In Cairo the Lecture of Regensburg Is Relevant Again

Never has a pope been so clear and courageous in unveiling the roots of violence in Islam, before Benedict XVI. And not afterward, either. Two obligatory rereadings, to decipher the Egyptian crisis

by Sandro Magister

Source: Chiesa Espresso Repubblica

ROME, August 20, 2013 – In a few days many dozens of churches, convents, homes of Christians in Egypt have been attacked or burned. A tragedy within the tragedy, after the coup d'état that has plunged the nation of the Nile into a civil war with hundreds if not thousands of victims.

In covering the news of the numerous appeals for the cessation of violence, “L'Osservatore Romano” of August 18 did not, however, succeed in listing among these invocations even one from the Muslim world.

This public silence of the Islamic spiritual guides does not come as a surprise. It accompanies almost every act of political violence that sees Muslims in action, in one or another region of the globe.

It is a silence that is not explained by calculations of timeliness alone, or by the fear of retaliation. Nor by the fact alone that today in Egypt the greatest clash is between opposing Muslim factions, both of them determined to assert with force the precepts of Islam: because it is not only the Muslim Brotherhood of the deposed president Mohamed Morsi that has a conception of the political struggle as jihad, as holy war, but this is also held by its adversary, Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, the general placed at the head of the armed forces by Morsi himself because he was believed to be the most faithful Islamist of all.

In order to understand the ultimate root of the silence of Muslim spiritual leaders in the face of the explosion of violence of Islamic inspiration, one need do just one simple thing. It is enough to reread the initial part of the lecture given by Benedict XVI on September 12, 2006 in the aula magna of the University of Regensburg.

New Catholic Church Parish in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Bishop Paul Hinder blesses the cornerstone of a new UAE church. Credit:St. Joseph's Cathedral of Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, (CNA/EWTN News).- Catholics in the town of Mussafah in the United Arab Emirates have begun construction on a new church dedicated to St. Paul.

Bishop Paul Hinder, O.F.M., the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, blessed the church’s foundation stone on June 29 in the presence of the local Catholic community, including priests and religious missionaries .

“God dwells in each person ... and with faith and love (is) gathering us together in this new church,” Bishop Hinder said.

He said he hoped the love of Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit will enable the “speedy” completion of the church, expected to be finished in two years.

Mussafah is an industrial town southwest of the capital city Abu Dhabi.

There are about 3,500 Catholic families and about 15,000 Catholic laborers around Abu Dhabi. Many are guest workers from Africa, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and the Philippines, but some are local Arabs, George Puthussery, press officer for the Abu Dhabi-based Vicariate of Southern Arabia, told CNA.

July 27-28, 2013: Celebration of two churches, which has the characteristics of the real Church?

BELOW VIDEO: The IGLESIA NI CRISTO-1914 celebrating their 99th Founding Anniversary.  All their videos show that they are 99.9% FILIPINOS!

Is this the true church?

BELOW VIDEO: The UNIVERSAL CHURCH-33 AD 28th World Youth Day Celebration in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. All videos show the universal characteristic of this church.

If you are a NON-FILIPINO what church would you want to join? A church that is exclusively dominated by Filipinos from Philippines founded in 1914 AD or a church that is well represented by all nations, races, languages, ethnicity, culture, tradition, history founded around 33 A.D.?  The choice is yours! Your choice is your salvation!

Mga Katotohanang isiniwalat ng yumaong ERAÑO MANALO tungkol sa mga Ministro ng Iglesia ni Crist®

Narito ang mga katotohanang isiniwalat ng yumaong ERAÑO MANALO, anak ni Felix Manalo, pangalawang Papa ng INC^® ni Manalo tungkol sa kabuktutan ng Iglesia ni Cristo^® tatag ng kanyang amang si Felix Manalo, kanilang mga bayarang Ministro at mga manggagawa:

1. Mga sinungaling
2. Mga kakampi ng katiwalian
3. Mga nagtuturo ng katiwalian
4. Walang sariling paninindigan
5. Nagbabago ng ulat para ilihis ang paniniwala at pangangasiwa
6. Nagkaisa para linlangin at dayain ang pangangasiwa
7. "Napakagagong" pangangasiwa, gumagastos para sa maninira
8. Si Eraño nananakit ng kanyang mga manggagawa
9. Si Eraño tingin sa mga ministrong nasa probinsiya ay mga mangmang
10. Mga ministro nananakit ng kapwa manggagawa (nanununtok)
11. Mga ministro, manlulupig at maninikil ng kapwa-INC™
12. INC™ laban sa INC™
13. Walang matinong manggagawa sa kasaysayan ng buhay ng kanyang ministro
14. Lahat tiwali (hindi isa, hindi karamihan, kundi lahat)
15. Sinang-ayunan ni Eraño na totoong tiwali ang lahat ng kanyang mga ministro at manggagawa
16. Walang takot sa Dios
17. Lahat manlulupig na ng katuwiran (hindi isa, hindi karamihan, kundi lahat)
18. Habol lamang ng mga ministro ay sweldo, tulong, bahay, kasaganaang tinatamasa (bayad),
19. Mga taga-opisina, kinakalaban ng mga ministro at manggagawa
20. Mga ministro gustong maghari sa INC™
21. Eraño, nagsabing sila (Manalo) lamang ang maaaring maghari sa INC™, ang mga nagnanais tatamaan ng kidlat at kulog
22. Eraño, nanalanging bahain at mamatay lahat ng kanyang mga ministro at manggagawa
23. Lahat ng manggagawa nagkakaisa ipagkanulo Dios (hindi isa, hindi karamihan kundi lahat)
24. Mandaraya ng senso (bilang ng kaanib)
25. May dagdag-bawas sa ulat ng mga kaanib (kaya pala sabi mahigit 10 milyon eh 2.5 lang pala ayon sa opisyal na talaan ng National Statistics Office o NSO).
26. Mula Sorsogon hanggang sa Maynila, ang mga manggagawa ay mga mandaraya ng ulat
27. Ang pandaraya (pandodoktor) ng ulat ng mga kaanib tradisyon na sa mga manggawa sa loob ng Iglesia ni Cristo^®®
28. Mga ministro nang-aaway
29. Mga ministro nagmumura
30. Mga ministro nanlalait
31. Mga ministro namimilit na gumawa ng liko
32. Mga ministro nanlulugmok para gumanda ang sarili
33. Mga ministro nagpapalsika ng pirma ng iba
34. Mga ministro ng Maynila magnanakaw at tampalasan
35. Mga taga-opisina nansisiyasat ng ulat na di pala totoo
36. Sa INC^® laganap ang espiritu ng pandaraya at panlilinlang
37. Ang Dios ay pagod na sa katatatag
38. Inamin ni Eraño na tao ang tumatalikod at hindi ang iglesia
39. Inamin din ni Eraño na tao ang tumatalikod sa tuntunin, hindi ang iglesia. Samakatuwid ang tao pala ang tumalikod sa Iglesia Katolika at hindi ang Iglesia Katolika na sa pasimula ay siyang Iglesia ni Cristo (Pasugo Abril 1966, p. 46. Ibig sabihin hindi totoo ang kanilang aral tungkol sa Pagtalikod na Ganap ng Iglesia Katolika na sa pasimula ay siyang Iglesia ni Cristo (Pasugo Abril 1966, p.46).
40. Inamin ni Eraño na may abuluyan sa INC^®™
41. Inamin ni Eraño na likom ng likom ng abuloy ang ibang lokal ng INC™ (kaya pala si readme ay nagkakalat ng kasinungalingan para lang manghingi ng dagdag-abuloy)

Mga KABUKTUTAN ng mga MINISTRO ng Iglesia ni Cristo® ayon kay yumaong ERAÑO MANALO!

“Ngayon, kung ang isang manggagawa, mga kapatid, sinungaling, hindi puwedeng manindigan. Kung ang isang manggagawa kakampi sa katiwalian, hindi puwedeng manindigan. Kung ang isang manggagawa siya pang nagtuturo ng katiwalian, eh lalong masamang manggagawa ito.

“Wala nang sariling paninindigan ay siya pang kasangkapan ng diablo. Eh sino ho iyang ganyang manggagawa? Maraming manggagawa natin, halos lahat ganyan.

“Hindi ho ba naman isang napakarahas na pagpaparatang iyan? Hindi. Kaya ko nalalaman sapagka't ang mga ulat na dumarating sa amin, hindi totoo. Bakit ho hindi naging totoo?

“Hindi sapagka't ang kapatid ang nagkamali kundi ang mga manggagawa ang siyang bumabago ng ulat para ilihis ang paniniwala ng pangangasiwa.

“Eh iyon ho bang mga tagapamahala nalalaman iyan? Nalalaman iyan ng karamihan. Pero nagkaisa ang mga manggagawa sa loob ng iglesia para linlangin at dayain ang pangangasiwa sa layunin nilang gumanda, kuminis ang bagay na marumi at ang bagay na hindi matuwid.

“Pero napakasama naman na ito palang mga tinustusang ito, ito pala naninira sa iglesia. NAPAKAGAGONG pangangasiwa, na gumagastos ka para sa maninira.

“Pero gusto kong masaktan kayo. Gusto ko na higit pa sa masaktan. Kung maaari ko lang dagukan ang iba ay gagawin ko para maging matindi sa kaniya...

“Yung ibang mga kalihim sa probinsya, talagang wala eh, hindi abot ng kanilang kapasidad. Lalo na sa mga liblib na lugar, papaano makagagawa ng form 'yun?

“Kayong (Eh yong) manggagawa ngayon, inaasahan ko na kapatid, heto, mali ito, bakit ka mag-uulat ng hindi totoo? masama iyan.

“Eh hindi, yung kapatid mag-uulat ng totoo. Baguhin mo iyan! Eh ito ho ang nasa tuntunin. Ah, anong nasa tuntunin?

“Akin na iyan, pag hindi SUSUNTUKIN KITA! Iyan ang manggagawa natin ngayon. “MANLULUPIG! MANINIKIL NG KAPATID.

“Kaya ang iglesia'y naghihimagsik laban sa manggagawa sa nakikita nilang KATIWALIAN AT KATAMPALASANAN na hindi nila inaasahang mangyari.

“Ano ang sulat sa akin ng isang kapatid? Baka gusto ninyong ipabasa ko sa inyo. Hanggang ngayon wala pa po akong nakikitang MATINO na manggagawa sa kasaysayan ng buhay ko, LAHAT ho puro TIWALI. Masakit na salita.

“NASAKTAN AKO... sapagka't ako'y manggagawa rin. Pero hindi ko masita yung kapatid sapagka't alam kong nagsasabi siya, kung hindi man buong-buo na katotohanan eh NAGSASALITA SIYA NG TOTOO.

“Wala nang nagkaroon ng takot sa Dios na kahit isa para tumayo at manindigan sa panig ng katuwiran. LAHAT MANLULUPIG na ng katuwiran.

“Bakit? SUWELDO ang hinahanap, yung TULONG niya, yung BAHAY niya, yung KASAGANAAN niya, siguro, ang TINATAMASA niya pero ang iglesia ay ayaw na niyang pagsilbihan ng totoo.

“Pero isipin ninyo, dumadami tuloy ang ating form. Nagagalit kayo sa opisina. Pati mga taga-opisina kinakalaban ng ibang mga manggagawa. Kapag nag-uulat sa akin, nagagalit. Nasaan ninyo gusto... Papaano ang ating gagawin sa iglesia?

“Kayo ang maghahari sa iglesia? Hindi. TAMAAN KAYO NG KIDLAT AT KULOG bago mangyari iyan. (Kung) Kaya sabi ko sa Dios, napakarami ho namang dapat BAHAING MANGGAGAWA, bakit hindi mo siyang binaha? PARA MALIPOL ang mga TAMPALASANG taong ito. Nadaig pa ang kasalanan ni Judas, iisang maestro ang ipinagkanulo. Iisa ang nagkanulo sa panahon ni Kristo pero NGAYON LAHAT NG MANGGAGAWA nagkakaisa ipagkanulo Dios.

“Te' kayo, tingnan ninyo, mga kapatid, iyan ang tagapamahala sa Visayas at Mindanao. Nagpalitan tayo ng mga matatagal na sa pamamahala. Eh isa-isa, lumalapit sa akin, dumadaing sa akin. Kapatid, mayroon ho akong problema. Ano? Yun hong nakatala sa ating sa senso na mga pangalan ng kapatid, eh hindi ko naman ho makita (dito) ngayon sa aking destino.

“Ano kako ang ibig mong sabihin? Eh ang numero ho eh napakalaki pero sa katotohanan ho'y wala yung tao. Ang Camarines, este ang Sorsogon, hinihiling sa akin na alisin sa talaan ang kulang-kulang na apatnaraang tao eh kakaunti lang naman ang kapatid sa Sorsogon.

“Bakit? Tinignan ko sa ulat ang nakaulat na malamig eh mahigit lang isandaan. Pero ang aalisin eh apat na raan.

“Eh bakit, ano ho ba ang ginawa nung mga dating naroon? Aba'y e di binabago ulat. “Pinakikinis para huwag mapagalitan.

“Samakamatuwid eh malaman, ang sinasanggalang iyong sarili, hindi ang kapakanan ng iglesia. Eh iyon ho ba'y sa Sorsogon lang? Laganap iyan kung saan-saan. Maski sa Maynila, ANG MGA MANGGAGAWA RITO'Y MAGDARAYA. Sasabihin sa iyo, dinoktrinahan ko iyan. Hindi naman. Sasabihin sa iyo, (nabautismu...) iyan ho'y nasubok sa pagsamba, pero hindi totoo. Eh bakit?

“Nakita sa matatandang ministro, nakita sa matatandang manggagawa na iyon pala ang paraan para siya ay bumuti sa paningin ng pangangasiwa.

“Sila ang nagsasanggalang ngayon sa kapakanan! Pero hanggang kailan tatagal ang iglesia'y INAAWAY ng mga MANGGAGAWA, BINABABAG, MINUMURA, NILALAIT at PINIPILIT NA KAYO ANG GUMAWA NG LIKO? Saan kayo nakakita ng manggagawa, sa halip na siyang magtindig sa nakalugmok.

“Yung nakatayo ang ilulugmok para lamang gumanda ang kanyang sarili. Eh kung dito sa Maynila nangyayari iyon eh, eh di lalo na sa probinsya, lalo na sa malalayong lugar. Ay, tingnan ninyo sa Mindanao at sa Bisaya ngayon eh, at sa lahat ng mga... eh iba, mabibigla, mababagong bigla ang senso ng iglesia. Ano ang dahilan? Wala pala yung mga kapatid na iyon, sinasabi lang na naroon. Sino ho ang may gawa niyan? Yung magdarayang manggagawa. Hindi iyong kapatid. Yung kapatid, magkamali man, eh hindi sinadya. YUNG MINISTRO, SINASADYA.

“Tumawag ako ng pulong ng mga pamunuan sa Maynila para sabihin: Mga kapatid, tumulong kayo sa akin. Ayokong mamatay ang manggagawa; ang gusto ko ay pagtulong-tulungan nating sila'y buhayin. Sabihin n'yo sa akin kung ano ang ating maitutulong. Aba'y hindi ang sinabi sa akin kung ano ang maitutulong. Ang sinabi sa akin kung anu-anong KATIWALIAN. Ang sabi sa akin nung isa; Kapatid, tama ho ba na hindi ho itinuturo outline? Tuwing mamimili ho ng tatlong talata, tatanungin, o ano, naiintindihan mo ba iyan? Tama ho ba kapatid, bungkos-bungkos na mga katibayan, siya pumipirma, PINAPALSIKA ho niya pirma ng mga kinauukulang kalihim at mga katiwala ng gawain? Pinigil ko. Ni hindi ko itinanong sino gumagawa niyan.

“Bakit? Alam kong ang manggagawa sa Maynila. Mawawalan ng dangal kapag nalaman ng lahat, siya pala'y MAGNANAKAW at TAMPALASAN.

“Maski saan ka bumaling eh, wala kang makikitang liwanag. Bakit? Kumalat, lumalaganap iyang espiritung iyan na DAYAIN ANG ULAT, dayain ang ulat, LINLANGIN ANG PANGANGASIWA.

“Sayang ang papel. Katakut-takot ang nagagastos natin. Binabayaran natin ang mga empleyado sa opisina, hindi pala totoo ang sinisiyasat nila.

“Dito ba magwawakas ang kamatayan ng mga ito? Sa tinagal-tagal ho ba ng iyong pagpapakasakit at pagpapakahirap, at iyon ang sugo sa huling araw, ay dito ba lamang ba matatapos ang kanilang buhay at takbuhin? Kundi ang manggagawa ang siyang lumulupig sa mga kapatid na gustong manindigan, tinatakot. Kaya nagkaroon tuloy ng paniniwala: Ang pinakamasamang tao ang mag-ulat. Ang pinakamasamang tao ang mag-ulat. Ang mabuti ang tahimik. Ang mabuti ang kunsintidor. Ang mabuti ang tiwali. Kaya hindi ako nagtataka, mga kapatid, kung bakit ang Dios pagod na pagod ng katatatag, talikod naman ng talikod ang tao.

“Ang tuntunin niya ang tinatalikuran. Ngayon, nagsasanay na naman ang mga manggagawa talikuran ang tuntunin! Pero sa ginagawa natin ngayon, sa ginagawa ng karamihang mga manggagawa kung hindi man lahat, anong ehemplo ang ipakikita sa may tungkulin?

“Papaano ko ngayon, papaano natin kokontrahin ang mga may tungkulin, magtapat kayo.

“Sasabihin ng may tungkulin: Ikaw ang salbahe eh. Lumilikom ka ng abuloy, wala namang pahintulot. Ikaw ang nagsabi sa amin na huwag na kaming magsusumbong. Papaano kami magtatapat eh ikaw ang gumagawa ng katiwalian? Papaano tayo makakalikha ng mabubuting may tungkulin? Papaano? Kung ganyan ang ating ipamumukha sa mga kapatid natin? Wala na kayong bibig diyan. Isipin ninyo sa Agusan, ilang beses, likom ng likom ng abuloy.?”

A Fake "Catholic" Priest's Convertion: How Ministers of the Iglesia ni Cristo® Deceived its own viewers

PEKENG PARI NAUTO NG MGA MANALO! from The Splendor on Vimeo.

This man was NOT a priest of the Catholic Church but he's an ordained priest from The Apostolic Catholic Church, Incorporated. Therefore a FAKE PRIEST, and he deceived all the INC's viewers.

Source: THE NEW SPLENDOR OF THE CHURCH blog

THREAT from the Iglesia ni Cristo®?

Photo source: Politics and Church blog

I received one comment, subtle yet it's threatening. Could be a joke but could be a stern warning. Considering how members of the Iglesia ni Cristo would do anything, even extreme violent and un-Christian way to terminate those whom they see as attacking Manalo and his INC^®.

From INC^® Anonymous August 1, 2013 at 3:25 AM

Aba, buhay ka pa pala. ha ha ha. Sabi ng Papa, wag daw husgahan ang mga bakla. Ano ba yan. Bakla kasi mga pari nyo. ha ha ha. Dapat sana ang payo niya, huwag gawin ang ginagawa ng mga bakla. Tsk tsk, playing safesi fafa. ha ha ha. Tuwang tuwa tuloy mga bakla. [Surprise, you're still alive. ha ha ha. The Pope said, don't blame gays. What's that? Because your priests are gays. ha ha ha.  He should have advised, don't do what gays do. Tsk, tsk, tsk, playing safesi (sic) fafa. ha ha ha. Now gays are rejoicing.]

I won't go pathetic with this message but if anything happens to me (violently) considering how they're so violent when cornered (you can read here, here), how they inherited bad attitudes, I'd say blame it to the Iglesia ni Cristo^® for not chastising their violent members, because what I know is that I don't have natural enemies.

Pray for all Filipino CATHOLIC DEFENDERS out there who are roundly threatened by members of this cult. May God have mercy on their souls.  Holy Mary, pray for us and keep us safe from the enemies of your beloved Son, Jesus our Lord, Savior and our God. Amen!

Pope Francis' Unaltered Remarks on Alleged Gay Lobby within Vatican

Before anyone jumps into conclusion that Pope Francis gave the 'go signal' to homosexual lifestyle as he was badly misquoted in the money-hungry press business, here's an unaltered transcript of what he really said on that interview.  Thanks to Pauline.org:

The Question to Pope Francis from Ilse, a journalist on the Papal flight

Ilse: I would like to ask permission to pose a rather delicate question. Another image that went around the world is that of Monsignor Ricca and the news about his personal life. I would like to know, your Holiness, what will be done about this question. How should one deal with this question and how does your Holiness wish to deal with the whole question of the gay lobby?

The Pope’s Answer

[Pope Francis's response:] Regarding the matter of Monsignor Ricca, I did what Canon Law required and did the required investigation. And from the investigation, we did not find anything corresponding to the accusations against him. We found none of that. That is the answer.

But I would like to add one more thing to this: I see that so many times in the Church, apart from this case and also in this case, one looks for the "sins of youth," for example, is it not thus? And then these things are published. These things are not crimes. The crimes are something else: child abuse is a crime.

But sins, if a person, or secular priest or a nun, has committed a sin and then that person experienced conversion, the Lord forgives and when the Lord forgives, the Lord forgets and this is very important for our lives.

FACT: A Devout Catholic is the Deisigner of the Iglesia ni Cristo® chapels!

Do you know this man?  Perhaps not!  He is the sole DESIGNER of Iglesia ni Cristo^® chapels we find all around the Philippines.

His name is CARLOS A. SANTOS-VIOLA, a devout Catholic! Says Wikipedia:

"Carlos was a lifelong devout Roman Catholic. He ministered for the Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Quezon City and was frequently invited to join the INC but repeatedly denied the invitations due to ideological differences. He also taught architecture at the college where he graduated, and helped found the Philippine Institute of Architects in 1938."

FACTS: What you should know about the Iglesia ni Cristo®

MANILA, Philippines (Rappler) – This day in 1914, the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) was officially registered by Felix Manalo, a Catholic who became dissatisfied with theological teachings he grew up with.

Manalo came up with new-found doctrines that have become the foundation of a new church which he initially established in Sta Ana, Manila.

From its humble beginnings in Manila, the INC has gained a nationwide, and even worldwide, following.

After 99 years, INC has remained alive, and has become a significant part of history. Its large following has become a vital part of the country’s social and political life through the years.

It has been known to lobby for government posts for members of its church. Among its members who were appointed to various posts are Land Transportation Office chief Virginia Torres, former Justice secretaries Serafin Cuevas and Artemio Tuquero, former Court of Appeals Justice Nicolas Lapeña Jr, former National Bureau of Investigation chiefs Reynaldo Wycoco and Magtanggol Gatdula, and former Philippine National Police chief Edgardo Aglipay.

Political leaders and even presidential aspirants have sought audiences with the Manalos, seeking their endorsement.

Debate over whether the INC has remained influential continues, but most political strategists prefer to err on the side of caution, still opting to seek the blessing of the INC head.

The group is now headed by the founder’s grandson, Eduardo Manalo – the 3rd person to have become the groups’ leader.

Did Pope Francis really say OK for gays?

Anti-Catholics out there especially the notorious anti-Catholic and anti-Christ sect from the Philippines-- the Iglesia ni Cristo®-- would rejoiced with the news that distorted what Pope Francis said about homosexuals.

"The Bible and the Catholic Church have never taught that it is a “sin” to be homosexual."  Thanks Fr. Jonathan Morris from  FOXNEWS!

What Pope Francis really said about gays -- and no, it's not new

Pope Francis doesn’t do interviews. Or at least that’s what we thought. He said that about himself just one week ago on the way to Rio de Janeiro for World Youth Day.

Then World Youth Day happened. And it happened in a big way.

According to official reports from City Hall, 3.2 million young people gathered on Copacabana Beach to see him, pray with him, and hear his proposal about the meaning of life.

His closing message to them was simple: Go back to your homes, and serve others without fear.

Hours later, perhaps taking to heart his own closing message about fearless service, Pope Francis offered an 80 minute, unscripted question-and-answer session with the international press corps.

In its entirely, the press conference on the pope’s plane traveling from Brazil back to the Vatican was fascinating. (For more, please look at my Twitter reports.)

But, unfortunately, if you were reading the headlines from some media outlets, you would have learned just one thing. As the Huffington Post put it: “Breakthrough: Pope OK with Gays.”

This is the worst coverage of a religious story I have seen to date.

Let’s begin with the fact that the pope has always been “OK” with homosexuals. In fact, by the demands of his own religion he is required to be much more than just “OK.” The Christian faith teaches that every person is endowed by God with an inviolable dignity and therefore deserves our unconditional respect and love.

A section of an Associated Press report also got the story very wrong. Summarizing the pope’s comments on homosexuals in the priesthood, the AP reported: “Francis was much more conciliatory [than Pope Benedict], saying gay clergymen should be forgiven and their sins forgotten.”

Pope Francis didn’t say that, and the report is wrong on so many levels.

First of all, it suggests that being gay itself, is a sin. What Pope Francis really said, in response to a reporter’s question about homosexual priests who are living a celibate life was this: “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?”

Pope Francis simply and compassionately reiterated Biblical teaching. The Bible and the Catholic Church have never taught that it is a “sin” to be homosexual. They teach it is a sin to have homosexual sex because it goes against the laws of God’s nature, specifically his plan for human sexuality.

When Pope Francis says “who am I to judge” he is saying—and I think we need to hear more of this from religious leaders—that active homosexuals deserve the same kindness, love, and mercy that all of us sinners would hope to receive from God and from others.

We don’t make judgments about anyone’s personal worth—God has already done that when he created us out of love.

I would hope next time Pope Francis offers to meet with the press, they would take to heart his message about fearless service and report to their readers what he actually said, rather than what they wish they had heard.

So stop circulating a distorted news and get the facts straight from the source!

Iglesia ni Cristo® is a Masonic Church. It's in its Logo says an American blogger

The INC™'s logo can't escape an American blogger Mary Tomaselli's judgment that it is indeed a MASONIC church.  Here is what she's thinking about the Iglesia ni Cristo® church she found at Forest Hills, NY. [Read also my earlier post What's in the INC logo?]

I was driving through Forest Hills, N.Y. a neighborhood near me when I came upon the church you see in the photo above. It was huge and very imposing, a structure I had never seen before. The architecture was strange and modern-looking. It turned out to be the Iglesia Ni Christo, a church I'd never heard of.

That this church had been built in Forest Hills was unusual, I thought, but in my research I found out that 61.3% of New York City's total Filipino population live in Queens of which Forest Hills is one neighborhood. When I went to Wikipedia I found a photo of the Eglesia Ni Cristo church in Quezon City, The Philippines. Here it is:

If you click on the Wikipedia link above you'll see the architectural details of the Forest Hills church are VERY similar to the church in Quezon City.

Finally I want to show you the logo of the church which sits boldly on the front of the church as it faces the street.

What I noticed in particular was the combination of Christian and Masonic symbols. Apparently Felix Manalo, the church's messenger from God, was a freemason. I hope you liked the additional information attached to the photos I took of the Iglesia Ni Cristo^® church. They aren't touched up in any way.

INC® 99th Year Anniversary: It's growth, thanks to ITS FOUNDER FELIX MANALO - Manila Bulletin

WHO FOUNDED the IGLESIA NI CRISTO? 

Thanks Manila Bulletin for the straightforward facts! [emphasis mine]

"Today, INC^® membership includes at least 110 nationalities. Its phenomenal growth and expansion has been attributed to the zeal of its founder, Ka Felix Y. Manalo, his son, the Brother Eraño G. Manalo, and the current INC^® Executive Minister Brother Eduardo V. Manalo."

Felix Ysagun Manalo - Founder of the Iglesia ni Cristo^®

Catholic Youths are Well-Behaved!

"...Catholic youth who descended on Rio from around the world were almost unfailingly good-natured and well-behaved. " -Eduardo Paes, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil during the World Youth Day 2013 with more than 3,000,000 attendees [Source: The Telegraph]

Photo Source: CBS News

“PANGINOON DIYOS” at “PANGINOON HESUCRISTO”

Comments from Monk's Hobbit

On this video – The End of the World - Judgment Day - Ang Paghuhukom a lot of times “Panginoon Diyos” have been mentioned several times likewise for “Panginoon Hesucristo” and been shown as text you can read on the video.

As you can read – Panginoon means Lord which is actually God if the subject is about religion. And yet to INC Jesus is a man-mediator only sent by God. But they kept saying that Jesus is Lord which is also God.

Okay, as we all believed, just as INC said the second coming of Jesus will be the time of the final judgement which shall be the end of days for both the living and the dead and at that time the whole world will be engulfed in fire. Everything on Earth will be burned down literally. Nothing is wrong with the second coming but burning of the whole world is new to me. Judgement day I believe.

But I’d be crazy to the bone if I see Felix Manalo appears instead of Jesus Christ. That would scare the hell out of me. At least hell will be out of me and only heaven will be left in me. That is okay for me.

Was Peter the "Other Man" in Rome? – A Mystery in St Paul’s Romans

From Dr. Taylor Marshall's Canterbury Tales

Peter Crucified Upside Down in Rome

Most Protestant scholars contest that Catholic claim that Saint Peter was the first bishop (pope) of Rome. They go so far as to say that Peter never even visited Rome.

As we prepare to celebrate the feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul (June 29), we should take a look at this objection.

I argue that there is plenty of evidence of Peter’s presence not only in tradition, but also in Sacred Scripture. 

I refer to the mystery of the “another man” in Saint Paul’s Epistle to the Romans.

[the following is a free selection from my book The Eternal City: Rome and the Origins of Catholicism]

As one reads the thirteenth chapter of Romans, one cannot help but see a concern in Paul’s mind about the tenuous state of the Roman Church in relationship to Imperial Rome. Once already the emperor had exiled all Jews from the city on account of “Chrestus” – a Roman mispronunciation of “Christus.” Perhaps Paul was worried that the current emperor Nero Caesar might hear rumors that “Chrestus” was once again stirring up rebellion in the imperial city—this time not only among the Jews but also among the non-Jews. Paul therefore exhorts the Roman Christians to “be subject to the governing authorities,” and to honor the Roman Caesar in things pertaining to civic duties (Rom 13:3-7).

Non-Muslim pupils forced to eat in bathroom because of Ramadan

The act of segregation is condemned by politicians and Muslims. Our "religion does not dictate this," Muslim woman says. However, in many Islamic countries, non-Muslims are required to respect the eating ban during the period of fasting.

Kuala Lumpur (AsiaNews/Agencies also read here) - Non-Muslim children in a Malaysian primary school were forced to have lunch in the facility's change room whilst their classmates fasted during Ramadan. Pictures of ethnic Chinese and Indian (usually Christian or Hindu) children were posted on the internet by one of the mothers, Guneswari Kelly, causing an uproar among politicians and Muslims opposed to unhygienic segregation.

On her Facebook page, Kelly Guneswari wrote that staff at the Sri Pristana School, in suburban Kuala Lumpur, told non-Muslim children to eat in the school's bathroom and not in the canteen. "Is this fair? Can [a national school] treat [non-Muslim pupils] like this" during Ramadan?

After being informed, Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin ordered an investigation into the matter, saying he would take action.

School officials have not released any statement, but Jehan Bakar, a Muslim woman lawyer and mother of two, said she was "horrified" by the segregation of non-Muslim children. Our "religion does not dictate this," she insisted.

In fact Islam does not ask non-Muslims to fast or hide, but in many Islamic countries, Christians, Hindus or people of other religions are asked (and sometimes forced) not to eat in public or are not allow to eat at all during the fasting period, which runs from dawn to dusk.

In Malaysia, there are often signs of impatience towards Islamic rules that are often applied in a very restrictive way. Recently, a Chinese couple was accused of sedition for posting online a Ramadan greeting that showed them eating pork, which is forbidden in Islam.

In 2010, the principal of a secondary school in the state of Kedah accused ethnic Chinese students of being insensitive towards their Muslim classmates because they ate at school during Ramadan, telling them to "return to China" if they could not respect the culture of other ethnic groups.

Malaysian Muslims ask Vatican to recall envoy over use of “Allah”

Islamists are now the Catholic Church' nemesis in building peace among believers. Their ignorance of history is blissful.  For the information of those who don't know, Arab Christians have used the word 'allah' (الله) long way even before the advent of Islam itself.  In pre-Islamic Makkah Muhammad's father (Islam's prophet) was named 'Abdullah' (عبد الله) --'Slave of God' or 'Servant of God -- which suggests that pre-Islamic Makkah had used the same word even before Islam came to be.

BANGKOK, Thailand (RNS) The Vatican’s first envoy to Muslim-majority Malaysia should quit and go back to Rome, angry Malaysian Islamists said after the Roman Catholic cleric said Christians may use the Arabic word “Allah” to describe God.

In an escalating confrontation, dozens of Islamists marched to the Vatican’s mission in Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, after prayers at a mosque on Friday (July 19), and presented a 670-word memorandum demanding his recall.

The troubled envoy, Archbishop Joseph Marino of Alabama, arrived in the Southeast Asian country in April.

Marino’s problems began after his interview with reporters on July 11, when he spoke about the Christian Federation of Malaysia’s controversial decision to call God “Allah,” the Arabic word for God.

“It seems to be quite logical and acceptable,” Marino said in the interview.

Some Muslims complained, and the Malaysian government summoned Marino on July 16 to discuss the issue.

SON INHERITS THE PAPAL THRONE OF IGLESIA NI CRISTO®

Very valuable comments from a user by the name Silent Crusader for members of the INC^® of Manalo at Monk's Hobbit blog:

This facts about INC is quite interesting –

SON INHERITS THE PAPAL THRONE OF INC:

Erano G. Manalo (Ka Erdy) is the fifth child of INC founder Felix Y. Manalo. He was born on January 2, 1925. He is now 80 years old. He went to college to get a degree in law but left to become a minister in his dad’s religion. His dad worked out his promotion to be the general treasurer of the church. He has never had a lack of money. The bank accounts have been flowing over by the billions of pesos. The income of Ka Erdy is a top secret.

Because he wanted the flow of information from the Church to the membership and the world to be under tight censorship, Erano was placed in the hierarchy of the church magazine Pasugo. Nothing would be written about or released concerning doctrine, faith, and practice and his father that he did not approve. Everything written in Pasugo about Felix Manalo had to pass the desk of Erano.

When it was written in Pasugo in 1976 that his father was the “seed of Abraham”, Erano approved it. It was this “seed of Abraham” doctrine that was used to claim Felix Manalo was Jesus in another form. Yes, Felix Manalo did claim he was the messiah according to Philippine court records. The INC now try to cover this up and sanitize his life history to expunge this stunning falsehood.

Church members and ministers join in choir when someone opposes their founder, his false doctrines, and their use of every perverted translation they can find to substantiate their claims. They sing their church is under attack and must stand firm and be faithful to “Brother Felix” and the doctrines of the Iglesia Ni Cristo. It is safe to say the rank and file of INC now have the persecuted syndrome and feel they must suffer martyrdom and not forsake the teachings of their founder.

COMMENT:

So Erano Manalo approved the concept that his father was the “seed of Abraham”. Wow! This is surprisingly amazing. And that Felix was the messiah. So why then did he not introduce himself to Israel so the Jews can finally rest in waiting for their messiah. But then again, he will not be accepted because the Jews expects a King that will come down to destroy the Romans but this is too late now…Felix is neither a king nor he can travel back to the time of the Roman occupation of the Jews. From being an angel (messenger) to becoming the messiah….this is truly amazing. According to the Philippine court records, Felix Manalo did really claim he was the messiah. And I think this is the reason why INC has been named Iglesia Ni Cristo or Manalo. It doesn’t really matter since Felix and Jesus is one. If Jesus is actually God, so Felix was God. He died though and never resurrected.If secretly he did ascended so is he now sitting at the right hand of the Father? I don’t know what to say at this point. Something is very very wrong here. And the INC tried to cover and sanitize this biggest lie in the history of INC. Some people had to wake up from this dream.

The heir of the papal throne of INC attacked the deity of Jesus but had no backbone to attack the falsehoods of his own father. Thus, he put his father above Christ! We can be sure the papal power to continue the same errors and heresy will fall to one of Erano’s sons when he becomes ill and unable to function or dies. I predict this will likely be Eduardo Manalo and he has probably already been secretly tapped for the throne. The central administration has no one among them worthy enough to inherit the messiahship throne. The blood lineage of the Manalo messias seed will be enforced you can count on that. Erano Manalo can boast of several things during his reign. He continued the Theodotus-Islamic doctrine that Jesus was just a man and not God. He can boast his methods caused membership and wealth increase for INC. He can take credit for the many, many, new rapture-designed buildings that were erected. He must be proud of the fact he holds great political power via the Church membership and by his coercion INC has risen to the level of a Philippine shadow government.

WHAT DO DEIST BELIEVE ABOUT JESUS AND GOD?

Deist do not view God as an entity in human form. They deny Jesus was God!

Deist view Jesus as a philosopher, rabbi, teacher and healer, but not as the Son of God.

Anyone who denies Jesus was God is of the Deist religion and Antichrist. The Iglesia Ni Cristo church denies Jesus was God therefore it is Deist. According to its founder, Jesus was no more God then he was. This is Deist and Islamic talk! Manalo’s doctrine makes himself a Son of God on the same level as Jesus. Any and all Ministers, Pastors, Evangelist, and other preachers of the Manalo Deist religion are Antichrist since they all deny Jesus was God. Is Jesus God? Read Revelation 1:8 and check out the words of Jesus himself.

The translation of this verse is as follows: I AM Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord God, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

In this one text Jesus subscribes to himself the same titles used of God in the Old Testament. If Jesus is not God, he lied when he claimed to John to be the Lord God. Jesus claims he is the LORD GOD, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the ALMIGHTY! For the Iglesia Ni Cristo group to claim Jesus was only a man is to call Jesus a liar. Who do we believe, the Iglesia Ni Cristo and the central administration or Jesus?

Erano wrote a 64 page booklet attacking the deity of Christ, “Christ-God: Investigated-False”. Anyone deceived by this book is brainwashed. The truth is, Manalo stole his anti-Jesus-God arguments from Islamic propaganda. The arguments of Erano Manalo in his writing against the deity of Jesus are right out of Islam-Jesus 101. Both Manalo’s stole the Islamic arguments that exalt Allah and make Jesus just one of several prophets.

Iglesia Ni Cristo calls God the “Father” but if pressed will admit the Father’s name is also Allah! Iglesia Ni Cristo ministers are teaching a form of Islam-Christianity to its members. All this is lacking is to call the Father Allah and say Mohammed is his prophet and they are Islamic! The conversion to Islam is not that far off and can happen overnight at any instant. If the Philippine government ever suppresses INC you can expect INC to court Islamic favor and some form of unity and immediate religious war could break out right in the nation’s capitol! In fact, in court pleadings before the Honorable Ofelia Marquez, Branch 216, Quezon City, Manila, Philippines on May 24, 2005; the lawyer for INC claims if the book: “POWER AND THE GLORY: THE CULT OF MANALO” is published, it will trigger unrest and possible violance throughout the 7000 islands of the Republic. This is a threat that if anyone makes INC, the central administration, and the members mad; they will turn to the streets and burn the nation down, which may include the killing of a lot of people! The proper response would have been for INC to publish a rebuttal, not to threaten the nation with riots, violence, and possible killing. INC has become a dangerous militant religion and the claims of the INC lawyer proves it.

One identification of a true church is the kind of preachers or teachers she has. How can shepherd takes care of the flock if he’s the first to violate God’s commands. He must practice what he preaches. And please don’t give me that usual common excuse again that they’re only humans.

SO LET’S LISTEN to Erano Manalo in his own very words about his own ministros (mang gagawa)…please listen in entirety. This is not speculation. It is the very word of INC’s papal who has described his own workers. http://youtu.be/ThKY1vC2ilk

Judge yourself… what I stated earlier: “The sin of few or many is not the sin of the church” is correct.

I wrote “few or many”…. not few only….

I would never deny that erring priest that are being reported are growing and we can speculate there are more unreported but unless they are proven we cannot judge.

So let’s watch this about the INC’s messiah or angel…http://youtu.be/Etl0JD27ChA

If this case was true then he is neither a messiah nor angel…If he is an angel then he belonged to the fallen angel group of Satan.

I’d be happy if you (INC) can dispute these two videos.

THE NATURE OF ANGELS AND WHY FELIX MANALO IS NOT AN ANGEL

Here's another comments from the same user by the name Silent Crusader at Monk's Hobbit blog:
 

Nearly all people have heard of angels or are at least familiar with pictures of them in popular culture. Yet, few perhaps, actually understand the nature of these creatures and their relationship with humans.

WHAT EXACTLY IS AN ANGEL?

The word “angel” means messenger. Truly, this reflects the office of the angels and their relationship with humans. As such, it should be realized that the word “angel” does not properly describe their nature; it only describes what they do in relationship to us.

Angels are more properly referred to as “spirits”, for this is what they are. An angel is an incorporeal spirit of great power and intelligence. They are at the very pinnacle of the order of God’s creation. Their spiritual nature is closest to the image of God, and thus they have great power and intellect (although not necessarily charity).

It is important to realize that an angel is not a dead human; in other words we do not become angels when we die and pass on to heaven.

Angels are as different from humans as animals are from us. Humans are endowed with sentience, conscience and a measure of intellect which divides us from the animals. In a similar manner, angels are endowed with a power and intellect not proper to man. In a sense, man is a composite creation which blends the nature of the animal (corporeality, instinct, passions) with the nature of the angels (free will, intellect, conscience, sentience and rationality).

****Thus the angels are not humans, and humans can never become one.***

When they choose to communicate with humans it is always by the will of God, and they serve as messengers from God. Angels can manifest themselves in corporeal form when they wish to communicate with us.

So how can Felix Manalo become an angel… jumping from one religion to another to become a self-declared angel later on. An angel never dies as human…. Felix died and not even a single miracle known to anyone outside INC. Only God can give instruction to HIS angels to communicate with humans as in the case of Blessed Mary during the Annunciation. There were more biblical and scriptural proof of angels communicating with human and even on human forms but only for a while not from childbirth up to the time he dies. Felix’ self-proclamation only existed in his human mind and definitely not from God.

THE NATURE OF THE ANGELS

Angels had three primary roles given to them by God. Their first role was to worship God. The blessed angels of heaven, which were not corrupted by Satan in the beginning of time, are able to gaze on the revealed nature of God and contemplate the mystery of the Trinity. In this way, the formidable intellect of the angels allows them to dwell on the infinite glory and goodness of God. As the psalmist records, “Adore Him, all you His angels” (Ps 96:7). This is the bliss of heaven; a bliss which sharpens the mind and brings eternal tranquility and charity.

The second major role of the angels is to implement the will of God. God uses the angels to order creation, implement the laws of the physical world and aid in the spiritual deliverance of man. The psalms records, “Bless the Lord, all ye His angels: you that are mighty in strength and execute His word, harkening to the voice of his orders” (Ps 102:20). There are many occasions in Scripture which record the implementation of God’s will in the physical world by the angels (Exo 14:19, Mt 13:49, 1 Chron 21). Additionally, they also petition God with prayers on our behalf (Tob 12:12, Mt 18:10). It is believed that God assigns a guardian angel to each person.

So did Felix tell us that he has no angel guardian because he was already an angel from his birth? Where in the bible says that an angel can be born and grew up to become adult, grew old, travelled, studied GOD using the bible and scriptures joining other religions to make sure his interpretations and translations of the sacred text are correct according to God’s will?

On our behalf, the angel prays for us and protects us from the evil angels (Mt 18:10). God’s use of the angels to implement his will is appropriate to a good God who values a familial relationship of charity between angels and men.

Finally, angels serve as messengers from God. Scripture records that the prophets received messages from God through angels. Indeed, the Virgin Mary received the good news of salvation from the angel Gabriel. Many of the prophets such as Ezekiel, Daniel, Abraham, and Isaiah received prophecies from the angels (Ezekiel 1:4, Daniel 7:16,.Genesis 22:11, Isaiah 6:2).

ORDERING OF THE ANGELS

There are several orders of angels like Cherubim, etc and the last order of angels is most familiar to man. This order is comprised of the Principalities, Archangels and Angels. Principalities are the leaders of the last order, and direct the actual implementation of God’s will. Archangels and angels actually carry out and execute what is to be done. This is why angels (such as Gabriel and Raphael) are the choir sent to communicate with man.

It is highly questionable for Felix to declare himself an angel just because he found a verse in the bible that would fit to his plan of becoming one so that he could maintain his supremacy among INC? And why did this angel wants to save members of INC only? Why not all humanity? Then why did this angel declared that Jesus is just another human and that HE is not GOD of the Holy Trinity?

IF INDEED FELIX IS AN ANGEL, THEN HOW SURE ARE WE THAT HE IS NOT ONE OF THE FALLEN ANGELS THAT CONTINUE TO LIE AND AS A LIAR DECEIVES HIS OWN FOLLOWERS? IF HE IS A FALLEN ANGEL, THEN WHERE DOES HE IS LEADING HIS BLIND FOLLOWERS?

I OBSERVED ONE OF THE GIFTS GIVING CELEBRATIONS DONE AT TIMES SQUARE IN NEW YORK THIS YEAR 2013 FOR THE SO-CALLED POOR PEOPLE. IT WAS WITH A LOT OF FUNFARE (VANITY) FOR THE WORLD TO SEE. IN CONTRAST THERE ARE GROUPS IN NEW YORK THAT DISTRIBUTES FOODS AND CLOTHING TO POOR AND HOMELESS ON A WEEKLY BASIS SILENTLY WITH NO MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT AND MOST OF ALL NOT IN TIMES SQUARES SO THE WORLD CAN SEE. JESUS’ WAY IS HUMILITY. HE ONES SAID DON’T LET YOUR LEFT HAND SEE WHAT YOUR RIGHT HAND IS DOING. WHEN JESUS STARTED HIS MINISTRY, HE CHOSE TO WALK FOR 3 YEARS ON BARE FOOT. AND SURELY ANNOUNCING TO THE WORLD IN THE CENTER OF NEW YORK TIMES SQUARE THAT THEY ARE DISTRIBUTING GOODIES TO POOR PEOPLE IS SURELY NOT JESUS’ WAY. PRIDE IS NEVER PART OF JESUS’ MINISTRY.

Wake up brothers in sisters, let’s apostolate the world only in humility not with VANITY and FANFARE.

GOODNESS OF THE ANGELS

Moral goodness is not something that is dependent on the nature of a created being. The nature of a creature is the innate powers and potential given to a being by God. Because free will is a necessary part of the nature of man and angel, there exists the possibility of sin. Angels can, and have, sinned. Indeed, the original creation of God was perfect and moral in every possible way.

Unfortunately, Satan (for reasons we can only speculate on) a good Cherubim, decided to selfishly seek and increase his own glory and power beyond the limits set by God. When he refused to submit to the will of God he committed the first of all sins: the sin of pride. When Satan sinned in pride, he convinced many other angels to follow him into submission and evil. For this sin, he was expelled from heaven forever and was denied the immediate vision of God.

The good angels who resisted Satan’s temptations were admitted into the immediate vision of God and became firmly rooted in virtue. For this reason, the angels who resisted the first sin are no longer capable of sinning; they have made a permanent and indelible choice to submit to the love of God. The fallen angels, or devils as we now call them, are likewise permanently rooted in sin. It is not possible for a devil to repent of his sins.

This fact partially explains why belief in angels is a primary dogma of Catholic faith. Without belief in angels, there is no possible explanation for the existence of evil in the good creation of God.

I am Just curious why not one INC member or ministro makes comment on my comments here. Is it because I do not wish to engage in useless debate but simply sighting my personal thoughts of what is truth and lies? Yes I am not a debater and will never be. If I see error on any comments, I will surely point them out.

God Bless and let’s pray for everyone’s salvation especially those with hardened hearts, blind followers of Satan (satanist, Illuminati, bohemian grove club members, free-masons, prostitutes, drug addicts, criminals, idolaters, fornicators, liars, adulterers, homosexual sinners, agnostics, atheist, anti-Christ, Babylonians, and anyone who is against Christ) and lastly for the souls in purgatory especially those who have no one to pray for them). I also for those other denominations for Christ that they may continue to serve Jesus in utmost humility.