How much is many for INC bloc vote?

The Mythical Iglesia ni Cristo bloc voting has to be exposed for accuracy. How many votes is expected to come from the politically powerful Iglesia ni Cristo bloc voting? According to Philippine Daily Inquirer) "In the 2000 census, the National Statistics Office put the INC membership in the country at 1.8 million or around 2.3 percent of the total population."

So with that, our politicians are ready to get wedded to the church founded by Felix Manalo?

Stop believing in myths. Our politicians are becoming funnier.

Pope approves new archbishop for beleaguered Archdiocese of Mosul

(Article Source: Catholic News Agency) VATICAN CITY - Catholics in the war-torn Archdiocese of Mosul, Iraq received good news on Friday when Pope Benedict approved Fr. Emil Shimoun Nona as the new Archbishop of Mosul. The archbishop-elect will replace Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho, who was kidnapped by militants last February and found dead two weeks later.

The Vatican's press office announced today that the Holy Father “gave his assent to the canonical election by the Synod of Bishops of the Chaldean Church of Fr. Emil Shimoun Nona.”

Archbishop-elect Nona, 42, was born in Alqosh, Iraq on November 1, 1967. He entered the Chaldean Patriarchal Seminary in 1985 and was ordained priest on January 11, 1991 in Baghdad.

His pastoral experience includes serving as the parochial vicar at Alqosh from 1993 to 1997 and then as pastor until 2000.

After his seven years in the parish, Archbishop-elect Nona was sent to study at the Pontifical Lateran University, where he earned a doctorate in theology. At present he is an official for the Archdiocese of Alqosh and a professor of Anthropology at Babel College. He is also speaks Arabic, Italian, Chaldean and English.

Archbishop-elect Nona will be serving 18,200 lay Catholics, 16 priests, 1 permanent deacon and 10 religious.

Pakistan's Blasphemy Law is Hell to Christians

Pakistan’s Blasphemy law has curtailed Christians’ right to assemble and worship just as Muslims living in our cities are enjoying this right. In particular, Catholics are persecuted because of their faith in the Lord and their commitment to spread the Good News of Jesus to those who haven’t heard him. Although Catholics do not engage anymore in openly proselytizing due to the sensitivity of other faiths particularly Islam, our corporal and spiritual works of mercy can for no one can prevent the Holy Spirit. It’s extremist carried out activities have changed much of our shared international laws in aviation, banking, trading, almost every aspect of our lives and open wide our differences and bigotry against moderate Muslims who kept quiet amidst the mounting pressure to condemn extremism in their faith.

Pakistan’s Blasphemy Law is a justification for Muslim dominated country to suppress Christianity which attracts its own believers to shift. Let’s all pray for them and everyone who are persecuted because of their faith in Jesus.
Blasphemy in Pakistan and the European Court’s attack on the crucifix

Rome (AsiaNews) - Representatives of Justice and Peace in Pakistan today launched their European campaign (France, Holland, Belgium, Germany) from Rome to raise awareness in Church and society of the plight and oppression of minorities in Pakistan, particularly the Christian one, due to the blasphemy law.

AsiaNews has decided to support their struggle. Moreover, from its inception 6 years ago, the promotion of religious freedom has been the cornerstone of our agency.

The Christians of Pakistan are a mere 4 million in a sea of over 160 million Muslims. This small minority of believers therefore is calling for the repeal of the notorious blasphemy law. This law, in force since 1986, legislates for prison or the death penalty for all those who insult the Quran or Muhammad. In these past 23 years nearly a thousand people have been accused of this crime and several hundred have been killed. In recent years, at least 50 Christians have been tortured and eliminated for this crime and many villages and Christian churches destroyed and burned. The latest episode in order of time is Koriyan and Gojra, where thousands of Muslims attacked Christian homes and churches for a false accusation of blasphemy and killed 7 people, including women and children, burning them alive. These killings take place without trial, the result of a rough justice dispensed by angry crowds, incited by their imams or by prison guards, who are complicit in the bigotry or corrupt.

In the dossier AsiaNews (Save Christians and Pakistan from the blasphemy law), also covered in our this month’s edition of our magazine, we can see that this law is actually an tool misused to eliminate political opponents, competitors in business, neighbours and to silence the Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Ahmadis, and even the Shiite Muslim minority. It is actually a time bomb that threatens to explode the entire Pakistani society, dividing these groups one from the other, and betrays the founding ideals from which the country was born in 1948, which excluded any religious discrimination, valuing the contribution of each community.

The blasphemy law, as well as various laws inspired by Sharia law in Pakistan, is a sign of the increasing Islamization of the country which is subjected to military and cultural pressure by the Taliban, which is close to modern imams who preach and teach in teeming madrassas.

Can this campaign suggest something to our Europe? The Italian and European world, engaged in an exhausting war in Afghanistan, are increasingly becoming aware that they cannot win by military might alone, but also need to approach the cultural problem of the relationship between Islam and modernity, Islam and coexistence with other religions and minorities.

A reconciled Pakistan could have a beneficial influence also on the nearby Afghanistan.

This campaign against blasphemy comes just a few days after the curious decision of the European Court for Human Rights which prohibits the display of crucifixes in public schools, because they have been deemed offensive to children of other religions or atheists.

There is a link between these two positions. Not for nothing, years ago a Muslim fundamentalist demanded the same thing from the Italian government. Curiously the empty tolerance of relativists and Islamic fundamentalism tend toward the same conclusion: eliminate all traces of Christian symbols and figures: in Pakistan with the blasphemy law. In Europe with a “blasphemy” against attacks on relativist beliefs.

In both cases, we propose coexistence between identities, without having to force anyone to hide their identity, the guarantee of being able to work with their faith for the advancement of peoples.

We believe a strange connivance between anti-Christian relativism and Islamic fundamentalism is taking place, perhaps motivated by hatred toward the Christian roots and economic interests. How can we otherwise explain the support of several Western countries for the possibility of sharia among Islamic communities in Europe, or their support of a UN resolution, proposed by Islamic nations, for an international blasphemy law. These resolutions, if implemented, could undermine global coexistence.

Once again we must affirm the prophetic value of the speech by Benedict XVI in Regensburg. In it, he asked the religions (fundamentalist Islam) to renounce violence as irrational and contrary to God at the same time he asked the Western world to once again look at God and religion not as an impediment to reason, but as its completion.

Google and Facebook teach Vatican the mysteries of the internet

(Article Source: Telegraph.co.uk): Media experts will join bishops from across Europe to tell them how best to communicate the Catholic Church's message in the 21st century.

Steeped in history, the Church often struggles to explain its outlook and Pope Benedict XVI has in recent months been mired in controversy over remarks about the role condoms can play in halting the spread of Aids and his decision to rehabilitate a Holocaust-denying British bishop.

During a four-day conference which starts on Thursday, representatives from the social network Facebook, the search engine Google, the YouTube video sharing website and the online encyclopedia Wikipedia will explain the importance of "new media" in the lives of young people.

The bishops will also learn how to combat the threat of hacking, with advice from a young hacker from Switzerland and an Interpol expert on cybercrime.

"The world of hackers is a separate, parallel culture that is mostly ignored by the Church but not by fans of information technology," said the Vatican's 'communications ministry', the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, which is organising the gathering.

The conference is the latest in a series of moves by the Pope, who uses an iPod and a laptop computer, to engage with modern technology.

Pope targets eliminating hunger as goal for Catholic Church

(Article Source: Catholic News Agency): Rome, Italy.- On Monday Pope Benedict XVI addressed a gathering at the World Summit on Food Security in Rome, calling hunger “the most cruel and concrete sign of poverty” and stating that “the Catholic Church will always be concerned for efforts to defeat hunger.”

Speaking at the United Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters in Rome, the Pope addressed food production and the current state of the global economy.

“The international community is currently facing a grave economic and financial crisis. Statistics bear witness to the dramatic growth in the number of people suffering from hunger,” said the Pontiff. This situation is “made worse by the rise in price of foodstuffs, the reduction in economic resources available to the poorest peoples, and their limited access to markets and to food,” he lamented.

However, despite the grave statistics and the fretting of population control advocates, the Holy Father made reference to “the known fact that the world has enough food for all its inhabitants.”

“Indeed,” continued the Pope, “sufficient food is produced on a global scale to satisfy both current demands and those in the foreseeable future. From these data we may deduce that there is no cause-and-effect relationship between population growth and hunger, and this is further demonstrated by the lamentable destruction of foodstuffs for economic gain.”

Pope Benedict also condemned “opulence” and “waste,” saying they are “no longer acceptable when the tragedy of hunger is assuming ever greater proportions.”

Giving his answer to the current debacle, Pope Benedict turned to his recent encyclical, “Caritas in Veritate,” stating, “what is missing is a network of economic institutions capable of guaranteeing regular access to sufficient food and water.”

The Pope highlighted the need for impoverished countries to be given economic initiatives through international trade. “Once they have greater income at their disposal, these countries will be able to advance toward the self-sufficiency that leads to food security,” he said.

In concluding remarks, Pope Benedict said that “the Catholic Church will always be concerned for efforts to defeat hunger,” and that “the Church is committed to support, by word and deed, the action taken in solidarity - planned, responsible and regulated - to which all members of the international community are called to contribute.”

“The Church does not wish to interfere in political decisions: she respects the knowledge gained through scientific study, and decisions arrived at through reason responsibly enlightened by authentically human values, and she supports the effort to eliminate hunger,” the Holy Father said.

A Pope Who Made History

Source: Rome Reports Documentary
The Man Who Torn Down the Wall - and Changed History

This moving retrospective on John Paul II follows the story of his life… from his youthful days in Poland to his entry into the priesthood to his long and legendary papacy. Witness highlighted moments that made history and touched millions around the world in this sentimental look at one of the most beloved popes of all time. You can watch the Trailer

Cool Pope Uses Web and Email

Imagine the Pope having his own personal email? For sure he needs a lot of secretaries to read his emails and try to reply to each letter. Sorry guys but the Pope has no personal email. But here's the good news. Even he has no personal email, the Pope uses the internet to get acquainted with Catholics around the world, reading what they wanted to tell about the Holy Father and interacting with them by visiting Vatican's YouTube and Facebook accounts.

Benedict XVI surfs the web and uses email

Vatican City, (Article Source: CNA).- The president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, shared this week that the Holy Father has an appreciation for new developments in technology and is comfortable surfing the internet and using email.

During an interview with the program “Studio Aperto” on the Italia 1 TV network, Archbishop Celli added, while the Pope doesn't have a personal email address, he “sends his own personal emails. He does! He has great appreciation for new technology.”

The archbishop explained that while the Pope “cannot respond to the millions of messages that arrive in his inbox,” he is committed to “offering his prayers for all who write to him.”

“The internet is an excellent means of communication,” he continued. “We are seeking to be present where the people are, especially the youth.”

The Vatican publishes law for Anglicans to join the Catholic Church

This is a Good News for Catholics and Anglicans who are coming back to the fold.

(Article Source: Rome Reports) - The Pope has signed the canon law that would create “Personal Ordinariates” which would pave the way for Anglicans to become Catholics.

The law would allow them to hold on to many of their own customs and traditions.

The document is an Apostolic Constitution called “Anglicanorum Coetibus”, which means “groups of Anglicans.”

The Vatican stresses it does not intend to attract Anglicans by the numbers, rather the new law is in response to bishops, priests and lay people in the Anglican Church who have expressed interest in joining the Catholic Church.

From now on, there could be one or more ordinariates for each Episcopal Conference. For example, there will be one or several in the Unites States, the same would go for Canada and France.

The ordinariates would be established by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican’s department that studies special situations, like the kind that will deal with married Anglican priests.

One of the most significant rules in the document includes the one which states the Pope will elect one out of three candidates proposed by the governing council to be Ordinary.

As for Anglican bishops who are married, they will only be welcomed as priests, but can be considered ordinaries. In other words, while they will govern their followers they will not govern priests or bishops.

In any case, the ordinary will have the same powers as the bishops of the Catholic dioceses. For example, he would be able to establish a religious order, take part in the Episcopal conference and establish a parish.

But as a rule the ordinary will get help to manage finances from a governing council made up of 6 priests.

As for lay people, only Anglicans who want to be part of the ordinary would be welcomed and would have to submit a request in writing.

The Vatican expects it will take months before the first Anglican Ordinariate is established.

And according to it’s statistics, at least 50 bishops have asked to join the Catholic Church along with their followers.

JMB/MC
--WP

Eastern and Western Church Split Misunderstood by an Iglesia ni Cristo

Mr. Conrad J. Obligacion (creator and owner of resbak.com, a fiercely anti-Catholic who denied being member of the cult Iglesia ni Cristo (see HERE under the stolen pseudonym 'truthcaster') but defended it staunchly with all his might and strength-assassinating characters of anyone who dared question the position of the Iglesia ni Cristo) has misunderstood history when he said

“The Orthodox church claims to be the “one holy, catholic, apostolic” church… the same title is also being claimed by another paganism based religion, the RCC. So, which is the true “one, holy, catholic, apostolic” church? Well, neither.”

unmindful of what his cult stands for:

(PASUGO Abril 1966, p. 46: Ang Iglesia Katolika na sa pasimula ay siyang Iglesia ni Cristo.")”

also unmindful that besides the Iglesia ni Cristo, the Church of Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) were also claiming the same title they so claimed—to be Christ’s true church.

Contrary to his personal claims, Wikipedia and other impartial resources available in the internet and in print unanimously confirm that the (Roman) Catholic Church is historically the original Church which Christ had founded on Peter as the first Pope.”

“The History of the Catholic Church is traced by the Church back to apostolic times and thus covers a period of nearly 2,000 years, making it one of the world's oldest institutions. The history of the Church is an integral part of the History of Christianity and the history of Western civilization.”

Mr. Obligacion said further:

“many RCC say the Orthodox church “split” from the RCC. The Orthodox on the other hand say (sic) the RCC is the “confused” one which split from them. But whatever the case maybe, by splitting from each other, neither can claim to be the “one” body of Christ. For by claiming to be the “one holy, apostolic” church would be saying the other one is NOT “holy catholic apostolic”.

But what does history say about the “split” he’s referring to? Not until the 11th Century when Eastern Churches split from the See of Peter in Rome. Neither the Eastern Church nor the Western Church was confused. However, one thing is clear. Mr. Obligacion is very much baffled with his historical information he selectively taken from unknown historical sources (which he didn’t provide us with any link). Or perhaps just as any other bonafide Iglesia ni Cristo minister, he too has very limited personal biased opinionated historical knowledge taken from anti-Catholic Protestant sources that he thought may back up his Iglesia ni Cristo claims.

Going back to the history of the Catholic Church as the only Christian Church from the first century, the Church (which refers to the Catholic Church) has suffered persecution from Jerusalem to Rome (read History of the Catholic Chuch in wikipedia). Among those famous personages who persecuted Christ’s Church (the Catholic Church) was Saul of Tarsus (who later converted and became St. Paul and became one of the pillars of the early Church) and other Jewish leaders. The first century Church systematically defined, formulated Christian teachings influenced by theological apologists such as Pope Clement (the 4th Pope from St. Peter- Western Church), Ignatius of Antioch, Justin Martyr , Augustine of Hippo. Note: These Catholic apologists defended the Church of Christ (not the Iglesia ni Cristo registered and incorporated in the Philippines) from Jewish and pagan persecutors before the Bible we have now (which Mr. Obligacion and the cult of Mr. F. Manalo) was formally compiled exactly into what we have today (when it was not yet reduced during the Reformation by Martin Luther).

Emperor Nero’s fury over Christians in Rome was among the worst persecution which eventually suffered the martyrdom of the two great pillars of the Catholic faith—Sts. Peter and Paul. He desired to wipe out Christianity from the face of the earth, thus the title “anti-Christ” has been credited to him being the fiercest persecutor of Christians. Diocletian and Galerius made another attempt to wipe out Christianity (all Catholics) but they too failed like Nero. The recognition of the Church as the state religion in the entire Roman Empire happened only in 380 A. D.

Now, who split from whom? Let us expose light in the darkness of Mr. Obligacion’s confusion.

The history of the (Roman) Catholic Church has been discussed in World History books. There’s no secret about that. Students from all continents in the world regardless of race and religion discussed every account of the Church as integral part of the History of the Western civilization including ours both positive and negative. Everyone is free to look at it deeper in the light of truth and sound knowledge.

In 325 A.D., the First Council of Nicea was convened. It was the second Church council from among the 21 Councils so far the Catholic Church had from the first Council of Jerusalem. Nicea Council I was convened to defined and uphold the long standing belief of Catholics from Arianism that there is only one God and that this God has three Divine Persons which eventually was called the Holy Trinity. Schisms are not foreign to the Church. Other minor schisms happened even before the Council of Rome (382 A.D.) which canonized the present Catholic Bible List of Books.
Major schism happened the 11th Century. The Eastern Church (Constantinople in Turkey) and Western Church (Rome in Italy) split permanently through a disputed claim over Sicily but since the beginning of the Church, all Councils and other major disputes within local churches looked up to the Roman Church, the See of Peter as the final arbiter in recognition of the Primacy of Peter whom Christ had given the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and the authority to bind and loose. The same Peter whom Nero persecuted together with St. Paul, thus erecting huge basilicas dedicated to them. Eventually the West is called the Catholic Church (signifying its universality) and the East is called Orthodox. The word “Roman” was attached as a derogatory term assigned to the Catholic Church by Anglican Protestants so as to put emphasis on the Pope as “evil” and the Papacy being the“anti-Christ” preached by the Seventh-Day Adventists and was copied by the Iglesia ni Cristo (Felix Y. Manalo was once a minister of the Seventh-Day Adventists before he registered his own Corporation Sole at Securities Exchange Commission) which has long been abandoned by the former after they failed to prove its argument (read here). The Iglesia ni Cristo cult has retained the argument and sad to say Mr. Conrad J. Obligacion keeps on parroting.

Today, some Easter Churches reunited with the Universal Church keeping their own distinct apostolic linage according to the Eastern Churches’ traditions. They retained their own habits and used their own liturgical language in Greek, Arabic, Armenian etc. but all recognize the Pope as visible head of the Universal Church of Christ. In fact, the Catholic Church, the original Church of Christ founded by Christ in Jerusalem through St. Peter (which the cult of Felix Manalo even recognized (PASUGO Abril 1966, p. 46: Ang Iglesia Katolika na sa pasimula ay siyang Iglesia ni Cristo) has many liturgical rites apart from the usual Latin rite we know and see on TV. Concealed to Mr. Obligacion and the Iglesia ni Cristo members by their Ministers, here is the list of Catholic Rites both practiced in the Western and the Eastern Churches (thanks to HolySpiritInteractive.net).

(1) The Patriarchal Latin Catholic Church – uses the Latin Rite
(2) The Patriarchal Armenian Catholic Church – uses the Armenian Rite founded by Sts. Thaddaeus and Bartholomew
(3) The Patriarchal Coptic Catholic Church – uses the Alexandrian Rite founded by St. Mark
(4) The Ethiopian Catholic Church – uses the Ge-ez Rite
(5) The Patriarchal Antiochian Syrian Maronite Catholic Church – uses the West Syrian Maronite Rite – founded by St. James
(6) The Patriarchal Chaldean Catholic Church – uses the East Syrian Rite
(7) The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church – uses the East Syrian Rite
(8) The Patriarchal Syrian Catholic Church – uses the West Syrian Rite
(9) The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church –uses the West Syrian Rite
(10) The Patriarchal Melkite Catholic Church – uses the Byzantine Rite
(11) The Italo-Albanian Catholic Church – uses the Byzantine Rite
(12) The Ukrainian Catholic Church – uses the Byzantine Rite
(13) The Ruthenian Catholic Church – uses the Byzantine Rite
(14) The Byzantine Catholic Church USA (Rusyn — Ruthenian — Slovak) – uses the Byzantine Rite
(15) The Romanian Catholic Church – uses the Byzantine Rite
(16) The Greek Catholic Church in Greece – uses the Byzantine Rite
(17) The Greek Catholic Church in former Yugoslavia – uses the Byzantine Rite
(18) The Bulgarian Catholic Church – uses the Byzantine Rite
(19) The Slovak Catholic Church – uses the Byzantine Rite
(20) The Hungarian Catholic Church – uses the Byzantine Rite
(21) The Russian Catholic Church – uses the Byzantine Rite
(22) The Belarusian Catholic Church – uses the Byzantine Rite
(23) The Albanian Catholic Church – uses the Byzantine Rite
(24) The Georgian Catholic Church – uses the Byzantine Rite
(25) Convert Catholics from Anglican Communion – uses Anglican-Latin Rite

Concerning the name of the Church which should be Christ’s, again Mr. Conrad J. Obligacion used the Iglesia ni Cristo argument that the Church which belongs to Christ must “bear” his name.

“…if the founder of the Church is Christ, they (sic) it is only logical and reasonable to assume that the name of his (Christ) church be named after him, Christ church or Church of Christ. It cannot be Roman Catholic church as those names don’t even appear in the bible where the life and ministry of the Lord is chronicled.”

Most importantly, we should note that Christ NEVER commanded his apostles to name a Church after him. In the same manner, he never commanded his apostles to register a church in the Philippines as “Iglesia ni Cristo”. He NEVER commanded his apostles to designate an “Angel” Felix Manalo in 1914 and the Manalos to OWN a church as a corporation sole, managed and run by the Manalo clan. Rather he warned us of the coming of false prophets (Mt. 7:15-20. The bible warned us that there would be false gospels preached by false prophets and angels, “let them be accursed” said St. Paul (Gal. 1:9. Jesus never left his Church!

This is what Jesus left us. He left us distinct Marks which tell apart the true from the false churches. Only the real Church of Christ which Christ founded (PASUGO Abril 1966, p. 46: Ang Iglesia Katolika na sa pasimula ay siyang Iglesia ni Cristo) in Jerusalem has rightfully claim that it is ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC and APOSTOLIC. False churches claiming to be Christ’s like the Iglesia ni Cristo (exclusively written in Filipino) in the Philippines and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have none of these marks except that they use the argument that the original Church of Christ which was the Catholic Church apostatized. The Bible is simply silent on these assertions by these false churches founded by men proclaiming themselves as “last prophets” and “last messengers” or “angels” worthy of allegiance.

"But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach (to you) a gospel other than the one that we preached to you, let that one be accursed! Gal. 1:9.

The Bible says, Christ is the culmination of everything and that his Church would last till the ends of times. He promised that the gates of hell “will never” prevail and that he will not leave her like orphaned. Therefore we don’t need last prophets and messengers disguising as angels to restore his Church for his Church never apostatized. He warned us of the coming of such false prophets preaching other gospels apart from what was taught by his disciples.

As a matter of fact, the true Church of Christ is the Catholic Church according to historical facts found in wikipedia, encyclopedias, and the PASUGO, the official magazine of the Iglesia ni Cristo, and according to the chronicles of history.
Again, wikipedia says,

“The History of the Catholic Church is traced by the Church back to apostolic times and thus covers a period of nearly 2,000 years, making it one of the world's oldest institutions. The history of the Church is an integral part of the History of Christianity and the history of Western civilization.”

Iglesia ni Cristo members do not celebrate Christmas or the celebration of the birth of the Son of God, Jesus Christ the Savior. Here’s Mr. Obligacion’s assertions:

“… the Catholic church was defeated and conquered by paganism. All of the rituals, traditions and practices of the Roman Catholic church (sic) and it’s offspring are based on pagan practices, traditions and rituals. For example, Christmas
In the 4th century CE, Catholicism imported the Saturnalia festival hoping to take the pagan masses in with it. Catholic leaders succeeded in converting large numbers of pagans by promising them that they could continue to celebrate the Saturnalia as Catholics.[2]

The problem was that there was nothing intrinsically Christian about Saturnalia. To remedy this, these Catholics leaders named Saturnalia’s concluding day, December 25th, to be Jesus’ birthday.”

But PASUGO says otherwise:
PASUGO Disyembre 1957, p. 28: (sinulat ni Emeliano I. Agustin)
"Ang diwa ng Pasko ay kapayapaan;
Nang mundong naglunoy sa lusak ng Buhay;
Mabuting balita sa kinalulugdan;
Pagsilang ni Jesus sa abang sabsaban." (Patula)

Mr. Obligacion’s intellectual dishonesty proves him unreliable. Again, he failed to give us his sources. Instead of proving the Iglesia ni Cristo set of doctrines, he demonizes Catholic festivities like Christmas to prove him. His accusations are not convincing either.

Here’s the truth. According to Encarta Encyclopedia, Christmas is:

1. Festival celebrating birth of Jesus Christ: a Christian festival marking the birth of Jesus Christ. December 25
2. Christmas period: the period around December 25, or the Christian church season extending from December 24 to January 6

Christmas was taken from the Old English Cristes maesse “mass of Christ’
I don’t understand why Encarta Encyclopedia and other encyclopedias don’t agree with the Iglesia ni Cristo. These sources also believed that Christmas is all about the Birth of the Son of God and not about paganism as Mr. Obligacion is accusing Catholics of. I am certain that Encyclopedias are not all Catholics. The problem lies when anti-Catholics like him failed to see Catholics celebrating the event while the Iglesia ni Cristo and other anti-Catholics celebrate the date. Can you see the huge difference?

Again, here’s the truth. December 25th as a date wasn’t originally a Christian celebration. That’s a fact. December 25th was a pagan celebration of the winter’s solstice. Before the date was replaced by Christian celebration for Christmas, each year beginning in December 17, pagan Romans honor Saturn (god of Agriculture). The celebration was called “Saturnalia” which lasted for 7 days ending on the 25th of December. With this celebration, pagan Romans postponed all business, warfare and exchange gifts with friends and family.

Aside from the Saturnalia festivals, pagan Romans also celebrate Persian god of light called “Mithra” glorifying her for the lengthened daylight. Although the Gospels didn’t specifically mention the date of Christ’s birth, the Catholic Church chose December 25 as the birth of Jesus Christ whom the Bible says “the Light of the World.” Today, Christmas which falls on the 25th of December is a world major Christian celebration of the Birth of Chirst, the Light of the World.
Sol Invictus (Unconquered Sun) was also celebrated on this day before it was Christianized (Unconquered Son).

Early Christians risked their lives preaching Christ to pagans. Iglesia ni Cristo Ministers and its members don’t have that zeal of risking their lives to preach Christ to those who haven’t heard the Good News. What a shame!
Now, where is paganism? Those who are against Christ and his Church are trying to demonize Catholic Festivities like Christmas to prove that the Catholic Church is pagan.

Sorry to the members of the Iglesia ni Cristo but Christmas is a celebration of the birth of the Unconquered Son, the Light of the World, Son of the Living God.
Which is more important, celebrating the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ? Or celebrating the founding anniversary of the Iglesia ni Cristo which Christ has nothing to do with it?

Instead of questioning December 25 as Christmas Day, why not espouse reason in your faith and explain apologetically why you also celebrate July 27 with fanfare and festivities? Did God in the Bible command you to celebrate the founding anniversary of your church in a particular date every 27th day of July?

“…another paganism based religion, the RCC.” –Conrad J. Obligacion (INC member)

“Ang Iglesia Katolika na sa pasimula ay siyang Iglesia ni Cristo" - PASUGO Abril 1966, p. 46

Here's what the Iglesia ni Cristo's position about Christmas:

ANG PALAGAY NG IGLESIA NI CRISTO SA PASKO

1. PASUGO Disyembre 1956, p. 34: (sinulat ni Benjamin T. Villalba)
"It strikes people as odd that members of the Church of Christ (Iglesia ni Cristo) do not celebrate Christmas. (ang Iglesia ni Cristo ay tuwirang hindi nagdiriwang ng Pasko ng kapanganakan ni Cristo).

2. PASUGO Disyembre 1957, p. 28: (sinulat ni Emeliano I. Agustin)
"Ang diwa ng Pasko ay kapayapaan;
Nang mundong naglunoy sa lusak ng Buhay;
Mabuting balita sa kinalulugdan;
Pagsilang ni Jesus sa abang sabsaban." (Patula)

Between Mr. Obligacion vs. Pasugo, I’d choose the official one.
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Further Reading: Read Explore Church History

All Saints Day is A Christian “All Heroes Day”

Anti-Catholics hated saints including Mary-the very Immaculate Mother of Jesus, the new “Ark of the New Covenant”, the indwelling place of the Incarnate Word who is God made flesh (John 1:1--). For them saints are ‘deities’ that Catholics ‘worship’. They write in their publications that a “genuine Christian” has to get rid of praying to saints for the fear of violating the First Commandments of God “Thou shalt not have other gods besides me” for only ‘God is worthy of our worship’ as God hates idol worshipers.

Among those fiercely anti-Catholic separated Christians are “Born-Again” Christians, the Mormons founded by a self-proclaimed “last prophet” Joseph Smith, members of the Seventh-Day Adventists founded by Helen Gaud White in whose anti-Catholic rhetoric were long been abandoned (read HERE, but copied by Felix Manalo, who was once it’s minister, later founded his own cult, registered and incorporated it as a sole corporation, named it ‘Iglesia ni Cristo’ (registered name in Tagalog—not English “Church of Christ”) according to Roman 16:16

"Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you."

(MGA iglesia ni Cristo—small letter “i” – a common noun, NOT proper noun)” which Mr. Felix Manalo changed to big letter "I" making it as a Proper Noun "Iglesia ni Cristo". After his death of ulcer, the management was transferred to his son Erano, then to Erano's son Eduardo making it as a family business in guise of a ‘church’ heavily espoused with cultic qualities. All churches, that includes church in Rome, in Corinth, Thessalonica, Arabia, Jerusalem, Galilea (not the Corporation sole registered under the Republic of the Philippines.)

Saints are not alien to early Christians from the first centuries. Those who risked their lives, shed their blood and died for the sake of Christ and his Church were revered by early Christians and preserved their tombs with respect and holiness. They looked up to them as our “heroes” who chose death for Christ’s sakes than living under the influence of denying Christ revealed in the Church and in the Scriptures. In fact, the official teachings of the Church regarding the saints found in the Catechism of the Catholic Churchm No. 2683 says

“The witnesses who have preceded us into the kingdom,41 especially those whom the Church recognizes as saints, share in the living tradition of prayer by the example of their lives, the transmission of their writings, and their prayer today. They contemplate God, praise him and constantly care for those whom they have left on earth. When they entered into the joy of their Master, they were "put in charge of many things." Their intercession is their most exalted service to God's plan. We can and should ask them to intercede for us and for the whole world.”

Anti-Catholics do not quote the official teachings for fear that they would be hitting themselves instead.

In Revelations 7---- John saw the “saints” in robes—in white and bright robes, its whiteness being washed in the Blood of the Lamb. These saints prostrated themselves before the throne of the Lamb, who was once slain and now lives forever! These saints, according to John are face-to-face with the “Lamb” Jesus—who became our sacrificial lamb in order that our sins are forgiven—Christ, the perfect offering for the forgiveness of our sins, once and for all.

Praying to saints doesn’t violate the First Commandments of God. In fact, praying to saints augments the mercy and goodness of God we Catholics all should know. Catholics do say “Pray for us” to saints with the belief that while saints prostrate before the throne of God, they too are offering our prayers like sweet incense before the throne—and God, whose power and mercy made them pure and stainless, worthy of seeing him face to face are now friends with God and that they have the privilege of asking favors in behalf of those other Christians (us) still suffering here on earth. In praying to God, we rightfully respond “Have Mercy on us, O Lord” for mercy and salvation comes only from God alone—not the saints for they are NOT gods nor they deemed themselves as such contrary to what anti-Catholics are accusing them of.

Unlike genuine Catholics, anti-Catholics particularly many members of the cult Iglesia ni Cristo have different sense of a ‘church’. For them, a church should have Christ’s name—that’s it! Without his (Christ) name, it ceased to be “Christ’s Church’. Catholics’ idea of a Church is not exclusively for all living Christians. The Church believes, as a Covenant that as a Church, we belong to a family such that we have include those who now intercedes for us in heaven, those suffering in Purgatory and for us living still struggling and being tested.

Wikipedia source says:

The Catholic Church, or Church Universal, is traditionally divided into:

* the Church Militant (Ecclesia Militans), comprising Christians who are living,
* the Church Triumphant (Ecclesia Triumphans), comprising those who are in Heaven, and
* the Church Suffering, a.k.a Church Padecent or Church Penitent (Ecclesia Penitens) or Church Expectant (Ecclesia Expectans), comprising those Christians presently in Purgatory. This last term is used mainly in Roman Catholicism.

These terms are often used in the context of the doctrine of the Communion of Saints; although Christians may be physically separated from each other by the barrier of death, they nonetheless remain united to each other in one Church, and support each other in prayer.

The Latin word militans has a primary meaning of "serving as a soldier, military", but it acquired a secondary meaning of "to struggle, to make an effort", which is the intended sense here. Christians on earth (the Church Militant) are still struggling against sin in order that, when they die, they might go to heaven and be members of the Church Triumphant, those who have triumphed over sin. However, if this struggle is successful, but not completely so, then after death they temporarily become members of the Church Suffering before ultimately joining the Church Triumphant.

The Roman Catholic Church commemorates the Church Triumphant and the Church Suffering on two consecutive days: All Saints Day on November 1 (the Church Triumphant), and All Souls Day on November 2 (the Church Suffering).

These terms are not used in the modern Catechism of the Catholic Church, the authoritative collection of the teaching of Roman Catholicism, first published in 1994. Many contemporary Catholics might consider them belonging to another age. However, the teaching these terms represent is precisely restated in paragraph 954 of the Catechism, which quote Lumen Gentium, the Constitution on the Church of the Second Vatican Council:

The three states of the Church. "When the Lord comes in glory, and all his angels with him, death will be no more and all things will be subject to him. But at the present time some of his disciples are pilgrims on earth. Others have died and are being purified, while still others are in glory, contemplating 'in full light, God himself triune and one, exactly as he is"' (CCC 954)

We, members of the One, Holy, Catholic Apostolic Church, the true Church built by Christ in Jerusalem (Matthew 16) not two, not registered as a corporation sole under the Republic of the Philippines or any other human laws, not owned by a family or a clan, unanimously accepted by historians as the only Church that traces its history back to the times of the Apostles

(“Ang Iglesia Katolika na sa pasimula ay siyang Iglesia ni Cristo" [...the Catholic Church from the beginning is the (true) Church of Christ.]" - PASUGO Abril 1966, p. 46 )

should offer our praise and worship to God alone for giving us saints who intercede on our behalf. We should never stop trusting the intercession of the saints- whom Christ called as his friends, of our favors that on this day, we remember them, members of the Church who are now in heaven for sacrificing their lives for the love of Christ and his truth revealed in the Catholic Church.

To all the saints on this day—and Mama Mary, our own Mother, we implore you, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Eraño Manalo Avenue (Formerly Commonwealth Avenue)

Politician lawmakers, not religious leaders who still believe in the mythical Iglesia ni Cristo "bloc vote" came up with a suggestion to rename the Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City to Eraño Manalo Avenue.

Is this politicking?!

Housebill 6785 proposes to rename one of the busiest streets in Quezon City to the Iglesia ni Cristo heir (son of the founder Felix Manalo) in recognition of his "spiritual contribution" to the Filipino people.

What kind of spiritual contribution these Congressmen and women are saying? This same Iglesia ni Cristo denied Christ and accused the Catholic Church and Protestants of being "sons of perdition."

Let's not forget these "Traditional Politicians (trapos)" lawmakers who are very much influenced under the INC mythical "bloc vote" spell. They are Reps. Candido P. Pancrudo, Jr. (Bukidnon), Diosdado “Dato" M. Arroyo (Camarines Sur), Pedro P. Romualdo (Camiguin), Yevgeny Vincente B. Emano (Misamis Oriental), Jose S. Aquino II (Agusan del Norte), Antonio F. Lagdameo, Jr. (Davao del Norte) at Rommel C. Amatong (Compostela Valley).

If there's any religious leader who truly united our people, it should be the late Cardinal Jaime Sin even without his being Archbishop. No one doubts about that!

Commonwealth Ave nais ipangalan kay 'Ka Erdy' Manalo ng INC

MANILA (GMANews)– Nais ng ilang kongresista na ipangalan kay Eraño “Ka Edy" Manalo, ang pumanaw na punong tagapamahala ng Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC), ang Commonwealth Avenue sa Quezon City.

Sa isang pahayag mula sa Kamara de Representante nitong Sabado, inihayag ng mga kongresista na ang pagpapalit ng pangalan ng Commonwealth Avenue bilang Eraño G. Manalo Avenue ay pagkilala sa kanyang “spiritual contribution" sa bansa.

“House Bill 6785 sought to convey Ka Erdy’s idea of Filipino ingenuity by sculpturing a religion that originated in the Philippines, which has expanded around the world," nakasaad sa pahayag.

Sa ilalim ng pamamahala ni Manalo lumaganap ang kapatiran ng INC sa iba’t-ibang bahagi ng mundo. Tinatayang mayroong simbahan ang INC sa 60 bansa.

“Ka Erdy also piloted the spiritual and moral well being of the Filipino people," ayon sa mga kongresista.

Dapat din umanong kilalanin ang malaking kontribusyon ni Ka Erdy sa paghubog ng kultura ng mga Pilipino sa kanyang mga tagasunod sa pamamagitan ng kanyang mga pangaral sa pinapaniwalaang relihiyon.

“With Eraño G. Manalo’s religious leadership that transcended over political and social boundaries, Ka Erdy is worthy to be lined up with great Filipino leaders and other great Filipino achievers," idinagdag sa pahayag.

Sa ilalim ng panukala, inaatasan nito ang Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) na magpalabas ng kautusan at alituntunin upang ipatupad ang pagpapalit ng pangalan ng highway.

Ang Commonwealth Avenue ang itinuturing ng Metro Manila Development Authority na isa sa mga pangunahing lansangan sa Metro Manila at buong bansa na may pinakamaraming kaso ng aksidente.

Bagong tawaging Commonwealth Avenue, naunang pinangalanan ang highway bilang Don Mariano Marcos Avenue, na may habang 12.4 km simula sa Quezon Memorial Circle hanggang Quirino Highway sa Novaliches.

Kabilang sa mga may-akda sa panukala ay sina Reps. Candido P. Pancrudo, Jr. (Bukidnon), Diosdado “Dato" M. Arroyo (Camarines Sur), Pedro P. Romualdo (Camiguin), Yevgeny Vincente B. Emano (Misamis Oriental), Jose S. Aquino II (Agusan del Norte), Antonio F. Lagdameo, Jr. (Davao del Norte) at Rommel C. Amatong (Compostela Valley).

Pumanaw si Ka Erdy, 84-anyos, noong Agosto 31 sa kanyang tahanan dahil sa cardiopulmonary arrest. – GMANews.TV

If these lawmakers wanted to do that, let them do it in their cities, not in Quezon City. If they wish, they could name our kantos and esquinitas to him. In terms of number, the El Shaddai of Mike Velarde is more than tha affiliates of the Iglesia ni Cristo.

Stop playing politics and religion together. Keep our street names from any religious influence.

God, not Obama will bring peace to the Middle East, says Jordanian bishop

Obama wants peace but he can't achieve to do it, only God can. This is what the good Bishop of Jordan Most. Rev. Selim Sayegh said in reaction to Obama's Nobel Peace Prize.

Source Article: CNS
Amman, Jordan, Oct 9, 2009 / 02:25 pm.- The Vicar of Jordan, Most Rev. Selim Sayegh, spoke to CNA in Amman last week about the tensions in the Middle East as well as the diminishing number of Christians in the area. He noted that Catholics can assist those struggling in the region by praying for peace because “true peace comes from the Lord,” not Obama, or Israeli/Palestinian leaders.

Sayegh, who has served Jordan as an auxiliary bishop for 27 years, addressed the plight of Christians in the Middle East, particularly the ones living in Iraq. He noted that the while the situation isn’t desperate, less Christians are living in the area than is considered ideal.

“Why,” the bishop asked, are not only Christians but also Muslims leaving the area? “All of them, they are looking for peace…they want peace for their children,” he answered.

“Once peace is established into these countries...no one would think about leaving.”

He zeroed in on Iraq asking why anyone would leave – it’s “one of the richest countries in the world,” however “there is no hope.”

When Iraqi Christian’s leave, they go to Jordan or Syria, the vicar explained. But, “for the most part, the Christians don’t intend to become established in Jordan,” but they only “stay until they can obtain a visa to the United States, Europe or Australia.”

“It’s a very sad situation,” the bishop lamented, explaining that many of the Iraqis were educated, economically well-off people in their country, but when they leave, all of a sudden, “poof, and they have nothing.”

Bishop Sayegh said that Catholics around the world can help improve the situation in the Middle East not only by being “good citizens,” but also by praying for peace.

“Pray for peace because true peace comes from the Lord, it doesn’t come from Obama or from Netanyahu or from Abu Mazen,” but rather from the “Lord of peace,” the bishop remarked.

Reflecting on Christians’ role in the peace process, Bishop Sayegh said that they have their place, but that they are called to play a role by living out the faith. “That’s why every day in our churches we pray for peace,” since God is the only one who is “able to change the hearts” and to “arrive at peace” in the region.

Pope Receives Palestinian President Abbas

Disgusting Nobel Peace Prize for Obama?!

Photo Credit: AP News:

How frustrating this Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to Barack Hussein Obama, President of the United States. While he is busy bridging the gap between the ever spoiled Islamic nations to the oil hungry Western societies, he is preaching hatred and "inhumanely" way of killing helpless unborn tiny human beings while still inside their mothers' womb.

Disgusting!

I can agree no more than what the American Papist said "Well, it's official, the Nobel Peace Prize is MEANINGLESS."

VIETNAM Abandoned elderly women find support at Church-run center

Among the many charitable institutions run by Catholic nuns around the world is "Home for the Aged". Once again, the splendor of Christ's love to everyone has been sowed through the works of these selfless Sisters of Charity.

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam (Source: UCAN -- They have had feces thrown at them, food spat in their faces, and endured verbal abuse. But all these problems have not deterred Missionaries of Charity of Christ nuns from continuing to serve elderly residents in their care.

“It is not simple to look after elderly people. We have to be patient and bear with them because they are like children,” said Sister Mary Martin Nguyen Thi Kim Hoa from the Missionaries of Charity of Christ congregation, a local Religious community.

Sister Hoa, who heads the Center for Elderly People, a home for women in Ho Chi Minh City, said half the residents there suffer paralysis and stay in bed most of the time. Only four are strong enough to help prepare meals and wash clothes.

Sister Hoa, 50, and another 11 nuns work from 4:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. ever day to serve the center’s 60 women who are aged 60-102. The nuns clean the rooms, bathe the women, wash their clothes, provide health care, feed them and bring the wheelchair bound to the chapel for prayers.

Sister Hoa recalled that once a resident threw feces at her as she was trying to bathe the woman. Some residents have hit and shouted at nuns, while others have spat food at them.

Sister Hoa, who started working at the center 10 years ago, said many residents who have such negative attitudes had been “neglected or abused by their relatives or others.”

Father Paul Nguyen Van Khi, who founded the center near Tan Thong church in the city’s Cu Chi district, said many residents have no children, homes or money and feel lonely. “They really need love care from others.”

The center opened in 1988 and provides accommodation and food for elderly women who had been abandoned by their families. The women come from the city and the neighboring provinces of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Dong Nai, Long An and Tien Giang.

Residents UCA News spoke to said they are grateful for the nuns’ care, although they did not fully appreciate it at first.

One 74-year-old woman recalled how she used to vent her anger at the nuns when she first arrived. At the time she thought no one loved her.

“My only son forced me to leave home,” she said. However, “after living here for one year, I have found true love from others and have changed my attitude.”

Agnes Nguyen Thi Kim Chi, who used to sleep on sidewalks seven years ago, said, “I am very happy to live here. I am given accommodation, food and health care.” She added, “I might have died without this center.”

Rita Lam Tieu Nhi, another resident, said she has made many friends since coming here in 2004. “I am loved and much respected here,” she shared. The 63-year-old said she helps the nuns to clean the center and wash clothes of the other residents.

Father Khi said he spends one hour a day visiting and talking with those women. “I bring them joy just by shaking their hands, smiling at them or talking about their health.”

The priest said the center’s monthly operating costs are 32 million dong (US$1,800) which comes from donations by benefactors and local Catholics. About 300 local families donate at least 5,000 dong each a month, he said.

According to the Ministry of Health, Vietnam has around 8 million elderly people, nearly 10 percent of the population. Many of them have to work for a living.

This is the challenge all professing Christians should do.