Apparitions Exposed!

Can a born again Christian be a member of a cult and be involved in idol worship? I once thought this was an impossibility until it happened to me. Now I understand why Jesus warned us that, in the end times, there would be an appearance of great signs and miracles that would deceive even the elect, if possible. I confess I have been seduced by signs and miracles associated with apparitions of Mary, and I offer my testimony so others may be warned and delivered.

Until recently I was serving as Director of Public Relations for the Queen of Peace Center in Dallas, Texas. This non-profit organization disseminates information and messages from Marian apparitions in Medjugorje and around the world. I co-authored a full page ad that was published in the June 25, 1993, Dallas Morning News at a cost of $10,000. This add announced "Mary's" prescription for peace and listed locations of her recent appearances. It also listed phone numbers to call for up-to-day recorded messages of Mary's latest apparitions, such as the one in Dallas (214) 233-MARY. I once thought it was special to be the only non-Catholic on the Queen of Peace board . . . that is, until I met Mike Gendron and his wife, Jane.

Neighbors and close friends of mine knew I was seriously contemplating becoming Roman Catholic. They told me that Mike had been a Roman Catholic for 37 years and was now a pastor at a non-denominational church in the Dallas area. They said he understood many of the issues involved in being Roman Catholic and could help me with my decision. I looked forward to meeting both Mike and his wife, not for my sake, but for theirs. I felt certain the information I had collected about "Our Lady's apparitions" in Medjugorje would surely lead them back home to the "true" (Roman Catholic) church. Providentially it appeared, I attended a Queen of Peace board meeting the night before we met and asked the board to pray for this lost pastor and his wife, who had fallen away. When I arrived at their door the next morning, I first introduced myself, before returning to my car for the large stack of books and newspapers I had brought to persuade them. The materials would help explain what was happening in Medjugorje and how the Virgin Mary would help change their lives.

After we met, they showed me a film titled Catholicism: Crisis of Faith. This film lovingly and objectively contrasted how the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church contradicts the teachings of the Sacred Scriptures. Mike would stop the film after each segment for my questions and comments. Initially, I was argumentative and felt uneasy and rather adamant about what I was witnessing. Mike realized he had forgotten to pray before starting the film and asked if we could ask God to make His truth clear, and that all deception would be exposed. After the prayer my whole countenance changed.

Each question I asked, Mike validated his answers using Vatican II documents and an official Roman Catholic catechism. It was amazing to me how Roman Catholic teaching contradicts the very Word of God. Question after question, he would bring the Bible over to me and knell to show me verses in context. His servant's demeanor and patient, understanding heart helped in unraveling falsehood after falsehood. There wasn't a question I could have asked him that would have provoked anger. As a reflection of our Lord, this man allowed Jesus to pull the scales away from my eyes.

There were three things in the film and our discussion that were most alarming to me. First, a church in South America has Mary placed on a crucifix rather than Christ. It reminded me of my visit to Our Lady of Guadeloupe Cathedral in downtown Dallas where Mary is positioned as the focal point at the alter and the crucifix is placed in another part of the church. These two scenes made me realize idolatry is practiced within the church.

Second, the Roman Catholic Catechism by Rev. William Cogan, now in its 44th year of print, has altered the 10 commandments of God. The 2nd commandment given to Moses reads, "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or in the earth beneath or in the water under the earth" (Exodus 20:4). The Roman Catholics have deleted this commandment but still came up with ten by splitting the 10th one into two separate commands. "You shall not covet your neighbor's good; and you shall not covet your neighbor's wife" (Exodus 20:17). I was reminded of the scriptural warnings for those who add to or subtract from the Bible.

Third, Mike told me the only place in the Bible in which the queen of heaven was referred to was in the Book of Jeremiah. He encouraged me to study the passage and it would expose another false doctrine concerning Mary. Anyone who is familiar with the prayers and meditations of the rosary can tell you that in one of the mysteries Christ supposedly crowned Mary the queen of heaven after she was assumed into heaven. Neither of these events have scriptural validity, but I had decided to blindly accept these doctrines because all of the other meditations on the life of Christ were verified by Scripture.

After returning home, I looked in the Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible for the passage in Jeremiah 44. Here, the Lord was angered by the wickedness of the people choosing to serve other gods. The people refused to listen to the Lord. Instead, they would "burn sacrifices to the Queen of Heaven and pour out libations to her." The woman "made for her sacrificial cakes in her image and poured out libations to her?" (Jeremiah 44:17, 19).

In Hebrew the word for queen has reference to "the heavenly handiwork" or "the stars of heaven." The reference might be to Ishtar, the goddess of love and fertility, who is identified with the Venus Star and is actually entitled "Mistress of Heaven." (The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, p. 975)

My head was spinning and filled with questions after reading this. Doesn't Mary usually appear with stars for her crown? Who then is the woman in Revelation 12:3-6? And most importantly, why would the Roman Catholic Church give the mother of Jesus the title of a pagan goddess? Had I been promoting the ministry of a pagan goddess whose messages were inconsistent with the Bible? Indeed her messages do contradict the Bible. In fact, she speaks of another gospel, another plan of salvation that nullifies and opposes the all sufficient sacrifice of Jesus. The apparition of Fatima said, "You have seen Hell where the souls of poor sinners go, so save them, God wishes to establish in the world, devotion to my Immaculate Heart." The apostle Paul condemned anyone, even an angel from heaven, who would dare preach a different way to be saved other than through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ (Galatians 1:6-10).

As for the woman described in Revelation, she is not Mary, the mother of Jesus, but God's chosen people, the Jews. When the passage in chapter 12 is read in context with the rest of the book, and Genesis 37:9-10, this clearly refers to the nation Israel. God fulfills His promise to the Jews, by protecting them in the desert during 3 1/2 years of tribulation.

I later realized my prayers to Mary and the saints, the reciting of rosaries and chaplets of divine mercy, and the wearing of Marian medals and scapulars had taken my focus off of Jesus. I had allowed doctrines of the Roman Catholic church to do the very thing Saint Paul warned against, "But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ." (2 Cor. 11:3).

Recently, a person whom I love dearly, and who has a "Marian devotion" asked me, "Why are you bothering the people who are already good people instead of worrying about those who are lost?" The answer came to me the other evening as the Lord continues to guide me through His sacred Word. Saint Paul wrote that "Satan masquerades as an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). We know the mother of Jesus would never oppose her Son, and since the apparitions do just that, they could very well be Satan masquerading as Mary. Saint Paul also wrote, "Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them . . . everything exposed by the light becomes visible" (Ephesians 5:11-14). Therefore, I feel called to expose these attempts by the evil one to divert people's devotion away from Jesus. The most authoritative way to do this is with the light of God's Holy Word. My new test for truthfulness is -- if it does not agree with the Scriptures then it must be rejected.

Now that I have torn down the altar in my bedroom, where I knelt and prayed to St. Anthony of Padua each night, and now that I have placed my rosaries, scapular and medals away, I have found a new freedom. The truth really does set people free! I have found special peace in knowing Jesus alone is my Savior, and not co-redemptrix with His mother. The Holy Spirit continues to lead me into all truth and is now the only teacher I need (1 John 2:27).

To all my precious friends who I have encouraged to seek Mary and to obey the misleading messages of her apparitions, I pray these Scriptures would minister to you -- "And it came about while He said these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, 'Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts at which you nursed.' But He said, 'On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and observe it." (Luke 11:27-28)

This article was submitted by a former Director for a "Mary, Queen of Peace Center."

I made no such references.
You are reading beyond the words written.

But that’s your business and you are free to try to make things more comfortable for certain preferred posters - its your forum.

Perhaps it was ignorance that led your mind to the gutter:

Ejaculation - Definition of Ejaculation in Roman Catholicism

An ejaculation, sometimes also called an aspiration, is a short prayer meant to be memorized and repeated throughout the day.

http://catholicism.about.com/od/prayers/g/Ejaculation.htm

Invocation or Ejaculation to the Most Holy Name of Jesus

This simple ejaculation to the Holy Name of Jesus is a wonderful short way to give praise and to pray at all times.

“Blessed be the most holy Name of Jesus without end!”

.
.
.
.
.

http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=893
.

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O’Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

I am following the rules.

Sects and sectarianism are the terms used by Catholics for apostate and heretical groups (i.e. most non-catholics).

The use of strong language to condemn evils has been a hallmarlk of the RF. Typically such strong language is aimed against my Church. I am simply adopting that same tactic.

The meaning of my post is always clean and on point for those who read the actual words that are written - but those who improperly change some of the letters will see what they choose to see.

Strong language and condemnations are to be expected in the town square. That's fine.

But if you see any post use words, references to words - or a play on words that would be inappropriate for the young or elderly, ping me.

Well, the post you deleted walked through the argument, warning everyone to use the polite prayerful meaning of the word, and then agreeing with Mad Dawg’s point that Quix starts all “dialog” with his preconceived conclusions, condemns any attempt to walk through a rational analysis, and rushes to the end prematurely, at which point he gets all excited and uses exclamation points and ALL CAPS and bold and multicolored fonts to shout halleluia and amen and such (ejaculation).

One could therefore conclude that according to Catholic use of the word, Quix cuts off dialog and discussion that would develop the ideas and foster a rich understanding, and therefore Quix suffers from premature exclamation or premature ejaculation.

In the age of tv ads during familt hours for viagra and the pill and ky jelly, it is a bit much to conclude that a reference - in this context - to “premature ejaculation” of prayer violates any rules.

I can understand that ejaculation is highly subject to mi-use and misinterpretation. As a matter of fact I hesitated to use it knowing that some here would love to use the fact of its Catholic usage as another stick with which to beat us. So I will no longer use it.

Use of the plural and possessive forms of the word “sect” is particularly appropriate when discussing religion.

I will continue to do so, as sects and sectarianism are the words we often use in the Church to describe non-Catholic groups and persons.

Non-catholics also use these terms. The founding fathers also used these terms.

If a well-known FR bloviator uses the word “we” while bloviating,

And someone else tweaks the bloviator”s comment by asking “is that the royal ‘we’ “,

And another person then (mindful of the know-it-tone bloviators self-righteous tone) cleverly notes that the bloviator likely thinks his ‘we’ is royal,

This is banned potty langauge?

If so, I have seen that dialogue hundreds of times at FR, and so it is a surprise.

But those in sects have likely been hitting their abuse button, which is why it has popped up.

If a well-known FR bloviator uses the word “we” while bloviating,

And someone else tweaks the bloviator”s comment by asking “is that the royal ‘we’ “,

And another person then (mindful of the know-it-all bloviators self-righteous tone) cleverly notes that the bloviator likely thinks his ‘we’ is royal,

This is banned potty langauge?

If so, I have seen that dialogue hundreds of times at FR, and so it is a surprise.

But those in sects have likely been hitting their abuse button, which is why it has popped up.

The term "Royal We" has specific meaning. The term "we" used as a pronoun has specific meaning.

The term "we" used as a play on the noun "wee" can be potty language depending on the context, e.g. "he thinks his we is royal."

This is fascinating. Thanks to nws for enlightening us on Romanist terminology.

Quix- I’m thinking this goes a long ways to explaining the pedophile problem that exists amongst Romanists. If their theological language is coterminous with sexual language this association can lead to actions in which a person believes that the act in the natural sphere somehow relates to a theological goodness. This would be especially prevalent amongst those involved in priestcraft because they are always working in both spheres.

What say you?

And oh yes, one important point:

When X posts that he participates in a religious community but does not disclose that group’s affiliation or denomination or non-denominational status,

And then X posts insults and smears aimed at the doctrine and beliefs of Y’s declared group,

It seems quite sensible and prudent for Y to refer to “your sect” when criticizing (in like manner) the doctrine and beliefs found in X’s posts.

I’m thinking this goes a long ways to explaining the pedophile problem that exists amongst Romanists. If their theological language is coterminous with sexual language this association can lead to actions in which a person believes that the act in the natural sphere somehow relates to a theological goodness. This would be especially prevalent amongst those involved in priestcraft because they are always working in both spheres.

Wow! Excellent observation. Until today, I never knew that word had a religious connection.

IOW:

When that bloviator uses We,
he gives the appearance
that he pretends to royalty
and that his We,
as used therein,
is therefore royal.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.