Stumbling Blocks In Our Midst

Pope BenedictXVI in a recent interview stated that he did not believe that the use of condoms and the encouragement of their usage would stem the epidemic of AIDS in Africa. He said a moral and responsible attitude towards sex could fight the disease. Immediately there were editorials condemning his statement from the New York Times, from politicians, and various officials of AIDS/HIV organizations around the world. Some failed to report that what he also said, means that according to Catholic belief encouraging people to use condoms, was in fact encouraging them to give into their carnal desires, and encourage sexual activity outside the bounds of holy matrimony. There was even a resolution from the Belgian Parliament calling the Holy Father's comments unacceptable. France and Germany also called Pope Benedict's remarks dangerous and irresponsible.

The United Church of Christ quickly jumped on the bandwagon of critics on the Pope's statement, and evidently just could not resist going further. On March 19, the HIV and AIDS Network of the United Church of Christ (UCC) advocated the distribution of condoms at places of worship and “faith-based educational settings.” (Church ran schools?) The statement of advocacy was given at a presentation to the UCC Wider Church Ministries Board. Michael Shuenemeyer a UCC executive said, “The practice of safer sex is a matter of life and death. People of faith make condoms available so that we and our children may live.”

“The UCC denomination is descended from Puritan and Congregationalist traditions. The UCC has about 1.2 million members today, down from 2.1 million in 1967. In the most recent year from the data available, the UCC reportedly lost 6 per cent of its membership. This is according to its 2009 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches.” [1]

I can start to see why they have lost membership. Apparently, the UCC does not see that the first duty of any Christian church is to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That duty also entails the discouragement of sin among the members, not the encouragement of sin. When a so-called religious body or group encourages sin, it is failing to heed Christ's warning not to become a stumbling block, and not to cause “one of these little ones to sin”.

The Catholic Church, along with the vast majority of Protestant churches, knows and teaches that any sex outside the bounds of marriage is a grave sin. When any church advocates the distribution of condoms, when it advocates sin, it is no longer an institution of faith, but it has become an institution of the world. When any Christian advocates sin and the world and does not advocate Christ, His Church, and His Kingdom then they effectively and completely deny Christ. They have then become teachers of false doctrine, and teach in opposition to what Christ taught. Man may change, the world may change, but God and God's Law never changes. We cannot change God or God's law to suit us; we cannot change truth to suit us. When we think that we can change whom God is, what His Law is, by using the feeble excuse that “the world has changed”, then we are making ourselves god, and we are in fact calling God a liar and His Law obsolete and unneeded.

Pope Benedict XVI was criticized by these different nations, organizations, and the UCC who saw this as an opportunity to show how open minded and tolerant they are, and how closed minded and intolerant they perceive Pope Benedict and the Catholic Church to be. What they have shown in fact is that the UCC and other like-minded organizations are more in love with the world and what the world thinks of them. Pope Benedict upheld the Commandments against adultery and Christ's teaching on marriage. Yet, these others upheld the world.

People of faith would and should make sure that the members of their churches, especially the young people of their churches and “faith-based educational settings”, know and understand that any sex outside of marriage is wrong. It is a mortal sin, and people who engage in sex outside of marriage are being disrespectful to each other and to themselves. They are not only harming themselves and endangering their lives, but most importantly, they are endangering their soul and eternal life with Christ. It seems that a truly Christian church would make Christ and His teachings known so that “we and our children may live”.

From Holy Scripture:

Exodus 20:14, and Deuteronomey 5:18: You shall not commit adultery.

Isaiah 5:20-24 : Woe to you that call evil good, and good evil: that put darkness for light, and light for darkness: that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. Woe to you that rue wise in your own eyes, and prudent in your own conceits. Woe to you that are mighty to drink wine, and stout men at drunkenness. That justify the wicked for gifts, and take away the justice of the just from him. Therefore as the tongue of the fire devours the stubble, and the heat of the flame consumes it: so shall their root be as ashes, and their bud shall go up as dust: for they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and have blasphemed the word of the Holy One of Israel.

Matthew 7: 15-20: Beware of false prophets,who come to you in sheep's clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them.

Luke 17:1-3: He said to his disciples, "Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the person through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.

Romans 16:17-18: I urge you brothers to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles, in opposition to the teaching that you learned; avoid them. For such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites, and by fair and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the innocent.

2 Timothy 4: 1-4: I charge thee, before God and Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead, by his coming, and his kingdom: Preach the word: be instant in season, out of season: reprove, entreat, rebuke in all patience and doctrine. For there shall be a time, when they will not endure sound doctrine; but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears: And will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth, but will be turned unto fables. But be vigilant, labor in all things, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. Be sober.

1 Peter 3:17: For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.

From The Catechism of the Catholic Church :

2284 Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. The person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor's tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense.

2285 Scandal takes on a particular gravity by reason of the authority of those who cause it or the weakness of those who are scandalized. It prompted our Lord to utter this curse: "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."(Mat. 18:6;1 Cor 8:10-13) Scandal is grave when given by those who by nature or office are obliged to teach and educate others. Jesus reproaches the scribes and Pharisees on this account: he likens them to wolves in sheep's clothing. (Mat. 7:15)

2286 Scandal can be provoked by laws or institutions, by fashion or opinion.

Therefore they are guilty of scandal who establish laws or social structures leading to the decline of morals and the corruption of religious practice, or to "social conditions that, intentionally or not, make Christian conduct and obedience to the Commandments difficult and practically impossible."(Pope Pius XII, June 1941) This is also true of business leaders who make rules encouraging fraud, teachers who provoke their children to anger, (Eph 6:4;Col 3:21) or manipulators of public opinion who turn it away from moral values.

2287 Anyone who uses the power at his disposal in such a way that it leads others to do wrong becomes guilty of scandal and responsible for the evil that he has directly or indirectly encouraged. "Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come!” (Lk 17:1)

Copyright © 2009 Steve Smith. All Rights Reserved.

[1] Catholic News Agency

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Envy A Capital Sin

When we Catholics begin our instruction in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we learn about and are given warning to be on guard against the Seven Deadly Sins, which are pride, avarice, lust, anger, envy, sloth, and gluttony.

I am going to discuss the capital sin known as “envy”. Let me begin, by giving a definition of the word “envy”: wanting what somebody else has; the resentful or unhappy feeling of wanting somebody else’s success, good fortune, qualities, or possessions. Also, here are a few synonyms for envy as well as also being faults or sins that envy can lead to: jealousy, greed, bitterness, resentment, and spite.

As we can see from the above definitions and synonyms, envy is not something that any of us should desire, harbor within us, or allow to fester and grow, because fester and grow is what envy does, and can only lead to more sin, and more serious sin at that.

Let me be clear, it is never wrong to see an achievement, a quality, a good virtue in our neighbor that we desire for ourselves, and then to go and emulate what they have done to better ourselves. Indeed, are we as Christians not called to emulate Our Lord Jesus Christ and strive to achieve His example of perfection in love, faith, hope, and charity? For if we do not try to emulate His example, what He taught, what He lived, and what He did, and is still doing for us, then we have nothing, and we are nothing no matter what our status in life, our position in our communities, or in our hope to achieve His Kingdom. If we have envy, then we have no faith, we have no hope, and we most certainly have no charity. If we have no charity, then we can have no love, and if we have none of these virtues as taught to us by Christ and the Apostles and as handed down to us for our instruction and edification by the Church, then we deny Christ, and His example, and His sacrifice for us all. If we say that we are Christian, and we envy our neighbor for whatever he or she has or does, then we live in complete hypocrisy. Indeed, to envy one's brother or sister, is to hate him or her. For as Saint John the Apostle tells us in his Epistle 1 John 2:9-11: “Whoever says he is in the light, yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is nothing in him to cause a fall. Whoever hates his brother is in darkness; he walks in darkness and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”

For us to have envy can only lead to other vices and sin. Envy leads to detraction, and hatred, as Pope Saint Gregory the Great said far better than I can: “From envy are born hatred, detraction, calumny, joy caused by the misfortune of a neighbor, and displeasure caused by his prosperity.” Do you envy your neighbor? For envy violates the Tenth Commandment: “You shall not covet anything that is your neighbor's. You shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor's.” In paragraph 2539 of the “Catechism of the Catholic Church”, it states: “Envy is a capital sin. It refers to the sadness at the sight of another's goods and the immoderate desire to acquire them for oneself, even unjustly. When it wishes grave harm to a neighbor it is a mortal sin...”

So, what do we envy about our neighbor? Their wealth? Their home? Their friends? Their position? When we are envious we do harm to ourselves, and not to the one who is the object of our envy. Jesus told us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, and that where our treasures lie, so do our hearts lie. We can not be so caught up in the world, that we forget our true home, and our true salvation. What salvation is there to be found in wealth, position, status, houses, or popularity? None. As Saint Augustine said: “God bestows more consideration on the purity of the intention with which our actions are performed than on the actions themselves.” What purity is there in envy? Augustine also said: “The honors of this world, what are they but puff, and emptiness and peril of falling?”

As long as I am quoting from Saints like Augustine, and Gregory the Great, let us see what other great saints of the Church have to say about envy. For they certainly can say it far better than I ever could:

“It was through jealousy and envy that the greatest and most upright pillars of the Church were persecuted and struggled unto death. Let us set before our eyes the good apostles. First of all, Peter, who because of unreasonable jealousy, suffered not merely once or twice but many times, and, having thus given his witness, went to the place of glory that he deserved. It was through jealousy and conflict that Paul showed the way to the prize for perseverance. He was put in chains seven times, sent into exile, and stoned; a herald both in the east and the west, he achieved a noble fame by his faith. He taught justice to all the world and, when he had reached the limits of the western world, he gave his witness before those in authority; then he left this world and was taken up into the holy place, a superb example of endurance. Around these men with their holy lives there gathered a great throng of the elect, who, though victims of jealousy, gave us the finest example of endurance in the midst of many indignities and tortures. We are writing this, beloved, not only for your admonition but also as a reminder to ourselves; for we are placed in the same arena, and the same contest lies before us. Hence we ought to put aside vain and useless concerns and should consider what is good, pleasing and acceptable in the sight of him who made us. Let us fix our gaze on the blood of Christ, realizing how precious it is to his Father, since it was shed for our salvation and brought the grace of repentance to all the world.”

--Pope Saint Clement I from a letter to the Corinthians

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“Envy is a gnawing pain which springs from the success and prosperity of another; and this is the reason why the envious are never exempt from trouble and vexation. If an abundant harvest fills the granaries of a neighbor, if success crowns his efforts, the envious man is chagrined and sad. If one man can boast of prudence, talent, and eloquence; if another is rich, and is very liberal to the poor, if good works are praised by all around, the envious man is shocked and grieved. The envious, however, dare not speak; although envy makes them counterfeit gladness, their hearts are sore within. If you ask him what vexes him, he dare not tell the reason. It is not really the happiness of his friend that annoys him, neither is it his gaiety that makes him sad, nor is he sorry to see his friend prosper; but it is that he is persuaded that the prosperity of others is the cause of his misery. This is what the envious would be forced to acknowledge, if they spoke the truth sincerely; but because they dare not confess so shameful a sin, they, in secret, feed a sore which tortures them and eats away their rest. As the shadow ever accompanies the pedestrian when walking in the sun, so envy throws its shadow on those who are successful in the world.”

--Saint Basil the Great from "De Individia"

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“You who are envious, let me tell you that however often you may seek for the opportunity of injuring him whom you hate, you will never be able to do him so much harm as you do harm to yourselves. He whom you would punish through the malice of your envy, may probably escape, but you will never be able to fly from yourselves. Wherever you may be your adversary is with you, your sin rankles within. It must be a self-willed evil to persecute a person whom God has taken under the protection of His grace; it becomes an irremediable sin to hate a man whom God wishes to make happy. Envy is as prolific as it is hurtful; it is the root of all evil, the source of endless disorder and misery, the cause of most sins that are committed. Envy gives birth to hatred and animosity. From it avarice is begotten, for it sees with an evil eye honors and emoluments heaped upon a stranger, and thinks that such honors should have been, by right, bestowed upon himself. From envy comes contempt of God, and of the salutary precepts of our Savior. The envious man is cruel, proud, unfaithful, impatient, and quarrelsome; and, what is strange, when this vice gains the mastery, he is no longer master of himself, and he is unable to correct his many faults. If the bond of peace is broken, if the rights of fraternal charity are violated, if truth is altered or disguised, it is often envy that hurries him on to crime. What happiness can such a man enjoy in this world? To be envious or jealous of another, because such a one is virtuous and happy, is to hate in him the graces and blessings God has showered down upon him. Does he not punish himself when he sees the success and welfare of others? Does he not draw down upon himself tortures from which there is no respite? Are not his thoughts, his mind, constantly on the rack? He pitilessly punishes himself, and, in his heart, performs the same cruel office which Divine Justice reserves for the chastisement of the greatest criminal.”

--Saint Cyprian of Carthage

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“O envious one, you injure yourself more than he whom you would injure, and the sword with which you wound will recoil and wound yourself. What harm did Cain do to Abel? Contrary to his intention he did him the greatest good, for he caused him to pass to a better and a blessed life, and he himself was plunged into an abyss of woe. In what did Esau injure Jacob? Did not his envy prevent him from being enriched in the place in which he lived; and, losing the inheritance and the blessing of his father, did he not die a miserable death? What harm did the brothers of Joseph do to Joseph, whose envy went so far as to wish to shed his blood? Were they not driven to the last extremity, and well-nigh perishing with hunger, whilst their brother reigned all through Egypt? It is ever thus; the more you envy your brother, the greater good you confer upon him. God, who sees all, takes the cause of the innocent in hand, and, irritated by the injury you inflict, deigns to raise up him whom you wish to lower, and will punish you to the full extent of your crime. If God usually punishes those who rejoice at the misfortunes of their enemies, how much more will He punish those who, excited by envy, seek to do an injury to those who have never injured them?”

--Saint John Chrysostom

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“We fight one another, and envy arms us against one another. . . . If everyone strives to unsettle the Body of Christ, where shall we end up? We are engaged in making Christ's Body a corpse. . . . We declare ourselves members of one and the same organism, yet we devour one another like beasts.”

--Saint John Chrysostom

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“It should be our principal business to conquer ourselves and, from day to day, to go on increasing in strength and perfection. Above all, however, it is necessary for us to strive to conquer our little temptations, such as fits of anger, suspicions, jealousies, envy, deceitfulness, vanity, attachments, and evil thoughts. For in this way we shall acquire strength to subdue greater ones.”

--Saint Francis de Sales

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“Virtues are formed by prayer. Prayer preserves temperance. Prayer suppresses anger. Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy. Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit, and raises man to Heaven.”

--Saint Ephraem of Syria

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Prayer to Be Freed of the Seven Deadly Sins

O meek Savior and Prince of Peace,
implant in me the virtues
of gentleness and patience.
Let me curb the fury of anger
and restrain all resentment and impatience
so as to overcome evil with good,
attain Your peace, and rejoice in Your love

O Model of humility,
divest me of all pride and arrogance.
Let me acknowledge my weakness and sinfulness,
so that I may bear mockery and contempt
for Your sake
and esteem myself as lowly in Your sight.

O Teacher of abstinence,
help me to serve You rather than our appetites.
Keep me from gluttony
the inordinate love of food and drink
and let me hunger and thirst for Your justice.

O Lover of purity,
remove all lust from my heart,
so that I may serve You with a pure mind
and a chaste body.

O Father of the poor,
help me to avoid all covetousness for earthly goods
and give me a love for heavenly things.
Inspire me to give to the needy,
just as You gave Your life
that I might inherit eternal treasures.

O Exemplar of love,
keep me from all envy and ill-will.
Let the grace of Your love dwell in me
that I may rejoice in the happiness of others
and bewail their adversities.

O zealous Lover of souls,
keep me from all sloth of mind or body.
Inspire me with zeal for Your glory,
so that I may do all things for You and in You.

--Amen--

© Copyright 2008 Steve Smith. All rights reserved.

Spiritual Warfare-Prayers For Peace

There is no one in this country doubting the fact that this war in Iraq is dividing the country and creating greater factions. We can all argue about how we got into this war. Most of us believe we were given erroneous information, we were manipulated and that this war has done a tremendous amount of harm to the American psyche. Now what?

We all now that we cannot abandon Iraq without protecting the innocent. And we all know we do not want to prolong this situation in Iraq because more innocent people will be killed.

Lent provides us with a wonderful opportunity to make sacrifices, not only personal, but for the sake of others. Catholics grow up over the years hearing that because of the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, we should sacrifice every day during Lent, we give up going to the movies, give up some favorite dessert or perform an act of charity to a person who would ordinarily have no one concerned about them. But this Lent is one that we should make a difference. It means getting actively involved by writing to your Congressman, your Senator or to Washington your thoughts on how we should bring this war to as quick an end as possible.

Each one of us reading this editorial can say, I don't know how to write to my Congressman, they are not going to read it. All of a sudden the excuses for active involvement start to appear. Have you ever tried to use spirituality as a way of asking God to bring this war to an end? For example, have you ever thought that if you made a sacrifice of going to Mass every day for the solider, young men and women in Iraq, asking God to spare them? Do you think God would give you a deaf ear? Maybe your Congressman may not appreciate your letter, but there is no doubt that God would appreciate your prayers on behalf of those who are fighting for us in Iraq.

All of us know the value of diplomacy. All of us know that friend and foe have to sit down at the same table to carve out a map of peace. And some of these discussions for peace, as in the case of Vietnam, might go on for years. But in the meanwhile, Catholics in particular should recognize there is a God in the Heavens who listens to the prayers of all of us. From the New Testament and in literature, we know that faith and prayer can move mountains and more things are brought about prayer than this world dreams of. I have a wonderful privilege of being able to call convents of nuns who pray for special intentions. They are praying for a quick end to this war in Iraq. Their prayers united with your prayers undoubtedly can have a tremendous influence in bringing peace to this world and an end to this war. We all want a quick end to it and a safe end for everyone. But each one, through the power of his prayers, can effect what diplomacy and military skills have not done. Your prayers are needed for the sake of peace to bring our young men and women home. Don’t disappoint them.

Rev Mark Connolly

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The Crime of Conviction General Pace & Morality

Our nation's top military officer, a veteran decorated with no less than forty-eight military awards and a very distinguished career, made a startling revelation this week: He has moral conviction. The world gasps, hurls insults, and demands an apology. How dare one of the top leaders of our land have a moral belief and share it when questioned!

But that's exactly what happened this week when the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff—the first Marine general ever to hold that position—General Peter Pace, commented in a wide-ranging interview with the Chicago Tribune, "My upbringing is such that I believe that there are certain things, certain types of conduct that are immoral. I believe that military members who sleep with other military members' wives are immoral in their conduct, and that we should not tolerate that."

But then Pace went on to tell the Tribune, "I believe that homosexual acts between individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts." Well, stop the presses.

Of course, all that the radio, news, and television outlets have focused on since General Pace's comments are his remarks on homosexuality. Never mind that he puts immorality of all kinds on equal footing. General Pace went on to say in the interview, "I do not believe the United States is well served by a policy that says it is OK to be immoral in any way."

While the world should be applauding a man who proposes that one of the most important institutions in our country should have moral integrity, instead we hammer him for having a conviction.

But I believe this goes far beyond the whole question of homosexuals in the military and the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. This cuts to the core of the question of whether anyone in public office is free to speak his deepest religious or moral convictions. The Constitution says there will be no religious test for office, and yet we are applying one. We are basically saying that if you are the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, you are not allowed to express your moral or religious views—especially on matters of sexual preference and behavior.

This is another sign that we live in an age that no longer believes in objective truth or a moral order. Moral relativism is the rule, and personal preference trumps all. And government is there to ensure that no one place any restraint on the pursuit of our own desires.

I have long said that C. S. Lewis was prophetic when in 1943 he wrote about the irony of our education system, saying, "Such is the tragicomedy of our situation—we continue to clamour for those very qualities we are rendering impossible. . . . In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst."

Ironic that today, the head of our Joint Chiefs of Staff argues that the military should have consistent policies of moral integrity, and the world demands an apology. Maybe it is time to lock him up: General Pace is guilty. He has committed the intolerable crime of our day: He has stated his conviction in a value-free society that respects only so-called "tolerance."

As for me, well, General Pace makes me proud that I am a former Marine.

Charles Colson

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The Divinity of Jesus Christ

Part One

Arianism A fourth century heresy that denied the divinity of Jesus Christ. Its author was Arius, a priest of Alexandria, who in 318 began to teach the doctrine that there are not three distinct persons in God, co-eternal and equal in all things, but only one person, the Father. The Son is only a creature, made out of nothing, like all other created beings. (Pocket Catholic Dictionary by Father John A. Hardon, S.J., pgs. 29-30)

As we can see from the above example, this was a fourth century heresy which was opposed by the church. Especially under the guidance of Saint Athanasisus, Bishop of Alexandria, who was undoubtedly the main obstacle to the triumph of this heresy in the East .

The first council of Nicaea was convoked in 325 to meet the Arian crisis. The exact number of prelates who attended the council is not known. However, at least 220 Bishops, mostly from the east but also from Africa, Spain, Gaul, and Italy, signed the creed that affirmed the divinity of Christ and condemned Arius as a heretic. The formula of the creed read, "we believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Creator of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten of the Father, that is, of the substance of the Father; God from God, light from light, true God from true God; begotten , not created, consubstantial with the Father."

Today, here in the 21st century we find that this heresy or a form of it is now being espoused around the world. One of the most disturbing trends is the teaching of this heresy within the walls of Catholic seminaries, universities, theological centers, and other institutes of higher learning. One of the aspects of this heresy which is being taught is the convoluted idea that Jesus Christ was unaware of his own divinity until he was crucified. There is also another aspect of this heresy which maintains that Christ had dark, even lustful and evil thoughts. Evidently the “teachers” of this particular brand of “theology” never bothered to consult scripture, the teachings of the Catholic Church, nor any of the writings of the early church fathers. Indeed, perhaps one can now see why I am fond of saying “lord, save me from theologians”. Here in Part One, we shall see that Jesus Christ was indeed aware of His Divinity.

When a theologian sees his or her self perceived “wisdom” as surpassing the true wisdom of holy scripture, the Magisterium of the Catholic Church, the saints of the church, and especially the wisdom of the early church fathers, then they not only fool and mislead themselves, but they also fool and mislead those whom they purport to “teach”. Not only are they teaching error and heresy, but, they are also throwing stumbling blocks before others, and endangering souls. For to deny even one aspect of the Divinity of Jesus Christ is to deny Christ altogether. As Jesus said in holy scripture, “If you deny me, I will deny you before My Father”.

The “teachers” of this idea of the “human Jesus” would like for you to believe that Jesus Christ was just the same as you and me, just another ordinary human being. They would like you to believe that He went about His ministry without knowing that He was God Incarnate, and that He was not made aware of who He was and Is, until He was crucified. They prefer to “teach” that the men who wrote the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, were merely fallible men who had no inspiration from their encounter with God in the flesh to write their Gospels, and that none of the men who wrote the books that we call the New Testament were guided by the Holy Spirit. Indeed, they essentially call these men liars and accuse them of writing what they pleased regarding the life of Jesus Christ on earth. These so called “teachers” are anything but teachers, and are in fact enemies of Christ. For they throw stumbling block after stumbling block before those they teach, and are comforted by the thought that they spread wisdom and knowledge, and will be renowned for their teaching. So...they want you and me to accept the convoluted ideas and words of men who seek the worlds esteem, over the ideas and truths of men who wrote what they wrote from what they and those whom they met that had witnessed all Jesus Christ did, said, and lived! Sorry, but, once again, I'll take the word of those men who were willing to die for what they wrote and what they taught, over the words of men caught up in the world. These “teachers” and their blinded followers are living proof, that some people have too much education for their intelligence.

Let us take the time here, to just post a few passages of scripture which prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus Christ was God, and was aware that He was God. As Jesus did forgive sin, which we know only God can do, to say He was not aware of His own Divinity is in essence to call Him insane. Because if He went throughout His ministry forgiving sin without knowledge of who He was, then only one who was insane would do such a thing. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John show beyond a doubt, that Jesus Christ knew who He was, and that was, is, and will be God. The scripture passages follow, and these are but a few that show Jesus knew of His Divinity:

Matthew 9: 2 - 7: And behold they brought to him one sick of the palsy lying in a bed. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the man sick of the palsy: Be of good heart, son, thy sins are forgiven thee. And behold some of the scribes said within themselves: He blasphemeth. And Jesus seeing their thoughts, said: Why do you think evil in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee: or to say, Arise, and walk? But that you may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then said he to the man sick of palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house. And he arose, and went into his house.

Matthew 11 : 27: All things are delivered to me by my Father. And no one knoweth the Son, but the Father: neither doth any one know the Father, but the Son, and he to whom it shall please the Son to reveal him.

Matthew 12 : 5 - 8 : Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple break the sabbath, and are without blame? But I tell you that there is here a greater than the temple. And if you knew what this meaneth: I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: you would never have condemned the innocent. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath.

Matthew 14: 26 - 33: And they seeing him walk upon the sea, were troubled, saying: It is an apparition. And they cried out for fear. And immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying: Be of good heart: it is I, fear ye not. And Peter making answer, said: Lord, if it be thou, bid me come to thee upon the waters. And he said: Come. And Peter going down out of the boat, walked upon the water to come to Jesus. But seeing the wind strong, he was afraid: and when he began to sink, he cried out, saying: Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretching forth his hand took hold of him, and said to him: O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt? And when they were come up into the boat, the wind ceased. And they that were in the boat came and adored him, saying: Indeed thou art the Son of God.

Matthew 16: 13 - 19: And Jesus came into the quarters of Cesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is? But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.

Mark 9 : 1 - 8: And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter and James and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves, and was transfigured before them. And his garments became shining and exceeding white as snow, so as no fuller upon earth can make white. And there appeared to them Elias with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter answering, said to Jesus: Rabbi, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. For he knew not what he said: for they were struck with fear.And there was a cloud overshadowing them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying: This is my most beloved son; hear ye him. And immediately looking about, they saw no man any more, but Jesus only with them. And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them not to tell any man what things they had seen, till the Son of man shall be risen again from the dead.

Luke 2: 46 - 49: And it came to pass, that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his wisdom and his answers. And seeing him, they wondered. And his mother said to him: Son, why hast thou done so to us? behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said to them: How is it that you sought me? did you not know, that I must be about my father's business?

Luke 7 : 44 - 50: And turning to the woman, he said unto Simon: Dost thou see this woman? I entered into thy house, thou gavest me no water for my feet; but she with tears hath washed my feet, and with her hairs hath wiped them. Thou gavest me no kiss; but she, since she came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint; but she with ointment hath anointed my feet. Wherefore I say to thee: Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much. But to whom less is forgiven, he loveth less. And he said to her: Thy sins are forgiven thee. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves: Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman: Thy faith hath made thee safe, go in peace.

Luke 8 : 35 - 39: And they went out to see what was done; and they came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at his feet, clothed, and in his right mind; and they were afraid. And they also that had seen, told them how he had been healed from the legion. And all the multitude of the country of the Gerasens besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear. And he, going up into the ship, returned back again. Now the man, out of whom the devils were departed, besought him that he might be with him. But Jesus sent him away, saying: Return to thy house, and tell how great things God hath done to thee. And he went through the whole city, publishing how great things Jesus had done to him.

Luke 17 : 12 - 19: And as he entered into a certain town, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off; And lifted up their voice, saying: Jesus, master, have mercy on us. Whom when he saw, he said: Go, shew yourselves to the priests. And it came to pass, as they went, they were made clean. And one of them, when he saw that he was made clean, went back, with a loud voice glorifying God. And he fell on his face before his feet, giving thanks: and this was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering, said, Were not ten made clean? and where are the nine? There is no one found to return and give glory to God, but this stranger. And he said to him: Arise, go thy way; for thy faith hath made thee whole.

John 5 : 16 - 18: Therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, because he did these things on the sabbath. But Jesus answered them: My Father worketh until now; and I work. Hereupon therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he did not only break the sabbath, but also said God was his Father, making himself equal to God.

John 6 : 41 - 45: The Jews therefore murmured at him, because he had said: I am the living bread which came down from heaven. And they said: Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then saith he, I came down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered, and said to them: Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father, who hath sent me, draw him; and I will raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophets: And they shall all be taught by God. Every one that hath heard of the Father, and hath learned, cometh to me.

John 8 : 4 - 11: And said to him: Master, this woman was even now taken in adultery. Now Moses in the law commanded us to stone such a one. But what sayest thou? And this they said tempting him, that they might accuse him. But Jesus bowing himself down, wrote with his finger on the ground. When therefore they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said to them: He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again stooping down, he wrote on the ground. But they hearing this, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest. And Jesus alone remained, and the woman standing in the midst. Then Jesus lifting up himself, said to her: Woman, where are they that accused thee? Hath no man condemned thee? Who said: No man, Lord. And Jesus said: Neither will I condemn thee. Go, and now sin no more.

John 14 : 6 - 9: Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me. If you had known me, you would without doubt have known my Father also: and from henceforth you shall know him, and you have seen him. Philip saith to him: Lord, shew us the Father, and it is enough for us. Jesus saith to him: Have I been so long a time with you; and have you not known me? Philip, he that seeth me seeth the Father also. How sayest thou, Shew us the Father?

Coming in Part Two: We will look at the mistaken notion that Jesus Christ had dark, sinful thoughts.

Copyright © 2006 Steve Smith. All Rights Reserved.

An Answer to Abortion

It is very easy for many of us to simply say women should not abort their unborn children and the fathers of these babies should not comply in this murder of the innocents.

Yet in many circumstances especially with our youth who are easily overwhelmed with the consequences of their actions. Abortion is offered to these confused teenagers as a feasible option to what is an emotional storm going on within their psyche.

Abortion is not the answer to their situation, but how can we help those who are struggling with this issue in a common sense and practical manner? The answer lay within a new Religious Order which began 15 years ago who have called themselves The Sisters Of Life. These Sisters are relevant and wear their Habits with humility and exuberance as they help women and men make the right choices in their lives which is to choose to have their babies rather than feel overwhelmed and coerced by the feminist movement to abort their unborn child.

We also must do our part and not become complacent. Let us pray for these Nuns who have chosen this particular Vocation and also offer our assistance both monetarily and in a volunteer capacity. To read more about the Sisters click here.

If you wish to learn more about the Order of the Sister Of Life, please click here.

Peace of Christ to ALL

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Cause and Affect of Poverty

This may seem a strange topic for spiritual warfare, what has poverty to do with the spiritual realm? We are warned constantly that the devil makes use of idle hands and also idle minds. As Thessalonians warns us with these words, "We instruct you, brothers, in the name of (our) Lord Jesus Christ,to shun any brother who conducts himself in a disorderly way and not according to the tradition they received from us....In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat." (2 Thessalonians 3:6,10).

This does not mean we must be uncharitable to those in real need, but we also need to discern how to truly help those who are impoverished. When we throw money at different groups and organizations with no accountability then are we truly helping them to escape the confines of their poverty or are we helping them to maintain a dreadful status quo?

This issue has become very heated and polarizing as we can see through the efforts of Bill Cosby who has made great efforts to educate those who are trapped in the poverty cycle. To understand more about this issue please click here.

Source

World Net Daily

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Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.

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