Immoral behavior

[Shammu]

Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Need I say anything more.............

[David_james]

So a guy gets shot, not only noone helps him but they continue like nothing happened? Am I missing something?

[nChrist]

Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Need I say anything more............. :'(

Hello Brother Bob,

Your quote speaks volumes, but I would like to add some more. The Jews require a SIGN, and JESUS CHRIST knows this. The disciples asked JESUS CHRIST three questions:

1 - When would the temple be destroyed?

2 - What would be the signs for the SECOND COMING OF CHRIST HIMSELF?

3 - What would be the signs of the end of the age?

Brother, please allow me to quote some more Scripture. This is something that I've been reading about again because I like to review the Promises of GOD often. Please keep in mind that the disciples of JESUS were thinking about the RULE AND REIGN OF CHRIST - HIS KINGDOM, not the RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH WHICH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST. The REIGN of JESUS CHRIST is something that Israel has been waiting thousands of years for, and the doctrine of the CHURCH WHICH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST would have been unknown and foreign to them. CHRIST had not been to the CROSS yet, and HIS CHURCH was still a mystery. Take a look at the cross references, and I think that you will have a very nice Bible Study. Our SAVIOR didn't answer the question about the destruction of the temple directly - rather he merged a similar siege (but tiny in comparison) of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. (Luke 21). One must keep in mind that the disciples were brought up as Jews and given more than they could bear in a short period of time.

Matthew 24:3-14 KJV  And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?  4  And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.  5  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.  6  And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  7  For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.  8  All these are the beginning of sorrows.  9  Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.  10  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.  11  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.  12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.  13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.  14  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.


Please notice that JESUS CHRIST did not mention the RAPTURE OF HIS CHURCH in Matthew 24. WHY? - It was still a complete mystery.There are several commonly believed teachings about the timing and sequence of the RAPTURE. I personally believe that it's before the beginning of the tribulation period. That isn't a matter for argument here, just a statement that there is more than one reasonable opinion. See:  John 14:1-6, 1 Corinthians 15:51-57, 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1 Thessalonians 5:9, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12, and Revelation 3:10.

Note that Matthew 24:4-14 actually describes the first half of the Tribulation Period - the first 3 1/2 Years.

Luke 21:20-24 KJV  And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.  21  Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.  22  For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  23  But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.  24  And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.


Please pay particular attention to Luke 21:24, and you will see an example of JESUS CHRIST giving Prophecy. Jerusalem has been subject to either Gentile rule or Gentile invasion since 70 A.D. and will remain subject to these things until the SECOND COMING OF CHRIST. Further, the Jews have never occupied their full inheritance and won't until GOD'S Appointed Time.

Romans 11:7-13 KJV  What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded  8  (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.  9  And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:  10  Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.  11  I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.  12  Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?  13  For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:


Please read all of Romans 11 for much greater understanding. I'm not going to list great detail about here forward, but I will list a few Scriptures and References:

Jeremiah 30:7 KJV  Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.


Mark 13:8-10 KJV  For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.  9  But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.  10  And the gospel must first be published among all nations.


2 Peter 2:1-3 KJV  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.  2  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.  3  And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.


See Revelation 6:1-11 for the coming of great evil described as four horsemen. See Revelation 6:12-17 for a description of the times JUST PRIOR TO CHRIST'S SECOND COMING.

In conclusion, I believe these times are NEAR!

Love In Christ,
Tom

Ephesians 3:2-7 NASB  if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace which was given to me for you;  3  that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.  4  By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,  5  which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;  6  to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,  7  of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God's grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.

[nChrist]

So a guy gets shot, not only noone helps him but they continue like nothing happened? Am I missing something?

Hello Brother David,

They were even laughing about the situation. There are rapidly increasing numbers of people today who would fit in the categories of sociopath and psychopath. Many of these folks don't have any conscience. It's really hard to imagine until you've met someone that fits into this category. I've met quite a few during my lifetime of various ages, and it was like you were in the presence of pure evil. Many of them lack human emotion and actually enjoy hurting people. At first, it's a shock that people like this exist, but I assure you there are plenty of them. For all intents and purposes, many of them act like rabid dogs, and I'm NOT overstating this.

[David_james]

I am definitly shocked. I understand if the shooter laughed, but the bystanders? It feels like I am missing part of a joke or something.
I know I shouldn't be surprised but I am.

[Soldier4Christ]

No, brother, you aren't missing anything. These people though definitely are. They are missing any semblance of love. It is very much like the people that went past the victim of a robbery/mugging and only the good Samaritan stopped to help him out. As pointed out in the scripture that brother Bob gave, the love of many will wax cold. Think ab out it ... today people are taught from early years that human life is not worth anything, that when we die that is it, there is nothing beyond that, they are also taught that only self matters and that is only in the present with no future of any sort to be considered. I would say that this goes far beyond mental illness. It is a terminal illness of the heart, one that only Jesus Christ can heal.

[nChrist]

Brothers and Sisters,

The only reason I see for all of the radical changes is EVIL. Some would laugh hearing a statement like this, but it isn't funny. There isn't anything unique about this part of the world, especially when you consider that most of the world has been much worse for some time. I'm not hinting that we're far behind. Those who don't believe in the devil will probably be changing their minds soon. I think we are watching the devil being turned loose. As Christians, we HAVE A BETTER HOPE that isn't of this world! This doesn't hint that we're going to have any fun watching things fall apart.

I would hope that each one of us decides on a pleasing LIVING TESTIMONY for CHRIST Our best path will be serving GOD and trying to yield to HIS Will. I'm sure that GOD still has work for us to do because we're still here. Our best path will always be the one GOD wants for us - not what we want for ourselves. If you were GOD the CREATOR, think about how you would feel if you saw most of your CREATION headed for hell and getting worse by the minute.  Add open MOCKERY and HATRED to the equation. There are examples in the Holy Bible about GOD loosing HIS Holy and Righteous WRATH! We have seen the patience of a Loving GOD who has showered mankind with HIS GRACE for thousands of years now. HE is the MASTER and CREATOR of the Universe, so we know that HE could have just considered punishment instead of Salvation. INSTEAD, JESUS CHRIST died on the CROSS for us - MORE GRACE AND MORE LOVE THAT WE DIDN'T DESERVE! On the other side of the coin, we have the Promises of HIS SECOND COMING in GREAT WRATH, AND that time is probably soon. In the meantime, mankind is getting worse, more blatant, and more evil. Don't we have a repeat of the times of the GREAT FLOOD - OR WORSE? Most of mankind is DEPRAVED AND HATES GOD!

I read something beautiful the other day about GOD knocking on the door - over and over - simply because HE wants to invite the LOST to SALVATION. In other words, it's because of HIS GREAT LOVE that HE'S Already shown to us. Most of mankind didn't appreciate it, and many get angry just hearing HIS HOLY NAME! HE doesn't want any many to perish in their sins, but HE has grown weary in inviting those who hate and disobey HIM. The Bible states that HE will stop at a time probably in the near future. HE will give them up to the own lusts and evil desires. This time is known as the "Fullness of the Gentiles", a time when HIS CHURCH will be complete. The lost have shown HIM rudely many times that they prefer EVIL, and HE will give them what they desire the most - EVIL! In the meantime, the KING HIMSELF is still hand-delivering personal invitations. Mankind does have an emergency to face soon: TO ACCEPT OR REJECT CHRIST! This emergency is real - NOT some con game like global warming. By far, the most important GLOBAL CRISIS IS WHAT WILL MAN DO WITH THE LAW OF FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST!

Love In Christ,
Tom

2 Corinthians 4:1-18 AMP  THEREFORE, SINCE we do hold and engage in this ministry by the mercy of God [granting us favor, benefits, opportunities, and especially salvation], we do not get discouraged (spiritless and despondent with fear) or become faint with weariness and exhaustion.  2  We have renounced disgraceful ways (secret thoughts, feelings, desires and underhandedness, the methods and arts that men hide through shame); we refuse to deal craftily (to practice trickery and cunning) or to adulterate or handle dishonestly the Word of God, but we state the truth openly (clearly and candidly). And so we commend ourselves in the sight and presence of God to every man's conscience.  3  But even if our Gospel (the glad tidings) also be hidden (obscured and covered up with a veil that hinders the knowledge of God), it is hidden [only] to those who are perishing and obscured [only] to those who are spiritually dying and veiled [only] to those who are lost.  4  For the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers' minds [that they should not discern the truth], preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God.  5  For what we preach is not ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves [merely] as your servants (slaves) for Jesus' sake.  6  For God Who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts so as [to beam forth] the Light for the illumination of the knowledge of the majesty and glory of God [as it is manifest in the Person and is revealed] in the face of Jesus Christ (the Messiah). [Gen. 1:3.]  7  However, we possess this precious treasure [the divine Light of the Gospel] in [frail, human] vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves.  8  We are hedged in (pressed) on every side [troubled and oppressed in every way], but not cramped or crushed; we suffer embarrassments and are perplexed and unable to find a way out, but not driven to despair;  9  We are pursued (persecuted and hard driven), but not deserted [to stand alone]; we are struck down to the ground, but never struck out and destroyed;  10  Always carrying about in the body the liability and exposure to the same putting to death that the Lord Jesus suffered, so that the [resurrection] life of Jesus also may be shown forth by and in our bodies.  11  For we who live are constantly [experiencing] being handed over to death for Jesus' sake, that the [resurrection] life of Jesus also may be evidenced through our flesh which is liable to death.  12  Thus death is actively at work in us, but [it is in order that our] life [may be actively at work] in you.  13  Yet we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, I have believed, and therefore have I spoken. We too believe, and therefore we speak, [Ps. 116:10.]  14  Assured that He Who raised up the Lord Jesus will raise us up also with Jesus and bring us [along] with you into His presence.  15  For all [these] things are [taking place] for your sake, so that the more grace (divine favor and spiritual blessing) extends to more and more people and multiplies through the many, the more thanksgiving may increase [and redound] to the glory of God.  16  Therefore we do not become discouraged (utterly spiritless, exhausted, and wearied out through fear). Though our outer man is [progressively] decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day after day.  17  For our light, momentary affliction (this slight distress of the passing hour) is ever more and more abundantly preparing and producing and achieving for us an everlasting weight of glory [beyond all measure, excessively surpassing all comparisons and all calculations, a vast and transcendent glory and blessedness never to cease!],  18  Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting.

[Shammu]

Palin's Home Church Destroyed by Arson
By RACHEL D'ORO
8 HOURS 46 MINUTES AGO

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Dec. 13) - Gov. Sarah Palin's home church was badly damaged by arson, leading the governor to apologize if the fire was connected to "undeserved negative attention" from her failed campaign as the Republican vice presidential nominee.

Damage to the Wasilla Bible Church was estimated at $1 million, authorities said Saturday. No one was injured in the fire, which was set Friday night while a handful of people, including two children, were inside, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele.

He said the blaze was being investigated as an arson but didn't know of any recent threats to the church. Authorities didn't know whether Palin's connection to the church was relevant to the fire, Steele said.

"It's hard to say at this point. Everything is just speculation," he said. "We have no information on intent or motive."
Steele would not comment on the means used to set the fire.

Pastor Larry Kroon declined to say whether the church had received any recent threats.

"There are so many variables," he said. "I don't want to comment in that direction."

Palin, who was not at the church at the time of the fire, stopped by Saturday. Her spokesman, Bill McAllister, said in a statement that Palin told an assistant pastor she was sorry if the fire was connected to the "undeserved negative attention" the church has received since she became the vice presidential candidate Aug. 29.

Palin's Home Church Destroyed by Arson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The headline should read, "Palin's Home Church Building Destroyed by Arson". The building is not the Church, the people are the Church.

[Shammu]

Italian MP says Vatican didn't do enough to help Jews in WWII
By Reuters
17/12/2008     

One of Italy's most prominent conservative leaders said on Tuesday the Roman Catholic Church did not do enough to oppose Fascist-era race laws under dictator Benito Mussolini.

"We must ask ourselves why Italian society wholly embraced the anti-Jewish legislation and why, beyond laudable exceptions, there were not demonstrations of real resistance. Not even, it hurts me to say, by the Catholic Church," said Gianfranco Fini.

Fini, himself a former Fascist, was speaking at an event marking the 70th anniversary of Mussolini's race laws.

Introduced in 1938, the laws expelled Jews from public schools and offices and eventually led to the deportation of thousands to Nazi concentration camps.

Fini's remarks were challenged by Catholic scholars and reignited debate about the Vatican's wartime record.

Church scholars say Pope Pius XI opposed the race laws at the time and they also defend his successor, Pius XII, from accusations he turned a blind eye to the Holocaust.

"I can't see any reason to accuse the Church, which instead openly and firmly condemned the anti-Jewish legislation," said professor Agostino Giovagnoli at Catholic University.

He added that Pius XI, who died in 1939, gave public speeches against the race laws that "led in July 1938 to an open conflict with Mussolini".

Often the debate has involved Pius XII, who Jewish groups accuse of turning a blind eye to the Holocaust.

They are lobbying the Vatican to freeze his sainthood process even though Vatican officials say he worked silently behind the scenes and helped save many Jews.

Fini convinced his own party in the mid-1990s to dump neo-fascism and enter the mainstream of Italian politics. He has also visited Israel and the death camp at Auschwitz.

Italian MP says Vatican didn't do enough to help Jews in WWII

~~~~~~~~~~~


The Vatican is not alone, there are alot of other countries that didn't do enough to help save the Jews from the Holocaust.

[Soldier4Christ]

Fake ministry e-mails push Christians toward porn
'Please pray that no one will be fooled by these attacks'

A cyber war has been launched on Ted Baehr's MOVIEGUIDE®, which with its sister organization the Christian Film & Television Commission, advocates throughout Hollywood for clean movies.

Baehr told WND that he's gotten a series of reports about e-mails being distributed, or blog comments being posted, that purport to be from him or his organization. But they provide links to pornography, including homosexual sites.

Baehr, who also serves as a columnist for WND, said he's asking anyone who sees such activity to report it.

"This is a criminal attack on our ministry," he said.

"We are looking at legal and criminal action," Baehr said. “But, in the meantime, we urgently ask all of our partners and supporters to please pray that no one will be fooled by these attacks and that the attacks will stop."

He said the FBI and police have been contacted, and investigators already are tracking computer address of the unit used.

He told WND the attack might be related to his public statements in favor of California's Proposition 8, which allowed voters on Nov. 4 to adopt a state constitutional amendment that limits marriage to couples of one man and one woman.

He reported that other Christian groups and churches also have experienced "vicious attacks and hate mail" from supporters of the homosexual lifestyle. The state Supreme Court in April ruled that same-sex duos could be "married" in the state, but the vote of the people on Nov. 4 overturned that.

MOVIEGUIDE® and the Christian Film & Television Commission are dedicated to "redeeming the values of the entertainment industry according to biblical values by influencing industry executives and by informing and equipping the public about the influence of the entertainment media."

Thus, it would be a target for "the leftist extremists [who] have staged angry demonstrations outside and inside churches and businesses, begun boycotts and even forced artistic leaders to resign from their posts," the MOVIEGUIDE organization said earlier.

"Sadly, no one in the mass media is speaking out against these vicious blacklists and boycotts," Baehr said. "Apparently, blacklists and boycotts against anti-American communists in Hollywood are bad, but blacklists and boycotts against Christians, Mormons and conservatives are welcomed."

"Homosexual activists like to complain about hatred toward homosexuals, but their hatred of Bible-believing Christians is palpably disgusting," he said.

He said the attack on his ministry is "a concerted effort at slander, libel, identity theft and harassment."

[nChrist]

Obama planning billion-dollar 'bailout' for abortion industry
Jim Brown - OneNewsNow - 12/18/2008 6:00:00

Money 2A pro-life group in Washington has launched a campaign to oppose what it calls president-elect Barack Obama's planned $1.5 billion "bailout" of the abortion industry.

Last week, the Obama-Biden Transition Project posted a report on its website that calls for dramatic policy reversals on abortion, including $1 billion in taxpayer money for international abortion groups like Planned Parenthood. The report, titled "Advancing Reproductive Rights and Health in a New Administration," also calls for a 133-percent increase in funding for the Title X program, which funds Planned Parenthood clinics across the country.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, is hoping a Republican-led effort in the Senate will block Obama's plan to substantially increase taxpayer funding of Marjorie Dannenfelserthe abortion industry.

"This billion-dollar bailout of the abortion industry comes at a time, number one, when the economy is suffering dramatically with true need. And number two, it communicates an incredible depth of arrogance, especially when you consider that the vast majority of Americans -- men and women, no matter who you talk to -- they don't believe that people who don't believe in abortion should be funding it," she contends. "Most Americans don't believe that we should be funding abortions, especially in a time of economic crisis."

The Susan B. Anthony List has started a "Stop the Abortion Bailout" campaign designed to recruit thousands of activists to send letters to their senators "with the goal of securing the 41 votes necessary to sustain a Senate filibuster of the abortion bailout."

[Shammu]

Christians and Muslims ought to work together to defend life and the family, says Pope
12/18/2008

In receiving the first Bahraini ambassador, Benedict XVI mentioned that the kingdom was the first country in the Gulf to authorise the building of a church. But respect for religious freedom also “means that people can change religious, if their conscience so dictates.”

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – Whilst acknowledging the “differences” that separate Christians from Muslims as well as their “different approaches” to a number of issues, it “is important” that in today’s world, they “work together to defend and promote the essential values of life and the family, which allow man to live in faithfulness to the one God and society to assert itself in peace and solidarity.”

Benedict XVI reaffirmed today the value of Christian-Muslim co-operation in his address to the first ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the Vatican, Naser Muhamed Youssef Al Belooshi, who presented his Letters of Credit.

Speaking on the issue of inter-faith relations the Pope mentioned King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa’s visit to Castel Gandolfo in July and the fact that it was in Bahrain that the first Catholic church (pictured) was built in a Gulf country in 1939.

“The Kingdom of Bahrain has an old tradition of tolerance and openness,” the Holy father said. “It has welcomed many foreign workers who are taking part in the building of the country, and many of them are Catholic,” he added.

As grateful as he is for the church already in place, the Pontiff also said that “everyone is aware today that because of the rising number of Catholics, it would be desirable for them to have more places of worships.”

“Freedom of religion, which is among the rights guaranteed in your country’s constitution, is of primordial importance because it affects what is deepest and most sacred to man: his relationship to God,” the Pope noted. Indeed, “religious freedom, which allows each one of us to live our faith alone or with others, in private or in public, means that people can change religious, if his conscience so dictates.”

Lastly Benedict XVI said that “the changes the kingdom has experienced in the last few years are indicative of an ongoing concern for progress towards a society that is open to the world and to more fraternal relations with other nations, whilst at the same time as it remains faithful to its own rightful traditional values.”

Benedict XVI addressed this matter in his appech to the ambassadors of Malawi, Sweden, Sierra Leon, Iceland, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Belize, Tunisia, Kazakhstan, Bahrain and Fiji whom he had already met individually for the presentation of their Letters of Credence.

“At times diversity causes fear, which is why [. . .] human beings prefer the monotony of uniformity. Some political-economic systems, ostensibly with pagan or religious origins, have afflicted humanity for too long, attempting to homogenise it through demagogy and violence. These systems have reduced and continue to enslave human beings to serve single ideologies or inhuman and pseudo-scientific economic systems,” he said.

“We all know that no single political model exists, that no absolute ideal can be put into place. Political philosophy evolves over time and is expressed differently as human intelligence changes for the better and lessons are learnt from political and economic experiences. Each nation has its own ethos as well as its own ‘demons’. Each creates itself, sometimes through its own painful experiences, but always with the eye on its own prize. It is my hope that each nation can develop its own character, enhancing it for the good of all, and that each might rid itself of its own ‘demons’, keeping them better under control until they are turned into positive and creative values like harmony, prosperity and peace so as to defend the greatness of human dignity.”

Christians and Muslims ought to work together to defend life and the family, says Pope

[Shammu]

Catholics and Muslims should increase mutual trust and educate young people to peace
12/17/2008

Conclusion of a meeting at the Vatican with the World Islamic Call Society. Preventing possible crises from degenerating into interreligious dialogue. The encouragement of Benedict XVI.

 Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Educating the young so that they may not become victims of religious fanaticism, but may become builders of peace, and working to increase understanding, awareness, and trust among religious leaders, in such a way as to confront together the crises that might arise, preventing these from degenerating into religious conflict. These are the main points of the concluding statement of the meeting on "Responsibilities of Religious Leaders especially in Times of Crisis," organized at the Vatican by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and by the World Islamic Call Society, based in Libya. The meeting concluded today.

The participants at the meeting - twelve Catholic personalities and experts, and twelve Muslim, from various countries, under the presidency, respectively, of Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and of Mohamed Ahmed Sherif, secretary general of the World Islamic Call Society - were received today by Benedict XVI, at the end of the general audience.

The pope expressed "satisfaction and strong encouragement," as stated in a note from the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.

The final joint statement affirms, among other things, that "considering the role religions can and should have in society, religious leaders also have a cultural and social role to play in promoting fundamental ethical values, such as justice, solidarity, peace, social harmony and the common good of society as a whole, especially the needy, the weak, migrants and the oppressed.

"Religious leaders have a special responsibility towards youth, who require particular attention so that they do not fall victim to religious fanaticism and radicalism, receiving rather, a sound education thereby helping them to become bridge builders and peace makers."

Keeping in mind the possibly that "crises of diverse nature" could arise on the national and international level, religious leaders should "learn to prevent, cope with and remedy these particular situations, avoiding their degeneration into confessional violence. This requires a mutual respect and reciprocal knowledge, both cherishing personal relations and building confidence and mutual trust, so as to be able to confront together crises when they occur."

Finally, it was decided that the next meeting will be held in Tripoli, within the next two years. The meeting follows other organized encounters, in various locations, in 1976, and since 1989 until today on a regular basis.

Catholics and Muslims should increase mutual trust and educate young people to peace

[Shammu]

One of the greatest dangers to Christianity today is the deliberate suppression of biblical truth for the sake of unity. The danger intensifies as we see many highly visible and influential Christians are jumping on the Vaticans bandwagon. Instead of warning believers that this false unity is the emergence to the "last days" apostate church, evangelicals are embracing and applauding those who are engineering it.

Rarely are false teachers, who seductively lead people away from the true faith, exposed. These apostates are appearing as ministers of righteousness and are facing very little opposition. They successfully deceive the undiscerning because pastors and church leaders are not speaking out against them. Very few Christians are warning the church of these ferocious wolves dressed in sheeps clothing. The twenty-first century church needs strong leaders like the apostle Paul  warned the early church. Throughout the Scriptures we are exhorted to test every spirit, every teacher and every doctrine because men are so easily deceived.

Acts 20:30-31 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

As the ecumenical movement gathers momentum, we must be strong and continue to contend for the faith, no matter what others might do or say. Let us pray for our church leaders to return to the authority of Scripture for every issue of faith. Let us use Gods Word to lovingly admonish any church leader who encourages unity with apostates or unbelievers. And finally, let us resist the pressure to participate in any activity or event that will deliberately suppress or compromise biblical truth for the sake of unity. We must return to the infallible, inerrant and inspired Word of God to heed its warnings and obey its commands.

1 John 4:1,6 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Titus 1:9,13 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. 13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;

Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
Titus 3:10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;

Religious unity is the false unity of the Antichrist (Revelations 17-18) and should be resisted by Gods people. Biblical unity is based on apostolic truth (Ephesians 4:3,13) and is a work of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13). Biblical unity is not man-made, but man is exhorted to keep it. Biblical unity is impossible apart from the one true and settled faith taught by the Apostles. Gods people are called upon to "earnestly contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3). There is no spiritual unity whatsoever between those who believe the Gospel and those who do not. True Christian unity is modeled when believers are united together in mind, faith and purpose to serve the Lord Jesus Christ, while submitting to the authority of His Word.

[Shammu]

Link between child porn and Muslim terrorists discovered in police raids

Paedophile websites are being used to pass information between terrorists

Richard Kerbaj and Dominic Kennedy

A link between terrorism plots and hardcore child pornography is becoming clear after a string of police raids in Britain and across the Continent, an investigation by The Times has discovered. Images of child abuse have been found during Scotland Yard antiterrorism swoops and in big inquiries in Italy and Spain.

Secret coded messages are being embedded into child pornographic images, and paedophile websites are being exploited as a secure way of passing information between terrorists.

British security services are also aware of the trend and believe that it requires further investigation to improve understanding of terrorists’ methods and mindsets. Concerns within the Metropolitan Police led to a plan to run a pilot research project exploring the nature of the link. One source familiar with the proposal said that this could eventually lead to the training of child welfare experts to identify signs of terrorist involvement as they monitor pornographic sites.

Concerns have already been expressed at Cabinet minister level about the risk of vulnerable Muslim youths being exploited by older men.

Officers have noted that child sex abuse images have been found during investigations into some of the most advanced suspected plots. However, it is understood that the proposed research project was never implemented because the AntiTerrorism Branch was overwhelmed by the sheer number of cases it was having to deal with.

It is not clear whether the terrorists were more interested in the material for personal gratification or were drawn to child porn networks as a secure means of sending messages. In one case fewer than a dozen images were found; in another, 40,000.

British security sources confirmed that such a link had been discovered in several cases. They noted the contradiction between people supposedly devoted to theocracy and Islamic fundamentalism and their use of child pornography. “It shows that these people are very confused,” a source said. “Here they are hating Western decadence but actually making use of it and finding that they enjoy this stuff.”

Baroness Neville-Jones, Conservative security spokeswoman and former chairwoman of the Joint Intelligence Committee, said: “The information about a possible link between extremism and child pornography potentially provides useful insight into three things: the methods that extremists use to communicate; the methods they use to target vulnerable people in society; and the techniques they seek to use to conceal their online activities.” She added: “There is no doubt that these possible linkages should merit further research.”

Andrew Dismore, the Labour MP and chairman of the parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, said: “This is an important development. We have to do more than just the police work. It needs child protection, criminological and psychological work. It could become a very important weapon in the fight against terrorism.” He urged researchers to review cases where terrorists had been convicted to look for this link.

The first British suspicions of a link between child sex abuse and jihadis emerged in London in 2006 when antiterrorism police in two unrelated investigations were shocked to find computerised images of hardcore child pornography. The key case that tipped off the security services to a plausible link involved the “White-chapel Rapist”, Abdul Makim Khalisadar. A former Mujahidin and a preacher at the East London Mosque, he was being examined for his links to a hardcore Islamic militant who was later convicted of terrorism. Khalisadar was never convicted of terrorist offences. The other investigation involved a young religiously observant Muslim.

The Times has learnt that a criminal investigation also found child pornography on computers after a raid in 2001 at a mosque run by an al-Qaeda recruiter in Milan. Italian police believe that the images were encoded with messages. At a forthcoming terrorism trial in Spain, the alleged mastermind of a Muslim cell has also been accused of downloading hundreds of child sex abuse pictures and videos.

Meanwhile, police uncovered a right-wing terrorist plot when they raided a home after being tipped off about pornographic images. This June, the Nazi sympathiser Martyn Gilleard was jailed for 16 years after being found guilty of terrorism. Police found 39,000 indecent images of children at his flat in Yorkshire.

Link between child porn and Muslim terrorists discovered in police raids