-duplicate-

This post has been edited by yeeck: Jan 23 2018, 12:11 PM

If I follow your logic, then scarlet and purple would be haram for Christians? Alright, here we go again, for newcomers who have missed the earlier posts by other anti-Catholics.

Hunting the Whore of Babylon

Some anti-Catholics claim the Catholic Church is the Whore of Babylon of Revelation 17 and 18. Dave Hunt, in his 1994 book, A Woman Rides the Beast, presents nine arguments to try to prove this. His claims are a useful summary of those commonly used by Fundamentalists, and an examination of them shows why they don’t work.



#1: Seven Hills



Hunt argues that the Whore "is a city built on seven hills," which he identifies as the seven hills of ancient Rome. This argument is based on Revelation 17:9, which states that the woman sits on seven mountains.

The Greek word in this passage is horos. Of the sixty-five occurrences of this word in the New Testament, only three are rendered "hill" by the King James Version. The remaining sixty-two are translated as "mountain" or "mount." Modern Bibles have similar ratios. If the passage states that the Whore sits on "seven mountains," it could refer to anything. Mountains are common biblical symbols, often symbolizing whole kingdoms (cf. Ps. 68:15; Dan. 2:35; Amos 4:1, 6:1; Obad. 8–21). The Whore’s seven mountains might be seven kingdoms she reigns over, or seven kingdoms with which she has something in common.

The number seven may be symbolic also, for it often represents completeness in the Bible. If so, the seven mountains might signify that the Whore reigns over all earth’s kingdoms.

Even if we accept that the word horos should be translated literally as "hill" in this passage, it still does not narrow us down to Rome. Other cities are known for having been built on seven hills as well.

Even if we grant that the reference is to Rome, which Rome are we talking about—pagan Rome or Christian Rome? As we will see, ancient, pagan Rome fits all of Hunt’s criteria as well, or better, than Rome during the Christian centuries.

Now bring in the distinction between Rome and Vatican City—the city where the Catholic Church is headquartered—and Hunt’s claim becomes less plausible. Vatican City is not built on seven hills, but only one: Vatican Hill, which is not one of the seven upon which ancient Rome was built. Those hills are on the east side of the Tiber river; Vatican Hill is on the west.



#2: "Babylon"—What’s in a Name?



Hunt notes that the Whore will be a city "known as Babylon." This is based on Revelation 17:5, which says that her name is "Babylon the Great."

The phrase "Babylon the great" (Greek: Babulon a megala) occurs five times in Revelation (14:8, 16:19, 17:5, 18:2, and 18:21). Light is shed on its meaning when one notices that Babylon is referred to as "the great city" seven times in the book (16:19, 17:18, 18:10, 16, 18, 19, 21). Other than these, there is only one reference to "the great city." That passage is 11:8, which states that the bodies of God’s two witnesses "will lie in the street of the great city, which is allegorically called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified."

"The great city" is symbolically called Sodom, a reference to Jerusalem, symbolically called "Sodom" in the Old Testament (cf. Is. 1:10; Ezek. 16:1–3, 46–56). We also know Jerusalem is the "the great city" of Revelation 11:8 because the verse says it was "where [the] Lord was crucified."

Revelation consistently speaks as if there were only one "great city" ("the great city"), suggesting that the great city of 11:8 is the same as the great city mentioned in the other seven texts—Babylon. Additional evidence for the identity of the two is the fact that both are symbolically named after great Old Testament enemies of the faith: Sodom, Egypt, and Babylon.

This suggests that Babylon the great may be Jerusalem, not Rome. Many Protestant and Catholic commentators have adopted this interpretation. On the other hand, early Church Fathers often referred to Rome as "Babylon," but every references was to pagan Rome, which martyred Christians.



#3: Commits Fornication



Hunt tells us, "The woman is called a ‘whore’ (verse 1), with whom earthly kings ‘have committed fornication’ (verse 2). Against only two cities could such a charge be made: Jerusalem and Rome."

Here Hunt admits that the prophets often referred to Jerusalem as a spiritual whore, suggesting that the Whore might be apostate Jerusalem. Ancient, pagan Rome also fits the description, since through the cult of emperor worship it also committed spiritual fornication with "the kings of the earth" (those nations it conquered).

To identify the Whore as Vatican City, Hunt interprets the fornication as alleged "unholy alliances" forged between Vatican City and other nations, but he fails to cite any reasons why the Vatican’s diplomatic relations with other nations are "unholy."

He also confuses Vatican City with the city of Rome, and he neglects the fact that pagan Rome had "unholy alliances" with the kingdoms it governed (unholy because they were built on paganism and emperor worship).



#4: Clothed in Purple and Red



Hunt states, "She [the Whore] is clothed in ‘purple and scarlet’ (verse 4), the colors of the Catholic clergy." He then cites the Catholic Encyclopedia to show that bishops wear certain purple vestments and cardinals wear certain red vestments.

Hunt ignores the obvious symbolic meaning of the colors—purple for royalty and red for the blood of Christian martyrs. Instead, he is suddenly literal in his interpretation. He understood well enough that the woman symbolizes a city and that the fornication symbolizes something other than literal sex, but now he wants to assign the colors a literal, earthly fulfillment in a few vestments of certain Catholic clergy.

Purple and red are not the dominant colors of Catholic clerical vestments. White is. All priests wear white (including bishops and cardinals when they are saying Mass)—even the pope does so.

The purple and scarlet of the Whore are contrasted with the white of the New Jerusalem, the Bride of Christ (Rev. 19:8). This is a problem for Hunt for three reasons: (a) we have already noted that the dominant color of Catholic clerical vestments is white, which would identify them with New Jerusalem if the color is taken literally; (b) the clothing of the Bride is given a symbolic interpretation ("the righteous acts of the saints;" 19:8); implying that the clothing of the Whore should also be given a symbolic meaning; and © the identification of the Bride as New Jerusalem (Rev. 3:12, 21:2, 10) suggests that the Whore may be old (apostate) Jerusalem—a contrast used elsewhere in Scripture (Gal. 4:25–26).

Hunt ignores the liturgical meaning of purple and red in Catholic symbolism. Purple symbolizes repentance, and red honors the blood of Christ and the Christian martyrs.

It is appropriate for Catholic clerics to wear purple and scarlet, if for no other reason because they have been liturgical colors of the true religion since ancient Israel.

Hunt neglects to remind his readers that God commanded that scarlet yarn and wool be used in liturgical ceremonies (Lev. 14:4, 6, 49–52; Num. 19:6), and that God commanded that thepriests’ vestments be made with purple and scarlet yarn (Ex. 28:4–8, 15, 33, 39:1–8, 24, 29).



#5: Possesses Great Wealth



Hunt states, "[The Whore’s] incredible wealth next caught John’s eye. She was ‘decked with gold and precious stones and pearls . . . ’ [Rev. 17:4]." The problem is that, regardless of what it had in the past, the modern Vatican is not fantastically wealthy. In fact, it has run a budget deficit in most recent years and has an annual budget only around the size of that of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Furthermore, wealth was much more in character with pagan Rome or apostate Jerusalem, both key economic centers.



#6: A Golden Cup



Hunt states that the Whore "has ‘a golden cup [chalice] in her hand, full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.’" This is another reference to Revelation 17:4. Then he states that the "Church is known for its many thousands of gold chalices around the world."

To make the Whore’s gold cup suggestive of the Eucharistic chalice, Hunt inserts the word "chalice" in square brackets, though the Greek word here is the ordinary word for cup (potarion), which appears thirty-three times in the New Testament and is always translated "cup."

He ignores the fact that the Catholic chalice is used in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper—a ritual commanded by Christ (Luke 22:19–20; 1 Cor. 11:24–25); he ignores the fact that the majority of Eucharistic chalices Catholics use are not made out of gold, but other materials, such as brass, silver, glass, and even earthenware; he ignores the fact that gold liturgical vessels and utensils have been part of the true religion ever since ancient Israel—again at the command of God (Ex. 25:38–40, 37:23–24; Num. 31:50–51; 2 Chr. 24:14); and he again uses a literal interpretation, according to which the Whore’s cup is not a single symbol applying to the city of Rome, but a collection of many literal cups used in cities throughout the world. But Revelation tells us that it’s the cup of God’s wrath that is given to the Whore (Rev. 14:10; cf. Rev. 18:6). This has nothing to do with Eucharistic chalices.



#7: The Mother of Harlots



Now for Hunt’s most hilarious argument: "John’s attention is next drawn to the inscription on the woman’s forehead: ‘THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH’ (verse 5, [Hunt’s emphasis]). Sadly enough, the Roman Catholic Church fits that description as precisely as she fits the others. Much of the cause is due to the unbiblical doctrine of priestly celibacy," which has "made sinners of the clergy and harlots out of those with whom they secretly cohabit."

Priestly celibacy is not a doctrine but a discipline—a discipline in the Latin Rite of the Church—and even this rite has not always been mandatory. This discipline can scarcely be unbiblical, since Hunt himself says, "The great apostle Paul was a celibate and recommended that life to others who wanted to devote themselves fully to serving Christ."

Hunt has again lurched to an absurdly literal interpretation. He should interpret the harlotry of the Whore’s daughters as the same as their mother’s, which is why she is called their mother in the first place. This would make it spiritual or political fornication or the persecution of Christian martyrs (cf. 17:2, 6, 18:6). Instead, Hunt gives the interpretation of the daughters as literal, earthly prostitutes committing literal, earthly fornication.

If Hunt did not have a fixation on the King James Version, he would notice another point that identifies the daughters’ harlotries with that of their mother: The same Greek word (porna) is used for both mother and daughters. The King James Version translates this word as "whore" whenever it refers to the mother, but as "harlot" when it refers to the daughters. Modern translations render it consistently. John sees the "great harlot" (17:1, 15, 16, 19:2) who is "the mother of harlots" (17:5). The harlotries of the daughters must be the same as the mother’s, which Hunt admits is not literal sex!



#8: Sheds the Blood of Saints



Hunt states, "John next notices that the woman is drunk—not with alcohol but with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus . . . [cf. verse 6]." He then advances charges of brutality and killing by the Inquisitions, supposed forced conversions of nations, and even the Nazi holocaust!

This section of the book abounds with historical errors, not the least of which is his implication that the Church endorses the forced conversion of nations. The Church emphatically does not do so. It has condemned forced conversions as early as the third century (before then they were scarcely even possible), and has formally condemned them on repeated occasions, as in theCatechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 160, 1738, 1782, 2106–7).

But pagan Rome and apostate Jerusalem do fit the description of a city drunk with the blood of saints and the martyrs of Jesus. And since they were notorious persecutors of Christians, the original audience would have automatically thought of one of these two as the city that persecutes Christians, not an undreamed-of Christian Rome that was centuries in the future.



#9: Reigns over Kings



For his last argument, Hunt states, "Finally, the angel reveals that the woman ‘is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth’ (verse 18). Is there such a city? Yes, and again only one: Vatican City."

This is a joke. Vatican City has no power over other nations; it certainly does not reign over them. In fact, the Vatican’s very existence has been threatened in the past two centuries by Italian nationalism.

Hunt appeals to power the popes once had over Christian political rulers (neglecting the fact that this was always a limited authority, by the popes’ own admission), but at that time there was no Vatican City. The Vatican only became a separate city in 1929, when the Holy See and Italy signed the Lateran Treaty.

Hunt seems to understand this passage to be talking about Vatican City, since the modern city of Rome is only a very minor political force. If the reign is a literal, political one, then pagan Rome fulfills the requirement far better than Christian Rome ever did.


NIHIL OBSTAT: I have concluded that the materials
presented in this work are free of doctrinal or moral errors.
Bernadeane Carr, STL, Censor Librorum, August 10, 2004

IMPRIMATUR: In accord with 1983 CIC 827
permission to publish this work is hereby granted.
+Robert H. Brom, Bishop of San Diego, August 10, 2004

You Have A Part To Play…

Each one of God’s children
Has a special part to play
Whether it be great or small
We are needed every day

If your part seems very small
Don’t feel you’re insignificant
Don’t feel that you can’t offer much
And you wouldn’t make a difference

Though you’re tempted to give up
And let another take your place
Remember God gave you your gifts
And you cannot be replaced

And these gifts that God has given
He longs for you to share
You’re just as important as anyone
So don’t be in despair

The only one who matters most
Is watching for your part
With much anticipation
And excitement in His heart

So do not disappoint Him
By not taking your cue
Though you think it unimportant
This part is made for you

Don’t let God walk away
With a disappointed heart
Because you felt so unworthy
Of your very special part

The parts that we’ve been given
Isn’t based on size at all
But rather on the abilities
And the gifting of the Lord

For each part is important
To make the whole thing work
So do your part with enthusiasm
And know that you have worth

- M S Lowndes

“For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” - Mark 3:35

Why would there be a reason for purple & red to be haram to Christians? funny logic you have there. Unless of course you are confused. Very confused!

According to *Rev 17:6, the saints (Christians) will be killed by the Roman Catholic church! SO why would the colors of the RCC have anything to do with Christians??!!

Don't tell me you consider yourselves as Christians!

Are you not even aware of the doctrinal distinctions, between your religion(RCC) & the Christians?

Also, most of the things mentioned in the book of Revelation are yet future. I'll display the verses first & the explanation comes below :



Rev 17:1-COME HITHER; I WILL SHEW UNTO THEE THE JUDGMENT (or punishment) OF THE GREAT WHORE (or prostitute) THAT SITTETH UPON MANY WATERS:

17:15-THE WATERS...WHERE THE WHORE (or prostitute) SITTETH, ARE PEOPLES, AND MULTITUDES, AND NATIONS, AND TONGUES (or languages).

17:2-WITH WHOM THE KINGS OF THE EARTH HAVE COMMITTED FORNICATION (or adultery), AND THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH HAVE BEEN MADE DRUNK (or intoxicated) WITH THE WINE OF HER FORNICATION, (of the whore’s fornication).

18:3-FOR ALL NATIONS HAVE DRUNK OF THE WINE (or maddening wine) OF THE WRATH OF HER FORNICATION (the whore’s fornication), AND THE KINGS OF THE EARTH HAVE COMMITTED FORNICATION WITH HER, AND THE MERCHANTS OF THE EARTH ARE WAXED RICH (or grew rich) THROUGH THE ABUNDANCE OF HER DELICACIES (or from her excessive luxuries).

7:3-SO HE CARRIED ME AWAY IN THE SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS: AND I SAW A WOMAN SIT UPON A SCARLET COLOURED BEAST, FULL OF NAMES OF BLASPHEMY (or covered with blasphemous names), HAVING SEVEN HEADS AND TEN HORNS.

17:18-AND THE WOMAN WHICH THOU SAWEST IS THAT GREAT CITY, WHICH REIGNETH OVER THE KINGS OF THE EARTH.

17:9-AND HERE IS THE MIND WHICH HATH WISDOM. THE SEVEN HEADS ARE SEVEN MOUNTAINS, ON WHICH THE WOMAN SITTETH.

17:4-AND THE WOMAN WAS ARRAYED (or dressed) IN PURPLE AND SCARLET COLOUR, AND DECKED (or was glittering) WITH GOLD AND PRECIOUS STONES AND PEARLS, HAVING A GOLDEN CUP IN HER HAND FULL OF ABOMINATIONS (or filled with abominable things) AND FILTHINESS OF HER FORNICATION (or the filth of her adulteries).

18:16-ALAS, ALAS, THAT GREAT CITY, THAT WAS CLOTHED IN FINE LINEN, AND PURPLE, AND SCARLET, AND DECKED WITH GOLD, AND PRECIOUS STONES, AND PEARLS!

17:5-AND UPON HER FOREHEAD WAS A NAME WRITTEN (or this title was written on her forehead-NIV), MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND (of the) ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

17:6-AND I SAW THE WOMAN DRUNKEN WITH THE BLOOD OF THE SAINTS, AND WITH THE BLOOD OF THE MARTYRS OF JESUS (or with the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus-NIV): AND WHEN I SAW HER, I WONDERED WITH GREAT ADMIRATION (or I was greatly astonished).

18:4-AND I HEARD ANOTHER VOICE FROM HEAVEN, SAYING, COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE, THAT YE BE NOT PARTAKERS (or share) OF HER SINS, AND THAT YE RECEIVE NOT OF HER PLAGUES.

18:5-FOR HER SINS HAVE REACHED (or are piled up) UNTO HEAVEN, AND GOD HATH REMEMBERED HER INIQUITIES (or crimes).

18:7-HOW MUCH SHE HATH GLORIFIED HERSELF, AND LIVED DELICIOUSLY(as the glory and luxury she gave herself), SO MUCH TORMENT AND SORROW (or torture and grief-NIV): GIVE HER: FOR SHE SAITH IN HER HEART, I SIT A QUEEN, AND AM NO WIDOW, AND SHALL SEE NO SORROW.

18:17-FOR IN ONE HOUR SO GREAT RICHES (or wealth) IS COME TO NOUGHT (or has been brought to ruin). AND EVERY SHIPMASTER, AND ALL THE COMPANY IN SHIPS, AND SAILORS, AND AS MANY AS TRADE BY SEA (or all who earn their living from the sea), STOOD AFAR OFF.

18:19-AND THEY CAST DUST ON THEIR HEADS, AND CRIED, WEEPING AND WAILING, SAYING, ALAS, ALAS, THAT GREAT CITY, WHEREIN WERE MADE RICH ALL THAT HAD SHIPS IN THE SEA BY REASON OF HER COSTLINESS! FOR IN ONE HOUR IS SHE MADE DESOLATE.

18:20-REJOICE OVER HER, THOU HEAVEN, AND YE (saints and) HOLY APOSTLES AND PROPHETS; FOR GOD HATH AVENGED YOU ON HER

18:23-FOR BY THY SORCERIES WERE ALL NATIONS DECEIVED.

18:24-AND IN HER WAS FOUND THE BLOOD OF PROPHETS, AND OF SAINTS, AND OF ALL THAT WERE SLAIN (or killed) UPON THE EARTH.

19:2-FOR TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS ARE HIS JUDGMENTS: FOR HE HATH JUDGED THE GREAT WHORE, WHICH DID CORRUPT THE EARTH WITH HER FORNICATION, AND HATH AVENGED THE BLOOD OF HIS SERVANTS AT HER HAND.

Rev 17:1,15,2; 18:3; 17:3,18,9,4; 18:16; 17:5,6;

Rev 18:4,5,7,17,19,20,23,24; 19:2.





The Scriptures relate to us a false religion that is referred to as the whore. This false religion shall exist during part of the Tribulation. This same religion has also existed in the past.

The Scriptures relate to us a great city which is also called the woman. This city has also existed in the past, even before the days of the apostles.

The Scriptures indicate to us that both this city and the false religion are interwoven. The city is part of the false religion, and the false religion is part of the city.

(Scripture with commentary)

Rev 17:1-COME HITHER; I WILL SHEW UNTO THEE THE JUDGMENT (or punishment) OF THE GREAT WHORE (or prostitute) THAT SITTETH UPON MANY WATERS.

This false religion is called a "great whore", because it has left the true teachings of Christ, and turned aside to many false doctrines. As a whore turns aside and goes into sin, so this religion has turned aside as an unfaithful woman or whore. The church is called to be obedient to Jesus, as a faithful wife is to her husband. In the opposite sense, this religion is pictured in the imagery of an unfaithful woman, a great whore. The verse then says THAT SITTETH UPON MANY WATERS.

17:15-THE WATERS...WHERE THE WHORE (or prostitute) SITTETH, ARE PEOPLES, AND MULTITUDES, AND NATIONS, AND TONGUES (or languages).

This false religion encompasses peoples, multitudes, nations, and people of different languages. This shows us that it is a worldwide, false religion, of which multitudes of people are part of.

17:2-WITH WHOM THE KINGS OF THE EARTH HAVE COMMITTED FORNICATION (or adultery). The rulers of nations are also part of this great whore. AND THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH HAVE BEEN MADE DRUNK (or intoxicated) WITH THE WINE OF HER FORNICATION. People throughout the world have been deceived. They have become as a drunkard that is so intoxicated with the whore’s deceptions, that they are numb to the truth. Their mind has been taken totally captive and deceived with the whore’s adulterous doctrines, which are contrary to God. This false religion has intoxicated the world.

18:3-FOR ALL NATIONS HAVE DRUNK OF THE WINE (or maddening wine) OF THE WRATH OF HER FORNICATION. The kings of the earth, the people of the earth, and the nations of the earth have partaken of the whore’s maddening adulterous doctrines. AND THE KINGS OF THE EARTH HAVE COMMITTED FORNICATION WITH HER. The kings of the earth have become intoxicated with sin, with false teachings, with abominations, and they have committed spiritual fornication with her. Consider a person drinking. They want to drink more and more. Their senses become dulled. Sin offers pleasure, but produces death. AND THE MERCHANTS OF THE EARTH ARE WAXED RICH (or grew rich) THROUGH THE ABUNDANCE OF HER DELICACIES (or from her excessive luxuries). Here the verse switches over to the city of the great whore. The city is pictured as a trade capital with many luxuries. And as such, merchants have become rich through her. We note that the whore and the city seem to be inseparable. They blend in together, so that some of the descriptions given for one, fit the other, also.

17:3-SO HE CARRIED ME AWAY IN THE SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS: AND I SAW A WOMAN SIT UPON A SCARLET COLOURED BEAST. The woman is pictured as a city in Rev 17:18. The beast is the Antichrist and his empire. This city and false religion sits on the beast, and rides the beast. It goes along with the beast, and may even try to control the beast. FULL OF NAMES OF BLASPHEMY (or covered with blasphemous names). Both the false religion and the Antichrist are full of blasphemy against God. This should be fulfilled during the Tribulation. HAVING SEVEN HEADS AND TEN HORNS. The city is shown to be full of the names of blasphemy against God. The seven heads are explained in Rev 17:9.

17:18-AND THE WOMAN WHICH THOU SAWEST IS THAT GREAT CITY. The woman is portrayed as a great city. WHICH REIGNETH OVER THE KINGS OF THE EARTH. During at least part of the Tribulation, this city shall reign over the kings of the earth.

17:9-AND HERE IS THE MIND WHICH HATH WISDOM. THE SEVEN HEADS ARE SEVEN MOUNTAINS, ON WHICH THE WOMAN SITTETH. The city is shown to be sitting on seven mountains or hills.

There is a city, that is a trade capital, that does sit on seven mountains, having a worldwide religion that is part of the city itself. That city is Rome. The religion is the Roman Catholic church.

(Ancient Babylon did not sit on seven hills. It was situated on a plain. Ancient Babylon does not fit many other prophecies that are yet to be covered).

17:4-AND THE WOMAN WAS ARRAYED (or dressed) IN PURPLE AND SCARLET COLOUR, AND DECKED (or was glittering) WITH GOLD AND PRECIOUS STONES AND PEARLS. The city is portrayed in these colors and glittering.

Do these previous words also fit the church at Rome? What colors have the pope and his cardinals worn in the past? These same colors have also been used in certain Roman celebrations. We have pictured here a false religion that is in Rome. It is pictured as being arrayed in beauty, glamour, and splendor which is far removed from the sackcloth that the two witnesses of God will wear during the Tribulation.

The beautiful and magnificent Vatican, in the city of Rome, is very enticing, even intoxicating. The verse continues, HAVING A GOLDEN CUP IN HER HAND. The woman (the city) had in her hand a golden cup (the whore). The city and false religion are as one. We are reminded of the golden cup that the whore uses. The gold may show us it is something beautiful, something to be desired. It is something that, on the outward appearance, appears to be just, and right, and beautiful. However, on the inside of the cup, God’s Word tells us, it is FULL OF ABOMINATIONS (or filled with abominable things) AND FILTHINESS OF HER FORNICATION (or the filth of her adulteries).

It is full of abominable teachings, sin, and deception. It is full of wine that intoxicates people and dulls their senses to the pure truth of God’s Word. Satan is clever. He mixes truth with deception. He mixes God’s Word with lies, and few suspect what is really happening.

18:16-ALAS, ALAS, THAT GREAT CITY, THAT WAS CLOTHED IN FINE LINEN, AND PURPLE, AND SCARLET, AND DECKED WITH GOLD, AND PRECIOUS STONES, AND PEARLS! The word "fine linen" is added in this verse.

17:5-AND UPON HER FOREHEAD (the forehead of the city) WAS A NAME WRITTEN (or this title was written on her forehead-NIV), MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. MYSTERY. This indicates something secretive. BABYLON. This denotes what religion this is, as well as its origin. THE GREAT. This denotes the magnitude of this false religion. THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS. Meaning the origin or source of false doctrines and religions. AND (of the) ABOMINATIONS (mother of filthiness and immorality) OF THE EARTH. This false religion is the mother of abominations. It might be noted that MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT is on her forehead, not the name of Jesus.

It might be asked, "Why is Babylon written and not Rome?" This is explained a little further on in detail.

* 17:6-AND I SAW THE WOMAN DRUNKEN (the word drunken indicates overindulgence) WITH THE BLOOD OF THE SAINTS, AND WITH THE BLOOD OF THE MARTYRS OF JESUS (or with…the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus). AND WHEN I SAW HER, I WONDERED WITH GREAT ADMIRATION (or I was greatly astonished). This city, Rome, was drunk with the blood of the saints. In this city, multitudes of people were killed that bore the testimony of Jesus. As the Catholic church emerged, it also was responsible for killing multitudes of the saints. It might be asked, "What religion killed the saints that dared to possess a Bible? What religion today feels that they only have the right or knowledge to interpret the Holy Scriptures? What religion today puts church tradition on an equal level with, or above the Scriptures? What religion is it that takes away the fear of hell by supplanting it with a "not so bad place" called purgatory? What religion is it that denies the finished work of Christ, inasmuch that a person must do certain works to inherit eternal life, and many other things as well?"

We have pictured a false religion that preaches Jesus, but has killed many that followed Jesus. It is a religion that claims they are holy, but in God’s eyes they are an abomination. It is a religion that has deceived many in the past, is deceiving many today, and will continue to deceive many into the Tribulation. In like manner, during the Tribulation many will believe the Antichrist is really the true Christ, yet he is the embodiment of evil.

It is no wonder that a religion that teaches in the name of Jesus, but is really full of false teachings and abominations, will undergo a great judgment, and so will all those who partake of her sins.

18:4-AND I HEARD ANOTHER VOICE FROM HEAVEN, SAYING, COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE, THAT YE BE NOT PARTAKERS (or share) OF HER SINS, AND THAT YE RECEIVE NOT OF HER PLAGUES. God is telling "His" people, to get out of this city and false religion.

18:5-FOR HER SINS HAVE REACHED (or are piled up) UNTO HEAVEN, AND GOD HATH REMEMBERED HER INIQUITIES (or crimes).

18:7-HOW MUCH SHE HATH GLORIFIED HERSELF The city and false religion in Rome have glorified themselves. AND LIVED DELICIOUSLY (or in luxury). The Roman false religion has also lived in luxury. SO MUCH TORMENT AND SORROW (or torture and grief) GIVE HER (as the glory and luxury she gave herself-NIV): FOR SHE SAITH IN HER HEART, I SIT A QUEEN, AND AM NO WIDOW, AND SHALL SEE NO SORROW (or I will never mourn). The Lord is telling us what the city and Catholic church say in their heart.

18:17-FOR IN ONE HOUR SO GREAT RICHES (or wealth) IS COME TO NOUGHT (or has been brought to ruin). Again, it can be noted that the city of Rome is a city of riches. AND EVERY SHIPMASTER, AND ALL THE COMPANY IN SHIPS, AND SAILORS, AND AS MANY AS TRADE BY SEA (or all who earn their living from the sea), STOOD AFAR OFF.

The woman, which is a city, is now shown to be a seaport. Again, the Scriptures are clearly showing us, that it is Rome.

18:19-AND THEY CAST DUST ON THEIR HEADS, AND CRIED, WEEPING AND WAILING, SAYING, ALAS, ALAS, THAT GREAT CITY, WHEREIN WERE MADE RICH ALL THAT HAD SHIPS IN THE SEA BY REASON OF HER COSTLINESS (or wealth)! FOR IN ONE HOUR IS SHE MADE DESOLATE (or has been brought to ruin). During the Tribulation, both the city of Rome and the whore (the Roman Catholic church), will be destroyed in one hour.

18:20-REJOICE OVER HER, THOU HEAVEN, AND YE (saints and) HOLY APOSTLES AND PROPHETS; FOR GOD HATH AVENGED YOU ON HER. This clearly shows us that this is a city that existed during the days of the apostles. Where did Paul die? The answer is Rome.

18:23-FOR BY THY SORCERIES WERE ALL NATIONS DECEIVED.

18:24-AND IN HER WAS FOUND THE BLOOD OF PROPHETS, AND OF SAINTS, AND OF ALL THAT WERE SLAIN (or killed) UPON THE EARTH.

Again, we note that multitudes were killed in this city. They include prophets and saints of Jesus Christ. Is the slaughter against Christians over? No. Much more is coming during the Tribulation.

19:2-FOR TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS ARE HIS JUDGMENTS: FOR HE HATH JUDGED THE GREAT WHORE (the church at Rome), WHICH DID CORRUPT THE EARTH WITH HER FORNICATION, AND HATH AVENGED THE BLOOD OF HIS SERVANTS AT HER HAND.

There are some that think the Babylon of the Old Testament will become the Babylon that appears in the Revelation. Literal Babylon was never a part of the Roman Empire.

The great whore represents the papal system in its final glory and control of the world during the Tribulation. It can be noted in the message to the church at Thyatira, that Jezebel is also portrayed as the Roman church. God gave her space to repent of her fornication, and she repented not. This portrays that the false religion, that is, the great whore, will continue in her ways until the end, when she is destroyed. She will be cast into great tribulation, and all her followers, except they repent. As has been noted, God’s people are told to come out of her.

It might be said that the Roman false religion will grow even larger once the Rapture has happened, but it will be short lived.

Yeah, i know you don't even believe in the rapture which is clearly stated in the Bible (rapturo/ harpazo) The Christian Bible!

Rome was founded approximately 753 B.C.








THE GREAT WHORE, THE FALSE RELIGION


The great whore. Her teachings have left the truth and turned to many false doctrines

She has many people-Rev 17:1,15

She has many nations-Rev 17:1,15

She is a worldwide religion-Rev 17:1,15

She has people from many languages-Rev 17:1,15

Her name is written upon the forehead of the city of Rome-Rev 17:5

Her name is:

Mystery-Rev 17:5

Babylon the Great-Rev 17:5


The Mother of Harlots-Rev 17:5

And Abominations of the Earth-Rev 17:5

The kings of the earth are also a part-Rev 17:2

Kings have committed fornication with her-Rev 17:2

She has corrupted the earth with her fornication-Rev 19:2

The inhabitants of the earth have become intoxicated with her false teachings-Rev 17:2

She has been responsible for killing God's servants-Rev 19:2

THE WOMAN, THE CITY OF ROME
The great whore is part of a great city (Rome)-Rev 17:5,18

The city sits on 7 mountains or hills-Rev 17:9

The city has a golden cup in her hand-Rev 17:4

Note the golden cup of the Catholic church

In the cup:
Abominations
Fornication

The city of Rome, drunken with the blood of the saints-Rev 17:6; 18:24

Apostles were killed in her-Rev 18:10

Prophets were killed in her-Rev 18:20,24

A trade capital-Rev 18:3,15

Her sins have reached to heaven-Rev 18:5

She is not far from the sea-Rev 18:17

Every single one of these fits the Roman Catholic church perfectly.

The Roman Catholic church and the city of Rome are as one. Your Vatican

The Roman Catholic church is the great whore.

It is the modern-day extension of Mystery, Babylon the Great. It is the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth. And it is also true that many will refuse to believe this.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You keep an eye on future events & judge for yourself whether Bible prophecy is true

Sorry to interrupt but do explain to me Mr. Wong,

1. I don't get what you said about literal Babylon was never part of Roman Empire...what is the point here?

2. When you mention about RC being false religion..... killing Christians, what do you mean by killing? Can you be more specific?

Jesus did not write a book, He started a Church.
That church remains till today which is the Catholic Church.

I think his point 2 is that the RC persecuted what we considered as heretics (which one? they couldn't tell). I have heard similar accusations from sylar and a few others before. Asked for proof but nothing forthcoming. Typical Protestant black history propaganda.

You even got your bible wrong by saying Rev 17:6 says saints will be killed by the RCC when it says no such thing. Just because you imply the RCC fits the description doesn't mean that's what the Bible said. As for the colours, I was just following your own warped logic when you quoted something like that.

FYI, pagan Rome persecuted the early Catholics and the first 33 popes were martyrs.

The earliest recorded evidence of the use of the term "Catholic Church" is the Letter to the Smyrnaeans that Ignatius of Antioch wrote in about 107 to Christians in Smyrna. Exhorting Christians to remain closely united with their bishop, he wrote: "Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church."

This post has been edited by yeeck: Jan 24 2018, 11:07 AM

Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Lectionary: 319



Reading 1 (2 Sm 7:4-17)

That night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
"Go, tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD:
Should you build me a house to dwell in?
I have not dwelt in a house
from the day on which I led the children of Israel 319
out of Egypt to the present,
but I have been going about in a tent under cloth.
In all my wanderings everywhere among the children of Israel,
did I ever utter a word to any one of the judges
whom I charged to tend my people Israel, to ask:
Why have you not built me a house of cedar?'

"Now then, speak thus to my servant David,
'The LORD of hosts has this to say:
It was I who took you from the pasture
and from the care of the flock
to be commander of my people Israel.
I have been with you wherever you went,
and I have destroyed all your enemies before you.
And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth.
I will fix a place for my people Israel;
I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place
without further disturbance.
Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old,
since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel.
I will give you rest from all your enemies.
The LORD also reveals to you that he will establish a house for you.
And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors,
I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,
and I will make his Kingdom firm.
It is he who shall build a house for my name.
And I will make his royal throne firm forever.
I will be a father to him,
and he shall be a son to me.
And if he does wrong,
I will correct him with the rod of men
and with human chastisements;
but I will not withdraw my favor from him
as I withdrew it from your predecessor Saul,
whom I removed from my presence.
Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me;
your throne shall stand firm forever.'"

Nathan reported all these words and this entire vision to David.

Responsorial Psalm (PS 89:4-5, 27-28, 29-30)

R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.

“I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have sworn to David my servant:
I will make your dynasty stand forever
and establish your throne through all ages.”
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.

“He shall cry to me, ‘You are my father,
my God, the Rock that brings me victory!’
I myself make him firstborn,
Most High over the kings of the earth.”
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.

“Forever I will maintain my love for him;
my covenant with him stands firm.
I will establish his dynasty forever,
his throne as the days of the heavens.”
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower;
all who come to him will live forever.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Mk 4:1-20)

On another occasion, Jesus began to teach by the sea.
A very large crowd gathered around him
so that he got into a boat on the sea and sat down.
And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land.
And he taught them at length in parables,
and in the course of his instruction he said to them,
"Hear this! A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,
and the birds came and ate it up.
Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil.
It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep.
And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots.
Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it
and it produced no grain.
And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit.
It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."
He added, "Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear."

And when he was alone,
those present along with the Twelve
questioned him about the parables.
He answered them,
"The mystery of the Kingdom of God has been granted to you.
But to those outside everything comes in parables, so that
they may look and see but not perceive,
and hear and listen but not understand,
in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven."

Jesus said to them, "Do you not understand this parable?
Then how will you understand any of the parables?
The sower sows the word.
These are the ones on the path where the word is sown.
As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once
and takes away the word sown in them.
And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who,
when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy.
But they have no roots; they last only for a time.
Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word,
they quickly fall away.
Those sown among thorns are another sort.
They are the people who hear the word,
but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches,
and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word,
and it bears no fruit.
But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it
and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold."



REFLECTIONS: WORD Today



The grateful King David wanted to make a House (Temple) of God. But God said no. He instead would build the House (family line) of David. From it will emerge Christ the King who will build God's Temple in the hearts of His people - a Kingdom that will last forever.

Sometimes we are tempted to build God's Temple in such a way that that we get to share the limelight. With such impure intentions, our work is doomed to fail. Each of us is a building block in the Living Temple, the Body of Christ. We must follow the building plan of Jesus the Master Carpenter, allowing His Wisdom to put and use us where He sees fit.

We need to understand His guidelines in the Bible, and to discern what He wants us to do in the seeds of inspiration He sows in our thoughts and in our hearts as we go through the day. We then act and offer our work for His glory. Only then shall we bear truly lasting fruits that build up and strengthen our family, neighborhood and His Temple.

HEY, SEED SOWER


Source: https://www.facebook.com/CatholicMassReflec...828719497425807

Ireneus disciple of Polycarp who was a disciple of John the apostle.

For when the Greeks, having arrested the slaves of Christian catechumens, then used force against them, in order to learn from them some secret thing [practised] among Christians, these slaves, having nothing to say that would meet the wishes of their tormentors, except that they had heard from their masters that the divine communion was the body and blood of Christ, and imagining that it was actually flesh and blood, gave their inquisitors answer to that effect.

Then these latter, assuming such to be the case with regard to the practices of Christians, gave information regarding it to other Greeks, and sought to compel the martyrs Sanctus and Blandina to confess, under the influence of torture, [that the allegation was correct]. To these men Blandina replied very admirably in these words: How should those persons endure such [accusations], who, for the sake of the practice [of piety], did not avail themselves even of the flesh that was permitted [them to eat]?


PERSECUTION OF SAINT CRISPINA

In 304 A.D., the persecution of Emperor Diocletian was well under way. The Romans were burning the books of scripture and trying to prevent Christians from celebrating the Holy Mass. As in the persecution under Emperor Decius the Romans were trying to force Christians to sacrifice to the Roman gods. Many under torture or the threat of torture succumbed but many others did not.

Crispina who was a wealthy woman and mother, was an example of the deep faith of the early church. In the trial of Crispina the Proconsul Anullinus sat as magistrate in the city of Theveste in Africa on December 5, 304 A.D. The trial went as follows.

The clerk announced to Anullinus: "Crispina, a lady of Tagorra, is to be tried at your good pleasure. She has spurned the laws of our lords the emperors."

Proconsul. "Bring her in," When she stood before him, he first made sure that she understood the decree demanding sacrifice.

Crispina. "I have never sacrificed, and I shall not do so, save to the one true God and to our Lord, Jesus Christ, His son, who was born and died.”

Anullinus. “You are a stubborn and insolent woman, and you will soon begin to feel the force of our laws against your will.”

Crispina. “Whatever happens. I shall be glad to suffer on behalf of the faith which I hold firm."

Anullinus. "I will have you beheaded All Africa has offered sacrifice, as you are well aware.

Crispina. May they never find it easy, to make me offer sacrifice to demons; but I sacrifice to the Lord who has made heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them".

Anullinus. "You utter blasphemy in not honoring what is conducive to your safety.”
To bring pressure, therefore, he ordered his aides:

Anullinus. "Let her be completely disfigured by having her hair cut and her head shaved with a razor till she is bald, that her beauty might thus be brought to shame."

Apparently this was done, but Crispina's attitude remained unchanged. So the pro-consul repeated his threat:
Anullinus. "If you despise the worship of our venerable gods, I shall order your head cut off."

Crispina. "I should thank God, if I obtained this. I should be very happy to lose my head for the sake of my God. For I refuse sacrifice to these ridiculous deaf and dumb statues."

Anullinus. "So you absolutely persist in this foolish frame of mind'?"
Crispina. "My God who is and who abides forever ordered me to be born; it was He who gave me salvation through the saving waters of baptism. He is at my side, helping me, strengthening His hand-maid in all things so that I will not commit sacrilege."

Anullinus. "Why should we suffer this impious Christian woman any further?"
He commanded that the court record be read back to him. Then he wrote his sentence on a tablet and read it aloud:

Anullinus. "Seeing that Crispina has persisted in infamous superstition and refuses to offer sacrifice to our gods in accordance with the heavenly decrees of Augustan law, I have ordered her to be executed with the sword."

Crispina. "I bless God who has designed to free me from your hands. Thanks be to God! "
In the documents of this discourse a Christian hand added to the minutes of the trial:

"And making the sign of the cross on her forehead and putting out her neck, she was beheaded for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is honor for ever. Amen."


Diacene persecution 250 AD



Image Source: Catechism of perseverance : an historical, doctrinal, moral and liturgical exposition of the Catholic religion, translated from the French of Abbé Gaume

Brethren, Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain. And every one that striveth for the mastery refraineth himself from all things; and they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible one. I therefore so run, not as at an uncertainty; I so fight, not as one beating the air: but I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway. For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all in Moses were baptized, in the cloud and in the sea: and did all eat the same spiritual food, and drank the same spiritual drink: (that they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ.) But with most of them God was not well pleased.

1 Cor. 9. 24-27; 10. 1-5

Jesus did not write a book??!!! You serious??!! Who is Jesus to you??!! Just another great teacher??!! Only a man??!!

Unless of course you do not even believe in the Holy Trinity!

The entire Scripture is the inspired word of God because the Bible says so!

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." - 2 Timothy 3:16-17




The true Church of Jesus Christ are the Evangelical Protestant churches. The Methodists, Baptists, Lutherans, etc. The Bible calls them HIS virgin bride.

NOT your Roman Catholic Church! The Bible calls them a HARLOT (Prostitute). MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT.

Of course, if you would bother to read a copy of the King James Bible, instead of your Catholic Bible, you would know all these things.

BUT ohh!! i forgot!! Good Catholics are not encouraged to read the Bible






ooooh! u make it sound like the Catholics are the victims here

A thorough reading of history will tell you that the RCs persecuted Protestant Christians throughout the centuries. AND it will happen again in the future!

Stop denying the truth! The Christian Bible says during the tribulation, saints will be persecuted! Bible believing Christians are called saints.

To be exact, the Bible calls them tribulation saints.

Saints are not your Catholic church statues!

In case you missed it on purpose, i'll put the verses here again :

"And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration." - Revelation 17:6

"And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on earth.”- Rev 18 : 24


The Christian Bible has already identified the Woman & the Mystery Babylon religion to us, as a warning of what is to take place in the near future.


IF you're not aware that the RC religion is actually the MYSTERY religion of Babylon, then here, let me give you PART 2(cont from yesterday) :

Firstly, let us identify who is the WOMAN of the book of Revelation.



"And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth." - Revelation 17:9

Where is Vatican city located again?






Secondly, let us determine who or what is BABYLON. This one is a little bit long. So bear with me.

Revelation chapter 17 describes Babylon in its mystery form, as a religious system or spirit of false worship;

chapter 18 describes Babylon as a political and commercial system embodied in a city, the city of Babylon of the future.

So we have two Babylons: religious Babylon and political Babylon.


I'm just gonna touch on the religious Babylon.


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THE ORIGIN OF BABYLON’S RELIGION

Ancient records indicate that Nimrod had a wife named Semiramis who was the founder and first high priestess of the Babylonian mystery religion. She gave birth to a son named Tammuz, whom she claimed was conceived miraculously. This son was considered savior of his people and in effect was the first false Messiah—a counterfeit of Genesis 3:15 and God’s promise of a Savior. The son was to have been killed by a wild beast, but brought back to life.

The religious system of Semiramis had many secret rites in the worship of its idols. These were called mysteries (secrets) into which new members had to be initiated. When the initiates were initiated they were given a cup containing a mysterious drink made of wine, honey, water and flour. This represented the doctrines of the cult, but these also made the participant intoxicated and prepared for what the participant was about to see, hear and do. These rites involved consecrated male and female prostitution and the most sordid sexual immorality carried out in connection with its idolatrous worship. The fornication is both physical and spiritual (Rev. 17:2-5).

The rites incorporated the worship of the mother (who was called “the queen of heaven”) and the child.

While the rites varied, and the idol images often varied from country to country as the cult spread from one location to another, they all contained one central feature, the worship of the goddess mother and her child. Often the names changed, but no matter where you went, pictures and images of a mother with a child in her arms were found. (See the study on Rev. 14.)

The religious system which began in Babel (or Babylon), became the mother, the source of all pagan religions of the world. This is the reason she is called “Mother of Harlots” (Rev. 17:5). This system spread to Greece, Egypt, Italy, Phoenicia, Israel, India, Asia Minor and Europe. Canaan was full of this iniquity and is one of the reasons God commanded Israel to destroy its inhabitants. Their failure to do so led to Israel’s own downfall and involvement with the Babylonian system.




Linked with the central mystery of Babylon—the worship of the mother and child—were many other lesser mysteries which will have many familiar sounds. These include:

THE DOCTRINE OF PURGATORY

The doctrine of purgatorial purification after death was seen first in pagan Babylonianism. It involved the same extortion and theft of the poor to get the dead cleansed and into a higher state. Prayers and supplications were offered by the priest but only after great fees were collected.204

THE DOCTRINE OF EXTREME UNCTION

In the pagan Babylonian system the dying were anointed for their last journey. This was done in the name of Bee?l-samen, “lord of heaven” and “lord of oil,” the anointed one.205 In James 5 anointing, by contrast, is to be done medicinally, with a view to health, not death.

THE DOCTRINE OF FESTIVALS OF ANCIENT BABYLONIANISM

YULE DAY

Yule means “infant,” thus, the day of birth. In Egypt the son of Isis, the Egyptian title for the queen of heaven, was to have been born at the end of December. Long before they were introduced to Christianity, Anglo Saxons celebrated a “Yule Day” and this was preceded by “A Mother’s Night.” The Sabaeans of Arabia likewise celebrated a birth festival on the 24th of December. This was the birth of their moon god, “Lord Moon” which in the East was called “Meni” (Isa. 65:11). A special tree and a yule log were both involved with this festival. The yule log represented Nimrod, the dead stock of Nimrod, cut down by his enemies, and the tree represented Nimrod come to life.

MARCH 25
Long before the birth of Christ pagan Rome honored Cybele, the mother of the Babylonian Messiah, with a special day, March 25th, nine months before December 25th. Today in Rome this is called “the Annunciation of Mary.”


EASTER

Easter was another name for Astarte or Istar, which were other names for the queen of heaven. This festival in ancient Babylonianism was a 40-day weeping period for Tammuz just prior to the festival of Astarte (or Istar or Easter), who was said to have received her son back from the dead; for it was taught that he was slain by a wild beast (boar). To him the egg was sacred, depicting the mystery of resurrection.

Fifteen hundred years before Christ the hot cross buns of Good Friday were used in the worship of the queen of heaven, the goddess of Easter. They were even called “the boun,” i.e., “bun” (Jer. 7:18). They were first offered, then later eaten.

The egg can be traced back to the fable of the mystic egg of the Babylonians. “An egg of wondrous size” is said to have fallen from heaven into the River Euphrates. The fishes rolled it to the bank where the doves having settled upon it, hatched it. Out came Venus who afterwards was called the Assyrian goddess or Astarte, the queen of heaven. So the egg first was a symbol of Astarte or Easter, the queen of heaven.

Thus you can see the background for **lent, the 40-day period prior to Easter, and the Easter festival. Some simply adopted the egg and applied it to the resurrection of Christ. In the very early church there was the celebration of the Passover on Friday before the resurrection, but it was not called Easter.




THE FEAST OF ASSUMPTION

This is the teaching that Mary saw no corruption, but was in body and soul carried up to heaven and is now invested with all power of heaven and earth. This too, goes back to Babylonian mystery.


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I'm sure the highlighted in Red are familiar practices to you yeeck.


The Catholic church does this yes? You do this yeeck? You celebrate ** Lent :




Can you not see the similarities?? ! !

So tell me, is the Roman Catholic religion not the MYSTERY religion of Babylon ? ? ! !



The church of Rome denies the finished work of Christ, but instead believes in a continuing sacrifice which produces such things as sacraments and praying for the dead, burning candles, etc.

All heresy falls into one of two basic categories: a false concept of the personal deity of Christ or mixing works with faith.

The church of Rome can scarcely be accused of teaching a false concept of the personal deity of Christ; however, their emphasis on the "continual sacrifice" and rejection of our Lord’s finished work breeds a concept that causes man to go astray.

All your holy water, blessed salt, rosaries, statues(idolatry!), novenas, confessions to another man who’s just as sinful as yourself & other works, will not save you!

You’re trying to earn what Jesus so freely gives! Repent!

How come you preach what I preached on Free Gift in here, while over the other side you propagate conditional Salvation of obedience as what Catholics also stand on.

Oh Well. \_(ツ)_/¯

This post has been edited by unknown warrior: Jan 25 2018, 11:21 AM

Yes, as Man Jesus did not write a book. God inspired mortal men to write it. Fundamental thing like that also you got it wrong? Oh my...

Again the Bible did not call the RCC the great whore. Throughout history, yes heretics like Protestants are not tolerated but the punishment was meted out by the civil authorities who wanted order in society. Same thing happened in England to Catholics under the rule of Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and Oliver Cromwell. Tell me, did Jesus found many Churches of conflicting doctrines?

You said "The true Church of Jesus Christ are the Evangelical Protestant churches. The Methodists, Baptists, Lutherans, etc" yet you attack Christmas and Easter which are celebrated by these groups? LOL.

You sir need to have your mind checked and repent for your blasphemies against Christ, His Mother and saints and His Church. And stop worshiping Jack Chick as if everything he produced is the truth.

This post has been edited by yeeck: Jan 25 2018, 11:20 AM

The Common priesthood of the faithful




The priesthood of the faithful - It's a point that is so often misunderstood by Catholics and by non- Catholics who deny the ministerial priesthood as instituted by Christ.



This notion might be a surprise to you but the notion of universal priesthood does have its place in Catholic Theology. The Problem is that non-Catholics will always bring up the words of St. Peter " You are royal priesthood."- In order to do away with the ministerial priesthood. However, what they forget is that this notion of a "universal priesthood" of all believers is not something new. St. Peter was merely quoting from the book of Exodus were God said to Moses "thus shall you say...to the people of Israel...now...you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." (Exodus 19:3,6) .



Now if this was understood in the Old Testament were they still maintained a distinct ministerial priesthood from that of the common priesthood of all believers, how much more should this distinction so exist in the New Testament since as I previously mentioned the Old Testament priesthood is far inferior to that of the New.



And so, we see that in biblical theology, the three-fold model of the priesthood which was in use at the time of Aaron in the Old Testament was carried over into the New Testament and thus we find there also a high priest, ministerial priests, and the common priesthood of all believers. In the New Testament age the high priest is Jesus Christ (Heb. 3:1), the ministerial priests are Christ's ordained ministers of the gospel (Rom. 15:16), and the universal priests are the entire Christian faithful (1 Peter. 2:5, 9).



Our Holy Faith tells us that all the faithful participate in the priesthood of Our Lord in a passive way- that is they now have the power to receive the sacraments due to their character of baptism and confirmation, without which they could not partake of the other sacraments. As to sacrifice that they offer, St. Peter tells us that they are to offer up "spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:5). In other words the faithful offer up spiritual sacrifice on the altar of their hearts to God. This priesthood however is what the Council of Trent refers to as the "internal Priesthood" of the baptized faithful. While the Ministerial priesthood of the Ordained, alone has an external active participation in the priesthood of Christ by which they offer up not merely a spiritual sacrifice but a substantive sacrifice – The Holy sacrifice of the Mass.

you know, God performed miracles within the catholics and also within the protestants.

God can do whatever He pleases and to whomever He wants. Suffice for me to say that the Catholic Church investigates any claims of "miracles" thoroughly (even allowing secular scientists to join in the investigations) before claiming them as such.