Quantcast
Channel: In Defense of the Church
Viewing all 1135 articles
Browse latest View live
↧

#ن: How an Arabic letter was reclaimed to support Iraq’s persecuted Christians

July 22, 2014, 9:25 pm
$
0
0
PASUGO Nobyembre 1954, p. 2, 1, :

“Hindi kailangang patunayan pa kung hindi tunay na Iglesia, kung ito'y kay Cristo o hindi. Ang pag-uusig na nagaganap sa INK, na siyang katuparan ng pinagpauna ng Panginoon ay siyang malinaw na katunayan na ang INK ay tunay na Iglesia at kay Cristo. Anu-ano ang mga kinathang kasinungalingan na ipinaparatang kay Jesus an nakasisirang puri! Hindi lamang nila sinasabing siya'y may demonyo, kundi pinaparatangang siya'y nauulol (Juan 15:20). Kung siya'y inusig tao man ay uusigin din. Ang pag-uusig sa Ulo at tagos hanggang sa katawan. Siya ang ulo, tayo ang mga sangkap, na siyang Iglesia."

We are the PERSECUTED CHURCH! Not you, Iglesia ni Cristo of Manalo!!!

“N”, or ن​, is the first letter of the Arabic word
for Christian, “Nasrani” or Nazarene
EuroNews - Over the weekend, while the world’s gaze was on Gaza and Syria, the situation of Christians in northern Iraq took a sharp turn for the worse, with thousands force to flee their homes. The situation is so dire that a social media campaign has been launched to try to reclaim the very symbol of persecution against these Christians and to try and raise awareness about their fate.

With a weekend ultimatum to either convert to Islam, submit to their radical rule and pay a religious levy, or face death by the sword, hardline Sunni militants of the Islamic State [IS] have been consolidating their control, driving Christians out of the city of Mosul. Of those who fled, some were robbed at gunpoint by Islamists on the road leaving the city.

Christians in Mosul once formed a community numbered in the tens of thousands set up in the region since the earliest of Christianity.

The local clergy was attacked as well. On Monday, militants took over the fourth century Saint Behnam monastery 30 km southeast of Mosul, forcing a monk and his assistant to leave, according to reports.

In Mosul, IS militants marked with a spray-painted ن (the Arabic letter for “N”) all Christian property to be seized after the ultimatum. “N”, or ن​, is the first letter of the Arabic word for Christian, “Nasrani” or Nazarene.

The local UN mission told Reuters 400 uprooted families arrived on Sunday morning in two cities in northern Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish enclave. Another 700 families were expected in Arbil, barely 50 miles (80 km) from Mosul. People of other faiths are leaving as well. A UNHCR spokesperson told euronews by email that, because ISIS’s actions are only a few weeks old, “there are probably many Iraqi refugees in neighbouring countries [fleeing IS activities] that are yet to approach UNHCR for registration or if they have they might still be waiting for an appointment(…) so it might be too early at this stage to have an accurate picture.”

Condemnations but no international response

Louis Raphael Sako, the Chaldean Catholic Patriarch and head of Iraq’s largest church, said on Sunday that the Islamic State militants were worse than Mongol leader Genghis Khan and his grandson Hulagu who ransacked medieval Baghdad in 1258.

One of Zako’s deputies, Bishop Shlemon Wardooni, called for an international response. “The world must act, speak out, consider human rights,” he said, adding that the Iraqi state was weak and divided and Muslim leaders had remained silent.

“We haven’t heard from clerics from all sects or from the government,” he told Reuters on Sunday. “The Christians are sacrificed for Iraq.”

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki condemned the treatment of Mosul’s Christians, saying it showed “the extreme criminality and terrorist nature of [IS]” and UN Secretary General Ban said IS’ actions were akin to “a crime against humanity.” Pope Francis, in his weekly public prayers on Sunday, said: “I learned with great concern the news that came from the Christian communities in Mosul (…) Today they are persecuted. Our brothers are persecuted. They’ve been driven away. They must leave their homes without being able to take anything with them.”

A symbol of persecution becomes a cry for help

However, despite these strong-worded statements, the international community has so far been immobile .

Online, frustration over the world’s inaction have led to a social media campaign to raise awareness about the fate of Mosul’s Christians. Users, for the most part Christians or Catholics, are changing their profile pictures on Facebook and Twitter to a pictures of the letter ن​, the very letter infamously branding their Iraqi co-religionists, and turning it into a symbol of support.

↧
Search

IGLESIA NI CRISTO® CENTENNIAL may DONATION ENVELOP na KINAKALAT

July 23, 2014, 4:32 am
$
0
0

Akala namin walang ABULUYAN sa INC? Ano ito?!
↧
↧

Major Differences between the True Church of Christ and the Fake Iglesia ni Cristo founded by Felix Manalo

July 23, 2014, 1:11 pm
$
0
0
Below quote was taken from RAPPLER.com entitled "The Major Difference between the Catholic Church and the Iglesia ni Cristo"Item No. 6:

Apostate Church. The INC accuses the Catholic Church of “unfaithfulness” or apostasy. Citing the prophesy of Apostle Paul, the early Church strayed away from the teachings of Christ. They cite the words of St Paul, who said that after his death, “men will arise who will speak perverse things to draw away the disciples of Christ after them (Acts 20:30)." The INC also cites St Peter, who said that false prophets will preach heresies “denying the Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, by rejecting him as Head of the Church…and by rejecting His name.”

The INC believes the descriptions squarely fit the Catholic Church. “The Catholic Church denied the Lord Christ’s headship by putting Peter and the Popes in His stead. It rejected His name, Christ, by sporting such an unscriptural name as Roman Catholic Church.”

The Catholic Church however, counters that it “has been faithful at all times to the Revelation” amid erroneous teachings and persecutions. The martyrdom of early Christians in the first 3 centuries is proof of the fidelity of the Catholic Church to Christ’s teachings.

In the first place, if the Catholic Church committed apostasy, “why does the INC use the Holy Bible that was ratified by the same Church in the 4th century?”
↧

SA PAGDIRIWANG ng SENTENARIO ng INC Tinupad ba ng IGLESIA NI CRISTO® o INC™ ang nakasaad sa ROMA16:16?

July 26, 2014, 12:09 pm
$
0
0
Ang ika-100 toang PAGKAKATATAG ng Iglesia ni Cristo® na itinatag ni Felix Manalo. Tinalikdan ni Felix Manalo ang tunay na Iglesia-ang Iglesia Katolika bilang katuparan sa mga hula sa Biblia na tatalikod ang tao sa tunay na Iglesia.
Buong pagmamalaki ng mga bayarang Ministro ng INC-1914 sa kanilang pamamayahag sa TV o radio o maging sa kanilang official magasing Pasugo SILA raw ang mga nabanggit sa ROMA 16:16 "Binabati KAYO ng lahat ng mga IGLESIA NI CRISTO." (Orihinal na pagkasulat ay'Binabati kayo ng lahat ng mga iglesia ni Cristo.')

Gusto lamang kasi nilang IPAMUKHA sa ating mga Katoliko na SILA raw ang TINUTUKOY doon sa Roma 16:16.

Sa tunog na lang "iglesia ni Cristo"  akala mo INC nga ang tinutukoy pero SURIIN at SIYASATING mo ang Roman 16:16 ay halatang MALABONG-MALABONG sila ang tinutukoy doon.  

UNA, ay sapagkat ang SULAT ni APOSTOL SAN PABLO ito sa mga KRISTIANO sa ROMA noong UNANG SIGLO. Ibig sabihin, may mga IGLESIA NI CRISTO na noon pa! Samakatuwid, HINDI ang INC-1914 ang tinutukoy dito ni Apostol San Pablo.

PANGALAWA, ay sapagkat SULAT po ito ni APOSTOL SAN PABLO sa mga KRISTIANO sa ROMA noong UNANG SIGLO pa. At ang INC ay sa PILIPINAS po ito UMIRAL noon lamang 1914 A.D.

PANGATLO, ay sapagkat ang mga tinutukoy rito ni Apostol San Pablo ay ang ROMA bilang BANTOG ang PANANAMPALATAYA sa BUONG MUNDO (KATA-HOLOS) Roma 1:18.

"Una'y nagpapasalamat ako sa aking Diyos sa pamamagitan ni Jesucristo dahil sa inyong lahat, sapagkat tanyag sa buong daigding ang inyong pananampalataya."-Biblia ng Sambayanang Pilipino

Ilan lamang 'yan sa mga rason kung bakit an Roma 16:16 hindi ang INC ni MANALO noong 1914. [Basahin din ang aking artikulong may pamagat na "Alin nga ba ang iglesiyang binabati ng lahat ng mga iglesia ni Cristo?"]


PANSININ niyo ang uri ng kanilang paniniwala at PAG-AANGKIN sa ROMA 16:16

http://tunaynalingkod.blogspot.com/2013/07/ang-araw-ng-paghuhukom.html

Sige, SAKYAN natin ang kanilang HILING! Sabihin nating INC ni MANALO nga ang tinutukoy roon.

Roma 16:16“Mangagbatian kayo ng banal na halik. Binabati KAYO ng lahat ng mga INC.”

Sa kasaysayan ng Iglesia ni Cristo® ito ay NAITATAG noong Hulyo 27, 1914.  At ang NAGTATAG nito ay si FELIX MANALO na dating Katoliko.

Ang LOKAL ng INC sa ROMA ay opisyal na naitala lamang noong Huly 27,1994.

Ibig sabihin ay 20 taon pa LAMANG ang INC sa ROMA? 

At ang masaklap kung ating SUSURIIN ay HINDI naman BUMABATI ang LAHAT ng IGLESIA NI CRISTO (ni Manalo) ang LOKAL nila sa ROMA?!!!

KABALIKTARAN pa nga!

Ang BINABATI ng lahat ng mga INC ay ang INC sa PILIPINAS!

O akala ba namin ay KAYONG mga INC ang binabanggit sa ROMA 16:16?  Bakit naman CENTRAL ang BINABATI ng LAHAT ng mga INC at HINDI ang LOKAL ninyo sa ROMA ang BINABATI?

Isang sa mga maraming billboards na pinaglalagay ng mga pulitiko sa Pilipinas! Ang pagbati sa ika-100 taon ng PAGKAKATATAG nga ng INC-1914

ANO NGA BA ANG PINAGDIRIWANG NA SENTENARIO NG IGLESIA NI CRISTO-1914?

Huwag po kayong malito.

Ang ipinagdiriwang po ng INC ni Manalo ngayong araw na ito ay HINDI po kaarawan ni FELIX MANALO, o ni ERAÑO MANALO o ni EDUARDO MANALO.

Lalong HINDI po ito pagdiriwang ng "GOD'S BLESSINGS" tulad ng mga tarpouline na nagiging sore-eyes sa kahabaan ng Commonwealth Avenue sa Lungsod ng Quezon.

HINDI po nila ito ILALAGAY sa kanilang mga pagbati sa harap ng kanilang mga patulis na TEMPLO.

Ang kanilang IPINAGDIRIWANG ay walang iba kundi ang PAGKAKATATAG ng IGLESIA NI CRISTO  sa VERSION ni MANALO noong 1914.

Patunay?

Heto ang sabi ng PASUGO (official magazine ng INC-1914).

PASUGO Agosto-Setyembre 1964, p. 5
“Kailan napatala sa Pamahalaan o narehistro ang INK sa Pilipinas? Noong Hulyo 27, 1914.Tunay nga na sinasabi sa rehistro na si Kapatid na F. Manalo ang nagtatag ng INK."

Registration ng INC sa Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission

Bakit CIUDAD DE VICTORIA?

Hindi po kasi nila kayang palitan ang Lungsod ng Maynila kay Manalo kung saan ang unang kapilya ng INC ay naitatag sa PUNTA, STA. ANA, MANILA.

At lalong hindi nila maaaring angkinin ang Lungsod ng Quezon para kay Manalo.  Sinubukan pa ngang gawing FELIX MANALO AVENUE ang buong COMMONWEALTH AVENUE kung saan naroon ang kanilang CENTRAL pero hindi po ito kinatigan ng Lungsod ng Quezon.

Kaya't sila'y GUMAWA ng sarili nilang LUNGSOD na nakapangalan kay MANALO.

Pero HINDI HALATA. Masyado kasing MANALONG-MANALO na ang mga PAGPUPURI at PAGBIBIGAY PARANGAL sa lahat ng mga kanilang mga GUSALI.

Tulad ng NEW ERA. Hango po iyan kay ERA-ÑO (ERA NEW).

Mahilig lang ang mga INC sa paglalaro ng SALITA.

Tulad ng "mga iglesia ni Cristo". Eh kapag nakasulat na po ito sa kanilang mga babasahin ay nagiging "Iglesia" na! Ung i ay nagiging I na!

Kaya't bumili sila ng LOTE na MAS MALAKI sa sukat ng VATICAN CITY sa ROMA kung saan nakatayo ang ORIHINAL na IGLESIA NI CRISTO (sulat ni Apostol San Pablo sa mga Kristiano sa Roma) sa pagitan ng BOCAUE at STA. MARIA sa Probinsiya ng Bulacan at tinawag ng CIUDAD DE VICTORIA

Ang CIUDAD DE VICTORIA po ay ESPAÑOL o WIKANG KASTILA na sumakop sa atin sa mahigit 300 taon.

Bagamat bitter na bitter sila sa mga Kastila pero nakapagtataka kung bakit wikang Kastila ang gamit sa pagpapangalan ng kanilang lugar?

Dito kasi NAKATAGO ang mga TUNAY na PANGALAN ng lugar.

SPANISHENGLISHTAGALOG
CIUDADCITYLUNGSOD
DEOFNG
VICTORIAVICTORYMANALO-TAGUMPAY

CIUDAD DE VICTORIA
CITY OF VICTORY
LUNGSOD NG MANALO!

PETSA NG JULY 27, NASA BIBLIA BA?

Kung TUMUTULIGSA nga naman ang mga kaanib ng INC ni Manalo ukol sa Disyembre 25 bilang araw na nakalaan sa KAPANGANAKAN NI CRISTO ay wagas.

http://tunaynalingkod.blogspot.com/2013/12/december-25-birthday-of-sun.html

Para sa kanila WALA raw sa BIBLIA ang PETSA ng kapanganakan ni Cristo.  At sa simpleng Teolohiya ng mga kaanib, KUNG WALA SA BIBLIA ay HINDI TOTOO.

Ano kaya kung IBALIK natin sa kanila ang mga katanungan?

NASA BIBLIA BA ANG JULY 27 bilang PAGDIRIWANG ng PAGKAKATATAG ng INC?!!!
↧

The Church NEVER apostatized

July 28, 2014, 12:34 am
$
0
0
By Manolis Kalomiris
Republished from the magazine: "Explorer of the Truth" Edition Νο. 30.

Protestantassertions
We shall present some of the assertions of these religious groups:  “The devil began to introduce dogmatic changes, as of Emperor Constantine’s time, deceiving quite a few of the bishops… So, they developed a different theology to that of the Bible, because they embraced too much of Plato’s philosophy…. Eventually, a complete deterioration set in…  With the passing years and centuries, historical Christianity became a religion that had completely distanced itself from the apostolic simplicity and spirituality, so that today, it appears entirely mutated…. During the fifth century, Christianity appeared to have conquered idolatry, however, idolatry had already corrupted Christianity.” (Evangelical magazine RESEARCH AND FAITH, March-April 1992, page 8)
“However, after the demise of the Apostles, a gradual change came over the Church. During the 2nd, 3rd and 4th centuries, many in the Church distorted and even rejected the truths that Christ and the Apostles had taught. (Adventist magazine “HERALD”, July-September 2004, page 19)
“Because the Church, with its careless stance, altered its God-founded constitution, thus upsetting everything.”  (The book “THE REVERSALS OF RELIGION” by S. Charalambakis, page 26) This same author asserts that the church that “the Disciples of the Divine Savior delivered to us, was preserved to the 3rd century”, hence, he proposes, “this is the Church that we must return to: the roots” (RETURN TO THE GENUINE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN ROOTS, page 9). In another of his texts, he maintains that the apostasy took place later on:  “Based on biblical and historical facts, we know that the Church retained its Apostolic guidelines up to about 500 A.D.”  (pamphlet “THE ORTHODOX CHURCH AND ITS HISTORY”)
As we can see, there is no agreement as to when the Church apostatized; others place it in the 2nd century, others in the 3rd and others in the 4th or 5th.  So, where is the truth?  Did the Church of Christ really fall into apostasy?  What does the Holy Bible teach on this matter?  If apostasy did occur, when did it occur historically and which teachings did it affect?
 
One, hugecontradiction
 If however, the Ancient Church did not remain within the truth – as various protestant groups and heresies maintain – then they have a serious problem.  They place themselves in the predicament of acknowledging the authority of an apostate Church that ruled on the Canon of the New Testament!  How can they trust the Canon of the 27 books of the New Testament, if it was composed by alleged apostates of the truth?  How can they be certain that those involved had made the correct choice as to which books are divinely inspired or not, if they had apostatized from the divine truth?  If the Church had apostatized, how can they be sure that those people hadn’t chosen the books that were considered expedient and rejected those that weren’t to their advantage?  If, on the other hand, they trust the Canon of the New Testament, then they –unwittingly- also trust the Church that created that Canon!
The oldest, complete catalogue of the 27 books of the New Testament did not exist until 367 A.D., when Athanasios the Great wrote his 39th commemorative epistle[1]!!  The Canon that we have, was finalized in 397 A.D., in the Council (Synod) of Carthage.  At least that Church – which gave us the Canon for the New Testament – was surely “a pillar and foundation of the truth” (Timothy I, 3:15).  If the Church had indeed preserved apostolic tradition, then it certainly was capable of deciding on the Canon of valid books for the New Testament; if, however, it had become corrupt and apostate, it would obviously not have preserved apostolic tradition and subsequently any decision that it may have reached for this Canon would have been erroneous!  To quote the Holy Bible: “Who can extract the clean from the unclean? No-one” (Job, 14:4 – Vamvas Translation). But, if we accept that apostolic tradition was properly preserved by that Church, qualifying it to decide on the Canon, then it could not have been in apostasy!
Consequently, those who maintain that the Church had apostatized, have only two choices:
  1. Either to reject the Canon on the 27 books of the New Testament ruled by that “apostate” Church and commence their own councils (synods) and discussions in order to instate a new Canon for the New Testament, or:
  2. Admit that they have made a mistake and that the Canon on the New Testament that they acknowledge could not have been created by an “apostate” Church.

[1] The Emergence of the New Testament Canon- Daniel Lieuwen- (www.orthodoxinfo.com).
 
Various Protestants invoke certain passages, in order to support the alleged apostasy of the Church.  They assert that what the Apostle Paul prophesied in his Epistle I to Timothy has been fulfilled, i.e., ‘in later times, some will apostatize from the Faith, paying attention to spirits of deception and to demonic teachings etc.’.[2]. But this passage of Timothy I, 4:1 doesn’t imply that the entire Church was supposedly going to apostatize. The verse clearly says that ‘…….. some will apostatize from the Faith….’, not the entire Church!  The Holy Bible speaks of those who will apostatize, in other verses also:  “…. With faith and an innocent conscience, which some– after discarding it – became shipwreckedin their faith” (Timothy I, 1:19); “which some, in professing it, strayed from the faith” (Timothy I, 6:21).  Furthermore, in Acts 20:28-30, there is no inference that the entire Church is going to apostatize; it only says that “some menwill appear, who will teach the truth falsified” (Evangelic translation “Logos”).
The Holy Bible says: “They came forth from among you, but they weren’t one of your kind; for if they were one of your kind, they would have stayed with you. But they came forth so that it might be revealed, that not all of them are one of your kind.” (John I, 2:19).  It is obvious that this verse proves that those individuals who apostatize from the true faith DO NOT remain in the Church, but move out of it, thus allowing the Church to preserve its dogmatic teaching unadulterated!

[2] From letter of some reader of Researcher
 
The Church cannot apostatize!
According to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Church cannot apostatize: “… the portals of the underworld shall not overpower her (the Church)”  (Matthew, 16:18). The Holy Bible also clearly states that the truth shall remain in the Church forever: “...for the truth, which resides in you, and shall be with you for all time” (John II, 2); just as Jesus Christ Himself likewise promises that He shall continuously be with the Church, from the 1st century to the end of time, unfailingly: “I am with you, for all days, until the end of time” (Matthew, 28:80). The Holy Spirit also eternally resides in the Church, continuously, from the 1st century: “And I shall ask the Father, and He shall send you another Paraclete, to remain with you to the end of time” (John 14:16).  
Therefore, the Church cannot ever apostatize, because Christ – the head of the Church – remains forever joined to His Body, just as the Holy Spirit remains continuously within it, to guide it throughout the truth (John 14:26), hence the truth must also perpetually reside within the Church!  If the Church had indeed apostatized, as various teachers of deception claim, it would mean that Christ had given false promises, which He didn’t keep!  But, isn’t that a blasphemous conjecture?
However, some protestants maintain that those promises do apply, but not to the visible Church, only the invisible one!  But the Holy Bible doesn’t say that the Church founded by Christ was an invisible one! Quite the opposite, it very clearly talks about a visible Church: “ ….and if someone disobeys them, tell this to the Church; but, if he disobeys the Church also, then you should treat him as a gentile and a tax-collector” (Matthew 18:17).  If the Church is invisible, then how does someone speak to the Church, and how does an…. invisible Church reprimand the one who has sinned?
“For I am the least of the apostles, who is unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God” (Corinthians I, 15:9).  If the Church were invisible, then how did Paul manage to persecute it?
“For if one does not know how to govern his own home, how shall he take care of the church of God?” (Timothy I, 3:5).  How does a bishop take care of an ….. invisible Church?”
These are just a few of the verses that prove that the Church founded by Christ is definitely visible, and not invisible. Consequently, in this visible Church, the promises that it cannot apostatize hold true, and the truth, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit will remain inside it eternally!

The biblical theologian Rick Wade mentions in his article “ScriptureandTraditionintheEarlyChurch” (www.probe.org/docs/tradition.html) that occasionally, someone will find references to the idea of a “decline” of the Church after the conversion of the emperor Constantine during the 4th century. Some believe that under Constantine, the Church began to slip, into a state religion that became corrupted by power and riches…. This threw a heavy cloak over the whole of ecclesiastic history, up to the era of Reform. Tradition was considered to be an element of a corrupt and institutionalized church. While it is true that the newly-acquired freedom that the Church enjoyed under Constantine had its negative points, it doesn’t mean that the Church “declined” as some say. During all of its history, the Church may have made mistakes in its dealings with secular society and its during its discovering how to appropriately handle the freedom and power that it had acquired, but, the idea that the Church rapidly became corrupt and that the councils (synods) that were convened during his reign were merely the emperor’s pawns, is too naïve a notion.  The Church continued to be faithful to its duty of clarifying and spreading the apostolic tradition. “The faith that was confessed and practiced by the ancient churches was not defined by the political intrigues of emperors and the hierarchies of the prelates” Williams said.[3].
“The essential form and structure of the Christian identity was something that the fourth century inherited and continued to expand, through biblical explanation and the liturgical life as expressed in the tradition of the Symbols of the Faith."
Let’s take a look at what ensued after Constantine’s reign. Williams says: “…The theology that developed after Constantine did not reflect a radically subversive shift in the Holy Bible and apostolic tradition. On the contrary, the most important Symbols of the Faith (Creed) and official dogmatic discussions were the conscious expansion of a precedent Tradition and teaching of the New Testament, in an attempt to formulate the Christian understanding of God and salvation in the light of new challenges. The reason this is important for our study, is that some have allowed this idea (of the Church’s decline towards the end of the Patristic period) to influence them to the point of rejecting the whole of that period. This is wrong.  There was good and there was bad for the Church under Constantine’s reign. Nevertheless, the Church continued to develop itself in its understanding of the apostolic Tradition. We should not ignore the ancient church because of unfortunate setbacks.”

[3] D.H.Williams, Retrieving the Tradition, and Renewing Evangelicalism: A Primer for Suspicious Protestants (Eerdmans, 1999).

Isapoliticalpower’sfavor, proofofapostasy?
Most Greek (*) Protestants, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons etc. believe that the Church apostatized because Constantine the Great ended the persecutions and swayed the Empire’s favor towards Christians. But does the Holy Bible agree with this?
Let’s take a look at the Persian Emperor Cyrus as an example. The Holy Bible says that God spurred Cyrus’ heart (an idolatrous king!) into rebuilding the destroyed temple of God in Jerusalem, and to even return the sacred vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had stolen from it (Ezra, chapter 1). Was the favor of the idolatrous king towards the Judeans (especially his initiative to rebuild the Temple of God) proof that Israel had apostatized from the truth at the time? The Holy Bible replies with a resounding NO, because God stated the following about the idolatrous king Cyrus:  “He is my shepherd, and he will perform all my errands; and I say unto Jerusalem: “You shall be rebuilt” and to the temple: “your foundations shall be planted” (Isaiah 44:28, Translation “PERGAMOS”). So, the Holy Bible clearly indicates that God can use even worldly potentates in order for His will to be done (Proverbs 21:1).  The same happened with Constantine the Great: God swayed the favor of the idolatrous Emperor to the benefit of the Christians, using him as His instrument in order to terminate the state’s persecutions of the Church and allow the unhindered spreading of the Gospel throughout the Empire.
Consequently, the assertion of many contemporary movements that the Church apostatized opposes the Holy Bible as well as common logic, because if their assertion is accepted, then the Canon of the New Testament that they hold in their hands loses its validity!  In closing, we submit something that the familiar Protestant Hank Hanegraaf said to the Mormons (although the same applies to every religious group that stresses the same argument: “In reply to this teaching (of the church’s apostasy), we should ask the Mormons exactly how would the Church be able to praise God ‘in every generation, for ever and ever’, if – as the Apostle Paul clearly wrote in Ephesians 3:21- it had declined into complete apostasy?” (www.equip.org/free/CP0306.htm).
↧
↧

An ISLAMIC TERRORIST TARGETS ROME the SEAT of CHRISTIANITY (CATHOLICISM)! Lord Protect your Church!

July 28, 2014, 3:35 am
$
0
0
Thanks to Mr. Robert Spencer'sJihadWatch for bringing this evil intention of hell's soldiers to our attention:

“Imam Ahmad reported in his Musnad that Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Al-‘As (may God be pleased with him) reports, Whilst we were around the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) writing down, he was asked, ‘Which of the two cities is to be opened first, Constantinople or Rome?’ He (the Prophet) answered, ‘The city of Heraclius will be opened first!’” (Imam Ahmad, and Al-Albany)

Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi quoted this hadith a few years ago and added: “This means that Islam will return to Europe as a conqueror and victor, after being expelled from it twice – once from the South, from Andalusia, and a second time from the East, when it knocked several times on the door of Athens.”

And the Saudi Sheikh Muhammad bin Abd Al-Rahman Al-’Arifi, imam of the mosque of King Fahd Defense Academy, once boasted: “We will control the land of the Vatican; we will control Rome and introduce Islam in it. Yes, the Christians, who carve crosses on the breasts of the Muslims in Kosovo – and before then in Bosnia, and before then in many places in the world – will yet pay us the Jiziya [poll tax paid by non-Muslims under Muslim rule], in humiliation, or they will convert to Islam.”

There are many more such statements here.
↧

100 Years Of Deception By The Iglesia Ni Cristo

July 28, 2014, 10:18 pm
$
0
0
From Catholic Eternal Truth: Felix Manalo founded the Iglesia Ni Cristo on July 27, 1914 and today they are celebrating their 100th founding anniversary. For 100 years the INC is a prime mover in snatching the followers of Christ and made them servants of the Manalo family. There is no way of accurately knowing how many souls have the INC deceived and taken away from Jesus Christ because they are known for inflating their numbers just to make it appear that they are numerous, but the facts are contrary to their claim.

The entire fundamental doctrine of Iglesia Ni Cristo is based not on truths but words and interpretation of the their founder Felix Manalo. Sadly, we cannot discuss each and every doctrine of the INC but we'll discuss those that are common.

Deception Number 1
The INC Is The True Church Of Jesus Christ

There are no historical basis that the Iglesia Ni Cristo can trace its origin back into the time of Jesus Christ or his apostles. For the first 1914 years there is no Felix Manalo and his Iglesia Ni Cristo. The ministers of the Iglesia Ni Cristo have to precondition the minds of their members in order to make them believe that the INC is the true Church of Christ that was revived through Felix Manalo. In order to precondition the minds of their members they borrowed a heresy coming from Martin Luther, the Sola Scriptura or Bible alone doctrine. The INC is a notorious fundamentalist, they will not believe a single word or explanation unless you can show to them that it is stated in the Bible word per word. The INC ministers will then prove that the name of the Church that Jesus Christ founded is "Iglesia Ni Cristo" or Church of Christ in English. Quoting scriptures with inaccurate translation like the Lamsa version they make their followers believe by saying that since the name Church of Christ is found within the pages of scripture then theirs is the true Church of Christ and all other Churches are false.

Surprisingly, with a very shallow reasoning people are being fooled with what the INC ministers are saying. First and foremost, nowhere in Scripture ever state that the Church's name is the basis for knowing if the Church is of Christ or not. Prior to the existence of the INC there are Churches who named themselves "Church of Christ" if their logic is valid it would mean that there are more than a thousand true churches of Christ since there are more than a thousand churches who called their church as "Church of Christ". The INC do not consider historical facts nor use history to prove that the INC is the true Church because not a single iota of information from history will ever support their claim that theirs is the true Church. On the contrary the true Church of Jesus Christ is the one who Christ himself founded not the ones founded by Felix Manalo (Mt.16:17-19). The Church that Jesus Christ himself founded doesn't have to be revived because it didn't disappear from the face of the earth for Christ himself promise that he will be with his Church until the end of time (Mt.28:18-20).

Common sense would tell us that it would be more logical and spiritual to join the Church that Jesus Christ himself founded not the ones invented by Felix Manalo. Jesus Christ said that he will be with his Church until the end of time, however Felix Manalo claims that the Church Jesus Christ founded apostatized and he was given the mission to revive the Church. Who then now is lying Jesus Christ or Felix Manalo?


Deception Number 2
Jesus Christ Is Just A Man And Not God

Arianism is one of the most notorious heresies that the Catholic Church had face and defeated in the past through the brilliance and holiness of St. Athanasius. For over a thousand years Arianism is beginning to rear its ugly head through the INC. Despite of numerous Biblical proofs the INC believes that Jesus Christ is just a man and Felix Manalo is a messenger and an angel in the end of times. We have no objections to the scriptural passages that explicitly and implicitly says that Jesus Christ is man. What the Catholic Church teach is that Jesus Christ is true God and true man, so there is no argument whether Christ is a man or not for the Catholic Church believes that Jesus Christ possess the nature of man and of God. In the Gospel of John the writer introduced Jesus Christ as true God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

The "Word" in this passage is Jesus Christ, he was the Word who became flesh (John 1:14). Even before the creation of the world Jesus Christ was already with the Father in John 17:5 Jesus Christ said "Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory which I had with you before the world was made." If Jesus Christ is just a man how can he be with the Father even before the world was made? In the letter of St. Paul to the Romans he proclaimed that Jesus Christ is God. "To them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to flesh, is Christ, who is God over all, blessed for ever, Amen"(See also 1 John 5:21). Who are we going to believe Felix Manalo who says that Jesus Christ is just a man or St. Paul and the rest of Scripture who attest that Jesus Christ is God?

These are few of the deceptions made by INC just to gain followers, they are willing to distort scripture just to prove that they are correct despite the obvious fact that there is no good evidence for their claims.
↧

EVangelical Missions ng INC®-1914 ay isang PATAGONG PAGPUPURI kay EVM - Eraño V. Manalo

July 31, 2014, 5:30 pm
$
0
0


Katulad din 'yan ng NEW ERA UNIVERSITY ay PAPURI kay ERA-ÑO MANALO
Ang CIUDAD DE VICTORIA naman ay CITY OF MANALO (LUNGSOD NG MANALO) bilang  PAPURI sa mga MANALO
↧
Search

PROPHETIC WARNING! ISLAM and MUSLIMS have secret desire to CONQUEST EUROPE, ROME and the VATICAN

August 1, 2014, 5:41 pm
$
0
0
“We will control the land of the Vatican; we will control Rome and introduce Islam in it. Yes, the Christians, who carve crosses on the breasts of the Muslims in Kosovo – and before then in Bosnia, and before then in many places in the world – will yet pay us the Jiziya [poll tax paid by non-Muslims under Muslim rule], in humiliation, or they will convert to Islam.”-Saudi Sheikh Muhammad bin Abd Al-Rahman Al-’Arifi, imam of the mosque of King Fahd Defense Academy

Why no Muslim or non-Christian or a Leftist or an Atheist wants to conquest the "true church"- the IGLESIA NI CRISTO®-1914founded by FELIX MANALO? Why the CATHOLIC CHURCH is still the prized desired target? What's in her? INC Ministers maybe have answers?
↧
↧

Look how NASTY these INC members are

August 1, 2014, 7:22 pm
↧

WARNING: ISIS Islamic Terrorists Disturbing Images while UN, USA and EU are silent out of FEAR

August 3, 2014, 12:17 am
↧

"Why Islam is Worse Than Nazism" by Serkan Engin a Turkish Sunni Muslim Poet

August 3, 2014, 4:33 pm
$
0
0
Note from Robert Spencer author of JihadWatch: When Serkan Engin sent me this piece and asked me to publish it, I asked him if this could endanger him in Turkey. He responded, “I am ready to die.” I certainly hope that he encounters no difficulty as a result of making these public statements; what happens to him now will be a test of the health of the freedom of speech and Kemalist secularism in rapidly re-Islamizing Turkey. It is certainly not possible to say such things in the U.S. today without charges of “racism” and “bigotry,” without any discussion of whether there are Islamic texts and teachings that justify violence and hatred: the question cannot even be asked.

It should also be noted that I do not agree with Serkan Engin’s call for Islam to be outlawed. In the U.S., at least (to say nothing of Turkey or elsewhere), we do not outlaw ideas, and do not employ Thought Police. The criminalizing of thought is a hallmark of the totalitarian state. Even at the height of the Cold War, Communism was not outlawed. Once a people grants to the government the power to declare certain ideas illegal, that power can be turned against good ideas, to the detriment of the people. What needs to be done in response to jihad violence and Islamic supremacism today is an aggressive prosecution of any and all actions dedicated to subverting the republic; that is, however, not being done.

In any case, I may not agree with everything Serkan Engin says, but I will defend to the death his right to speak his mind. That is the fundamental principle of the freedom of speech, and the indispensable foundation of any free society. It is rapidly being lost.

Why Islam is Worse Than Nazism
by Serkan Engin

I am an atheist author and poet, who had lived as a Sunni Muslim for 23 years from birth, and I am still living in a Muslim country, Turkey. Also, my parents and all of my relatives are still Muslim. So, my critics about Islam can be easily consider this an inside view.

I know that the title of this essay seems assertive, but I will explain the rightness of this title step-by-step in this essay.

First of all, you have to learn about Islam that if you are an “outsider”, a non-Muslim, for example, a Christian, an atheist, a Buddhist, a Jew or whatever else, all Muslims have the “right” of killing and raping you, grabbing all your properties, your country, land, money and anything else. They take this “right” from the book of their belief, the Quran. In other words, they take this “right” from their belief’s core, the theology of Islam.

Here are some examples of this in verses from Quran.

This verse of Quran is about “all non-Muslims”, all “heretics”! — Christians, Buddhists, atheists, Jews, etc. — describing them “who wage war against AllahandHis Messenger (Muhammad)”

Surat Al-Ma’idah (5.33)

“Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment.”

And this verse of the Quran is about the order to killing the humans who left Islam, the apostates:
Surat An-Nisa’ (4.89)

“They wish you would disbelieve as they disbelieved so you would be alike. So do not take from among them allies until they emigrate for the cause of Allah. But if they turn away, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them and take not from among them any ally or helper.”

Look at the current situation in Syria. How can Islamist terrorists slaughter Alawite people or rape Christian women so easily? Because they take this “right” from their belief and they believe that they will go to the heaven because of these vandalistic actions against “outsiders”, who are out of Islam, who don’t believe the same religious tenets — in other words, those who are the “heretics” according to their belief. Some Muslims say, “But they are not the real Muslims.” That is a big lie; that is the exact form of real Islam, because these vandalistic actions are in accord with the orders of Quran.
You have heard many times that “Islam is a tolerant religion”. That is the biggest lie that you can hear all over the World, and this lie is used as a mask to hide the terrible face of Islam. There is NO difference between Islam and Islamism. This is the main error that the modern world make about Islam. There are not different forms as Islam and Islamism, they are the same thing, and they have the same content. This separation is just only an illusion, and it is used by Muslims to hide the brutal, hateful, oppressive,murderous, genocidal face of Islam.

Islamic theology is based on the verses of the Quran and Hadith. Hadiths are the words and actions of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and all Muslims must follow these words and actions in addition to the orders of Quran. For example, you have to defecate as Muhammad did, and you have to clean yourself as he did, or you can rape and enslave a “heretic” woman in a war as a sex slave as Muhammad did, or you can torture your enemy in a war to learn the place of his hidden money, as Muhammad did.

You “must” cut the hand of a thief as Muhammad did, not give him any prison sentence as do the modern laws.

You must stone a woman to death as Muhammad did, because she had sex outside of the rules of Islam (but you must only whip her partner a hundred times). If you are a Muslim, you can never set them free while considering that their sexual actions are about their own personal relations and freedom, in accord with modern laws. You must definitely apply the punishments of Muhammad such as stoning the woman to the death and whipping her partner a hundred times if you want to be a good Muslim.

You must kill the man who left the belief of Islam, as Muhammad did. You can’t say “This is his own choice and he has the freedom of thought and belief”, because it is an order of the Quran that you “must” kill the persons who were Muslim before and then left the Islamic religion.

You must kill all homosexuals according to the orders of Islam. No Muslims can say according to Islam that their sexual orientation is their own natural right, in accord with the human rights norms of our age.

You have the “right” to marry a little girl at 9 years old, as Muhammad did. In other words, you can rape a little child legally in Islam and make her a sex slave, and also a domestic slave till the end of her life.

You can lie alongside of your dead wife for 6 hours, as Muhammad did. In other words, you can rape the dead body of your wife for 6 hours after her death.

Here is Islam…Here is the “tolerant religion”…Here is the right way to the heaven…Here are the orders of Allah…Here are the actions of Muhammad…

You can easily see how civilized the Muslim countries of the world are because of Islam, such as Afghanistan, Nigeria, Turkey, Iran, Sudan and the others. You can see how much they have contributed to the history of philosophy, the history of art, and the history of science of the whole world. You can see how respectful they are to human rights, women’s rights, children’s rights, the freedom of expression and thought, the freedom of the press, the freedom of belief, etc.

The first genocide wave of 20th century, the Armenian Genocide, the Assyrian Genocide and the Pontic Greek Genocide, was perpetrated by Turkish and Kurdish people of the Ottoman Empire and the new Turkish Republic, getting motivation from the “rights” that they had because of Islam: the “rights” of killing and raping the non-Muslims, enslaving their women and little girls as sex slaves and also domestic slaves, and grabbing their money, houses and lands. However, “The Committee of Union and Progress” (CUP) (Turkish: İttihat ve Terakki Cemiyeti) was based on Turkish nationalism; they used Turkish and Kurdish people easily for these genocides because of the Islamic religion’s content about non-Muslims. All the Turkish and Kurdish Muslims believed that they would go to the heaven if they killed more non-Muslims, as do today’s Islamist terrorists.

The owners of the second genocide wave of 20th century were Nazis, as you know. They 
took the genocides of the Turks as a sample. It is know that Adolf Hitler said to his military commanders, “Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?,” while they were talking about the reaction of the world about the genocides that they were planning to perpetrate.
Nazism was considered a legal and respectable ideology at the beginning of the 1930s, and then the world saw how dangerous Nazism was. Millions of people died because of Nazism, and today it is illegal to support Nazism in any civilized country. You can never make propaganda about Nazism legally. Today, Nazism is not considered as a genuine thought alternative, and it is not included in the freedom of thought and expression.

As I have detailed above, Islam is against the human rights norms of our age, and it has more dangerous content than Nazism. Islam is not a belief alternative, it is just a crime against humanity, and any crime shouldn’t have freedom in our modern world. So, Islam must be declared illegal all over the world, as is Nazism, because of its vandal content and commands that are against human rights. All actions about Islam must be forbidden and the propagandists of Islam must be judged because of instigating to the crimes of murder, rape, grab and crimes against humanity. Otherwise, the world will meet with a big tragedy when the Islamists will get more power, as the world suffered because of Nazism.

A socialist Laz poet from Turkey, Serkan Engin was born in 1975 in Izmit, Turkey. His poems have been published in English in The Tower Journal, Poetry’z Own, Belleville Park Pages, Far Enough East, Spilt Infinitive Lit Magazine, Empty Mirror, The Writer’s Drawer, Poetry Super Highway, Miracle E-zine, Industry Night Lit Magazine, Open Road Review, Shot Glass Journal, The Criterion and Mediterranean Poetry. Some of his poems appeared in Japanese in the leading Japanese philosophy and poetry journal Shi to Shisou.
↧

All 45 Christian Institutions in Mosul Destroyed or Occupied By ISIS

August 3, 2014, 11:21 pm
$
0
0
Cross removed and replaced with black flag of ISIS - Church in Mosul.
Photo: AsifJaan via Twitter
Since taking over Mosul on June 10, ISIS has destroyed, occupied, converted to mosques, converted to ISIS headquarters or shuttered all 45 Christian institutions in Mosul.

Pravmir— July 31, 2014

(AINA) -- The following is the complete list of the Christian institutions in Mosul, grouped by denomination.
Syriac Catholic Church:
  1. Syrian Catholic Diocese – Maidan Neighborhood, Mosul
  2. The Old Church of the Immaculate – Maidan Neighborhood, Mosul (The church goes back to the eighth century AD)
  3. The New Church of the Immaculate – Maidan Neighborhood
  4. Church of Mar (Saint) Toma – Khazraj Neighborhood
  5. Museum of Mar (Saint) Toma – Khazraj Neighborhood
  6. Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation – Muhandiseen Neighborhood
  7. Church of the Virgin of Fatima – Faisaliah Neighborhood
  8. Our Lady of Deliverance Chapel – Shifaa Neighborhood
  9. The House of the Young Sisters of Jesus – Ras Al-Kour Neighborhood
  10. Archbishop’s Palace Chapel – Dawasa Neighborhood
Syriac Orthodox Church:
  1. Syrian Orthodox Archdiocese – Shurta Neighborhood
  2. The Antiquarian Church of Saint Ahodeeni – Bab AlJadeed Neighborhood
  3. Mar (Saint) Toma Church and cemetery, (the old Bishopric) – Khazraj Neighborhood
  4. Church of The Immaculate (Castle) – Maidan Neighborhood
  5. Church of The Immaculate – Shifaa Neighborhood
  6. Mar (Saint) Aprim Church – Shurta Neighborhood
  7. St. Joseph Church – The New Mosul Neighborhood
Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East:
  1. Diocese of the Assyrian Church of the East – Noor Neighborhood
  2. Assyrian Church of the East, Dawasa Neighborhood
  3. Church of the Virgin Mary (old rite) – Wihda Neighborhood
Chaldean Church of Babylon:
  1. Chaldean Diocese – Shurta Neighborhood
  2. Miskinta Church – Mayassa Neighborhood
  3. The Antiquarian Church of Shimon alSafa – Mayassa Neighborhood
  4. Church of Mar (Saint) Buthyoon – Shahar AlSouq Neighborhood
  5. Church of St. Ephrem, Wady AlAin Neighborhood
  6. Church of St. Paul – Majmooaa AlThaqafiya District
  7. The Old Church of the Immaculate (with the bombed archdiocese)- Shifaa Neighborhood
  8. Church of the Holy Spirit – Bakir Neighborhood
  9. Church of the Virgin Mary – Drakziliya Neighborhood
  10. Ancient Church of Saint Isaiah and Cemetery – Ras AlKour Neighborhood
  11. Mother of Aid Church – Dawasa Neighborhood
  12. The Antiquarian Church of St. George- Khazraj Neighborhood
  13. St. George Monastery with Cemetery – Arab Neighborhood
  14. Monastery of AlNasir (Victory) – Arab Neighborhood
  15. Convent of the Chaldean Nuns – Mayassa Neighborhood
  16. Monastery of St. Michael – Hawi Church Neighborhood
  17. The Antiquarian Monastery of St. Elijah – Ghazlany Neighborhood
Armenian Orthodox Church:
  1. Armenian Church – Maidan Neighborhood
  2. The New Armenian Church – Wihda Neighborhood
Evangelical Presbyterian Church:
  1. Evangelical Presbyterian Church – Mayassa Neighborhood
Latin Church:
  1. Latin Church and Monastery of the Dominican Fathers and Convent of Katrina Siena Nuns – Sa’a Neighborhood
  2. Convent of the Dominican Sisters, – Mosul AlJadeed Neighborhood
  3. Convent of the Dominican Sisters (AlKilma Monastery) – Majmooaa AlThaqafiya District
  4. House of Qasada AlRasouliya (Apostolic Aim) (Institute of St. John the Beloved)
Cemeteries:
  1. Christian Cemetery in the Ekab Valley which contains a small chapel.
↧
↧

MARIO JOSEPH: MUSLIM IMAM CONVERTED TO CATHOLIC CHURCH - A MUST WATCHED!

August 4, 2014, 2:52 pm
$
0
0
From Darkness to Light YouTube
"If you have doubt in this Koran which I give to you, go and read the Bible, or ask the people those who read the Bible... the holy Koran converted me to Christianity." [Video 42:24] As a Muslim imam, Mario Joseph was well-versed in the Koran and in the teachings of the Islamic religion. In fact, it was precisely the Koran that brought him to an encounter with Jesus Christ and with the truth of the Catholic faith. But his conversion did not come without difficulties; as a consequence, he has undergone grave persecution. How has he attained his intense love toward the Church, the Cross and Heaven? He himself tells us in this week's impacting episode of Changing Tracks.
↧

Apostolic Visit of His Holiness Pope Francis to the Republic of Korea

August 13, 2014, 7:52 pm
$
0
0
The official Logo of Pope Francis' Pastoral Visit to the Republic of Korea
Pope Francis walks with South Korean President Park Geun-hye after landing Thursday in Seoul. (CNS/Paul Haring)

↧
Search

INC -Iglesia ni Cristo and the mentality of exclusivity

August 14, 2014, 8:14 pm
$
0
0
A young member of the Iglesia Ni Cristo questions the teachings she has grown up with
By Malaya dela Cruz through Rappler.com

I’ve been an Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) member since I was born and my father is a minister. My siblings and I were raised to behold as absolute truth all doctrines without question. As kids, we’re brazen to tell our friends “Mag-Iglesia ka na kundi mapupunta ka sa dagat-dagatang apoy.” (Convert to Iglesia; otherwise, you'll end up in hell)

We’re flying with wings of righteousness holding the light to guide those lost in the darkness, we call sanlibutan; completely convinced that we’re indeed the chosen ones come judgment day. All we have to do is follow like sheep and salvation is certain. This is my myopic reality.

Into the darkness

Coming of age, I learned our creationist view is indubitably wrong given the insurmountable evidences against it, yet I find this mistake tolerable; assuming perhaps a scientifically-informed interpretation of the bible isn’t necessary for salvation. I was indifferent about this just as I am in overriding any of my rights for the sake of unity; trusting that it’s always for the good of the church.

What became unbearable is having my consciousness raised about the multi-dimensional causes of poverty. I cannot unlearn what I know now - that the terrible social realities we dismiss right before our eyes as normal is caused by injustice from existing power structures in society.

It was alarming for I was undeniably guilty of being part of a church responsible for reinforcing structures that sustain poverty through our social attitude and practice of ‘unity.’

We are INC first before we are Filipinos

It is our faith, albeit fatalistic, that the world will inevitably perish and no developmental agenda by man could prevent it; we are only travelers here for our true residence is the kingdom of heaven. Hence, we resign concern about matters outside our kingdom unless it might undermine doctrines or the church administration.

We show power in numbers through bloc-voting and secure key positions in the government in order to protect the interests of the church, never mind whether it’s a corrupt official as long as the church is secured. This is why INC was indifferent during the People Power I despite all the atrocious harm done towards the Filipino people - all because we allied with former president Ferdinand Marcos, the dictator.


Culture of apathy

Since our primary concern is the good of the church and not of the people in general, an apathetic attitude towards social issues is fostered among members.

We’re prohibited to participate in any form of social mobilization or unions because it’s against the unity of the church, even if such actions addresses concerns that directly affect the welfare of members.

Greedy corporations who operate with inhumane policies are fortunate as INC members are willing allies to preserve an unfair system. We abstain claiming accountability from power-holders in the name of ‘peace.’ - a peace that is oblivious of its implications.

Yes, we’re an obedient flock of docile sheep but we’re also subtle criminals and dignified perpetrators of injustices against our fellowmen. With brilliant pride we take the side of the oppressors.

Our brand of humanitarianism

The provision of generous aid to millions of non-members through medical missions, relief distributions and housing projects are token gestures, for “conversion” is our utmost motivation by exploiting the sense of utang na loob (debt of gratitude).

INC’s brand of humanitarianism does not involve championing the interest and welfare of the poor by addressing root causes of social issues. Our humanitarian cause is the 'noblest' of all: to save your soul from damnation by converting you to the one true Church of Christ.

Masters of mobilization

We’re taught that hardships and misfortunes in life are either caused by sin or are trials we must endure. However, evidence suggests that societal structures and how its citizens participate in shaping it in the course of history is the concrete reason for the everyday struggles of today. Poverty is avoidable, development is a choice.

The public witnessed INC’s power to amass more than a million people in its administrations’ behest. If the church could use its clout to truly help the nation by addressing long term needs and root causes of perennial social issues – such as lobbying and supporting genuine agrarian reform, a fair wage and other issues that affect the marginalized majority, where many of its own members come from, we shall contribute to societal change.

Aren't we humans first?

My conscience is disturbed when I saw my fellow brethren exalte upon news of famine, war, destruction and calamities where thousands of people lay dead. Some even said, “Makasalanan kasi ang sanlibutan, matuwa tayo dahil nalalapit ang kaligtasan natin.” (The people are sinful. We should be happy because our salvation is near.) They seem to forget we’re humans first before we even subscribe to any religion.

'Saving your soul' as a single mission is quite selfish in the face of human suffering. I understand it stems from fear and existential uncertainties, but It’s wrong to choose a convenient personal escape and say “kung gusto niyo rin maligtas, umanib na kayo” (if you want to be saved, join us) instead of engaging in collective action driven by empathy and compassion.

We glory over the Philippine Arena, Guinness records, and the thousands of congregations we’ve built like the elite ruler gloating over his empire.

There is harm in a mentality of exclusivity when we operate in the context of a larger society. Imagining a fragmented reality wherein we are only travelers goes against the truth that we have a responsibility to contribute and cooperate in facilitating change in the world. We can do this by renouncing apathy and using our power to mobilize for the good of people. - Rappler.com

*Malaya dela Cruz is a pseudonym. Rappler verified the identity of the writer, who asked her real name be concealed for her protection. She is a university student.
↧

Tearful family members of victims of the ferry Sewol shared their stories with Pope Francis

August 15, 2014, 2:51 am
$
0
0
[Papal Visit] Pope ‘listened, silently nodded’ to Sewol families
The Korean Herald

Pope Francis did not speak much as tearful family members of victims of the ferry Sewol shared their stories with him on Friday, but vowed to never forget the tragedy that left over 300 -- mostly high school students -- dead or missing.

“We (the families) asked the pope to urge the Korean government and the parliament to place efforts on passing a special bill on Sewol, and to embrace the father of a Sewol victim -- who is currently on a hunger strike demanding the bill to pass -- during (Saturday’s) Mass at Gwanghwamun,” said Kim Byung-kwon, a representative of the victims’ families.

The pope “silently nodded,” he added.

Their meeting took place at Daejeon World Cup Stadium shortly before the pope celebrated his first public Mass. He invited eight family members of ferry victims and two survivors for a private audience. A total of 36 survivors and relatives were invited to the Mass.

Pope Francis offers words of comfort to the family members of Sewol ferry disaster victims at Daejeon World Cup Stadium, Daejeon, Friday. (Yonhap)

Among the family members present at the meeting was Kim Hag-il, the father of high school sophomore Woon-gi who died in the April 16 disaster. Kim gave the pope a 5-kilogram cross that he had carried on a month-long, 900 kilometer walk from Ansan, where his son had attended school, to Daejeon.


“The victimized souls of the 300 lie within the cross. Please celebrate the Mass with their souls,” said Kim, to which Pope Francis answered, “Yes, I will.” He added that he would take the cross back to Rome.

The families gave him a yellow ribbon and a bracelet in memoriam of the Sewol victims. The pope wore the ribbon on his left chest throughout the Mass. They also gave the pope a letter in which they emphasized the importance of a special bill that aims to unearth the truth about the cause of the ferry disaster.

“The special bill is not about asking for money or benefits. It’s about discovering the reason behind the death of our loved ones. We hope that with a thorough investigation of the corruption that led to the disaster, no one will have to suffer the pain that we went through,” the bereaved family said in the letter.

On Thursday, the Vatican spokesman, Rev. Federico Lombardi, said the pontiff would not intervene in such issues, and that he would “merely offer comfort” to the families.

On his first day here, the pope was met by four family members of the Sewol victims, who came to meet him at the airport. He said to them: “I have (the accident) deep in my mind.”

More than 600 family members of the victims are also expected to attend the beatification ceremony of 124 Korean martyrs on Saturday.

By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)
↧
↧

More than 500,000 Koreans Crowd during the Beatification Mass for 124 Korean martyrs before the symbolic Gwanghwamun Gate

August 16, 2014, 2:37 am
↧

Pope Francis Draws Crowds and Celebrities

August 16, 2014, 2:56 am
$
0
0

The Pope isn't just a star in religious and political circles. In South Korea, where Pope Francis is in the middle of a five-day visit, he's got plenty of cultural draw too. WSJ's Jonathan Cheng reports from Seoul. Photo: EPA
↧

Rome will be conquered next, says leader of 'Islamic State'

August 16, 2014, 6:59 pm
$
0
0
Telegraph.co.uk - Muslims have been called to flock to the 'Islamic State' to gather for a battle against non-believers throughout the world

Isis demands all Muslims pledge obedience to its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, left

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-proclaimed leader of the 'Islamic State' stretching across Iraq and Syria, has vowed to lead the conquest of Rome as he called on Muslims to immigrate to his new land to fight under its banner around the globe.

Baghdadi, who holds a PhD in Islamic studies, said Muslims were being targetted and killed from China to Indonesia. Speaking as the first Caliph, or commander of the Islamic faithful since the dissolution of the Ottoman empire, he called on Muslims to rally to his pan-Islamic state.



"Those who can immigrate to the Islamic State should immigrate, as immigration to the house of Islam is a duty," he said in an audio recording released on a website used by the group formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham.

"Rush O Muslims to your state. It is your state. Syria is not for Syrians and Iraq is not for Iraqis. The land is for the Muslims, all Muslims.

"This is my advice to you. If you hold to it you will conquer Rome and own the world, if Allah wills."


Having claimed the title of "caliph", Baghdadi appealed to "judges and those who have military and managerial and service skills, and doctors and engineers in all fields."

He also called on jihadi fighters to escalate fighting in the holy month of Ramadan, which began on Sunday. "In this virtuous month or in any other month, there is no deed better than jihad in the path of Allah, so take advantage of this opportunity and walk the path of you righteous predecessors," he said. "So to arms, to arms, soldiers of the Islamic s, fight, fight."

In a reflection of the havoc wreaked the past month by the Sunni insurgency led by the group, the United Nations said more than 2,400 people were killed in Iraq in June, making it the deadliest month in the country in years.

Baghdadi's claims to control vast territority have yet to be tested by an Iraqi government counter attack. Many Muslim groups dispute his putative caliphate. However some experts fear his rise could transform the appeal of extremist Islam, partly by harassing social media to build a global following.

Hassan Hassan, an analyst at Abu Dhabi's Delma Institute, wrote that Baghdadi provided the most radical challenge since the emergence of Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda. "The whispers of support to a caliph in Afghanistan are now replaced by clear words and acts, amplified by social media," he said. "Jihadism has evolved significantly. It is no longer limited to narrow “elitists” who travel to distant countries to wage jihad. Today’s jihad is more sophisticated and individualised and can be waged everywhere."

The Sunni insurgents' advance, which has plunged Iraq into its worst crisis since US troops left in 2011 puts it up against avowed enemies in Shia areas.

↧
Viewing all 1135 articles
Browse latest View live
Search