Where are the Iglesia Ni Cristo® - 1914 Martyrs of Faith?

Among those persecuted and murdered CHRISTIANS, no member of Felix Manalo's cult, the Iglesia Ni Cristo® -1914 was ever mentioned. Noticeably, an INC™ paid minister would prefer cities toiled by Catholic missionaries, where religious tolerance is respected. In rural areas, they would visit places visited and organized by Catholic missionaries where knowledge of Christ and the Bible has been fully established then they would sneak in and demonize the Catholic belief to justify their revived Arian heresy. No INC™ would dare go to places hostile to Christian missionaries. Thus it's not surprising that NO-INC™ PAID MINISTER has ever died for the sake of their faith in the MAN-ONLY-CHRIST-FAILURE-SAVIOR they worship besides THE FATHER (therefore worshiping TWO ~ one MAN and one GOD ~) a teaching that goes against the Bible - God alone you worship! [Exod. 20:3, Deut. 5:7] -CD2000 [P.S. the INC™ Christ was a "failure savior"  because he needed another "Last Messenger" in the person of Felix Manalo in order to save souls.]

Aleteia provides an overview of some recent 21st-century martyrs.

The blood of martyrs continues to be the seed of new Christians at the beginning of 2018. This is the conclusion we can draw from reviewing the testimonies of men and women who, in various countries around the world, have shed their blood for their faith in Jesus.

Below, we offer a list of present-day witnesses to the Gospel who have been faithful to the very end.

The list is necessarily incomplete. If you know other cases of Christians of any denomination who have been killed for their faith in Christ, please mention their names in the comments below this article, offering sources that will allow us to document the circumstances of their death.

1. Pakistan: Brutally killed at 15 years of age because he was a Christian [Killed by Muslims]

Mushtaq Gill, a Christian lawyer handling the case, explains that Masih’s death is a terrible example of Christian persecution in that country: “Violence begins at the desks in the schools, because even primary school textbooks incite hate against non-Muslims.”

2. Bolivia: A young Polish missionary, capable of risking everything for Christ

Helena’s case reveals the challenge facing missionaries in Latin America, a sub-continent where, during 2017, eleven missionaries died (eight priests, one religious, and two lay people).

3. Nigeria: Killed by human bombs [Perpetrators were Muslim terrorists]

Joseph, who was 56 years old and the father of 11 children, had been a catechist since he as 36; John, 38 years old and father of five, had been serving as a catechist for ten years. Patrick was 27 years old, and still a bachelor.

4. China: “Living martyrs” [Killed by Communist government]

They were “living martyrs.” In 2017, numerous bishops and priests of the Catholic Church in China have died, after suffering tremendous persecution and many years of prison or forced labor.

5) Philippines: Workers give their lives so as not to deny their faith [Murdered by Muslim terrorists]

They were killed for not reciting the shahada, the Islamic profession of faith. Thus, eight Christians bore witness to their faith on the Philippine island of Mindanao.

6) India: They had warned him: “Stop preaching the Bible.” [Killed by Islamic Army]

They had told him on various occasions to stop preaching the bible. Nonetheless, Sultan Masih, 47 years old, Pentecostal pastor of the Church of the Temple of God in Ludhiana, the largest city in the Indian state of Punjab, didn’t stop.

7) North Korea: Anonymous martyrs [by Communist government]

“In North Korea, the most ruthless persecutor—as the report categorizes the country ruled by Kim Jong-un—the indescribable atrocities committed against Christians include food deprivation and forced abortions, while there have also been reports of cases of believers tied to crosses and placed over fire. Others have been crushed by steam presses.”

8) Copts: Fidelity to Christ to the point of heroism [Perpetuators are Muslims]

While the world prepared to celebrate the new year, this December 30, 2017, nine people were cruelly killed in an attack against the Christian minority in Egypt, perpetrated by an armed Jihadi in a church south of Cairo, for which ISIS claimed responsibility.

It was the last of a series of attacks committed by Jihadis which, in 2017 alone, left more than one hundred dead. It’s a very high price being paid by Coptic Christians, a community making up 10 percent of the nearly 100 million inhabitants of Egypt, the largest minority in a majority Muslim country.

9) Cameroon: Death to the bishop? [Murdered by government forces]

Other examples of Catholic missionaries who died tragically and without the guilty parties being identified are Bishop Yves Plumey, archbishop emeritus of Garoua (1991); Fr. Joseph Mbassi, editor of the Catholic publication “L’Effort camerounnais” (1988); Jesuit theologian Engelbert Mveng (1995); French religious Germaine Marie Husband and Marie Léone Bordy, who ran a dispensary at a Catholic mission (1992); and Fr. Apollinaire Cloude Ndi, pastor of a church near Yaoundé (2001). Since 2010, many parishes and pastors have suffered attacks, which often met with silence from civil authorities.

10) In the hands of the Islamic State [Killers were Muslims]
A review of the witnesses of the faith who have given their lives for Christ during the past year would not be complete without mentioning the cases of Christian missionaries who have been kidnapped by the Islamic State or other Jihadist groups in various countries.

Iglesia Ni Cristo® 1914, IPINAGDIRIWANG ang BAGONG TAON ng mga KATOLIKO!

Nakatutuwang isipin na maging ang mga sektang halos lahat ng bagay na Katoliko ay ITINATAKWIL, ay nagsasaya pala at nagdiriwang sa tuwing sumasapit ang bagong taon.

Sa katunayan, taon-taon gusto nilang SUNGKITIN ang Guinness World Record bilang pinakamalaki at pinakamagarbong fireworks display sa tuwing sumasapit ang BAGONG TAON.

Source: GMANetwork

Ang HINDI nila alam, ang kanilang ipinagdiriwang at sinasariwa ay isang PROMULGASYON ni  PAPA GREGORIO XIII (Pope Gregory XIII) ng IGLESIA KATOLIKA noong OKTUBRE 1582, tatlong daan at tatlumpu't dalawang taon (332 years) bago pa man SUMULPOT ang sektang TATAG ni FELIX MANALO, ang INC™.

Ayon sa Wikipedia, si Pope Gregory XIII raw ay ika-226 Papa ng tunay na Iglesia ni Cristo. At hindi lang 'yan, si Papa Gregory pala ay siyang dahilan ng PAGKAKAROON ng CIVIL CALENDAR na ginagamit ngayon sa buong mundo.  

Siya pala ang NAG-REFORMED ng PRESENT CALENDAR na dahilan kung bakit sa tuwing sumasapit ang ENERO UNO (January 1) o BAGONG TAON ay IPINAGDIRIWANG maging ng mga KUMAKALABAN sa Iglesia Katolika!

"Italian. Reformed the calendar (1582); built the Gregorian Chapel in the Vatican. The first pope to bestow the Immaculate Conception as Patroness to the Philippine Islands through the bull Ilius Fulti Præsido (1579). Strengthened diplomatic ties with Asian nations."

Si Pope Gregory XIII rin pala ang nagtakda na ang MAHAL NA BIRHENG IMAKULADA ay PATRONESA ng BUONG PILIPINAS!

Ang tawag pala sa KALENDARYONG ginagamit din ng mga kumakalaban sa Iglesia Katolika ay GREGORIAN CALENDAR. At ang Gregorian Calendar raw ay "... internationally the most widely used civil calendar. It is named after Pope Gregory XIII, who introduced it in October 1582" sabi ng Wikipedia.

Kita niyo! Nakikinabang na pala ang mga kaanib ng kultong INC™ sa pinaghirapan ng Iglesia Katolika na siyang TUNAY NA IGLESIA NI CRISTO ayon sa Pasugo 1966, pahina 46, eh kinakalaban pa nila sa larangan ng broadcasting sa TV man, radyo at magasin at pinahahambing pa sa diablo para lamang sila ang lalabas na banal at tama. Hindi tama at banal na gawain ang manira ng kapwa para lamang umangat. Hindi po tamang pag-uugali ng isang sumusunod kay Cristo. Ipokrito po ang tawag sa ganon.

Eh bakit nga ba nagkaroon ng Gregorian Calendar? Ito ba ay para sa pagarbuhan at palakihan ng fireworks display? 

Nagkaroon lang daw ng Gregorian Calendar para ayusin ang kakulangan sa bilang ng Julian Calendar na DAHILAN ng PAGLIPAT-LIPAT ng petsa ng PASKO NG PAGKABUHAY o ng EASTER.

"...a calculation that determines the calendar date of Easter. Because the date is based on a calendar-dependent equinox rather than the astronomical one, there are differences between calculations done according to the Julian calendar and the modern Gregorian calendar. The name has been used for this procedure since the early Middle Ages, as it was considered the most important computation of the age... 

"In 1583, the Catholic Church began using 21 March under the Gregorian calendar to calculate the date of Easter, while the Eastern Churches have continued to use 21 March under the Julian calendar. The Catholic and Protestant denominations thus use an ecclesiastical full moon that occurs four, five or 34 days earlier than the eastern one. 

The earliest and latest dates for Easter are 22 March and 25 April. In the Gregorian calendar those dates are as commonly understood. However, in the Orthodox Churches, while those dates are the same, they are reckoned using the Julian calendar; therefore, on the Gregorian calendar as of the 21st century, those dates are 4 April and 8 May."

Sa makatuwid ay RELIGIOUS pala ang dahilan kung bakit na-reformed ang present-day calendar na ginagamit halos na ng buong mundo, at walang kinalaman ito sa Guinness World Record na gustung-gustong sungkitin taon-taon ng INC™ - 1914.

Kaya't sa tuwing BAGONG TAON, alalahanin natin na ito ay isa sa PINAKAMALAKING KONTRIBUSYON ng IGLESIA KATOLIKA sa sangkatauhan, Katoliko man o hindi-Katoliko.  At ito rin ang batayan ng ating International Standardized (ISO) Measurement of Time.

Imbes na AWAYIN at KALABANIN ang IGLESIA KATOLIKA at paratangan ng pagiging "ampon ng diablo" (Pasugo Agosto 1962,  p. 9; Pasugo Oktubre 1956, p. 1), dapat lamang na PASALAMATAN ang NAG-IISA at TUNAY na IGLESIA NI CRISTO. Sapagkat kung hindi dahil sa talinong-angkin ni Papa Gregorio XIII eh malamang walang magarbong fireworks display sa Philippine Arena taon-taon!

DID JESUS PRE-EXIST BEFORE HIS BIRTH ON EARTH? by Bro. Duane Cartujano

Source: Facebook

First, it is clear in John 17:5 what Jesus told the FATHER. Jesus said “I had in your presence before the world existed.” This proves Jesus already existed before the world existed. Logos was with the Father.

Second, we can read in 1 Peter 1:11 that the phrase, “the Spirit of Christ within them”. "inquiring about the person or time that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated when it testified in advance to the sufferings destined for Christ and the subsequent glory."(1 Peter 1:11)

According to a commentary book of a textual scholar in page 386:

“Peter spoke of the Spirit of Christ indwelling the OT prophets who lived before the incarnation of the Son of God, when he became Jesus Christ of Nazareth. This means the Spirit of Christ existed before the incarnation; it also suggests that the Spirit of Christ is not bound by time---i.e., the Spirit of Christ is eternal.” (Page 386, A Commentary on the Manuscripts and text of the New Testament By Philip Comfort)

It is clear that in the generation of the prophets of the Old Testament, the presence of Christ guided them.

Third, It is very clear that John 8:58 is proof of the pre-existence of Christ.

Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.”(John 8:58)

It speaks his self-existence; he is the First and the Last, ever the same, Revelation 1:8. Thus he was not only before Abraham, but before all worlds. John 8:58 contradicts Abraham, who "came into being" (genesthai, translated "was" in the NRSV), with Jesus, who purely is (which Jesus states in the first person, "I am," ego eimi). The statement brings to mind as classic pronouncement of the eternal being of God in the Old Testament: "Before the mountains came into being [genethenai, infinitive aorist passive of ginomai] and the earth and the world were formed, even from age to age, you are [su ei, the second-person equivalent of ego eimi]" (Psalms 90:2 [89:2 in Septuagint] ).

The Greek sentence here shows the same grammatical structure as John 8:58 and uses the same verbs to point out the same contradiction between what is created and mortal and the uncreated and eternal one.

In the Book of New Testament Scholar, Murray J. Harris, John (Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament):

58 Ἀμὴν κτλ. 1: 51. Πρίν + acc. and infin., “before.” Γενέσθαι (aor. mid. infin. of γίνομαι) stands in sharp contrast with εἶναι: “Before Abraham came into existence/ was born, I AM.” A similar construction is found in Ps 89: 2, πρὸ τοῦ ὄρη γενηθῆναι . . . σὺ εἶ, “before the mountains came into existence, you exist.” Heb. ’ani hu’, “I existence (am) he” ( = Ἐγώ εἰμι in the LXX) was Yahweh’s self-designation (Isa 43: 10; 46: 4; 48: 12). The timeless εἰμί points to the absolute, independent, and eternal existence of Jesus; it places Jesus “in God’s existence beyond time, in his eternal present” (Schnackenburg 2: 223; he believes Exod 3: 14 [LXX], Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν, forms the basis of Jesus’ claim [2: 224, 494 n. 144]). Barrett spells out the implications of εἰμί this way: “I eternally was, as now I am, and ever continue to be” (352).

Fourth, If Christ is the power and wisdom of God and Christ did not exist during that time, it will show that God has no power and wisdom.

It is very clear Christ is the power and wisdom of God.

"but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."(1 Corinthians 1:24)

The belief of those who do not agree with the pre-existence of Jesus is illogical. Aside from this, we understand the verse proves Jesus is not just a man. Why? If He is the power and wisdom of God and he is just a man, why will God get wisdom from Him? Does this mean man is more intelligent than God? And, if he is the power of God and He is just a man, why will God get power from Him? Is man more powerful than God? 

Wisdom cannot be separated from the one who owns Wisdom. For example, if you have wisdom, can you separate this wisdom from you? The answer is NO.

Was Jesus born on Christmas?

It’s not a trick question.

By Alice Camill / USCatholic

Photo from public domain

It sounds like a trick question akin to “Who’s buried in Grant’s tomb?” Of course Jesus’ birth is Christmas Day. But did the Incarnate Word arrive on December 25? I’d say there’s a 1-in-365 chance.

While births are significant in scripture, birthdays are not at all. Honestly, we don’t know what year Jesus was born, much less the date. Sometime between what we call 7 BCE and 4 CE, the Word becomes flesh and dwells among us. John’s gospel perceives the incarnation as central to history but the precise date is irrelevant. Details about Jesus’ birth, as narrated by Matthew and Luke, are shaped for theological reasons, and they are powerfully significant ones. Their historicity is less certain—and, for these evangelists, utterly beside the point. Mark shows no interest in Jesus until he’s a grown man. So anyone looking for the inches and ounces of Jesus’ birth will find the gospels unforthcoming.

So why did the church latch onto the 25th of December? That date doesn’t become a “thing” until the Roman Emperor Aurelius (270–275) institutes the sol invictus, or festival of the invincible sun. He sets this feast on the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year on the Roman calendar. In the anxiety of waning light, the coming victory over darkness is merrily anticipated.

The sol invictus is so popular, and so light-centered, it becomes a no-brainer for Christian leaders to co-opt and consecrate the celebration on their liturgical calendar. Converts are drawn from the Roman world, after all. The recognition of Jesus as “Light of the world” weds happily with the established festival to remind new Christians that “the dawn from on high will break upon us, to shine on those who sit in darkness and death’s shadow” (Luke 1:78–79). By the fourth century Christian calendars include the nativity as a regular feast.

That works well in Rome. In Egypt and Arabia, however, winter solstice occurs on January 6th. A feast proclaiming God manifest among us, Epiphany, dawns for those Christians as well—which they celebrate on their solstice. In this easternmost part of the church, the feast is less about Jesus’ arrival and more about how his divinity is revealed: by the testimony of the magi, in his baptism, and through the first miracle at Cana.

Later the West adopts Epiphany, and the East likewise assumes the nativity. With dual origins, Christmas-Epiphany becomes more an extended season with multiple meanings than a single event. For centuries the feast is hardly observed as a birthday party for Jesus, which some parishes throw today complete with cake and balloons. Early Christmas liturgies were pointedly determined to fight heresies. In heavy dogmatic fashion, Christmas honored “the eternal Word made flesh,” in contradiction to the suggestion that the human Jesus was a divine mirage.

It would be centuries more before crèches and evergreens lightened the mood and the meaning of Christmas. Yet those strings of lights still remind us that a light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can’t touch it.

This article also appears in the December 2017 issue of U.S. Catholic (Vol. 82, No. 12, page 49).

Image: via Unsplash

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST WHICH IS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH!

Mary Did You Know (Performed by El Gamma Penumbra)

IBA TALAGA KAPAG TUNAY NA KAANIB SA TUNAY NA IGLESIA - ANG IGLESIA KATOLIKA!


"From Mary, we learn to surrender to God's will in all things.
From Mary, we learn to trust even when all hopes seems gone.

From Mary, we learn to love Christ her son and the son of God".

In Honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and celebration of Solemnity of Immaculate Conception, the Mother of God. Here's the special performance with Love and Devotion performed by El Gamma Penumbra.

Credits
Song by: Pentatonix

Pope Francis in Myanmar and Bangladesh

Catholic Herald: Victims’ group apologises to priest after abuse claims dropped

(Getty image)

Fr Joseph Jiang sued the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests after abuse claims against him were dismissed

[Catholic Herald] The Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP) has issued an apology to the Archdiocese of St Louis and two of its priests, Father Joseph Jiang and the late Mgr Joseph D. Pins, admitting allegations against them were false.

“The SNAP defendants never want to see anyone falsely accused of a crime. Admittedly, false reports of clergy sexual abuse do occur,” the group said.

“The SNAP defendants have no personal knowledge as to the complaints against Father Joseph Jiang and acknowledge that all matters and claims against Father Jiang have either been dismissed or adjudicated in favor of Father Jiang,” it said.

“SNAP acknowledges that false claims of clergy sexual abuse injure those clerics falsely accused and the Roman Catholic Church,” the apology added.

The apology was issued as part of a settlement with SNAP in a defamation lawsuit filed by Father Jiang in 2015, according to the archdiocese.

Mgr Pins died of cancer June 17, 2015. Ordained in 1970, he had been rector of the Cathedral Basilica of St Louis for 13 years at the time of his death.

The priest had been mentioned in a civil lawsuit that accused the archdiocese and St Louis Archbishop Robert Carlson of supposedly covering up for a priest accused in 2012, wrongly as it turned out, of molesting a teenage girl. The suit claimed the archbishop and Mgr Pins ignored requests to reassign the priest.

Father Jiang was associate pastor at the cathedral basilica when allegations arose that he had molested a 15-year-old girl who attended Mass there with her family.

A judge dismissed the criminal case against Fr Jiang in 2013 because prosecutors could not show the priest was ever alone with the girl at her home, where the alleged abuse supposedly took place. In 2014, Father Jiang was arrested and charged with molesting a young boy, but a year later, that charge also was dropped.

To clear his name, Fr Jiang filed a defamation lawsuit in 2015 against the boy’s parents and SNAP, “contending that the boy had been coached to falsely accuse an innocent man,” according to court records. The lawsuit also accused SNAP of carrying out a “shameless smear campaign” that “destroyed the life of a promising young man and priest.”

As part of the settlement of the suit, SNAP issued the apology.

“SNAP apologizes,” it said, “for any false or inaccurate statements related to the complaints against Father Joseph Jiang that it or its representatives made which in any way disparaged Fr Joseph Jiang, Archbishop Robert Carlson, Mgr Joseph D. Pins and the Archdiocese of St Louis.”

Engr. Rafael Riorito O. Estorque's Article on Panoncillo (INC™) vs Cartujano (Catholic) Debate

7 VERSUS 1 – 1 IS THE WINNER? 

By Engr. Rafael Riorito O. Estorque

If we watch the debate, Mr. Cartujano admitted he was not able to provide a magazine xerox or answer the question of Mr. Panoncillo about the pasugo issue. Mr. Panoncilo was referring to page 11 of the book, Answering Iglesia ni Cristo. What about the SEVEN QUESTIONS asked by Mr. Cartujano? Can Mr. Panoncillo admit that he was not able to answer these since he gave irrelevant answers? INC members will surely say their minister gave correct answers. Yet, if we analyze the questions, was Mr. Panoncillo able to answer them?

1. Did Mr. Panoncillo provide a 3rd century manuscript with the words “MONOGENES HUIOS”? Mr. Cartujano showed a 3rd century manuscript with the words, "MONOGENES THEOS" through the projector during his first cross examination. Did Mr. Panoncillo show any 3rd century manuscript with the words “MONOGENES HUIOS”? NONE. What did Mr. Panoncillo do? He read the Jerusalem Bible (English translation) and his only answer was,"HINDI KUMO LUMA ANG MANUSCRIPTS AY YUN NA TAMA". Mr. Panoncillo did not show any book during the debate which stated the statement of textual scholars that support, “HINDI KUMO LUMA ANG MANUSCRIPTS AY YUN NA TAMA,” particularly John 1:18.

2. When Mr. Cartujano asked Mr Panoncillo about the Syntax of John 1:1c, "kai theos en ho logos", if it is common for a definite nominative predicate noun preceding a finite verb to be without the article. Was Mr. Panoncillo able to answer this? Only the ignorant will say this was answered by Mr. Panoncillo. What did he do? He just read the Tagalog translation of John 1:1. Is this the answer to the question of Mr. Cartujano? Why did Mr. Cartujano ask this? INC ministers often use John 1:1c because theos has no article in the 3rd clause of John 1:1c and it functions as an adjective!

3. Mr. Cartujano asked Mr. Panoncillo where he can read the word-for-word “SI JESUS AY HINDI DIYOS” in the Bible, since he also asked Mr. Cartujano the word-for-word that JESUS says “I AM THE TRUE GOD.” Was Mr. Panoncillo able to provide a verse? What was his answer? Mr. Panoncillo said, "You must prove that, not me.." See?

I heard the answer of Mr. Cartujano during the debate when he was asked where in the Bible you can read JESUS SAID, "I AM THE TRUE GOD."

Mr. Cartujano’s answer was Christ will not say that since the Jews forbid this according to the Jerusalem Talmud. He added what Christ said in John 8:54 that His Father gave him glory and in Hebrews 1:8, he was glorified by the Father and called "GOD".

4. When Mr. Cartujano asked Mr. Panoncillo if we look at the Original Manuscript like Codex Sinaiticus if Mark 16 is until 20 or only 8 verses, this was not answered by Mr. Panoncillo. What did he do? Mr. Panoncillo answered, "SANA AY NAGREKLAMO NA ANG PARI MO". And he referred to the hiligaynon translation and remarked.

5. Mr. Cartujano asked Mr. Panoncillo to refute Granville sharp in Titus 2:13 and he was asked by Mr. Cartujano to explain it grammatically that the person here refers to two persons and not just one. Was Mr. Panoncillo able to explain this? What did he do? Mr. Panoncillo said, "HINDI SA LAHAT NG PAGKAKATAON AY GRAMMAR!"

6. When Hebrews 1:8 was tackled, Mr. Cartujano asked Mr. Panoncillo, if he agreed to the translation, “Your throne, O God”. The answer of Mr. Panoncillo is the right translation is “God is your throne”. Likewise, he mentioned Psalms 45:6, so Mr. Cartujano asked him since Psalms was originally written in Hebrew. He was asked by Mr. Cartujano to explain the accentuation in the Masoretic text where there should be a pause between “throne” and “God”. Mr. Panoncillo answered, "HINDI ITO PANAHON NG PAGPAPALIWANAG".

7. Mr. Cartujano asked about the use of verse in the Old Testament because Mr. Panoncillo said some verses have a similar line, “Is there a God Beside me?”He was asked by Mr. Cartujano the meaning of the Hebrew word, “Yotzrei-fesel”. This was not answered by Mr. Panoncillo. The next statement of God was “Is there a God Beside me?” Since Mr. Panoncillo gave irrelevant answers, this was repeated by Mr. Cartujano. What is the meaning of “yotzrei-fesel?” He failed to give an answer.

Catholic Herald: Houses of Parliament lit up in red for persecuted Christians

by Madeleine Teahan posted Thursday, 24 Nov 2016 for Catholic Herald

The Houses of Parliament lit up in red to commemorate persecuted Christians last year

Buildings across the country were lit up to mark 'Red Wednesday'

The Houses of Parliament, churches, cathedrals, synagogues and universities were lit up in red yesterday to highlight the plight of persecuted religious minorities abroad.

The event – Red Wednesday – was organised by Aid to the Church in Need. Westminster Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, London Routemaster buses and Bolton town hall were also lit up in red to commemorate the persecuted.

On his Twitter account yesterday, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby said: “In Communion this morning, we prayed for all victims of religious violence around the world – and for governments too. Peace between faiths means a shared commitment to love, truth and human dignity. May Christ give us grace to set an example. On #RedWednesday we must call on politicians to never use faith to motivate violence.”

He later posted a picture of Lambeth Palace floodlit in red, with the caption: “Lambeth Palace lit up for #RedWednesday tonight in solidarity with all those persecuted for their faith.”

Westminster Cathedral (Photo: Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk)

At 6pm yesterday evening, Westminster Cathedral hosted a prayer service with Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II of the Syriac Orthodox Church, based in Damascus, Syria, Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri Ameer of the Al-Mustafa Islamic Educational and Cultural Centre, Dublin, and Dr Sarah Bernstein, director-general of the Jerusalem Centre for Jewish-Christian Relations, Israel.

Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II (Photo: Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk)

Bishop Angaelos, Britain’s Coptic Orthodox leader, released a video message of solidarity with persecuted Christians. Speaking outside the Coptic Cathedral of Saint George he said: “Today this Red Wednesday we stand in solidarity with all those who suffer. Christians of the Middle East, people of other religions all around the world, people of no religion who are compelled in whatever way. Today we stand in solidarity and say to you we stand by your side, we understand the burdens you carry, we will do more than just speak. We pray for you, we speak for you, we continue to raise awareness of your plight.”

Mary, Did You Know? (Dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God - Jesus)

This song will definitely make members of the cult of Manalo go into nuts. Merry Christmas to every Christian in the world!

Mary, Did You Know?
Pentatonix

Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you

Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when you kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of God

Mary did you know, Mary did you know, Mary did you know

The blind will see, the deaf will hear and the dead will live again
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb

Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding is the great I am

Mary did you know, Mary did you know, Mary did you know

Songwriters: Lamont Savory / Buddy Greene / Mark Lowry / Courick Clarke / William Barclay / Wayne Buchanan

Mary, Did You Know? lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group

RAPPLER NEWS: Pope Francis on Lamborghini gift: Better to auction off

The Lamborghini Huracan sports car, which boasts a 610 metric horsepower, is blessed by the pontiff, who bent to scrawl his signature on its gleaming bonnet before sending it off to Sotheby's auction house

Agence France-Presse via Rappler

@afp

Published 11:06 PM, November 15, 2017

Updated 11:49 PM, November 15, 2017

SUPERCAR. This handout photo taken on November 15, 2017 at the Vatican and released by the Vatican press office, Osservatore Romano shows Pope Francis signing a Lamborghini Huracan received as a gift as Lamborghini CEO Stefano Domenicali looks on. Handout / OSSERVATORE ROMANO / AFP

VATICAN CITY, Holy See – Lamborghini gave Pope Francis a personalized white supercar on Wednesday, but he put it up for auction to raise money for charity rather than give up his trademark popemobile.

The Huracan sports car, which boasts a 610 metric horsepower, was blessed by the pontiff, who bent to scrawl his signature on its gleaming bonnet before it was sent off to Sotheby's auction house.

The supercar usually goes for around 200,000 euros ($237,000), but this model – featuring gold stripes and gold-rimmed wing mirrors in homage to the pope's gold-tipped stole – is expected to beat that.

The money raised will go to four charitable projects, including one aimed at rebuilding the homes and churches of persecuted Christians in the Nineveh Plains in Iraq.

The Lamborghini will also help fund an Italian association helping victims of human trafficking and prostitution rings, as well as two organizations active in Africa aimed at supporting vulnerable women and children.

It is not the first time the Argentine has received a high-speed gift: in 2014 he was given a Harley Davidson motorbike and jacket, both of which he auctioned off for charity.

The famously humble pontiff is more of a fan of buses.

He opted to ride one the day after his election in 2013 instead of taking a limousine, and regularly used them in his homeland Argentina instead of taxis.

The pope, who loves to be close to the people, has stuck doggedly to using his open-topped popemobile to move through the crowds at masses at both the Vatican and on foreign trips, despite security fears.

He has stayed faithful to the white all-terrain vehicles with bubble tops despite an accident in Colombia this year in which he lost his balance while it was moving and ended up with a black eye.

Historically, popes moved around on a "sedia gestatoria", a ceremonial red silk-covered throne which was carried on shoulders until the 20th century, when it was swapped for the popemobile. – Rappler.com

Catholic Herald: Houses of Parliament to be lit up in red for persecuted Christians

Hindi po kasali rito ang mga pekeng "kristiano" na UMUUSIG sa mga tunay na mga kaanib ng TUNAY na Iglesia - ang mga Katoliko!

The Parliament building will be lit up along with at least 10 cathedrals for #RedWednesday

The towers of the Houses of Parliament (AP)

Catholic Herald - The Houses of Parliament in Westminster will be lit up in red for #RedWednesday next week in honour of the world’s persecuted Christians and all those who suffer for peacefully held beliefs.

John Bercow MP, the Speaker of the House of Commons, and Lord Fowler, Speaker of the House of Lords, agreed to the initiative after being lobbied by parliamentarians, many of whom had been contacted by constituents.

Among those calling for Parliament to turn red was Trevor Harrison, from Sevenoaks, who wrote to his MP, Sir Michael Fallon.

He said he contacted his MP after attending an event in Parliament organised by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief – itself a supporter of #RedWednesday.

Speaking to Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, which is organising #Red Wednesday together with Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Mr Harrison said: “Turning Parliament red is a wonderful way to get the message about religious freedom to as wide an audience as possible.”

“We all need to get behind #RedWednesday – we need to stand together against violence carried out in the name of religion – we need to speak up about regimes which persecute people of faith.”

This will be the second year running that Parliament will turn red for #RedWednesday.

So far this year, at least 10 cathedrals across the UK have pledged to go red including London’s Westminster Cathedral and others in Ayr, Edinburgh, Paisley, Birmingham, Norwich, Wrexham, Derry and Armagh.

In total, nearly 50 public buildings are expected to get behind #RedWednesday – schools, colleges and churches including London’s Anglican St Martin-in-the-Fields and All Souls, Langham Place.

There will be a week of vigils and other events across the country from November 19 to 26.

At 6pm on November 22 a solidarity service will take place outside Westminster Cathedral, with talks, witness testimonies, a video message by MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, music and speeches by Coptic Orthodox Bishop Angaelos, Neville Kyrke-Smith, national director of Aid to the Church in Need (UK), and Mervyn Thomas, chief executive of Christian Solidarity Worldwide.

Throughout the day, a traditional London red bus emblazoned with #RedWednesday slogans will be criss-crossing the capital, stopping at London landmarks.

HELPING THE POOR NEED NOT TO BE TRUMPETED!

Thus, when thou givest alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in synagogues and in streets, to win the esteem of men. Believe me, they have their reward already.  But when thou givest alms, thou shalt not so much as let thy left hand know what thy right hand is doing, 4 so secret is thy almsgiving to be; and then thy Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward thee. [Matthew 6:2-3]

On the other hand, the Catholic Church which has been helping the poor worldwide for more than 2,000 years now do it for Christ silently. This is why we do not trumpet our good works for the world to applause us but we do it for the glory of the true Church of Christ and the Triune God to bless us.

Ilan nga ba ang kaanib ng INC™-1914?

Bragging they have more than 10 million followers, the Iglesia Ni Cristo®-1914 couldn't hide the fact that they only have more than a million die-hard supporters who are ready to defend their disobedient Executive Minister who kicked-out his own mother and siblings from the INC™-1914 founded by their grandfather Felix Y. Manalo.

"The Catholic Church in the Philippines counts at least 80,304,061 followers or 80% of the entire Philippine population, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority. Also in the millions is the home-grown Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) which has about 2.3 Filipinos followers." [Source: Rappler]

When both religious institutions were criticized by Rappler, their journalists get two different reaction. From the Catholic Church, there were no vicious threats against their writers. In fact, their criticisms were all respected. Ironically, this “church” that boasts on its historic “return” (daw) to Rome (PASUGO God's Message February 2014, p. 7), the INC™-1914, its administration and their supporters did the unthinkable dipping their group to a cult-like religion.

"We weren't spared. We were attacked relentlessly and accused of being biased. We were targets of calls for a boycott. But we persisted."

REFUTING IGLESIA NI CRISTO®-1914: DID JESUS DENY HIS DEITY IN JOHN 14:28?

By Bro. Duane Cartujano

Jesus Christ took away his being God and became humble (Philippians 2:5-8).

"You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross."(Philippians 2:5-8)

Jesus came here not to give glory to Himself but to the Father.

He is not like many people who give glory only to themselves.

"Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God."(John 8:54)

Another New Testament scholar used by INC ministers to twist the truth in John 10:30 is the Book of D.A. Carson on “The Gospel According to John.”

Now, will Parba, Ventilacion and other INC Ministers still accept the statement of D.A. Carson?

"At a popular level, this clause is often cited, out of context, by modern arians who renew the controversy from the early centuries that is connected with the name of Arius. In the clause before us, the father is greater that I cannot be taken to mean that Jesus is not God, or that he is a lesser God; the historical context of Jewish monotheism forbids the latter, and the immediate literary context renders the former irrelevant" (The Gospel According to John by D.A. Carson, Page 507)

I just want to quote the comment of a highly respected Christian Scholar, Norman Geisler.

"The Father is greater than the son by office, but not by nature, since both are God. Just as an earthly father is equally human with, but holds a higher office than, his son, even so the Father and the Son in the trinity are equal in essence, but different in function. "(The Big Book of Bible Difficulties, Page 420)

When INC Ministers defended their wrong interpretation of John 1:1, they gathered what the scholar Dr. Daniel Wallace said.

Now, will Parba, Ventilacion and other INC Ministers still accept the statement of Dr. Daniel Wallace?

"In this context, it is obvious that Jesus is speaking with reference to his office, not his person. That is, the Father has great rank, but the Son is no less deity than is the Father. "(Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics by Daniel Wallace, Page 111)

May bago nang 'Jesus' ang mga INC™-1914 sa katauhan ni Felix Y. Manalo

Hindi nakapagtataka kung bakit ang turing ng mga kaanib ng INC™-1914 kay Felix Manalo at kahalintulad ni Cristo Jesus ay sapagkat ito ang kanilang paulit-ulit na ikinakabit sa pangalan ng kanilang 'huling sugo' sa kanilang mga pangangaral, maging sa pananalita o sa imprenta.

PASUGO Hulyo 1965, p. 12:

“Parehong-pareho ang espiritu ni Cristo sa diwa ni Kapatid na Felix Manalo sa pamamaraan ng pagdadala ng tungkuling tinanggap sa Dios."

PASUGO Mayo 1964, p. 1:

“Inihandog ng Dios ang kanyang sarili sa kanyang huling sugo upang dumiyos sa kanya. Samakatuwid, ang tanging may Dios na huling araw na ito'y ang huling sugo -- si Kapatid na Felix Manalo."

JUAN 10:16 - SI FELIX MANALO ANG TINUTUKOY NA PASTOR

PASUGO Mayo 1961, p. 22:

“Papaano magiging kawan o Iglesia ni Cristo itong mga tupa ni Jesus na nagmumula sa Pilipinas, hindi naman naparito si Cristo noong 1914? Ang sabi ni Jesus, Juan 10:16, 'magkakaroon sila ng isang Pastor'. Sino itong isang Pastor ng Iglesia na lilitaw sa Pilipinas? Ang pinagsabihan ng Dios: 'Huwag kang matakot, sapagkat ako'y sumasaiyo: (Isaias 43:5).

“Sino itong pastor ng Iglesiang lilitaw sa Pilipinas? Ito ang huling tinatawag o sugo na kasama ng Dios. Ito ang Kapatid na Felix Manalo. Noong sabihin ni Cristo na siya'y mayroon pang ibang mga tupa na wala sa kulungan at sila'y gagawing isang kawan at magkakaroon ng isang pastor, noon pa'y mayroon na siyang karapatan."

VS.

JUAN 10:16 - SI CRISTO ANG TINUTUKOY NA PASTOR

SULO pahina 58:

“Itinuturo din ng Iglesia Katolika na ang Papa ang siyang "Kataas-taasang Pastor". (Question 169). Ito ay salungat din sa turo ni Jesus at ng mga Apostol, sapagkat sinabi ni Cristo: "Ako ang tanging Pastor" (Juan 10:16)".

Sagot ni Bro. Duane kay Jose Ventilacion Di Umano sa mali-maling Greek Grammar (daw)

SAGOT SA KOMENTO NI JOSE VENTILACION NA DI UMANO AY MALI MALI ANG GREEK GRAMMAR KO DURING THE DEBATE

(Ni Bro. Duane)

Komokomento at binabanatan ako ng di umano'y nag-aral ng biblical languages sa harvard university at kinikilalang magaling sa biblical languages na si Jose Ventilacion ng mga INC members.

Ito ngayon ang sagot ko sa comment ni Ventilacion against sa akin.

Una, yung argument ko sa Greek ay sinasang-ayunan ni Dr. Eugene Ulrich, mentor ko sa Biblical languages at ng iba ko pang mga mentors na mga Professors din sa Biblical Languages e yung argument mo na nagfunction na adjective ang word na "theos" sa 3rd clause ng John 1:1 sinong Professor mo sa Harvard University ang sumasang-ayon dyan? I challenge you to show me their testimonies na sinasang-ayunan ng mga Professors mo ang arguments at mga grammar mo sa Biblical languages lalo na ang interpretation mo na si Felix Manalo ang Bird of Prey sa Isaiah 46:11.

Tanungin mo nga si Dr. Saley na kasama mo sa picture na isa mga Professors sa Harvard University kung sumasang-ayon sya sa interpretation mo? Sigurado ako mapapakamot sa ulo si Dr. Saley dahil maling mali ang interpretation mo tungkol sa Isaiah 46:11.

Pangalawa, at least ang Grammar ng Greek ko ay ibinatay ko sa mga textbook na Going Deeper with New Testament Greek, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics and A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament e yung mga grammar mo saang Greek Grammar Textbook mo pinulot?

Pangatlo, nakalimutan mo na yata ang isinagot mo kay Dr. James White noong tinatanong ka nya sa Grammar, ano nga ang isinagot mo sa kanya?, "We do not based our doctrine and teaching simply by means of grammar."

Kaya tigilan mo Mr. Ventilacion ang pagmamarunong mo sa Greek Grammar dahil lumalabas lang ang knowledge mo sa Greek kung ang mga kaharap mo ay hindi marunong.

INC™ received kickbacks from LTO officials?

This is the same LTO that was gung-ho in awarding the vehicle license plates contract to  a Dutch firm for millions of dollars. The making of these vehicle plates used to be done by a local company with links to an influential  religious sect.  Being a crucial voting bloc in local elections and national elections, the Iglesia ni Cristo did not have  to shell out kickback money to certain LTO officials. [CONTINUE READING]

Lowell Menorca II, INC™ ex-Minister Received a Refugee Status in Canada

The long road to safety for ex-INC refugee claimants

Two years after the controversy in the Iglesia ni Cristo broke out, ex-members Lowell Menorca II and Rovic Canono have filed refugee claims in Canada. One has been successful so far.

By Rappler

For Menorca, the road for his refugee claim has been a long one. Since he fled the Philippines with his family, Menorca said he had had to be careful as he went from country to country, first to Vietnam, then to Thailand.

Fearing that he was being followed and monitored – photos of him and his family in Vietnam had earlier surfaced on social media – Menorca took precautions on his way to Canada, wearing a face mask and a hat to avoid being recognized.

From some of his relatives in Canada, Menorca learned that he was already being expected at the airport. When he arrived in Vancouver in April 2016, he waited until the crowd had passed before making his way to immigration authorities and said he was applying for a refugee claim.

Menorca was led to a different room, where the initial interview took around 10 hours.

“They were trying to see how cohesive the story is, trying to look for lies, deception in whatever I’m saying. They were trained to detect if there is malicious intent with those claiming asylum,” he said. READ MORE

Greek Bible Scholars Reacting to Bro. Duane's Debate with the Iglesia Ni Cristo® - Founded by Felix Manalo in 1914

Email Response from Dr. Darrell Bock with Comment

Email Response from Dr. Eugene Ulrich with comment on my recent debate with the Iglesia ni Cristo