, it would mean the end true freedom, of course, but I do not believe there is any such danger.
Adam and Eve were created in the image and likeness of God, that likeness was distorted by the fall ... men would now be born in the image of their father Adam, born a sinners that run away from God, and not to Him, no longer to live an innocent life but to be a slave to sin..
Gen 5:3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat [a son] in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:
That is why Christ told us we need to be born again..
Jhn 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Let me guess again: You were lucky enough to be born saved.
Do you ever think about, ever have compassion for, your brothers and sisters - identical to you in every relevant aspect - who were born to suffer eternal torment?
well then you know little children were killed on God’s orders.
Yeah, I already know that. For Calvinists, God creates evil - and trash.
who am I to question God? Even saved, He can do whatever He wishes with me. does the pot question the potter?
If you know Jesus, you know God is the God of life.
If your god kills innocent children, you have gone far away from Jesus’s teaching. Far, far away.
This is where Calvin leads.
If you notice your view of God has Him killing innocent children, if your view results in an unjust and cruel God, question your view of God.
******None of which proves totally depraved, double predestination or irresistible grace.****
Man is spiritually dead. Because of the fall, man has become spiritually dead, blind and deaf to the things of God and is therefore unable of himself to choose spiritual good and determine his own destiny.
C. Scriptural Support for the Reformed Position
1. The fall has resulted in spiritual death to all men.
Gen.2:16 - Gen.2:17 (NKJ)
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;17 “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Romans.5:12 - Romans.5:12 (NKJ)
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned
Eph.2:1 - Eph.2:3 (NKJ)
1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
Col.2:13 - Col.2:13 (NKJ)
13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,
2. Fallen man is now blind and deaf to spiritual truth.
Gen.6:5 - Gen.6:5 (NKJ)
5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Gen.8:21 - Gen.8:21 (NKJ)
21 And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.
Ecc.9:3 - Ecc.9:3 (NKJ)
3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
Jer.17:9 - Jer.17:9 (NKJ)
9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
Mark.7:21 - Mark.7:23 (NKJ)
21 “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,22 “thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.23 “All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”
3.Fallen man is now under the control of Satan and in bondage to sin
John.8:44 - John.8:44 (NKJ)
44 “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
Eph.2:1 - Eph.2:2 (NKJ)
1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience
2Tim.2:25 - 2Tim.2:26 (NKJ)
25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
1John.3:10 - 1John.3:10 (NKJ)
10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.
1John.5:19 - 1John.5:19 (NKJ)
19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.
Rom.6:20 - Rom.6:20 (NKJ)
20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
Titus.3:3 - Titus.3:3 (NKJ)
3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.
4. Fallen man, left in his dead state, is totally unable to repent, to believe the gospel, or to come to Christ.
John.6:44 - John.6:44 (NKJ)
44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. [Note: The word here translated draws is translated as drags in other passages, such as John 21:11, Acts 21:30, and Acts 16:19.]
John.6:65 - John.6:65 (NKJ)
65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”
Rom.3:9 - Rom.3:12 (NKJ)
9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.10 As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.”
Rom.8:7 - Rom.8:8 (NKJ)
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
1Cor.2:14 - 1Cor.2:14 (NKJ)
14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Reformed Position: The Holy Spirit regenerates every one of God’s chosen people, enabling them to believe. The Holy Spirit graciously regenerates every one of God’s chosen people, creating within them a new heart and enabling them to freely and willingly believe in Christ as Savior and Lord. The New Birth precedes and makes possible Saving Faith. Life gives Faith.
C.Scriptural Support for the Reformed Position:
1. Every one whom the Father has chosen and for whom Christ died, will certainly experience the application of that salvation by the Holy Spirit.
John.6:37 - John.6:37 (NKJ)
37 “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
John 6:44 - John 6:44 (NKJ)
44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 10:16 - John 10:16 (NKJ)
16 “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
Rom.8:28 - Rom.8:30 (NKJ)
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
Rom.8:32 - Rom.8:32 (NKJ)
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
1Cor.6:11 - 1Cor.6:11 (NKJ)
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
1Cor.12:3 - 1Cor.12:3 (NKJ)
3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
2Cor.3:6- 2Cor.3:6 (NKJ)
6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
2Cor.3:17 - 2Cor.3:18 (NKJ)
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Eph.1:3 - Eph.1:4 (NKJ)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
Eph.1:7 - Eph.1:7 (NKJ)
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
Eph.1:13 - Eph.1:14 (NKJ)
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
1Pet.1:2 - 1Pet.1:2 (NKJ)
2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
Double predestination is not a doctrine of Calvinism ... many hold the single predestination viewpoint
“If you look at the collection of books in various canons, other than the Pauline Epistles and Gospels, you will find that different churches read very different canons indeed. They contained many currently banned and uneconomical books, such as the Epistle of Barnabas, the Shepherd of Hermas, the Book of Enoch, various Gnostic apocalyptic gospels (of Peter for example), and others.”
Not really. Here is a link summarizing which books were considered scripture based on various lists made prior to 400 AD, including the Shepherd of Hermas, Apocalypse of Peter, Epistle of Barnabas & Epistle of Clement:
http://www.bible-researcher.com/canon5.html
In particular, the Muratorian Fragment is of interest, dating back to before 200AD:
http://www.bible-researcher.com/muratorian.html
It was not a democratic process where it was all put up to a vote of all Christians, but the bishops at the councils around 400 AD were reflecting the practices of the churches in their care.
Nor do Protestants believe the councils themselves are binding, since we reject the Apocrypha. Protestants largely argue that scripture is self-authenticating...that each person reading it must decide for himself if they agree what they are reading is the word of God. If they do not, then they will not obey it regardless of who is pushing it.
Mormons, for example, have 4 texts of scripture - 3 of which I reject utterly. So Mormons and I differ in beliefs...not surprising. When talking with Mormons, I can encourage them to read the Bible, but I cannot make them decide anything.
Religious beliefs are just that - beliefs. We can discuss them with reason & logic, but the decisions the individual makes will involve belief about the right way to proceed.
I first believed because I met some Jr High kids who were different than any kids I had known before, and I wanted to be like them They told me the difference was Jesus - that they had decided they didn’t want to live their lives on their own, but to follow Jesus. And 40 years later, I have no regrets about my decision, nor any reason to believe I erred. Over the last 40 years, I have often failed God, but He has never failed me.
At first, I believed because of what I saw in their lives. Now I believe because of my experience. That may not suffice to convince anyone else. We all make choices, and I pray we make them well.
Well, look up Achan. Look up Amalek, look up David and what he did to all those that didn’t meet a certain rope standard.
who said they were innocent? Maybe God has a different view than you do, or maybe your view is superior to his. Quite a conundrum
For a sovereign God ..who is really God
Men do not like a sovereign God, because man wishes to believe that He is a god that determines his future and eternity.. God is nothing but a useful helpmate when called upon
Show me where Unam Sanctam says the "Roman Catholic Church".
Double predestination is not a doctrine of Calvinism ... many hold the single predestination viewpoint
It's in the Westminster Confession of Faith, it's Calvin's doctrine. Whether those who don't support it are still Calvinists is not my area.
We have the New Testament, and Jesus. Look there.
Not Calvin, likely. I hope you can see where this leads, what kind of god kills little children.
Perhaps infidels in Islam, but it is odd to have a Christian debate on whether little children - even fetuses in the womb - are innocent. For, if they are not, the word has no meaning.
Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
Rev 19:16] And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. [Rev 19:17] And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
[Rev 19:18] That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. [Rev 19:19] And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
If God did not wish evil to exist could it?
Take some time to read Amos ...
Amo 3:6 — Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done [it]?
Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these [things].
God does not shirk from assuming the full responsibility for events of this world, He does not present Himself as a feel good God that only wants to be your buddy, He welcomes the distain of unregenerate men. He does not point the finger at the devil.
Not one bird falls from the sky, nor one hair from your head without the ordination of God.. He is sovereign over all life and events.. He declares His sovereignty all throughout the scriptures.. One must read with their eyes closed or blinded not to see that ..
God proclaims His sovereignty over nature and politics and life and death ... He wants us to celebrate and find rest in the assurance that HE IS GOD
That's not what I said. What you think determines what you think - about God as well. And you can be wrong.
At some point, perhaps the point where you realize you think God is killing little children and violating justice, you might re-think what you think about God.
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