The purpose of this Public Forum - Part II is to publish communications sent to us, communications
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From
CR @
USA
- Published on June 29th, 2007
- Feast of Peter and Paul
Blessings to you on this day!
I am told that it is a holiday in Europe.
Further, it honors the zeal of Peter and Paul, as Apostles of Christ.
However, both of them did a good job of attempting to derail (if that were possible) the efforts
of Jesus.
Peter famously denied Christ three times after he promised Jesus he would did for Him, and Paul
was the famous Christian killer, Saul of Tarsus. With a reputation like that, he needed to
have his name changed.
I thought today might be a great day to remind people to go to Confession so that they could make
the First Friday and First Saturday devotions.
If Peter and Paul can be forgiven and go on to do great things, so too, for the rest of us.
Further, Jesus and Mary specifically made these requests.
To those who say they have no time, reflect on this: if you were bleeding to mortal death, you
would find the time to go to the emergency room to get help. Most of us are bleeding to
spiritual death.
To those who say that they have no respect for the priest, perhaps your Confession to him might
boost his faith in himself and God.
Two of the greatest attributes of God are His Mercy and Humility. Jesus gave you the time on
earth, use the time to seek his Mercy. Jesus also was humble enough to allow Himself to be
baptized by John the Baptizer. Imagine what that did for John's faith in Jesus.
Finally, as you would say, do the math. There are not that many First Fridays and First
Saturdays left.
Your zeal Glorifies God.
Best wishes and Peace
CR
From
RC @
USA
- Published on June 28th,
2007
The recent, not surprising, revelation of CIA dirty tricks brings to mind several scriptural
passages:
26 For what doth it profit a man, if he gain
the whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul? Or what exchange
shall a man give for his soul?
13 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt lose its savour,
wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing any more but to be cast
out, and to be trodden on by men.
7 For they shall sow wind, and reap a whirlwind,
there is no standing stalk in it, the bud shall yield no meal; and if it should yield,
strangers shall eat it.
and finally,
8 And another angel followed, saying: That great Babylon is fallen, is
fallen; which made all nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
Peace
RC
From Initials
Withheld @ USA
[Published on June 24th, 2007 - Feast of
the Birth of John the
Baptist]
We should consider that...
1. If you remember who God is, He will remember who you are;
2. When you strike someone, you strike Jesus first;
3. There has never been an instance when The Blessed Mother grew angry;
4. You cannot add a second to your life by worrying;
and one of my favorites, from you, Miguel,
5. When satan reminds you of your past, you remind him of his future.
I was reflecting this morning on a number of issues, but principally why it is so difficult for
the world to do the right thing, that is, live as Jesus taught.
I am aware that volumes have been written, but I believe the truth is simple and elegant and
brevity is a grace.
I believe the root of the problem is that we have been taught the wrong method for life.
That is, as children, frequently we were told that "you don't understand how the world
works." This was a frequent chastisement for our innocence and naiveté. In truth, we
as children, had it right the first time.
Our innocence was beaten out of us figuratively (and sometimes literally) with our contact with
the "real world."
It is a pity that the "Guardians of the Faith," both the alleged high command of the world's
churches, and our local ones, like our parents, did not have the faith or wisdom or both to show
us the right way.
The words of Jesus, despite the problems of Bible literalism, are all there. Some pause,
reflection, and invocation of the Holy Spirit should be all that is needed.
The problem is having the faith that living as Jesus instructed will work in this world.
Yes, we need more faith to try it.
I am currently pursuing a line of work which requires that I change my approach to how I do
business. It is radical in that all I have learned in my previous and successful careers
will not work in this context.
For some reason, and a good one, I am sure, God has sent me to this new profession. I have
learned humility, and I faithfully work at the new techniques daily. I am convinced that I
can succeed.
But I think there is a bigger lesson here. That is, much of what we have learned and needed
to be successful in the world is exactly what is not
needed, nor desired in the Kingdom of God.
One cannot serve God and Mammon at the same time. It is quite apparent that the world is run
by satan and his henchman, money.
It is a heroic task to live by the words of Jesus, but for sure, living them and believing them
does bring peace; a peace that cannot be found otherwise.
We all need to stop and listen to what Jesus has stated and realize that it will not get better
until each of us follows His Word and example.
Final thought - a prayer: If there is to be peace in this world, let it begin with me.
Peace and Best Wishes
Initials Withheld
From
RC @
USA [Published on June 21st,
2007]
I saw the article about the Vatican and the Ten Commandments for drivers as part of the Morning
Brief sent by the Wall Street Journal. They picked it up from the BBC. I was going to
sent it to you, but as always, you were on the job and had already sent out a mailing about it.
(1)
As time passes, it is sometimes hard to believe that Jesus once walked the face of the earth,
given the sad state of His Church. Truly these clowns who are the RCC high command have
trivialized all things sacred. Soon it will be a fantasy to many that there was a real Jesus
who did all those things we once learned. I am sure that is part of the plan.
There is no shortage of evidence to condemn these people. Sadly, most of the "faithful"
Catholics who still support the RCC do so only because they do not have the wisdom or courage to
face the truth.
Perhaps much of this lassitude comes from the nature of our society where most seem to have jobs
with compartmentalized responsibilities. That is, each is given a circumscribed task to
perform, nothing more, nothing less. Very few have any idea about how their job interacts
with the rest of the company and fewer even care. With this kind of attitude and
understanding of their work, these people never learn to see the big picture. One could
argue that such was the purpose: legions of people mindlessly doing a job and having no idea of
its ramifications. Ditto for their approach to life.
Thanks be to God for sending you as a beacon of light and a channel to God.
Peace
RC
Quote from article:
VATICAN CITY - There was no mountain, no burning bush, no tablets.
But the Vatican yesterday issued a “Ten Commandments” to keep drivers on the
straight and narrow lanes of the road to salvation.
The unusual document from the Vatican's office for migrants and itinerants warns cars
can be “an occasion of sin” - particularly when used to make a dangerous passing maneuver or
when occupied by prostitutes and their clients.
The M+G+R Foundation Comments:
There is no doubt - these people have lost their minds.
By now we would not care (for they have been amply warned), except that this
behavior makes the Catholic Faith look ridiculous and more people will abandon it and, tragically,
many will abandon God because of it.
Should we be surprised that 70% of US Catholics do not believe in the Real Presence?
The subconscious and automatic logic tells them that if these spiritually challenged men are the
ones who teach them about the Real Presence, then it must be "as real" as all else they do,
including tacitly approving of the Gospel of Judas.
To those in the world at large who make a point of defending the indefensible - the
Roman Church Administration - we say: "Carefully consider your defense arguments when trying to
defend them before the Throne of God while your are being judged for being a de facto accessory of
the greatest on going crime committed against humanity."
From
K @
USA [Published on June 20th, 2007]
I refer to the September 2006 issue of Awake!
magazine, which is published/distributed by the Jehovah's Witnesses. A couple of them
stopped at my house yesterday morning and left a copy for me to read, which I just did this
afternoon. It is a special edition, "Is there a CREATOR?" You might find it
interesting. There is a call out by a geologist (and church member) who says (as do you)
that "something cannot come from nothing." (1)
Also, they cite Matthew 19:4-6 to indicate Jesus "quoting from the creation account in
Genesis chapter 2" and the genealogy of Jesus back to Adam in Luke 3:23-38 to support that Jesus'
disciples believe in creation and that Adam was not a fictional character.
God is certainly timely in his work through you!
Since I had such a congenial visit with these two ladies, chatting about the flowers
in my garden, about hometowns, etc., I took the opportunity to share your article
(2)
with them and sent them off with a copy.... fair is fair, after
all.
Hope you are having a Blessed day,
K
_______________________________
(1)
Creation Vs
Evolution or Evolution Vs Creation It Is Neither - The support each other.
(2)
An Exposé of The Jehovah's
Witnesses
From WO @ -
USA
[Published on June 13th, 2007]
I wish to make a quick comment on the use/abuse of Sts. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas by the "lying
institution" which the Catholic Church has gradually
(1) evolved into.
First - when I went to High School and college, neither of these two were studied (or even
mentioned) except briefly in passing as "great philosophers of the Church". So I do not pretend to
be an expert on their writings. But God has given me a brain and eyes.
(2)
Augustine and Aquinas have both been used/abused by the Church
Administrators (3)
as justification for everything from the Inquisition(s), Crusades, Canon Law (and random
procedural documents which bolster the alleged authority of the organization and
its Administrators). It is the "back-up" which places Levada, Law, Egan, Bertone,
Ratzinger and the like safely "beyond reproach".
However, this is not to say that there is not or may not be some truth in their
writings.
I have noted that on certain "Catholic" internet forums the reigning SSPX/OD "posters" will quote
and misquote them ad infinitum to serve whatever means is necessary; to the point of using them as
a "crutch" to prop up the "authority" of this or that prelate, or the "Church" (i.e. the
organization) against all argument, no matter even if such runs contrary to the words of Christ
Himself! To "dare" to argue contra these two is "heresy", and "self excommunicates". The words of
these writers are covered under the blanket insurance policy of
infallibility!!!
(4)
Some time ago, a poster to one of the Boards asked innocently of Aquinas or Augustine "had ever
had a vision, locution, or had received Divine Revelation in regard to what they wrote". The
simple but pointed question was ignored and never answered.
In that "silence" was the "answer"!
You remain in my prayers,
WO
________________________
From CH @
NZ
[Published on June 9th, 2007]
I did a 'Google' search on Ratzinger, and then clicked on 'images' above the search entry
field.
I was quite stunned - that the first page on Google images depicted a Pope in this manner. I
believe that the pictures appear in order of popularity.
I then repeated the search method using "John Paul" as the search.
Fascinating!!!
CH
From WO @ - USA [Published on
June 6th, 2007]
In reference to your recent mailing with the subject of: Vatican
denies hiding the full truth about the end of the world
(1)
On a personal level, God has been sending me the message that "the Roman Catholic Church is a
lying institution" for many years now. But being the dummy that I am, I did not open my eyes &
ears to hear/see this truth & fully comprehend it until the last few years (gradually!).
He has also sent me messages that I was "going the wrong way (spiritually), but like a dummy I did
not fully heed this either. So, God turned up the "megaphone of pain"
(2) in a very personal way. Had
I heeded full what God was trying to tell me (gently, at first) I could have saved myself a lot of
pain.... but I am a frail dummy of a mortal!
I mistakenly thought that the "problem" lay in this or that bishop/preist/religious order/diocese,
or with aberrations in liturgy, teaching, etc. True enough - but I did not see the forest........
only the trees, at first. I did not grasp that it was not only a systemic issue, but that the
problem WAS the system itself. Not the essential truths of the faith: but the system, run
by increasingly evil men which personified Matthew. 23:13.
On the internet it is very difficult to find any exposition &
intelligent description of the present dire situation before men. The better known forums
(Angelqueen.org. and Fisheaters.com) are either owned/run by and/or heavily controlled via Opus
Dei connected posters. Any references to Miguel de Portugal are quickly
deleted, and references to the Fatima Scam itself, or to the "scam" of the office holders Bertone,
Ratzinger, and Levada are squashed. Between these and EWTN (an OD front organization at this
point!), the truth simply has no chance of getting out.
All of this verifies what Miguel de Portugal is saying: The noose is being tightened around the
Catholics who believe in the 'lying institution". They will be like the man whom Christ describes
as having "built his house upon the sand"........ and not upon the Rock.
(3)
Praised by the Most Holy Trinity!
WO
_______________________
(1)
Quote from the referenced article
[
Vatican denies hiding the full truth about the end
of the world
]:
The Vatican tried yesterday to draw a line under a conspiracy theory that has dogged the Catholic
Church for decades – that it was harbouring details of the predicted apocalypse.
The Pope's second-in-command, Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, denied that the Church
was suppressing a vision of the end of the world said to have been revealed by the Virgin Mary to
three shepherd children on a hillside at Fatima in Portugal exactly 90 years ago.
The three “Secrets of Fatima” were written down by one of the children, Lucia Dos Santos –
who became a Carmelite nun – and sent to the Vatican in a sealed envelope. Two of the
“secrets” were made public, apparently predicting the inferno of 20th-century world war and
totalitarianism and the eventual reconversion of Communist Russia to Christianity.
and
But yesterday, as tens of thousands gathered at Fatima, 130 kilometres (81 miles) north of Lisbon,
to mark the 90th anniversary of the “visions”, Cardinal Bertone insisted that the idea that
the secret predicted “catastrophic world events” or the collapse of the Christian Church were
“pure fantasy”.
The M+G+R Foundation Comments:
The just will not give up, will they?
As God revealed to us at the very beginning of miguel's journey - the moment Step No. 1
http://www.mgr.org/sequence.html
takes place, all else that miguel de Portugal has been announcing, in the Name of God, since 1991
- 1992, will then be believed with one logical consequence:
The Roman Catholic Church will be confirmed as a lying institution and the little trust people had
in it will be completely lost . Tragically, most people cannot differentiate between The Roman
Catholic Church Administration and God and Faith. Out goes the Roman Catholic Church, and out goes
"its God" and the most complete Faith on Earth
http://www.mgr.org/mgrPosition.html
For greater details on this plan review
http://www.mgr.org/fatconspiracy.html
We thank PB, a List Member, for the referral.
Full article at:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article1784780.ece
(2) Pain is the Megaphone
that God Uses to Help the Deaf Hear
(3) The
True Petrine Ministry
From
LP @
USA [Published on June 3rd,
2007]
As people make comments about certain blogger's deep disgust at the Roman Catholic Church,
and said blogger willingness to leave it, many use the standard Roman Catholic apologetic
against the blogger. It runs like this:
- the Church is full of sinners ... always is, and was from the first.
- Judas, one of the Twelve, was a traitor
- Peter denied Christ thrice
- All the Apostles slept through Jesus' Agony in the Garden, and all fled when he was
arrested.
- So ... why be shocked or angry or disappointed when Church leaders sin - even gravely -
now?
I thought of a reply to this apologetic: All of these cases of Apostolic treason and
cowardice came before the Resurrection, and before the Apostles were given the gift of the Holy
Spirit at Pentecost. They behaved badly - and admitted it in the Scriptural record - BEFORE
these saving events. After Pentecost, as far as I remember from the Biblical record and with
the exception of Peter's hypocrisy which was denounced by Paul [Galatians 2: 11-15], all of the
Apostles remained true and faithful to the end. They healed; they told the truth; they
glorified God.
At some point, but not later than the time of the
Constantinian Settlement, things began to go wrong. And now, we have Church Hierarchs
who, as a body, behave worse than the Apostles did before Pentecost. As a group, they act as
if they do not know of, or do not believe, or are unaffected by, what God did at the Resurrection
and with Pentecost. Either (1) collectively, the Hierarchs of the various Christian
confessions are unbelievers, or (2) at some point, God withdrew from them the graces that he had
given the Apostles at Pentecost. Such conclusions are contrary to what any Church apologist
would say, but they seem to follow logically from the contrast between the behavior and attitude
of (1) the Apostles after Pentecost, and (2) the "successors of the Apostles", for recent
centuries.
From Americans For
Peace @ USA
[Published on May 31st]
The war that broke out on June 5, 1967 radically changed the Arab-Israeli
conflict: It introduced the concept of “land for peace;” It marked the beginning of the
occupation; It led to the rise of the PLO; It energized the messianic settlement movement.
As we approach the 40th anniversary of the Six Day War,
Americans for Peace Now presents a
mosaic of opinions on the meaning of this anniversary.
TALLIE LIPKIN-SHAHAK is the
former war correspondent for the daily Davar, where she covered the first war in Lebanon
and the first Intifada. She is a radio personality and a regular contributor to Ma'ariv,
writing on social issues, the arts, and politics.
Read Essay >
MAJOR GENERAL SHLOMO GAZIT
(retired) served for 33 years in the Israel Defense Forces. Following the Six Day War, Gazit
served as Coordinator of Israeli Government Operations in the Administered Territories, in this
capacity, he was the first Israeli ruler of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. He later served as the
head of IDF Military Intelligence. General Gazit has written extensively on Israeli and Middle
Eastern military affairs, including a book, Trapped, which reviews Israel's administration
of the West Bank and Gaza.
Read Essay >
SENATOR LINCOLN CHAFEE
represented Rhode Island in the U.S. Senate for seven years. He is the former Chairman of the
Middle East Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee.
Read Essay >
LEONARD FEIN is a passionate and
gifted writer, teacher, and veteran social activist. Mr. Fein served as director of the Commission
on Social Action of Reform Judaism, and is the founder of Moment magazine; Mazon: A Jewish
Response to Hunger; and the National Jewish Coalition for Literacy. A Board Member of APN, Mr.
Fein facilitates an online conversation which can be found at
conversation.peacenow.org.
Read Essay >
YOSSI ALPHER is a former senior
official in the Mossad and the former director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel
Aviv University. He currently coedits the bitterlemons family of Internet publications and writes
a weekly Q & A on security issues for APN.
Read Essay >
IAD J. ASALI, M.D. is the
President and founder of the American Task Force on Palestine, a non-profit, non-partisan
organization based in Washington, DC. Born and raised in Jerusalem, Dr. Asali is a sought-after
voice on Middle East issues in both the media and on Capitol Hill, where he has testified before
both chambers of Congress.
Read Essay >
AMBASSADOR PHILIP
WILCOX is the former U.S. Consul General in Jerusalem and former Ambassador at Large for
Counter Terrorism. A retired Foreign Service officer, Ambassador Wilcox also served as the State
Department's Director for Israeli and Arab-Israeli Affairs and as Deputy Assistant Secretary of
State for Middle Eastern Affairs, among other roles. Today he is President of the Foundation for
Middle East Peace, a Washington D.C.-based foundation devoted to fostering peace between Israelis
and Palestinians.
Read Essay >
DR. MENACHEM KLEIN is a
political scientist at Bar-Ilan University, Israel. In 2000, Dr. Klein served as adviser for
Jerusalem affairs and final status talks to Israel’s Foreign Minister. He later joined prominent
Israeli and Palestinian figures in signing the Geneva Initiative—a detailed proposal for a
comprehensive Israeli-Palestinian peace accord. His book, A Possible Peace an Insiders’
Account of the Geneva Initiative, is forthcoming in September by Columbia University Press.
He is active in Peace Now.
Read Essay >
(C) 2007. Americans For Peace Now, 1101 14th Street NW, Sixth Floor, Washington, DC 20005.