The Catholic Encyclopedia Admits The Truth Behind Christianity
The “lie” Christianity is based on was carefully and totally destroyed to hide its pagan origin. What we do know is that the Emperor Constantine has been “suspended above all surrounding events” taking place in his empire and that great lengths were taken to hide the fact that everyone present was an uneducated pagan priest. What we do know is openly found in the Catholic Encyclopedia:
“It was British-born Flavius Constantinus (Constantine, originally Custennyn or Custennin) (272-337) who authorised the compilation of the writings now called the New Testament. After the death of his father in 306, Constantine became King of Britain, Gaul and Spain, and then, after a series of victorious battles, Emperor of the Roman Empire. Christian historians give little or no hint of the turmoil of the times and suspend Constantine in the air, free of all human events happening around him.
In truth, one of Constantine’s main problems was the uncontrollable disorder amongst presbyters and their belief in numerous gods. The majority of modern-day Christian writers suppress the truth about the development of their religion and conceal Constantine’s efforts to curb the disreputable character of the presbyters who are now called “Church Fathers”. (Catholic Encyclopedia, Farley ed., vol. xiv, pp. 370-1).
There it is, plain admission from the “source of Christianity” the Catholic Church that the very “Church Fathers” invited to the Council of Nicaea were not men of YAHUAH but disreputable pagan priests or “presbyters” who worshipped many different gods. So “who were” these preachers running around the Roman Empire dreaming up all kinds of various “gods” to worship? Who are these men that today’s Christian Church considers “fathers of their faith”?
Below is how they were described…
“…the most rustic fellows, teaching strange paradoxes. They openly declared that none but the ignorant was fit to hear their discourses … they never appeared in the circles of the wiser and better sort, but always took care to intrude themselves among the ignorant and uncultured, rambling around to play tricks at fairs and markets … they lard their lean books with the fat of old fables … and still the less do they understand … and they write nonsense on vellum … and still be doing, never done.” (Contra Celsum [“Against Celsus”], Origen of Alexandria, c. 251, Bk I, p. lxvii, Bk III, p. xliv, passim)
These pagan “preachers” invited to formulate the new religion at the Council of Nicaea were “rustic fellows teaching strange paradoxes” to the ignorant uncultured fools of that day at pagan fairs and markets in Rome. These men were not the mighty men of YAHUAH and descendants of Abraham/Isaac/Jacob. No, these men literally created “Christianity” from “fat old fables” about many pagan “gods”. I was certainly never made aware of any of this in my 20 years in the Christian Church! I was taught to blindly pledge allegiance to… The Nicaean Creed, no less, the abominable creed that came from these babbling fools. Little did I know (until I decided to question it and test it) that this creed was a complete denial of YAHUAH and His Truth created literally by pagan “idiots” or “Christians” as they came to be known.
Constantine’s dilemma
Let’s look at exactly what was actually going on in the Roman Empire under Constantine. When we do we find it openly admitted that the conversion and baptism of Constantine was nothing more than simply a legend. In reality he was a sun worshipping Emperor/High Priest of Apollo/Tammuz with a very real political problem that had to be dealt with.
“Clusters of presbyters had developed “many gods and many lords” (1 Cor. 8:5) and numerous religious sects existed, each with differing doctrines (Gal. 1:6). Presbyterial (pagan) groups clashed over attributes of their various gods and “altar was set against altar” in competing for an audience”… (Optatus of Milevis, 1:15, 19, early fourth century).
From Constantine’s point of view, there were several factions that needed satisfying, and he set out to develop an all-embracing religion during a period of irreverent confusion. In an age of crass ignorance, with nine-tenths of the peoples of Europe illiterate, stabilizing religious splinter groups was only one of Constantine’s problems. The smooth generalization, which so many historians are content to repeat, that Constantine “embraced the Christian religion” and subsequently granted “official toleration”, is “contrary to historical fact” and should be erased from our literature forever… (Catholic Encyclopedia, Pecci ed., vol. iii, p. 299, passim).
So our contention that Constantine embraced the Jewish Messiah is not true and should be totally erased from our minds. Simply put, there was no Christian religion at Constantine’s time, and the Church acknowledges that the tale of his “conversion” and “baptism” are “entirely legendary” and never happened at all. (Catholic Encyclopedia, Farley ed., vol. xiv, pp. 370-1).
Constantine “never acquired a solid theological knowledge” and “depended heavily on his advisers in religious questions” (Catholic Encyclopedia, New Edition, vol. xii, p. 576, passim). According to Eusebeius (260-339), Constantine noted that among the presbyterian (pagan) factions “strife had grown so serious, vigorous action was necessary to establish a more religious state”, but he could not bring about a settlement between rival god factions (Life of Constantine, op. cit., pp. 26-8). His advisers warned him that the presbyters’ pagan religions were “destitute of foundation” and needed official stabilization. Constantine saw in this confused system of fragmented dogmas the opportunity to create a new and combined State religion, neutral in concept, and to protect it by law. Then ensure it through forced conversation and death for disobedience.
When he conquered the East in 324 he sent his Spanish religious adviser, Osius of Córdoba, to Alexandria with letters to several pagan bishops exhorting them to make peace among themselves. The mission failed and Constantine, probably at the suggestion of Osius, then issued a decree commanding all pagan presbyters (pagan priests) and their subordinates “be mounted on asses, mules and horses belonging to the public, and (forced to) travel to the city of Nicaea” in the Roman province of Bithynia in Asia Minor.
The Council of Necaea a pagan council!
After these pagan priests were commanded to “mount asses and come to Nicaea” they were instructed to bring with them the testimonies they orated to the rabble (uneducated pagan masses), “bound in leather” for protection during the long journey, and surrender them to Constantine upon arrival in Nicaea (The Catholic Dictionary, Addis and Arnold, 1917, “Council of Nicaea” entry). Their writings totaled “in all, two thousand two hundred and thirty-one scrolls and legendary tales of gods and saviours, together with a record of the doctrines orated by them” (Life of Constantine, op. cit., vol. ii, p. 73; N&PNF, op. cit., vol. i, p. 518). Of course, we don’t have them now to compare to YAHUAH’s Truth found only in The Torah, these pagan writing which were the foundation of Christianity were carefully and totally destroyed after the Council of Nicaea… for obvious reasons.
Now the “foundation of Christianity” and how this massive lie started begins to come into focus. It was created at The Council of Nicaea and was not based on The Torah and Messiah but rather “two thousand two hundred and thirty one scrolls and legendary tales of literally hundreds of gods and savious and pagan doctrines”. This is what Constantine set out to standardize into one generic neutral religion that they all could agree upon! A syncretic religion was born! That resulting religion was named “Christianity” and the god of this new religion was named Hesus Horus Krishna later to be known in English as… Jesus (Hesus) H. (Horus) Christ (Krishna). This is historical fact.
In truth, history has proven that four years prior to the Council of Nicaea Constantine was initiated into the Cult of Sol Invictus; the sun worshipping religion that evolved out of Babylon. That was the “conversion” that truly happened to Constantine he was never converted as a follower of Yahusha… ever. That is why he was bowing down facing East worshipping the sun in the first place and seeing the Cross of Tammuz (if that even really happened at all because it was never documented by a “Legend” to placate the ignorant masses). What we do know, is the religion that came out of the Council of Nicaea was a carbon copy of what Constantine already believed and anyone that did not bow down to the new “god” he created was executed in the inquisition.
All the pagans surrendered to this new religion while all the true sons of YAHUAH were executed or went into hiding leaving only “Christianity” in the Roman Empire by law. This is exactly what the Prophets of YAHUAH said would happen!
The astonishing story of how the Vatican created Islam comes from a former Jesuit priest by the name of Alberto Rivera. The story was told to him by Cardinal Bea while he was at the Vatican.
For more background on Alberto Rivera and how he was poisoned for speaking out see the article by Greg Syzmanski further down the page.
“What I’m going to tell you is what I learned in secret briefings in the Vatican when I was a Jesuit priest, under oath and induction. A Jesuit cardinal named Augustine Bea showed us how desperately the Roman Catholics wanted Jerusalem at the end of the third century. Because of its religious history and its strategic location, the Holy City was considered a priceless treasure. A scheme had to be developed to make Jerusalem a Roman Catholic city.
“The great untapped source of manpower that could do this job was the children of Ishmael. The poor Arabs fell victim to one of the most clever plans ever devised by the powers of darkness. Early Netseriym Belivers went everywhere with the Besorah (gospel) setting up small Home Assemblies, but they met heavy opposition. Both the Jews and the Roman government persecuted the believers in Messiah to stop their spread. But the Jews rebelled against Rome, and in 70 AD, Roman armies under General Titus smashed Jerusalem and destroyed the great Jewish temple which was the heart of Jewish worship…in fulfillment of Messiah’s prophecy in Matthew 24:2.
“On this holy placed today where the temple once stood, the Dome of the Rock Mosque stands as Islam’s second most holy place. Sweeping changes were in the wind. Corruption, apathy, greed, cruelty, perversion and rebellion were eating at the Roman Empire, and it was ready to collapse. The persecution against Netseriym Believers was useless as they continued to lay down their lives for the Besorah (gospel) of Messiah.
“The only way Satan could stop this thrust was to create a counterfeit “Christian” religion to destroy the work of YAHUAH. The solution was in Rome. Their religion had come from ancient Babylon and all it needed was a face-lift. This didn’t happen overnight, but began in the writings of the ‘early church fathers’.
“It was through their writings that a new religion would take shape. The statue of Jupiter in Rome was eventually called St. Peter, and the statue of Venus was changed to the Virgin Mary. The site chosen for its headquarters was on one of the seven hills called ‘Vaticanus’, the place of the diving serpent where the Satanic temple of Janus stood.
“The great counterfeit religion was Roman Catholicism, called ‘Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth’- Revelation 17:5. She was raised up to block the Besorah (gospel), slaughter the believers in YAHUSHA HA’MASHIACH, establish religions, create wars and make the nations drunk with the wine of her fornication as we will see.
“Three major religions have one thing in common – each has a holy place where they look for guidance. Roman Catholicism looks to the Vatican as the Holy City. The Jews look to the wailing wall in Jerusalem, and the Muslims look to Mecca as their Holy City. Each group believes that they receive certain types of blessings for the rest of their lives for visiting their holy place. In the beginning, Arab visitors would bring gifts to the ‘House of God’, and the keepers of the Kaaba were gracious to all who came. Some brought their idols and, not wanting to offend these people, their idols were placed inside the sanctuary. It is said that the Jews looked upon the Kaaba as an outlying tabernacle of the Lord with veneration until it became polluted with idols.
“In a tribal contention over a well (Zamzam) the treasure of the Kaaba and the offerings that pilgrims had given were dumped down the well and it was filled with sand – it disappeared. Many years later Adb Al-Muttalib was given visions telling him where to find the well and its treasure. He became the hero of Mecca, and he was destined to become the grandfather of Muhammad. Before this time, Augustine became the bishop of North Africa and was effective in winning Arabs to Roman Catholicism, including whole tribes. It was among these Arab converts to Catholicism that the concept of looking for an Arab prophet developed.
“Muhammad’s father died from illness and sons born to great Arab families in places like Mecca were sent into the desert to be suckled and weaned and spend some of their childhood with Bedouin tribes for training and to avoid the plagues in the cities.
“After his mother and grandfather also died, Muhammad was with his uncle when a Roman Catholic monk learned of his identity and said, “Take your brother’s son back to his country and guard him against the Jews, for by god, if they see him and know of him that which I know, they will construe evil against him. Great things are in store for this brother’s son of yours.”
“The Roman Catholic monk had fanned the flames for future Jewish persecutions at the hands of the followers of Muhammad. The Vatican desperately wanted Jerusalem because of its religious significance, but was blocked by the Jews.
“Another problem was the Netseriym Believers in North Africa who preached the Besorah (gospel). Roman Catholicism was growing in power, but would not tolerate opposition. Somehow the Vatican had to create a weapon to eliminate both the Jews and the true Netseriym Believers who refused to accept Roman Catholicism. Looking to North Africa, they saw the multitudes of Arabs as a source of manpower to do their dirty work. Some Arabs had become Roman Catholic, and could be used in reporting information to leaders in Rome. Others were used in an underground spy network to carry out Rome’s master plan to control the great multitudes of Arabs who rejected Catholicism. When ‘St Augustine’ appeared on the scene, he knew what was going on. His monasteries served as bases to seek out and destroy Scripture manuscripts owned by the true Netseriym Believers.
“The Vatican wanted to create a messiah for the Arabs, someone they could raise up as a great leader, a man with charisma whom they could train, and eventually unite all the non-Catholic Arabs behind him, creating a mighty army that would ultimately capture Jerusalem for the pope. In the Vatican briefing, Cardinal Bea told us this story:
‘A wealthy Arabian lady who was a faithful follower of the pope played a tremendous part in this drama. She was a widow named Khadijah. She gave her wealth to the church and retired to a convent, but was given an assignment. She was to find a brilliant young man who could be used by the Vatican to create a new religion and become the messiah for the children of Ishmael. Khadijah had a cousin named Waraquah,, who was also a very faithful Roman Catholic and the Vatican placed him in a critical role as Muhammad’s advisor. He had tremendous influence on Muhammad.
‘Teachers were sent to young Muhammad and he had intensive training. Muhammad studied the works of St. Augustine which prepared him for his “great calling.” The Vatican had Catholic Arabs across North Africa spread the story of a great one who was about to rise up among the people and be the chosen one of their God.
‘While Muhammad was being prepared, he was told that his enemies were the Jews and that the only true Christians were Roman Catholic. He was taught that others calling themselves Netseriym Believers were actually wicked impostors and should be destroyed. Many Muslims believe this.
‘Muhammad began receiving “divine revelations” and his wife’s Catholic cousin Waraquah helped interpret them. From this came the Koran. In the fifth year of Muhammad’s mission, persecution came against his followers because they refused to worship the idols in the Kaaba.
‘Muhammad instructed some of them to flee to Abysinnia where Negus, the Roman Catholic king accepted them because Muhammad’s views on the virgin Mary were so close to Roman Catholic doctrine. These Muslims received protection from Catholic kings because of Muhammad’s revelations.
‘Muhammad later conquered Mecca and the Kaaba was cleared of idols. History proves that before Islam came into existence, the Sabeans in Arabia worshiped the moon-god who was married to the sun-god. They gave birth to three goddesses who were worshipped throughout the Arab world as “Daughters of Allah” An idol excavated at Hazor in Palestine in 1950’s shows Allah sitting on a throne with the crescent moon on his chest.
‘Muhammad claimed he had a vision from Allah and was told, “You are the messenger of Allah.” This began his career as a prophet and he received many messages. By the time Muhammad died, the religion of Islam was exploding. The nomadic Arab tribes were joining forces in the name of Allah and his prophet, Muhammad.
‘Some of Muhammad’s writings were placed in the Koran, others were never published. They are now in the hands of high ranking holy men (Ayatollahs) in the Islamic faith.’
“When Cardinal Bea shared with us in the Vatican, he said, these writings are guarded because they contain information that links the Vatican to the creation of Islam. Both sides have so much information on each other, that if exposed, it could create such a scandal that it would be a disaster for both religions.
“In their “holy” book, the Koran, Messiah is regarded as only a prophet. If the pope was His representative on earth, then he also must be a prophet of God. This caused the followers of Muhammad to fear and respect the pope as another “holy man.”
“The pope moved quickly and issued bulls granting the Arab generals permission to invade and conquer the nations of North Africa. The Vatican helped to finance the building of these massive Islamic armies in exchange for three favors:
1. Eliminate the Jews and Netseriym Believers (true believers, which they called infidels).
2. Protect the Augustinian Monks and Roman Catholics.
3. Conquer Jerusalem for “His Holiness” in the Vatican.
“As time went by, the power of Islam became tremendous – Jews and true Netseriym Believesr were slaughtered, and Jerusalem fell into their hands. Roman Catholics were never attacked, nor were their shrines, during this time. But when the pope asked for Jerusalem, he was surprised at their denial! The Arab generals had such military success that they could not be intimidated by the pope – nothing could stand in the way of their own plan.
“Under Waraquah’s direction, Muhammad wrote that Abraham offered Ishmael as a sacrifice. The Scriptures says that Isaac was the sacrifice, but Muhammad removed Isaac’s name and inserted Ishmael’s name. As a result of this and Muhammad’s vision, the faithful Muslims built a mosque, the Dome of the Rock, in Ishmael’s honor on the site of the Jewish temple that was destroyed in 70 AD. This made Jerusalem the 2nd most holy place in the Islam faith. How could they give such a sacred shrine to the pope without causing a revolt?
“The pope realized what they had created was out of control when he heard they were calling “His Holiness” an infidel. The Muslim generals were determined to conquer the world for Allah and now they turned toward Europe. Islamic ambassadors approached the pope and asked for papal bulls to give them permission to invade European countries.
“The Vatican was outraged; war was inevitable. Temporal power and control of the world was considered the basic right of the pope. He wouldn’t think of sharing it with those whom he considered heathens.
“The pope raised up his armies and called them crusades to hold back the children of Ishmael from grabbing Catholic Europe. The crusades lasted centuries and Jerusalem slipped out of the pope’s hands.
“Turkey fell and Spain and Portugal were invaded by Islamic forces. In Portugal, they called a mountain village “Fatima” in honor of Muhammad’s daughter, never dreaming it would become world famous.
“Years later when the Muslim armies were poised on the islands of Sardinia and Corsica, to invade Italy, there was a serious problem. The Islamic generals realized they were too far extended. It was time for peace talks. One of the negotiators was Francis of Assisi.
“As a result, the Muslims were allowed to occupy Turkey in a “Christian” world, and the Catholics were allowed to occupy Lebanon in the Arab world. It was also agreed that the Muslims could build mosques in Catholic countries without interference as long as Roman Catholicism could flourish Arab countries.
“Cardinal Bea told us in Vatican briefings that both the Muslims and Roman Catholics agreed to block and destroy the efforts of their common enemy, Scripture-believing Netseriym Believers missionaries. Through these concordats, Satan blocked the children of Ishmael from a knowledge of Scripture and the truth.
“A light control was kept on Muslims from the Ayatollah down through the Islamic priests, nuns and monks. The Vatican also engineers a campaign of hatred between the Muslim Arabs and the Jews. Before this, they had co-existed peacefully.
“The Islamic community looks on the Scripture-believing missionary as a devil who brings poison to the children of Allah. This explains years of ministry in those countries with little results.
“The next plan was to control Islam. In 1910, Portugal was going Socialistic. Red flags were appearing and the Catholic Church was facing a major problem. Increasing numbers were against the church.
“The Jesuits wanted Russia involved, and the location of this vision at Fatima could play a key part in pulling Islam to the Mother Church.
“In 1917, the Virgin appeared in Fatima. “The Mother of God” was a smashing success, playing to overflow crowds. As a result, the Socialists of Portugal suffered a major defeat.
“Roman Catholics world-wide began praying for the conversion of Russia and the Jesuits invented the Novenas to Fatima which they could perform throughout North Africa, spreading good public relations to the Muslim world. The Arabs thought they were honoring the daughter of Muhammad, which is what the Jesuits wanted them to believe.
“As a result of the vision of Fatima, Pope Pius XII ordered his Nazi army to crush Russia and the Orthodox religion and make Russia Roman Catholic.” A few years after he lost World war II, Pope Pius XII startled the world with his phony dancing sun vision to keep Fatima in the news. It was great religious show biz and the world swallowed it.
“Not surprisingly, Pope Pius was the only one to see this vision. As a result, a group of followers has grown into a Blue Army world-wide, totaling millions of faithful Roman Catholics ready to die for the blessed virgin.
The Widow Of Former Jesuit Priest, Fr. Alberto Rivera, Said The Vatican And Jesuit Order Killed Her Husband, Then Wanted To Dig Up His Bones, Taking Them Back To the Vatican.
Nury Rivera tells Americans how her husband was persecuted and killed for trying to tell Vatican secrets about how they infiltrate churches and the U.S. government. She also tells how she has been harassed, attacked and her life threatened by agents of the Vatican and Jesuit Order.
20 Feb 2007 By Greg Szymanski
Nury Rivera came forward with conviction and courage Monday on international radio, saying her husband was assassinated by the evil Jesuit Order.
“They poisoned him and I am 100 per cent sure of that,” said the widow of the late high level Jesuit priest, Fr. Alberto Rivera, killed in the early 1990’s after defecting from Vatican treachery and trying to tell the truth about the real intentions and satanic practices of the Jesuit Order.
Fr. Rivera became a Jesuit priest, worked in the Vatican and eventually assigned the deceptive job of infiltrating U.S Christian churches with the intent to destroy Protestant pastors while controlling doctrine favorable to Rome.
“After my husband left the Church, found Jesus and decided to tell the world about Vatican deception, the Jesuits did everything to keep him quiet and discredit him,” said Ms. Rivera, who has been harassed, her life threatened and her house broken into on many occasions by Vatican agents in order to steal her husband’s documents and artifacts.
“Why would they do this if what Alberto preached and what I and saying, is not the truth,” added Rivera. “After Alberto was killed, they even came to me saying if I told them where he was buried that I would be taken care of for life. I, of course, refused because they wanted to take his body back to the Vatican because these men worship death, not life and the beauty of God.”
According to other researchers who have documented satanic rituals and worshipping taking place in the bowels and secret catacombs of the Vatican, Rivera’s bones were to be placed among the bones of many others throughout history who have tried to alert the world about Vatican and Jesuit secrets.
“I think people can see the truth once they see how they have tried to cover-up Alberto’s life and death,” added Rivera. “The Vatican hierarchy worships evil and the devil. They are in the midst of taking over America, infiltrating the governments and religions of the world in order to make everyone loyal to the Pope’s rule.
“Alberto tried to tell the world about their plans for America and how they were putting people in power who were loyal to the New World Order and the Pope and not to their own countries. Their evil knows no boundaries and when Alberto tried to alert people, they had him killed.
“I have always been open and honest about what happened to Alberto and the message he was trying to get out. I love America and it is difficult to see what is happening here.”
During the radio interview on Greg Szymanski’s radio show, The Investigative Journal on the Republic Broadcasting Network at www.rbnlive.com, Rivera said she learned the Vatican intends to turn this country into a fascist state with the help of the Bush family and other traitors who have loyalty to the Pope, not the people in their countries. She added that the illegal immigration of millions of Mexicans and South American’s crossing the U.S. border is being assisted with Vatican money and support, knowing this provides a population easily manipulated by the false teachings of the Vatican hierarchy.
Further, the Vatican intends to use these millions of third world countries as a voting base to blindly follow the Pope and elect politicians “in bed with the New World Order.”
Like the murder of Abraham Lincoln and JFK, Vatican involvement with Fr. Rivera’s murder has been kept out of the mainstream news, indicating a total takeover of the media has been accomplished.
“It is only people in the alternative like you, Greg, who have the courage to fight these people because it is necessary to get out the truth,” said Rivera. “The truth is the only thing that sets you free and Americans need o identify the real enemy trying to steal their minds, bodies and souls.”
And as Rivera said, the Fr. Rivera story has been a well kept secret from mainstream America since it directly indicts the real evil-doers – The Vatican and Jesuit Order.
Although his story has been hidden, a recent article in the Arctic Beacon is printed below to give you a better idea of the Fr. Alberto Rivera story and the true evil hiding behind the cloak of the Catholic Church.
Confession No. 4: Did Jesuit Fr. Staempfle Write Mein Kampf For Hitler? Is George W. Bush The New Jesuit-Backed Roman Catholic Star?
According to the late Jesuit priest, Fr. Alberto Rivera, whose job was to infiltrate and destroy Protestant ministries, he was privy to sensitive Vatican briefings and documents, revealing the Jesuit role in backing Hitler. Further, he was told by Cardinal Augustine Bea that Nazi gold was deposited in Vatican accounts in Swiss banks.
By Greg Szymanski
According to the late Jesuit priest, Fr. Alberto Rivera, a fellow Jesuit named Fr. Staempfle wrote Mein Kampf, as the stage was being set for Germany’s new Roman Catholic star, Adolf Hitler.
The main question today is what priest is writing the script for the Jesuit-backed Roman Catholic star, President George W. Bush?
Following the old adage “all things change but everything remains the same,” a look back into Hitler’s rise to power may provide important clues as to whether the Jesuits are also backing Bush.
To begin this Sunday’s fourth Confession on the banks of the truth-filled body of water called Brushy Creek, it must be said that Fr. Rivera was a rare species, being a former Jesuit priest who decided to speak the truth about the “military order’ disguised as a group of God-loving disciples of Jesus.
Most other disillusioned Jesuits like Rivera have remained silent since they know double-crossing the Society of Jesus high command means sure death, especially if you’re someone who knew too much like Fr. Rivera.
What made Rivera dangerous to the Jesuits and probably led to his death, was Rivera’s sensitive and trusted position within the Order to infiltrate Protestant ministries and destroy them. Due to his sensitive work, he was given special Vatican clearance to the secret underground library catacombs where, according to Rivera, the true history of the world remains buried for the chosen few, who have sworn by blood oath, never to reveal the dark and sinister contents.
And after reading how the Catholic Church manipulated history in its drive to rule the world, one very fortunate day for mankind he decided to alert the world and place his faith in Christ alone while leaving behind the Jesuits and the Catholic Church.
Being released from his vows, Rivera then married, started his own ministry and tried until he died under suspicious circumstances in 1997, to spread the word of truth. For his actions, he instantly became a hated and hunted man by the Church, as he shockingly admitted “No Jesuit can leave the Order alive, if he knows the real truth and talks about it.”
And it appears his words rang true with his untimely 1997 death. But before Rivera died, he passed his message on in a very, very unique way – through a series of four colorful comic books – geared at reaching the masses by highlighting his important message in a nontraditional manner.
In his collection of full-color comic books carried by Chick Publications, entitled Alberto, Double-Cross, TheGodfathers and The Force, Rivera tells his story, revealing how the Catholic Church helped start World Wars I and II, as well as revealing the Church’s place in Bible prophecy. His story also details how the Church was involved in the startup of Islam, later turning against the Pope in rebellion, as well as detailing how America’s present phony war on terror is basically “the Vatican’s Revenge.”
When Rivera first went public, Rome became extremely angered and called upon her ecumenical contacts to go on the attack, attacking him like they always do by attacking the messenger. The Vatican, not wanting to publicly discuss the serious charges leveled against the Jesuits and the hierarchy of the Church, decided to discredit him personally, hoping people would then discount his message.
The most notable of these personal attacks was an open letter published in Christianity Today, copied and distributed around the world many times since the 1980s. However, after reading this attack, James Houston, who had read enough of history to believe Rivera’s charges, came forward in defense of Rivera with a detailed report.
Since the Christianity Today letter is still being distributed today, at the bottom of this Sunday confession are the links to the attack on Rivera and Houston’s lengthy response.
Germany and Hitler
Rivera learned many hidden truths about the Jesuits and the Vatican, but none were more important than the story behind Hitler’s rise to power.
Sounding strangely similar to what is happening to America, in 1923 Germany was in a downward spiral. The monetary system was teetering on the brink of disaster and the German people were sick and tired of war, similar to the majority of Americans today calling for the end of the Middle East conflict.
“The German people blamed the Kaiser for the whole thing and had him and his government thrown out of office,” writes Rivera in the comic he entitled The Godfathers.
“The communists were fighting to take over and the new government was very weak. Some men wanted the German people to run their government like they did in France and were attempting to make Germany a Republic. The Pope was outraged and with that the Republic was doomed to failure.
“Two things the Vatican despises are Protestantism and Democracy. The Jesuits were then called upon to stop this new Weimer Republic. Two men then destroyed it: One was Franz Von Papan and the other was Pacelli, who later become Pope Pius XII.”
Rivera then claims how he read in the secret Vatican how the stage was then set for Germany’s new Roman Catholic star, Adolf Hitler, as a Jesuit priest by the name of Fr. Staempfle actually wrote Mein Kampf, the book being the master plan of the Jesuits for Hitler’s takeover of Germany.
“Another great inquisition was about to begin,” said Rivera. “Instead of wearing Dominican robes, they were wearing Nazi uniforms. Hitler’s Brown Shirts, called Nazis, backed by the Vatican used the same tactic as Mussolini, beating and bullying all opposition into submission, including Roman Catholics. Bloody street battles between Roman Catholics who were Nazis and Roman Catholics who were communists took place. The prize being Germany.”
The symbol for this new inquisition was the Swastika, which of course was a Masonic symbol. According to Rivera’s research, Hitler was the Vatican’s choice, just like Lech Walesa in Poland and the new American neo-con regime.
With this powerful backing, Hitler was destined to triumph as his close associates all had one thing in common: They were all Roman Catholics and loyal to the Vatican and according to Rivera, “all had Jewish blood in their veins, including Pacelli, the man who later became Pope Pius XII. When it became known that Pope Pius XI supported Hitler, the Roman Catholic vote swept Hitler into power in 1933.”
The world now faced a terrible machine called the Third Reich, in which the Vatican became the master. History then forces the same question today: Is the Vatican now the master of the strange, fascist regime now controlling the White House, called the neo-cons?
Although Rivera is no longer with us to provide an answer, a statement by the publisher of his books revealed one of his startling predictions as well as laying groundwork for the present-day conflict in the Middle East, leading to World War III.
In 1985, ex-Jesuit Alberto Rivera predicted that the Vatican would eventually apologize for its part in the German Holocaust, the inquisition, and the slaughter of Jews and Muslims during the Crusades. His prediction was based on secret briefings that he attended while a Jesuit in training.*
This prediction came true as Pope John Paul II publicly asked forgiveness for the sins of Roman Catholics through the ages. The pope and several other Vatican leaders conducted a “Day of Pardon Mass” at St. Peter’s Basilica.
To the Jews he said, “We are deeply saddened by the behavior of those who in the course of history have caused these children of yours to suffer, and asking your forgiveness we wish to commit ourselves to genuine brotherhood.”
In reference to the Inquisition, Cardinal Ratzinger (The New Pope) confessed, “Even men of the church, in the name of faith and morals, have sometimes used methods not in keeping with the Gospel.” The pope responded, “Have mercy on your sinful children.”
Some Jewish leaders were unimpressed. Israel’s chief rabbi, Meir Lau, said he was “deeply frustrated” by the pope’s failure to mention the Holocaust by name.
Leaders from several Jewish organizations have been pressing the Vatican to open its World War II archives to investigators. They claim that, at best, Vatican leaders and Pope Pius XII, remained silent during Hitler’s genocide against the Jews and others.
Of course, few are willing to present the whole truth, that Roman Catholic leaders, including the pope, were instrumental in Hitler’s rise to power and that Hitler was simply carrying out persecution against the Jews which the Vatican had fostered for centuries.**
Another reason for opening the archives is to determine what happened to hundreds of millions of dollars worth of gold stolen by the Nazis from Jews and other conquered nations. Much of it has been traced to Swiss banks who have made a token refund to Holocaust survivors.
But Dr. Rivera was told by the head of the Jesuit order, Cardinal Augustin Bea, that a special train flying Vatican flags was allowed through the Allied military lines. The Americans were told it was a “mercy train” carrying medical supplies. In reality it carried Nazi gold which was deposited in Vatican accounts in Swiss banks.*** In July, 1997, a documentary film crew discovered a US government document stating that the pro-Nazi Croatian Ustachis sent gold coins worth 250 million Swiss francs to the Vatican which was later used to finance the “rat line” of fleeing Nazi leaders to sanctuary in Spain and Argentina.
The Vatican denies this but still refuses to open its archives. In January of this year, Ukranian and Jewish concentration camp survivors filed a class action lawsuit in San Francisco, California against the Vatican Bank. The complaint calls for the Vatican Bank, the Fransciscan Order and other European banks to give an accounting of the Nazi Ustashi Gold and for restitution for the victims and their families.
The Roman Catholic Institution has steadfastly denied that Dr. Rivera ever was a priest, much less privy to secret Vatican briefings. However, it seems unlikely that it was just a lucky guess when he made these statements 15 years ago.
Are Vatican accusations, claiming Rivera is a phony, true?
The Canadian Protestant League, not connected with Rivera or his publisher, conducted an investigation. They printed their findings in 1983, 14 years before Rivera’s suspicious death. Here is a portion of their report, finding Rivera is exactly what he says he is: a former Jesuit priest who was converted to Christ and the vicious character assassination attempts made against him only go to prove the veracity of his statements about Rome.
“Booklets produced in comic form by Chick Publications in cooperation with Dr. Alberto M. R. Rivera (viz.: ALBERTO, DOUBLE-CROSS, THE GODFATHERS, SABOTAGE, THE BIG BETRAYAL, and more recently, THE FORCE) have excited angry responses from the Roman Catholic hierarchy across this continent. The said publications have been called hate propaganda, and demands have been made that they be banned. These are familiar demands, used for generations against those who have dared to expose and oppose the false claims, doctrines and practices of Roman Catholicism.
“The books have been described by papal representatives (as well as by those duped by Jesuit propaganda) as ‘absurd, bigoted, a comedy of errors, condemning out of hatred, dangerous to the cause of Christ, disgusting, distortion of truth, evil spirit inspired, false, filthy, hatred, hogwash, lewd, lies, malicious, playing fast and loose with truth, Satan possessed, shameful, spiritual pornography, trash, stupidity, ugly,’ as well as ‘working for the Devil and not Jesus, immoral and indecent!’
“Christian bookstores have been coaxed, awed and threatened into discontinuing sales of the Crusaders series, and every other piece of material published by Chick – even its Gospel tracts.
“At the head office of the Canadian Protestant League, we have attracted a little more than our share of attention, innuendo and threat by legal and other means. (We only started to handle the material when we became aware of the aggressive campaign to remove it from the scene.) Two of the books were banned from entry into Canada on instructions by a Director of Canada Customs and Excise on the grounds of ‘immorality and indecency.’ We challenged that outrageous action in Court and the order was rescinded.
“Efforts have been made in other areas to deny the use of the Post Offices to those who continued to send the material through the mails. We were warned that a report to the R.C.M.P. was being made against us.
“We are threatened by the appointment of a study committee, responsible to the Attorney-General of Ontario, at the urging of the office of the R.C. Archbishop of Toronto, to determine whether ALBERTO and DOUBLE-CROSS should be designated as ‘Hate Literature,’ and appropriate charges laid. We have been visited by two inspectors of Metropolitan Toronto Police, enquiring about our involvement, and speaking of the possibility of action against us.
“We made no effort to hide any of our activity, but admitted freely that we were selling the items they were asking about. We repeated to them what we had told others: we would welcome a charge being laid against us under the Hate Propaganda Section of Canada’s criminal code.
“We believe that when any pressure group can successfully intimidate all Christian booksellers across Canada into refraining to sell certain literature because it is OFFENSIVE to some, then surely someone ought to be ready to focus attention on such a threat to faith and freedom in this land of ours.
“We are prepared to take that action.
“We have been reminded of the possibility of a $6,000.00 fine or a two year prison sentence. We have insisted, if and when this should take place, that no one will pay the fine! Perhaps this will arouse apathetic Canadians – and apathetic Christians.
“One would expect Roman Catholics (feeling their own institutions were assailed) to rally every effort to offset the most effective, fruitful harvest the said literature is able to report, but the more tragic form of attack from those who glory in the label of ‘evangelical Christians’ makes sad reading indeed!
“Christian Reader, Cornerstone and Our Sunday Visitor, published an article authored by Gary Metz entitled, ‘The Uncomical Alberto Rivera,’ a prominent article in Christianity Today.
“More recently, an effort by Brian Onken in Forward, the official organ of Christian Research Institute, appeared under the title, ‘Alberto: The Truth About His Story.’ In this ‘study,’ Dr. Rivera, the converted Jesuit priest, is represented as being a dishonest fraud. Areas are named in the United States wherein Alberto was allegedly being sought for questioning.
“The articles demand a response from those who are jealous in contending for the faith and to conserve our freedom. Concerned Christians wish to hear answers to several questions:
“Is Jack Chick a totally irresponsible publisher?
“Is Alberto Rivera the lying sensationalist he is caricatured as being?
“Is Alberto truly God’s instrument for our day to bring about the longed-for reawakening among duped Roman Catholics, so that they can be truly won to Jesus Christ as Lord, Saviour, Mediator and Advocate; to the Bible as the Word of God, authoritative, free from error, inspired, and reliable to judge all other authorities; and directing people to come out of an organization that is anti-Christian?
“Why the terrible abuse and attack upon these two brethren?
“Why has someone not followed up on some of the charges made? Can we not analyze the charges? Can we not forensically analyze the charges made?
“Will the men and magazines, hailed by many as authoritative in the field of evangelism, allow us to examine their charges? We want to know if they have a case at all!
“If their charges can be logically and evidentially supported, so that we must see Dr. Rivera as guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, then we must re-examine our own position and alter our stance of supporting Chick and Rivera.
“Now – what is contained in the expose, coming to us in these articles? Alas, they are being accepted by those who have never taken the trouble to thoughtfully and thoroughly investigate the charges against the brethren.
“Are these criticisms dependent upon hearsay evidence, rumour, reported information, charges of fraud, usually reliable sources, deception, controversy, disturbance, questioned reliability, untruths, continual lying, defiance, contradictory testimony and ingenuity in attempts to validate his own story? This is the sort of language of those who sit in judgment upon Dr. Rivera.
“Can it be that the wish is the parent of the thought? Do these accusers want the stories to be true? These are the questions calling for definitely stated answers; and that is what we are seeking.
Examine The Charges!
“These magazines – upon which so many people rely – make statements concerning Dr. Rivera with no presentation of supportive evidence. This is so obvious, it is difficult to assess the writings accusing the man.
“Now, imagine we are sitting in a Court of Law and serious charges are laid against Alberto Rivera. The Prosecution does its utmost presenting its charges and its testimony supporting those charges.
“The Defence Attorney, if he considers that evidence weak, will move that no case has been established, and ask the Magistrate to dismiss the charges. Should the Judge agree, the Accused is released. He is assumed to be innocent!
“We want to observe the charges, and consider how well those making the charges substantiate them. Should they not be properly supported in the presentations, then we ask that they be dismissed, and that apologies be made to the brethren charged. The Bible tells us as Christians:
‘Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely. Prove all things, hold fast that which is good. Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.’
“Did the critics read Alberto’s outline of the Basic Steps followed by the Roman Hierarchy to discredit and destroy any who left their ranks? Did they endeavour to expose Romanism’s errors and evil practices? Did they insist that Jesuitism is not, by any means Christian?
“In his defence against what he describes as slanders levelled by friend and foe alike, Rivera calls attention to…unchristian and anti-biblical charges and accusations by the head of the Christian Research Center (which carefully avoids research into the crimes and massacres of the Roman Catholic institution) through the instrumentality of articles appearing in…Cornerstone and Christianity Today …
“An honest, decent person, even a non-Christian, will recognize the validity and credibility of Dr. Rivera as a Roman Catholic priest! Why have these critics consistently attacked Alberto Rivera instead of the doctrines he espouses and proclaims?
“Mr. Metz says: Alberto says he worked with notable Jesuit spies such as Kathryn Kuhlman and Jim Jones; yet nowhere and at no time has Rivera said he had worked with either one!
“The critics tell us that the story of Alberto was banned by the Christian Reformed Church, Zondervan Publishers and The Southern Baptist Sunday School Board; yet failed to admit that many of the congregations associated with these three bodies continue to sell the Crusaders Comics in question.
“The critics failed to ask the Roman Catholic hierarchy why they were upset because the articles were true, for because of them thousands of former Roman Catholics had found Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, and were coming out of Rome’s religion.
“Why else should a priest on an Indian Reservation in New Brunswick order a faith missionary to stay off the Reserve, if it were not that many young native adults were reading of Alberto through the comics and were coming to Christ? This has been true in Western Canada and in some places in Ontario.
“Why did not the critics ask the representatives of the Roman Church why these demands they currently make to ban from entry, etc., unless it is for fear of an acceleration of many of their people in this exodus from Rome?
“Why, specifically, are the mentioned publishers trying to abolish the ALBERTO series from all of their outlets? Have they been asked? Have they been asked whether the local Roman Church representatives have not appealed for this because they are offensive to them? (This was the reason given by the office of the Toronto R.C. Archbishop.) We are told by the critics: Our investigation reveals (Rivera’s) police record, his investment schemes, his bad cheque-writing, his contradictory testimony, his fabricated education record, and his reported family abuse. Yet the author of these words must have forgotten something! He neglected to quote from any court records (indeed does not mention any single Court record location, any dates, any case numbers, and charges filed, whether or not an arrest was made, and the final outcome of the levelled charges allegedly made).
“Reported abuse, newspaper clippings, magazine articles, several article writers (each quoting the others), never must be understood to be valid, factual evidence credible of anything at all! Critical mention is made of a college in Spain for which Rivera (as a Jesuit priest) was authorized to collect funds, when he was not properly authorized to do so.
“The articles claim that Rivera was never a priest. No mention is made of the name of the college, or the source of the information to support the conclusions. It was officially agreed from Roman Catholic sources that Dr. Rivera had indeed been appointed to act in the collection of funds for one month, and surely he would have not been so used without his priestly credentials being checked!
‘We are told that a minister of The Church of God of Prophecy, had experienced embarrassment when Rivera allegedly had written a cheque on an already closed account.
“Yet no mention is made of the location of the minister, of the banks concerned, of the locality of the airline desk complaining, whether the writers had ever seen a copy of the cheque, whether the closed account had previously existed, or to which office of which Department the said minister had written a complaint. (True, the accusers give us the name of the minister, but nothing else.)
“Charges are made of a history of legal entanglements, court actions, accusations of fraud, warrants issued for arrest, writing of bad cheques; yet no specifies regarding complaints, vital details, police records, places, hearings. No results are reported at all.
“Indeed, enquiries have been made by the Canadian Protestant League of every one of the police jurisdictions mentioned by the accusers, and consistently the response has been, we have never heard of this man!
“We hear of alleged inconsistencies, contradictions, impossibly conflicting dates; yet we have never been given the sources of such information – letters, tapes, photo-copies, individuals, interviews, etc. – not even a newspaper clipping!
“We are told: Alberto’s claim to have been a Jesuit priest and bishop is denied by Roman Catholic spokesmen. They state the documents he exhibits as proof of this priesthood are little more than form letters giving permission to travel abroad.
“What else would one expect? Surely we would not expect Roman Catholic officialdom to admit that Alberto Rivera is telling the truth about them or their Jesuitical practices! How naive are we expected to be?”
(Note From Mark Brander, Greg Syzmanski has not been heard from since August of 2013 when he was in the process of returning to the airwaves with a new radio show.)
Greg Szymanski Greg also has his own daily show on the Republic Broadcast Network. Go to www.rbnlive.com Greg Szymanski is an independent investigative journalist and his articles can been seen on numerous web sites and outlets around the world. For more informative articles, go to http://www.arcticbeacon.com
When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, you shall surely die; if you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at your hand.
Nevertheless, if you warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.
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Extensive new research from The Barna Group shows that nearly half of young adults worldwide who have a connection to Christianity feel that the Church can’t answer their questions.
Barna, a California-based evangelical research firm, partnered with the leading international evangelical humanitarian organization World Vision to compile “The Connected Generation” study.
Published in a research report, the study is based on a survey of 15,369 young adults between the ages of 18 and 35 across 25 different countries and nine languages.
The study analyzes the values that millennials and Generation Z adults are bringing with them into adulthood and what their relationship to faith is like. The research aims to equip pastors and church leaders to better understand the young adults of today.
Although young adults seem to be in tune to issues of poverty and conflict around the globe, the study indicates that a large portion of young adults today are experiencing weaker levels of connectivity with the society around them.
Additionally, the survey suggests that churches are struggling to not only adequately respond to the questions of many young adults today but are also struggling to raise up the next generation of church leaders.
“This generation is often more alike to other people in their generation than they are older adults in their own countries,” Barna President David Kinneman said during a webcast rollout of the survey.
“They are truly a connected generation. They are connected through screens. They are connected through technology. They feel as though events around the world are affecting them. Think of this contrast: We have never lived in a more connected age but they are also disconnected in many ways with the people around them.”
Seventy-seven percent of young adults surveyed for the study said events around the world matter to them. Additionally, more than half of respondents sense a connection to people worldwide.
However, only one-third (33 percent) say they feel deeply cared for by those around them.
“Only a third say they often feel someone believes in me,” Kinnaman said. “This tells me that two out of three young people around the world would not feel these kinds of relational connection.”
Nearly one-quarter (23 percent) of respondents say they encounter feelings of loneliness and isolation.
The U.S. and Australia are the two countries with the highest percentage of loneliness and isolation reported with 34 percent of young adult respondents from those two westernized nations reporting frequent loneliness and isolation.
By contrast, the countries with the lowest percentages of loneliness and isolation among young adults reported are Indonesia (11 percent) and Kenya (12 percent).
The survey shows that nearly two out of five (38 percent) of young adults globally are dealing with “weak levels of connectivity” to the world around them (measured by eight different factors of connectivity). Meanwhile, only about a quarter (23 percent) of young adults have “strong” levels of connectivity to the world around them.
While 32 percent of practicing Christians were said to have “strong” connectivity, the data indicates that respondents of no religious faith are much more likely than practicing Christians (44 percent to 26 percent) to have “weak” levels of connectivity to the world around them.
Fifty-one percent of respondents said they participate in private prayer at least monthly. However, 58 percent of respondents between the ages of 18 and 29, who grew up with some type of Christian background, either no longer identify as Christian or do not regularly attend church even if they still identify as Christian.
Nearly half of young adults who said they left the Christian church reported being active in their church during their teen years.
Forty-seven percent of respondents with some connection to Christianity say they feel the Church “cannot answer their questions” or spiritual doubts.
According to the study, one in three young adults (32 percent) said “hypocrisy of religious people” causes them to doubt things of a spiritual dimension. Almost half of the young adults who have left Christianity see the religion as “hypocritical.”
Meanwhile, 31 percent of respondents said “science” also challenges their willingness to believe.
One-quarter (28 percent) of respondents said human suffering and conflicts around the world cause them to have doubts.
“It’s always the question of why God allows suffering; this is the biggest objection to Christianity. And there is no easy answer to it,” Nicky Gumbel, vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton Church in London and pioneer of the Alpha Course, wrote in an essay published with the research report.
Forty percent of young adults surveyed said they feel anxious about important decisions, uncertain about the future or afraid to fail.
Only 22 percent of respondents who reported having levels of anxiety said they attend church weekly. According to the survey, more anxious respondents were twice as likely to say they used to attend a place of worship.
“Respondents with heightened worries experience heightened doubts,” the report reads. “[T]hey are more likely than others to note that issues like hypocrisy, human suffering, global conflict or unanswered prayer are barriers to their belief in a spiritual dimension.”
The survey found that only 13 percent of respondents globally who grew up with a Christian background can be labeled “resilient disciples” today.
A “resilient disciple” is someone who attends church regularly, engages with the faith community beyond just attending worship services, trusts firmly in the authority of the Bible, is committed to Jesus personally, and expresses a desire for their faith to impact their actions.
Thirty-eight percent of respondents who grew up with a Christian background were defined by Barna as “habitual churchgoers” who do not fit the definition of “resilient disciple.”
Among respondents with a Christian background who live in countries with a “secular climate,” the survey found that only 5 percent can be defined as “resilient disciples.”
One-fifth of respondents were raised outside of a religious tradition and 29 percent of respondents identify as atheist, agnostic or simply irreligious today.
About 13 percent of 18- to 35-year-olds surveyed fall into the category of “former Christians” and tend to live in countries with a post-Christian or secular climate.
Eighty-nine percent of church dropouts say they want to distance themselves from the “politics of the Church,” and about six in 10 said the Church does not make a difference when it comes to issues of justice and poverty.
“The internet has changed the world because knowledge is available to everybody. You can’t not be exposed to the suffering of the world,” Gumbel wrote.
“Ultimately, the only answer to it is in Jesus, who suffered for us and suffers with us. So that is the answer, but it’s much harder to get to. We’ve got to answer their questions, but more importantly, they want to know what we’re doing about [these issues]. If the Church is doing nothing and is not engaged in social action against homelessness, poverty, racial injustice, climate change or any of these issues, young people are not going to be very interested.”
Eighty percent of young people who left Christianity said they believe that present-day Christianity is “anti-homosexual,” while 81 percent say present-day Christianity is judgmental.
Seventy-four percent of those who are no longer Christian said present-day Christianity is “out of touch with reality.” Only 60 percent of respondents who are no longer Christian said present-day Christianity “consistently shows love for people.”
More than half (57 percent) of respondents to the survey, however, said they feel as though religion is good for people and society.
When it comes to training young leaders in the church, the report indicates that one of the challenges that many churches are facing is that they “lack effective pipelines, processes and models to form young leaders.”
“Based on U.S. data collected over three decades, we know that institutions in general and churches, in particular, are performing below ‘replacement levels’ when it comes to identifying and preparing new leaders,” Kinnaman wrote.
Only 9 percent of young adults surveyed said they serve as a leader in their community of faith.
Twenty-one percent of all churchgoers surveyed said they had access to “leadership training for ministry” through their church. And, 26 percent of churchgoers surveyed said they have “been inspired to be a leader based on the example of someone at my church.”
“Pastors in America a growing older and there is a generation gap,” Kinnaman said.
The study identifies Bible engagement as one of eight signposts that consistently show up in the lives of growing Christians.
“This research asked churchgoers about many biblical characteristics to see which actions, beliefs and desires are present in the lives of followers of Christ,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research. “Among them, Bible reading was one of the most predictive of spiritual maturity.”
A third of Americans who attend a Protestant church regularly (32%) say they read the Bible personally every day. Around a quarter (27%) say they read it a few times a week.
Fewer say they only read it once a week (12%), a few times a month (11%) or once a month (5%). Close to 1 in 8 (12%) admit they rarely or never read the Bible.
A 2016 LifeWay Research study found 1 in 5 Americans said they had read all of the Bible at least once. However, more than half said they have read little or none of it.
In the latest study, churchgoers aged 50 to 64 are more likely to say they read the Bible every day (35%) than adults under 50 (30%).
Churchgoers in the western U.S. (37%) are more likely to be everyday Bible readers than those in the Midwest (31%) or South (31%).
Hispanics are the ethnic group most likely to say they read Scripture every day (40%).
Those who attend church four times a month or more (34%) are more likely to read every day than those who attend less frequently (27%).
Evangelical Protestants (36%) and black Protestants (30%) are also more likely than mainline Protestants (20%) to say they read Scripture every day.
“Jesus’ prayer for His followers was that they would be sanctified by the truth of God’s Word,” said McConnell. “It’s not surprising that the lives of those who spend time reading the Bible look more like Christ.”
Impact of Regular Bible Reading
In a 2016 study of churchgoing Protestant parents, LifeWay Research found regular Bible reading as a child was the biggest factor in predicting the spiritual health of young adults.
The latest survey finds Bible reading as an adult has similar far-reaching effects.
LifeWay Research asked churchgoers if they think about biblical truths throughout the day and if they miss time with God if they go several days without reading the Bible. Responses to those questions are closely tied to how regularly churchgoers read the Bible.
When asked if they find themselves thinking about biblical truths throughout the day, 32% of Protestant churchgoers strongly agree. In total, almost 7 in 10 at least somewhat agree (69%).
Twelve percent disagree, and 20% aren’t sure.
Women (33%) are more likely than men (29%) to strongly agree.
Churchgoers 65 and older (27%) are the age demographic least likely to strongly agree, while Hispanics (52%) are the ethnic group most likely to strongly agree.
Evangelical Protestants (35%) and black Protestants (33%) are more likely than mainline Protestants (18%) to strongly agree.
Among those Protestant churchgoers who say they read the Bible every day, 51% say they find themselves thinking about biblical truths during the day.
For those who read the Bible a few times a week, 32% say the same. That falls to 20% of those who read Scripture once a week to a few times a month and 9% of those who read it once a month or less.
“This is a case in which the action of reading the Bible influences one’s thoughts,” McConnell said. “This mindfulness on God’s truths has additional benefits of influencing other actions and speech.”
A third of Protestant churchgoers (33%) strongly agree they desperately miss the time with God if they go several days without reading the Bible. Almost 3 in 5 at least somewhat agree (58%).
Around 1 in 5 disagree (20%) and 22% neither agree nor disagree.
Women (36%) are more likely to strongly agree than men (30%). Hispanic churchgoers (44%) are more likely to strongly agree than African American (36%) and white churchgoers (31%).
Those 65 and older are the least likely age group to strongly agree they miss the time with God when they go several days without reading the Bible (27%).
Evangelical Protestants (38%) and black Protestants (33%) are more likely to strongly agree than mainline Protestants (19%).
The more regular the Bible reading habit, the more likely churchgoers are to say they miss that time with God.
Among Protestant churchgoers who read the Bible every day, 65% strongly agree. That number is cut in half among those who read Scripture a few times a week (32%). It continues to decline among those who read it once a week or a few times a month (13%) and among those who read it once a month or less (6%).
“One indication that reading God’s Word is beneficial is how much readers miss it after not reading for a few days,” said McConnell. “This fits with the Bible’s own description of itself as being ‘living and effective.'”
“The Early Assembly had No Buildings, No Money and No Political Influence.
And They Turned The World UPSIDE-DOWN.”
The Early Assembly Met Together In Private Homes
—————
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
IVRIYM (HEBREWS) 10:25
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
MATTITHYAHU (MATTHEW) 18:20
Church Membership is not the Means of Salvation!
Today All Denominations either say right out or give strong implications being a Member in Good Standing is CRITICAL to your Salvation.. This Ideology comes from their Mother Church of Rome that to this day believe the only way you can be saved is to be a Member in Good Standing (Paying Your Dues (Tribute or Tithes)
This is why all the Daughter Churches of Rome has gone back into Catholic Communion with the Pope of Rome as their Head Bishop and Shepherd today.
Our only Salvation is though Our YAHUAH ELOHIYM Our Messiah YAHUSHA. To be Connected and Grafted into The True Vine … That means we have to disconnect with Rome and all her lies and get as much of that stuff out of our lives that we can….
Let’s be clear YAHUSHA is the True Seed, Root and Vine we are His Branches…
It is very necessary that we stay connected to Him (Yahusha). Not a 501c3 Corporation that is in league with Rome and her lies saying and claiming be the Assembly of the Almighty and claim it is they who represents Him?
No Beloved most Churches today is in bed with another and not True and Faithful to the One they claim they follow and love…
If they Loved Him and Followed Him they would go by The Book and His Instructions … But they have written their own book and their own laws to go by… It is clearly evident once you start looking deeper into the Scriptures…
With that said and even though Church Membership is NOT the means to Salvation.. That my Friend is only reserved for Yahusha our Messiah … Yet let me share this…
Say you take a Green House and inside the Green House there is no other plants just good fertile soil…
Now what we can do is take a True Corn Seed and plant that lone seed in that Isolated Environment and it will sprout up and develop and Stalk, Leaves, Tassel and when it’s time to Harvest and you open the Shuck you will NOT Find Corn…. A Lone Seed all to itself can not produce Fruit…
However, you can take this same encased environment and plant 2 or 3 True Seeds, they, the 3 Seeds will Sprout and grow a Stalk, Leaves a Tassel and when you open the Shuck you gonna get corn…. How and why’s is that?
Why can’t a Lone Seed Produce Fruit when 2 or 3 Can?
I’m glad you asked!
The Process is called Cross Pollination … Without Cross Pollination we would all starve to death…. That means what Pollen one Plant produces they share with the Others and like wise and because of that Exchange that is what brings things to Fruit…
This is why The Master YAHUSHA said in Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there I am in their midst.”
Master was not saying to Meet Up with the Big 501c3 Corporations here…
He said if only 2 or 3 gathered in His Name He would be with us… Beloved that is the Pollination Action of the Set-Apart Spirit that is Working in us to Bring Forth Much Fruit like Him… Producing the Fruit of The Set-Apart Spirit ..
Beloved many times Truth Seekers like ourselves don’t have the luxury or opportunity or even live close to a large Fellowship of Sabbath & Torah Keepers… So many times when starting out on this Journey on the Ancient Paths we walk alone and yarn for the Fellowship of other Truth Seekers…
Usually we start with ourselves and then if we have a friend or relative that would observe the Sabbath having a nice lunch and Scripture Reading and a time to Reflect, Pray and give Thanks to our ABBA YAHUAH would be YAHsome…
But remember Master YAHUSHA said it only takes 2 or 3 to Gather in His Name …..
I encourage You to Start Having a Small Bible Study Brunch on a Sabbath and invite a friend over… Plug in the CD player and play a few YAHUWan tunes and make the Sabbath Afternoon all about Him.. Your ELOHIYM!
Start in Your Home then Seek out others that are Hungry and that are Truth Seekers…
—————
Remember:
“The Early Assembly had No Buildings, No Money and No Political Influence.
And They Turned The World UPSIDE-DOWN.”
The Early Assembly Met Together In Private Homes
————————
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
IVRIYM (HEBREWS) 10:25
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Truthers Journal 