Roman Catholicism a world wide apostate church

a reply to: DeathSlayer

IMO the rock he built his church on is revelation from God. Not Peter. Not even the confession (so much)

This of course goes against all book based religion.

Which happens to be everything Paul was talking about too.

Not that there is no use for the book. But that it is pittance compared to being known as we are known.

I think Paul would be pissed to find out his writings became “law”

This event of the unveiling (Revelation) of the mind of Peter took place right after coming down from the mountain of the Hermes, where the transfiguration took place.

“And we all with unveiled faces are reflecting the glory of the lord as in a mirror (face to face), are being transformed into the exact same image”

“And be renewed by the transformation of your mind”

The word transformation is morphoo like metamorphosis. That is the same word used for transfiguration.

“ For now [in this time of imperfection] we see in a mirror dimly [a blurred reflection, a riddle, an enigma], but then [when the time of perfection comes we will see reality] face to face. Now I know in part [just in fragments], but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known [by God].”

“ [Jas 1:23 NKJV] 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror” (natural is the word genesis)

These are the three times the word mirror appears in the NT. Same word esoptron as the root.

Mirror appears in the OT a couple times which is also interesting but a Long rabbit trail.

Face to face is a “gnostic” concept. The Gnostics have been slandered by dead letter institutional church leaders. They didn’t help by cementing revelation into heirarchy and religion.


Jesus speaking against the Pharisees for being dead letter, book people, removing the keys of gnosis.

[Luk 11:52 NKJV] 52 "Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered."

The key of gnosis is entering in. Where? The holy of holies.

Here Paul speaks of the revelation of the mystery, which was given to him in the third heaven aka the holy of holies. Face to face with God

[Rom 11:25, 33 NKJV] 25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. ... 33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable [are] His judgments and His ways past finding out!

What is the mystery? The two shall become one (which takes place in the holy of holies)

Christ IN you is the hope of glory.

To sum up. The true church is built on mystical revelation one on one between God and man. The outcome is deification aka apotheosis. This is referred to as unveiling of the mind or transfiguration of the mind. This all was typified in the tabernacle (the entire book of Hebrews) which is your body. Unveiling is stepping through the veil which was what separated the holy of holies and was torn at Jesus death. A veil also separates a bride from the groom only to be removed at the consumation which the holy of holies was the marital bed. (The two shall become one) this is a great mystery of Christ and the church. The beheading of the saints or John the Baptist is type of removal of the carnal mind. And putting on the mind/head of Christ.

Colossians and Ephesians are the books detailing
The mysteries of Christ given to Paul in the third heaven:

[Col 1:18, 21, 26-27 NKJV] 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. ... 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled ... 26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Notice where you are alienated from God. In your mind

[Mar 4:11 NKJV] 11 And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables,
[1Co 2:7 NKJV] 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden [wisdom] which God ordained before the ages for our glory,
[1Co 15:51 NKJV] 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed--

Well that was a lot longer than I planned.

a reply to: zardust

continued

All of this relates to the original post in that the Roman church, and IMO all exoteric institutional churches are the whore,not the bride. The book of Revelation (the unveiling of Jesus Christ) is Ezekiel part 2.

[Eze 16:2, 8, 10-16, 24-25, 32 NKJV] 2 "Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, ... 8 "When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time [was] the time of love; so I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine," says the Lord GOD. ... 10 "I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of badger skin; I clothed you with fine linen and covered you with silk. 11 "I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your wrists, and a chain on your neck. 12 "And I put a jewel in your nose, earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head. 13 "Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing [was of] fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate [pastry of] fine flour, honey, and oil. You were exceedingly beautiful, and succeeded to royalty. 14 "Your fame went out among the nations because of your beauty, for it [was] perfect through My splendor which I had bestowed on you," says the Lord GOD. 15 "But you trusted in your own beauty, played the harlot because of your fame, and poured out your harlotry on everyone passing by who [would have] it. 16 "You took some of your garments and adorned multicolored high places for yourself, and played the harlot on them. [Such] things should not happen, nor be. ... 24 "[that] you also built for yourself a shrine, and made a high place for yourself in every street. 25 "You built your high places at the head of every road, and made your beauty to be abhorred. You offered yourself to everyone who passed by, and multiplied your acts of harlotry. ... 32 "[You are] an adulterous wife, [who] takes strangers instead of her husband.

That sure sounds like the catholic church and her daughters the protestants. You'll also note the comparisons to the whore of babylon

[Rev 17:1-6, 15, 18 KJV] 1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: 2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. 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, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 5 And upon her forehead [was] a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6 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. ... 15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. ... 18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

Are there two women spoken about in a symbolic way? where all these concepts are talked about?

[Gal 4:1, 6, 9-10, 14, 19, 21-31 KJV] 1 Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; ... 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. ... 9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. ... 14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, [even] as Christ Jesus. ... 19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, ... 21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise. 24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written, Rejoice, [thou] barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now. 30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

The contrast between son and slave, flesh and spirit. Bondwoman and free. Paul is received AS CHRIST, since they are one. Literal Jerusalem, aka literalism aka dead letter, aka flesh/carnal mind vs. Jerusalem above which is as the wife that produces the son, which is you.

Of course I'm using the bible to illustrate how the bible wasn't the goal. The scriptures are the finger pointing to the moon, not the moon itself. Just as outward religion is not the actual goal.

shalom

a reply to: Raggedyman

Originally posted by Raggedyman
Jesus taught faith was between the individual and Him only
No need for ceremony, liturgy or works
No need for organisation, outside of fellowship with people with the same faith

But the definition of Religion is to do with having a faith, and/or a set of beliefs, such as holding to certain tenets or doctrines etc…

Look at the definition of Religion in my last post…specifically (b)1…Worship and having a (Church) service requires some level of organization…

The thing is, most religions are “organized” to some degree…including Christianity…

Organised religion seems to have gained prevalence since the Neolithic era with the rise of wide-scale civilization and agriculture.[citation needed] Organized religions may include a state's official religion, or state church. However, most political states have any number of organized religions practiced within their jurisdiction. Due to their structured, standardized, and easily proliferated form, organized religions comprise many of the world's major religious groups.[citation needed] The Abrahamic religions are all largely considered organised (including Christianity, Islam, Judaism and the Baháʼí Faith), as well as some schools of thought within Indian religions (for example, Sikhism and Buddhism).[citation needed]

Source

But according to you “organised religion is evil”…with the exception of your specific brand of Christianity…

- JC

a reply to: Joecroft

You need to stop talking, sit down and reread, then think about what I wrote before.
Don’t try and win the argument, try and understand the argument I am making.

You are more interested in winning and being a hero, get that smug little warmth, more than understand what I am saying. This is typical of many people, just want to bicker than understand

I can’t help you Joe, you have to put in the effort

Research the verse in context, particular Petra and Petros used in its meaning,

The stone the builders reject is the Rock at the end, and Petra is the little rock Peter, English is so an in-exact language for interpretation, its funny many cults keep the true meaning of the bible hidden, often requiring a separation of the Layity and the priestly cast...

Say keeping it in Latin for sooooo many years, as opposed to allowing the sheep to read the words themselves.


a reply to: Peeple

a reply to: benrl

Ever heard of St.Peter's tomb? The grave of Peter. That's what literally means.

My thread was about proving the Roman Catholic church has pagan practices within its church, like Easter:



Pope Anicetus of Rome REFUSED to observe the Lord’s resurrection in the way Apostle John and his disciple, Polycarp, do because he said he had to follow his ROMAN TRADITIONS. Polycarp refused to participate in the Roman way of celebrating the resurrection which leads you to think there was some form of paganism creeping into Rome at the time when the Apostle John was nearing the end of his life.

IRENAEUS, 177 – Fragment 3
When the blessed Polycarp was visiting Rome…..Pope Anicetus (second bishop of Rome) could NOT persuade Polycarp to forgo his observance. For these things have always been observed by John, the disciple of the Lord, and the other apostles with whom had been conversant. Nor, on the other hand, could Polycarp persuade Anicetus to keep Passover rituals instead of Easter rituals for Anicetus maintained that he was bound to adhere to the usage of the presbyters who preceded him.


At the time of Pope Anicetus who was Pope of The Roman Catholic church from 76-88 CE fell under three different Emporers of Rome:

1. Vespian 69-79 CE
2. Titus 79-81 CE
3. Domitian 81-96 CE

The above emporers are well known for their cruelty against Christians and it is this time era when Pope Anicetus changed Christ's annual resurrection celebration from rising on the third day to Easter; which changes when Christ actually rose from the dead. Changing this day is blasphemy directed to both the Father and son.

My point.... do NOT celebrate the pagan holiday - Easter and understand Christ did NOT die on Good Friday (Roman Catholic church doctrine) and HE did NOT rise on Easter Sunday (Roman Cathoilc doctrine) but three days after HIS death on the cross.

DS

Definition of religion

1a : the state of a religious
//a nun in her 20th year of religion

b(1) : the service and worship of God or the supernatural

(2) : commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance

2 : a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices

3 archaic : scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness

4 : a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith


Now if I look at definition 4, I could/would make an argument that atheism is a religion, a cause, a principle of beliefs, or not believing with ardor, an ardor as fervent as many religious people
But that would be stupid because atheism is not a religion, it is a belief God doesn’t exist

a reply to: DeathSlayer


Please allow me to place together the root cause of the decline of the Church, especially the RCC. [Roman Catholic Church]

You addressed it with proofs, as I also will do from a very early church father.
Polycarp took the confession of Jesus Christ having come in the flesh one step further than just the Spirit Confessing. 1 John 4:3
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

Polycarps own epistle to the Philippians
Chapter 7
7:1 For every one who shall not confess that Jesus Christ is come in
the flesh, is antichrist: and whosoever shall not confess the testimony of the Cross, is of the devil; and whosoever shall pervert the oracles of the Lord to his own lusts and say that there is neither resurrection nor judgment, that man is the firstborn of Satan. [So the RCC is the firstborn of Satan]
He clearly says [not posting the original language here as most cannot read it]

For every one. Not every spirit as John wrote noted above. [spirit and people have perverted the RCC]
My reason for posting this is that Polycarp being one of those who clearly met John and was taught by him is indeed the foremost church father of Christianity.
If this spirit of Antichrist was active then, as stated in John, it has clearly not stopped working its works. The church would have been its foremost enemy and worthy of attack. The Roman Catholic church did not test the spirits or themselves as Polycarp eludes to. Hence it has become as in Revelation. The great harlot. going so far as placing a great obelisk of an Egyptian pagan God into its entryway to the Vatican
itself. [This is clearly visible on Google Earth]

Polycarps warning was not heeded, and the pope is the head of a very evil deception.
Question is, what about those who truly love Christ, and live the life Polycarp and the Apostles said was required of them...What of those? It is for the judgment to decide, not us.

Irenaeus even spoke of Polycarps love for the Lord and his christian walk.
This is all narrowed down to a "people" thing. Meaning that any church, not just Roman catholic that has idols, and worships in any way apart from what Christ intended is indeed
"antichrist". So I include most "organized" religions that depart from the truth.

Let me give you one example.
I was trained in a Christian College before becoming an RN. I did not leave the church, but over time grew to understand that even non organized churches such as the Christian churches were organized.
I personally have found that there are serious miss-translations of the Bible, and one must go back to Hebrew and Greek to get the meaning. ie. That pale horse in Revelation? Should translate as Green. Not pale. Green was the color of death at that time. The word is
"chloros" So why the error? It was no error. It was deliberate.
Much of what the Christian Church believed was indeed correct. But some of their own doctrine was flawed, and deliberately so. Where shall we go to find any church that is not? And now it becomes worse as the New age inserts itself into that doctrine of the church. We do our own research.

So I started my own small group for home worship. For the last 15 years or so. But we are slowly getting old now and dying off. Anyone I talk to I urge them to begin those small groups and be very careful of what they believe and where they attend.
So what I address here is to your post. I agree with every word.

But I take it one step further. Adding to that most other organized churches, and even
many independent ones as they move quickly toward doing now what the Roman Catholics did
so long ago and over time. But a word of warning. Do NOT separate yourself from the love of Jesus or his church. If two or more are gathered together he is very nearby. Only takes two to make a church.
The early church fathers did address this issue of organization, and many even rebuked it, especially the origins of the Roman Catholics heresy.

Star and flag. And I hope many others read your post. Further I hope others go back to the origins and do their own study. I regret such a long post but couldn't find any other way to say what needed to be said. TY for your post.
BTW 6 out of 7 churches were found to be under judgments in Revelation. I submit that same percentage may now apply to today's churches. Or at least its attendees?

a reply to: Raggedyman

Originally posted by Raggedyman
Jesus taught faith was between the individual and Him only
No need for ceremony, liturgy or works
No need for organisation , outside of fellowship with people with the same faith

Not sure why you are explaining what (some) of the Christian beliefs are…as none of those things negate the fact that it’s still a Religion…they still hold to certain tenets, doctrines and beliefs etc…

Also stating there’s “no need for organization”, does not negate the fact that…(1) outside fellowship still requires some level of organisation and (2) that Christianity is generally accepted as a whole, as being one of many organized religions…

Originally posted by Raggedyman
You need to stop talking, sit down and reread, then think about what I wrote before.
Don’t try and win the argument, try and understand the argument I am making.

If I was trying to win an argument…why would I set up this thread to discuss the issue with other Christians on ATS…that makes zero sense whatsoever!

And I do understand what you’re saying…but it’s clearly 100% wrong…

Originally posted by Raggedyman
You are more interested in winning and being a hero, get that smug little warmth, more than understand what I am saying. This is typical of many people, just want to bicker than understand.

I don’t care about winning at all…I care about the truth…I also care about people attacking other groups in a negative manner, without even realizing they’re doing it…

Originally posted by Raggedyman
…
…
It’s been stated many times, organised religion is evil

With your statement above, you’re essentially branding all organized Religions as evil…without even realizing that Christianity is classified as an “organized Religion” itself…

That statement also attacks other Christian groups/denominations which you don’t subscribe too…

But what you fail to realise is that whatever Christian group you belong to, it’s still classified as “a Religion”…and Christianity along with a host of other religions all come under the banner of “organized Religions”…

You’re just too proud to admit that you’re wrong…but feel free to continue attacking other Religions and telling me I’m just trying to win an argument…

- JC

a reply to: Joecroft

Or you havnt the capacity to understand what organised religion is

a reply to: Raggedyman

Originally posted by Raggedyman
Or you havnt the capacity to understand what organised religion is

Laughable…

I already quoted Wikipedia in this post, which outlines that Christianity makes up one of many “Organised Religions”…

Oh And Btw… this guy gets the fact that Christianity is an “Organized Religion…”

- JC

I think there is a significant difference between being religious and being spiritual
If you can’t tell the difference, not really able to help youchopra.com...

Religion: By definition, religion is a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices; the service and worship of God or the supernatural.

Spirituality: Spirituality, on the other hand, connotes an experience of connection to something larger than you; living everyday life in a reverent and sacred manner. Or as Christina Puchalski, MD (leader in trying to incorporate spirituality into healthcare), puts it, “Spirituality is the aspect of humanity that refers to the way individuals seek and express meaning and purpose and the way they experience their connectedness to the moment, to self, to others, to nature, and to the significant or sacred."

a reply to: Raggedyman

originally posted by: Raggedyman
I think there is a significant difference between being religious and being spiritual
If you can’t tell the difference, not really able to help youchopra.com...

Religion: By definition, religion is a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices; the service and worship of God or the supernatural.

Spirituality: Spirituality, on the other hand, connotes an experience of connection to something larger than you; living everyday life in a reverent and sacred manner. Or as Christina Puchalski, MD (leader in trying to incorporate spirituality into healthcare), puts it, “Spirituality is the aspect of humanity that refers to the way individuals seek and express meaning and purpose and the way they experience their connectedness to the moment, to self, to others, to nature, and to the significant or sacred."

Who are you responding too…?

If me, then our discussion was never about Spirituality…it was around the topic of “Organized Religion”…

Saying there’s a difference between Spirituality and Religion (which is true Btw) is a Strawman argument…

As I never mentioned Spirituality in my posts…

- JC

The Scriptures expose all of Christendom as the promoter of false worship.

“This is the nation whose people have not obeyed the voice of Jehovah its God, and have not taken discipline.”​—JEREMIAH 7:28.

“The fire of true conviction burned within him; there was a compelling force to speak the truth, to chide but also to sustain.” With those words two Hebrew scholars describe the role of Jeremiah. Even though his assignment from God was awesome, he knew that he had to fulfill his responsibility toward the nation of Judah. As he himself expressed it: “For the word of Jehovah became for me a cause for reproach and for jeering all day long. And I said: ‘I am not going to make mention of him, and I shall speak no more in his name.’” Yes, the pressure and the persecution almost became too much for him. But did he give up?​—Jeremiah 20:8, 9a.

Jeremiah continued: “And in my heart it proved to be like a burning fire shut up in my bones; and I got tired of holding in, and I was unable to endure it.” (Jeremiah 20:9b) Jeremiah did not sidestep his commission to announce God’s judgments to Judah.​—Jeremiah 6:10, 11.

Like Jeremiah, Christ Jesus and the early Christian disciples fearlessly proclaimed the unpopular message of God’s Kingdom to the Jews and the nations. Although previously jailed for preaching, Peter and the other apostles courageously answered their religious accusers: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.” On the order of the religious authorities, they were flogged for their boldness. How did the apostles react? “Every day in the temple and from house to house they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus.”​—Acts 5:29, 40-42; Matthew 23:13-33.

Thus the early anointed Christians acted like Jeremiah. Although faced with overwhelming odds and stubborn religious enemies, they announced God’s judgments. Now, who in this time have followed that same example? Who have announced publicly and from house to house God’s judgments on this system of things and especially on Jerusalem’s counterpart, Christendom? The historical evidence has been piling up for more than a century. With a united voice, they have fulfilled their Jeremiah role by denouncing false religion as a snare and a racket.​—Revelation 7:9, 10; 14:1-5.

[False] Religion is a Snare and a Racket (playlist)

‘But,’ one might ask, ‘wherein do we find a parallel between ancient Jerusalem and Christendom?’ By reason of the similar attitudes and conditions that exist in proud Christendom today. They put their trust in their ‘holy cities’ and shrines, such as Rome, Jerusalem, Canterbury, Fatima, Guadalupe, and Zaragoza, to mention but a few. They love to exalt their cathedrals, basilicas, temples, and churches, boasting about their antiquity and their architecture, as if these gave them some special standing with God. They even say that their religious edifices were built ‘to the glory of God.’ Yet, how many of these buildings actually bear the name of Jehovah God? On the contrary, one is constantly reminded of the architects who designed them, the artists and sculptors who decorated them, the wealthy patrons who paid for them, or the “saints” to whom they are dedicated. Christendom’s trust in antiquity and tradition is just as fallacious as was Judah’s trust in its holy temple.​—Jeremiah 7:4.

In accordance with Jeremiah’s denunciation of the Jewish priests and prophets, what can be said of Christendom’s religious leaders today? With Jeremiahlike frankness, Jesus gave a description of the Jewish clergy that fits the clergy of Christendom to this day: “They do not practise what they preach . . . Everything they do is done to attract attention . . . like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues.” (Matthew 23:3-7, The Jerusalem Bible) How often we see prominent clergymen and preachers blessing political and nationalistic meetings and rallies with their presence​—and sharing the media limelight with the politicians!

Now, in the age of television, we have TV preachers exploiting that medium with every kind of theatrical trick and psychological device to beguile the masses and empty the pockets of the flock. How appropriate is Jeremiah’s denunciation even now, some 2,600 years later! “For from the least one of them even to the greatest one of them, every one is making for himself unjust gain; and from the prophet even to the priest, each one is acting falsely.” At the same time, none of them want to accept the challenge of the true Christian ministry, face-to-face with the people, from house to house. Only Jehovah’s Witnesses have accepted that responsibility.​—Jeremiah 6:13; Acts 20:20, 21.

Is Christendom Saved?

These same TV preachers lull the public into a false sense of security with their indiscriminate use of “born again” and “once saved, always saved” slogans and theology. Millions of people from nearly every religion and sect of Christendom have been led to believe that they are “born again” and “saved.” Unblushing politicians blithely make the same claim. Yes, their favorite preachers tell them that they are at peace with God because they are “saved”​—and this in spite of their religious, political, and nationalistic divisions! And the people love it, even as they did in Jeremiah’s day! (Jeremiah 5:31; 14:14) They think they are beyond the reach of God’s Armageddon judgment.​—Jeremiah 6:14; 23:17; 1 Corinthians 1:10; Revelation 16:14, 16.

However, a careful study of God’s Word and Christ’s teachings shows that only a limited number share the privilege of being born again, born ‘from water and from spirit,’ thus to share heavenly rulership with Christ. (John 3:3-5; Romans 8:16, 17; Revelation 14:1-3) The “great crowd” of true Christians today do not need to be born again, since their hope of everlasting life is earthly, not heavenly. (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:3, 4) Furthermore, Christendom’s teaching is based on a false premise​—that man has an immortal soul in need of salvation. Nowhere in the Bible is there support for such a doctrine, which is in fact derived from ancient Greek philosophy. (For a detailed consideration of these points, see pages 76-80, 356-61, 379-80 in Reasoning From the Scriptures.)

No Delight in His Word or Name

There are other points of similarity between ancient Jerusalem and modern Christendom. Jeremiah stated: “Look! The very word of Jehovah has become to them a reproach, in which word they can take no delight.” (Jeremiah 6:10) The clergy prefer to quote philosophers and scientists, rather than the Word of Jehovah. Many are ashamed of the Bible; they even ridicule it by means of their “higher criticism.” They claim that it is myths and legends presented as good literature. (Jeremiah 7:28) And as for its Author’s name, they disdain it. What proof do we have for this assertion?

Although the Hebrew tetragrammaton (יהוה) appears nearly 7,000 times in the Hebrew Scriptures, the name “Jehovah,” or “Yahweh,” has been replaced in many English Bibles by the anonymous “LORD.” For example, the name is totally omitted from current translations of the Bible in the Afrikaans language. The Spanish Franquesa-Solé translation used the name in its original edition. When the revised version was published, the divine name had disappeared, replaced by Señor (Lord). And even when Christendom’s translations do include God’s name, the clergy seldom use it. Yet, Jeremiah used God’s distinctive name 726 times in his prophetic message!
Defending the Divine Name (playlist)
[continued in next comment]

The “Queen of Heaven” and Idolatry

We find another parallel as we examine Jeremiah’s message to Jerusalem. When Jehovah told his prophet not to pray on behalf of the people, he pointed out why. “Are you not seeing what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The sons are picking up sticks of wood, and the fathers are lighting the fire, and the wives are kneading flour dough.” And in what zealous enterprise was the whole family involved? “To make sacrificial cakes to the ‘queen of the heavens’”!​—Jeremiah 7:16-18; 44:15, 19.

One Jewish commentary states: “The cult of the ‘queen of heaven’ was eagerly and openly pursued.” Incredibly, the nation of Judah was practicing idolatry, worshiping a pagan goddess, possibly the Babylonian fertility goddess, Ishtar, the third divinity of the Babylonian astral triad. Or this “queen” could have been the corresponding Canaanite goddess, Ashtoreth.​—1 Kings 11:5, 33.

In addition to this goddess worship, they were indulging in other idolatry. Jehovah condemned them for this, saying: “Why is it that they have offended me with their graven images, with their vain foreign gods?” The indictment continued: “They have not obeyed my voice and have not walked in it, but they kept on walking after the stubbornness of their heart and after the Baal images, about which their fathers had taught them.” (Jeremiah 8:19; 9:13, 14) Has Christendom fallen into the same trap?

Visit virtually any church or cathedral​—Protestant, Catholic, or Orthodox—​and you will at least find images of the cross. But in the Catholic and Orthodox realms, there are images of “the ever-virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the True God” in an endless variety of settings and postures. (The Image of Guadalupe​—Myth or Miracle, by Jody Brant Smith, page 6.) Every superlative title is heaped upon her, including “Queen of heaven” and “Queen of the universe”! (The Glories of Mary, by Alphonsus de Liguori, page 424.) On the other hand, true Christians, while respecting Mary as Jesus’ mother and an anointed believer, have carefully followed the apostolic counsel: “Guard yourselves from idols.”​—1 John 5:21; Jeremiah 10:14.

Why Jehovah s Witnesses Don t Use The Cross Part 2 of 2 (playlist)

Myth 5: Mary Is the Mother of God (One Myth Leads to Another)

Trinity Replaces the One Sovereign Lord Jehovah

‘But,’ you might ask, ‘how has this worship and veneration of Mary come about?’ By reason of another move by the early apostate church to absorb pagan worshipers. The three-gods-in-one concept was widely held in the pagan world. The ancient Romans had temples with groups of three cells “dedicated to a triad of divinities associated in beliefs and worship. Such was the case of the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus in the Capitol, consecrated to the Capitoline triad Jupiter-Juno-Minerva.” (Las Grandes Religiones Ilustradas (The Great Religions Illustrated), page 408.)

In order to promote the emerging doctrine of the “Most Holy Trinity” in the third and fourth centuries, it was necessary for the Catholic Church to suppress the Hebrew concept expressed so clearly in Jeremiah’s words: “In no way is there anyone like you, O Jehovah. You are great, and your name is great in mightiness. But Jehovah is in truth God. He is the living God and the King to time indefinite.” Jesus confirmed that understanding when he quoted from the words of Moses: “Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.”​—Jeremiah 10:6, 10; Mark 12:29; Deuteronomy 6:4.

Aided by the Jewish superstition of not pronouncing “Yahweh,” or “Jehovah,” the use of God’s name was dropped by apostate Christendom. This permitted a theological vacuum that the ‘Holy Trinity’ could fill. (For a study of the Trinity teaching, see Reasoning From the Scriptures, pages 405-26.)

Myth 4: God Is a Trinity (One Myth Leads to Another)

He is a liar! (part 2 of 2)

Thus, Christendom has chosen to ‘walk after another god,’ the trinitarian god, that was totally unknown to the Jews and to Christ and true Christians. And to bolster this three-in-one mystery, Christendom’s copyists even resorted to fraud by tampering with the Greek manuscripts.* Furthermore, as a logical consequence of the Trinity teaching, a large section of Christendom has also fallen into the worship or veneration of its “Queen of Heaven.”​—Jeremiah 7:17, 18, New International Version. (*: 1 John 5:7 includes a spurious addition, and Matthew 24:36, which lacks “nor the Son,” is a fraudulent omission. See The Emphatic Diaglott, footnote, page 803, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., and The Codex Sinaiticus and The Codex Alexandrinus, page 27, published by the Trustees of the British Museum.)

Clergy Promote Persecution

In view of the foregoing, Jeremiah’s question is appropriate for Christendom’s clergy: “How can you men say: ‘We are wise, and the law of Jehovah is with us’? Surely, now, the false stylus of the secretaries has worked in sheer falsehood. . . . Look! They have rejected the very word of Jehovah, and what wisdom do they have?” (Jeremiah 8:8, 9) They have rejected Jehovah and his representatives, his witnesses. Just as the priests and prophets persecuted Jeremiah, so the clergy of Christendom have been behind most of the atrocious persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses throughout these “last days”.

But why have they promoted this persecution? What have the Witnesses done to provoke their ire and draw their fire?

And Searching for Friends of Peace (song 141; playlist).