Church of God News

COGwriter

Some text on the Shroud of Turin has been claimed to have been translated:

Death certificate is imprinted on the Shroud of Turin, says Vatican scholar

The Times – Nov 20, 2009

A Vatican scholar claims to have deciphered the “death certificate” imprinted on the Shroud of Turin, or Holy Shroud, a linen cloth revered by Christians and held by many to bear the image of the crucified Jesus.

Dr Barbara Frale, a researcher in the Vatican secret archives, said “I think I have managed to read the burial certificate of Jesus the Nazarene, or Jesus of Nazareth.” She said that she had reconstructed it from fragments of Greek, Hebrew and Latin writing imprinted on the cloth together with the image of the crucified man.

The shroud, which is kept in the royal chapel of Turin Cathedral and is to be put in display next Spring, is regarded by many scholars as a medieval forgery. A 1988 carbon dating of a fragment of the cloth dated it to the Middle Ages.

However Dr Frale, who is to publish her findings in a new book, La Sindone di Gesu Nazareno (The Shroud of Jesus of Nazareth) said that the inscription provided “historical date consistent with the Gospels account”. The letters, barely visible to the naked eye, were first spotted during an examination of the shroud in 1978, and others have since come to light.

Some scholars have suggested that the writing is from a reliquary attached to the cloth in medieval times. But Dr Frale said that the text could not have been written by a medieval Christian because it did not refer to Jesus as Christ but as “the Nazarene“. This would have been “heretical” in the Middle Ages since it defined Jesus as “only a man” rather than the Son of God.

Like the image of the man himself the letters are in reverse and only make sense in negative photographs. Dr Frale told La Repubblica that under Jewish burial practices current at the time of Christ in a Roman colony such as Palestine, a body buried after a death sentence could only be returned to the family after a year in a common grave.

A death certificate was therefore glued to the burial shroud to identify it for later retrieval, and was usually stuck to the cloth around the face. This had apparently been done in the case of Jesus even though he was buried not in a common grave but in the tomb offered by Joseph of Arimathea.

Dr Frale said that many of the letters were missing, with Jesus for example referred to as “(I)esou(s) Nnazarennos” and only the “iber” of “Tiberiou” surviving. Her reconstruction, however, suggested that the certificate read: “In the year 16 of the reign of the Emperor Tiberius Jesus the Nazarene, taken down in the early evening after having been condemned to death by a Roman judge because he was found guilty by a Hebrew authority, is hereby sent for burial with the obligation of being consigned to his family only after one full year”. It ends “signed by” but the signature has not survived.

Dr Frale said that the use of three languages was consistent with the polyglot nature of a community of Greek-speaking Jews in a Roman colony. Best known for her studies of the Knights Templar, who she claims at one stage preserved the shroud, she said what she had deciphered was “the death sentence on a man called Jesus the Nazarene. If that man was also Christ the Son of God it is beyond my job to establish. I did not set out to demonstrate the truth of faith. I am a Catholic, but all my teachers have been atheists or agnostics, and the only believer among them was a Jew. I forced myself to work on this as I would have done on any other archaeological find.”

The Catholic Church has never either endorsed the Turin Shroud or rejected it as inauthentic. Pope John Paul II arranged for public showings in 1998 and 2000, saying: “The Shroud is an image of God’s love as well as of human sin. The imprint left by the tortured body of the Crucified One, which attests to the tremendous human capacity for causing pain and death to one’s fellow man, stands as an icon of the suffering of the innocent in every age.” Pope Benedict XVI is to pray before the Shroud when it is put on show again next Spring in Turin.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6925371.ece

While I will not go into the controversies now associated with the claimed burial cloth of Jesus, I will state that the Bible says that Jesus would “be called a Nazarene” (Matthew 2:23).

Christians were often called Nazarenes in the first (Acts 24:5) through fifth centuries.  Scattered Christians seemed to have been called/considered Nazarenes throughout history.

Those interested in learning more should carefully and prayerfully study the following:

Nazarene Christianity: Were the Original Christians Nazarenes? Should Christians be Nazarenes today? What were the practices of the Nazarenes?
Arabic Nazarenes May Have Kept Original Christian Practices Were their faithful Arabs who held to original Christianity?

Herman Van Rompuy

COGwriter

Herman Van Rompuy, the current Prime Minister of Belgium, was apparently selected to become the President of the European Union according to an AP report from CBS:

AP) BRUSSELS (AP) – EU leaders on Thursday handed the European Union’s top new jobs to two little-known compromise figures – Belgium’s prime minister and the EU’s trade commissioner – dashing hopes of those who wanted to raise the continent’s global profile.

The choice caps years of choppy efforts to give a united Europe a voice on the world stage commensurate with its economic heft. The EU leaders agreed on trade commissioner Catherine Ashton of Britain as the EU’s new foreign policy chief and Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy as its president, diplomats said.

But their appointments suggested the need for compromise outweighed the desire for big names like Tony Blair, the former British leader who was once considered a leading contender for the presidential job.

The two new officials are supposed to give the EU a bigger role in such global issues as climate change, terrorism and trade amid the rise of China, Brazil and India.

The two top jobs were created by an EU reform treaty that takes effect in less than two weeks, on Dec. 1. The treaty is vague on what the EU president is supposed to do, other than encourage more European integration.

While the EU president was initially seen as the bigger job, much attention has shifted to the foreign minister, who gets a say over the bloc’s annual euro7 billion ($10.5 billion) foreign aid budget and will head a new 5,000-strong EU diplomatic corps.

Ashton, who has never been elected to public office and is largely unknown outside Britain, had seemed an unlikely choice. She won the foreign policy brief after British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and left-leaning leaders from Spain, Greece, Slovakia, Slovenia, Portugal and Austria decided to put her name forward.

Ashton, 53, was a junior minister and leader of the House of Lords in 2007 and had a history as an anti-nuclear weapons campaigner.

She has barely caused a ripple during her year as EU trade chief and has no known foreign policy experience. She signed a trade pact with South Korea, stalled global negotiations at the World Trade Organization and helping defrost trade relations with the U.S. after President George W. Bush left office.

Van Rompuy was put forward for the president’s job by Sweden’s Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt who chaired Thursday’s summit, diplomats said.

Before the summit, Van Rompuy met with Belgium’s King Albert to discuss the possible selection of his successor as premier.

Van Rompuy, 62, is a technocrat with a penchant for haiku poetry. A Dutch-speaking Christian Democrat, he is unknown abroad, and even in Belgium he keeps a low profile. Or as a Belgian commentator recently put it: “Van Rompuy opens his mouth only to breathe.”   http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/19/ap/world/main5709978.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody

(Note: I said “apparently selected” because some reports state that the decision is NOT final–so this possibly could change.)

Herman Van Rompuy essentially is an economist that supports reducing government deficits and who wants Europe to preserve its “Christian” values.  He is a Catholic and graduated from a Catholic university.

Those in Turkey who wish to be part of the European Union will be less than thrilled about his selection.  Notice what Herman Van Rompuy stated in 2004 and that is part of why he was supported to become EU President now:

“Turkey is not a part of Europe and will never be part of Europe. An expansion of the EU to include Turkey cannot be considered as just another expansion as in the past,” he said.

“The universal values which are in force in Europe, and which are fundamental values of Christianity, will loose vigour with the entry of a large Islamic country such as Turkey.”

Filip Dewinter, a Vlaams Belang leader, said: “We are entirely in agreement with Van Rompuy over this question and are convinced he will defend this point of view as President of the EU. It is for this reason we openly support him.”  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/6600570/EU-president-Herman-Van-Rompuy-opposes-Turkey-joining.html

So, there may be deepening divide between the EU and Islam.  This does not mean that there will not be cooperation of any kind between Europe and Muslim nations, only that the leadership of the EU is letting the world know that religion will likely be something that separates the EU from others.

This will prove to be more important when a religious military leader will rise up in Europe with signs and lying wonders and who professes to believe in a changed religion that he will claim as ‘Catholic’.

And while I do NOT believe that Herman Van Rompuy (nor Tony Blair nor Catherine Ashton) is likely to be the one that is the final King of the North, he may (inadvertently apparently) help set the stage for that leader to rise up.

Some links of related interest may include:

2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect This is a link related to a book by Bob Thiel (COGwriter). This also has YouTube videos related to 2012. The book is for those truly interested in understanding how prophecies inter-relate and who want to see a real sequence of end time events. It goes into details concerning prophecies that involve the rising up of a European power, including the King of the North/the Beast and the Antichrist that line up with biblical prophecies.  It analyzes others that involve the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, and Asia.
The Arab World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam?
Is Tony Blair Apocalyptic? The former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom converted to Catholicism shortly after leaving his office and has been active in European affairs. What role might he play?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe?

COGwriter

The following news story caught my attention this morning:

DOUBLE STANDARDS?: Advertiser Accused of Going Soft on Obama, Hard On Religion.

(November 16, 2009)

*A major billboard company has allowed signs that question the validity of Christian faith, even though it rejected a billboard campaign that asked for documentation of President Barack Obama’s eligibility during his presidential campaign.Lamar Outdoor, one of the largest providers of billboard space in America, is being challenged for what some say is poor judgment and a double standard.

Billboards that ask…challenges to Christianity have popped up in at lease one market.

“We think it’s misleading to indicate there’s any question about the president’s birth certificate. We looked at it and we made the call” Lamar spokesman Hal Kilshaw told Word News Dailey. But now the United Coalition of Reason has a campaign to post billboards questioning the need for God. And the billboard company sees nothing wrong with that saying it has to do with freedom of religious choice. http://www.eurweb.com/story/eur57422.cfm

Of course, there is a God and Barack Obama was born.  But it is also true that the official computer generated birth certificate for Barack Obama is not his original one (which he may not have as his family may have had to provide it to the government of Indonesia when he lived there).

Now, let me add here that I am not questioning whether or not Barack Obama is technically qualified to be USA President.  My point is that it is odd that God is allowed to be questioned, but a lack of an original birth certificate is not allowed to be questioned.

Those who wish to learn more about these subjects may wish to check out the following:

Is God’s Existence Logical? Some say it is not logical to believe in God. Is that true?
Is Evolution Probable or Impossible or Is God’s Existence Logical? Part II This short article clearly answers what ‘pseudo-scientists’ refuse to acknowledge.
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Eight reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and eight reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist?  Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests?  This is the longest and most complete article on this page on Barack Obama prophecies. Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”, based up an early 20th century writing.
Prophecies of Barack Obama Since it became obvious that Barack Obama may become the President of the United States, many have claimed certain predictions and prophecies apply to him.  Here are some.

Jerusalem

COGwriter

There was a protest today about Intel employees working on the Sabbath in Jerusalem:

14:21 GMT, Saturday, 14 November 2009

‘Sabbath’ protest targets Intel

Ultra-Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem have protested outside the offices of the US firm, Intel, against the plant operating on the Jewish day of rest.

The demonstrators chanted “Shabbes! Shabbes!”, the Yiddish word for Sabbath when Jews are forbidden to work.

Intel, the world’s biggest maker of computer chips, ringed its offices with barbed wire before the protest. There were no reports of violence.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews have recently held a series of such protests in Israel.

More than 1,000 people took part in Saturday’s rally.

It was staged after talks between Intel and Jerusalem’s ultra-Orthodox Jewish community broke down earlier this week.

Intel has been operating on Saturdays for years – and the company defends the policy. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8360429.stm

The Bible clearly teaches:

8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates (Exodus 20:8-10).

The fact is that Intel has violated the above for years, so other than the fact that talks did not work, why protest now?

It has long been my opinion (often posted at this news page) that as we get closer to the end that the more religiously inclined Jews in Israel will ultimately impose more of their wishes (such as resuming sacrifices) within Israel.

Today’s protest may simply be a step in the more religious among the Jews deciding that they need to take more public steps in order to get more of their religious views implemented within Israel.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

The Sabbath in the Early Church and Abroad Was the seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath observed by the apostolic and post-apostolic Church?
Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament? Does the Bible require a rebuilt Jewish Temple?  Do Jews believe that they can resume sacrifices before a physical temple is rebuilt.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? What is the near-term fate for the Jewish nation of Israel?

Patriarch Kirill

COGwriter

It looks like the Russian Orthodox and the Vatican are moving towards closer relations:

Russian Orthodox and Catholic church may end 950-year rift

The Catholic and Russian Orthodox Church have held high-level talks to lay the groundwork for a historic meeting of their two leaders after centuries of frostiness.

By Rachel Cooper
Published: 9:35AM GMT 13 Nov 2009

Relations between the Vatican and the Russian Orthodox Church have been tense for centuries, but in a sign that relations are finally thawing, Archbishop Ilarion, who heads the Russian Orthodox Church’s foreign relations department, said that both sides wanted a meeting, although he emphasised that problems remained.

Ilarion spoke of a rapprochement under Pope Benedict XVI that would allow for a meeting with the new Russian Orthodox Patriarch, Kiril, who took up his office in February after the death of the previous patriarch.

“There have been visits at a high level,” said Illarion. “We are moving towards the moment when it will become possible to prepare a meeting between the Pope and the Moscow patriarch.”

He added that in recent years there had been “noticeable improvements” in relations between the two churches.

“The progress in relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church began after Benedict XVI became pope. He is…a person who does not aim to grow the Catholic Church in traditional Orthodox regions.”

The reality is that while the Russian Orthodox want better relations with the Vatican, at this time they do not seem inclined to accept Papal authority (Patriarch Kirill has specifically so indicated as in January he stated about unity with the Church of Rome there are a “great number of differences” on which “there is no room for compromise.”).  However, if they ever do, this will be dangerous for them AND the Church of Rome.

The other reality is that Pope Benedict absolutely does want to grow the Catholic Church in traditional Orthodox regions–but he has mainly taken the tactic of trying to foster better relations with the Russian Orthodox so that ultimately they will unify with Rome, and under Rome.  Getting the Orthodox to accept Papal authority has long been a goal of the Roman Pontiff.

Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholics often seem to forget their own, as well as biblical, prophecies that show how this would be a disaster.

Rowan Williams

COGwriter

The Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury predicts a chaotic and uncertain time for the Anglicans following the Vatican’s offer of reconciliation last month (see Vatican Announced Plan for Anglicans to Become Part of the Church of Rome):

Rowan Williams: church future ‘chaotic and uncertain’

The Archbishop of Canterbury has warned the future of the Anglican church is “chaotic and uncertain” as dozens more married priests consider defecting to the Roman Catholic church.

Telegraph - Nov 12, 2009  by Ancrew Pierce

In a sermon which was released yesterday, Dr Rowan Williams said: “God knows what the future holds.”

While he made no reference to the decision of the Vatican to make it easier for married Anglican clergy to train for the priesthood it was clear who his remarks were directed at.

He delivered the sermon at All Saints, Margaret Street at a service to mark the 150th anniversary of the London church’s consecration. All Saints is a prominent centre of Catholic Anglican worship in Britain.

The Archbishop, in an attempt to reach out to Anglican priests who were unsure whether to switch, said it was still possible “to lead lives of Catholic holiness even in the communion of the See of Canterbury”.

His inrtervention follows the gathering last month of 500 Anglican clergy, who oppose the consecration of women bishops, to discuss whether to abandon the Church of England for the Roman Catholic church.

The members of Forward in Faith, the leading traditionalist grouping, have given a positive response to Pope Benedict XVI’s offer of an Anglican “ordinariate” or diocese.

The archbishop, in his sermon, said: “God knows what the future holds for any of us for any of our ecclesiastical institutions but we can at least begin with what we can be sure of: that God has graced us with the lives of saints; that God has been credible in this fellowship with these people.

“This church, with its very particular place in the history of the Church of England, is one small but significant facet of that great mystery and that great gift. And, at times when the future seems more than usually chaotic and uncertain, it doesn’t hurt simply to give thanks.”

This week the Vatican published the new papal decree setting out the terms for the new diocese which would allow Anglicans to move over but to retain crucial aspects of their own liturgy.

The Archbishop is due to go to Rome next week for an audience with the Pope.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/6555325/Rowan-Williams-church-future–chaotic-and-uncertain.html

The Archbishop is in a tough spot.  He knows that his church has compromised on many doctrines and these compromises have gotten many to look to Rome–a place that the Anglicans got many (if not most) of their doctrines from originally.  But the majority of its more “conservative” leadership voted against returning to Rome in July, 2009.

The reality is that individuals should make up their own mind and not violate their beliefs and not violate their consciences (cf Romans 14:5,12; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; Philippians 2:12).

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Why Should American Catholics Should Fear Unity with the Orthodox? Are the current ecumenical meetings a good thing or will they result in disaster?
Orthodox Must Reject Unity with the Roman Catholics The talks for unification involve compromise and the apparent rising up of a changed religion that no one should accept.
Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies? People of all faiths may be surprised to see what various Roman and Orthodox Catholic prophets have been predicting as many of their predictions will be looked to in the 21st century.
Was Celibacy Required for Early Bishops or Presbyters? Some religions suggest this, but what does the Bible teach? What was the practice of the early church?
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Living Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions. Português: Qual é fiel: A igreja católica romana ou a igreja viva do deus? Tambien Español: Cuál es fiel: ¿La iglesia católica romana o La Iglesia del Dios Viviente? Auch: Deutsch: Welches zuverlässig ist: Die Römisch-katholische Kirche oder die lebende Kirche von Gott?

COGwriter

As author of 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect, Sony Pictures invited me to attend the press screening of its movie (released tonight on the East Coast and here).  The movie itself is about 2 1/2 hours long.

The film is a high-budget movie with a lot of special effects.  One critic who indicated that the movie had “incoherence” also reported:

It’s also among the most entertaining movies you will see this year (Kelly C.  It’s the end of the world.  San Luis Obispo Tribune, Ticket insert, November 12, 2009, p. F5).

A lot happens in the movie.

The movie starts out with solar flares, then the scene shifts to India.  Essentially, the “scientists” in the movie claim that the solar flares are producing a type of neutrin that is for some reason mutating.  This then is believed to cause the Earth’s core to heat up.

Mayan calendar prophecies are “reported” towards the beginning of the movie.

Various earthquakes occur.

Some civil unrest breaks out.  There is chaos.  More earthquakes, tsunamis, buildings and cities destroyed, high mountains covered with water.

The main characters are Jackson Curtis, an unsuccessful author and divorcee played by John Cusak and Dr. Adrian Helmsley played by Chiwetel Ejiofor.  The main characters survive disasters two different ways.

Jackson Curtis and those with him through some over the top racing and flying around to avoid the earthquakes and other disasters.  Dr. Adrian Helmsley survives because he, and a lot of politicians, wealthy individuals, and selected others because of a secret international plan to save a small remnant of humanity and have transportation pre-arranged.

The movie also has a black USA President, played by Danny Glover, which is consistent with what is expected in 2012.  Woody Harrelson plays someone that comes across as a nut who tries to warn people about what is going to happen.  The movie states that perhaps more people should have listened to those that expect the end of the world–and the movie is correct on that point.

Overall, the movie reflects some writers views of an end-time scenario that they believe is consistent with parts of certain Mayan religious predictions.

From a religious perspective, the movie tends to be dismissive of prayer and shows disasters coming to many who pray.  It indicates that relying on governmental cooperation is the answer to disasters (though since over 5,700,000,000 people apparently die in the movie, that seems an odd answer).  The movie also includes some unnecessary foul language.

As I do not want to spoil the plot for those who have not yet seen it, I will not go into how governments save the 400,000 that get saved.  But I will add that the disasters in the movie miss one continent as it allegedly raises while others somewhat sink, so that is why more than the governments’ 400,000 survive.

So, overall it is a humanitarian Hollywood take on 2012.  It was not intended to be a biblical take (those who wish a biblical take may wish to read the book 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect).

The real end of the world as we know it will be more complex than a 2 1/2 hour movie can portray. But the end will not, and cannot happen, prior to 2013.  But it will come to pass.

Three items of possibly related interest may include:

End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? Are there Mayan calendar predictions for change in 2012? Changes were centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans. Do Mayan/Hindu/Hopi/Buddhist/New Age/Nostradamus prophecies have any value here? Why might Satan have inspired this date? Does the Dresden codex show destruction of the earth by flood?  How might Barack Obama be involved in 2012?
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2009, 2010, 2011, or 2012? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?
2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect This is a link related to a book by Bob Thiel (COGwriter). This also has YouTube videos related to 2012.  The book contains documented prophecies as well as an end time sequence of events that Christians should study and understand.

COGwriter

A reader forwarded me a story that essentially some believe that USA President Obama will be converted by God.  One named Kim Clement allegedly prophesied the following in Memphis, Tennessee on October 26, 2009:

“For there has been a scheme and a plan against the President of this nation, to suffocate him.” God says, “The enemy has planned in 2010 to bring shame to the first African President. So that they will say, ‘Never again shall an African American be the President of the United States.’ This will not happen,” says the Lord. “This will not happen. This will not happen.

“There shall come a change in the early part of 2010 and many will say, ‘Look, things are not quite as bad as what it seemed,’ and those who have murmured and those who have spoken evil, those who have spread words out to bring shame to this race will not be satisfied.”…

God says, “Your President shall have a great conversion in 2010 which will bring about changes to this nation and because I have spoken.

“Your prayers and your praise shall bring about a change in the atmosphere; your praise and your shouts bring about a change, for you don’t understand the significance of these sounds. I’m not listening to the journalists or the prognosticators. I’m not listening to CBS or NBC or ABC or FOX.” God says, “I’m not listening!…

God says, “I will honor the prayer in the Easter of 2010. I will break the cycle.

“For they have predicted another one shall die in office. It shall not be so. For this President shall leave this office bringing honor to the African American people.”  Source: http://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word/8184

Now, while it is always possible that the USA President could convert, I absolutely do not accept the aforementioned “prophecy” as true for many reasons.  So, once again I will go on record and state in advance that I do not believe that the one who made this claim is God’s prophet.

Perhaps I should also mention that Barack Obama already claims to be a “Christian” of the Greco-Roman sort and that he already was “converted”.

Several articles of possibly related interest may include:

Prophecies of Barack Obama? Are there biblical and non-biblical prophecies about Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist?  Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as his timing and at least one Shiite prophecy suggests?  This is the longest and most detailed of the articles here at COGwriter related to prophecy and Barack Obama.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”. Might Bible prophecy be fulfilled since he is to be the USA president?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?

St. Peter’s Basilica

COGwriter

In a somewhat unusual move, it was announced that the Vatican will host a conference on the possibility of like outside of planet Earth:

The Vatican joins the search for alien life

The Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of Sciences is holding its first ever conference on alien life, the discovery of which would have profound implications for the Catholic Church.

Telegraph - Nov 10, 2009

The Pontifical Academy of Sciences is holding a conference on astrobiology, the study of life beyond Earth, with scientists and religious leaders gathering in Rome this week.

For centuries, theologians have argued over what the existence of life elsewhere in the universe would mean for the Church: at least since Giordano Bruno, an Italian monk, was put to death by the Inquisition in 1600 for claiming that other worlds exist.  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/6536400/The-Vatican-joins-the-search-for-alien-life.html

This development is consistent with certain others taken by the Vatican recently concerning Galileo and others matters related to astronomy.  When I watched Rome Reports last week, the Vatican seemed to be praising Galileo (and he had been condemned by the Vatican when he lived.  When he was still Cardinal Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI also tried to improve the Vatican’s stance about Galileo

Irrespective of the Vatican’s motivations here, there is non-human intelligent life not on Earth, but in the spirit realm.  But I doubt that the spirit realm is going to be what the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of Sciences has in mind.

An article of possibly related interest may be:

Close Encounters of a ‘Spirit’ Kind discusses some experiences I believe were (demon) ’spirit’ related.

COGwriter

Joel Olsteen is one of the most popular Protestant ministers in the world.  He and his wife have a huge following, both on television and in print.

And while I do not agree with much of his theology, a few years he decided that he should not eat pork or shellfish.

He took a bold step by  telling people not to eat those biblically unclean animals and only to eat biblically clean ones.

There is an abbreviated YouTube where he says that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU5kek3D-4I

And while Joel Olsteen and I do not agree on a lot of doctrine, I thought that this was a bold and courageous step for him to take. Teaching this may cost him followers.  But it is true.

To learn more about clean and unclean meats, please study the following article:

The New Testament Church and Unclean Meats Are foods considered to have been unclean in the Old Testament considered to be food in the New Testament? This article discusses this from the perspective of the New Testament. It also has a list of clean and unclean animals. It also answers the question, is pork healthy or is pork dangerous?