Apparitions Exposed!

Proclaiming the Gospel ^ | former Director for a "Mary, Queen of Peace Center."

[bkaycee]

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.

A Divine Appointment

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.

Confronted by Contradictions

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.

The Queen of Heaven

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).

An Angel of Light

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.

Freedom in the Truth

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."

[Notwithstanding]

"That's funny. I thought she was dying BECAUSE she knows her donimination."

[metmom]

Catholicism does teach eating God.

Let’s follow Catholic logic through.

You see, since Jesus is God, right? And Mary gave birth to Jesus and is rightly called the mother of Christ, then by Catholic reasoning, she is to be called the mother of God because Jesus the Christ is God.

Now, Catholics are the ones who claim that Jesus teaches in John 6 that we have to literally eat (chew is what they claim the word translates to) His literal, physical flesh and literal, physical blood, then since Jesus is God, then Catholics believe that they are commanded to eat God.

That’s how they believe that they receive eternal life, by consuming the eucharist, aka, eating God.

[Mad Dawg]

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God..

When I see someone unable to admit error I wonder if they really believe that they are saved. Seems to me that relying o the righteousness of God would relax the tight grip on the illusion of one's own infallibility.

[Quix]

There ya go agin . . .

. . . expecting the Vatican Cult of the Ishtar Stand-in Goddess

to exercise constent “logic!”

i.e.

IF they are going to insist that MARY IS THE MOTHER OF GOD,

it shouldn’t be a great stretch

for them to acknowledge that they teach EATING GOD!

However, as we have observed, their rubberized logic is all over the water-front as the expediency of the moment demands.

[HossB86]

Here is a handy web page I just found...

EXCELLENT post; it's amazing to the see how many of the same verses are quoted there as have been quoted here to refute the false doctrines being taught by the Roman Catholic Church! Thanks Doc! Hoss

[OLD REGGIE]

. .Your non-biblical view is that Mary had no idea that Jesus was the messiah.


Oh brother.

In the interest of accuracy and honesty please don't put your words in my mouth.

Luke 2:
49 And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"
50 But they did not understand what he said to them.

Why the confusion?

[metmom]

I sure am glad to hear that you escaped that cannibalistic, cult that teaches that you have to consume your God to have him live in you or you don’t get saved.

[presently no screen name]

Aside from that, it reveals why there is no outrage from Catholics about their priest's behavior.

Yes it does and considering the 'choice of the word for today and the 'trying' to defend it' - it seems many just came out of the confessional. They are taught to force themselves to obey their confessor. And then their smut comes here.

The apples don't fall from from the tree - and we are witnessing exactly what roams the halls of the Vatican/RCC . And a turnoff to anyone seeking God.

With the Vatican/RCC history - they could only entice those with low moral standards to join their organization. As we see, they cover it, enjoy it and defend it. And, yes, the sheep follow the shepherd.

[RnMomof7]

I am happy that you too escaped the clutches of Rome

[WPaCon]

We always pray that someday RC's will come to believe in The Gospel and join us.

Back at ya :)

[RnMomof7]

Yep

[WPaCon]

In defense of the OPC:

I give you credit for undertaking such a herculean task.

[HossB86]

Oh, sure, but let a Catholic, either a child or an old lady, be offended by innuendo and slur against the Blessed Mother, and they are told, “You are too thin-skinned for the RF open threads, quit whining and go to the ecumenical and caucus threads.”

Or.. maybe this?

One question: The Roman Catholic Church Catechism teaches this:

'969 "This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfilment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation .... Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix."'

If this is true, why does THE BIBLE, God's Holy and inspired word, teach this?

1 Tim. 2:5-6:

"5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time."

Emphases mine.

So where is the slur against the "Blessed Mother"? It appears to me the only slur is by the Roman Catholic Church which is obviously teaching a falsehood as shown by the verse quoted -- so, I don't quite follow your line of thinking here. Should not other gospels be pointed out for what they are?

Hoss

[WPaCon]

LOL ....LOL.... you guys are dying to know her denomination ......

What are you talking about? How could we be dying to know what it is if we already know what it is?

[Mad Dawg]

My dear D-fendr,

When you say:
it's best to read the thread before making accusations.
you may inadvertently be breaking the rule against mind reading. IF one sought to advance the conversation toward the truth, THEN it would be best to do as you say. But not only do we not know what the interlocutor intends but we have ample evidence that real, useful conversation is not the object of the act.

the interesting question is what is the object?

[OLD REGGIE]

Shameless plagarism.

If you will read the thread, you will see I linked to the source in my first blockquoted excerpt. To you I said, the relevant part is below, and blockquoted another excerpt. To Iscool, I requested he read the whole linked article before circling back on the first objection.

It’s best to read the thread before making accusations.

Oh I see. The very first time I quote a work of Shakespeare it is incumbent on me to credit Shakespeare. Thereafter the work is mine and I no longer am required to credit the original?????????

Get off it.

[wmfights]

Back at ya :)

What is The Gospel that RC's believe?

[WPaCon]

As opposed to a cracker? LOL

You mean what's eaten in Protestant sects when they do their best imitation of Communion?

[WPaCon]

I think you should stay on.

It seems to me that some of the posters on this forum hate you a little bit more than they hate the rest of the Catholics here.

Your presence on this forum helps bring out their wickedness.

[WPaCon]

You see, since Jesus is God, right?

I'd love to see you answer this rhetorical question of yours.