Spiritual Battle-At War With God

Spiritual Warfare

Everyday we face a spiritual battle, yet so many of us are unaware that we are even at war let alone what enemy we are fighting. These battles are called choices for each and every choice we make has repercussions for our eternal life yet so many seem to remain oblivious of the consequences of their choices.

We live in a society where God has become a four letter word that many now whisper amongst themselves lest they be thought 'intolerant' within the general population, yet who decides the policy of what is to be tolerated and what is not? Where every Christmas there is a battle amongst many countries of Judeo/Christian heritage which now refuses to say 'Merry Christmas' in fear that the minority groups of different cultural and religious backgrounds may take offense, once again who took this decision?

In the history of the world there have been two world wars fought and won in order that we may enjoy the freedom we had become used to. Yet decades later we throw these very freedoms away in order to appease a minority, did the men and women who gave their lives for our freedom die in vain?

How did we reach this state of unawareness of the battle that engages us everyday? Where pornography assaults our senses as half naked women display themselves on billboards and adverts on TV to sell hamburgers, cars and other commodities. Where young men are encouraged to 'sow their wild oats' at parties where strippers are paraded before them as objects rather than as women who should have enough dignity not to cavort in a manner which demeans their own sex!

One of the worlds biggest best sellers in current years has been the DaVinci Code, a book based on fiction yet it became an instant success because many of the general public misunderstood its premise of fiction and believed it to be a work of non fiction a scholarly account of the 'real Jesus'. What is astonishing is that many Catholic/Christians helped the author become a millionaire and also inadvertently supported a heresy that the author espoused in his book that Jesus and Mary Magdalene had a sexual relationship even to producing children! From this one book we now have an industry of 'Da Vinci Code' breakers and a movie now in production line all because of a faulty work of fiction which was taken to be fact by a large percentage of people.

We also have a cult following of Harry Potter fans even though the Catholic Church has advised that it may be dangerous for young minds to be exposed to what is essentially the occult. Even though the format seems innocent enough, do we really ignore the Church's sound voice and instead rely on the reasoning's of Hollywood which is motivated by profits? We can choose to close our minds to the threat that these books and movies espouse that the occult is cool as children explore what seems to be an adventurous lifestyle. The biggest shock here is that many Christians support the cult of Harry Potter rather than be seen as dare I say the word....Christian!

Now we have another novel experience awaiting us, which I am sure will jump to the best seller list as 'The Gospel of Judas' explodes onto the book shelves and I am sure a movie will follow which will explain the 'real' relationship between Jesus and Judas. What many fail to mention is that like Christianity there are different denominations so too there existed different elements of Judaism within the Jewish culture at that time. Yet many itching ears will grab hold of this bogus 'testament' and present it as more relevant than our present Gospels! As it is many Catholics are well acquainted with the Gnostic gospels more so than the relevant Gospels of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John. Let us look at only one fragment of this so called ' Judas gospel' "… You shall cleanse … in sin … And they are the stars that are perfect in all respects. For so has been spoken to human kind: see, God has received your existence as servants… But the Lord has given orders over the all… they will be despised… all evil things. But you stand supreme over every one…In fact the man who carries me, is he you Judas? will scarify. Now all is your … increased and your earthly frame has died and your star has burned out and your heart is..." Now let us read the repudiation by St. Irenaeus, "[Some] declare that Cain derived his being from the Power above, and acknowledge that Esau, Korah, the Sodomites, and all such persons, are related to themselves. On this account, they add, they have been assailed by the Creator, yet no one of them has suffered injury. For Sophia was in the habit of carrying off that which belonged to her from them to herself. They declare that Judas the traitor was thoroughly acquainted with these things, and that he alone, knowing the truth as no others did, accomplished the mystery of the betrayal; by him all things, both earthly and heavenly, were thus thrown into confusion. They produce a fictitious history of this kind, which they style the Gospel of Judas." Now let us await the circus as even Christians race out to buy what is essentially 'satans gospel', for God does not create a person to sin, nor does He negate His own Word, "And why not say--as we are accused and as some claim we say--that we should do evil that good may come of it? Their penalty is what they deserve." Nothing good can come from bad or evil actions as God looks at the intent of the person which is hidden in the depths of the heart. Therefore Judas betrayal of Christ was not condoned by God it was an evil that Judas chose to do from his own free will and for which he suffered the consequences.

Of course alongside this we have the Law which states that a woman now has the right to murder her own unborn baby a responsibility shared by the unwilling father, both are culpable in this grievous sin! Yet the rich and famous march the streets in order that women have 'control' over their reproduction abilities they disguise this murder of the innocents by calling it Pro-Choice when in fact it is Pro-Death. Yet if a woman murders her newly born baby within minutes of its birth she will be prosecuted under the law for murder, is this not the height of hypocrisy? What hope for society when we murder our unborn who have NO voice? As the late Pope John Paul II wrote, "The cemetery of the victims of human cruelty in our century is extended to include yet another vast cemetery, that of the unborn." We read with horror where Herod ordered the murder of the innocents, yet so many are ready and willing to justify the unjustifiable, the murder of innocent unborn and defenseless babies by their own parents.

We read in our papers yet another land that is destitute through the ravages of war as war lords commit atrocities against their own countrymen. We see the emaciated figures of adults and starving children as they beg the world for help in order for them to survive one more day. Yet who is supplying these war lords with their weaponry? Guns and bullets are not conjured up in the air so who is arming these evil despots as they commit their genocide of whole peoples. As the West once again raid their money boxes while governments provide the means for these evil despots to rule with anarchy! Once again that great man of the Church Pope John Paul II states eloquently, "Social justice cannot be attained by violence. Violence kills what it intends to create." The Catholic Church is not immune from the self inflicted wound as nations disintegrate from within as Pope John XXIII stated, "The true and solid peace of nations consists not in equality of arms, but in mutual trust alone." Yet we cannot have peace till we are at peace with ourselves, with our families and with our communities as Archbishop Oscar Romero stated;

"Peace is not the product of terror or fear.

Peace is not the silence of cemeteries.

Peace is not the silent revolt of violent repression.

Peace is the generous, tranquil contribution

of all to the good of all.

Peace is dynamism. Peace is generosity.

It is right and it is duty."

Peace will remain illusive so long as greed and fear drives nations to build their wealth on the backs of the poor and destitute.

Are we involved in a battle? Absolutely! A battle for individual souls, as a man was crucified on a Cross for the sins of all so that we may enter into eternal life with God our Father.....Christ Crucified an act of hate that became an action of LOVE!

Peace of Christ to ALL

Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.