Ventilacion: Felix Manalo is the Head of the Church (Iglesia ni Cristo®)

Thanks to Bro. Cenon Bibe of Tumbukin Natin

From Tumbukin Natin: "There is only one flock. There is one church. There is only one shepherd. That shepherd is Bro. Felix Manalo, not Jesus Christ." - Jose Ventilacion (INC® Minister)

Comment from a username Grade 1 in Tubukin Natin: TUMPAK! YOU HIT THE NAIL RIGHT ON ITS HEAD!

[Transcript from the Video]: - "...that is why, that is why, We cannot accept," We cannot accept", that the Catholic Church is the true Church, they are the fulfillment of the apostosized Church. We beleive then that when" Christ said "I shall have other sheep! there shall be one flock,"thats one Church", there will be one sheperd," THAT SHEPERD IS BRO FELIX MANALO","NOT JESUS CHRIST" because Christ said "There Will be", that is in the FUTURE. [Jose Ventilacion]

Hindi na raw kay Kristo ang pastol kundi kay Bro Felix MAnalo raw? dahil daw si Kristo mismo ang nagsabi na "There Will be" ang pakahulugan daw ay future.. ( correct me if Im wrong..)

Ibig sabihin Hindi na kay Kristo ang kawan kundi kay Bro Felix Manalo na? HA???

Inagaw na ni Felix Manalo ang tupa ni JESUS???"

Where is the "True Church of Christ" for Haiti?

(Photo Credit: CNN and lists of Charity Institutions in the USA for Haiti)

While non-believers like pagans, agnostics, atheists and churches belonging to the “Devil” (according to Felix Manalo) such as the Catholic Church (founded by Christ) and the Protestants; political rightists, leftists, extremists, terrorists, jihadists; non-Christians like Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Zoroastrians, Red Cross, Red Crescent-- all united for earthquake victims in Haiti, the “TRUE church” Iglesia ni Cristo®” has failed to flex it’s mission to help those who are deeply in need according to the Gospel values they preached on TV.

The Iglesia ni Cristo® Corporation in the Philippines, which claims to be the “restoration” of the “true” church of Christ after it apostatized (unspecified in history), through its direct heir to the throne, Eduardo V. Manalo (grandson of the billionaire founder Felix Manalo) issued no directives to rally its members to raise money for the victims-- not even a letter of sympathy.

Common sense would dictate that a TRUE Church should worry about helping and saving poor and suffering souls while the FAKES would worry about its adherents, its registered name, and its monies.

"Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday urged a generous response to the "tragic situation" in Haiti where hundreds are feared dead following a massive earthquake.

The pope lamented Haiti's "tragic situation (involving) huge loss of human life, a great number of homeless and missing and considerable material damage."

"I appeal to the generosity of all to ensure our concrete solidarity and the effective support of the international community for these brothers and sisters who are living a time of need and suffering," the pontiff said at the end of his weekly general audience. - AFP"

CRS raised its funding commitment fivefold to $25 million and is pouring supplies into Haiti's capital of Port au Prince in the aftermath of a 7.0 earthquake.

Iglesia ni Cristo Donation for Haiti is ZERO

Catholic Donation for Haiti is generously mounting to thousands and is still counting...

To send your donations, please Help CARITAS INTERNATIONAL for Haiti!

Taylor Marshall's The Crucified Rabbi now in Google

Taylor Marshall - "I came to believe that the Church is the Body of Christ and the Temple of the People of God. In the Old Testament, the People of Israel were not free to create a “new Israel” or to form a new denomination of “Protestant Israelites.” No matter how corrupt the priests, the high priests, and the kings of Judah became, the covenant of God remained in effect. As I reflected on this, I perceived that the Protestant Reformation rejected the scriptural belief in a united, visible Church—a nation taken for granted in the Book of Acts and the epistles of Saint Paul.

My wife and I entered into full communion with the Catholic Church on may 23, 2006, along with our four children. I became a Catholic Christian because I realized that the Catholic Church alone could trace her doctrine, liturgy, customs, and morality back to those Jewish beginnings when a rabbi named Jesus roamed the Holy Land with a band of Jewish disciples. As a Catholic Christian, I am linked not only to the early Church, but also to the ancient tradition of the Old Testament. I can now say with the Apostle Paul (who was a Rabbi Saul): I share the faith of Abraham, for he is the father of us all. – Romans 4:16" Read more Taylor Marshall's The Crucified Rabbi

Unity in the Catholic Church

Between the fake churches of Christ and the genuine Church Christ himself founded, the former teach division while the latter teaches unity in faith. Thanks to DENISE BOSSERT for this article below:

Church Unity: The Desire of Our Lord’s Heart
By Denise Bossert

Church Unity: The Desire of Our Lord’s Heart On the night he was betrayed, Jesus Christ said a very important prayer. Many Christians don’t remember it. I didn’t anyway, and as the daughter of a Protestant minister and former wife of a United Methodist minister, it should have been a memorable part of my faith formation. But if someone had asked me what one thing Jesus prayed for on the night of the Last Supper, the night he was betrayed, and the night of his arrest, I would have had to answer, “I don’t know.” In the Gospel of John chapter 17, our Lord prays to the Heavenly Father, proclaiming that the hour has come, and He asks His Father to bring him glory, the same glory that they had at the beginning of the world. And then He prays for His fledgling Church, saying,


I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them (John 17: 9-10).
I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me (John 17: 20-23).

What did our Lord pray for on the night of his betrayal? He prayed that we would be one. That the people gathered in that room would be one, and that all who came after them would be one. When I reread this passage a couple of years ago, I found myself wondering what that kind of unity would look like? If we could fully understand our Lord’s deepest desires as He prayed this prayer, what would the fulfillment of the prayer be?

Is there even a possibility that our Lord would be content with the way things have turned out? I wondered. Could we read between the lines of His prayer and infer that He meant for His Church to be a loosely connected set of people who call themselves Christians – and that it in no way bothered Him that they had divided into more than 33,000 denominations (according to David B. Barett, World Christian Encyclopedia) and had reached a point where they couldn’t seem to agree on any set of spiritual truths?

Is there even a remote possibility that our Lord’s prayer for unity would resemble the state of the “union” as it appears today? I had my doubts.

And if that isn’t quite what He had in mind, I said to myself, what would it look like? By “one” did Jesus mean for all of us to be Methodist? Assembly of God? Congregational? Was it even possible for all the Protestant denominations to abandon their separate branches of the faith and settle on another reformed branch as the one, true Church? Or was there another possibility?

Was it possible that Jesus meant for us to be one Church, with one deposit of faith, and that we were to remain faithful to that Church because Jesus promised to remain faithful to Her? Could it be that the Church our Lord had prayed for still existed somewhere? Was it possible that there was a Church that had stood the test of time, one that could trace Her roots back to that room and to the Apostles and to Peter and his keys to the kingdom? Was there a firm foundation, a core Church, a place of refuge and source of unity for all Christendom?

For the first time in my life, it didn’t seem that much of a stretch. In fact, it was beginning to make sense that Yahweh would want His Church to be one. After all, this is the same Lord who proclaimed, Hear Oh Israel, the Lord your God is One God. The God who is One God would want nothing less than complete unity for His Church.

The beauty, strength, diversity, and historical significance of the Catholic Church called to me. I realized that the Catholic Church effectively and completely fulfills our Lord’s prayer for unity. This was the nagging truth that kept me exploring the Catholic Faith after spending the first forty years of my life in Protestant denominations. When I was ready to turn tail and run, this prayer haunted me, and I couldn’t abandon the call.

Somehow, I had to find out if my suspicions were true. I imagined a world that contained one unified Church, and I realized what kind of impact that would have on non-believers. How could anyone dismiss Christianity if we were truly one visible Church, I asked myself. When I imagined the world’s response at seeing all the churches come back together as one, it made me shiver with delight.

And I realized that Jesus had predicted this in that same prayer when He shared the reason He desired unity among believers: “that the world may know that you sent me.” That just breaks my heart. Our lack of unity has given the world a reason to dismiss Jesus Christ as the Messiah, God’s Son. How can any of us ignore the call to unity when we look at it that way?

I have come to realize that the Catholic Church alone is the full expression of Christian unity. In this, she is unique.

Her Ten Visible Signs of Unity:

Lives of the Saints and Early Church Fathers
Seat of St. Peter and Apostolic Succession
Teaching Magisterium
The Eucharist and the Holy Mass
Diversity without Division
One Baptism
Witness to the World
Access to the Family
Expression of Truth and Beauty in all Human Existence
Call to All People; Come Let Us Reason Together

There is Diversity in the Catholic Church!

"The Catholic Church is the only place where diverse worship styles and callings can find common ground. If you are Catholic, you might be charismatic. You might prefer traditional forms of prayer. You might be a quiet contemplative. You might be active in social justice. If you are Catholic, you might identify with the spiritual practice of St. Benedict (Benedictine) or St. Francis of Assisi (Franciscan) or St. Dominic (Dominican) or St. Francis de Sales (Salesian). Maybe you are a Jesuit and studying for a doctorate in microbiology. Or a Carmelite who prays two or three hours every day.

Or maybe you belong to a lay apostolate and are active in pro-life activities or evangelism or worship or ecumenism. Maybe you have a call to feed the poor and clothe the naked. So you work at the St. Vincent de Paul Center or give to Catholic Charities. Maybe your heart breaks for the victims of hurricanes or tsunamis or earthquakes or wars, and you are drawn to Catholic Relief Services where you can help victims rebuild their lives. Or maybe you are active in your local parish, where you give generously of your time, talent, and treasure. In the Catholic Church there is a dynamic youth program for your children. They can go to World Youth Day in another country or to a local diocesan retreat just for them.

Marriage enrichment retreats are available for couples. There are homes for unwed mothers. And monasteries that open their doors so that individuals can have a quiet retreat with the Lord. There is no other church that has so many opportunities to give, so many ways to serve, and so many styles of worship. There are countless ways the Catholic Church encourages and provides for unity in diversity. I’ve only begun to plumb the depths of this beautifully diverse, yet unified Church..." read more HERE.

Muslims attacked Church in Malaysia for using "Allah"

Fourth church attacked in Malaysia as Allah row deepens

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Arsonists in Malaysia struck a fourth church on Saturday as the government tried to soothe tensions arising from a row over the use of the word "Allah" to refer to the Christian God.

The unprecedented attacks risk dividing the mainly Muslim nation of 28 million people, which has significant religious minorities, and complicating Prime Minister Najib Razak's plan to win back support from the non-Muslims before the next elections by 2013.

The row, over a court ruling that allowed a Catholic newspaper to use Allah in its Malay-language editions, prompted Muslims to protest at mosques on Friday and sparked arson attacks on three churches that saw one Pentecostalist church gutted.

While Najib visited the badly damaged Pentecostalist church and offered a government grant of half a million ringgit ($148,100) to maintain "a harmonious society," church leaders said they wanted more concrete assurances of safety.

"We ask the government to make a strong statement to these wrongdoers so we can worship in peace on Sunday," Reverend Hermen Shastri, secretary-general to the Council of Churches Malaysia, told Reuters.

Malaysia is mainly Muslim and Malay but there are substantial ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities who mainly practice Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism.

These minorities handed the government its biggest losses in 2008 state and national elections in part due to feelings of religious marginalization and growing disillusionment with corruption.

In the latest attack on early Saturday, unidentified attackers flung a home-made petrol bomb at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in a suburb in Selangor state. The two-storey bungalow sustained minor damage, church officials said.

Police said they have stepped up security at all places of worship but faced a manpower shortage. Inspector General of Police Musa Hasan told churches across the country to hire more security guards.

ALLAH

Christians account for nine percent of the 28 million population, with a sizable number of non-English speaking Christians in Malaysia's Borneo island states of Sabah and Sarawak who have used the word "Allah" for decades.

Najib's handling of the issue will determine whether he can keep the support of the Malays and win back ethnic Chinese and Indian voters to solidify his grip on power after taking control of the government last year.

"Till today we are protecting the interests of other races besides championing those of the Malays," Najib was earlier quoted as saying by state news agency Bernama.

"Don't point fingers and say UMNO is racist...when churches are burned," he said referring to his party, the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) that is the linchpin of the National Front that has ruled the country for 52 years.

But Malay-Muslims, including those in UMNO, fear the word could be used by Christians to proselytize to Muslims, which is already illegal in the Southeast Asian country.

More than 169,000 Malaysians have joined a group page on social networking site Facebook called "Protesting the use of the name Allah by non-Muslims," a fourfold increase from the start of this week that signals growing Islamic anger.

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Comments can be read at JihadWatch.org.

Sharing our Catholic Faith - A Practical Guide

Sharing Our Catholic Faith - A Practical Guide (by Fully Catholic )

The word Catholic means universal; and a basic aspect of our Catholic faith is that of spreading it or rather sharing it with others. One of the real beauty of our faith is to come to Jesus Christ in a real and powerful way. It can be equated to that of a priceless treasure or a pearl of great price. The great thing about this experience; the beauty of this treasure; the real value of this pearl of great price is that there is more than enough of it to be shared with the whole world. In fact, the Catholic faith attains its real value when it is shared with others. The Catholic faith is something that is alive - in fact very much so - and active.

Our Catholic faith is not meant to be an experience that is restricted to the time spent in church or religious assemblies, but transcends way beyond these boundaries into every facet of our being. If our Catholic faith is not lived in this way, then it becomes but another temporary fad. Speaking of which, there is a very dangerous trend that is currently taking place, where a number of religious items, in particular rosaries, of being worn as fashion statements. This is something that I believe that we as Church must guard against since it undermines and belittles much of our faith. I will not go too much into this at this time as it is something to address and pray about in later articles... Read More!

Questions and Answers to Catholics & Non-Catholics

ANSWERING QUESTIONS FOR CATHOLIC AND NON-CATHOLICS (thanks to Catholic Come Home

Here are some of the good questions everyone should know the answer.

Why does the Catholic Church believe Christ is really present in the Eucharist?
Why can't non-Catholics receive Holy Communion in the Catholic Church?
Why Protestants not believe John 6 when it says that Jesus' flesh is real food and that His blood is a real drink?
Is the Catholic Mass really the same all around world everytime it is celebrated?

Iglesia Ni Cristo Church Of Christ Incorporated

"Iglesia Ni Cristo Church Of Christ Inc. is a private company categorized under Miscellaneous Denomination Church and located in Everett, WA. ..."Iglesia ni Cristo Inc.

The Immaculate Conception Catholic Church within the Everett area isn't Incorporated for that matter because it's not a business but a Church. Other parishes within Everett are found here.

IRAQ TO BUILD MASSIVE MOSQUE OVER THE TOMB OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL

Source: thelastcrusade.org
DESECRATION OF SACRED SITE PROMPTS LITTLE ATTENTION
by
Paul L. Williams, Ph.D.
thelastcrusade.org

The Iraqi government plans to convert the Tomb of the Prophet Ezekiel, one of the most sacred sites for Christians and Jews, into a massive new mosque.

What’s more, the Iraqis intend to erase all Jewish markings from the tomb so that no indication of its historic significance will remain for future generations.

The plan to transform the ancient burial site into a mosque was reported this week by Ur News, the Iraqi news agency, and Shelomo Alfassa, Director of Justice for Jews from Arab Countries.

Mr. Alfassa says that Iraq’s Antiquities and Heritage Authority “has been pressured by Islamists to historically cleanse all evidence of a Jewish connection to Iraq – a land where Jews had lived for over a thousand years before the advent of Islam.”

The desecration of the tomb, Mr. Alfassa adds, is taking place under “the pretext of restoring the site.”

Similar confirmation comes from Professor Shmuel Moreh, Israel Prize Laureate in Arabic Literature and Professor Emeritus at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, who says that he is aware that the Hebrew inscriptions have been erased and that the plans for the new mosque are well underway.

The ancient burial site of Ezekiel is located in Al-Kifl, a small town south of Baghdad.

Ezekiel, whose prophecies included the Valley of the Dry Bones and the return of the Jews to Israel, lived in the sixth century B.C., having accompanied the exiled Judeans to Babylon.

Throughout the centuries, thousands of pilgrims visited the site of his tomb annually before Iraqi Jewry came to an abrupt end in 1979 with the rise of the Islamic Revolution. Though well over 100,000 Jews lived in Iraq, this number has been decimated to no more than eight, Professor Moreh said. “There are others,” he added, “but they barely know that they are Jews; in many cases, their parents did not tell them.”

Now the remaining Christians are killed or forced into exile. Over the holiday season, increased attacks by Islamists have taken place on churches and convents and a dozen Iraqi Christians have been put to death.

The violence, according to Monsignor Louis Sako, Archbishop of Kirkuk, is part of a project of “ethnic cleansing” against the Iraqi Christians that is taking place with the covert blessing of the Iraqi government.

According to local sources, nearly 2,000 Christians have been killed in Iraq since 2003, the year of the fall of Saddam Hussein; thousands more have been driven into exile.

Iraq – the Biblical Mesopotamia -is almost as rich in Jewish history as the Land of Israel. It is the land where Abraham discovered monotheism, and where the prophets Ezra, Nehemiah, Nahum, Jonah and Daniel, along with Ezekiel, are also buried.

The plans for the mosque over the bones of the prophet have met with scant media attention and little outcry from Jewish and Christian communities.

Personal Attack by an unidendified INC® reporter Conrad J. Obligacion

There’s one thing certainly the Iglesia ni Cristo® members can’t directly refute—FACTS!

In history, the Catholic Church is the only Christian Church that traces it’s origin to the first century making it one of the oldest intitutions in the world and has existed for more than 2,000 years. In fact the history of the Catholic Church is directly integrated to the history of Christianity and the history of Western Civilization as a whole (see answers.com).

In the same way, the history of the Iglesia ni Cristo®, traces its origin from 1914 ("July 27 – Felix Manalo registers the Iglesia Ni Cristo with the Filipino government." wikipedia) according to its records at the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission making it one of the many “churches’ founded and managed by individuals. The cult is known to have been founded and registered by Felix Y. Manalo in Sitio Punta, Sta. Ana in the city of Manila in the Philippines as a Corporation Sole owned and managed by the Manalo Clan.

Unlike the Iglesia ni Cristo® of Felix Manalo, the Catholic Church is NOT registered in any government in the world because it existed even before these governments became nations.

From the time of St. Peter, our present Pope Benedict XVI is the 265th Popes (see list here) of the Universal Church which has direct lineage to the Petrine See established in the Vatican, in whose “keys of the kingdom” was given to him “Thou art Peter (Rock) and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever you loose on earth will be loosen in heaven.”

Unlike the Iglesia ni Cristo®, neither the Popes nor the Bishops transfer their power to any of their relatives. However since the Iglesia ni Cristo® as a Corporation Sole owned and managed by the Manalo family, it is logical that Felix would confered his inheritance to his son Eraño. After Eraño died his son Eduardo inherited the Iglesia ni Cristo® corporation from his father Eraño. Indeed the Iglesia ni Cristo is a more than a business than a church.

In 1820 A.D. Joseph Smith claimed that Christ’s Church apostatized and that he came to re-established it. Later, he proclamed himself the “Last Prophet”. Another man in 1914 by the name Felix Manalo claimed also the same but at this time he claimed to be the “Last Angel (Messenger)” of God, Christ and the Apostles.

Unlike the Iglesia ni Cristo® cult, the Popes do not own not a single pebble found in the Vatican. Its beautiful museums and artifacts, paintings and sculptures are not owned by neither any Pope nor Bishops residing in the Vatican. Among the vast contradictions between the original Church of Christ and the many wannabees churches of Christ, the Iglesia ni Cristo®’s wealth is not known to any member except that the Manalo clan has closely monitored every single cent added to their account (read Iglesia ni Cristo in a Nutshell). Each dollar to its last cent is owned by the Manalo family and every trademark (Iglesia ni Cristo® ) and its buildings, to the last pebble found in their temples are owned by the Manalo. The Republic of the Philippines has stipulated that the Iglesia ni Cristo® Trademark belongs solely to Felix Manalo and his clan—no other individuals can register any similar name unless one has to register a name like "Iglesia de Cristo”

These are FACTS!

Iglesia ni Cristo® members has their own way of refuting my arguments. Either they invite you to meet a Minister in their localities or — put you to shame by PERSONILITY/CHARACTER ASSASSINATION tactic!

An unidentified Iglesia ni Cristo® reporter who was into hiding by using a name he stole from Mr. Soriano, the founder of the Ang Dating Daan (see Public forum) was silenced. In other forums, he’s known as “truthcaster” “c_amalon” “cedric_amalon” etc. but he is one and the same person.

Spitted out from forums for being rude, unprofessional, annoying, committed bigotry, character assassination, malice, slander, foul language, naming names, spreading malicious information, stealing names, he was later known to be the owner of a blog solely for retaliation (resbak.com --which he NEVER posted any comments challenging his stand!).

Identified as CONRAD J. OBLIGACION (he too stole my name and created a bogus blog that bears my name at Catholic Ivatan) he posted the photos of Fr. Abe from Splendor of the Church while he hides behind the skirts of his mother providing no photo in his personal blog. Out of desperation he even threatened me in my blog:

Mr. Conrad J. Obligacion is COWARD! While feasting on someone's identity like Father Abe, he hide his real identity from the public! What a COWARD SISSY(sorry for my language)!

Mr. Conrad J. Obligacion is the embodiment of EVIL in its purest sense, something typical to members of any cult like the cult he belongs to. In fact his own god-angel, Felix Manalo preached in Davao demonizing the Pope and every Catholic by saying that the Pope is the anti-Christ, Catholics are sons (and daughters) of the Devil, priests as ministers of the Devil and the Catholic Church not by Christ but the Devil (Pasugo, August, 1962, p. 9 and Pasugo October, 1956, p. 1).

Mr. Obligacion has mastered what he got from the Father of Lies (Satan), and has inherited darkness from his own cult (Iglesia ni Cristo® Corporation). He bears no Christian values whatsoever in his articles. He fabricated lies and sowed them and made people stumble in the the darkness he created. He published false statements against Christ's own Church (Catholic Church) but defended the Iglesia ni Cristo® cult just like pagans lifting god Baal to the heights worthy of God alone!

Like any Iglesia ni Cristo® member, he esteemed Felix Manalo and the Iglesia ni Cristo® more than Christ God and the Church Christ himself established (in Jerusalem) which he promised to keep. He reduced Christ to a mere man but lifted Felix Manalo to the heights of angels (and gods).

His lies can NEVER be hidden (and soon he will be revealed). God will not let the light of Truth be hidden under his darkness. God will exposed him (God-willing) and his lies. The lights of the Bible has exposed what should be done to anyone who preaches another gospel like Felix Manalo. God will do the same to anyone who preaches another gospel like Conrad J. Obligacion.

Here's the truth. Be it a warning to all Catholics (see Galatians 1:6-9 ).

"I am amazed that you are so quickly forsaking the one who called you by (the) grace (of Christ) for a different gospel (not that there is another). But there are some who are disturbing you and wish to pervert the gospel of Christ. 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!

As we have said before, and now I say again, if anyone preaches to you a gospel other than the one that you received, let that one be accursed!"

St. Paul says, let that man who preached another gospel be accursed. Felix Manalo must be accursed now in Hell and Mr. Obligacion is following his footsteps. Mr. CONRAD J. OBLIGACION neither carries the truth therefore he rightly deserves to be called the 'LIECASTER'. Just like Satan, a LIAR is unworthy of our belief.

Pope Urges Terrorists to Abandon Violence

Says a New Path Is Possible With God

VATICAN CITY (Zenit.org), JAN. 1, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is urging those involved in violence of any kind to stop and reflect and thus embark on a path of peace.

The Pope made this exhortation today before praying the first midday Angelus of the year with those gathered in St. Peter's Square. The Holy Father acknowledged that for those involved in violent groups, a change of life might seem impossible. But, he assured, God can make it happen.

The Pontiff's brief Angelus message focused both on the New Year begun today and the path of peace, as Jan. 1 marks the World Day of Peace. The theme for this year's World Day celebration highlighted the importance of protecting the environment.

"To all of you I express my wish that the year just begun will be a time in which, with the help of the Lord, we can find Christ and the will of God and thus as well improve our common home, which is the world," he said.

Regarding the issues of climate change and the disappearance of resources, the Holy Father affirmed that global action is urgently necessary.

But, he continued, "I would like to highlight the importance that each one's decisions have in defending the environment -- the decisions of families and local administrations."

"'We can no longer do without a real change of outlook which will result in new lifestyles,'" he said, citing his World Day of Peace Message. "In reality, all of us are responsible for the protection and care of the created world. Therefore, in this field too, education is fundamental."

The Bishop of Rome continued: "If we should care for the creatures that surround us, what consideration we should have for people, our brothers and sisters! What respect for human life! On the first day of the year, I would like to call out to the consciences of those who form part of armed groups of any kind.

"To each and every one, I say: Stop, reflect and abandon the path of violence! At first, this step could seem impossible to you, but if you have the courage to do it, God will help you, and you will feel return to your hearts joy and peace, which perhaps you've forgotten for a long time now. I entrust this call to the intercession of the Most Holy Mother of God, Mary."

Finally, the Holy Father reflected on the Christmas message, as the octave draws to a close.

"Today, the liturgy reminds us that eight days after the birth of the Child, [Mary] and her husband Joseph brought him to be circumcised, according to the Law of Moses, and gave him the name Jesus, which had been given him by the angel," the Pope recalled. "This name, which means 'God saves,' is the fulfillment of the revelation of God. Jesus is the face of God. He is the blessing for each person and for all populations. He is the peace of the world.

"Thank you, Holy Mother, who gave birth to the Savior, the Prince of Peace!"

"Allah" for Catholics

Finally, the highest court of Malaysia rulled that Catholics are allowed to published their articles using the word "Allah" for God.

Malaysia rules Catholic paper has right to use 'Allah' (AFP News)

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia's high court ruled Thursday that a Catholic paper had the right to use the word "Allah" after a long-running dispute between the government and the weekly in the Muslim-majority nation.

The ruling overturns the government's controversial threat to cancel The Herald's annual publishing permit.

"The applicant has the constitutional right to use the word 'Allah'," Judge Lau Bee Lan told a packed courtroom, declaring the government's ban on the paper's use of the word "illegal, null and void".

The weekly used the word "Allah" as a translation for "God" in its Malay-language section but the government argued "Allah" should be used only by Muslims.

Lau said the home ministry, which licenses all newspapers in the country, had taken into account "irrelevant considerations" when making the paper's publishing permit conditional on it not using the word.

She said it had shown no evidence that the use of the word by Christians was "a threat to national security".

The Herald's editor, Father Lawrence Andrew, said he was pleased with the decision and the paper would use the word 'Allah' in its upcoming Sunday edition.

"This also means that... the Christian faith can now continue to freely use the word 'Allah'... without any interference from the authorities," he added.

Government lawyers have not yet decided whether to appeal the ruling.

The Herald is printed in four languages, with a circulation of 14,000 copies a week in a country with about 850,000 Catholics.

The court case was among a string of religious disputes that have erupted in recent years, straining relations between Muslim Malays and minority ethnic Chinese and Indians who fear the country is being "Islamised".

Religion and language are sensitive issues in multiracial Malaysia, which experienced deadly race riots in 1969.

Catholic Church: Still the Original Church

Photo Source: Wikipedia
A member of Felix Manalo's cult in his blog at readmeinc.blogspot.com was asking if the Catholic Church is still the Church founded by Christ? The answer is a big YES!

Readme: "Catholics and the Catholic Church itself again and again claimed that the Roman Catholic church is the ORIGINAL CHURCH, the CHURCH that were built by our Lord Jesus Christ. They say that the Catholic church is the church from the time of jesus christ and of apostles, or lets say from the FIRST CENTURY... But the question is, Is the Catholic Church the same as the church in the first century? I mean, the teachings, doctrines and itself are all ORIGINAL?

Is the Iglesia ni Cristo the same as the FIRST CENTURY Church built by Christ?

Definitely no! In fact Iglesia ni Cristo's Official Magazine called PASUGO (Pasugo: August-September 1964, p. 5)said, “When was the INK registered in the Philippine Government? It was in July 27, 1914. Truly it was stated in the registry that brother F. Manalo founded the INK.”

"The true Church of Christ is one, this is the Church built by Christ. If there are churches sprouting today claiming be Church of Christ (Iglesia ni Cristo) these are not real but fakes.” (Pasugo: May 1968, p.7)

Readme: "Be sure to do everything I have commanded you. Do not add anything to it, and do not take anything away from it." Deut. 12:32

"For truly I tell you, until the sky and earth pass away and perish, not one smallest letter nor one little hookwill pass from the Law until all things are accomplished.Whoever then breaks or does away with or relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but he who practices them and teaches others to do so shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Mt. 5:18-19

"Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is written." Then you will not take pride in one man over against another." I Cor. 4:6

Matthew 16:18 "And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, 13 and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it."

Christ promised that the gates of the netherworld (Hell) shall not prevail, why all of a sudden Felix Manalo taught that Hell prevailed against his Church? IS CHRIST A LIAR?

Readme: "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." Rev. 22:18-19

Then the Iglesia ni Cristo has drank condemnation to itself by changing "i" [iglesia ni Cristo] to "I" [Iglesia ni Cristo].

Readme: "But wait, can we say that the teachings of the catholic Church were the teachings of God that are WRITTEN IN THE BIBLE??? (Who can prove it?) Tsk.Tsk. Doctrines of the CC are not of God, but of Man... Those are called MAN-MADE teachings! And also teachings that are UNBIBLICAL. So, if they follow those teachings in worshiping God, the question is, do they give GLORY to HIM? Lets find it out by looking it in the bible...

Whose teachings are man-made, the Catholic Church or the Iglesia ni Cristo? Let's examine...

“So that how could we distinguish a Messenger of God from a false messenger of God: It could be distinguished through its teachings according to Chirst. The teachings of the messengers of God are from God, the teachings of the false messengers of God are from his self only (John 7:16-18).” (Pasugo: November 1960, p. 26)

“And who formulated all the lessons taught by the ministers, in worship, doctrines or propaganda? It was brother Felix Manalo.” (Pasugo: May 1961, p. 4)

“As a fulfillment of all the prophecies, all teachings implemented by the INK Ministers in worship, doctrines, preaching in towns, only it was brother Felix Manalo who drafted and implementing them.” (Pasugo: 1963, p. 27)

Readme: "It is useless for you to worship me, when you teach rules made up by humans."
Mt. 15:9

Indeed, it is useless to worship God when all you follow were teachings made up Felix Manalo himself as you published it officially in your Pasugo.

Readme: The simple answer... NO! It is but truth! And detractors again may ask... But, Jesus Christ promised that the gates of hades WILL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST HIS CHURCH! Click here for the clarification and answer!

Who are the Iglesia ni Cristo to think that Christ was joking when he said the gates of hades shall NOT prevail against his Church? He was serious. His Church is still sitting on top of Simon Peter (Rock) in Rome for which HIS Church was built, the keys of the Kingdom was given and the gates of hell can never prevail! Read Matthew 16--

Readme: "SO, Do you still keep believing that the Catholic Doctrines are of God? And that the CC is still the same and original Church??

Definitely!

“The Catholic Church which in the beginning was the true Church of Christ.” (Pasugo: April 1966, p. 46)

"The history of the Catholic Church is traced by the Catholic 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 Catholic Church is an integral part of the history of Christianity and of Western civilization." (Source: Wikipedia)

So who's siding with your statements Mr. Readme?

Christians see Our Lady in the lights that appear in the sky above Cairo

Cairo (AsiaNews) – A bird flew over the tower of the Coptic Church in Al-Warrak, a suburban neighbourhood in the Egyptian capital. Then, someone dressed in white and blue robes appeared. For Christians and some Muslims, it was an apparition of Our Lady; for others, it was a hoax created by using laser beams, Middle East online reported.

For several weeks, a silent crowd running in the thousands has been gathering in front of the church at around 3 am, looking up into the sky. When the mysterious light appears over the church tower, they are jolted into a frenzy of astonished cries.

“The first person to spot [. . .] the Virgin Mary was a Muslim neighbour,” said Father Fishay, priest at the al-Warrak parish church. “He took a video and pictures and distributed them to everyone”.

Hassan, the Muslim neighbour, said he was sitting at his local coffee shop when at around 8:30 pm, he saw a strong light coming from the church.

More people on the street began to notice the light and saw a bird circling above the church. At around 2 am, a vision of the Virgin Mary in her white and blue robes appeared.

Local Muslims do not deny the sighting, but claim it was a hoax, created with laser beams.

But for Rami, “It's her, with her blue and white clothes”.

“The church closes its doors in the evening,” Father Fishay said in a measured tone. “We were not there when the image appeared the first time, so we decided to come back the second night and we saw the bird circling the church, then the light.”

Kawkab Munir Shehata, 39, is convinced of what she saw. Indeed, the mother of two says that the Virgin Mary restored the sight she had lost in her left eye.

“It was about 3:40 am,” Kawkab said. “I felt immense pain which lasted about a quarter of an hour. Then I was ecstatic to find out that I could see clearly.” Now, “my left eye is even better than my right one”.

For some, the apparition of the Virgin Mary is a response to an article that appeared in a periodical published by Al-Azhar University that questioned the foundations of Christianity.

“Maybe her appearance is to bring people closer together; maybe it will bring about the end of the state of tensions between Muslims and Christians and an end to extremism. Maybe it'll bring back forgiveness like there once used to be in Egypt,” Father Fishay said.

Maybe it is a sign of hope for Egypt’s Copts, who are 10 per cent of the country’s population, and have lived far too long on the margins of society, often victims of violence.

Merry Christmas to Everyone!

Happpy Christmas to everyone!

Merry Christmas in Arabic

Star of Bethlehem Misunderstood by an Iglesia ni Cristo

Conrado J. Obligacion, a denying member of the Iglesia ni Cristo but defended it like a mad dog was fascinated with witchcrafts, paganism and its used symbols. At this time, he's trying to discredit the STAR OF BETHLEHEM to wikan (witchcraft) symbols. Take for example his post in his blog at resbak.com entitled "December Philippine Fiesta:


[Five-pointed star. Star of the Microcosm. Witch’s Foot. The Morning Star. The Evening Star. Endless knot.

History:

Pentacle - a pagan symbol
The five-pointed star is the result of astrological research done over 6,000 years ago resulting in no connection whatsoever to Satanism or Christianity. Pythagoras utilized the Pentacle to represent the human being with the points of the star representing the head, arms and legs, adding the circle unifies and creates Spirit. On a side note, the Pentacle or Pentagram represents phi: 1.618, the perfect number. This number symbolizes perfection in all things that exist on this plane, for one instance, the human face, broken down in shape has the basic core and structure of a Pentagram. How’s that for perfection?

The Elements:
The Pentacle represents the five elements of Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit.

Magical Uses:
As a protective device: Wear a pentacle around your neck to protect yourself.

Ritual Use:
A Pentacle is synonymous with Wiccan Rituals. It represents Spirit and Protection. A Pentacle is one of the most important devices in your Ritual Circle and can be simply represented by drawing a Pentacle in the air above your working space, in the dirt if working outside, or on a piece of paper to be discarded later.

sources:
www.goldentreewands.com – Wiccan Symbols
www.vtaide.com – Philippine Celebrations.
www.philsite.net – Philippine Fiesta]

Look at his carefully selected sources? They're not even authoritative and impartial! Clever? I call that intellectual dishonesty!

Let's consult www.answers.com for a more precise, historical, impartial source. According to Wikipedia, "Originally, the five-pointed star (pentangle), forming a pentagram within it, represented the ten tribes of Israel that broke away from the ruling class of Judah, Benjamin, and the Priests. There are ten "Vav" or "man" that form the five points. Later, Pagans turned the star upside down to form the face of a dragon (or goat)."

So the five-pointed star is ORIGINALLY represents the ten tribes of Israel which pagans copied just like the Iglesia ni Cristo who loves to copy and paste its teachings that suits their vile consciences. In fact, there are 35 countries in the world that uses the "five-pointed star" (See List here) which Mr. Obligacion failed to mention for balance and accuracy. Rather all his intention was to demonize the Catholic celebration of Christmas with the star of Israel as its visible symbol.

The five-pointed star is used symbolically in military, politics, religion, magic, witchcrafts, paganism, satanism etc... (see Wikipedia) and Mr. Obligacion chose to highlight one of them and used it against the Catholic Church. Poor Mr. Obligacion, his Ministers failed to lecture him on the many symbols and usages of the five-pointed star. Maybe they busied themselves for the upcoming "Santa Cena" which coincides with Christmas celebration on the 25th of December every year.

In Christianity, the star is the symbol of the Star of Bethlehem which according to the Gospel of Matthew appeared when Jesus was born. This star guided the Three Wise Men from the East to pay HOMAGE (WORSHIP) to the newly born Son of God, the King of Israel.

"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." Mt. 2:1-2,2 NKJV

Is it really pagan? Not at all!

Now here's something more revealing.

Did you know that the Iglesia ni Cristo's symbol (right photo)
was infested with pagan and masonic symbolism? I have posted this in my blog at What's in the INC Logo>".

Mr. Conrad J. Obligacion is so desperate in tearing down the original Church built by Christ but he would face death without succeeding. Christ promised he would take care of his Church and the gates of Felix Manalo's lies would, is, and will not prevail against it. Christ promised! It will be fulfilled!

Merry Christmas!

"Felix Manalo founded the Iglesia ni Cristo" says the PASUGO

README (an Iglesia ni Cristo defender), was a dreamer. He deliberately denied basic facts in his blog. There's no doubt that Felix Manalo founded the Iglesia ni Cristo that's according to their official registration at the Securities and Exchange Commission in the Philippines.

Who would believe Jesus founded the Iglesia ni Cristo in the Philippines? Only a fool can believe such a weird teaching.

Readme said in his blog:

"Felix Manalo is not the founder of the INC but the mesenger (sic) commissioned to preach Christ's Church in these last days. We do not call him Bishop; we prefer to call him Brother. He is also the First executive Minister of the INC..." (readmeinc.blogspot.com/2009/12/brief-history-of-church.html)

He is the first Executive Minister of the INC. In fact he is the owner of the Iglesia ni Cristo, a Corporation Sole managed and owned by the Manalo Family. That explains why his late son Erano Manalo was the second Executive Minister and after his death is Eduardo, another Manalo, as the third Executive Minister of their Corporation Sole. And for sure, readme, the next Executive Minister will be another MANALO.

Contrary to his limited knowledge, the Official Magazine of the Iglesia ni Cristo said otherwise:

“When was the INK registered in the Philippine Government? It was in July 27, 1914. Truly it was stated in the registry that brother F. Manalo founded the INK.” (Pasugo: August-September 1964, p. 5)

So who founded the INK? Pasugo August-September 1964 Issue, page 5 confirmed that it was FELIX MANALO WHO FOUNDED THE INK in July 27, 1914!

Readme, you need to READ ME!

Mea Culpa! Mea Culpa! Mea Maxima Culpa!

Sexual abused by some errant Catholic priests have plagued the Church and disfigured the face of Christ particularly in the United States and in Ireland where Catholics are reported to have the highest percentage of sexual abuses in the past 50 years. Let us particularly pray for our priests that they may return to holiness and purity of heart. Our Lady of Fatima requested Catholics of goodwill to pray for the priests that they may be blest with holiness and increase in number. We need holy priests today.

Child abuse crisis to spark Irish Church shake-up

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Benedict expressed "outrage, betrayal and shame" on Friday at the sexual abuse of children by priests in Ireland, which Church leaders said would lead to a shake-up of the Irish Roman Catholic Church.

Church sources expected some bishops to resign in the wake of a government report that said Church leaders in overwhelmingly Catholic Ireland had covered up widespread abuse of children by priests for 30 years.

"I think that we are looking at a very significant reorganization of the Church in Ireland," Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said after he and other Irish Church leaders held an emergency meeting with the Pope.

The Vatican said the pope would write to the Irish people about the crisis and a plan for action -- the first time a pope will devote a document solely to the clergy's abuse of children.

"The Holy Father shares the outrage, betrayal and shame felt by so many of the faithful in Ireland, and he is united with them in prayer at this difficult time in the life of the Church," a Vatican statement said.

Ireland has been in a state of shock since the publication of the Murphy Commission Report two weeks ago.

The paper said the Church had "obsessively" hidden child abuse in the Dublin archdiocese from 1975 to 2004, and operated a policy of "don't ask, don't tell."

A number of bishops who worked in Dublin during the period covered by the report are likely to offer to resign, Church sources said.

The Vatican statement alluded to this, saying the Vatican would look into "questions concerning the governance of local Church leaders with ultimate responsibility for the pastoral care of children."

"PROFOUND REGRET"

It said the report "deeply disturbed and distressed" the pope, who expressed "his profound regret at the actions of some members of the clergy who have betrayed their solemn promises to God, as well as the trust placed in them by the victims and their families, and by society at large."

Martin said: "I really think we need renewal."

He said that, beyond "working very hard on the question of child protection," the Irish Church must renew parish life and get more lay people involved in Church organization.

The report said all Dublin archbishops in charge during the period under study had been aware of some complaints, but the archdiocese had been more preoccupied with protecting the reputation of the Church than safeguarding children's welfare.

One Irish child abuse victim, Marie Collins, complained that the Vatican statement did not go far enough to address the issue of a cover-up.

"Any normal person would have expected today, after all this time, a statement about some actions that are going to be taken. Instead of that, we got more words. Nothing along the lines of people taking responsibility, anyone being accountable," she told RTE television.

The Church's prominent role in Irish life was one of the reasons why abuses by a minority of priests were allowed to go unchecked, the report said.

One priest admitted abusing more than 100 children. Another said he had abused children every two weeks for over 25 years.

The Murphy Report came six months after the release of a similarly damning and even more graphic report about floggings, slave labor and gang rape in Ireland's now defunct Church-run industrial and reform schools in the 20th century.

That report also accused state officials and police of abetting a cover-up, further eroding the moral authority of an institution that dominated Irish life for centuries.

Catholics are now 1.14 billion

Catholic Populations (Source: Our Sunday Visitor) by: Matthew Bunson

Largest

1. Brazil, 159,700,000
2. Mexico, 89,000,000
3. Philippines, 71,973,000
4. United States, 68,115,001
5. Italy, 56,933,000
6. France, 46,690,000
7. Spain, 41,790,000
8. Colombia, 41,121,000
9. Poland, 36,608,000
10. Argentina, 36,409,000
11. Congo, 33,036,000
12. Germany, 25,581,000
13. Peru, 25,175,000
14. Venezuela, 24,010,000
15. Nigeria, 21,579,000
16. India, 18,585,000
17. Canada, 12,974,000
18. Uganda, 12,616,000
19. Ecuador, 12,435,000
20. Chile, 12,292,000
21. Tanzania, 11,793,000
22. Guatemala, 10,838,000
23. Portugal, 9,357,000
24. Kenya, 9,334,000
25. Angola, 8,600,000

Smallest

17. Iran, 19,000; tot. pop., 71,990,000.
16. Finland, 10,000; tot. pop., 5,290,000.
15. Djibouti, 7,000; tot. pop., 757,000.
14. Nepal, 6,000; tot. pop., 26,081,000.
13. Mauritania, 5,000; tot. pop., 3,210,000.
12. Mongolia, 4,000; tot. pop., 2,610,000.
11. Algeria, 4,000; tot. pop., 34,038,000.
10. Uzbekistan, 4,000; tot. pop. 26,670,000.
9. Tajikistan, 3,000; tot. pop. 7,164,000.
8. Brunei, 1,800; tot. pop., 375,000.
7. Bhutan, 1,000; tot. pop., 2,451,000.
6. Turkmenistan, 1,000; tot. pop., 5,000,000.
5. Kyrgyzstan, 1,000; tot. pop., 5,230,000.
4. Somalia, 100; tot. pop., 8,073,000.
3. Maldives Republic, 100 percent Muslim.
2. Korea, North, Christianity is illegal.
1. Saudi Arabia, Christianity is illegal.

Catholic to Priest Rations

Africa, 4,758 to 1
North America, 3,184 to 1
South America, 7,138 to 1
Asia, 2,285 to 1
Europe, 1,457 to 1
Oceania, 1,930 to 1
Totals, 2,810 to 1

Top 5 Catholic Populations

1. Brazil, 159,700,000
2. Mexico, 89,000,000
3. Philippines, 71,973,000
4. United States, 68,115,001
5. Italy, 56,933,000

Catholic Mass Attendance

According to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University, the highest percentages of weekly Mass attendance of Catholics in nations with large Catholic populations (1980-present) are found in:

Malta, 84 percent
Ireland, 71 percent
Poland, 60 percent
Mexico, 51 percent
El Salvador, 61 percent
Slovakia, 57 percent
Philippines, 56 percent
Bosnia and Herzegovina, 55 percent
Dominican Republic, 50 percent
Italy, 36 percent
Globally, 40 percent
U.S., 36 percent

By the Numbers
Countries with the most cardinals

Italy, 39
United States, 16
Spain, 10
France, 9
Brazil, 8
Poland, 8

* Countries with the most bishops

Italy, 483 (the majority of Italian prelates, 278, work in the Roman Curia)
United States, 476
Brazil, 428

* Country with the most Seminarians

India, 14,120

World Religions

1. Christianity, 2.1 billion (Catholic Church, 1.14 billion; Protestants, 630 million, Orthodox, 245-250 million)
2. Islam, 1.5 billion
3. Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist, 1.1 billion
4. Hinduism, 900 million
5. Chinese traditional religion, 394 million
6. Buddhism, 376 million
7. Primal-indigenous, 300 million
8. African Traditional & Diasporic, 100 million
9. Sikhism, 23 million
10. Juche, 19 million
11. Spiritism, 15 million
12. Judaism, 14 million
13. Baha’i, 7 million
14. Jainism, 4.2 million
15. Shinto, 4 million
16. Cao Dai, 4 million
17. Zoroastrianism, 2.6 million
18. Tenrikyo, 2 million
19. Neo-Paganism, 1 million
20. Unitarian-Universalism, 800,000
21. Rastafarianism, 600,000
22. Scientology, 500,000

(As of 2007; (Adherents.com) or visit Catholic-hierarchy.org
Percentages of Catholics in World Population

17.3% World
17.4% Africa
24.4% North America
84% Central America
86% South America
3.0% Asia
40% Europe
26.4% Oceania