"The Christianity of history is not Protestantism. If ever there were a safe truth it is this, and Protestantism has ever felt it so; to be deep in history is to cease to be a Protestant." (-John Henry Newman, An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine).

"Where the bishop is, there let the people gather; just as where ever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church". -St. Ignatius of Antioch (ca 110 AD)a martyr later thrown to the lions, wrote to a church in Asia Minor. Antioch was also where the term "Christian" was first used.

“But if I should be delayed, you should know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth.” 1 Timothy 3:15

"This is the sole Church of Christ, which in the Creed we profess to be one, holy, catholic and apostolic." -CCC 811

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Leader of the Worldwide Catholic Church named 4th World's Greatest Leader!

Fortune Online
Where is Eduardo V. Manalo (EVM) of the Iglesia Ni Cristo® - 1914; Eliseo Soriano of Ang Dating Daan or Eddie Villanueva of Jesus Is Lord Church (JIL) or Quiboloy, the self-proclaimed "Appointed Son of God"?

Where are these sect leaders leading their people? What kind of leadership they're leading their founded churches? Why their churches, despite their CLAIMS they're the "original" and "true" church of Jesus Christ why it seems their claims aren't really attractive at all? Or does it mean they are the fulfillment of the prophesied coming of false prophets and sages signifying Christ's imminent second coming?

Anyway, without spoiling the greatness of the Successor of the Apostle Peter, the Bishop of Rome and the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church of Jesus Christ is this year's 4th Greatest Leader according to Fortune Magazine.

In it's second just released list, Francis is given fourth place in the ranking of the "extraordinary men and women who are transforming business, government, philanthropy, and so much more,"according to magazine. 
Since becoming Pope in 2013, the magazine said that Francis, the former Jorge Mario Bergoglio, "has been shaking up the management of one of the world’s largest bureaucracies: the Roman Catholic Church." 
While noting this earned him the "top spot" on Fortune's list of World's Greatest Leaders last year, the magazine says "his vision, fortitude, and commitment to reform were so extraordinary in 2014 that we’re including him again this year." 
"It is not just that he has led by example—by now it’s well known that the pope, who has long championed the virtues of charity and modesty, has forgone the traditional suite in the Apostolic Palace, opting instead to reside in a one-bedroom apartment in the Vatican guesthouse."... continue reading from Zenit

If the "true" Church-- the Iglesia Ni Cristo® of Manalo has returned to its original abode, where are they in Jerusalem? Why they are not even felt?!

"...the fulfillment of the prophesied return of God's people to their original abode, Jerusalem, as marked by the official registration of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ) in the city of Jerusalem in February of that year." [1996] -PASUGO God's Message, February 2014, p. 7

No! The true CATHOLIC CHURCH of JESUS CHRIST never left JERUSALEM and ROME! They were persecuted but they remained STEADFAST in their CHRISTIAN FAITH!

To Felix Manalo members, Manalo LIED to you to accommodate his own corporation-- the Iglesia Ni Cristo® 1914!

مسيرة أحد الشعانين في القدس، فلسطبن المحتلة
Palm Sunday procession in Jerusalem, occupied Palestine




























Monday, March 30, 2015

PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS IN IRAQ CELEBRATE PALM SUNDAY! NOW, THAT IS THE GENUINE CHRISTIAN FAITH!

Here's how Christians in the terrorized region of Iraq celebrate Palm Sunday. Thanks to my dear brother Aamer for providing me these faith-filled photos!








And please take time reading their plea and pray for the persecuted Christians in Iraq and Syria!

"CHRISTIANITY MUST SURVIVE AND THRIVE IN IRAQ AND THE MIDDLE EAST, WHERE IT WAS BORN!"

This is what our cities and villages will look like when we are fully armed and are able to protect them with the appropriate weaponry to combat extreme terrorism. Some people ask me why should we need our own military units? It is evident, the minorities in Iraq and Syria have been persecuted to a point of near complete annihilation under other failed strategies. Therefore, arming them and giving them the ability and opportunity to survive against radicalism is the least we can do besides the internationally protected safe haven that we should immediately implement.

This is my grandmother's village of ***** [withheld for protection], Iraq on Palm Sunday. Now do you understand why it's so important to support our military units such as the NPU. We are unsure of when the sectarian violence will ever end, our population has dropped to such a dangerous amount that we can not risk it any further. We must be able to speak our Aramaic language, pray in our Aramaic prayers, attend church regularly, attend schools freely and walk on our own native lands we have inhabited for almost 7,000 years with absolutely no oppression by occupations and extremism especially as indigenous . Nineveh is the ancient capital of Assyria, we are not asking for a province that does not belong to us, we are the indigenous people of Iraq and that is not negotiable.

Humanity is saved by paying close attention to the original care takers of Iraq and Syria, the true homeowners who built the foundation of Iraq. The Assyrian Christians including our Chaldean and Syriac churches are the cradlers of civilization and we demand an internationally protected safe haven of the Nineveh Province with highly advanced weaponry to combat highly funded and large terrorist militias.

Friday, March 27, 2015

Albert Martinez, playing as Felix Manalo, FOUNDER of the Iglesia ni Cristo no longer in the cast of "Sugo"

LOCAL NEWS SAYS FELIX MANALO WAS THE "FOUNDER OF THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO" (and not Christ)!
And why the Iglesia Ni Cristo® Administration do not sue them for "lying"?

MANILA, Philippines - Albert Martinez (photo) has withdrawn from the cast of Felix Y. Manalo: The Last Messenger, the historical biopic of Felix Y. Manalo, founder of the Iglesia ni Kristo. Representatives from Viva Communications Inc., the producer of the film, have confirmed that Albert’s manager, Shirley Kuan, requested that Albert be allowed to withdraw from the film last March 9 so he could attend to and spend more time with his wife Liezl who, at that time, was confined in the hospital. Viva Communications Inc. immediately accepted the request out of compassion for Albert’s situation.

Changes in the cast following Albert’s withdrawal have yet to be confirmed.
-Philippines Star Online

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ALBERT BACKS OUT – Albert Martinez is no longer in the cast of “Sugo,” the filmbio of Bishop Felix Manalo, founder of the Iglesia ni Cristo. He backed out for personal reasons.

This was confirmed by Albert’s manger, Shirley Kuan, who actually suggested the move, knowing how difficult the situation was.

These are trying times for Albert and his three children – Alyanna, Alfonso, Alyssa – as wife and mother Liezl recently died of cancer. More than ever, the Martinez family has to be for each other.

Of course, these are also tough times for Liezl’s parents, Bobby Vasquez and Amalia Fuentes, and the other members of the Muhlach clan. Aga and Niño are especially close to their Ate Liezl.

Albert was supposed to portray Bishop Manalo, with Dennis Trillo as the young Felix. Heard that Dennis will play both the young and adult bishop. Mrs. Manalo will be portrayed by Alice Dixson (adult) and Bela Padilla (young).

Iglesia ni Cristo has churches all over the Philippines and the world. Joel Lamangan directs the filmbio “Sugo.” It has a June playdate, the end of the Iglesia ni Cristo centennial.
-Tempo Entertainment

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Spanish Inquisition was 99% Myth. (BBC)

Ano kaya ang magiging reaksyon ng mga Manalistas (Iglesia Ni Cristo® members) sa video na ito?

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Martyrs for their Christian Faith-- that's the real Witnessing!

Posted on the SOLEMNITY OF THE FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION!

No recorded Iglesia Ni Cristo® Minister had undergone such a real witnessing! Accurately the INC™ official magazine summarizes that awaiting reward for "faithful servants of God... who die in the Lord..."-CD2000

"... a life of eternal and incomparable bliss awaits a faithful servant of God... yet only the true servants who remained patient and faithful in obeying the commandments of God until the end are assured and given by God the exclusive right to dwell therein: 'Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, 'Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on..'' (Rev. 24:12-13 King James Version, emphasis ours). Source: PASUGO God's Message, April 2014, p. 1-2 (by Isaias T. Samson Jr., Editor-in-Chief)

New Martyr Fr. Ragheed Ganni and his Three Sub-Deacons (†2007)
Source: Facing Islam


"The Chaldean Church immediately mourned for them as martyrs. Benedict XVI prayed for them from Rome. Father Ragheed was one of the most limpid and courageous witnesses of the Christian life in a country among the most afflicted."


My sincere thanks to Curt for sharing with me about Fr. Ragheed's witness for Christ. He was not merely martyred for his faith, but he was a profound struggler and a courageous confessor, battling despair and fear within himself, and strengthening the faith of his flock by choosing to suffer with them and encouraging them with true pastoral love. You can immediately sense his powerful faith in the Risen Christ and the Eucharist. His is a powerful example for us of Christ-like love and self-sacrifice.

See also


The Last Mass of Father Ragheed, a Martyr of the Chaldean Church

They killed him in Mosul, together with three of his subdeacons. In a tormented Iraq, he was a man and a Christian of limpid and courageous faith. Here is a portrait of him, written by someone who knew him well.

by Sandro Magister

ROMA, June 5, 2007 – They killed him on the Sunday after Pentecost, after he had celebrated Mass in his parish church, dedicated to the Holy Spirit, in Mosul.

They killed Father Ragheed Ganni, a Chaldean Catholic priest, together with three subdeacons who were with him – Basman Yousef Daud, Wahid Hanna Isho, and Gassan Isam Bidawed. The assailants led Bidawed’s wife away, and struck down the four men in cold blood. Then they placed vehicles loaded with explosives around their corpses, so that no one would dare to approach them. It was late in the evening before the police in Mosul were able to defuse the explosives and collect the bodies.

The Chaldean Church immediately mourned for them as martyrs. Benedict XVI prayed for them from Rome. Father Ragheed was one of the most limpid and courageous witnesses of the Christian life in a country among the most afflicted.

He was born in Mosul 35 years ago. After graduating from the local university with an engineering degree in 1993, from 1996 to 2003 he studied theology in Rome at the Angelicum, the Pontifical Saint Thomas Aquinas University, pursuing a license in ecumenical theology. Apart from Arabic, he spoke fluent Italian, French, and English. He was a correspondent for the international agency “Asia News,” of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions.

The day after his martyrdom, “Asia News” published this portrait of him:

"Christ challenges evil with his infinite love, he keeps us united and through the Eucharist he gifts us life, which the terrorists are trying to take away".

"Without Sunday, without the Eucharist the Christians in Iraq cannot survive": that was how Fr Ragheed spoke of his community’s hope, a community that was used to facing death on a daily basis, that same death that yesterday afternoon faced him, on his way home from saying mass.

After having fed his faithful with the Body and Blood of Christ, he gave his own blood, his own life for Iraq, for the future of his Church.

This young priest had willingly, knowingly chosen to remain by the side of his parishioners from Holy Spirit parish in Mosul, judged the most dangerous city after Baghdad. His reasoning was simple: without him, without its pastor, his flock would have been lost. In the barbarity of suicide attacks and bombings, one thing at least was clear, and gave him the strength to resist: "Christ”, Ragheed would say, “challenges evil with his infinite love, he keeps us united and through the Eucharist he gifts us life, which the terrorists are trying to take away".

He died yesterday, massacred by blind violence. Killed on his way home from Church, where his people, despite their decreasing numbers, bowed by fear and desperation, continued to come.

"It is our duty not to give in to despair: God will listen to our prayers for peace in Iraq."

"The young people”, Ragheed told us just days ago, “organized surveillance after the recent attacks against the parish, the kidnappings, the threats to religious; priests celebrate mass amidst the bombed out ruins; mothers worry as they see their children face danger to attend catechism with enthusiasm; the elderly come to entrust their fleeing families to God’s protection, they alone remain in their country where they have their roots and built their homes, refusing to flee. Exile for them is unimaginable".

Ragheed was one of them, a strong father figure who wanted to protect his children: "It is our duty not to give in to despair: God will listen to our prayers for peace in Iraq."


In 2003, after finishing his studies in Rome, he decided to return to his country: "that is where I belong, that is my place". He also returned to help in the rebuilding of his nation, the rebuilding of a "free society". He spoke of an Iraq full of hope with a captivating smile: "Saddam has fallen, we have elected a government, we have voted for a Constitution!" He organized theology courses for the lay faithful of Mosul; he worked with the young; he consoled disadvantaged families; this month he was engrossed in helping a small child with serious eye problems undergo surgery in Rome.

His testimony is that of an enthusiastic faith. The target of a series of threats stretching back to 2004, he witnessed the pain of relatives and the loss of friends, and yet he carried on to the very end remembering that there was meaning to be found in that suffering, that carnage, that anarchy of violence: it was to be offered up.

After an attack on his parish, on Palm Sunday last April 1st he said: "We empathise with Christ, who entered Jerusalem in full knowledge that the consequence of His love for mankind was the cross. Thus while bullets smashed our church windows, we offered up our suffering as a sign of love for Christ".

In the midst of the daily difficulties he himself marvelled at a growing awareness of "the great value of Sunday, the day we met the Risen Lord, the day of unity and of love between his community..."

"Each day we wait for the decisive attack”, he said just weeks ago, “but we will not stop celebrating mass; we will do it underground, where we are safer. I am encouraged in this decision by the strength of my parishioners. This is war, real war, but we hope to carry our cross to the very end with the help of Divine Grace".

And in the midst of the daily difficulties he himself marvelled at a growing awareness of "the great value of Sunday, the day we met the Risen Lord, the day of unity and of love between his community, of support and help".

Then the bombings multiplied; the kidnappings of priests in Baghdad and Mosul became more frequent; Sunnis began to demand taxes from Christians to remain in their homes, or face their requisition by militants. Water and electricity grew scarce, telephoning and communicating became difficult. Ragheed began to grow tired, his enthusiasm weakened, to the point where in his last e-mail to AsiaNews, May 28 last, he admitted: "We are on the verge of collapse." And he told of a bomb exploding in the Holy Spirit Church, on the feast of Pentecost May 27; of the "war" which broke out a week before, 7 car bombings, 10 explosions in swift succession, the three day curfew, "prisoners in our own home", of not being able to celebrate the feast of the Ascension, 20 May.

"I am certain about one thing, one single fact that is always true: that the Holy Spirit will enlighten people so that they may work for the good of humanity, in this world so full of evil".

He pondered the path his country had taken: "In a sectarian and confessional Iraq, will there be any space for Christians? We have no support, no group who fights for our cause; we are abandoned in the midst of this disaster. Iraq has already been divided; it will never be the same. What is the future of our Church?".

But then the strength of his faith endured, a tired but solid faith: "I may be wrong, but I am certain about one thing, one single fact that is always true: that the Holy Spirit will enlighten people so that they may work for the good of humanity, in this world so full of evil".

Dearest Ragheed, together with a heart which cries in pain, you leave us your hope and your certainty. By taking you, they aimed to wipe out the hope of Iraq’s Christians. Instead, your martyrdom nourishes and gives new life to your community, to the Iraqi Church and the Church throughout the world. Thank you, Ragheed!

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

ALETEIA: I Hated the Idea of Becoming Catholic

Or, how I found the Catholic faith at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Originally from Aleteia

It was the day after Ash Wednesday in 2012 when I called my mom from my dorm room at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and told her I thought I was going to become Catholic.

“You’re not going to become Catholic, you just know you’re not Southern Baptist,” she said.

“No, I don’t think so.”

A pause. “Oh boy,” she sighed.

I started crying.

I cannot stress enough how much I hated the idea of becoming Catholic. I was bargaining to the last moment. I submitted a sermon for a competition days before withdrawing from school. I was memorizing Psalm 119 to convince myself of sola scriptura. I set up meetings with professors to hear the best arguments. I purposefully read Protestant books about Catholicism, rather than books by Catholic authors.

Further, I knew I would lose my housing money and have to pay a scholarship back if I withdrew from school, not to mention disappointing family, friends, and a dedicated church community.

But when I attempted to do my homework, I collapsed on my bed. All I wanted to do was scream at the textbook, “Who says?!”

I had experienced a huge paradigm shift in my thinking about the faith, and the question of apostolic authority loomed larger than ever.

But let’s rewind back a few years.

I grew up in an evangelical Protestant home. My father was a worship and preaching pastor from when I was in fourth grade onwards. Midway through college, I really fell in love with Jesus Christ and His precious Gospel and decided to become a pastor.

Monday, March 23, 2015

Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC™) Magazine PASUGO Boasted Ventilacion over Mr. Jesse Romero in a Debate

[Watch: Jesse Romero vs Jose Ventilacion. Visit the official website of Mr. Jesse Romero; as of March 2015, no official website for Jose Ventilacion]

‘Church Of Christ’ Reaffirmed in Debate as the True Church
By Gene N. Abella

An audience estimated to 2,000 filled to standing-room-only capacity the Fox Theatre in the City of Visalia in Northern California during a public debate held on January 20, 2012 between a group representing the Roman Catholic Church and the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ).

The topic of the debate was “Which is the True Church?” Taking up the cudgels for the Catholic Church was Mr. Jesse Romero, a lay Catholic evangelist and retired Los Angeles deputy sheriff who was brought in by the Lumen Christi, a Catholic men’s Bible Study group in Visalia, with two associates helping him. Representing the Iglesia Ni Cristo ws Brother Jose J. Ventilacion, a minister of the gospel and an instructor at the College of Evanglical Ministry in the Philippines, with fellow-ministers Rolando Dizon and Rommel San Pedro assisting him.

Mr. Jesse Romero, anchored his stand that “the Catholic Church is the true church” in the Catholic doctrine that Apostle Peter is the foundation stone of the church and was the first pope of the Catholic Church, thereby establishing the papacy which continues up to this day. He asserted that Apostle Peter was appointed as, what he called, “Prime Minister” when our Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 16:19, thus: And I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven”.

Mr. Romero asserted that Apostle Peter alone was given the figurative key, which he said was a badge of authority given to him by Christ. With this authority, the concluded, Apostle Peter had primacy over the other apostles, as purportedly evidenced by our Lord Jesus Christ always calling on him first, and on one occasion saying to him “Feed my sheep” three times. All these, he assumed, support his statement that Apostle Peter was the Prime Minister of Christ’s kingdom on earth which, he said, is permanent and extends to this day, with the popes as Peter’s successors.

When cross-examined about who presided over the Council of Jerusalem in 50 A.D., Romero said it was Apostle James. However, when shown a Catholic reference which claims that it as Apostle Peter who presided over that council, he later claimed, in order to avoid embarrassment, that “all the apostles” presided. Brother Jose Ventilacion refuted that position by citing Acts 15:19 in which Apostle James said, “it is my judgment” which proves that only one made the final judgment. Thus, Apostle James is the leader of the Church, not Apostle Peter. In other instances, Apostle Peter, himself, recognized James s the leader when he said “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren” (Acts 12:16-17, New King James Version) when the people in the house of Mary were surprised to see him out of prison where he was kept by King Herod, but was released by an angel sent by the Lord. Apostle Paul, also recognized the leadership of James as can be read in Galatians 2:9.

Brother Ventilacion countered Mr. Romero’s stand by reading verses directly from the Holy Scriptures such as Acts 20:28 (Lamsa Translation), which show that it is by the name “Church Of Christ”—not Roman Catholic Church—that the apostles called the Church built or established by Christ (Matt. 16:18).

Brother Ventilacion emphasized that to regard Apostle Peter as the foundation stone of the true Church is contrary to biblical truth and a usurpation of the authority and supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ. This he proved by reading Ephesians 2:20 which shows that Jesus Himself is the chief cornerstone and I Corinthian 3:11 which says, “For God has already placed Jesus Christ as the one and only foundation, and no other foundation can be laid” (Today’s English Version).

To cap his presentation, Brother Ventilacion went on to explain that the reestablishment of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) in the Philippines in 1914 is the fulfillment of prophecies in the Bible. It is the third group referred to in the prophesy in Acts 2:39, New King James Version, thus: “For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” “You” in the verse refers to the Jews (first group), and “your children” to the Gentiles (second group) who joined the Church during the time of the apostles (Rom. 9:24). “Afar off” refers to the Far East (Isa. 43:5, Moffat Translation), in the islands of the sea (Isa. 24:15, NIV), particularly the Philippines (Asia and the Philippines, p. 169).

With the promise of Almighty God when he said “Fear not for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, And gather you from the west” (Isa. 43:5, NKJV), the Iglesia Ni Cristo has grown and spread dramatically and is now firmly established in more than 90 countries and territories around the world, teaching the pure gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, recognizing “only one God, the Father, and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus” who is the foundation stone of the Church.

Brother Ventilacion ended his discourse with an open invitation to the nonmembers present to join the Iglesia Ni Cristo, the true Church established and owned by our Lord Jesus Christ, “for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12, Ibid.)

Source: PASUGO: God's Message, pp. 19-20


Sunday, March 22, 2015

THE ISRAEL TIMES: Saudi grand mufti calls for demolition of churches

Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah says Christian religious sites in Arabian Peninsula must be razed in accordance with Muslim law


Saudi Arabia’s top Muslim cleric called on Tuesday for the destruction of all churches in the Arabian Peninsula after legislators in the Gulf state of Kuwait moved to pass laws banning the construction of religious sites associated with Christianity

Speaking to a delegation in Kuwait, Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah, who serves as the grand mufti of Saudi Arabia, said the destruction of churches was absolutely necessary and is required by Islamic law, Arabic media reported.

Abdullah, who is considered to be the highest official of religious law in the Sunni Muslim kingdom, also serves as the head of the Supreme Council of Ulema (Islamic scholars) and of the Standing Committee for Scientific Research and Issuing of Fatwas.

Last month, Osama Al-Munawer, a Kuwaiti member of parliament, announced his plans to submit a draft law calling for the removal of all churches in the country, according to the Arabian Businesses news site. Al-Munawer later clarified that the law would only apply to new churches, while old ones would be allowed to stay erect.



Read more: Saudi grand mufti calls for demolition of churches | The Times of Israel http://www.timesofisrael.com/saudi-grand-mufti-calls-for-demolition-of-churches/#ixzz3VFgro8Pn
Follow us: @timesofisrael on Twitter | timesofisrael on Facebook

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

The POPES of the IGLESIA NI CRISTO®: "Esteem Them Very Highly In Love"

NO IMAGES ALLOWED BY GOD?? Really?






As long as you don't bow down to them... but offering flowers to images is okey?!


Comments?...

AINA NEWS: The '1,500' Year Old 'Bible' and Muslim Propaganda

We know how desperate Muslims are yet most of them haven't read the real Bible! -CD2000

By Peter BetBasoo and Ashur Giwargis

(AINA) -- Much has been made of the recent discovery in Turkey of a Bible purported to be written in the Aramaic language, 1,500 years ago. The Muslim media, as well as Western media outlets, quickly pounced on this, claiming this Bible contains verses attributed to Jesus Christ, in which Christ predicts the coming of Muhammad. No media outlet has published a facsimile of these verses.

This "Bible" is written on leather in gold letters. The picture of the front cover show inscriptions in Aramaic and a drawing of a cross.


For any native speaker of Modern Assyrian (also known as neo-Aramaic), and that would be your average Assyrian today, the inscription is easily read. The bottom inscription, which is the most clearly visible from the published photos, says the following:

Transliteration: b-shimmit maran paish kteewa aha ktawa al idateh d-rabbaneh d-dera illaya b-ninweh b'sheeta d-alpa w-khamshamma d-maran

Translation: In the name of our Lord, this book is written on the hands of the monks of the high monastery in Nineveh, in the 1,500th year of our Lord.

Nineveh is the ancient Assyrian capital and is located in present-day north Iraq, near Mosul.

There are spelling errors that are immediately noticeable.

The first word, b'shimmit maran ("in the name of our Lord"), is erroneously spelled with a 't' instead of a 'd'. The 'd' in Assyrian is the genitive, and it prefixes the word that follows. It should read b-shimma d-maran, not b-shimmit maran (note, the last word of the sentence is correctly spelled d-maran ("of our Lord")).

The first word also contains another spelling error. The correct spelling for "name" in Assyrian is ashma, with the initial 'a' being silent. Therefore, when correctly spelled, 'in the name of our Lord" should be written as b-ashma d-maran.

The word idateh is misspelled, it should end with an 'a', idata. Also the phrase al idateh ("on the hands") is incorrect, it should read b-idata ("by the hands").

The bottom sentence uses the word ktawa ("book") to refer to the book, but in Assyrian the Bible is never referred to as a "book." One says awreta (Old Testament), khdatta (New Testament), or ktawa qaddeesha (holy book). Given this, since no one has seen the inside of this "Bible," we cannot be sure if it is in fact a Bible.

Most significantly, this writing is in Modern Assyrian, which was standardized in the 1840s. The first bible in Modern Assyrian was produced in 1848. If this book were written in 1500 A.D. it should have been written in Classical Assyrian.




It is highly unlikely for monks to make such elementary mistakes. It remains to be seen whether this book is a forgery, or even what kind of book it is.

The bottom inscription also says the book was written in 1500 A.D.. If the book does contain verses predicting the coming of Muhammad, it is no great accomplishment to predict something 870 years after the fact, since Muhammad founded Islam in 630 A.D..

Most media outlets, as well as Muslim and Christian outlets, lead the story with headlines pronouncing "1500 year old Bible predicts the coming of Muhammad" -- without any evidence to support this.

For Muslims, the implications of the headlines are desirable, that Jesus Christ is a Prophet, just like Muhammad, and not the Son of God. According to Al Bawaba, the Turkish culture and tourism minister, Ertugrul Gunay, said "In line with Islamic belief, the Gospel [this Bible] treats Jesus as a human being and not a God. It rejects the ideas of the Holy Trinity and the Crucifixion and reveals that Jesus predicted the coming of the Prophet Mohammed."

Commenting on the errors in the book, Al Bawaba says in another article:

For example, the book says that there are nine heavens and that the tenth is paradise while in Quran they are seven only and claims that Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus without any pain while the Quran story says she got labor pains. 
According to the gospel, Jesus said to Jewish priests that he is not the Messiah and that the Messiah is Mohammed. This means a denial of the existence of a Messiah, who is in fact Jesus Christ, and makes Jesus and Mohammed seem like they are one and the same person. 
The book also contains information that lack historical credibility like the presence of three armies, each made up of 200,000 soldiers, in Palestine whereas the entire population of Palestine 2,000 years ago did not even reach 200,000. In addition, Palestine was occupied by the Romans at the time and it is impossible that Palestine was allowed to have any army or armies of its own. 
The last sentence in chapter 217 says that 100 pounds of stones were placed on Christ's body. This confirms that the gospel was written quite recently because the first to use the pound as a unit of weight was the Ottomans in their experiments with Italy and Spain and it was never known during the time of Jesus. 
Chapter 20 also stated that the cities of Jerusalem and Nazareth are sea ports.

This same article ends with "According to many studies, the gospel attributed to St. Barnabas was written by a European Jew in the Middle Ages who was quite familiar with the Quran and the Gospels. He, thus, mixed facts from here and there and his intentions remain unknown."

But despite the availability of information on this "Bible," most media outlets, Muslims, liberal and secular organizations have portrayed this discovery as something that undermines Christianity, ignoring the many problems with this book and presenting it as virtual fact. In fact, in their zeal to support the anti-Christian narrative, they have withheld or suppressed information questioning the authenticity of this book. For these organizations and individuals, this is another tool in their arsenal for the attack on the foundations of Christian doctrine.

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Related Very Helpful Articles:

Anachronisms in the "Gospel of Barnabas"

Some readers have noted that the Gospel of Barnabas contains a number of apparent anachronisms and historical incongruities:


  • It has Jesus sailing across the Sea of Galilee to Nazareth – which is actually inland; and thence going "up" to Capernaum – which is actually on the lakeside (chapters 20–21); though this is contested by Blackhirst, who says that the traditional location of Nazareth is itself questionable.
  • Jesus is said to have been born during the rule of Pontius Pilate, which began after the year 26.
  • Barnabas appears not to realize that "Christ" and "Messiah" are synonyms, "Christ" (khristos) being a Greek translation of the word messiah (mashiach), both having the meaning of "anointed". The Gospel of Barnabas thus errs in describing Jesus as "Jesus Christ" (lit. "Messiah Jesus" in Greek), yet claiming that 'Jesus confessed and said the truth, "I am not the Messiah"' (ch. 42).
  • There is reference to a jubilee which is to be held every hundred years (Chapter 82), rather than every fifty years as described in Leviticus: 25. This anachronism appears to link the Gospel of Barnabas to the declaration of a Holy Year in 1300 by Pope Boniface VIII; a Jubilee which he then decreed should be repeated every hundred years. In 1343 the interval between Holy Years was reduced by Pope Clement VI to fifty years.[16]
  • Adam and Eve eat an apple (ch. 40); whereas the traditional association of the Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Book of Genesis 2:9,17; 3:5) with the apple rests on the translation of the Hebrew Bible into Latin, where both 'apple' and 'evil' are rendered as 'malum'.
  • The Gospel talks of wine being stored in wooden casks (chapter 152). Wooden casks were a characteristic of Gaul and Northern Italy, and were not commonly used for wine in the Roman empire until after 300 CE; whereas wine in 1st century Palestine was always stored in wineskins and jars (amphorae). The Pedunculate or English Oak Quercus robur does not grow in Palestine; and the wood of other species is not sufficiently airtight to be used in wine casks,[56]
  • In Chapter 91, the "Forty Days" is referred to as an annual fast.[36] This corresponds to the Christian tradition of fasting for forty days in Lent; a practice that is not witnessed earlier than the Council of Nicaea (325). Nor is there a forty days' fast in Judaism of the period (see Mishnah Tractate Ta'anit, "Days of Fasting").
  • Where the Gospel of Barnabas includes quotations from the Old Testament, these correspond to readings as found in the Latin Vulgate rather than as found in either the Greek Septuagint, or the Hebrew Masoretic Text. The Latin Vulgate translation was a work that St. Jerome began in 382 AD, centuries after the death of Barnabas.
  • In Chapter 54 it says: "For he would get in change a piece of gold must have sixty mites" (Italian minuti). In the New Testament period, the only golden coin, the aureus, was worth approximately 3,200 of the smallest bronze coin, the lepton (translated into Latin as minuti); while the Roman standard silver coin, the denarius, was worth 128 leptons. The rate of exchange of 1:60 implied in the Gospel of Barnabas was, however, a commonplace of late medieval interpretation of the counterpart passage in the canonical Gospels (Mark 12:42), arising from the standard medieval understanding of minuti as meaning 'a sixtieth part'.
  • Chapter 91 records three contending Jewish armies 200,000 strong at Mizpeh, totaling 600,000 men, at a time when the Roman army across the entire Empire had a total strength estimated as 300,000.
  • In Chapter 119 Jesus instances sugar and gold as substances of equivalent rarity and value. Although the properties of sugar had been known in India in antiquity, it was not traded as a sweetener until industrial-scale production developed in the 6th century. From the 11th to 15th centuries, the sugar trade into Europe was an Arab monopoly, and its value was often compared with gold. From the mid-15th century, however, large-scale sugar estates were established in the Canary Islands and the Azores, and sugar, although still a luxury item, ceased to be exceptionally rare.


Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Did Felix Manalo restore the local churches or he actually founded another Church of his own?

Pasugo God's Message, Ferbruary 2014, Vol. 66, Number 2, ISSN 0116-1636
A 2014 publication of the Iglesia Ni Cristo® of Manalo highlights its 75th Year Pasugo Publication Anniversary with the high spot on its Founder no other than the apostate Felix Manalo.

It remembers how Pasugo started a "humble beginning" in 1939 when the apostate and founder Felix Manalo formally announced the publication of his Church's official magazine.

The name of the magazine has something to do with Felix Manalo's claims!

We recall the year in 1922 the "Ora Rebellion" when Felix Manalo was accused of immorality by one of his most trusted men Mr. Teofilo Ora and Mr. Basilio Santiago.

A certain author Donald Platt writes:

"During this time, charges of immorality were lodged against Manalo, and some members left the church. The most serious of these defections was the "Ora Rebellion" of 1922, led by Teofilo Ora and Basilio Santiago, resulting in the loss of the congregations in Bulacan and Nueva Ecija. One result of this challenge to Manalo's authority was the development of the "Sugo" teaching, in which Felix claimed to be the fulfillment of a prophecy in Rev. 7:1-3, the "angel ascending from the rising of the sun". Since no other church had a leader who was the fulfillment of prophecy, then the Iglesia ni Kristo was the only true church, with God's only true messenger. This teaching helped firmly establish Manalo's authority over the church." (Counterfeit? 1981, page 87-88)

That schism compelled the apostate founder Felix Manalo to proclaim himself as the "Last Sugo" or "Angel" -- it is where Pasugo was derived.

Pasugo means "any warning, word, or message, written or not, which is delivered or conveyed from one person to another person, group or people..." (p. 5) creating the apostate Felix Manalo as a modern doomsday fortune-teller.

Twelve of the most memorable issues were given special attention.  It includes the symbolic visitation of Eraño G. Manalo in Rome in 1994 with the description of a deceitful announcements: "The true Church is back in Rome!

The inauguration of their first locale in Rome in 1994 that Eraño G. Manalo graced became the official recognition that the "true Church is back in Rome!".  He then pronounced deceitfully that the "original Church of Christ" is now "officially restored" in the Eternal City. But in reality, the original Church NEVER left Rome from the time it was planted by the Sts. Peter and Paul and the Martyrs of Rome to the present leadership of Pope Francis.

With its symbolic presence in Rome, they want to portray among their mostly Filipino members that the "Iglesia Ni Cristo® conquered Rome"! And for us Catholics, their presence in Rome challenges us to witness to the truth which is overwhelmingly revealed in every pieces of stones in all of Rome. There were Christians who died as martyrs to what Rome is now today.  We have been assured by the Lord himself that no matter how they'd try, "the gates of Hell shall not prevail"? (Mt. 16:18). A promise that made the Catholic Church's faith "heralded throughout the world." (Letter of the Apostle Paul to the Christians in Rome Christians. 1:8)

And what was shameful for the heir of the "Last Messenger" is that his Church's RESTORATION MISSION in Rome didn't even made the headlines. In fact, the Romans didn't even realize that the son of the "Last Messenger" Eraño ever set foot on its soil in that supposedly jubilant fateful day.

What was recorded in its Tribunale Civile Di Roma in 1994 was that a certain Filipino by the name Eraño G. Manalo officially REGISTERED a corporation business that is called the Iglesia Ni Cristo®!

Then after it was registered Eraño G. Manalo declared the "original Church of Christ" was "officially restored" to Rome!

Now the compelling question is:  Did the Manalos TRANSFER the CENTRAL OFFICE of the  "TRUE CHURCH" the IGLESIA NI CRISTO® back in ROME?

NO!!!

The CENTRAL OFFICES of the IGLESIA NI CRISTO® REMAINED in the Philippines! Therefore the supposedly restoration of the "original Church of Christ" back to Rome was just a deliberate and deceitful propaganda making their members believe in a blatant LIE!

What a betrayal from the Manalos! Members should wake up and leave the INC™ of Manalo at once and save yourselves from sure damnation!

And the sad part of it is that the Iglesia Ni Cristo® Church in Rome remained  an ordinary LOCALE to this day. And since the Central Offices remained in the Philippines, no doubt, the Iglesia Ni Cristo® in Philippines is the ORIGINAL Iglesia Ni Cristo®!


Therefor applying what they love to quote in Romans 16:16, the INC™ is completely in contradiction since all the "churches of Christ" (mga Iglesia Ni Cristo daw) are SENDING THEIR GREETINGS to the CENTRAL OFFICES in the Philippines and not to their LOCALE IN ROME!

Then another highlighted publication was their July 1996 Pasugo with Eraño G. Manalo's as the cover photo with the walled City of Jerusalem and the Golden Dome as his background.

Its caption was: "The Church Returns to Jerusalem". When the INC Locale celebrated a special worship service in March 31, 1996 held at La Romme Jerusalem Hotel, Eduardo V. Manalo expounded on the "fulfillment of the prophesied return of God's people to their original abode," thus registering the Iglesia Ni Cristo® in Jerusalem in February 1996. (PASUGO God's Message February 2014, p. 7)

In the same way, if the "original Church of Christ" has returned to God's people (the Israelites) to "their original" RESIDENCE or BEGINNING or "abode"  then why Eraño G. Manalo DID NOT TRANSFER the CENTRAL OFFICES of the IGLESIA NI CRISTO® BACK in JERUSALEM?! In the first place, Jerusalem was, as mentioned by Eduardo V. Manalo, the "ORIGINAL ABODE" of the  true Church of Christ!

So the question to INC's ministers is:  Was the ORIGINAL CHURCH OF CHRIST been restored in Rome or Jerusalem?

If Felix Manalo was called to be the "LAST MESSENGER" what message was it?  And whose message was it? Did Christ appear to him in person?  Did Christ told him specifically to restore the local churches?

Then why is it that since 1994 and 1996, the Central Offices of the Iglesia Ni Cristo remained in the Philippines-- why it wasn't transferred in Rome or in Jerusalem?!

And if the Central Office will remains in the Philippines then it is simply logical to conclude that Felix Manalo FOUNDED an ORIGINAL CHURCH OF HIS OWN.  That's why he and his children personally witness the registration of its locales around the world. To ensure that it is registered under their name!

With that, we can now settle in peace the issue about Felix Manalo—that he has fulfilled Biblical prophesies about the coming of APOSTATES teaching false doctrines and deny Jesus (Divine God) coming in the flesh (2 John 1:7). Moreover, we count on its own judgment no less than from their official publication!
“Iisa lamang ang tanging makapagtatayo ng Iglesiang magiging dapat sa Dios. Kung sino? -- Ang ating Panginoong Jesu-Cristo lamang! Sinumang tao-- maging marunong o mangmang-- ay walang karapatang magtayo..." -PASUGO Nobyembre 1940, p. 23:

Sorry folks, the Corporation Sole of the Manalo clan will never restored “back to Rome” nor it will be ever be back in its birthplace in Jerusalem! For the TRUE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST NEVER LEFT neither ROME nor JERUSALEM!

Monday, March 16, 2015

Are we forbidden to pray from the Bible? Is the Holy Rosary a "pagan" prayer? -Iglesia Ni Cristo's Response

Here is another deception by a paid Minister of the Iglesia Ni Cristo® of Manalo taken from Pasugo Mailbox: (Pasugo God's Message, August 2004, Vol. 56, No. 8, ISSN 0116-1636, pp. 4-5)


LETTER TO PASUGO:

The Holy Rosary is a Gospel Prayer of contemplation with Mary on the life of Jesus Christ and Mary. 

How can the rosary be judged that it is of pagan origin?  I do believe that the rosary beads were very much in fashion then and even up to now, that's  why they are universally found and used in their own representations by Paganism; Buddhism; Hinduism; Islam; and Christianity.  Rosary beads are not the sole property of the pagans therefor the Holy Rosary can not be branded as such.

I have been praying the Holy Rosary since I was a child, even without thoroughly understanding the beauty and meaning of what it is.  Yet over the years praying the Holy Rosary played a big role in my family life as the source of the strength that held us together.  During my growing up years the rosary was just like all the other prayers that we must memorize so  that we can participate in the weekly rosary held at my grandparent's house on weekends.  As I grew older and well verse enough to lead the prayers I never thought that there is more to it than just words in sequence.  I started to reflect on the words that I was saying, even more so when our family must gather to pray the Holy Rosary for my father and grandmother who were in critical condition because of an accident.

It is also during our rosary prayer time that many secrets are revealed among us such as our hopes, dreams and aspirations as well as our faults and shortcomings.

As a family we pray as on for all our intentions as we also reflect, meditate and discern our mistakes and shortcomings asking for God's guidance and wisdom and always trusting in His mercy and His infinite love.

I cannot count the number of times when many unbearable [instances] became bearable and many things became possible.  The strength of our bond as a family and the Holy Rosary that we fervently prayerd in all sincerity and humility has a very powerful prayer force that we know will intercede so that my father and my grandmother can survive and surpass those most critical hours.

We never doubted the powerful prayer force of the Holy Rosary because the one who prays with us is no other than Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ.  For all our reason the Holy Rosary has been and will continue to be a part of our life time prayers.

No matter how I detest and disagree with your statements regarding the rosary, it is also true that I must consider the fact that your knowledge about the rosary comes from books and other references that unfortunately doesn't give justification to its definition or meaning.  There is more to the rosary than just the beads and its definitions and being a non-Catholic would make it complicated to grasp and understand.  I, for one took years to know and understand that the knowledge and understanding that I know now is only the beginning.

I am enclosing a Pastoral Letter which explains further the meaning of the Holy Rosary, what it is, the mysteries, meditations on biblical themes and other details from the point of view of a Catholic who prays the Holy Rosary fervently and regularly.  He is the best authority in terms of knowledge and experience.  Moreover, the always speaks from the heart.

I hope reading this can give you a better, clearer and broader  view and understanding of the Holy Rosary that we Catholics contemplate with Mary on the life of Jesus Christ.  It is also my fervent hope that somehow your despicable statement would be properly stated as befits its rightful descriptions and definitions. I hope you don't mind my sentiments but it is of utmost importance that the Holy Rosary be described or defined properly and rightfully, please.

"So I declare and testify in the Lord that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds; darkened in understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance, because of their hardness of heart" Eph., 4:17-18 "and be renewed in the spirit of your minds", "and put on the new self, created in God's way in righteousness and holiness of truth." Eph., 4:23-24 (new American Bible)

Thank you and God bless.

Barbara C. Lim
Makati City, Philippines


IGLESIA NI CRISTO'S RESPONSE:

We understand your reaction to our reply to another letter sender concerning the Rosary.  it is a but natural to react in this manner when one's religious practice done with great love and sincerity is being considered as against the God's will.

The reference we cited were written by recognized Catholic authorities to show that the rosary is indeed repetitious and thus contrary to the statement of Christ in Matthew 6:7. To defy  Christ's admonition against repetitious prayers is not only unbiblical--it is choosing to be an enemy of Christ.  Repetitious  reciting of prayers, says Christ in the same verse, is the way pagans pray.  Apostle Paul states in Ephesians 4:17-18 that Christians must "give up living as pagans do with their futile notions" (Revised English Bible).

Thus, any praying in the same way as what pagans are doing contradicts Christ's admonition on how to pray properly.

"...the old pagans or Rome... before the Roman Catholic Church came into existence, constantly used beads in reciting the many prayers..." (Roman Catholics in the Light of Scripture, p. 137)

"The practice of using beads, etc., as a help to memory in reciting a set number of prayers is not distinctively Christian.." (A Catholic Dictionary, p. 717)

You explain that rosary beads have been very much in fashion before and up to know that is why they are universally found.  You also claim that they are not the sole or exclusive property of the pagans and conclude that the Rosary "can not be branded as such."  The fact, however, that there is no mention of it being commanded by Christ and the Apostles or used by the early Christians, and not even by the people of God in the Old Testament indicates that the Rosary was adopted by the Catholic Church not from the Holy Scriptures.  As you yourself know, history proves that the Rosary had long been widespread among pagans even before the existence of he Roman Church.

You expound that aside from the recitation of the vocal prayers, the Rosary includes meditation on the "mysteries" and putting into practice what is meditated upon and expressed in vocal prayers.  You then conclude that "the Holy Rosary is biblically based."

Meditating on important events in teh life of Jesus and other virtuous servants of God and living it out in the daily life are indeed noble activities, but there activities can be done even witout ritually reciting memorized prayers while using beads which the pagans also use.  God's people in the Bible practiced meditation and were prayerful, but non of them used vain repetitions or rosary beads in his prayers.

Moreover, at least two of your so-called "mysteries" involved in praying the Rosary are obviously not warranted by the Holy Scriptures.  In announcing the "Fourth mystery-- the Assumption of our Lady" in your so-called "Glorious Mysteries," you proclaim:

"We recall how Jesus has taken His Mother to heaven with body and soul as a generous reward for her devoted love to Him while earth." (How to Say the Rosary, p. 22)

But nowhere in the Bible can we find that "Jesus has taken His Mother to heaven with body and soul."  What the Bible teaches is that the dead are in the grave (Ps. 88.5, New King James Version), including those who are holy (Ps. 86:2; Acts 2:29, 34), and that the "soul clings to the dust" when a person dies (Ps. 119:25, NKJV).   Those who are worthy of salvation will enter the kingdom of heaven on the Second Advent of Christ (Mt. 25:31-34) or Judgment Day (Jude 1:14-15).

In the "Fifth Mystery-- the Coronation of Our Lady in Heaven" of your so-called "Glorious Mysteries" you announce:

"We recall how Mary enter[ed] heaven and is greeted by the endless jubilation of angels and saints.  Jesus sets upon her head the crown as Heaven's Queen." (How to Say the Rosary, p. 23)

Regarding the "Glorious Mysteries," your Pope John Paull II himself in his Apostolic Letter "The Rosary of the Virgin Mary" (the "Pastoral Letter" you sent us) states:

"In the Ascension, Christ was raised in glory to the right hand of the Father, while Mary herself would be raised to that same glory in the Assumption, enjoying beforehand, by a unique privilege, the destiny reserved for all the just at the resurrection of the dead.  Crowned in glory-- as she appears in the last glorious mystery--Mary shines forth as Queen of the Angels and Saints..." (p.16)

Again, these teachings are without biblical basis.  Even your Pope can not read from the Scriptures that Mary was "crowned in glory"... as Queen of the Angels and Saints" and that "Jesus sets upon her head the crown as Heaven's Queen." As a matter of fact, no less than Catholic priests and authorities testify to the fact that Mary's Assumption" or being "taken... to heaven with body and soul" is not found in the Holy Scriptures:

"There is no statement of the Assumption in Holy Scripture.  Moreover, if we consult the historical writings of the first five centuries, we find them void of any historical data to certify the fat of the Assumption." (God the Redeemer by Charles G. Herzog, S.J., p. 98)

"There is no explicit reference to the assumption in the Bible, yet the Pope insist in the decree of promulgation that the Scriptures are the ultimate foundation of this truth."  (New Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. I, 1967, p. 972)

No doubt, the Rosary can be prayed with the best of human intentions, but this doesn't change the biblical truth that it is against the will of God and it is of pagan origin.  Neither the prophesies nor Christ, nor the Apostles taught it and therefore, the Rosary is a prayer as a commandment of men, who have not been commissioned by God to teach His words.

As to prayer made to God by people who teach and obey the commandments of men, Christ quoted these words from God: 

"But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Mt. 15:6, King James Version)

Therefore, while there's still time, put away the commandments of men, and learn to accept the truth no matter how painful it may be. The truth will set us free (Jn. 8:32)

-Bienvenido C. Santiago

CD2000: What do we expect from a paid worker of Manalo Mr. Bienvenido Santiago? He's trained to hate the Catholic Church and must continue to demonize every teaching and doctrine of the original and only true Church of Christ-- which is the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church (PASUGO, April 1966, p. 46; PASUGO, July-August, 1988, p. 6; PASUGO, March-April, 1992, p. 22) or what he called as the "Roman Church" so that by deceit, he could convert cafeteria Catholics to Manalo's INC™ Church.

In fact, it was the same "Roman Church" which the Apostle Paul told all the churches of Christ to "send their greetings" (Rm. 16:16), not the Iglesia Ni Cristo® founded in the Philippines by an apostate self-proclaimed "Last Messenger" or "Huling Sugo" who left Christ's fold and founded his own. Neither the prophets, nor Christ nor the Apostles made mention of a certain Felix Manalo to come and perfecting the salvific mission of Christ who died for our sins but he remained a complete failure as implied by Manalo's assertions of his "Last Messenger" doctrine.

In his letter to the Church in Rome, the Apostle Paul made mention of how he was spiritually joyful for knowing that the faith of the "Roman Church" is heralded throughout the world (Rm. 1:8 NAB).

The Apostle Paul even confirmed how special the "Roman Church" is for God--"called to belong to Jesus Christ" and "...called to be holy..." (Rm. 1:6-7 Knox Translation)

So that at the last chapter of his letter (chapter 16), St. Paul the Apostles fondly sends the greetings of "all the churches of Christ" to the "Roman Church" for having a faith known throughout the whole world; for being called to imitate Jesus Christ; and to exemplify holiness. Have we not done that?

In fact, no other churches christianized much of the world except the Catholic Church alone.  The Church transmitted the faith through words and deed (the Living Tradition) for the first 400 years until the list of Bible books (which the Iglesia Ni Cristo® and other Johnny-come-lately churches use)  was finally compiled in the year 382 A.D. and 419 A.D. at the Council of Rome, Hippo and  Carthage.

Thanks to the ingenuity of Catholics such as Sir Johannes Gutenburg, who invented the first printing machine that helped in the mass production of the Word of God or which we Catholics called the "Bible"!

The term BIBLE wasn't a termed given by the Iglesia Ni Cristo® and their anti-Catholic cronies.  It was obviously Catholic in origin. They have no contribution to the Bible whatsoever!

The word "bible" was derived from Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin biblia, from Greek, plural of biblion book (Online Miriam-Webster).

The Septuagint Bible version called it "in tà biblía tà hagía (Septuagint) the holy books" (Dictionary.com)

And since the Bible is a Catholic Book, a commission of Cardinals in Rome was created to ensure that the Bible remains to be a Catholic Church property, protecting for the proper interpretation and defense of it. (read Biblical Commission)

Mr. Santiago made mentioned of Matthew 6:7 about Christ's comparison with pagan prayers babbling, but failed to quote the next verses 9-15 where He taught the 'Lord's Prayer"

Does Mr. Santiago mean that verses from the Bible being repeatedly prayed goes against Jesus Christ who was the source of that prayer? Does he mean praying is OK as long as it's not repetitive? Where is it mentioned in the Bible that we're not allowed to read and pray from the Bible repeatedly? And so doing, everyone who repeats again and again verses from the Bible makes us an "enemy of  Christ"?

Here are the prayers being recited in the Holy Rosary:

Are they from pagan sources? Was Christ, Gabriel, Mary and Elizabeth pagans?

Ephesians 4:17-17-18 does not talk about prohibition from praying the Holy Scriptures but prohibition from living like pagans, just as how the paid ministers of Manalo do.  Demonizing the Church is not coming from Christ but from the Devil, their father, the deceiver!

I wonder why Santiago selectively refused to accuse the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful Mysteries of the same Holy Rosary as unbiblical while earlier he said that the rosary is a pagan prayer?  Does it mean, he conceded to the fact that these mysteries are biblical? What made him skip those mysteries and jumped only to the Glorious Mysteries-- the Assumption and the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven is quite revealing!

In Saint Pope John Paul II's Pastoral Letter called "Rosarium Virginis Mariae" (No. 23), he perfectly summarized the whole mystery surrounding the Doctrine of the Assumption.

And who else could understand that extra-biblical doctrine except those who assent to the teachings of the Church-- the Pillar and Bulwark of Truth (1 Tim. 3:15).  Pope  Saint John Paul II was a Theology giant unmatched to Mr. Santiago, whose biblical credentials is not even scholarly unrecognized.

Who says the Assumption and the Crowning of Mary isn't biblical?

In addition to Genesis 3:15, there are several other Scripture passages that point to the Assumption of Our Lady. For example, there is Luke 1:28, since her bodily assumption is a natural consequence of her being “full of grace.” Other passages include Revelation 12:1, in which Mary’s coronation implies her bodily assumption, and 1 Corinthians 15:23 and Matthew 27:52-53, which support the possibility of a bodily assumption. And lastly there is Psalm 132:8, which provides: “Arise, O Lord, into your resting place: you and the ark which you have sanctified.” Mary is the new Ark of the Covenant, who physically bore the presence of God in her womb before bearing Christ to the world. (Source: Catholics United in Faith)

And how about the name of Felix Manalo? Him being the "Last Messenger"? And the Great Apostasy? And the emergence of the original Church of Jesus in the Philippines? Where was it written explicitly in the Bible?

But here is biblical. The coming of the Deceiver who will deny Jesus coming in the flesh! Felix Manalo fulfilled the prophesy:
"Many false teachers have appeared in the world, who will not acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in human flesh; here is the deceiver you were warned against, here is Antichrist." (2 Jn. 1:7)

Therefore, if Felix Manalo is the deceiver and Antichrist for denying Jesus coming in the flesh, what's left for his paid ministers to teach except deception and lies?!

As for Mr. Santiago and members of Manalo's Church, while there is still time, put away the commandments of men--deceiver and antichrist-- and learn to accept the truth no matter how painful it may be.  The pillar and bulwark of truth--the Church-- will set us free. (Jn. 8:32)

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