Dragon on a large papal crest in the Vatican museum.
Vatican = The Divining Serpent.
Just why would such a repulsive emblem
be found anywhere in the Vatican?
Is it that they just cannot help but prove Revelation to be right?!
Revelation 12:9 (King James Version)
7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Acts 8:9-24 (King James Version)
9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
16 For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the LORD for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
By Jonathan Wynne-Jones, Religious Affairs Correspondent
Published: 12:01AM GMT 23 Mar 2008
"St Peter's journey to Rome led to the spread of Christianity in the West and the foundation of Roman Catholicism, so the [roman Catholic] Church has always taught."
But a new documentary will challenge the link as nothing more than a "conspiracy of faith". In it, prominent academics accuse the Vatican of misleading the world over the fate of the man regarded as Jesus Christ's closest disciple. In allegations likely to spark controversy, they accuse the Church of fabricating a connection with the apostle to validate giving ultimate power to the papacy.
Catholicism has taught for centuries that Peter was martyred and buried in Rome and that all popes succeed him, but the documentary will challenge this by asserting that he never reached the Italian city. Instead, it will accuse the Church of ignoring the discovery of a tomb in Jerusalem that archaeologists believe contains the bones of Peter.
Leading theologians said that these views were an "attempt to smear Catholicism" and criticised Channel 4 for allowing such "outlandish" claims to be broadcast.
They expressed concern that they would appeal to people who are easily persuaded by conspiracy theories, such as the idea that Jesus had a child with Mary Magdalene, as proposed in Dan Brown's best-seller The Da Vinci Code.
Dr Robert Beckford, a theology lecturer at Oxford Brookes University, who presents the documentary, denied that this was an attempt to attack the Catholic Church. "This is about looking at what the pillars of power are founded on and examining the scholarship that most Catholics take for granted," he said.
"We found that there is no scientific evidence to support the idea that Peter was buried in Rome, but yet the rival theory has not got out because it challenges the Church.
"If you undermine its basis for power you undermine the Church. It's tragic that the faith gets reduced to manipulating the facts and to one Church trying to make itself superior to others."
As Christianity spread following the crucifixion of Jesus, it became important for the new churches to claim a link with the disciples and led the Catholic Church to establish a connection with St Peter.
Catholics believe the proof that Christ constituted St Peter head of His Church is found in the two Petrine texts, Matthew 16:17-19, and John 21:15-17. In Matthew, the office is solemnly promised to the apostle as Jesus addresses him: "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven."
Roman Catholicism holds that the Pope, also known as the Bishop of Rome, is the sole successor to the "supremacy" or primacy of Peter and is thus the "Vicar of Christ" for the world.
It is traditionally believed that he was crucified in Rome and buried where the Basilica of St Peter was later built, beneath the high altar.
In 1939, the Vatican announced that the bones of Peter had been found in Rome during an archaeological dig. But the documentary casts doubt on this, questioning why the dig was carried out "in total secrecy", and led by a "personal friend" of the Pope.
"The Pope's authority over the world's one billion Roman Catholics derives from the belief that Peter died and was buried here almost 2,000 years ago," said Dr Beckford.
The documentary, The Secrets of the Twelve Disciples (Channel 4 today at 5.45pm), suggests it that is much more likely that St Peter was buried in an ossuary found in Jerusalem with the inscription Shimon Bar Jonah - Simon son of Jonah - the Hebrew name for Peter.
However, Gerald O'Collins, professor emeritus of Systematic Theology at the Gregorian University in Rome, said that the documentary contradicted the "great weight" of tradition that accepted Peter had been martyred and buried in Rome. "This is awful stuff, total nonsense," he said. "This kind of outlandish garbage drives me nuts."
John Medlin, the general manager of the Latin Mass Society, said of the "intellectually-challenged" arguments: "They are on a par with Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code and are unsubstantiated. It shows undisguised disdain for the Catholic Church."
Comments 104 | Comment on this article
My personal take on the last paragraph:
"John Medlin, the general manager of the Latin Mass Society" - well, here someone who clearly does not regard what the Bible commands.
The Word of God forbids praying and teaching in an unknown tongue.
1 Corinthians 14:9 (King James Version)
So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.
And into the air it was that the Mass was prayed for centuries by the Roman Catholic Church, ever since it was IMPOSED (the makings of a CULT!), in the year 600, by Pope Gregory I, the same to whom the INVENTION OF PURGATORY is credited in 593.
Thus, his "view" on the above article cancels him out, immediately!
The Bible clearly shows that NEVER did Peter make it to Rome. He had no reason to go to Rome. Jesus had commissioned him to preach to the Jews, and Jerusalem was a center of religion at the time, together with Antioch, in Turkey, from which it is that the TRUE WORD OF GOD came to us, UNPERVERTED, AS THE OTHER SOURCE FOR IT BECAME, through the counterfeiting of the Roman Catholic Church.
When Paul arrived in Rome he mentions meeting a whole slew of believers, yet, never mentioned Peter. With good reason: HE WASN'T THERE!!
Paul, it was, who was commissioned by Jesus Christ, himself, to preach to the GENTILES, i.e., ROME, the very center of PAGANISM!
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Great work Helga,
ReplyDeleteDave
I have never met a historian that believed that Peter DID NOT go to Rome.
ReplyDeleteI guess you don't do much reading!!
ReplyDeleteJust recently, what is believed to be Peter's remains were found in Jerusalem! He was to preach to the circumcised, and had no reason to go to Rome!
Rome already had someone preaching the Gospel of Christ, who was Paul!
You say "I have never met..."
You must be quite ancient, or...
just too full of yourself!
1 Pet. 5:13? Babylon is used in the New Testament to refer to Rome.
ReplyDeleteOne might want to read John Evangelist Walsh’s book, The Bones of St. Peter.
What bothers me is your "argumentum ad hominem" and lack of citation. But no matter, I still love you as a person and sister in Christ.
I am so very sorry, Brett, but you are not my brother in Christ! You are not a Christian!
ReplyDeleteAs for the "bones of Peter," you mean the bones just discovered in Jerusalem, where it was that Peter was commissioned by Christ to preach to the Jews? This just made the news a few days ago! You seem to be oblivious the facts!
Why am I not a Christian? I have been born of both the water and the Spirit (John 3:5), I have confessed with my mouth that Jesus is L-rd and I believe that G-d raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9), I follow Christ (Acts 11:26), and I work out my salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12b-13).
ReplyDeleteThe tomb where they found the bones also lists Jesus' name as well. Obviously we don't believe that Jesus' bones are there, so why should we assume that Peter's are?
1 Pet. 5:13 "The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son". Peter is sending a 'hello' from Babylon, which is the term used for Rome by the early Christians. So Peter is saying that he is in Rome.
Besides Scripture, we also have Church Fathers saying that Peter was in Rome.