False Prophecy to the Max

This is truly manipulation to the max.

Have an iphone, with all the info, and then say God is telling you what they need.

Catch phrases used by believers to allow for false teachings and ideas in the church.

Have you ever faced false teachers and being criticised for it? In my case, this has happen just too often, that is depressing.

Well, Steven Kozar has gathered a list of the most used phrases that those who defend false teachers use against those who point out their teachers' heresies.

Here it's a few of the phrases, and why they are wrong:

1. “You’re just being negative and critical! Don’t you have anything good to say? I can’t believe you’re criticizing (insert famous/popular Christian leader)! At least they’re trying to help-at least they’re doing something! Why can’t you be more positive? I only listen to positive Christians-not haters!” 

Christianity is a specific set of beliefs that is based on one holy book: The Bible. “Sola Scriptura” is the Latin phrase meaning “Scripture Alone.” This principle was firmly established during the Reformation in stark contrast to the Roman Catholic Church, which claimed that church authority (the Pope) was equal to scripture. 

Because we believe the Bible is God’s Word, we must also believe that some ideas are incompatible with the Bible and must be rejected as false. While it’s true that Christians should not be primarily negative and critical people, we should be willing to say negative and critical things about false teachings, because bad doctrine is very harmful-it leads people away from God. The painful reality is that false teachers are great manipulators and they know exactly what to say in order to keep your trust (and keep their money pouring in), so sometimes it’s necessary to say negative and critical things to confront them and their teachings.  The Old Testament prophets, Jesus and all the Apostles did this. 

A lot. 

We should not be primarily thinking “positive versus negative;” instead, we should be thinking, “true versus false.” The Bible is not always a “positive” book because it contains the truth that we need to hear. We humans are like disobedient children who need correction from our Heavenly Father, who loves us enough to tell us the truth.
In Matthew 23:27 Jesus says “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.” Gee whiz, Jesus, that’s not very nice; at least the Pharisees were trying to do something.  

2. “But he’s really famous (he has written popular books, has a huge church, has a TV show, etc.), he must know what he’s talking about!” “That many people can’t be wrong!" 

This exposes the common belief that “the group is always right” (my group!); which is like saying “consensus equals truth.” Christians say that they believe the Bible, but too often what they really believe is whatever their “guy” (local pastor, TV preacher, famous author/speaker, etc.) says about the Bible. On top of that, if a local pastor is actually doing a good job of faithfully preaching God’s Word, he’s often being over-ridden by the surrounding culture. 

We have millions of Christians watching 10, 20 or even 30 hours of television per week, yet they don’t have time to read and study the Bible. But when the latest guru comes along with a new method of “hearing from God” they drop everything to “learn the secret;” yet, they’ve neglected God’s Word-the actual words from God. The situation should be seen as utterly absurd, yet since almost everyone behaves and believes this way, it’s been normalized. As a result, false teachers have free reign and a limitless customer base to promote their weird ideas and enrich themselves. 

In Mark 7:7 Jesus says to the Pharisees (quoting Isaiah): “in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” In Matthew 7:13-14 He says: “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”  Jesus is warning us not to follow the teachings of men (even if it’s a NY Times Best-seller!), and not to “go with the group.”  Psalm 118:8 “It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.”

Go ahead, read the rest, they are very revealing!

That's why following this woman is so dangerous. If her followers would think, she would go broke!

I knew Cindy Jacobs was a false prophet. She confirmed it herself.

This is the way some people try to capitalize in the tragedy that just happened in Boston:

I am posting it here, but you can read it also in her own page.

By the way, I think we should pray everyday.

Cindy Jacobs‏@cindyjacobsI had tweeted that we need to pray on this day. Also been warning about a multiple bombing taking place in America! So sad! Two have died

 

Nine Marks of a False Prophet, according to Zwingli

You may know of 9 Mark Ministries, the ministry emphasises on those 9 marks that the church needs to show in order to be a healthy church.

However, in this entry, I offer to you 9 marks of false teachers, penned by Zwingli.

I hope they may resonate with you, and help you to discern those who are false and those who are true shepherds.

1. All who do not teach are nothing but wolves, though they might be called shepherd, bishop, or king. See in this connection how many teaching bishops there are.2. Those who teach their own dreams rather than the word of God are wolves.3. Those who teach the word of God, yet not to the honor of God, but for themselves and their head, the Pope, for protection of their fabricated high station, are harmful wolves, coming in sheep’s clothing.4. Those who teach already and teach even with the word of God, but do not, however, disturb the greatest aggravators, the leaders, but allow their tyranny to grow, are flattering wolves or traitors of the people.5. Those who do not practice with works what they teach with the word are nothing among the Christian people, destroying much more with their works than they build with their words.6. Those who do not pay attention to the poor but let them be oppressed and burdened, are false shepherds.7. Those who wear the name of shepherd, yet rule in the worldly sense are the most evil werewolves.8. Those who gather riches, filling sack, purse, storehouse and cellar are true werewolves. And finally, those who do other things with doctrine than undertaking to plant the knowledge, love and childlike fear of God among the people are false shepherds. They must soon be removed from the sheep or they will devour them entirely.9. Therefore it is easy to understand that all those are false shepherds who lead from the Creator to the creature. 

Good exposure of a false prophetess

Easily debunking Simcha Jacovovici and his associates

Not only the West has conspiracy theories against Christianity. Islam has its own. It's Easter!!!

I've heard that many Muslims believe that Jesus predicted the coming of Jesus, and that our gospels have been corrupted in order not to show that Jesus made such a prediction.

Now, and again, we are faced with a "new discovery", regarding the claims that Jesus predicted the coming of Mohammed. Check this out:

The discovery of the gospel that predicts the coming of Prophet Mohammed has been stirring much controversy especially in light of the contradictions it has with the Quran and the question marks surrounding its authenticity. 
Despite speculations about the discovered text being the famous Barnabas Gospel, which foresees the advent of Islam, nothing so far confirms this hypothesis, including the Turkish newspaper Zaman. 
The paper added that the Vatican did not ask for a copy of the text, but the Vatican ambassador in Ankara asked the Turkish authorities to inspect it and provide feedback on its authenticity.Skepticism over the authenticity of the text arises from the contradictions it has with the Quran even though it recognizes Islam and Prophet Mohammed in addition to the fact that most studies say the book goes back to only 500 years ago. 

Pure conspiracy, fantasy and illusion.  The text is a fraud, as the claim that Jesus said that Mohammed was a coming prophet. Actually, this is what Jesus said:

John 10:7-9New International Version (NIV) ⁷ Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸ All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. ⁹ I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.

And when talking about the time after his departure, this is what he said:

Matthew 24:23-25New International Version (NIV)²³ At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. ²⁴ For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²⁵ See, I have told you ahead of time.

So Jesus did predict about some that would come after him, but they weren't going to be good prophets, rather, evil ones. 


It is ridiculous how this "so called gospel" that predicts the coming of Mohammed, contradicts the Quran, Mohammed's book:

Akkad added that the gospel’s account of how Jesus told a crowd of thousands about the advent of Prophet Mohammed is hard to believe.
This gospel, he explained, contains several mistakes that can be obvious to Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike.
Reading the 325-page, 231-chapter Arabic translation of the book, which can be downloaded from the internet, makes it easy to detect the contradictions to Quran it contains. 
For example, the book says that there are nine heavens and that the tenth is paradise while in Quran they are seven only and claims that Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus without any pain while the Quran story says she got labor pains.

Read the whole entry, and find out how ludicrous  these claims are. 

As I have said, Easter is around the corner, so expect many of these type of stories.

Good on you Newt Gingrich, Fox news analyst are plain ignorant

Well done Newt, you do say it like it is, at least on this issue.

People who watch Fox only for their source of info, are among the most ignorant people on earth, even more so than those people who have never watched TV in their lives!!!

Ten wrong predictions of the end of the world and other events

To me, this is more like a death wish, the end of the world. Why can't people just wish their own end, but have to include the rest of us, is beyond me.

Well, Time has published its Top 10 Failed Predictions. It would be a good idea for the rest of us to read them, and to see how people can get things wrong, and still be so unrepentant as Harold Camping.

But the predictions don't stop with the end of the world. There are plain flat denials about how the world works and is. Take for instance, The Flat Earth Society.

The last wrong predictions, number 10, is telling of how the Western historical narrative is so wrong. The the fall of Communism in Easter Europe and the Soviet Union, Francis Fukuyama thought that society and civilisation was in a path of evolution, being democracy and capitalism the pinacle of that evolution. The small article points two things out, that there's a great discontent in our liberal democratic countries, yet, undemocratic China is on the rise. The system that doesn't work for North Korea or Cuba, apparently works very well in China economically.

Well, interesting read. I commend you to read the ten worst predictions. Of musical interest, see prediction number 5, where the Beatles were dismissed as washed up before they hit it big.

Luis A. Jovel

Are We Promised Prosperity?

Now that the economic "bailout" plan has been passed by Congress, expect all parties involved to claim credit if it appears to work and deny blame if the crisis worsens. Though the primary problem is a crisis in the credit markets and the financial sector, the entire economy feels the crunch. The crisis now may lie in the awareness of uncertainty -- and no one likes uncertainty when it comes to matters economic.

The public is also bracing for more bad news. Just today, the State of California announced that it might need a $7 billion bailout. The state's credit rating is not the problem, but the state has been unable to get the short-term money it needs, given the constriction of credit. Who is next?

There are a host of issues to be considered here. Many Americans are just waking up to the basic facts of economics. Most, sad to say, remain oblivious. Some among the more curious are discovering how much borrowing and lending goes on in the course of business -- and among their neighbors.

Niall Ferguson, one of the world's most influential historians, puts much of this into perspective in an essay published in the current issue of TIME magazine. In "The End of Prosperity?," Ferguson argues that another Great Depression -- a "Depression 2.0" -- is avoidable. Nevertheless, a period of far less material prosperity is almost surely at hand.

He explains:

The U.S. — not to mention Western Europe — is in the grip of a downward spiral that financial experts call deleveraging. Having accumulated debts beyond what's sustainable, households and financial institutions are being forced to reduce them. The pressure to do so results from a decline in the price of the assets they bought with the money they borrowed. It's a vicious feedback loop. When families and banks tip into bankruptcy, more assets get dumped on the market, driving prices down further and necessitating more deleveraging. This process now has so much momentum that even $700 billion in taxpayers' money may not suffice to stop it.

The unavoidable reduction of debt is traumatic at every level. Excessive and unsustainable valuations led to bad decisions and the illusion of free money. It never lasts. The "deleveraging" we are now witnessing will take some time to run its course. And that course is still unpredictable.

The most interesting part of Ferguson's analysis has to do with the causes and course of the Great Depression as compared to the present crisis. His historical precision and honesty are helpful -- even as his analysis is bracing.

One of the most interesting paragraphs in Ferguson's essay has to do with the credit crisis at the household level. Consider this:

In the case of households, debt rose from about 50% of GDP in 1980 to a peak of 100% in 2006. In other words, households now owe as much as the entire U.S. economy can produce in a year. Much of the increase in debt was used to invest in real estate. The result was a bubble; at its peak, average U.S. house prices were rising at 20% a year. Then — as bubbles always do — it burst. The S&P Case-Shiller index of house prices in 20 cities has been falling since February 2007. And the decline is accelerating. In June prices were down 16% compared with a year earlier. In some cities — like Phoenix and Miami — they have fallen by as much as a third from their peaks. The U.S. real estate market hasn't faced anything like this since the Depression. And the pain is not over. Credit Suisse predicts that 13% of U.S. homeowners with mortgages could end up losing their homes.

We can only wonder how many Americans realize that total household borrowing now amounts to the productivity of the entire U.S. economy for a year. That is a staggering reality. Such borrowing levels are economically unsustainable. At the level of the individual household, this downturn can be catastrophic.

The Christian tradition has been very suspicious of credit and borrowing. Usury laws and a bias against borrowing and lending dissuaded most Christians from borrowing except in a dire emergency. Until fairly recently, the wide-spread use of consumer credit was unimaginable among Christians. Evidence that this is no longer the case can be found in the popularity of so many Christian financial advisors who have been calling for believers to get out of debt.

In another article -- fascinating on its own -- TIME's David van Biema looks at the influence of prosperity theology in the current credit crisis. His article, "Did God Want You to Get That Mortgage?," starts with a punch:

Has the so-called Prosperity Gospel turned its followers into some of the most willing participants — and hence, victims — of the current financial crisis? That's what a scholar of the fast-growing brand of Pentecostal Christianity believes. While researching a book on black televangelism, says Jonathan Walton, a religion professor at the University of California Riverside, he realized that Prosperity's central promise — that God would "make a way" for poor people to enjoy the better things in life — had developed an additional, toxic expression during sub-prime boom. Walton says that this encouraged congregants who got dicey mortgages to believe "God caused the bank to ignore my credit score and blessed me with my first house." The results, he says, "were disastrous, because they pretty much turned parishioners into prey for greedy brokers."

Lee Grady, editor of Charisma magazine, explained it this way: "It definitely goes on, that a preacher might say, 'if you give this offering, God will give you a house.' And if they did get the house, people did think that it was an answer to prayer, when in fact it was really bad banking policy."

It is easy to see how prosperity theology could lead to these unwarranted assumptions. Prosperity theology is a lie, and a false Gospel. We are not promised economic or financial prosperity in the Gospel. We are promised what money cannot buy and poverty cannot take away.

It is also easy for non-Charismatic critics of prosperity theology to look down on those who were so susceptible to its false promises. Many devotees of prosperity theology are desperate in ways the more privileged cannot understand, and they are prey to both lenders and preachers promising prosperity.

I must wonder how many other Christians -- far removed theologically from Charismatic prosperity theology -- might have bought into a very different prosperity theology. Have we all been seduced by the idea that prosperity is a given? Do we now think that prosperity is our right? Do we associate prosperity with the blessings we receive in the Gospel?

Perhaps we all need a refresher course in Christian economics and Christian theology. Niall Ferguson argues from the record of history in looking to the current crisis. Perhaps we should remember our own history lesson -- that far more believers in Christ have been and are now among the poor, rather than among the wealthy. We should hear Jesus warn against materialism and Paul remind us that we are to be content when we have plenty and when we have little. We should know that the Christian virtue of thrift is incompatible with the lies of those who push consumer credit.

We are not promised prosperity. When we do enjoy prosperity, we should be thankful stewards -- not peddlers of our own prosperity theology.

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