.-
In
an interview granted with Spanish-language magazine "La Vanguardia" on
Monday, Pope Francis lauded Pius XII for his efforts in saving Jews,
discussed Orthodox-Catholic relations, as well as the motivations behind
his prayer meeting at the Vatican last Sunday.
Below, please find the full text of his interview in English:
Interview with Pope Francis: “One has to take the secession of a nation with grain of salt.”
“Our world economic system can’t take it anymore,” says the Bishop of
Rome in an interview with La Vanguardia. “I’m no illumined one. I didn’t
bring any personal projects under my arm.” “We are throwing away an
entire generation to maintain a system that isn’t good,” he opines with
respect to unemployed youth.
“The persecuted Christians are a concern that touches me very deeply as a
pastor. I know a lot about persecutions but it doesn’t seem prudent to
talk about them here so I don’t offend anyone. But in some places it is
prohibited to have a Bible or teach the catechism or wear a cross… What I
would like to be clear on is one thing, I am convinced that the
persecution against Christians today is stronger than in the first
centuries of the Church. Today there are more Christian martyrs than in
that period. And, it's not because of fantasy, it’s because of the
numbers."
Pope Francis received us last Monday in the Vatican - a day after the
prayer for peace with the presidents of Israel and Palestine - for this
exclusive interview with “La Vanguardia.” The Pope was happy to have
done everything possible for understanding between Israelis and
Palestinians.
Violence in the name of God dominates the Middle East.
It's a contradiction. Violence in the name of God does not correspond
with our time. It's something ancient. With historical perspective, one
has to say that Christians, at times, have practiced it. When I think of
the Thirty Years War, there was violence in the name of God. Today it
is unimaginable, right? We arrive, sometimes, by way of religion to very
serious, very grave contradictions. Fundamentalism, for example. The
three religions, we have our fundamentalist groups, small in relation to
all the rest.
And, what do you think about fundamentalism?
A fundamentalist group, although it may not kill anyone, although it may
not strike anyone, is violent. The mental structure of fundamentalists
is violence in the name of God.
Some say that you are a revolutionary.
We should call the great Mina Mazzini, the Italian singer, and tell her
“take this hand, gypsy” and have her read into my past, to see what [she
finds]. (He laughs) For me, the great revolution is going to the roots,
recognizing them and seeing what those roots have to say to us today.
There is no contradiction between [being a] revolutionary and going to
the roots. Moreso even, I think that the way to make true changes is
identity. You can never take a step in life if it’s not from behind,
without knowing where I come from, what last name I have, what cultural
or religious last name I have.
You have broken many security protocols to bring yourself closer to the people.
I know that something could happen to me, but it’s in the hands of God. I
remember that in Brazil they had prepared a closed Popemobile for me,
with glass, but I couldn’t greet the people and tell them that I love
them from within a sardine tin. Even if it’s made of glass, for me that
is a wall. It’s true that something could happen to me, but let’s be
realistic, at my age I don’t have much to lose.
Why is it important that the Church be poor and humble?
Poverty and humility are at the center of the Gospel and I say it in a
theological sense, not in a sociological one. You can't understand the
Gospel without poverty, but we have to distinguish it from pauperism. I
think that Jesus wants us bishops not to be princes but servants.
What can the Church do to reduce the growing inequality between the rich and the poor?
It’s proven that with the food that is left over we could feed the
people who are hungry. When you see photographs of undernourished kids
in different parts of the world, you take your head in your hand, it
incomprehensible. I believe that we are in a world economic system that
isn’t good. At the center of all economic systems must be man, man and
woman, and everything else must be in service of this man. But we have
put money at the center, the god of money. We have fallen into a sin of
idolatry, the idolatry of money.
The economy is moved by the ambition of having more and, paradoxically,
it feeds a throwaway culture. Young people are thrown away when their
natality is limited. The elderly are also discarded because they don’t
serve any use anymore, they don’t produce, this passive class… In
throwing away the kids and elderly, the future of a people is thrown
away because the young people are going to push forcefully forward and
because the elderly give us wisdom. They have the memory of that people
and they have to pass it on to the young people. And now also it is in
style to throw the young people away with unemployment. The rate of
unemployment is very worrisome to me, which in some countries is over
50%. Someone told me that 75 million young Europeans under 25 years of
age are unemployed. That is an atrocity. But we are discarding an entire
generation to maintain an economic system that can’t hold up anymore, a
system that to survive must make war, as the great empires have always
done. But as a Third World War can’t be done, they make zonal wars. What
does this mean? That they produce and sell weapons, and with this the
balance sheets of the idolatrous economies, the great world economies
that sacrifice man at the feet of the idol of money, obviously they are
sorted. This unique thought takes away the wealth of diversity of
thought and therefore the wealth of a dialogue between peoples. Well
understood globalization is a wealth. Poorly understood globalization is
that which nullifies differences. It is like a sphere in which all
points are equidistant from the center. A globalization that enriches is
like a polyhedron, all united but each preserving its particularity,
its wealth, its identity, and this isn’t given. And this does not
happen.
Does the conflict between Catalunya and Spain worry you?
All division worries me. There is independence by emancipation and
independence by secession. The independences by emancipation, for
example, are American, that they were emancipated from the European
States. The independences of nations by secession is a dismemberment,
sometimes it’s very obvious. Let’s think of the former Yugoslavia.
Obviously, there are nations with cultures so different that couldn’t
even be stuck together with glue. The Yugoslavian case is very clear,
but I ask myself if it is so clear in other cases. Scotland, Padania,
Catalunya. There will be cases that will be just and cases that will not
be just, but the secession of a nation without an antecedent of
mandatory unity, one has to take it with a lot of grains of salt and
analyze it case by case.
The prayer for peace from Sunday wasn’t easy to organize nor did
it have precedents in the Middle East nor in the world. How did you
feel?
You know that it wasn’t easy because you were there, and much of that
achievement is due to you. I felt that it was something that can
accidentally happen to all of us. Here, in the Vatican,99% said it would
not happen and then the 1% started to grow. I felt that we were feeling
pushed towards something that had not occurred to us and that, little
by little, started to take shape. It was not at all a political act - I
felt that from the beginning - but it was rather a religious act:
opening a window to the world.
Why did you choose to place yourself in the eye of the hurricane, the Middle East?
The true eye of the hurricane, due to the enthusiasm that there was, was
the World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro last year. I decided to go to the
Holy Land because President Peres invited me. I knew that his mandate
would finish this Spring, so I felt obliged, in some way, to go
beforehand. His invitation accelerated the trip. I did not think of
doing it.
Why is it important for every Christian to visit Jerusalem and the Holy Land?
Because of revelation. For us, it all started there. It is like “heaven
on earth.” A foretaste of what awaits us hereafter, in the heavenly
Jerusalem.
You and your friend, the Rabbi Skorka, hugged each other in
front of the Western Wall. What importance has that gesture had for the
reconciliation between Christians and Jews?
Well, my good friend professor Omar Abu, president of the Institute for
Inter-religious Dialogue of Buenos Aires, was also at the Wall. I wanted
to invite him. He is a very religious man and a father-of-two. He is
also friends with Rabbi Skorka and I love them both a lot, and I wanted
that that friendship between the three be seen as a witness.
You told me a year ago that “within every Christian there is a Jew.”
Perhaps it would be more correct to say “you cannot live your
Christianity, you cannot be a real Christian, if you do not recognize
your Jewish roots.” I don’t speak of Jewish in the sense of the Semitic
race but rather in the religious sense. I think that inter-religious
dialogue needs to deepen in this, in Christianity’s Jewish root and in
the Christian flowering of Judaism. I understand it is a challenge, a
hot potato, but it can be done as brothers. I pray every day the divine
office every day with the Psalms of David. We do the 150 psalms in one
week. My prayer is Jewish and I have the Eucharist, which is Christian.
How do you see anti-Semitism?
I cannot explain why it happens, but I think it is very linked, in
general, and without it being a fixed rule, to the right wing.
Antisemitism usually nests better in right-wing political tendencies
that in the left, right? And it still continues (like this). We even
have those who deny the holocaust, which is crazy.
One of your projects is to open the Vatican archives on the Holocaust.
They will bring a lot of light.
Does it worry you something could be discovered?
What worries me regarding this subject is the figure of Pius XII, the
Pope that led the Church during World War II. They have said all sorts
of things about poor Pius XII. But we need to remember that before he
was seen as the great defender of the Jews. He hid many in convents in
Rome and in other Italian cities, and also in the residence of Castel
Gandolfo. Forty-two babies, children of Jews and other persecuted who
sought refuge there were born there, in the Pope’s room, in his own bed.
I don’t want to say that Pius XII did not make any mistakes - I myself
make many - but one needs to see his role in the context of the time.
For example, was it better for him not to speak so that more Jews would
not be killed or for him to speak? I also want to say that sometimes I
get “existential hives” when I see that everyone takes it out against
the Church and Pius XII, and they forget the great powers. Did you know
that they knew the rail network of the Nazis perfectly well to take the
Jews to concentration camps? They had the pictures. But they did not
bomb those railroad tracks. Why? It would be best if we spoke a bit
about everything.
Do you still feel like a parish priest or do you assume your role as head of the Church?
The dimension of parish priest is that which most shows my vocation.
Serving the people comes from within me. Turn off the lights to not
spend a lot of money, for example. They are things that a parish priest
does. But I also feel like the Pope. It helps me to do things seriously.
My collaborators are very serious and professional. I have help to
carry out my duty. One doesn’t need to play the parish priest Pope. It
would be immature. When a head of state comes, I have to receive him
with the dignity and the protocol that are deserved. It is true that
with the protocol I have my problems, but one has to respect it.
You are changing a lot of things. Towards what future are these changes going?
I am no illumined one. I don’t have any personal project that I’ve
brought with me under an arm, simply because I never thought that they
were going to leave me here, in the Vatican. Everyone knows this. I came
with a little piece of luggage to go straight back to Buenos Aires.
What I am doing is carrying out what we cardinals reflected upon during
the General Congregations, that is to say, in the meetings that, during
the conclave, we all maintained every day to discuss the problems of the
Church. From there come reflections and recommendations. One very
concrete one was that the next Pope had to count on an external council,
that is, a team of assessors that didn’t live in the Vatican.
And you created the so-called Council of Eight.
They are eight cardinals from all the continents and a coordinator. They
gather every two or three months here. Now, the first of July we have
four days of meetings, and we are going to be making the changes that
the very cardinals ask of us. It is not obligatory that we do it but it
would be imprudent not to listen to those who know.
You have also made a great effort to become closer to the Orthodox Church.
The invitation to Jerusalem from my brother Bartholomew was to
commemorate the encounter between Paul VI and Athenagoras I 50 years
ago. It was an encounter after more than a thousand years of separation.
Since the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church has made efforts
to become closer and the Orthodox Church has done the same. some
orthodox churches are closer than others. I wanted Bartholomew to be
with me in Jerusalem and there emerged the plan to also come to the
Vatican to pray. For him it was a risky step because they can throw it
in his face, but this gesture of humility needed to be extended, and for
us it's necessary because it's not conceivable that we Christians are
divided, it's a historical sin that we have to repair.
In the face of the advance of atheism, what is your opinion of
people who believe that science and religion are mutually exclusive?
There was a rise in atheism in the most existential age, perhaps
Sartrian. But after came a step toward spiritual pursuits, of encounter
with God, in a thousand ways, not necessarily the traditional religions.
The clash between science and faith peaked in the Enlightenment, but
that is not so fashionable today, thank God, because we have all
realized the closeness between one thing and the other. Pope Benedict
XVI has a good teaching about the relation between science and faith. In
general lines, the most recent is that the scientists are very
respectful with the faith and the agnostic or atheist scientist says, “I
don’t dare to enter that field.”
You have met many Heads of State.
Many have come and it’s an interesting variety. Each one has their
personality. What has called my attention is the cross made between
young politicians, whether they are from the center, the left or the
right. Maybe they talk about the same problems but with a new music, and
this I like, this gives me hope because politics is one of the more
elevated forms of love, of charity. Why? Because it leads to the common
good, and a person who, [despite] being able to do it, does not get
involved in politics for the common good, is selfish; or that uses
politics for their own good, is corrupt. Some fifteen years ago the
French bishops wrote a pastoral letter reflecting on the theme
“Restoring Politics.” This is a precious text that makes you realize all
of these things.
What do you think of the renunciation of Benedict XVI?
Pope Benedict has made a very significant act. He has opened the door,
has created an institution, that of the of the eventual popes emeritus.
70 years ago, there were no emeritus bishops. Today how many are there?
Well, as we live longer, we arrive to an age where we cannot go on with
things. I will do the same as him, asking the Lord to enlighten me when
the time comes and that he tell me what I have to do, and and he will
tell me for sure.
You have a room reserved in a retirement home in Buenos Aires.
Yes, its a retirement house for elderly priests. I was leaving the
archdiocese at the end of last year and and had already submitted my
resignation to Benedict XVI when I turned 75. I chose a room and said “I
want to come to live here.” I will work as a priest, helping the
parishes. This is what was going to be my future before being Pope.
I am not going to ask you whom you support in the World Cup….
Brazilians asked me to remain neutral (he laughs) and I keep my word because Brazil and Argentina are always antagonistic.
How would you like to be remembered in history?
I have not thought about it, but I like it when someone remembers
someone and says: “He was a good guy, he did what he could. He wasn’t so
bad.” I’m OK with that.
Read more:
http://www.lavanguardia.com/internacional/20140612/54408951579/entrevista-papa-francisco.html#ixzz34VC9wXkh
This text was translated from the original Spanish by CNA's Alan Holdren, Estefania Augirre and Elise Harris.
Showing posts with label jews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jews. Show all posts
Wednesday 18 June 2014
Some christians do have problems with the Christian connection with Jews
Mainly American Christians do show their disgust with Judaism. Doing so they forget that Jeshua, Jesus Christ, the man who they are supposed to follow was a very devout Jew, belonging to the Jewish sect of the Essenes.
Many Americans say the Jews killed Jesus, but it would be the same as Europeans saying the Americans killed our compatriots in World War II or they killed the Afghanistan and the Iraqis and the Iranians and the Vietnamese and the Koreans and so on. It were some Jews and other people present in Jerusalem at that time who were agitated by the Pharisees and certain Jewish leaders, but not by all the Jews, who also saw in Jesus one of their own.
Also the new Pope is aware it would be better if more Christians started to investigate the Jewish roots of Christianity and the Christian flowering of Judaism.
Francis said.
Too many Christians do not use the Old Testament, but it was the main part of Jesus his teaching. At that time there was only the Old Testament which was brought to the beleivers in the One God, which was the Divine Creator, God of Adam, God of Abraham and the God of Israel, God His people.
Those Jews are still God His people, we may never forget that.
Certain right-wing Christians in their denial of the Jewish connection even go so far to deny the Christians would not have killed many of those people of God. A denial of the Holocaust the pope criticizes as “madness.”
Francis I also defended the record of Pope Pius XII, who led the Roman
Catholic Church during World War II. Francis will soon have to
decide whether to advance the sainthood cause for the controversial
wartime pope, who is accused of failing to speak out publicly against
the mass murder of Jews. For years, Jewish leaders and Nazi hunters have
demanded the Vatican open up its secret wartime files.
Some Jews have accused Pius, who ruled from 1939 to 1958, of turning a blind eye to the Holocaust. The controversy has put a strain on Catholic-Jewish relations for decades.
Francis said he was concerned about
The Vatican says Pius worked behind the scenes to save thousands of Jews and did not speak out more forcefully for fear that his words could have led to more deaths of both Jews and Christians at the hands of the Nazis
Pope Francis warns us to be careful, all being able to make mistakes.
Francis added that he breaks out in an “existential rash” when he hears people speak against Pius and the church’s wartime record while ignoring inaction by the Allies fighting against Nazi Germany or forgetting the responsibility of the great wartime powers.
Last month, Francis visited the Yad Vashem memorial to Holocaust victims in Jerusalem. The Yad Vashem's website, addressing the issue of the allies' activity during the war, says:
Jewish groups have asked Francis and his predecessors to freeze the process that could lead to sainthood for Pius until the all the World War Two era archives are opened to historians, saying Catholic-Jewish relations could be harmed if the process moved ahead.
Speaking to reporters on the plane returning from Jerusalem last month, Francis said the sainthood cause for Pius was stalled because he had not been credited with performing a miracle, which Church rules require, suggesting it was not stalled because of any outside pressure.
Francis also used that interview to condemn anti-Semitism. He reportedly said it is a continuing problem that was primarily seen in right-wing European political parties which still continue to try to bring a screen in front of the people by ignoring the facts of history like the holocaust.
Francis confirmed that he intends to open the Vatican archives wartime collection.
the Pope said.
During Friday’s interview with the Barcelona daily, Francis was also asked about his own security, saying he refused to travel in a bulletproof “sardine can” vehicle because he wants to mingle with ordinary people.
Many Americans say the Jews killed Jesus, but it would be the same as Europeans saying the Americans killed our compatriots in World War II or they killed the Afghanistan and the Iraqis and the Iranians and the Vietnamese and the Koreans and so on. It were some Jews and other people present in Jerusalem at that time who were agitated by the Pharisees and certain Jewish leaders, but not by all the Jews, who also saw in Jesus one of their own.
Also the new Pope is aware it would be better if more Christians started to investigate the Jewish roots of Christianity and the Christian flowering of Judaism.
Francis said.
“I understand it is a challenge, a hot potato, but it is possible to live as brothers.”Francis’ statement seems to go further than his predecessor, St. John Paul II, who made headlines in 1986 as the first pope to visit Rome’s main synagogue and declared Jews to be the “elder brothers” of the Christian faith.
“Every day, I pray with the Psalms of David. My prayer is Jewish, then I have the Eucharist, which is Christian,”the Argentine pontiff added.
Too many Christians do not use the Old Testament, but it was the main part of Jesus his teaching. At that time there was only the Old Testament which was brought to the beleivers in the One God, which was the Divine Creator, God of Adam, God of Abraham and the God of Israel, God His people.
Those Jews are still God His people, we may never forget that.
Certain right-wing Christians in their denial of the Jewish connection even go so far to deny the Christians would not have killed many of those people of God. A denial of the Holocaust the pope criticizes as “madness.”
 |
| Deutsch: Pius XII., Glückwunschschreiben zum 100. Jubiläum des Pilger in Speyer (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Some Jews have accused Pius, who ruled from 1939 to 1958, of turning a blind eye to the Holocaust. The controversy has put a strain on Catholic-Jewish relations for decades.
Francis said he was concerned about
“everything which has been thrown at poor Pius XII,”while stressing that he sheltered Jews in the convents of Rome and other Italian cities, as well as the popes’ summer residence in Castel Gadolfo. Strange though that the Catholic Church did not come sooner with proof of such actions. We do know about nuns and priests who took all possibilities to bring Jews in safety. Many also told lies to the German soldiers to protect others. Their concious may have got very harsh times. but how was the concious of pope Pius XII?
The Vatican says Pius worked behind the scenes to save thousands of Jews and did not speak out more forcefully for fear that his words could have led to more deaths of both Jews and Christians at the hands of the Nazis
Pope Francis warns us to be careful, all being able to make mistakes.
"I don't want to say that Pius XII did not make any mistakes - I myself make many - but he has to be seen in the context of that era. For example, was it better for him not to speak out so that more Jews were not killed, or that he speak out?"he said and added that Pius XII ordered the Church to hide many Jews in the convents of Rome and other Italian cities, that he sheltered Jews in the papal summer residence south of Rome and that 42 children of Jews and other refugees were born in his apartments there.
Francis added that he breaks out in an “existential rash” when he hears people speak against Pius and the church’s wartime record while ignoring inaction by the Allies fighting against Nazi Germany or forgetting the responsibility of the great wartime powers.
“Did you know that they knew perfectly well the rail network used by the Nazis to take the Jews to the concentration camps? They had photographs,”
“But they did not bomb these rail lines. Why? It would be nice if we spoke a little bit about everything.”Already in the 1930ies English and Americans did know about certain plans of the Germans, but they did not find it appropriate to react then, when there was still time to prtect further escalation.
Last month, Francis visited the Yad Vashem memorial to Holocaust victims in Jerusalem. The Yad Vashem's website, addressing the issue of the allies' activity during the war, says:
"In practice, no military initiatives were taken to prevent or delay the extermination."While some historians have argued those train lines should have been bombed, other historians note the allies were losing planes and airmen at such a high rate, and the lasting effects of the bombing of those train lines would have been so slight, that bombing them made no military or humanitarian sense.
Jewish groups have asked Francis and his predecessors to freeze the process that could lead to sainthood for Pius until the all the World War Two era archives are opened to historians, saying Catholic-Jewish relations could be harmed if the process moved ahead.
Speaking to reporters on the plane returning from Jerusalem last month, Francis said the sainthood cause for Pius was stalled because he had not been credited with performing a miracle, which Church rules require, suggesting it was not stalled because of any outside pressure.
Francis also used that interview to condemn anti-Semitism. He reportedly said it is a continuing problem that was primarily seen in right-wing European political parties which still continue to try to bring a screen in front of the people by ignoring the facts of history like the holocaust.
Francis confirmed that he intends to open the Vatican archives wartime collection.
"They will shed a lot of light,"
the Pope said.
During Friday’s interview with the Barcelona daily, Francis was also asked about his own security, saying he refused to travel in a bulletproof “sardine can” vehicle because he wants to mingle with ordinary people.
“It is true that anything can happen, but let’s face it, at my age I have nothing to lose,”the 77-year-old pontiff said. The way he can now be in contact with young and old is much more important. Such a personal contact can do the Catholic Church some good to reboost it again.
Thursday 12 June 2014
Zionism occupier
Simin Rafati writes:
Iran's Armenians, Assyrians, Jews and Zoroastrians have members in the parliament which is rarely, if any, seen in countries with Christian majority (needless to say I mean representing Islam and not being Muslim but standing for other political parties).
Judaism Rejects Zionism (Photo credit: danny.hammontree)
Judaism has always been separated from Zionism at least since the 1979 revolution and it is Zionism which is considered as occupier, militarist, and a defamation to even Judaism, which is hardly a position for Iran only. Even archbishop Desmond Tutu who experienced apartheid himself was surprised by the Israeli apartheid. Judism is respected as other true religions.
Last but not least, Iran's religion was Shi'ism in the time of the Shah too while with the 1979 revolution people chose for a religious regime. I hope that other countries and those carrying out pew researches can recognize the democratic right of the Iranian people for their choice.
Thursday 7 November 2013
American atheists most religiously literate Americans
While it’s unknown how many atheists use YouVersion or other Bible
apps, polls show atheists are among the most religiously literate
Americans, topping Jews, Mormons and other Christians in a 2010 Pew
Research Center poll.
Atheists seem to use a Bible App containing the Christian Scriptures which they can quote to have the Christians “tripped up”. Christians seemed to be sitting at the bottom of the knowledge rung, having been topped not only by atheists but by Jews and Mormons as well.
The Pew Forum gives that on average, Americans correctly answer 16 of the 32 religious knowledge questions. Atheists and agnostics average 20.9 correct answers. Jews and Mormons do about as well, averaging 20.5 and 20.3 correct answers, respectively. Protestants as a whole average 16 correct answers; Catholics as a whole, 14.7. Atheists and agnostics, Jews and Mormons perform better than other groups on the survey even after controlling for differing levels of education.
On questions about Christianity – including a battery of questions about the Bible – Mormons (7.9 out of 12 right on average) and white evangelical Protestants (7.3 correct on average) show the highest levels of knowledge. Jews and atheists/agnostics stand out for their knowledge of other world religions, including Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Judaism; out of 11 such questions on the survey, Jews answer 7.9 correctly (nearly three better than the national average) and atheists/agnostics answer 7.5 correctly (2.5 better than the national average). Atheists/agnostics and Jews also do particularly well on questions about the role of religion in public life, including a question about what the U.S. Constitution says about religion.
More than four-in-ten Catholics in the United States (45%) do not know that their church teaches that the bread and wine used in Communion do not merely symbolize but actually become the body and blood of Christ. About half of Protestants (53%) cannot correctly identify Martin Luther as the person whose writings and actions inspired the Protestant Reformation, which made their religion a separate branch of Christianity. Roughly four-in-ten Jews (43%) do not recognize that Maimonides, one of the most venerated rabbis in history, was Jewish.
In addition, fewer than half of Americans (47%) know that the Dalai Lama is Buddhist. Fewer than four-in-ten (38%) correctly associate Vishnu and Shiva with Hinduism. And only about a quarter of all Americans (27%) correctly answer that most people in Indonesia – the country with the world’s largest Muslim population – are Muslims.
Other findings of the U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey include:
Atheists seem to use a Bible App containing the Christian Scriptures which they can quote to have the Christians “tripped up”. Christians seemed to be sitting at the bottom of the knowledge rung, having been topped not only by atheists but by Jews and Mormons as well.
The Pew Forum gives that on average, Americans correctly answer 16 of the 32 religious knowledge questions. Atheists and agnostics average 20.9 correct answers. Jews and Mormons do about as well, averaging 20.5 and 20.3 correct answers, respectively. Protestants as a whole average 16 correct answers; Catholics as a whole, 14.7. Atheists and agnostics, Jews and Mormons perform better than other groups on the survey even after controlling for differing levels of education.
On questions about Christianity – including a battery of questions about the Bible – Mormons (7.9 out of 12 right on average) and white evangelical Protestants (7.3 correct on average) show the highest levels of knowledge. Jews and atheists/agnostics stand out for their knowledge of other world religions, including Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Judaism; out of 11 such questions on the survey, Jews answer 7.9 correctly (nearly three better than the national average) and atheists/agnostics answer 7.5 correctly (2.5 better than the national average). Atheists/agnostics and Jews also do particularly well on questions about the role of religion in public life, including a question about what the U.S. Constitution says about religion.
More than four-in-ten Catholics in the United States (45%) do not know that their church teaches that the bread and wine used in Communion do not merely symbolize but actually become the body and blood of Christ. About half of Protestants (53%) cannot correctly identify Martin Luther as the person whose writings and actions inspired the Protestant Reformation, which made their religion a separate branch of Christianity. Roughly four-in-ten Jews (43%) do not recognize that Maimonides, one of the most venerated rabbis in history, was Jewish.
In addition, fewer than half of Americans (47%) know that the Dalai Lama is Buddhist. Fewer than four-in-ten (38%) correctly associate Vishnu and Shiva with Hinduism. And only about a quarter of all Americans (27%) correctly answer that most people in Indonesia – the country with the world’s largest Muslim population – are Muslims.
Other findings of the U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey include:
- On world religions other than Christianity, about six-in-ten Americans (62%) know that most people in India are Hindus. About half know that Ramadan is the Islamic holy month (52%) and can name the Koran as the Muslim holy book (54%). Roughly one-third (36%) correctly associate striving for nirvana with Buddhism.
Around four-in-ten Americans know that the Mormon religion was founded sometime after 1800 (44%) and that the Book of Mormon tells the story of Jesus appearing to people in the Americas (40%). About half (51%) correctly identify Joseph Smith, founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as a Mormon.Two Missionaries of . (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
- In addition to questions about religious knowledge, the survey included nine general knowledge questions (on history, politics, science and literature) for comparison purposes. These show, for example, that about six-in-ten Americans can name the vice president of the United States (59%) and understand that lasers do not work by focusing sound waves (60%). More than seven-in-ten (72%) correctly associate Susan B. Anthony with the movement to give women the right to vote, while just 42% know that Herman Melville was the author of the novel Moby Dick.
- Overall, people who score well on the general knowledge questions also tend to do well on the religion questions. Atheists/agnostics and Jews correctly answer an average of roughly seven of the nine general knowledge questions. Among the public overall, the average respondent correctly answers 5.2 of these general knowledge questions.
- While people with a high level of religious commitment do better than average on the religion questions, people with low levels of religious commitment do better than average on the general knowledge questions.
- Many Americans are devoted readers of Scripture: More than a third (37%) say they read the Bible or other Holy Scriptures at least once a week, not counting worship services. But Americans as a whole are much less inclined to read other books about religion. Nearly half of Americans who are affiliated with a religion (48%) say they “seldom” or “never” read books (other than Scripture) or visit websites about their own religion, and 70% say they seldom or never read books or visit websites about other religions.
- Mormons, black Protestants and white evangelicals are the most frequent readers of materials about religion. Fully half of all Mormons (51%) and roughly three-in-ten white evangelicals (30%) and black Protestants (29%) report that they read books or go online to learn about their own religion at least once a week. Only a small fraction of all religiously affiliated Americans – 6% of the general public and no more than 8% of any religious group – say they read books (other than Scripture) or visit websites to learn about religions other than their own at least once a week.
Thursday 4 April 2013
Christadelphians or Messianic Christians or Messianic Jews
Those who believe in the resurrection of Christ Jesus, should accept that at first he was dead. When he would not have died, his standing up from his position in the grave would not be so spectacular or so important for humankind.
God can not die because He is an eternal spirit, which mean He did not have a beginning, no mother where He came from, and has no end, shall never die.
Some centuries ago God His Voice came down from heaven and said about the Nazarene man Jesus, who was been baptised by his nephew John the Baptist: "This is my beloved son."
And having been immersed, יהושע (Jehsua) went up immediately from the water, and see, the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of Elohim descending like a dove and coming upon Him, and see, a voice out of the heavens, saying, “This is My Son, the Beloved, in whom I did delight.”
(Matthew 3:16-17 The Scriptures 1998+)
“See, My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My being did delight. I shall put My Spirit upon Him, and He shall declare right-ruling to the nations. “He shall not strive nor cry out, nor shall anyone hear His voice in the streets. “A crushed reed He shall not break, and smoking flax He shall not quench, till He brings forth right-ruling forever.1 Footnote: 1This is according to the Shem-Tob Hebrew text. However, this passage is a quote from Isa. 42:1-3 where it reads right-ruling unto truth. “And the nations shall trust in His Name.”We should trust in the name of Jesus, the son of man and son of David, who said he could do nothing without his Father, who is greater than him.
(Matthew 12:18-21 The Scriptures 1998+)
But יהושע {Jeshua}answered them, “My Father works until now, and I work.” Because of this, then, the Yehudwere seeking all the more to kill Him, ‘because not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He also called Elohim His own Father, making Himself equal with Elohim.’ Therefore יהושע {Jeshua} responded and said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son is able to do none at all by Himself, but only that which He sees the Father doing, because whatever He does, the Son also likewise does. “For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all that He Himself does. And greater works than these He is going to show Him, in order that you marvel. “For as the Father raises the dead and makes alive, even so the Son makes alive whom He wishes. “For the Father judges no one, but has given all the judgment to the Son, that all should value the Son even as they value the Father. He who does not value the Son does not value the Father who sent Him. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me possesses everlasting life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. “Truly, truly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of Elohim. And those having heard shall live. “For as the Father possesses life in Himself, so He gave also to the Son to possess life in Himself, and He has given Him authority also to do judgment, because He is the Son of Aḏam.Wherever you may live, whichever language you may speak and in which culture you were brought up shall determine how you shall pronounce the name of that Nazarene man יהושע : Jeshua, Jehushua, Issoua, Issou, Jesus (in different tongues with different sounds), Jezus, Chesu, Isi, etc..
(John 5:17-27 The Scriptures 1998+)
What is most important, though we know that the name "Jesus" comes from "Hail Zeus" and was not the proper name of the Messiah, though we still use it know because it is the most common known form to indicate that man who is called son of God who is the promised Messiah.
This Messiah bit is very important. Accepting that the Nazarene, born in Bethlehem, from the tribe of David, is the promised Saviour, the Christos (Christus) or Christ.
When Jesus was alive he gave already the task to go out and preach in his name. After his death, he was resurrected by God and was some time again with his disciples.
And the eleven taught ones went away into Galil, to the mountain which יהושע {Jeshua} had appointed for them. And when they saw Him, they bowed to Him, but some doubted. And יהושע {Jeshua} came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Therefore, go and make taught ones of all the nations, immersing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Set-apart Spirit, teaching them to guard all that I have commanded you. And see, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” AmThose who would like to follow יהושע {Jeshua}and share his love with each other should feel as brethren and sisters. They should get to know the teachings of Jeshua or Jesus Christ and keep to them.
(Matthew 28:16-20 The Scriptures 1998+)
Getting to know those teachings comprehends also getting to know the Torah or the Law of God, because to Jesus this Law was sanctified. Also for us this Law should be set-apart or holy. the Word of God should be what we want to follow like Jesus followed the Word of God and did not want to do something different than the Will of God.
When you follow the Messiah or you then a Messianic? a Messianic Jew or a Messianic Christian?
Are you following main Christianism? Are we following main Christianism?
Brethren and sisters in Christ do want to 'be in Christ'; Carry the armour of Christ. They do not want to accept the Holy Trinity and other dogmatic teachings of many Christian denominations.
It may look like those small groups of fraternal Christians do want to reform the traditional teachings. (?)
The Christadelphians dare to challenge the idea’s of their present reality in light of the ancient paths. For we are to restore the ancient paths. We are truly seeking a restoration of the ancient paths. We are not truly intending to Reform “Christianity” or “Catholicism.”
In case our goal would be Reformation we will fail by remaining connected to those institutions that refuse to change or jeopardize their mission, message or money trail. To see the Restoration of the Kingdom of David and help usher in the Millenial Kingdom, we must Repair the breach, Rebuild that which is fallen, and Restore that which is lost. Our goal should be to keep Covenant Fidelity. That way we may usher in the Messianic Redemption.
As such some may consider us as "messianic people" and we should say that we believe strongly in the messianic message and the return of Christ to install the Kingdom of God. Our eyes are directed to that return of Christ, in which we have put our hopes.
Mankind wants freedom from oppression Our goal should be liberation with respect and co-operation with willing parties. We must engage in healthy and academic dialogue but never to the demise of doctrine or tenant of this intended revolution. Christadelphians do not love doctrinal teachings. We are liberated by Christ, so we should not look for boundaries by people in this world today.
We must not make doctrines out of our frustration with the reality of this world which loves traditions or out of pressure from these institutions. We should not close our eyes for them or do if they do not exist any more. No, they are a everyday reality, which we have to consider. All the gentiles we have to try to reach, and we better do that in a language they understand. But that does not mean that we may not try to open their eyes for other languages and other traditions. By showing how we understand the world and understand the Words in the Holy Scriptures, we can get them also to learn new names, terms and let them see what is really written in the Bible and what the Will of God is.
We have to embrace that we are all together different, but also that our mission is different. There mission is the simple message of salvation, the entry point of the discussion. We seek to teach the full journey into discipleship under the Messiah Christ Jesus (Jeshua) as well as the study of sacred text in a scholarly fashion.
We seek unity in identity and fellowship with like-minded believers who accept Jesus for what he is. We also want to follow those things the Jew Jesus thought were important to do, had to and have to be done.
Those living in a country where we have contacts with many Jews, like in Belgium and Holland, should open their arm to them and dare to use the words Jesus spoke and the Jews today still use as well. Having several nationalities with different languages we should be prepared to offer the Bible in their language and use words which are commonly understood by many of them.
For that reason it is also often better not to translate names of persons and places into your own language but use the name of the person or the place how he or she is really called.
In Belgium we do have to encounter so many languages that sometimes we prefer to use the most common name for the different languages, which may mean that we do not use the English word, because out of English their are many more languages spoken by our brethren and sisters. In our country we do have to come to consensus and try to use also names which can be understood by those we do want to reach, no Christians and the many Muslims (25% of the population). Offering writings which names which are also familiar for them can bring them to know more about those persons and to see them in a different light than their own traditional Islamic teachings.
When we use the Islamic names or the Jewish names that does not mean we are Muslim or Jew, but we cannot detract from the roots many of our inhabitants have. Language is a means to communicate and we should try to communicate with as much people as possible, bringing over the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.
As lovers of Jesus and lovers of God, we should be lovers of all those around us, no matter from which origin they may be, or whatever language they may speak. We have to go to them and reach them in a language they might understand and could be able to learn to talk about the same things with others.
We should make room for the process in love, or charity and grace.
Is there is an expression of faith in the Jewish Mashiach or Messiah, unconnected to Jewish expression, do we endorse it or allow it? Of course we allow it, we can’t stop it. We should seek to set up our own revolution in uniqueness and covenant fidelity while engaging the realities in our lives in ministries.
We should avoid the ostrich with its head in the ground mindsets. We should watch the News with bible in hand as the saying goes. We are living in this world, so we can not avoid being elements in this world who have to take in consideration what happens.
To others we may let them see we are ordinary citizens, people like 'you and me'. People who have their ups and downs, but who are willing to help each other to make the best of this life in the world we do have to live in.
As long as Jesus did not return we should take care of all around us so that they can come to get to know Jesus the Messiah and his Father, the Only One God, Jehovah the Elohim.
The Jews are the chosen people by God. They shall inherit the Land of God. By the death of Christ all people from all sorts, cultures, countries, became partakers of the Grace and can become partakers of the promise made to Abraham, looking forward to the Kingdom of God.
That we all make sure that we shall be able to enter that small gate, as brethren and sisters in Christ.
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Read also:
Not all christians are followers of a Greco-Roman culture
Wednesday 3 April 2013
Not all christians are followers of a Greco-Roman culture
On Fossilized customs some Messianic Christians take all the Christians to be followers of a Greco-Roman culture of names, terms, and festivals, all adopted intact from Pagan sources, yet adapted or mixed carefully with ideas and people from the Hebrew Scriptures.
We do agree that the majority of Christendom has gone far away from the teachings of Jeshua or Yahush(u)a, the Nazarene who is know better known as Christ Jesus, and of his Jewish beliefs and the first apostles their beliefs. There are even Christians who do not want to recognise that Jesus was a Jew.
Though at first the Jesus movement was a restricted Jewish cult. After the death and resurrection of Christ on Pentecost many new Jews entered the community. Later were there discussions about non-Jews wanting to join the community, if they had to become Jews and have to be circumcised or not. The apostles tried to keep to the teachings of their master rabbi Jeshua (Jesus), but soon other teachers mixed the teachings of the 'new hype' with traditional teachings of other groups or philosophies. It became so bad the apostles warned their community to be careful for the false teachers. Like any new movement it had real followers and copycats.
The Natsarim were identified as the original followers of Yahusha or Jeshua at Acts 24:5, and with all those who wanted to join the Christ movement 'The Way', were persecuted, despised, and suppressed by the early Christian "church fathers", who were quite different.
Soon there were people who did find some interesting things in those teachings, but did not like to loose the popularity of the folks. So to keep it interesting and agreeable for everyone they did not want to go against the attitudes and traditions of the people they did want to win for them. Therefore those teachers mixed together practices and beliefs of other systems and not to go against the men in power took on lots of heathen Roman and Greek teachings. They created a system of syncretism. These heresies began through the teachings of Simon Magus, and eventually became the institution known as Roman Catholicism.
With Constantine the Holy Trinity was the solution for many teachers to be able to assure their power and to create their own rich empires of a so called Christian belief. The balance of power brought several schisms, like the Eastern Orthodox Catholicism, and later the Reformation in the 16th century further fragmented the movement; but much error remained from the adherence to the early "church fathers" and their writings.
These "church fathers" persecuted and despised the first followers of Jeshua or Yahusha, the Natsarim or the sect which was called 'The Way'. They considered the Natsarim or real followers of Christ "heretics" because they obeyed the Torah.
Throughout the ages Natsarin continued their teachings and where the witnesses came new members found truth in the Torah teachings.Disciples from the talmidim educated new teachers who continued to go out in the world to proclaim the Good News. More and more people became baptised by the different 'Christian' groups. Though the trinitarians won ground and conquered many regions, small communities tried to keep the proper teachings of the apostles clean.
When bookprinting brought the possibility to bring the Holy Scriptures in the language of the people to many, several Christians their eyes became opened when they saw what was written in those Holy books and what the Church had told them what was in Scriptures. The Church could not hide the truth any more and more people became to see and understand what was really written in the Sacred Books.
All through Europe small communities of people studying the Bible made that many movements came into existence which had their first priority to follow the teachings of the Word of God, the Holy Bible and not any more the teachings of a indoctrinating Church.
Many believers became aware what was the importance of been properly baptised and formed in the tradition of the first century Christians. Anabaptists and Baptists who worshipped only One God tried to get more people to the Word of God by witnessing all over the world. But also the Baptist movement got burdened by the American Baptist Church Unions who wanted the Trinitarian teaching their main belief. In the 80ies and 90ies of the previous century many Baptists did not want to adhere the trinitarian teachings and looked for refuge by other non-trinitarian denominations.
One of the many small groups, may be a very tiny denomination, but that does not mean they are afraid to be lost in oblivion. As brethren and sisters in Christ they keep following the teachings of the Master Rabbi Jeshua, and take the Word of God as the most important teacher of all. For them every answer can be found in the Holy Scripture and it is God who pulls people into His World. Under the guidance of the teachings of Christ and in the faith that God accepted the ransom of this Nazarene man, the Christadelphians love Jesus, love their family and love their neighbours, believing or not believing people, respecting them as part of God His Creation.
Having celebrated the death of Christ, those brethren in Christ want to share with others the Good News of the Kingdom of God and look forward with other people all over the world to the return of the resurrected son of God.
In case you want to know more of those very small communities, which can be found all over the world, and who not want to commit themselves to human traditions, but prefer to live according to the Law of God, you are welcome to contact them in your region, or if you do not know where to find them, you may contact us so that we can bring you in contact with a Christadelphian community nearby.
We advise you to take up the Bible and read the words of it like they come to you, stripped from all the denominational and doctrinal teachings, remembering that God wanted everybody to hear and understand His Word. He did not create a difficult Zigzaw puzzle too difficult for uneducated people to decipher. No Gods Word is simple and can be understood by every one, when they are willing to open their ears and eyes.
Dare to start the quest and find others who are wiling to study the Bible with you.
We are here to help you if you want.
Good luck.
In a Christadelphian community you may perhaps not find loads of people, no mega churches, no exuberant pop-songs or loud sounding modern music and pin-up girls dancing around.
In the small communities you might find loving people who are concerned about others and who are prepared to jump in for somebody else. The good works we do are not installed in media adverts or made known with a loud voice. The actions we undertake do not instantly produce large crowds, but the effect we might hope, shall lasts longer and in the end there will be coming more people. But naturally everything begins small. We are like a mustard seed, which you are able to plant in your own garden.
In our churches you probably would not see many miracles happening. But you might hear particular stories and also hear about miracles. Miracles done all the time lose their drawing power. Do know that love done all the time increases its drawing power.
We do hope you shall come to find out that the Brethren in Christ, or Christadelphians are people who do love the truth of the Bible and feel blessed by the blessing of God which they want to share with others in love. The Christadelphian community is not concerned about figures, quantity, and the ego, but about quality and care about others.
We do agree that the majority of Christendom has gone far away from the teachings of Jeshua or Yahush(u)a, the Nazarene who is know better known as Christ Jesus, and of his Jewish beliefs and the first apostles their beliefs. There are even Christians who do not want to recognise that Jesus was a Jew.
Though at first the Jesus movement was a restricted Jewish cult. After the death and resurrection of Christ on Pentecost many new Jews entered the community. Later were there discussions about non-Jews wanting to join the community, if they had to become Jews and have to be circumcised or not. The apostles tried to keep to the teachings of their master rabbi Jeshua (Jesus), but soon other teachers mixed the teachings of the 'new hype' with traditional teachings of other groups or philosophies. It became so bad the apostles warned their community to be careful for the false teachers. Like any new movement it had real followers and copycats.
The Natsarim were identified as the original followers of Yahusha or Jeshua at Acts 24:5, and with all those who wanted to join the Christ movement 'The Way', were persecuted, despised, and suppressed by the early Christian "church fathers", who were quite different.
Soon there were people who did find some interesting things in those teachings, but did not like to loose the popularity of the folks. So to keep it interesting and agreeable for everyone they did not want to go against the attitudes and traditions of the people they did want to win for them. Therefore those teachers mixed together practices and beliefs of other systems and not to go against the men in power took on lots of heathen Roman and Greek teachings. They created a system of syncretism. These heresies began through the teachings of Simon Magus, and eventually became the institution known as Roman Catholicism.
 |
| Holy Trinity by Fridolin Leiber (1853–1912) (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
With Constantine the Holy Trinity was the solution for many teachers to be able to assure their power and to create their own rich empires of a so called Christian belief. The balance of power brought several schisms, like the Eastern Orthodox Catholicism, and later the Reformation in the 16th century further fragmented the movement; but much error remained from the adherence to the early "church fathers" and their writings.
These "church fathers" persecuted and despised the first followers of Jeshua or Yahusha, the Natsarim or the sect which was called 'The Way'. They considered the Natsarim or real followers of Christ "heretics" because they obeyed the Torah.
Throughout the ages Natsarin continued their teachings and where the witnesses came new members found truth in the Torah teachings.Disciples from the talmidim educated new teachers who continued to go out in the world to proclaim the Good News. More and more people became baptised by the different 'Christian' groups. Though the trinitarians won ground and conquered many regions, small communities tried to keep the proper teachings of the apostles clean.
When bookprinting brought the possibility to bring the Holy Scriptures in the language of the people to many, several Christians their eyes became opened when they saw what was written in those Holy books and what the Church had told them what was in Scriptures. The Church could not hide the truth any more and more people became to see and understand what was really written in the Sacred Books.
All through Europe small communities of people studying the Bible made that many movements came into existence which had their first priority to follow the teachings of the Word of God, the Holy Bible and not any more the teachings of a indoctrinating Church.
Many believers became aware what was the importance of been properly baptised and formed in the tradition of the first century Christians. Anabaptists and Baptists who worshipped only One God tried to get more people to the Word of God by witnessing all over the world. But also the Baptist movement got burdened by the American Baptist Church Unions who wanted the Trinitarian teaching their main belief. In the 80ies and 90ies of the previous century many Baptists did not want to adhere the trinitarian teachings and looked for refuge by other non-trinitarian denominations.
One of the many small groups, may be a very tiny denomination, but that does not mean they are afraid to be lost in oblivion. As brethren and sisters in Christ they keep following the teachings of the Master Rabbi Jeshua, and take the Word of God as the most important teacher of all. For them every answer can be found in the Holy Scripture and it is God who pulls people into His World. Under the guidance of the teachings of Christ and in the faith that God accepted the ransom of this Nazarene man, the Christadelphians love Jesus, love their family and love their neighbours, believing or not believing people, respecting them as part of God His Creation.
Having celebrated the death of Christ, those brethren in Christ want to share with others the Good News of the Kingdom of God and look forward with other people all over the world to the return of the resurrected son of God.
In case you want to know more of those very small communities, which can be found all over the world, and who not want to commit themselves to human traditions, but prefer to live according to the Law of God, you are welcome to contact them in your region, or if you do not know where to find them, you may contact us so that we can bring you in contact with a Christadelphian community nearby.
We advise you to take up the Bible and read the words of it like they come to you, stripped from all the denominational and doctrinal teachings, remembering that God wanted everybody to hear and understand His Word. He did not create a difficult Zigzaw puzzle too difficult for uneducated people to decipher. No Gods Word is simple and can be understood by every one, when they are willing to open their ears and eyes.
Dare to start the quest and find others who are wiling to study the Bible with you.
We are here to help you if you want.
Good luck.
In the small communities you might find loving people who are concerned about others and who are prepared to jump in for somebody else. The good works we do are not installed in media adverts or made known with a loud voice. The actions we undertake do not instantly produce large crowds, but the effect we might hope, shall lasts longer and in the end there will be coming more people. But naturally everything begins small. We are like a mustard seed, which you are able to plant in your own garden.
In our churches you probably would not see many miracles happening. But you might hear particular stories and also hear about miracles. Miracles done all the time lose their drawing power. Do know that love done all the time increases its drawing power.
We do hope you shall come to find out that the Brethren in Christ, or Christadelphians are people who do love the truth of the Bible and feel blessed by the blessing of God which they want to share with others in love. The Christadelphian community is not concerned about figures, quantity, and the ego, but about quality and care about others.
Please do find also to read:
- Bible Word of God, inspired and infallible
- Fear of God reason to return to Holy Scriptures
- Christadelphian People
Christadelphians or Messianic Christians or Messianic Jews
+++
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So Pius XII, by inclination and training, a diplomat, had about four years in office (in a divided and antisemitic Vatican) before the Nazis took over Northern Italy and installed their own racial laws.
The "Hitler's Pope" meme may have originated, and at any rate was spread, as part of a Communist disinformation campaign.