EXAMINING
the TOUGH ISSUES
FACING
CHRISTIANS TODAY!
Issue #24 // March 9, 2006 (Updated: May 10, 2006) // Editor: Darryl Eberhart
(Updated through: July 26, 2007) (www.toughissues.org)
(The
“Mary of the Bible” versus the “Mary of Apparitions”
& the “Mary of Roman Catholic Tradition”)
(Plus Related Topic: “IMAGES & IDOLS – Are they good, or are
they bad?”)
NOTE: All “emphasis” throughout this newsletter, unless otherwise noted, is by the editor of “Examining the Tough Issues (ETI)”.
WARNING: This issue of the ETI newsletter
may seriously “disturb” some folks’ “comfort
zones”.
However, TRUTH
is far more important than any of our “comfort zones”.
DEDICATION: This issue of ETI is dedicated first and foremost to the King of kings, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God; it is secondarily dedicated to all those who have fought, and to those who are currently fighting, against false doctrine, corruption, and tyranny – including ecclesiastical tyranny! (Please see Ephesians 5:11.)
DEFINITIONS
(hopefully in alphabetical order):
“Anti-Catholic” (See “Catholic Bashing”)
“Apparition”
(per Webster’s New World College Dictionary, Fourth Edition; 2006): “1.
Anything that appears unexpectedly or in an extraordinary way; especially, a
strange figure appearing suddenly and thought to be a ghost. 2. The act of
appearing and becoming visible.”
((Ed.
Comments to the preceding definition:
(1) “Marian Apparitions” – appearances by a “being” or “beings” claiming to be the Blessed Mary of the Holy Bible, the mother of Jesus Christ’s physical body – have grown exponentially, with numerous appearances being recorded during the second half of the 20th century. I have examined many of the messages delivered by this being or beings masquerading as the Blessed Mary, and found that most of them run counter to the Word of God, the Holy Bible.
(2) “Marian Apparitions” – and their messages – may well be used as a major means of deception in the near future as part of the Vatican-Jesuit-led New World Order agenda for one-world government and one-world religion.))
“Black
Pope” (per
Darryl Eberhart, Editor of ETI): “An Italian nickname for the Jesuit
Superior General: He is the commander-in-chief of the ‘Society of Jesus’
(i.e., the Jesuit Order). He is the real power ‘behind the throne’ of
the Papacy; and he is also the master of all these: his Jesuit order, the
Knights of Malta, and the highest levels of Freemasonry – and of all that he
controls through them.”
((Ed. Comment to the preceding definition: I placed this definition for the “Black Pope” in this particular newsletter because the Jesuit Order has been one of the biggest promoters of the elevation, exaltation, and enthronement of the Virgin Mary in the Roman Catholic religious system, and also one of the biggest promoters of “Marian Apparitions”.))
“Catholic bashing”
(per Darryl Eberhart, Editor of ETI): “A ‘label’ [just
like ‘Anti-Catholic’] that, for the most part, is applied, usually by Roman
Catholics, to any and all who dare to point out any of the following:
(a.)
Errors in Roman Catholic doctrine;
(b.)
Papal Rome’s and the
Jesuit Order’s well-documented history of fomenting and orchestrating
bloody revolutions and wars;
(c.)
Papal Rome’s well-documented history (for centuries) of suppressing
the possession of, and the study of, the Holy Bible by the common people in
their own native language;
(d.)
Papal Rome’s well-documented history of torture, Inquisition,
‘holy’ wars, and ‘holy’ crusades against innocent
Bible-believing Christians (such as the Albigenses and Waldenses);
(e.)
Papal Rome’s well-documented history of hating and brutally
persecuting Jews, Protestants, and Orthodox Christians throughout the
centuries, (e.g., the Vatican’s religious genocide in the 1940s
against Serb Orthodox Christians in Fascist Croatia, where from 600,000 to 1
million men, women, elderly, and children were tortured and murdered
by Roman Catholic Ustashi military units that were frequently led by Roman
Catholic priests, friars, and monks);
(f.)
Papal Rome’s and the Jesuit Order’s well-documented history of assassinating
heads of State (e.g., President Abraham Lincoln, King Henry III and King Henry
IV of France, Czar Alexander I and Czar Alexander II of Russia, President Benito
Pablo Juarez of Mexico, etc.);
(g.)
The well-documented history of Papal Rome’s support of
totalitarian police states (such as Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Fascist
Croatia) during World War II;
(h.)
The tremendous wealth (banks, stock holdings, property, gold,
etc.) of the Roman Catholic Church;
(i.)
The control of the top levels of Freemasonry by the Roman Catholic
Jesuit Order; and,
(j.)
The heavy-duty infiltration (and control) of the top
intelligence agencies in the world (e.g., CIA, Mossad, Russian KGB [now called
the FSB & SVR], and British Intelligence) by the Jesuits (through their
Knights of Malta, Jesuit ‘temporal coadjutors’, and high-level
Freemasons).”
“Co-redemptrix” – A female who assists in redemption.
“Dulia” – Roman Catholic theological term – (per Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language): “An inferior kind of worship or adoration.”
“Dulia” (per Loraine Boettner, author of Roman Catholicism): “A lower form of devotion which is given to the saints, images, and relics.” (Page 282)
IMPORTANT NOTE (for the
terms “dulia”, “hyperdulia”, and “latria”
listed in this section of the newsletter): These three Roman Catholic
theological terms are used by the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church to
“rationalize” and “justify” their use of images. Loraine Boettner, on page 282 of his book Roman
Catholicism (1962), tells us: “Roman Catholics attempt to justify
the use of images by making a distinction between what they term ‘latria’,
which is devotion given only to God, ‘hyperdulia’, which is given to
Mary, and ‘dulia’, a lower form of devotion which is given to the
saints, images, and relics. But in practice that distinction breaks
down. The people, particularly those who are illiterate, of whom the Roman
Catholic countries have so many, know nothing of the technical
distinctions made by theologians. They
worship the images of Mary and the saints in the same way and often with more
fervency than they worship those of Christ, or the ‘Blessed Sacrament’,
which they believe, is the actual body, soul, and divinity of Christ.
The only name for their practice is idolatry.
The Old Testament strictly forbade image worship…”
“Graven” –
Alternate past participle of the transitive verb “grave” (to
carve or engrave); thus the meaning of “graven” would be: “carved;
engraved”.
“Heretic” (per
Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language): “1. A
person under any religion, but particularly the Christian, who holds and teaches
opinions repugnant to the established faith, or that which is made the standard
of orthodoxy. In strictness, among
Christians, a person who holds and avows religious opinions contrary to the
doctrines of Scripture, the only rule of
faith and practice. 2.
Any one who maintains erroneous opinions.”
“Heretic” (per
Darryl Eberhart, Editor of ETI): “As concerns historical Roman Catholic
use of this term: A ‘label’ applied by the Papacy to anyone who dared in the
past, or who dares today, to question either (1) papal authority, or (2) any of
the unscriptural doctrines based solely upon ‘tradition’ that have been
promulgated by the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church, such as
‘transubstantiation’, ‘indulgences’, ‘papal infallibility’,
‘purgatory’, ‘worship of images’, ‘a celibate priesthood’,
‘auricular confession to a priest’, etc.”
“Hyperdulia”
– Roman Catholic theological term – (per Webster’s 1828 American
Dictionary of the English Language): “Super-service in the Romish
Church, performed to the virgin Mary.”
“Hyperdulia” (per Loraine Boettner, author of the book Roman Catholicism; 1962; Page 282): “[Devotion] given to Mary.” [Ed. Note: This is a higher type of veneration than that which is given to saints, relics, and images.]
“Icon” (per Webster’s
1828 American Dictionary of the English Language): “An image or
representation.”
“Iconoclast”
(per Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language): “A
breaker or destroyer of images; a name which [Roman] Catholics give to
those who reject the use of images in religious worship.”
“Idol” (per Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language): [noun] “1. An image, form or representation, usually of a man or other animal, consecrated as an object or worship; a pagan deity. Idols are usually statues or images, carved out of wood or stone, or formed of metals, particularly silver or gold. 2. An image. 3. A person loved and honored to adoration. 4. Any thing on which we set our affections; that to which we indulge an excessive and sinful attachment… An idol is anything which usurps the place of God in the hearts of His rational creatures…”
“Idolatry”
(per Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language): “1.
The worship of idols, images, or any thing made by hands, or which is not
God. Idolatry is of two kinds:
the worship of images, statues, pictures, etc., made by hands; and the
worship of the heavenly bodies, the sun, moon and stars, or of demons, angels,
men and animals. 2. Excessive
attachment or veneration for any thing, or that which borders on adoration.”
“Image” (per Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language): [noun] “1. A representation or similitude of any person or thing, formed of a material substance; as an image wrought [i.e., formed; produced] out of stone, wood or wax. 2. A statue. 3. An idol; the representation of any person or thing, that is an object of worship. The second commandment forbids the worship of images. 4. The likeness of anything on canvas; a picture; a resemblance painted. 5. Any copy, representation or likeness…”
“Jesuit Order”
(per Darryl Eberhart, Editor of ETI): “The Jesuit Order is a religious
order of the Roman Catholic Church, officially approved by Pope Paul III in
1540. The primary goals of this order are (1) to roll back the Protestant
Reformation and the freedoms that it brought to many of the inhabitants of this
planet; (2) to enhance the power and prestige of the Papacy; and (3) to rule
despotically over the governments of the world through the Papacy. The head of the Jesuit Order is the Jesuit Superior General
– the ‘Black Pope’ – the real power behind the Papal throne. The
Jesuit Order is infamous for fomenting revolutions and wars, assassinating heads
of State, and subverting nations.”
“Jesuit Temporal
Coadjutor” (per Eric Jon Phelps, author of Vatican Assassins):
“Someone who performs service or duties for the Jesuit Order, but
who is not a Jesuit priest. This
person may be of any race, religion, or sex.”
“Latria” (per Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language): “The highest kind of worship, or that paid to God; distinguished by the [Roman] Catholics from ‘dulia’, or the inferior worship paid to saints.”
“Latria” (per Loraine Boettner, author of the book Roman Catholicism; 1962; Page 282): “Devotion given only to God.”
“Marian Apparition” (See “Apparition”)
“Mediatrix” – A female mediator.
“Papal Rome” (per Darryl Eberhart, Editor of ETI): “The government of the Roman Catholic Church, whose headquarters is presently in Rome, Italy.”
“Prelate” (per
Darryl Eberhart, Editor of ETI): “A high-ranking clergyman, e.g., a
bishop.”
“Redemptrix” – A female redeemer. (A co-redemptrix would be a female aiding in redemption.)
“Roman Catholic”
(per Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language): “Roman
Catholic, as an adjective, denoting the religion professed by the people of Rome
and of Italy, at the head of which is the pope or Bishop of Rome; as a noun, one
who adheres to the papal religion.”
“Shrine” (per Webster’s
1828 American Dictionary of the English Language): “A case or box;
particularly applied to a case [Ed. Note: a container] in which sacred
things are deposited. Hence we hear
much of shrines for relics.”
“Shrine” (per Webster’s
New World Dictionary, Second College Edition; 1974): “1. A case or
other container holding sacred relics, [such] as the bones of a saint.
2. The tomb of a saint or other person held sacred.
3. A place of worship, usually one centered around some sacred scene or
object, as a religious image in a niche [‘a place or position
particularly suitable to the person or thing in it’], etc. 4. A place
or thing hallowed or honored because of its history or associations.”
“Worship” (per
Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language):
[A.] “(Verb transitive): [1.]
To adore; to pay divine honors to; to reverence with supreme respect
and veneration. 2. To respect; to
honor; to treat with civil reverence…”
[B.] “(Verb intransitive): [1.]
To perform acts of adoration. 2.
To perform religious service.”
[C.] “(Noun): 4. Chiefly and eminently, the act of paying divine honors to the Supreme Being; or the reverence and homage paid to Him in religious exercises, consisting in adoration, confession, prayer, thanksgiving and the like.”
IMPORTANT NOTE #1: Editor of ETI is not a Roman Catholic; he also is most definitely not anti-Roman Catholic as far as individual Roman Catholics go. His dad and 90% of his relatives are Roman Catholic; and the majority of his friends are Roman Catholic. Editor of ETI is, however, against the top levels of secret societies (from the hierarchy of the Jesuit Order to the hierarchy of Freemasonry). This is because these secret societies control the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church (through the Jesuit Order and P2 Masonry), and have often used this hierarchical system for evil purposes, such as “holy” Inquisition, “holy” crusades, “holy” wars, and religious genocide. The hierarchical system of the Roman Catholic Church is used quite efficiently by secret societies not only to keep over one billion Roman Catholics “in line”, but also to gather intelligence, and to infiltrate (through its Knights of Malta, Jesuit “temporal coadjutors”, etc.) governments and various Christian denominations. Editor of ETI is also against any hierarchy that tries to place itself equal to, or above, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God – or equal to, or above, God’s Holy Word and His Ten Commandments!
IMPORTANT NOTE #2: When I use the name “Mary” in this newsletter, the reference is to the Blessed Mary, mother of the physical body of Jesus Christ, and the wife of Joseph.
IMPORTANT NOTE #3: When I use the term “GOD” in this newsletter, the reference is LORD God Almighty of the Holy Bible that I have had the privilege to study over the years.
This editor of the ETI and TTT newsletters has been writing more on the Roman Catholic Church’s hierarchy, and especially the Jesuit Order, in recent newsletters because I keep uncovering more and more about the deep hatred that the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church has for independent Bible-believing Christians, Protestants, Orthodox Christians, and Jews. We Americans have, for the most part, been largely ignorant of the well-documented history of the Roman Catholic Church in conducting brutal religious genocide (via Inquisition, “holy” wars, and “holy” crusades) against all the afore-mentioned groups. Sadly, many Americans believe the “ecumenical rhetoric” of Roman Catholic prelates – i.e., that Papal Rome has “changed her ways” and now loves all the “separated brethren”. However, my study of the Papacy shows me that this is just a RUSE [i.e., a “stratagem” – per Webster’s Dictionary: “any trick or scheme for achieving some purpose”]. The “purpose” is to bring all Christian denominations under the “umbrella” [i.e., the control] of the Jesuit-controlled Papacy!
Yes, the Papacy
[i.e., Papal Rome], despite its “ecumenical rhetoric”,
has not changed a bit over the many centuries in the following
categories:
Indeed, power – absolute power – has long been the pursuit of Papal Rome. History has recorded Papal Rome’s deep hatred for religious liberty and freedom of conscience. The U.S. Constitution, with its “Bill of Rights” guaranteeing such liberties, has long been hated by Papal Rome. (For a good example of this hatred, please read the Syllabus of Errors issued in 1864 by Pope Pius IX.) I have heard that there is an acronym in use by some Knights of Columbus in America. This acronym is “M.A.C.”: “Make America Catholic”. America is the last “roadblock” in the way of Papal Rome and her globalist rich and power elite lackeys in their quest for one-world government and one-world religion. Is America scheduled for a religious genocide – an Inquisition – as occurred in the 1940s in Croatia? I believe the danger is very real and possibly quite imminent – and that is why I have been writing more and more about the Roman Catholic Church’s hierarchy (i.e., Papal Rome), its long-held dreams of world domination, its love of Fascist regimes, and its well-documented history of torture and religious genocide!
Why am I writing about the Blessed Mary of the Holy Bible (the mother of the physical body of the Lord Jesus Christ), about images and idols, and about Marian apparitions? I am doing so for several reasons:
The “Real” Mary of the Holy Bible was indeed blessed, and she, in her obedience to God, is a role model for all Christians today! However, as we will see from the Bible passages and the quotations given in the next two sections of this newsletter, there exists a lot of evidence to refute this idea of a “Christian” goddess who rules in heaven, and who serves as a “Mediatrix”. Somebody must be very wrong on this issue, and somebody must be right.
Let’s now take a look at what the Holy Bible has to say about these subjects, as well as examining some very relevant quotations. We will also be looking at some interesting history.
II. SOME RELEVANT BIBLE VERSES (with some comments by this editor):
(The
LORD God Almighty is speaking): (Verse 4): “Thou shalt not
make unto thee ANY graven [i.e., carved; engraved] IMAGE,
or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the
earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: (Verse 5): Thou
shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I
the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers unto the
third and fourth generation of them that hate me…”
(Exodus 20:4, 5)
((Ed. Comments to the preceding Bible passage:
(1) This is one of the TEN COMMANDMENTS (it’s the Second Commandment) that the LORD God Almighty gave to Moses on the Mount. These 10 Commandments (they are not 10 suggestions!) have NOT been done away with, and they are applicable to ALL God’s people everywhere and at ALL times!
(2) Years ago several major Roman Catholic Catechisms did a very deceitful and horrible thing: They omitted (from their catechisms) the Second Commandment (that is found in the Holy Bible); they then divided the Tenth Commandment into two separate parts to make them the 9th and 10th Commandments, respectively. Why would the Roman Catholic Church want to omit the Second Commandment (which condemns image worship) from a Roman Catholic Catechism?
(3) The Roman Catholic Church to this day still tries to rationalize her disobedience to God’s Holy Second Commandment by saying that Roman Catholics don’t really “worship” images or idols; however, this editor has seen video clips and photographs of many Roman Catholics bowing down to these images and idols (often in the form of statues) – which in and of itself is disobedience to Almighty God’s Second Commandment!))
((Ed. Comment to the following four Bible passages: So as to emphasize the critical importance of the Second Commandment’s prohibition against making images and bowing down to them, the LORD God Almighty repeats this Second Commandment several more times in the Holy Bible. Additionally, the entire Ten Commandments, first found in Exodus Chapter 20, are repeated in Deuteronomy Chapter 5. The following four passages of Holy Scripture expand on God’s commands forbidding the production and use of IMAGES.)):
(Verse
15): “Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no
manner of similitude [i.e., form or likeness] on the day that the LORD
spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:
(Verse 16): Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a
graven [i.e., carved; engraved] IMAGE, the similitude [i.e.,
form or likeness] of any figure, the likeness of male or female…”
(Deuteronomy 4:15, 16)
“I am the LORD: that is My name: and My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise [i.e., the praise due to the LORD] to graven [i.e., carved; engraved] IMAGES.” (Isaiah 42:8)
((Ed. Comment to the preceding
Bible verse: The LORD God Almighty does not share the glory and praise due
only to Him with anyone else, nor does He share the glory and praise
due Him alone with “graven IMAGES”!))
“They feared the LORD, and served their own gods…” (II Kings 17:33 a.)
((Ed. Comment to the preceding Bible verse: These people “feared” the LORD; however, they continued to serve their “own gods” at the same time. The LORD God Almighty was just another one of their “gods”. If any of us think that we can worship the true GOD while combining that with our worship of “other gods” or “images”, we are deceiving ourselves.))
(The Apostle Paul wrote): (Verse 22): “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, (Verse 23): And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an IMAGE made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.” (Romans 1:22, 23)
(Verse 24): “For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for [the pagan goddess] Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; (Verse 25): Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, ‘Sirs, ye know that by this craft [i.e., an occupation requiring special skill] we have our wealth. (Verse 26): Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul [Ed. Note: the Apostle Paul] hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: (Verse 27): So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth’.” (Acts 19:24-27)
((Ed. Comments to the preceding Bible passage:
(1) Please read Acts 19:28-41 for “the rest of the story”. (A near riot breaks out as a result of shrine-maker Demetrius’ speech.)
(2) There was a lot of money to be made from the production and sale of images and idols of this pagan goddess named Diana! The Apostle Paul’s preaching against images and idols posed a big threat to the idol makers’ “profit line”.))
(The Lord Jesus Christ is speaking): “After [i.e., according to] this manner therefore pray ye: ‘Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name’…”
(Matthew 6:9) (Note: Please also see Luke 11:2)
(The Lord Jesus Christ is speaking): “And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified [i.e., honored] in the Son [of God].” (John 14:13) (Note: Please also see John 14:14; John 15:16; and, John 16:23, 24.)
((Ed. Comment to the preceding two Bible verses: The Lord Jesus Christ on numerous occasions gave to us in the gospel books of the New Testament the “formula for prayer”: that is, we are to pray to God the Father in the name of the Son of God, i.e., the Lord Jesus Christ! Nowhere in the gospels does Jesus Christ give us any other “prayer formula”, such as those later “invented” by the Roman Catholic Church – e.g., praying to Mary or to any other saint!))
(The LORD God Almighty is speaking) (Verse 20): “Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven [i.e., carved; engraved] IMAGE, and pray unto a god [Ed.: See “important note” below] that cannot save. (Verse 21): Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: Who hath declared this from ancient time? Who hath told it from that time? Have not I the LORD? And there is no God else beside [i.e., except] Me; a just God and a Savior; there is none beside Me. (Verse 22): Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: For I am God, and there is none else.” (Isaiah 45:20-22)
((Ed. Comment to the preceding Bible passage: How much plainer can GOD make it? He alone is our GOD and Savior, and there is NO OTHER!))
((Important Note (to the above Bible passage): The term ‘god’ (small ‘g’) is defined by the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary as: “…A false god; a heathen deity; an idol; …any person or thing exalted too much in estimation, or deified and honored as the chief good.”))
“I,
even I, am the LORD; and beside Me
there is no savior.”
(Isaiah 43:11)
“Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but [i.e., except for] Me: for there is NO savior beside Me.” (Hosea 13:4)
((Ed. Comment to the preceding two Bible verses: “Beside Me” means “except for ME”! The LORD God Almighty says that He is the ONLY SAVIOR!))
(The angel of the Lord is speaking to Joseph): “And she [i.e., the Blessed Mary] shall bring forth a son, and thou [i.e., Joseph] shalt call His name JESUS: for HE shall save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)
((Ed. Comment to the preceding Bible verse: Please notice that it does NOT say “He [i.e., Jesus] and Mary” shall “save His people”. Indeed, absolutely NOWHERE in the Holy Bible is the Blessed Mary mentioned as a female co-Savior, co-Redeemer (co-redemptrix) or co-Mediator (Mediatrix)!))
“Jesus [Christ] saith unto him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by [i.e., except through] Me’.” (John 14:6)
((Ed. Comment to the preceding Bible verse: The Lord Jesus Christ said that no one gets to GOD the Father except through the Son of God (i.e., Jesus Christ). Nowhere in the Bible are we told to go through the Blessed Mary to get to God!))
(The Lord Jesus Christ is speaking): (Verse 1): “Verily, verily, I say unto you, ‘He that entereth not by the ‘DOOR’ into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber’. …(Verse 7): Then said Jesus unto them again, ‘I am the DOOR of the sheep’. …(Verse 9): ‘I am the DOOR: by Me [i.e., through the Lord Jesus Christ] if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture’.” (John 10:1, 7, and 9)
((Ed. Comment to the preceding Bible passage: There is only ONE “door” to eternal life, and that “door” is JESUS CHRIST, not the Blessed Mary.))
(The Lord Jesus Christ is speaking): “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
(The Apostle Peter said): “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name [i.e., than that of the Lord Jesus Christ –see verses 10 and 11] under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
(The Apostle John wrote): “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.” (I John 4:14)
((Ed. Comment to the preceding Bible verse: The beloved Apostle John is testifying that GOD the Father sent the Son of God to be the Savior of the world! We have but ONE Savior! In John 10:30 we find Jesus Christ saying: “I and My Father are one.”))
(Verse 30): “And [the keeper of the prison – see Verse 27] brought them [i.e., the Apostle Paul and Silas – see Verse 29] out, and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ (Verse 31): And they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house’.” (Acts 16:30, 31)
(The Apostle Paul wrote): “For there is one God, and ONE mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (I Timothy 2:5)
((Ed. Comment to the preceding Bible verse: There is only ONE mediator “between God and men” – i.e., the Lord Jesus Christ; there are not two, or three, or four, or five, etc.))
(The LORD God Almighty is speaking to His prophet Jeremiah): (Verse 17): “Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? (Verse 18): The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke Me to anger.”
(Jeremiah 7:17, 18)
((Ed. Comments to the preceding Bible passage:
(1) Please read the entire chapter 7 of the book of Jeremiah in the Bible for “the rest of the story”. The LORD God Almighty was very angry with His people in Judah and Jerusalem, because they were not only coming to worship Him at His temple in Jerusalem, but they were also worshipping the “queen of heaven” and other gods. Because of this “mixed” worship, the LORD God Almighty brought the Babylonian army into Judah to crush her!
(2) The “queen of heaven” is mentioned five times in the Holy Bible (Jeremiah 7:18; and Jeremiah 44:17, 18, 19 and 25) – all in a clearly “negative context”!))
(The Blessed Mary is speaking): (Verse 46): “And Mary said, ‘My soul doth magnify the Lord, (Verse 47): And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior’.” (Luke 1:46, 47)
((Ed. Comment to the preceding Bible passage: The Blessed Mary clearly recognized that she had been born in sin, and that she needed a Savior. To claim that the Blessed Mary was born sinless is to DENY Holy Scripture, such as Romans 3:23, where the Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of GOD, tells us: “For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” That word “all” would certainly include the Blessed Mary.))
“His [i.e., Jesus Christ’s] mother [i.e., the Blessed Mary] saith unto the servants, ‘Whatsoever He [i.e., Jesus Christ] saith unto you, do it’.” (John 2:5)
((Ed. Comment to the preceding Bible verse: Notice that the Blessed Mary did not tell the servants to do what she would say, but rather to do what Jesus Christ would say! That’s good advice for all of us.))
(Verse 24): “Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden [i.e., told] him, and took unto him his wife [i.e., the Blessed Mary]: (Verse 25): And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called His name JESUS.” (Matthew 1:24, 25)
((Ed. Comments to the preceding Bible passage:
(1) The expression “knew her” in this context, and in similar contexts within Holy Scripture, means to have marital (conjugal) relations with one’s wife. Joseph waited “till” after Mary “had brought forth her firstborn son” before he “knew her”. (Please also notice the use of the expression “FIRST-born son” – it does not say “only son”.) For more examples of this use of “knowing” one’s wife (found in the Bible), please see the following verses: Genesis 4:1 (where Adam “knew” his wife Eve, and she [later] “conceived”); Genesis 4:17 (where Cain “knew” his wife, and she [later] “conceived”); Genesis 4:25 (where Adam “knew” his wife [Eve] again, and she “bare a son”); and I Samuel 1:19, 20 (where Elkanah “knew” his wife, and she “conceived…and bare a son”). The Blessed Mary went on to have other children who are mentioned in the gospel books of the Holy Bible; however, for some reason the Roman Catholic Church’s hierarchy tries to change Jesus’ brothers and sisters into “cousins”, and implies somehow that it would have been wrong for Joseph to have had normal marital relations with his wife Mary after the birth of Jesus. A lot of Roman Catholic doctrine has emanated from her “traditions” rather than from the Holy Bible!
(2) This “goddess cult” that has been created around the Blessed Mary was not found in the first three centuries of Church history. It gradually “evolved” over hundreds of years as Papal Rome moved farther away from simple Bible truths in order to appeal to the many pagans that were coming into the Roman Church – pagans who had worshipped a “goddess” in their pagan religions, and who needed a “goddess” within the Roman Catholic Church. Nowhere in the Holy Bible is Mary presented as a “goddess” who is female mediator, i.e., Mediatrix.))
“For neither [i.e., not even] did His [i.e., Jesus’] brethren [i.e., BROTHERS] believe in Him.” (John 7:5)
(Verse 55): “Is not this [i.e., Jesus] the carpenter’s [i.e., Joseph’s] son? Is not his mother called Mary? And his brethren [i.e., BROTHERS]: James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? (Verse 56): And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?” (Matthew 13:55, 56) (Note: Compare Mark 6:3.)
((Ed. Comment to the preceding Bible passage: Matthew uses the Greek word for “brothers” in this Bible passage. There is a Greek word for “cousins”, but Matthew does NOT use that word! These were Jesus’ four brothers – NOT his four cousins as the Roman Catholic Church maintains! Dave Hunt, on page 436 of his book A Woman Rides the Beast, states the following about the issue of brothers and cousins: “Catholic apologists such as Karl Keating insist that these brothers and sisters were really Christ’s cousins and that Matthew and Mark had to use the word for ‘brother/sister’ because neither Hebrew nor Aramaic had a word for ‘cousin’. There is no basis for such an unbiblical supposition. Furthermore, [the gospels of] Matthew and Mark were written in Greek. Keating insists that although there was a word for ‘cousins’ (anepsios) in the Greek, it was common for Jews writing in Greek to continue the Hebrew practice of referring to all relatives as brothers/sisters (adelphos). He cites examples from the Septuagint, but none from the New Testament, because there are NONE. In fact, [the Greek word] ‘anepsios’ is used in Colossians 4:10 to refer to the cousin of Barnabas. Moreover, the brethren of Jesus are usually mentioned as being in the company of [the Blessed] Mary, indicating that they were her children in her care or, if grown, traveling with her as part of the immediate family.”))
(Verse 46): “While He [i.e., the Lord Jesus Christ] yet talked to the people, behold, His mother [i.e., the Blessed Mary] and His brethren [i.e., His BROTHERS] stood without [i.e., outside], desiring to speak with Him. (Verse 47): Then one said unto Him [i.e., Jesus Christ], ‘Behold, Thy mother and Thy brethren stand without [i.e., outside], desiring to speak with Thee’. (Verse 48): But He [i.e., Jesus Christ] answered and said unto him that told Him [about His mother and brothers standing outside]: ‘Who is My mother? And who are My brethren?’ (Verse 49): And He [i.e., Jesus Christ] stretched forth His hand toward His disciples, and said, ‘Behold My mother and My brethren! (Verse 50): For whosoever shall do the will of My Father which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother’.” (Matthew 12:46-50)
(Verse 27): “And it came to pass, as He [i.e., the Lord Jesus Christ] spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto Him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bare Thee, and the paps [i.e., breasts] which Thou hast sucked’. (Verse 28): But He [i.e., Jesus Christ] said, ‘Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep [i.e., obey] it’.” (Luke 11:27, 28)
((Ed. Comments to the preceding two Bible passages:
(1) We do not find the Lord Jesus Christ shining the spotlight on His mother for the benefit of the multitudes that He taught. Rather, He immediately stopped any attempts to focus on the Blessed Mary rather than on His Words. As concerns “family”, the Lord Jesus Christ chose rather to emphasize His spiritual family (i.e., those who love Him and keep His commandments)!
(2) God’s Holy Spirit always points to the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Holy Bible. Jesus Christ is given the preeminence in the gospels, not Mary!))
((Ed. Comments to all the above Bible passages and verses:
(1) A careful examination of all the above Bible verses will clearly show WHY the Roman Catholic Church had for many centuries forbidden the distribution, reading, or possession of the Holy Bible by common folk in their own native languages. In fact, and thanks to the Papacy, mere possession of a Bible by a commoner in his native language for centuries brought the death sentence. The Roman Catholic Church for several centuries burned not only Bibles, but also those who possessed or distributed them (such as William Tyndale)! Why has the Roman Catholic Church’s hierarchy HATED the Holy Bible (despite their rhetoric to the contrary) so greatly? Answer: The Holy Bible, when studied carefully “from cover to cover”, holds many Roman Catholic doctrines (her “traditions”) up to the LIGHT of Holy Scripture, showing them to be fabrications invented by men – fabrications that are totally contrary to God’s Holy Word!
(2) Something is conspicuously absent from all of the above-listed Bible passages – or from any other Bible verses in those books of the Bible recognized as “canon” (i.e., officially accepted by the early Church fathers as being divinely inspired Holy Scripture). Here is what is missing:
Yes, isn’t it just a bit strange that the Lord Jesus Christ (the Son of God), the Apostles Peter, Paul, and John, and everyone else in the Holy Bible failed to mention any of those things?))
III. SOME RELEVANT QUOTATIONS (with some comments by this editor):
“The primitive Christians were possessed with an unconquerable repugnance to the use and abuse of IMAGES…”
Edward Gibbon (1737-1794; English historian; author of Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire)
“It is an injury [i.e., an offense; an insult] to God to make an IMAGE of Him in base [i.e., inferior; contemptible] wood or stone.” – Justin Martyr (? –165? A.D.; 2nd century defender of the Christian faith; martyred)
“In opposition to the authority of Scripture, there was a human IMAGE in the church of Jesus Christ.”
Epiphanius (4th century Bishop of Salamis in Cyprus)
“We Christians have nothing to do with IMAGES, on account of the second commandment. The first thing we teach those who come to us is: to despise IDOLS and all IMAGES; it being the peculiar character of the Christian religion to raise our minds above IMAGES, agreeably to the law which God Himself has given to mankind.”
Origen (185? -254? A.D.; Christian theologian & scholar)
“God ought to be worshipped without an IMAGE; IMAGES serving only to bring the Deity into contempt.” – Augustine (Known as Saint Augustine of Hippo; 354-430 A.D.)
“It would be impious [i.e., lacking reverence for God] in a Christian to set up a corporal [i.e., bodily; physical] IMAGE of God in a church; and that he would be thereby guilty of the sacrilege condemned by St. Paul, of turning the glory of the incorruptible God into an IMAGE made like to corruptible man.”
Augustine (Known as Saint Augustine of Hippo; 354-430 A.D.)
((Ed. Comment to the preceding quote: A “sacrilege” is the violation of something sacred. Please also see Romans 1:22, 23 for the Apostle Paul’s comment about making an image of the incorruptible God.))
“In India we discovered that the Catholic Catechism had changed the commandments from the way they are in the [Holy] Bible. In the Roman Catholic Catechism, the first commandment is as it is in Scripture. And the ‘second’ commandment in the catechism is: ‘You shalt not take the name of the Lord your God in vain’. Now this is a complete change from the Bible. The third commandment of the Bible has been moved up to the ‘second’ [in the catechism]. The original second commandment as it is found in Scripture has been dropped. Virtually all the [Roman Catholic] catechisms drop the [original] second commandment of the [Holy] Bible.”
Bob Bush (Ex-Jesuit; ex-Roman Catholic priest; quote from the book Far from Rome, Near to God)
“…In the fourth century, the worship of IMAGES was abominated [i.e., loathed; detested] by the Christian church; and that even their admission into places of worship, for whatever object, was regarded by the most eminent of bishops with abhorrence.”
John Dowling (The History of Romanism: From the Earliest Corruptions of Christianity to the Present Time; 1845; Page 154)
“Jesus Christ hath delivered us from IDOLATRY, and hath taught us to adore Him in spirit and in truth. But the devil, not being able to endure the beauty of the Church, hath insensibly brought back IDOLATRY, under the appearance of Christianity, persuading men to worship the creature, and to take for God a work which they gave the name of Jesus Christ.”
Council of Hiera (754 A.D.; 338 bishops attending)
“…Adhering to the word of God, to the definitions of the six preceding councils, to the doctrine of the approved fathers, and the practice of the Church in the earliest times, [we do] pronounce and declare, in the name of the Trinity, and with one heart and mind, that no IMAGES are to be worshipped; that to worship them or any other creature, is robbing God of the honor that is due to Him alone, and relapsing into IDOLATRY.”
Council of Hiera (754 A.D.; 338 bishops attending)
((Ed. Comment to the preceding two quotes: Despite papal denials to the
contrary, the Council of Hiera in 754 A.D. was the seventh general council held by the Church. Roman Catholic authorities have
relegated this council to a “deep memory hole”, since the pope later
succeeded in getting this Biblically sound decision of the Council of Hiera
(which condemned “image worship”) overturned by the Council of Nice
in 787 A.D. This papal success
against the wishes of many bishops was only made possible by (1) murdering
both Emperor Leo IV and his son Constantine VI (through the efforts of the
emperor’s wife Irene, who wanted to restore “image worship” in the
palace), and (2) “stacking the deck” at the Council of Nice in 787 A.D.
Emperor Leo IV’s father and grandfather had championed the cause of
removing “image worship” from the Church. Several popes (who obviously did
NOT know the truths in the Holy Bible, or who deliberately chose to ignore
those truths) opposed this challenge to their “authority” and their
“traditions”, and in 787 A.D. succeeded in overturning the condemnation of
“image worship” made by the Council of Hiera (754 A.D.))
“In Luke 1:46, 47, Mary had already admitted that she needed a Savior, so in obedience she brought her sin offering [see Leviticus 12:6-8] of two turtledoves to the temple, like all Jewish mothers [see Luke 2:21-24].”
Jack Chick (Author; publisher; from his tract “Why is Mary Crying?”)
“She [the Blessed Mary] saw her son crucified…but Jesus [Christ] came to this earth as the Lamb of God. He shed His precious blood as a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world…including her own.”
Jack Chick (“Why is Mary Crying?”)
“[The
Blessed] Mary is embarrassed, because the people are bowing down to
statues of her. …[The
Blessed] Mary sheds tears because men call her ‘The Mother of God’.
…[The Blessed] Mary weeps because men teach that she was
really sinless. …[The Blessed] Mary is crying for the
deceived multitudes who look to her as a mediatrix…and pray to her.”
Jack Chick (“Why is Mary Crying?”)
“Satan knew [that] Jesus [Christ] would leave heaven
and be born of a virgin to become the Savior and mediator between
God and man…so he [i.e., Satan] devised a wicked plan to confuse
the people into putting their trust in a counterfeit virgin [i.e.,
Semiramis of Babylon] that Satan created.
After
Noah’s flood, the survivors multiplied and built the great city of Babylon.
Satan found his ‘virgin’ – a beautiful witch named Semiramis…and
he used her to put untold millions into hell.
Semiramis became the Queen of Babylon and married Nimrod. Historically he was called the husband of his mother.
Satan used them both to create a satanic cult so powerful that it spread
around the world and multitudes looked to Semiramis as their goddess mother.
Semiramis and Nimrod came up with the idea of confessionals, and celibacy for the priesthood.” – Jack Chick (“Why is Mary Crying?”)
She
[i.e., Semiramis] became a goddess with many names, such as
Baalti, (the Madonna), the Great Goddess Mother, Queen of Heaven,
The Mediatrix, The Mother of Mankind, Astarte, etc.
As time went on, monuments of the goddess and her child
appeared in many nations…because when the people of Babylon were
scattered to various parts of the earth, they took with them the worship of the divine
mother and child.
Satan had successfully set up his own deadly religion long before Jesus [Christ] was born.” – Jack Chick (“Why is Mary Crying?”)
“Worldwide,
the adoration [of this pagan “divine mother and child”] was so strong
among the pagans that they would not forsake their mother goddess.
When Roman Catholicism came into existence around 300 A.D., the [Roman
Catholic] leaders knew [that] if they could adopt the worship
of the goddess mother into their religious system…then
countless pagans would convert to [Roman] Catholicism.
But who could replace the Great Mother of paganism? Mary, the mother of Jesus, was the only logical person. Little by little the worship of the pagan goddess was transferred to Mary.” – Jack Chick (“Why is Mary Crying?”)
“The
ancient Babylonian religion depicted the goddess mother as the only
one who could control her son. And
so the same satanic idea was incorporated into [Roman] Catholicism…[i.e.,
that] Jesus [Christ] is angry and only Mary can appease Him…and
so [Roman] Catholics are afraid of the loving Savior…and they
believe only Mary can get them into heaven.
This ‘angry Jesus’ is not the Jesus [Christ] of the [Holy] Bible who said: ‘Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28)… The ‘Mother of God’ that Catholics worship is not the Mary of the [Holy] Bible. Satan has successfully deceived them [i.e., many Roman Catholics] into worshipping the counterfeit goddess, ‘The Queen of Heaven’.”
Jack Chick (“Why is Mary Crying?”)
“In these last days, the key to pulling all the religions together
is the worship of the satanic mother goddess. Almost a billion
Muslims will join because the Virgin Mary was carefully placed in their holy
book, the Koran. Even the ‘New
Agers’ refer to a mother/father god. Satanic posers will impersonate
Mary in future apparitions of the ‘virgin’ worldwide, including
communist countries, to bring the world under Satan’s antichrist.”
– Jack Chick
((Ed. Comment to the preceding eight quotes: Jack Chick is “right on” in the information he put out in this tract entitled “Why is Mary Crying?” Alexander Hislop’s book, The Two Babylons, exposes in great detail how Roman Catholicism incorporated a whole lot of paganism into its religious system straight from the pagan Babylonian religion. Please see the “What Can We Do?” section of this newsletter for information on how to order Jack Chick’s tract “Why is Mary Crying?” and the book The Two Babylons by Hislop.))
“Under the name of the ‘Mother of the gods’, the goddess
queen of Babylon became an object of almost universal worship. ‘The Mother
of the gods’, says Clericus, ‘was worshipped by the Persians, the
Syrians, and all the kings of Europe and Asia, with the most profound religious
veneration’. Tacitus gives evidence that the Babylonian goddess was worshipped
in the heart of Germany, and Caesar, when he invaded Britain, found that the
priests of this same goddess, known by the name of Druids, had been there
before him. Herodotus, from personal knowledge, testifies, that in Egypt this
‘queen of heaven’ was ‘the greatest and most worshipped of all the
divinities’.”
Alexander
Hislop (The Two Babylons; Pages
80, 81)
“Instead, therefore, of the Babylonian goddess being cast out,
in too many cases her name only was changed.
She was called the Virgin Mary, and, with her child, was
worshipped with the same idolatrous feeling by professing
Christians, as formerly by open and avowed Pagans.”
Alexander
Hislop (The Two Babylons; Page 82)
“The Madonna of Rome
[i.e., the Roman Catholic Church], then, is just the Madonna
of Babylon. The ‘Queen
of Heaven’ in the one system is the same as the ‘Queen
of Heaven’ in the other. The goddess
worshipped in Babylon and Egypt as the ‘Tabernacle’ or ‘Habitation of
God’, is identical with her who, under the name of Mary, is
called by [Papal] Rome ‘the House consecrated to God’, ‘the
awful [i.e., awe-inspiring] Dwelling
place’, ‘the Mansion of God’, the ‘Tabernacle of the Holy Ghost’, [and] the ‘Temple of the Trinity’.”
Alexander
Hislop (The Two Babylons; Page 83)
“The names of blasphemy bestowed by the Papacy on Mary have not one shadow of foundation in the [Holy] Bible, but are all to be found in the Babylonian idolatry. Yea, the very features and complexions of the Roman [Catholic] and Babylonian Madonnas are the same.”
Alexander Hislop (The Two Babylons; Page 85)
“When,
therefore, it is known that the most famed pictures of the Virgin Mother in
Italy represented her as of a fair complexion and with golden hair,
and when over all Ireland the Virgin is almost invariably represented at this
day in the very same manner, who can resist the conclusion that she must have
been thus represented, only because she had been copied from
the same prototype as the Pagan divinities?
Nor is this agreement in complexion only, but also in features. Jewish features are everywhere marked, and have a character peculiarly their own. But the original Madonnas have nothing at all of Jewish form or feature; but are declared by those who have personally compared both, entirely to agree in this respect [i.e., features], as well as in complexion, with the Babylonian Madonnas found by Robert Ker Porter among the ruins of Babylon.”
Alexander Hislop (The Two Babylons; Page 86)
“But when it is evident that the goddess enshrined in the Papal Church for the supreme worship of its votaries [i.e., devout worshippers], is that very Babylonian queen [i.e., Semiramis] who set up Nimrod, or Ninus ‘the Son’, as the rival of Christ, and who in her own person was the incarnation of every kind of licentiousness, how dark a character does that stamp on the Roman [Catholic] idolatry.” – Alexander Hislop (The Two Babylons; Page 88)
“[The
Blessed] Mary realized her own sin and recognized the fact that she needed a
Savior, and that God was her Savior.”
Samuel D. Benedict (Former Bishop of the Evangelical Catholic Church; author of Catholic Doctrine in the Bible; Page 52)
“The Roman [Catholic] Church teaches that Mary is omnipotent in power and infinite in mercy and is to be prayed to as queen of Heaven and of angels. It calls her the refuge of sinners, gate of Heaven, mother of mercies. The Roman [Catholic] Church teaches that salvation is to be had through Mary, that Mary is the great mediator between God and man, and it practically puts Mary in the place of Jesus as the way and means of salvation.”
Samuel D. Benedict (Catholic Doctrine in the Bible; Page 55)
((Ed. Comment to the preceding quote: Please see the references to the “queen of heaven” in the King James Bible: Jeremiah 7:18; and 44:17-19, and 25.))
“This idolatrous worship of Mary was unknown in the Church for the first four hundred years, and was a gradual development in the Roman [Catholic] Church, being bitterly contested for many years.”
Samuel D. Benedict (Catholic Doctrine in the Bible; Page 55)
“The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary was not officially proclaimed by Rome [i.e., the Roman Catholic Church] until the year 1854.”
Samuel D. Benedict (Catholic Doctrine in the Bible; Page 55)
“Mary is the great goddess in the Roman [Catholic] Church. For many years Rome has been working to increase the worship of Mary, and decrease the worship of God.” – Samuel D. Benedict (Catholic Doctrine in the Bible; Page 56)
“The
Roman [Catholic] Church exhorts its members to pray to Mary as
their chief helper; she is said to be more powerful than any other to rescue and
save sinners; she is declared to be more loving and merciful than God Himself;
she is more worshipped than God; that she did not die, but was caught up bodily
into Heaven, and there reigns as queen, sitting on the throne of God,
with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; that Mary is the only hope of
sinners; and that there is no salvation except through Mary.
Not one of these teachings can be found in the [Holy] Bible,
but all of them are contrary to God’s Holy Word; all
of them are sacrilegious, and should be rejected and repudiated
by all Christians.”
Samuel D. Benedict (Catholic Doctrine in the Bible; Pages 55, 56)
“The people in the Roman [Catholic] Church are being gradually trained to worship Mary in place of God. The Roman Church has adopted a heathen idea and calls Mary the ‘Queen of Heaven’. This title is of heathen origin, and the offering of prayers to the supposed ‘Queen of Heaven’ is a sin. The [Holy] Bible distinctly mentions the ‘Queen of Heaven’ and condemns such idolatry. Read Jeremiah 7:18 and 44:17. There is no queen in Heaven; only a King.”
Samuel D. Benedict (Catholic Doctrine in the Bible; Page 56)
“The
[Holy] Bible does not accord to Mary any attributes of
Deity, nor does it mention any superhuman power belonging to her.
She was as helpless as any other woman. The [Holy] Scriptures do not
tell us that anyone ever worshipped Mary or prayed to her.
The [Holy] Bible does not contain a single statement urging us to pray to Mary. God never commanded us to pray to Mary. Neither Jesus [Christ, the Son of God] nor any of His apostles ever told us to pray to Mary.”
Samuel D. Benedict (Catholic Doctrine in the Bible; Page 60)
“We saw that God said, ‘Come to me’, and in the Gospels we are told
to pray to our Father in Jesus’ name, never
to a saint or to Mary. The disciples did not pray to Stephen who died
very early in the Acts of the Apostles, or to James who was killed early on.”
Bob Bush (Ex-Jesuit; ex-Roman Catholic priest; quote from the book Far from Rome, Near to God)
“The Roman Catholic Church is really a church that follows Mary rather than being a Christ-ian church…” – Salvatore Gargiulo (Ex-Catholic priest)
“The
[Holy] Bible never calls [the Blessed] Mary the
mother of us all.”
Jim Tetlow (Messages from Heaven: A Biblical Examination of the Queen of Heaven’s Messages in the End Times; 2002; Page 84)
“Was [the Blessed] Mary sinless? The [Holy] Scripture states that Mary called God her savior [Luke 1:47]. Only a sinner needs a Savior. In addition, the [Holy] Bible says that ALL have sinned [Romans 3:9, 10, and 23].”
Jim Tetlow (Messages from Heaven; 2002; Page 84)
“This
revealing passage [Ed. Note: Luke 2:22-24, which describes the Blessed Mary
bringing a sacrifice to Jerusalem after Jesus’ birth] confirms that [the
Blessed] Mary was a sinner. Why? Because Mary, by obeying the Law of Moses,
(specifically Leviticus 12), acknowledged her sin.
According to Leviticus 12, a turtledove was a sin offering.
…Only a sinner needs atonement for sins. Mary acknowledged her need for atonement and forgiveness…”
Jim Tetlow (Messages from Heaven; 2002; Pages 84, 85)
“As
for [the Blessed] Mary’s alleged bodily assumption, there
is not a single Scripture that even hints that Mary was
assumed bodily. This doctrine sprang from the belief that Mary was sinless.
…Of course, the [Holy] Bible clearly states that ALL
are under sin [e.g., Romans 3:9, 10 and 23], therefore ALL
experience death and bodily decay.
Furthermore, if Mary had been taken up [bodily] into heaven, wouldn’t the [Holy] Bible have mentioned it? When Elijah was taken up into heaven, the Bible gives a detailed description of the event. Certainly Mary’s assumption would have been reported.”
Jim Tetlow (Messages from Heaven; 2002; Page 85)
“Is
[the Blessed] Mary the queen [of heaven]? There is absolutely no
mention of Mary as queen in the [Holy] Scriptures.
Many point to the woman of Revelation 12 and say that this woman, with a
crown of twelve stars, is Mary.
…Most Bible scholars believe that the woman of Revelation 12 is a reference to the twelve tribes of Israel… Most importantly, according to Joseph’s dream recorded in Genesis 37:5-11, the twelve stars represent the twelve tribes of Israel… Therefore, the woman of Revelation [Chapter 12], from a Scriptural perspective, appears to be Israel.”
Jim Tetlow (Messages from Heaven; 2002; Page 87)
“[The Blessed] Mary is a wonderful role model for all Christians. She is indeed blessed among women. The [Holy] Bible tells us these facts, but no more. The humble girl from Nazareth is not divine, she is not our mother, she was not sinless, and she is not our queen. The Bible repeatedly commands us not to go beyond what is written.” – Jim Tetlow (Messages from Heaven; 2002; Page 91)
“Why
does the [Roman] Catholic church want people looking to Mary instead
of Jesus for salvation? Why is glory stolen from Jesus and given to
Mary?
If
Mary plays a role in salvation, why didn’t God tell us so in His Word?
Most importantly, who [sic] will you trust to save you? The Mary of [Roman Catholic] church tradition, or the Jesus of God’s Word?”
Rick Jones (Understanding Roman Catholicism; 1995; Page 101)
“The true Mary of the [Holy] Bible is worthy of our respect and honor. We do not honor her by obeying and listening to an apparition that distorts the truth and confuses the gospel. We do honor her when we follow Jesus [Christ] and obey His words.” – Jim Tetlow (Messages from Heaven; 2002; Page 156)
((Ed. Comment to the preceding quote: Editor of ETI has read a very thick Roman Catholic book on Marian apparitions. The overwhelming majority of the messages from these apparitions run contrary to the Holy Bible, the Word of God. Many messages exalt Mary the queen rather than exalting the King of kings, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God!))
“God shares His glory with no man [Ed. Note: or woman]. When Moses died, God buried him in a secret place so the people would not make him a minor deity. They were to worship God only.” – Ron Hembree (Pastor; author)
“But,
unless you are one of the faithful followers of the [Marian] apparitions,
you probably are unaware of the significant influence these apparitions
are having on hundreds of millions around the globe.”
Jim Tetlow (Messages from Heaven; 2002; Pages 1, 2)
“Consider that 15 to 20 million Marian followers visit a single [Marian] shrine [i.e., Our Lady of Guadalupe] in Guadalupe, Mexico, every single year!”
Jim Tetlow (Messages from Heaven; 2002; Page 3)
((Ed. Comments to the preceding quote:
(1) What is the ratio of Roman Catholic shrines for Mary in comparison to Roman Catholic shrines for Jesus Christ? (Note: There are far more shrines to Mary than to Jesus!)
(2) Over the past several centuries, has the emphasis in the Roman Catholic Church shifted more and more to Mary, while moving farther and farther away from Jesus Christ? Answer: Yes!))
“The most prominent figure by far in Roman Catholicism is a woman. She overshadows all else, including even God Himself. More prayers are offered to the [Roman] Catholic Mary and more attention and honor is given to her than to Christ and God combined. There are thousands of [large] shrines to Mary around the world, with tens of millions of visitors annually, but only one small and scarcely known shrine to Christ located in Beauvoir, Quebec.”
Dave Hunt (A Woman Rides the Beast; 1994; Page 435)
“In 1997, Newsweek ran a cover story on the Virgin Mary. In the article they write: ‘In many ways, the 20th century has belonged to Mary. From almost every continent, visionaries have reported more than 400 apparitions of the Virgin – more than in the previous three centuries combined’…”
Jim Tetlow (Messages from Heaven; 2002; Page 11; Quoting from Newsweek, Aug. 25, 1997, Page 50)
“In 1996, Life Magazine featured [the Blessed] Mary on the cover…”
Jim Tetlow (Messages from Heaven; 2002; Page 18)
((Ed. Comment to the preceding two quotes: Some people say that “the Jews” run America’s publishing companies and control our newspapers and magazines! If this is so, then why do the Roman Catholic pope and “Mary” get such “good press” in top U.S. magazines – the pope even being named “man of the year”? There are many documentaries (VHS tapes and DVDs) in American stores honoring Pope John Paul II! A major TV network recently honored Pope John Paul II with a special documentary! Isn’t it strange for these “Jews”, who allegedly control the media and press in America, to be giving such great honor to Roman Catholicism, especially when the Roman Catholic Church has horribly persecuted “the Jews” for many centuries? Or might there be some much more powerful forces “behind the scenes” controlling America’s media and press? Who benefits (Cui bono?) from all this “great press” here in America for the Roman Catholic Church, and in particular, for popes and for the Roman Catholic “Mary”?))
“Globally,
Marian groups and conferences are mushrooming.
One group alone, the Blue Army, boasts over 20 million members.
Another group, known as the Marian Movement of Priests, is supported by
at least 400 Cardinals and bishops, and more than 100,000 priests, and millions
of religious and faithful around the world.
Keep in mind that there are only an estimated 400,000 priests in the entire [Roman] Catholic Church. This means that over one quarter of all priests are active members of the Marian Movement of Priests! And this is only one Marian group.” – Jim Tetlow (Messages from Heaven; 2002; Pages 35, 36)
The “mother-goddess-and-child” cult started in ancient Babylon. Nimrod and his wife Semiramis appear to be the original founders of the pagan Babylonian religious system. This pagan Babylonian religious system had a special class of priests and a confessional system. (By the way, the meaning of the name “Nimrod” is “we are rebelling”! Nimrod and Semiramis were rebelling against the LORD God Almighty!) After Nimrod’s death, Semiramis took upon herself the status of a “goddess”. Semiramis, and the son she gave birth to, began to be worshipped throughout that area of the world as the “mother goddess and child”. There exist today drawings of the many pagan statues of the “mother goddess and young child” from Babylon, and from those areas of the world into which this pagan cult spread. ((Alexander Hislop has written a very scholarly book entitled The Two Babylons that deals with this subject in great depth. Please see the “What Can We Do?” section for information on how to order it.))
Centuries later the people of Judah began to worship a goddess whom they called the “queen of heaven”. One can read in the Bible, in the book of Jeremiah, this sad story of a people who mixed their worship of the LORD God Almighty with their worship of the “queen of heaven”. (See Chapters 7 and 44 in the book of Jeremiah.) The Holy Bible condemned this worship of the “queen of heaven” during the time of the prophet Jeremiah, and it still condemns such worship! In Jeremiah 7:18 the LORD God Almighty said that when the women of Judah made “cakes to the queen of heaven” that it “provoked” Him “to anger”!
The Apostle Paul warned Christians that apostasy was creeping into the Church even in his day! Here is what he wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of GOD:
“And that because of false brethren unawares [i.e., stealthily; secretly] brought in, who came in privily [i.e., clandestinely; stealthily; secretly] to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage.” (Galatians 2:4)
(Verse 29): “For I [i.e., the Apostle Paul] know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. (Verse 30): Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.” (Acts 20:29, 30)
(Verse 13): “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. (Verse 14): And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (Verse 15 a.): Therefore it is no great thing if his [i.e., Satan’s] ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness…” (II Corinthians 11: 13-15 a.)
The Apostle Peter also warned of false teachers and false prophets:
(Verse 1): “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily [i.e., secretly; clandestinely; stealthily] shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. (Verse 2): And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. (Verse 3 a.): And through covetousness shall they with feigned [i.e., fictitious, fabricated] words make merchandise of you…” (II Peter 2:1-3 a.)
In the section on “relevant quotations” we saw that the use and veneration of images and idols SLOWLY and INCREMENTALLY crept into the early Romish Church. Likewise, the status of the humble Blessed Mary of the Holy Bible SLOWLY and INCREMENTALLY was ever more elevated within the Romish Church. It took some courageous emperors and Church bishops to finally challenge this ever-increasing use and abuse of images and idols that had been encouraged by a number of popes. Their efforts culminated in the Council of Hiera in 754 A.D., which was attended by 338 bishops. This godly Council of Hiera condemned in no uncertain terms the use of images and idols within the Church. However, the courageous emperors died – at least one was murdered – and the pope then convened the Council of Nice in 787 A.D., and was successful in overturning the godly decision of the earlier Council of Hiera. (Note: Murder has often been used as a tool against many who have challenged the Roman Catholic Church’s false doctrines.)
The rest, as they say, is “history”. The Roman Catholic Church’s hierarchy consolidated power more and more within the Papacy, and the slide into paganism increased more and more.
From the earlier “relevant quotations” section we saw that early Church fathers such as Saint Augustine of Hippo and Origen strongly condemned the use of images and idols within the Church.
Most importantly, in the “relevant Bible verses” section we saw that the LORD God Almighty Himself strongly condemns the use of images and idols – in the Second Commandment specifically forbidding their production and use!
VI. GOD’S WORD TELLS US
THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE MEDIATOR!
The Holy Bible is quite clear that there is ONE and only ONE mediator between God and mankind. Let’s repeat that important Bible verse (I Timothy 2:5) written by the Apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God: “For there is one God, and ONE mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” There is ONE mediator – not two or three – not Mary or anyone else! Nowhere in the entire Holy Bible can we find one single reference to a female mediator (i.e., a Mediatrix)!
The Holy Bible clearly shows us that the only way to get to GOD the Father is through the Son of GOD (the Lord Jesus Christ). Jesus Christ is the “way” and the “door” to the Father; there is no other! “Jesus [Christ] saith unto him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by [i.e., except through] Me’.” (John 14:6)
This ever-increasing exaltation of Mary within the Roman Catholic Church took place, little by little, over many centuries of time. No one would have dared to officially exalt Mary as a goddess, queen of heaven, Mediatrix, and “sinless” all at once!
According to some sources, the adoration of Mary (and other saints, along with images, relics, etc.) wasn’t solidified until around 778 A.D. Rosary beads came into common use around 1090. The doctrine of the “immaculate conception” of Mary wasn’t promulgated until 1854 (by Pope Pius IX). The doctrine of the “bodily assumption” of Mary into Heaven wasn’t promulgated until 1950 (by Pope Pius XII).
(Note: While there is some debate about the first two dates given in the paragraph above, most agree that those dates are close approximations. The last two dates are well documented!)
One thing has been very evident over the centuries: the preeminence that should have been given only to Jesus Christ has gradually shifted over to the Roman Catholic “Mary”. “Mary” has, for many Roman Catholics, become the “centerpiece” of their religion.
Indeed, the “Queen of Heaven” found in Roman Catholicism does not remotely resemble the humble Jewish woman named Mary who would give birth to the Savior of the world (as found written in the Holy Bible). Rather, this Romish “Queen of Heaven” much more closely resembles Queen Semiramis of Babylon, the “mother-goddess” of the early pagan religions!
(The Apostle Paul wrote): (Verse 13): “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. (Verse 14): And no marvel [i.e., wonder]; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (Verse 15): Therefore it no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” (II Corinthians 11:13-15)
“It
is possible for Satan to masquerade as an angel or a saint and set a
trap by speaking truth for a time. Then when the visionary and others
are convinced that the apparitions are genuine, Satan can spring the trap
with a message designed to confuse or destroy faith.” – Fr. Oscar
Lukefahr, C.M.
“A disturbing practice occurs at most [Marian] apparition sites. The apparition of Mary actually encourages her followers to worship her.”
Jim Tetlow (Messages from Heaven; 2002; Page 140)
As mentioned earlier, I read a very thick Roman Catholic book that contained many “messages” from Marian apparitions. Many of these “messages” were unbiblical! These Marian apparitions often point to themselves as mankind’s hope in these “last days”; have asked listeners to build shrines to “Mary”; and have presented themselves as “savior”, “co-redemptrix” (i.e., a female aiding in redemption), “advocate”, and “mediator”. The titles of “savior”, “redeemer”, “advocate”, and “mediator” belong ONLY to GOD (and most specifically, to the Son of GOD, the Lord Jesus Christ)! Remember, GOD said that He would not share the glory and honor due to Him with anyone else! (Please see Isaiah 42:8.)
Satan hates the Lord Jesus Christ, and has been working overtime inside of the Roman Catholic Church to diminish Christ’s name and wonderful work of Salvation. The Papacy has proved to be his greatest tool in this effort. As various popes consolidated power within the office of the Papacy, it became easier to introduce these pagan doctrines within the Roman Catholic Church.
The Jesuit Order has especially been active in promoting the “Mary-goddess” cult within the Roman Catholic Church. Again, this has all been carefully planned and orchestrated – this diminishing of the preeminence of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Roman Catholic Church and the unscriptural exaltation of “Mary” (as a “goddess”, Mediatrix, advocate, etc.) at the same time!
As already mentioned previously in this newsletter, there are over 100,000 Roman Catholic priests in “The Marian Movement”. This movement is growing rapidly. “Mary” has indeed become the “centerpiece” of Roman Catholicism.
The most imminent danger of all this “Mariolatry” within the Roman Catholic Church is the rapid increase in the appearances of the Marian apparitions. Their messages are, for the most part, unbiblical – and most likely will be used to deceive millions upon millions in these “last days” with messages urging the faithful to follow their Church leaders (and the government leaders that the Church supports) straight into the arms of a one-world government and one-world religion – i.e., right into HELL on earth! Let me repeat that “message”, for it is most urgent and critical for our time: These messages of the Marian apparitions quite likely will be used by the hierarchical Roman Catholic Church’s religious system to urge the faithful to follow their Church leaders (and the government leaders that the Roman Catholic Church supports) straight into the arms of a one-world government and one-world religion!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Will America be “dedicated” to “Mary” (as Russia was years ago), and with the same slaughter of millions as occurred when the “Communists” took over Russia? These are questions that we Americans had better investigate in depth, for it is quite likely that the Vatican-Papacy-Jesuit-Knights of Malta cabal plans to bring America down in the very near future!
IX. FINAL QUOTE
TO CONSIDER:
“The
[Blessed] Mary of Roman Catholicism is not the [Blessed]
Mary of the [Holy] Bible. [Sacred] Scripture says nothing
of a woman conceived without sin, perfectly sinless, ever virgin, and assumed
into heaven.
Nevertheless, the [Roman Catholic] Church, with greater regard for Tradition and human reason than for sacred Scripture, has declared the virgin Mary to be the ‘ever virgin Mary’, the mother of Jesus to be the ‘Mother of God’, and the favored woman to be ‘Mary full of grace’. Determined to exalt Mary, the [Roman Catholic] Church has distorted and disregarded the plain teaching of the [Holy] Bible. In the process, having left the truth and security of [Sacred] Scripture, the Roman Catholic Church has exposed its people to mystical and even bizarre apparitions of a self-promoting spirit who identifies itself as ‘Mary’. These appearances [of apparitions] have led [Roman] Catholics away from undistracted devotion to [Jesus] Christ and dependence upon Him alone for salvation. Whether these apparitions are real or imagined, by their fruits they have proven themselves to be not from God.”
James G. McCarthy (The Gospel According to Rome; 1995; Page 198)
The New Testament of the Holy Bible, early Church history, and the testimonies of the early Church fathers all combine to show us that images, idols, and goddess worship have no place in true Biblical Christianity.
Likewise, the Holy Bible clearly teaches that we have ONLY ONE mediator “between God and men”, and that mediator is the Lord Jesus Christ, and Him alone!
The messages of Marian apparitions, for the most part, contradict the Holy Bible. They frequently exalt “Mary” as the hope of all mankind in these “last days”. There is a great danger that many folks will be led astray by these apparitions’ messages – right into the arms of the one-world government and one-world religious system.
The crux of the matter comes down to this: Do we believe a “religious institution” that is plagued with tons of paganism, that is full of pedophile priests, that has murdered millions of saints, and that has tortured countless others – OR, do we trust the Holy Word of God, the Holy Bible, for our guidance in this and all other spiritual matters? I will trust the Holy Word of God that has never been proven wrong rather than a Church that is renowned for her deceit, her lies, her forgeries [e.g., “The Donation of Constantine”], and her licentiousness.
By the way, the name “CHRIST-ians” was first applied to believers in CHRIST in the city of Antioch (in Syria). (Please see Acts 11:26.) Please notice that they were called “CHRIST-ians”, and NOT “MARY-ians” (i.e., “Marians”). The Holy Bible says that Jesus Christ is the head of the Church, and that He is to be given preeminence. (Please see Ephesians 5:23 and Colossians 1:18.) If the Roman Catholic Church wants to be considered CHRIST-ian, then she should place CHRIST first instead of placing “Mary” first, as she currently does. The choice for many today is between CHRIST-ianity and MARY-anity.
1. If you think that this issue of the ETI newsletter contains important information, then please make copies of it and give them away “free of charge” to your relatives, neighbors, and friends.
2. Read the entire Holy Bible (“old” King James Version)“from cover to cover”: God’s Holy Word must be the standard by which we compare all doctrine!
3. If you believe that this topic is important, then please purchase some of the following “information tools” that will provide “truth-seekers” with more information on the topics covered in this issue of ETI, and on related topics:
a. The 271-page paperback book Messages from Heaven by Jim Tetlow; 2002; Publisher: Eternal Productions; ISBN 0-9717561-0-4; $17.80 postpaid: This books measures messages from Marian apparitions against the standard of the Holy Bible. To order a copy, make check or money order payable to “Chick Publications”, and mail it to: Chick Publications // P.O. Box 3500 // Ontario, CA 91761-1019. Credit card orders, call “Chick Publications” at 1-909-987-0771.
b. “Messages from Heaven” (VHS or DVD format); $23.60 postpaid: Examines how the messages from Marian apparitions stack up against the Holy Bible. To order, please make check or money order payable to “Chick Publications”, and mail it to: Chick Publications // P.O. Box 3500 // Ontario, CA 91761-1019. To order by credit card, please call “Chick Publications” at 1-909-987-0771.
c. The 151-page paperback book Queen of All by Jim Tetlow, Roger Oakland, and Brad Myers; 2006; Eternal Productions; ISBN 0-9717561-1-2; $12.85 postpaid: This book not only examines the messages given by Marian Apparitions, but also shows the importance of the Blessed Mary in other religions, including Islam. To order, make check or money order payable to “Chick Publications” and mail it to: Chick Publications // P.O. Box 3500 // Ontario, CA 91761-1019. For credit card orders, please call 1-909-987-0771.
d. The 224-page paperback book Babylon Religion: How a Babylonian goddess became the Virgin Mary by David W. Daniels – illustrated by Jack T. Chick; 2006; Publisher: Chick Publications; ISBN 0-7589-0631-5; $13.80 postpaid: This book, using simple language and illustrations, gives conclusive evidence that the “Mary” of Roman Catholicism is the religious “spitting image” of Babylon’s queen-goddess Semiramis – and that some Roman Catholic doctrines, such as auricular confession to a priest, came from the pagan Babylonian goddess religion. This book also presents the gospel of Jesus Christ as found in the Holy Bible. To order a copy, make check or money order payable to “Chick Publications”, and mail it to: Chick Publications // P.O. Box 3500 // Ontario, CA 91761-1019. For credit card orders, please call 1-909-987-0771.
e. The 249-page paperback book Is This The Mary Of The Bible? by Dan Corner; 2004; Publisher: Evangelical Outreach; ISBN: 0-9639076-7-0; $16 postpaid (add 6% sales tax in PA): The subtitle of this book asks the question: “Is the Mary of Catholicism the Mary of the Bible?” This book covers such topics as the “Fatima Visions”, other Marian Apparitions, the “Immaculate Conception”, the Rosary, the “Brown Scapular”, etc. Most importantly, it compares Roman Catholic doctrinal teachings on “Mary” with what the Bible teaches on these topics. To order a copy, please make check or money order payable to “Evangelical Outreach”, and mail it to: Evangelical Outreach // P.O. Box 265 // Washington, PA 15301-0265. For credit card orders, please call 1-724-632-3210.
f. The 550-page paperback book A Woman Rides the Beast by Dave Hunt; 1994; Publisher: Harvest House Publishers; ISBN 1-56507-199-9; $16.80 postpaid: This book has chapters on the Croatian Holocaust of World War II, the Vatican Ratlines that helped Nazi and Fascist war criminals escape punishment at the end of World War II, Roman Catholic history and doctrine, and much more. To order a copy, please make check or money order payable to “Chick Publications”, and mail it to: Chick Publications // P.O. Box 3500 // Ontario, CA 91761-1019. For credit card orders, please call “Chick Publications” at 1-909-987-0771.
g. The 330-page paperback book The Two Babylons by Alexander Hislop; Publisher: Chick Publications; ISBN 0-937958-57-3; $14.80 postpaid: This scholarly book compares the ancient pagan Babylonian religion with Roman Catholicism. The back cover of this book states: “…Alexander Hislop reveals that many Roman Catholic teachings did not originate with Christ or the Bible, but were adopted from ancient pagan Babylonian religion, and given Christian names.” This book covers such topics as purgatory, prayers for the dead, the confessional, the sacrifice of the Mass, Christmas, Easter, Pontifex Maximus, etc. To order a copy, please make check or money order payable to “Chick Publications”, and mail it to: Chick Publications // P.O. Box 3500 // Ontario, CA 91761-1019. Credit card orders: call “Chick Publications” at 1-909-987-0771.
h. “Why is Mary Crying?” by Jack Chick; 22-page illustrated tract, #40; price: 15 cents: Excellent resource to share with others – it compares the Mary of the Holy Bible with the Mary in the Roman Catholic Church. To order by credit card, please call “Chick Publications” at 1-909-987-0771. ((Please order at least 10 or more of this tract when you order one or more of the books carried by “Chick Publications” that are recommended in this issue of the ETI newsletter.))
i. The 222-page paperback book Understanding Roman Catholicism by Rick Jones; 1995; ISBN 0-937958-48-4; $13.80 postpaid: This book examines 37 Roman Catholic doctrines and compares them to what the Holy Bible says on the same topics. To order, please make check or money order payable to “Chick Publications”, and mail it to: Chick Publications // P.O. Box 3500 // Ontario, CA 91761-1019. For credit card orders, call “Chick Publications” at 1-909-987-0771.
j. The 466-page paperback book Roman Catholicism by Dr. Loraine Boettner; 1962; Publisher: The Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company; ISBN 0-87552-092-8; $15 postpaid: This book deals with such subjects as the Mass, purgatory, the confessional, papal infallibility, etc. To order a copy, please make check or money order payable to “The Conversion Center”, and mail it to: The Conversion Center // P.O. Box 265 // Carthage, NC 28327-0265. To order by phone, please call “The Conversion Center” toll-free at 1-800-631-8220 (no credit card orders).
k. The 93-page paperback book Catholic Doctrine in the Bible by Rev. Samuel D. Benedict; $7.50 postpaid: This book examines Catholic doctrines such as “transubstantiation”, papal infallibility, the Blessed Mary, purgatory, confession, etc., comparing them with the Holy Bible. To order a copy, please make check or money order payable to “The Conversion Center”, and mail it to: The Conversion Center // P.O. Box 265 // Carthage, NC 28327-0265. To order by phone, please call “The Conversion Center” toll-free at 1-800-631-8220 (no credit card orders).
l. The 216-page paperback book Far from Rome, Near to God: The Testimonies of 50 Converted Catholic Priests (Compiled by Richard Bennett and Martin Buckingham); 1994; Publisher: Associated Publishers & Authors; $15 postpaid: This book presents the testimonies of 50 former Roman Catholic priests who gave their lives to Christ alone and left the Roman Catholic Church. To order a copy, please make check or money order payable to “The Conversion Center”, and mail it to: The Conversion Center // P.O. Box 265 // Carthage, NC 28327-0265. To order by phone, please call “The Conversion Center” toll-free at 1-800-631-8220 (no credit card orders).
FINAL THOUGHT: Jesus Christ is the FOCUS of the four gospels in the Holy Bible. Jesus Christ is the FOCUS of the Old Testament prophecies. Jesus Christ is the Son of GOD, who came to manifest – to reveal – GOD the Father to us. The Holy Spirit of GOD always points to Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was the FOCUS of the preaching of the Apostles. Jesus Christ was the FOCUS of the early Church fathers. And if we claim to be CHRIST-ians, then Jesus Christ had better be the FOCUS of our lives, and NOT “Mary” or anyone else!
“Who
will rise up for me against the evildoers?
Or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?”
(Psalm 94:16)
“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues’.” (Revelation 18:4)