Subject: Religion in the news - April 20-26, 1998 Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 01:39:35 +0000 To: "Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup"<heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>
From: Eddie Chumney To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com Subject: Religion in the News Religion in the News April 20 to April 26, 1998 POPE TAKES MARK FROM SHIVA PRIESTESS The Cutting Edge Click to http://cuttingedge.org/news/n1161.cfm - A must see site from which the following are the opening paragraphs -- We received some very shocking, but revealing, information about Pope John Paul II from a sister Christian organization, Former Catholics For Christ. In their newsletter, dated Jan/Feb/Mar, 1998, they reveal that Pope John Paul II allowed a Shiva priestess to create the traditional Shiva mark on his forehead. Of course, this event will cause any person to sit up and take notice, those of us who literally believe Biblical prophecy. In the Book of Revelation, the False Prophet, the leader of the new global religion of Antichrist, causes all people in the world to take a mark, either in the forehead or in the right hand. Therefore, it is a big deal when a Pagan priestess causes a mark to be made in the forehead of the Pope! You can see for yourself, as we were able to get the original picture from FCFC. You can see the priestess reach up with her right hand, planting the Shiva mark upon the forehead of the Pope, John Paul II. POPE ASSURES ITALIANS THE END IS NOT YET NIGH >From Richard Owen in Rome - London Times 4/24/98 To the dismay of Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses and followers of Nostradamus, but to the relief of almost everyone else, the Pope has declared that the world is not about to end. He said that it was doomed to end "at some point", but there was no fixed date, "nor can one be discerned from the Bible". At his weekly audience the Pope assured his listeners that the end of the world was not nigh, or anywhere near nigh, and said widespread fears that the new millennium would usher in the Last Judgment were unfounded. Italy has been gripped by pre-millennial anxiety since the earthquakes in Umbria last September, which killed 11 people and damaged the Basilica of St Francis at Assisi. There are frequent rumours that Vesuvius, which destroyed Pompeii in AD79 and last erupted in 1944, is about to erupt again. The Vatican has sought to reassure people that the mysterious Third Secret of Fatima - allegedly revealed by the Virgin Mary to three Portuguese children in 1917 and kept secret by the Pope - does not predict Doomsday. But books on Fatima and interpretations of the arcane predictions of Nostradamus, the 16th-century sage, remain sought-after in bookshops. Speaking on "The Second Coming of Christ at the End of All Things", the Pope said that attempts to predict the end of the world were "illusory and misleading ... history is moving towards its conclusion, but Christ did not indicate any chronological deadline." Apocalyptic visions were to be taken "symbolically" as images of "the precarious position of humanity and the sovereign power of Christ". CHIEF VATICAN DIPLOMAT RULES OUT PAPAL VISIT TO ISRAEL Kahl's I&G News 4/22/98 - Rome La Repubblica (Internet version) in Italian 17 Apr 98 Report by Orizio La Rocca "Pope Visit Israel? That Would Be Unfair" Vatican City "A visit by the pope to the Holy Land? It is unthinkable at present because it would be seen to sanction international situations of injustice." This throws cold water on hopes of a visit by John Paul II to Israel before the year 2000. And the cold water was thrown copiously not by just any churchman, but by the Vatican's foreign minister, Archbishop Jean Louis Tauran, on the sidelines of a meeting held at the Vatican press bureau yesterday to present both the pope's UN representative, Monsignor Renato Martino, and a book about the Vatican's diplomatic activities. Tauran's remark came not from within the press bureau but in an interview given to RAI Radio Newsreel, which is rather unusual in the case of the Vatican's foreign minister, who is customarily rather cautious about making public statements. Speaking on the news program, the archbishop not only denied the possibility of the pope's visiting the Holy Land but also revealed that the Vatican fears "tragic developments" in the Middle East, complaining that the Israeli-Palestinian peace process "has made no progress since the Madrid Conference." These charges were promptly denied by Israeli Ambassador to the Vatican Aharon Lopez. In a curt statement commenting on Tauran's remarks, the diplomat pointed to the efforts that his country is making to "promote the peace process in the Middle East" and pointed out that Israel's invitation for the pope to visit the Holy Land still stands. So are Israeli-Vatican relations deteriorating again? Indeed, it is no secret that the Vatican's opinions of the Israeli Government's peace policy have not been very enthusiastic recently. These opinions have emerged from time to time, including in parts of the Easter addresses delivered by the pope last week. These doubts and reservations were all reaffirmed in Monsignor Tauran's radio interview "The pope and his aides," the head of Vatican diplomacy said, "are following the evolution of the political situation in the Middle East with great anxiety. I personally am afraid that we are moving toward tragic developments. There is a great deal of frustration among the citizens, both Palestinian and Israeli, who are wondering What benefits has this peace process begun in Madrid brought us? The answer is, none." "There is a danger," Tauran went on, "that this frustration will lead to irrational reactions. I think that the political leaders of the region, on all sides, and those of the international community must realize the risks that such profound frustration entails." Such a situation is inconsistent with a visit by John Paul II to Jerusalem. The archbishop explained "The holy father's great dilemma is that if he does pay a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, it must be a symbol of peace and of rapprochement between the peoples. Can this happen in the present context? I would say not. Because in view of the situation, the opposite would certainly be the case. The pope would be seen to be sanctioning, condoning, international situations of injustice. So for the moment," Monsignor Tauran concluded, "conditions are not ripe. We shall see what happens in two years' time." FINLAND: LEADING MINISTER OF LUTHERAN CHURCH DECLARES HELL DOES NOT EXIST Weekend News Today Source: The Washington Times Sat Apr 25, 1998 Sinners fretting about the fate awaiting them in the hereafter may like to consider a move to Finland, where a leading minister of the normally austere Lutheran Church in Finland, has declared that hell does not exist and everyone will end up in heaven anyway. "It's an entirely false construct," said the Rev. Antti Kylliainen, a Helsindi priest and author of a book that has sparked a furious row among the generally docile Finnish faithful. "Fire, brimstone and eternal torment -- they're all part of the same sad myth." Adding fuel to the flames on earch is another outspoken minister, the Rev. Olli Arola, who told a newspaper last week that Jesus Christ was "in all probability" married to Mary Magdalene and that the immaculate conception and virgin birth were "highly unlikely ever to have happened." While 85 percent of Finns nominally belong to the national Lutheran Church, only about 15 percent regularly attend services. But most of them seem to have written angry letters protesting the ministers' remarks, saying they amount to heresy. "We're beginning to lose count," church spokeman Petri Torstiainen said. "It's unprecedented -- cetainly into the thousands. I'm sure these comments were intended to encourage a healthy debate, not out-and-out rebellion." But many Finns seem as upset by the church's treatment of the two priests as by their remarks. The bishops gave Mr. Arola a mild roasting but decided against taking formal action. And despite holding a full inquiry into Mr. Kylliainen's book, they voted against punishing him -- apparently because doing so would have infringed on his right to free speech. (London Guardian, Jon Henley, distributed by Scripps Howard) EASTER DATE TO COINCIDE Religion News Today 4/23/98 Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox Church leaders are working on a proposal to celebrate Easter on the same date. Catholic and Protestant churches follow a different calendar than the Orthodox, resulting in holidays falling on different dates. This year the Orthodox celebrated Easter on April 19, one week later than the others. The discrepancy results from a disagreement over revisions to the calendar by Pope Gregory XIII in the 1500s. Church representatives have agreed to a proposal that would allow all churches to celebrate the holy day together by applying modern astronomical methods to a formula devised by the First Ecumenical Council in 325 A.D., news reports said. LONDON CATHEDRAL TO HOLD PRO-PALESTINIAN SERVICE Arutz Sheva 4/24/98 The British Chronicle reports that the prominent Westminster Cathedral in London will be used for a pro-Palestinian church service next month. British-based Palestinians will mark "50 years of the Palestinian tragedy" with an inter-faith service at the church, organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and other groups. The main speaker will be Canon Naim Ateek, pastor of the Anglican St. George's Cathedral in Jerusalem and an outspoken proponent of a Palestinian state. Invitations to the event feature a map of Palestine on Israeli territory, overprinted with the words: "Palestine 50 - Time for Justice." ************************************************************************ From: Ken Jeffries To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com Subject: Arutz-7 News: April 24-26, 1998 -Reply ** High Priority ** Shalom Bar Zion and Bat Zion I am a Zionist Christian and I will pray against the pro-Palastinian church service. This is an insult to Israel and should not take place. I was also deeply offended by Robin Cook's behaviour on his visit to Israel and also Al Gore should be ashamed. Father I pray that You will bring this church service to nothing, I pray Father that these Chrisitan leaders remember Genesis 12 v 3 " I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you". We ask You Father-G-d to bring everything under Your control. We praise and worship You Almighty G-d, creator and redeemer. Amen I will continue to bless and pray for Israel, I will pray for Memorial day on the 29th for those Israeli's who have fallen in defence of their country, the promised land that you shall hold forever. B'shem Adonai Ken ********************************************************************