EXAMINING the TOUGH ISSUES

FACING CHRISTIANS TODAY!

 

Issue #19 // August 29, 2005  // Editor: Darryl Eberhart

(Updated through: July 26, 2007) (www.toughissues.org)

 

“THE REAL ANTICHRIST”

 

NOTE: All emphasis throughout this newsletter, unless otherwise noted, is by the editor of “Examining the Tough Issues (ETI)”.

 

DEDICATION:  This issue of ETI is dedicated, in general, to all those who are exposing false doctrine and evil. (Please see Ephesians 5:11.)

 

FIRST WARNING:  Bible prophecy is a “delicate” topic.  There are times when Bible prophecy is “layered” – having both a near and a far “time” application, or is applicable to more than one individual, location, or nation (e.g., a dual application”). [Example: One particular individual may serve as a “type” for another individual following centuries later!] However, knowing this to be so should not stop us from studying prophecy in the Holy Bible.  Our primary source for understanding Bible prophecy, including the prophecies concerning the Antichrist found in the books of Daniel and Revelation [called Apocalypse by the Roman Catholic Church], must be the Holy Bible itself! Studying the entire Bible through each year is very important, because Holy Scripture interprets Holy Scripture! For example, the “meaning” of a prophetic symbol or sign in one particular verse may be interpreted for the reader several verses later – or, possibly in a totally different book of the Holy Bible!  A good knowledge of both world history and church history is essential to recognizing the fulfillment of certain key Bible prophecies. Additionally, we must be careful not to “spiritualize” everything in Bible prophecy, nor to “take literally” everything in Bible prophecy.  Rather, wherever possible, we must let Holy Scripture interpret Holy Scripture, and closely examine the “context” of the verse or passage.

 

SECOND 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”. While there may remain some levels of disagreement on Bible prophecy that is yet to be fulfilled, there can be no doubt concerning much of Bible prophecy that has already been fulfilled.

 

DEFINITIONS (hopefully in alphabetical order):

 

“Anti-” (per Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language): “A preposition signifying ‘against’, ‘opposite’, ‘contrary’, or ‘in place of’; used in many English words.”

 

((Ed. Comment: As you are reading this newsletter, please keep in mind this particular meaning “in the place of” for the prefix “anti-” as concerns the anti-Christ – one who sits “in the place of” Christ.))

 

 

“Antichrist” (per VINE’S Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words; 1985): “Antichrist [Greek: antichristos]can mean either ‘against Christ’ or ‘instead of Christ’, or perhaps, combining the two, ‘one who, assuming the guise of Christ, opposes Christ’

 

“Antichrist” (per Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language): “A great adversary of Christ; the man of sin; described [in] I John 2:18; II Thessalonians [Chapter] 2; [and] Revelation [Chapter] 9.  Protestants generally suppose this adversary to be the Papal power; and some divines [i.e., clergymen] believe that, in a more general sense, the word extends to any persons who deny Christ or oppose the fundamental doctrines of Christianity.”

 

“Antichrist” (per Steve Wohlberg, author of the book End Time Delusions; 2004; Page 89): “The word ‘antichrist’ literally means ‘opposed to’ or ‘in the place of’ Christ, and in its most subtle and diabolical manifestation it concerns something which [Ed. Note: or someone who] claims loyalty to Jesus [Christ] while really leading away from Him.”

 

((Ed. Comment to the preceding three definitions: Leading Protestant Reformers (e.g., Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, etc.) agreed that the Roman Pontiff [i.e., the pope of Rome] was clearly identified in Scripture as the Antichrist.))

 

“Babylon” (per Webster’s New World College Dictionary, Fourth Edition; 2006): “Ancient city on the lower Euphrates River (in what is now central Iraq), the capital of Babylonia: noted for wealth, luxury, and wickedness.”

 

“Babylonia” (per Webster’s New World College Dictionary, Fourth Edition; 2006): “Ancient empire in southwestern Asia, in the lower valley of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers: it flourished c.2100-689 B.C. and again, as Chaldea or ‘New Babylonia’, c.625-538 B.C.”

 

((Ed. Comment to the two preceding definitions: Alexander Hislop, in his book The Two Babylons, reveals the remarkable similarities between the pagan Babylonian priesthood and the priesthood of the Roman Catholic Church, e.g., auricular confession to an authorized priest.))

 

“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.”

 

“Catholic bashing” or “Anti-Catholic” (per Darryl Eberhart, Editor of ETI): “Two ‘labels’ that, for the most part, are 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).”

 

“Christian” (the noun; per Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language):

(a.)  “A believer in the religion of Christ.”

(b.)   “A professor of his belief in the religion of Christ.”

(c.)  A real disciple of Christ; one who believes in the truth of the Christian religion, and studies to follow the example, and obey the precepts, of Christ; a believer in Christ who is characterized by real piety.”

(d.)   “In a general sense, the word ‘Christians’ includes all who are born in a Christian country or of Christian parents.”

 

“Church” (noun; per Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language):

(a.)  “A house consecrated to the worship of God

(b.)  “The collective body of Christians, or of those who profess to believe in Christ, and acknowledge Him to be the Savior of mankind

(c.)  “A particular number of Christians, united under one form of ecclesiastical government, in one creed, and using the same ritual and ceremonies

(d.)  “The followers of Christ in a particular city or province

(e.)  “The disciples of Christ assembled for worship in a particular place, as in a private house.”

(f.)    “The worshippers of Jehovah or the true God, before the advent of Christ

(g.)  “The body of clergy, or ecclesiastics, in distinction from the laity.  Hence, ecclesiastical authority.”

(h.)  “An assembly of sacred rulers convened in Christ’s name to execute His laws.”

(i.)    “The collective body of Christians, who have made a public profession of the Christian religion, and who are united under the same pastor; in distinction from those who belong to the same parish, or ecclesiastical society, but have made no profession of their faith.”

 

“Churchianity” (per Darryl Eberhart, Editor of ETI): “A term I use to describe the ‘lukewarm’ Christian denominations – and even some of the independent fundamental churches – in America today that refuse (1) to truly stand against false doctrine, evil, and tyranny, and (2) to truly stand for truth, justice, and righteousness as spelled out in God’s Holy Word, the Bible.”

 

“Constantine” (per Webster’s New World Dictionary, Second College Edition; 1974; Meaning #2): Constantine I (Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus) 280? -337 A.D.; emperor of Rome (306-337): converted to Christianity: called ‘the Great’.”

 

((Ed. Comment to the preceding definition: Many writers have questioned the “sincerity” of Constantine’s “conversion” to Christianity!  He remained at the head of the pagan priesthood as “Pontifex Maximus” after his supposed “conversion” to Christianity in 313 A.D., and it appears that he simply cut a political deal with the organized “Church” of his day. Author Dave Hunt, in his book A Woman Rides the Beast (1994), tells us on page 46: “While heading the Christian Church, [Roman Emperor] Constantine continued to head the pagan priesthood, to officiate at pagan celebrations, and to endow pagan temples even after he began to build Christian churches. As head of the pagan priesthood he was the ‘Pontifex Maximus’ and needed a similar title as head of the Christian Church. The Christians honored him as ‘Bishop of Bishops’, while Constantine called himself ‘Vicarius Christi’, [that is,] Vicar of Christ.”))

 

“Crusade” (per Webster’s New World Dictionary, Second College Edition; 1974; first two meanings): “1. Any of the military expeditions which Christians [Ed. Note: to be more precise, Roman Catholics] undertook from the end of the 11th [century] to the end of the 13th century to recover the Holy Land from the Moslems.  2. Any church-sanctioned war or expedition like this.”

 

((Ed Comment to the preceding definition: The Papacy launched “holy” crusades against Bible-believing Christian groups, such as the Albigenses in southern France, and the Waldenses in southeastern France and northwest Italy.))

 

“Donation of Constantine [a.k.a. the “Gift of Constantine”] (per 1955 World Scope Encyclopedia): The transfer of the ownership of the city of Rome and surrounding territory to the Pope by the Roman Emperor Constantine (272-337). The document which was once believed to prove this [alleged] historical fact was eventually unveiled as an early medieval falsification.”

 

“Donation of Constantine, The” [a.k.a. the “Gift of Constantine”] (per Dave Hunt, author of the book A Woman Rides the Beast; 1994; Pages 72, 73): “The popes’ authority even extended to large territories outside Rome acquired in the eighth century. At that time, with the help of a deliberately fraudulent document manufactured for the popes known as ‘The Donation of Constantine’, Pope Stephen III convinced Pepin, king of the Franks and father of Charlemagne, that territories recently taken by the Lombards from the Byzantines actually had been given to the papacy by the [Roman] Emperor Constantine.  [King] Pepin routed the Lombards and handed to the pope the keys to some 20 citiesand the huge chunk of land joining them along the Adriatic coast.

            Dated 30 March 315 [A.D.] ‘The Donation [of Constantine]’ declared that [the Roman Emperor] Constantine had given these lands, along with Rome and the Lateran Palace, to the popes in perpetuity.  In 1440 this document was proven to be a forgery by [i.e., through the efforts of scholar] Lorenzo Valla, a papal aide, and is so recognized by historians today.”

 

((Ed. Comment to the preceding two definitions: Lorenzo Valla (1405-1457), an Italian scholar, used both historical evidence and linguistics to prove in 1440 that the so-called “Donation of Constantine” was indeed a deliberately fraudulent document – a forgery used by the Papacy to steal the territory that became the Papal States.  According to Diarmaid MacCulloch, in his book The Reformation (2003), two other scholars, English bishop Reginald Pecock and the future German Cardinal Nicolas of Cusa, also came to the same conclusions as did Lorenzo Valla concerning the fraudulent nature of this document.))

 

“Fornication” (per Webster’s New World Dictionary, Second College Edition; 1974): “1. Voluntary sexual intercourse, generally forbidden by law, between an unmarried woman and a man, especially an unmarried man  2. Bible:  a.) Any unlawful sexual intercourse, including adultery; b.) Worship of idols.

 

“Freemasonry” (per I. A. Sadler, author of the book Mystery, Babylon the Great; 2003; Pages 175-181): “Freemasonry is another branch of the Babylonian Mysteries, which has survived under different names from the time of the fall of open pagan worship in the 5th century.  Freemasonry is just as ripe for manipulation by the Jesuits and the Church of Rome, that it may be used for the purposes of Rome, as any Protestant denomination. [Ed. Note: Freemasonry has been manipulated by the Jesuits for many decades.]  In Britain and the USA, Freemasonry appears as a ‘Christian’ organization. However, this is a most dangerous pretense, for the true god of Freemasonry is Lucifer, who is Satan appearing as an angel of light.Both Freemasonry and the Church of Rome [at their highest levels] worship the same god  Masonic ceremonies implicitly deny the sufficiency of Scripture. [Freemasonry] is particularly strong in many Baptist churches in the USA  Those in the lower levels of Freemasonry know nothing about the higher and even more secretive degrees.”

 

((Ed. Comment to the preceding definition: The highest levels of Freemasonry are controlled by the Jesuit Superior General. American historian James Parton tells us: If you trace up Masonry, through all its Orders, till you come to the grand tip-top, head Mason of the World, you will discover that the dread individual and the Chief of the Society of Jesus [i.e., the Black Pope – the Superior General of the Jesuit Order] are one and the same person.”))

 

“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.”

 

((Ed. Comment to the preceding definition of “heretic”: It is easy for corrupt church officials to “label” a group of people as “heretics”, and then to send armies to crush them and to loot their property! The hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church, i.e., Papal Rome, labeled the Bible-believing Albigensian and Waldensian Christians as  “heretics” prior to sending armies to crush them!))

 

“Hypocrite” (per Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language): “1. One who feigns to be what he is not; one who has the form of godliness without the power, or who assumes an appearance of piety and virtue, when he is destitute of true religion.  2. A dissembler; one who assumes a false appearance.”

 

“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

 

“Infallible” (per Webster’s New World Dictionary, Second College Edition; 1974): “1. Incapable of error; never wrong.  2. Not liable to fail, go wrong, make a mistake, etc.; dependable; reliable; sure.  3. Roman Catholic Church: Incapable of error in setting forth doctrine on faith and morals: said especially of the Pope speaking ex cathedra (i.e., in his official capacity).

 

“Infallible” (per Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language; Meaning #1): “Not fallible; not capable of erring; entirely exempt from liability to mistake; applied to persons. No man is infallible; to be infallible is the prerogative of God only.”

 

“Inquisition” (per Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language; Meaning #4): “In some [Roman] Catholic countries, a court or tribunal established for the examination and punishment of ‘heretics’.  This court was established in the 12th century by ‘father’ Dominic, who was charged by Pope Innocent III with orders to excite [Roman] Catholic princes [i.e., rulers] and people to extirpate [i.e., destroy completely] ‘heretics’.”

 

“Jesuit Order” (per Darryl Eberhart, Editor of ETT): “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.”

 

“Knights of Malta” (per Darryl Eberhart, Editor of ETI): “A Roman Catholic religious-military order headquartered in Rome with, and under the command of, the Jesuit Superior General.  Much of the wealth of the Knights Templar, when it was disbanded in 1312, was given to the Knights of Malta.  Many Knights of Malta have held top-level positions in various governments, in the world’s foremost intelligence agencies, in international banking, and in the publishing world.  A number of Knights of Malta continue to hold such positions.”

 

“Marian” (per Webster’s New World Dictionary, Second College Edition; 1974): “(Adjective): of the Virgin Mary  (Noun): A worshipper or devotee of the Virgin Mary

 

“Mariolatry” (per Webster’s New World Dictionary, Second College Edition; 1974): “Veneration of the Virgin Mary, when regarded as carried to an idolatrous extreme.”

 

“Nicolaitan” (per Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language): “One of a sect in the ancient Christian church, so named from Nicolas, a deacon of the church of Jerusalem.  They held that all married women should be common to prevent jealousy.  They are not charged with erroneous opinions respecting God, but with licentious [i.e., wanton; unrestrained by law or morality] practices.”

 

“Nicolaitans” (per Halley’s Bible Handbook’ Page 702): “The ‘Nicolaitans’, it is thought, were a sect who advanced licentiousness as the proper way of life.”

 

((Questions & comments by Editor of ETI concerning the term “Nicolaitans”:

 

(a.) Might the Lord Jesus Christ be trying to tell us Christians something through the use of this term “Nicolaitans”? When we break down the “Greek” components of the word, we find the term “nikao” which means to “conquer, overcome, prevail”, and the term “laos” which means “people”.  We derive the English word “laity” from the Greek word “laos”.

 

(b.) Could the term “Nicolaitans” signify a group of clergymen, within a rigid ecclesiastical system, who use that hierarchical mechanism to “rule vigorously and forcibly” over the laypersons [i.e., the laity] within that religious system?

 

(c.) Or, as author James Lloyd tells us in “The King James Controversy” (1998; Page 9): “This elevation of the clergy to the status of ‘interpreter’ [of the Holy Bible] for all us ‘foolish’ laymen is referred to as ‘the doctrine of the Nicolaitans’ in the book of Revelation.”))

 

“P2 (or P-2) Masonry” (per John Daniel, author of the book The Grand Design Exposed; 1999; Page 169): “There is a Masonic Propaganda group, number twoknown as the ‘P-2 Club’, with its headquarters being in Rome. The P-2 Club is a propaganda society of the world’s elite which includes high-ranking Roman Catholic prelates and, of course, Jesuits.”

 

((Ed. Comment to the preceding definition: P2 Masonry had its fingerprints all over the murder of Pope John Paul I, who was poisoned to death in 1978 before he could implement his plans to “clean house” at the Vatican and at the Vatican bank. He had learned that many top-level Roman Catholic prelates were high-level Masons, and had made plans to remove them from power. If you doubt that Pope John Paul I was murdered, then I suggest that you read the book The Murder of John Paul I by Vance Ferrell. This book is $6.50 postpaid.  It provides very strong evidence that Pope John Paul I was murdered by his Masonic enemies inside the Vatican. To order a copy, please make check or money order payable to “Harvestime Books” and mail it to: Harvestime Books // P.O. Box 300 // Altamont, TN 37301.  To order by credit card, please call 1-931-692-2777.))

 

“Pagan” (per Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language): “[Noun]: A heathen; a Gentile; an idolater; one who worships false gods

 

“Paganism” (per Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language): “Heathenism; the worship of false gods, or the system of religious opinions and worship maintained by pagans.”

 

“Papacy” (per Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language):

            [a.] The office and dignity of the pope or bishop of Rome; popedom.  

  [b.] Papal authority.” 

 

“Papal” (per Webster’s New World Dictionary, Second College Edition; 1974): “1. Of the Pope or the papacy. 2. Of the Roman Catholic Church.”

 

“Papal Rome” (per Darryl Eberhart, Editor of ETI): “The government of the Roman Catholic Church, whose headquarters is presently in Rome, Italy.”

 

“Papal States” (per Webster’s New World Dictionary, Second College Edition; 1974): “Former territory in Central and North Central Italy, ruled by the papacy from the 8th century until 1870.”

 

“Pontifex Maximus” (per Darryl Eberhart, Editor of ETI): “[Latin for ‘Supreme Pontiff’]: A title of the supreme leader of the pagan priesthood in the Babylonian Empire and in pagan IMPERIAL ROME; and a title of the supreme leader of the Roman Catholic priesthood of PAPAL ROME.”

 

((Ed. Comment to the preceding definition: Author I.A. Sadler, in his book Mystery, Babylon the Great (2003), tells us on page 27: “The Babylonish monarch is also known in history by the Latin title ‘Pontifex Maximus’, which is rendered in English either ‘Supreme [Pontiff]’ or ‘Sovereign Pontiff’. The word ‘Pontiff’ comes from the Latin ‘Pontifex’, which means ‘Roman high priest’.”))

 

“Pope” (per Webster’s New World Dictionary, Second College Edition; 1974; Meaning #1): “Roman Catholic Church: The bishop of Rome and head of the [Roman Catholic] Church.”

 

“Popery” (per Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language): “The religion of the church of Rome, comprehending [i.e., including] doctrines and practices.”

 

“Prelate” (per Darryl Eberhart, Editor of ETI): “A high-ranking clergyman, e.g., a bishop.”

 

“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.”

 

“Romanism” (per Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language): “The tenets of the church of Rome.”

 

“Romish” (per Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language): “Belonging or relating to Rome, or to the religion [i.e., Roman Catholicism] professed by the people of Rome and of the western empire, of which Rome was the metropolis; [Roman] catholic; popish; as the ‘Romish’ church; the ‘Romish’ religion, ritual or ceremonies.”

 

“Sacerdotal” (per Webster’s New World Dictionary, Second College Edition; 1974): “1. Of priests or the office of priest; priestly.  2. Characterized by belief in the divine authority of the priesthood.”

 

“Tradition” (per Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language; Meaning #3): “That which is handed down from age to age by oral communication. The Jews pay great regard to tradition in matters of religion, as do the Romanists [Ed. Note: i.e., Roman Catholics]. Protestants reject the authority of tradition in sacred things, and rely only on the written word [Ed. Note: i.e., the Holy Bible]. Traditions may be good or bad, true or false.”

 

“Vatican” (per Webster’s New World Dictionary, Second College Edition; 1974): [noun] “1. The papal palace, consisting of a group of buildings in Vatican City.  2. The papal government or authority.”

 

“Vatican City” (per Webster’s New World Dictionary, Second College Edition; 1974): Independent papal state, constituted in 1929 as an enclave in Rome

 

“Vatican-Papacy-Jesuit-Knights of Malta cabal” (per Darryl Eberhart, Editor of ETI): “This is a term I use to describe the most powerful geopolitical-financial-religious institution in the world, which is governed by the Jesuit-controlled hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church. This institution includes (1) the Vatican-Papacy, (2) the Jesuit Order, (3) the Jesuit-controlled Knights of Malta religious-military order, (4) other religious and religious-military orders (such as the Knights of Columbus), (5) Jesuit ‘temporal coadjutors’, (6) the ‘Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’ (i.e., the Inquisition), (7) the highest levels of Freemasonry (which are controlled by the Superior General of the Jesuit Order), (8) the Vatican Bank, (9) the numerous financial, corporate, real estate, and stock holdings of Papal Rome, and (10) a large priesthood with a tremendous intelligence-gathering mechanism called the ‘confessional’.  This cabal is by far the biggest and most powerful ‘player’ on the New World Order (N.W.O.) ‘chessboard’, and is the biggest promoter of one-world government and one-world religion – both of which are to be under the authority of the Jesuit-controlled Papacy!  This cabal has a long ‘track record’ of torture and genocide; and it is infamous for (1) fomenting bloody revolutions and wars (to include two world wars), (2) assassinating heads of State, and (3) subverting nations. It hates religious liberty, freedom of speech and press, and popular, representative government; and it loves Fascism and ecclesiastical tyranny.  This cabal hates the American Constitutional Republic, and made plans for its destruction in three meetings in the 19th century (at Vienna, Austria in 1814-15; at Verona, Italy in 1822; and at Chieri, Italy in 1825).”

 

“Vicar” (per Webster’s New World Dictionary, Second College Edition; 1974): [Ed. Note: “vicar” with a “small ‘v’”]: “1. A person who acts in place of another; deputy.  4. Roman Catholic Church: A.) A church officer acting as deputy of a bishop. B.) [Vicar]: The Pope, regarded as earthly representative of Christ: in full: Vicar of (Jesus) Christ.”

 

“Vicar of Christ” (per Darryl Eberhart, Editor of ETI): Just one of many titles assumed by the popes of Rome.  The pope of Rome is “claiming”, by the use of this title, to act in the place of Jesus Christ on planet Earth.  Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language tells us the following concerning the word vicar: “The pope pretends to be vicar of Jesus Christ on earth.  He has under him a grand vicar, who is a cardinal, and whose jurisdiction extends over all priests, regular and secular.”

 

IMPORTANT NOTE:  I am not a Roman Catholic; I also am most definitely not anti-Roman Catholic as far as individual Roman Catholics go. My dad and 90% of my relatives are Roman Catholic; and the majority of my friends are Roman Catholic. I am, 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 effectively 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. I am 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 Ten Commandments!

 

NOTE: I will use the term “Revelation” for the last book of the Bible for the remainder of this newsletter.  Roman Catholics use the term “Apocalypse” for it.

 

HERE ARE SOME RELEVANT BIBLE VERSES:

 

            [The Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians at Corinth]: “Know ye not that YE [i.e., you Christians] are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (I Corinthians 3:16)

 

((Comments by Editor of ETI concerning the preceding Bible verse:

 

(1) Please also see I Corinthians 6:19 and II Corinthians 6:16 concerning the expressions temple of the Holy Ghost [of God], temple of God, and temple of the living God.

 

(2) We Christians need to keep this definition of just WHO the “temple of God” is when we consider “that man of sinthe son of perdition” who is found sitting in “the temple of God”, “showing himself [i.e., proclaiming himself] that he is God” in II Thessalonians 2:3, 4.))

 

            [The Apostle Paul wrote to Christians at Thessalonica]: “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [i.e., the ‘day of Christ’s coming’ – see verses 1 and 2] shall not come, except there come a falling away [Greek: apostasia] first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;         (Verse 4): Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth [i.e., sits] in the temple of God, shewing [i.e., showing] himself that he is God.” (II Thessalonians 2:3, 4)

 

((Comments & questions by Editor of ETI about the preceding Bible passage:

 

(1) Most Bible scholars agree that “the son of perdition” and “that man of sin” described here in II Thessalonians 2:3 refer to “the Antichrist”.

 

(2) The Apostle Paul’s use of the expression “the temple [Greek: naos] of God” in II Thessalonians 2:4 refers to the “body of Christian believers” rather than a physical building – such as the so-called “rebuilt Jewish temple” in the end time. (Please see especially I Corinthians 3:16, 17; please also see I Corinthians 6:19 and II Corinthians 6:16.) 

 

(3) The word “sitteth” [i.e., sits] does not mean merely to sit oneself down onto a chair.  Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language states the following for the third meaning of the word “sit”:  “To occupy a seat or place in an official capacity.” Webster’s 1828 Dictionary then gives this following example for the above definition:  “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.  Matthew [Chapter] 23.”  Do we know anybody today who pretends to sit in Christ’s seat claiming to be Christ’s vicar on earth?  Doesn’t the pope of Rome pretend to sit in Christ’s seat and claim that he is the Vicar of Christ on earth?))

 

            “And He [i.e., the Lord Jesus Christ] said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in My NAME, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.” (Luke 21:8)

 

((Comments & questions by Editor of ETI concerning the preceding Bible verse:

 

(1) Please also see Matthew 24:5 and Mark 13:6.

 

(2) “In My [i.e., Jesus] NAME”: Interestingly, the Jesuit Order is called the “Society of Jesus.

 

(3) Why do some of the people “interpreting” this verse of Scripture assume that these many folks “saying I am Christ” are really claiming that they personally are “Jesus Christ”? Might the intended meaning of the above verse be: those folks who come in Christ’s name, “saying, [that] I [Jesus] am Christ”, are professing Christ with their lips in order to deceive real Christians?  Since Jesus Christ is addressing Christians, how could “nut cases claiming to be Jesus Christ” be capable of deceiving Christians into following them? Might not a more reasonable explanation for this capacity of deceiving Christians be that these many folks are saying that Jesus indeed is Christ while in reality they are deceivers (and “wolves in sheep’s clothing”) in the very midst of the Church itself”? In other words, these deceivers are merely pretend (i.e., phony) Christians”!))

 

            “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)

 

“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): Therefore it is no great thing if his [i.e., Satan’s] ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness  (II Corinthians 11: 13-15a.)

 

((Comments by Editor of ETI concerning the preceding two Bible passages:

 

(1) The “wolves” began infiltrating the Christian Church at its highest levels shortly after the Apostle Paul’s death – as he had predicted through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God.

 

(2) Notice in II Corinthians 11:13 that these “false apostles” are able to pass themselves off as “apostles of Christ” – no doubt deceiving many sincere Christians. Interestingly, Webster’s 1828 Dictionary tells us that Jesuit missionaries are called “apostles”.  Also, the popes of Rome claim apostolic succession” back to the Apostle Peter, whom they falsely claim was the first Bishop of Rome. (Early church historians don’t even list Peter as a Bishop of Rome – much less as the first Bishop of Rome.))

 

            “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.”  (II Timothy 4:3)

 

“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): And through covetousness shall they with feigned [i.e., fictitious, fabricated] words make merchandise of you (II Peter 2:1-3a.)

 

((Comments by Editor of ETI concerning the preceding Bible passage:

 

(1) In other words, the Apostle Peter is telling us that these false prophets and teachers will be slick con artists who will pretend to be Christians in order to gain the confidence of Christians – to lead them astray doctrinally and/or to reap “monetary profits” from them (e.g., mass cards for the dead)!

 

(2) “Denying the Lord”:  This denial does not have to be only in words; this denial can take the form of actions taken contrary to God’s Word” or failure to obey God’s Commandments”.))

 

            “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)

 

            “But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” (Revelation 2:6)

 

((Comment by Editor of ETI concerning the preceding Bible verse: The Lord Jesus Christ is speaking to the angel (or, messenger) of the church of Ephesus.))

 

            “So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.” (Revelation 2:15)

 

((Comment by Editor of ETI concerning the preceding Bible verse: The Lord Jesus Christ is speaking to the angel (or, messenger) of the church in Pergamos.))

 

((NOTE: It certainly wouldn’t hurt to repeat here my earlier comments and questions concerning this term “Nicolaitans”:

 

(1) Might the Lord Jesus Christ be trying to tell us Christians something through the use of this term “Nicolaitans”? When we break down the “Greek” components of the word, we find the word “nikao” which means to “conquer, overcome, prevail”, and the word “laos” which means “people”.  We derive our English word “laity” from the Greek word “laos”.

 

(2) Could the term “Nicolaitans” signify a group of clergymen, within a rigid ecclesiastical system, who use that hierarchical mechanism to “rule vigorously and forcibly” over the laypersons [i.e., the laity] within that religious system?

 

(3) Or, as author James Lloyd tells us in “The King James Controversy” (1998; Page 9): “This elevation of the clergy to the status of ‘interpreter’ [of the Holy Bible] for all us ‘foolish’ laymen is referred to as ‘the doctrine of the Nicolaitans’ in the book of Revelation.”))

 

HERE ARE SOME RELEVANT QUOTATIONS:

 

            “At the Council of Trent [Ed. Note: 1545-1563], papal leaders and Jesuits brainstormed about how to counteract Protestantism and bring defectors back to the mother church.  Behind closed doors, they decided this was to be done, not only through the Inquisition and torture, but also through THEOLOGY.  What kind of theology?  Here’s the answer: By reinterpreting the prophecies about ‘the man of sin’, ‘the little horn’, and ‘the beast’!

            Two very intelligent Spanish Jesuits rose to the challenge: Luis de Alcasar (1554-1613) of Seville and Francisco Ribera (1537-1591) of Salamanca.  Their strategy was, in a nutshell, one of reapplication and diversion, yet they went in opposite directions.  After reading the Bible by candlelight like Martin Luther did, [Jesuit Luis de] Alcasar decided to apply the Bible’s antichrist prophecies to the ancient past while [Jesuit Francisco] Ribera applied them to the distant future.  ‘Smart move!’ was the response from Rome.  By reapplying these prophecies to the past and to the future instead of to the present, these two tricky Jesuit scholars sought to divert the prophetic finger light years away from the VATICAN.  Their views quickly became official positions within the Roman [Catholic] Church – even though these two views contradicted each other!”

Steve Wohlberg (End Time DELUSIONS: The Rapture, Antichrist, Israel, and the End of the World; 2004; Page 114)

 

            “In 1590, [Jesuit Francisco] Ribera published a commentary on [the Bible book of] the Revelation as a counter-interpretation to the prevailing view among Protestants which identified the Papacy with the Antichrist.  Ribera applied all of Revelation but the earliest chapters to the end time rather than to the history of the Church. Antichrist [per Jesuit Francisco Ribera] would be a single evil person who would be received by the Jews and would rebuild Jerusalem.”

            George Eldon Ladd (The Blessed Hope: A Biblical Study of the Second Advent and the Rapture)

 

            “Accordingly, towards the close of the century of the Reformation, two of her [Rome’s] most learned [Jesuit] doctors set themselves to the task, each endeavoring by different means to accomplish the same end, namely, that of diverting men’s minds from perceiving the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Antichrist in the Papal system.  The [Spanish] Jesuit [Luis de] Alcasar devoted himself to bring into prominence the Preterist method of interpretation to show the prophecies of Antichrist were fulfilled BEFORE the Popes ever ruled at Rome, and therefore could not apply to the Papacy.  On the other hand the [Spanish] Jesuit [Francisco] Ribera tried to set aside the application of the prophecies to Papal Power by bringing out the Futurist system, which asserts that these prophecies refer properly not to the career of the Papacy, but to that of some FUTURE supernatural individual, who is yet to appear, and to continue in power for three and a half years.” – Joseph Tanner (Daniel and Revelation)

 

            “John Wycliffe in England, Martin Luther in Germany, John Calvin in France, John Knox in Scotland, Ulrich Zwingli in Switzerland, and countless others, all preached that the humble Nazarene was the Christ and that the proud Roman papacy was the antichrist of [Holy] Scripture.  As a result of this high-impact, double-edged message – for Christ and against antichrist – the river of history literally changed its course.  Hundreds of thousands of people in Europe and England forsook the Roman [Catholic] Church.”

            Steve Wohlberg (End Time DELUSIONS: The Rapture, Antichrist, Israel, and the End of the World; 2004; Page 112)

 

((Ed. Comment concerning the preceding quotation:  This desertion of “hundreds of thousands” of the “faithful” from the Roman Catholic Church threatened Papal Rome’s [i.e., the Papacy’s] financial base – and possibly even its very existence, and thus could not be tolerated.  The Papacy’s response was to launch “holy crusades” against innocent farmers and peasants in barbarous religious genocide against entire regions and provinces in Europe!  Professional armies were sent with “Papal blessings” to exterminate innocent men, women, and children!  The Papacy created its “Holy Office of Inquisition” to torture and to brutalize “liberal” Roman Catholics and so-called Protestant “heretics” (falsely accused by the Papacy) – and then to turn them over to the civil authorities for execution!  Of course, the “holy” Inquisition was also used to terrorize many of the “Roman Catholic faithful” into not leaving the Mother Church! What kind of institution (organization) – especially one that calls itself “Christian” – has to rely on torture, terror, and murder to keep many of its adherents “in line”?))

 

            In the eleventh century, the Man of Sin appeared to have attained the summit of arrogance and blasphemy in the person of [Pope] Gregory VII.  He [i.e., Pope Gregory VII] assumed not only the appellation of ‘Universal Bishop’, but also those of ‘Sovereign Pontiff’, ‘Christ’s Vicar’, ‘Prince of the Apostles’, ‘God on earth’, ‘Lord God the Pope’, ‘His Holiness’, ‘King of kings and Lord of lords’, ‘Prince over all nations and kingdoms’, ‘The Most Holy and Most Blessed’, ‘Master of the Universal World’, ‘Father of Kings’, ‘Light of the World’, ‘Most High and Sovereign Bishop’, etc., etc.”

David Benedict (General History of the Baptist Denomination)

 

((Ed. Comment concerning the preceding quotation: There is only ONE “King of kings and Lord of lords” – and He is the Lord Jesus Christ, not any other person on earth, including the pope!  (Please see I Timothy 6:14-16.))

 

            “Some persons think us too severe and censorious when we call the Roman pontiff Antichrist.

            I shall briefly show that ([the Apostle] Paul’s words in II Thessalonians [Chapter] 2) are not capable of any other interpretation than that which applies them to the Papacy.” – John Calvin (1509-1564; French Protestant reformer)

 

            “Wherefore it followeth Rome to be the seat of antichrist, and the pope to be very antichrist himself.  I could prove the same by many other Scriptures, old writers, and strong reasons.” – Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556; English churchman; archbishop of Canterbury; burned at the stake under the rule of Roman Catholic “Bloody” Queen Mary I of England)

 

            [Martin] Lutherproved, by the revelations of [the prophet] Daniel and St. John, by the epistles of St. Paul, St. Peter, and St. Jude, that the reign of Antichrist, predicted and described in the Bible, was the Papacy.” – J. H. Merle D’Aubigne (History of the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century)

 

            [John] Wycliffe, [William] Tyndale, [Martin] Luther, [John] Calvin, [Thomas] Cranmer; in the seventeenth century, [John] Bunyan, the translators of the King James Bible and the men who published the Westminster and Baptist confessions of Faith; Sir Isaac Newton, [John] Wesley, [George] Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards; and more recently [Charles] Spurgeon, Bishop J.C. Ryle and Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones; these men, among countless others, all saw the office of the Papacy as the antichrist.”

Michael de Semlyen (All Roads Lead to Rome; 1993; Pages 197, 198)

 

            “Disregarding the maxims and the spirit of the Gospel, the papal Church, arming herself with the power of the sword, vexed the Church of God and wasted it for centuries, a period most appropriately termed in history, the ‘dark ages’.  The kings of the earth gave their power to the Beast.” – John Foxe (or, Fox) (1516-1587; Foxe’s Book of Martyrs)

 

((Ed. Comment to the preceding quote: Foxe’s Book of Martyrs is a must-read book for all who consider themselves Christians.  It is $13.99 postpaid.  To obtain a copy, please call “The Conversion Center” at 1-800-631-8220. This book documents the horrible persecution, torture, and murder of innocent Christians by a power-hungry religious institution bent on exterminating all opposition to its claims of primacy in the Christian world.))

 

            [The Pope is] the very antichrist, and ‘son of perdition’, of whom [the Apostle] Paul speaks.” – John Knox (1505-1572; Scottish Protestant clergyman and religious reformer)

 

            “We here are of the conviction that the papacy is the seat of the true and real Antichrist.”

            Martin Luther (1483-1546; German theologian and religious reformer)

 

            “It is a horrible thing to behold the man who styles himself Christ’s vicegerent, displaying a magnificence that no emperor can equal.  Is this being like the poor Jesus or the humble [Apostle] Peter?  He [i.e., the Pope] is, say they, the lord of the world! But Christ, whose vicar he boasts of being, said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world.’  Can the dominions of a vicar extend beyond those of his superior?” – Martin Luther (German Reformer)

 

((Ed. Comment: The gold, silver, precious stones, and other monetary and property wealth (to include banking interests) of Papal Rome are so immense that they probably cannot be properly estimated by anyone who does not have direct access to their financial books.))

 

            “The oracles of God foretold the rising of an Antichrist in the Christian Church: and in the Pope of Rome all the characteristics of that Antichrist are so marvelously answered that if any who read the Scriptures do not see it, there is a marvelous blindness upon them.”

            Cotton Mather (1663-1728; American clergyman & writer)

 

            “He [i.e., the Pope] is in an emphatic sense, ‘the Man of Sin’, as he increases all manner of sin above measure. And he [i.e., the Pope] is, too, properly styled ‘the Son of Perdition’, as he has caused the death of numberless multitudes, both of his opposers and followers.  He it isthat ‘exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped’ [II Thessalonians 2:4]claiming the highest power and highest honorclaiming the prerogatives which belong to God alone.”

John Wesley (1703-1791; English clergyman & evangelist)

 

            “There is no other head of the church but [i.e., except] the Lord Jesus Christ. Nor can the pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof; but is that Antichrist, that ‘man of sin’ and ‘son of perdition’ that exalteth himself in the church against Christ and all that is called God.”

            The Westminster Confession of Faith (1647)

 

            [The Pope is] the pretended Vicar of Christ on earth, who sits as God over the Temple of God [Ed. Note: i.e., the body of believers in Christ], exalting himself not only above all that is called God, but over the souls and consciences of all his vassals, yea over the Spirit of Christ, over the Holy Spirit, yea, and God Himselfspeaking against the God of heaven, thinking to change times and laws; but he is the ‘son of perdition’ (II Thessalonians 2).”

            Roger Williams (1603-1683; English clergyman & colonist in America; founder of Rhode Island – considered the first Baptist pastor in America)

 

((Ed. Note: The above quotes, except for Martin Luther’s second quote, were taken from the book End Time DELUSIONS (2004) by Steve Wohlberg.))

 

            Imperial kings and pharaohs were priest-‘god’-kings that held the official office and title of Pontifex Maximus, that compels worship from their subjects.” – John Daniel (From his article “Vatican Design Exposed”)

 

            “While heading the Christian church, [Roman Emperor] Constantine continued to head the pagan priesthood, to officiate at pagan festivities, and to endow pagan temples even after he began to build Christian churches. As ‘head of the pagan priesthood’ he was the ‘Pontifex Maximus’ and needed a similar title as head of the Christian church. The Christians honored him as ‘Bishop of Bishops’, while Constantine called himself ‘Vicarius Christi’, (Vicar of Christ).

            In the Middle Ages, the bishops of Rome began to claim that they were the ‘sole representatives of Christ upon earth’.  Demanding that the entire church worldwide must be subject to their rule, they forbade any other bishops to be called ‘papa’ or pope and took to themselves the three titles of [Roman Emperor] Constantine – ‘Pontifex Maximus’, ‘Vicar of Christ’, and ‘Bishop of Bishops’ – which they retain to this day.”

Dave Hunt (A Woman Rides the Beast; 1994; Page 46)

 

            “The popes filled the place of the vacant emperors at Rome, inheriting their power, prestige, and titles [Ed. Note: such as Pontifex Maximus] from paganism.  [Roman Emperor] Constantine [Ed. Note: according to the admittedly FORGED “Donation of Constantine”] left all to the Bishop of Rome [i.e., the Pope].  The Papacy is but the GHOST of the deceased [Pagan] Roman Empire sitting crowned upon its grave.” – STANLEY’S HISTORY (page 40)

 

            “The popes’ authority even extended to large territories outside Rome acquired in the eighth century. At that time, with the help of a deliberately fraudulent document manufactured for the popes known as ‘The Donation of Constantine’, Pope Stephen III convinced Pepin, king of the Franks and father of Charlemagne, that territories recently taken by the Lombards from the Byzantines actually had been given to the papacy by the [Roman] Emperor Constantine.  [King] Pepin routed the Lombards and handed to the pope the keys to some 20 citiesand the huge chunk of land joining them along the Adriatic coast.

            Dated 30 March 315 [A.D.] ‘The Donation [of Constantine]’ declared that [the Roman Emperor] Constantine had given these lands, along with Rome and the Lateran Palace, to the popes in perpetuity.  In 1440 this document was proven to be a forgery by [i.e., through the efforts of] Lorenzo Valla, a papal aide, and is so recognized by historians today.  Yet allegedly infallible popes continued for centuries to assert that ‘The Donation [of Constantine]’ was genuine and on that basis to justify their pomp, power, and possessions.

            Thus the Papal States were literally stolen by the popes from their rightful owners.” – Dave Hunt (A Woman Rides the Beast; 1994; Pages 72, 73)

 

            “Popes during the Middle Ages were not in any sense men who had inclinations to set examples for morality.  First and foremost, they all came from enormously wealthy backgrounds; aristocratic warlords determined through the most disgusting corruptions, bribery, and bloodshed, to have that ultra coveted position.

            To be pope was to gain absolute power and wealth beyond the scope of any other means.  Extravagant luxuries, pomp, and excesses, even surpassing that of the emperor’s table, excited the lust and passions of these aristocratic families to a fever pitch.  Vast riches were paid to rivaling parties to buy them out or to cast a favorable vote. Unsuccessful attempts usually led to assassinations.  Orgies, incest, homosexuals, mistresses, rape, murder, plunder, in some of the most shameful scandals known to man, are all recorded as the every-day rottenest lifestyle of these so-called ‘saintly’ religious rulers [i.e., the popes].  [Papal] Rome was virtually a moral cesspool of corruption; proving graphically that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

            Regardless of the opinions of sanctimonious [Roman Catholic] apologetics, this is the ‘red, raw meat’ of papal history

            Peter de Rosa (Ex-Jesuit; Vicars of Christ – The Dark Side of the Papacy)

 

            “Popes had mistresses of fifteen years of age, were guilty of incest and sexual perversions of every sort, had innumerable children, were murdered in the very act of adultery – Peter de Rosa (former Jesuit)

 

            “As for abominations, even [Roman] Catholic historians admit that among the popes were some of the most degenerate and unconscionable ogres in all history. Their numerous outrageous crimes, many of which are almost beyond belief, have been recited by many historians from preserved documents that reveal the depths of papal depravity…

Dave Hunt (A Woman Rides the Beast; 1994; Page 78)

 

            “It is beyond question that he [i.e., the pope] can err even in matters touching the faith.  He does this when he teaches heresy by his own judgment or decretal.   In truth, many Roman pontiffs [i.e., popes] were heretics.” (1523)

Pope Adrian VI (Adrian Florensz Dedal; born-died: 1459-1523; pope: 1522-1523; also seen in some books as Pope Hadrian VI)

 

            False religion, superstition, and brute tyranny, since the dawn of man, have always been used to subject the masses of human beings.  Once one ascends to that exotic and intoxicating realm to rule with authority over others, to relinquish that power would be considered plain folly and absurd.”

John Daniel (The Grand Design Exposed; 1999; Page 65)

 

((Ed. Comment: Many men are unable to handle power and riches – and also unable to handle the temptation to abuse their positions of power.  We must never forget that “absolute power corrupts absolutely”.))

 

            “As with any ‘pyramidal’ scheme, whether it is in marketing, Freemasonry, the Jesuits, or the Roman Catholic Church; it is a hierarchy.  Those at the top level of the ‘pyramid’ leech off the efforts and revenues of the hundreds of thousands [Ed. Note: or, millions] under them at the lower levels.  Nor is it intended for those while at the bottom to ever know the purposes and affairs of those at the top.  The lower levels are intentionally lied to and deceived, so as to make them to ‘think’ that they know.

            At the bottom of the [Roman Catholic Church’s hierarchical] pyramid they are taught Christ; at the top, it’s an occult different matter.”

            John Daniel (The Grand Design Exposed; 1999; Page 158)

 

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

            John E. E. Dalberg Acton (1843-1902; English historian)

 

            “And of all plagues with which mankind are cursed,

            Ecclesiastic tyranny is the worst.”

Daniel DeFoe (1660-1731; English writer)