Holy Wars<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
By Jan Markell
www.olivetreeviews.org
 
 
Pope Benedict XVI has ignited controversy around the world by approving a document saying non-Catholic Christian communities are either defective or not true churches.  Only the Roman Catholic Church provides the true path to salvation.  The document states, "Christ established here on earth only one church," reasserting the primacy of Catholicism.
 
The document said that other Christian communities such as Protestants "cannot be called 'churches' in the proper sense" since they don't have what's known as apostolic succession; that is, the ability to trace their bishops back to the original 12 apostles of Jesus.
 
Perhaps this action is only of significance to Bible prophecy watchers, but one has to ask, "Is the ecumenical agenda of the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Vatican over?" When one faith as powerful and global as Catholicism says they are the only faith that is legit, I cannot help but wonder if we are heading pell-mell to the gates of the "one world religion" outlined in Revelation. To get right to the point, there are many Bible teachers who feel that the Vatican will provide the religious infrastructure of that one world religion.
 
Evangelicals react to such proclamations made by any faith by saying that the true church is not a building but a relationship with the living God. 
 
Moving on to another "holy war," a Hindu chaplain by the name of Rajan Zed is scheduled to deliver the opening prayer at the U.S. Senate July 17. Zed tells the "Las Vegas Sun" that in his prayer he will likely include references to ancient Hindu scriptures.  He will also be calling out to over 300 million Hindu gods. To better understand the seriousness of this, view Caryl Matrisciana's newest film, "Yoga Uncoiled from East to West: A Look at the Practice of Yoga in the Church." It is available here http://www.olivetreeviews.org/catalog.shtml#others  We will mail one product--a DVD only--to an out-of-the-U.S. address.  We offer unlimited products to U.S. addresses.  Foreign orders have postage and shipping issues which is why at this time we will only ship one light weight product out of the U.S.
 
David Barton, President of WallBuilders, is questioning why our leaders are seeking the invocation of a non-monotheistic god. He points out that this is outside of the American paradigm, flying in the face of the American motto, "One Nation Under God." He continues, "This is not a religion that has produced great things in the world." He reminds people of the persecution in Hindu countries.
 
It is, indeed, strange that our highest leaders think diversity and multi-culturalism are more important than honoring the one true God. America is at a turning point in many ways from the war on terror to one of the most important presidential elections around the corner. America is being ravaged by natural disasters from coast to coast causing unprecedented death and destruction, yet pure paganism is invited into one of our highest establishments in the land. How is this honoring a God who has kept us safe from terror since 9/11?  The beltway guys and gals need to realize the serious implications of this.
 
Protestants are not without criticism. Deception is an equal opportunity issue. I often report on what is called the "Emergent Church."  This is the latest "new way of doing church" and "connecting to the culture today." It is aimed at people under age 35 and tends to be, well, confusing. That's because it holds to very little doctrine yet calls itself evangelical. I have talked about it regularly on my radio program, "Understanding the Times," and even played a clip on their view of communion. To sum it up, they call communion a "party."
 
Now a short video clip of "Emergent baptism" can be viewed at this link: http://www.olivetreeviews.org/topics/spiritual_deception.shtml 
Participants in the "Emergent baptism" are reducing things meaningful to many to a pool party with expletives bleeped out.  There is the suggestion that one about to be baptized is running around nude as he doesn't know what to wear.
 
Here's the good news: We can have a personal relationship with the living God through Jesus who died for our sins. The "true church" is a body of blood-bought believers. Those who belong to Him have their sins buried in the deepest ocean and as Corrie ten Boom says, "God has planted a sign there that says 'no fishing.' " The King of Kings is coming back some day, likely sooner rather than later, and those who have repented of their sins and turned their lives over to Jesus will spend all eternity praising Him.